Bikini Atoll govt buys climate change bolthole land in Hawaii

The local government of Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands has bought hundreds of acres of land in Hawaii as a climate change bolthole.

Bikini Atoll was rendered a radioactive wasteland by American nuclear tests in the 1940s and 50s and its people were forced to relocate.

Last month, the Bikini Local Government based in the capital Majuro bought 283 acres of land in the Hawaii town of Hilo.

Mayor Anderson Jibas says the $US4.8 million purchase is insurance in case climate change renders Bikini islanders homeless.

"Our island, Bikini Atoll, is radiated with Caesium-137 and so on. We think that it's best for the future for at least a backup plan for our people."

Anderson Jibas said the local government will now develop the land so it's ready for relocation.

"We want to recoup some of the money that we spent on this backup plan for our future use.. we will be using some of the land to divide and put houses and all that and try to resell."

He said in recent months, a US-provided trust fund used to buy the land in Hawaii had also been used to buy transport boats and an apartment block.