A house flattened by Cylcone Harold in Ranwas. [Source: RNZ]

Tropical Cyclone Harold showed us that Climate Change is still the Pacific’s biggest existential threat, according to Vanuatu’s opposition leader.

Ralph Regenvanu had been speaking at an Asia Society Policy Institute web conference on Friday about COVID-19 in the Pacific and weathering two crises.

Mr Regenvanu said when the COVID-19 pandemic reached the Pacific, countries were able to put in measures to limit its effects.

But he said when Cyclone Harold hit Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and then Tonga, there was nothing anyone could do but pick up the pieces.

“It still remains the greatest threat to the region, even more than I would say COVID-19 does because we seem to have managed COVID-19 so far, well, whereas climate change, as Tropical Cyclone Harold showed, we have definitely not got that under control and we will continue to be greatly impacted by the effects of climate change.”