Commonwealth gold medalist David Katoatau

Kiribati migration "a generation away"

The Commonwealth gold medal winning weightlifter says it will be scary for the Kiribati family being deported from New Zealand after losing a bid to be declared climate change refugees.

He says it is hard to live in the country which has a grim future and the children will find it scary when the ocean comes and covers the land.

He says the case has helped get the message out about the effects of climate change even though it was not successful.