(CNN) New Zealand's new leader, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, tells CNN that her country must be prepared to take in "climate change refugees" from surrounding island nations.

"We need to acknowledge that we are, unless we make dramatic changes, at the front of seeing refugees as a result of climate change," Arden told CNN's Christiane Amanpour in an exclusive interview, her first since taking office last Thursday.

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"We see a duty of care there -- both to champion internationally the importance of acknowledging and responding to climate change, but also doing our bit."

The country currently takes in about 750 refugees each year, per United Nations mandates, according to the government.

"We're looking to ways to build in the responsibility we have on climate change and the way that we approach, potentially, climate change refuges in the future amongst our neighbors," said the prime minister.

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