Kiribati

Picture of Tuvalu

Kiribati is an island nation in the central Pacific Ocean, spanning a vast area of more than 3.5 million square kilometer. It consists of 33 smaller individual islands, with the Kiritimati Atoll being the largest among them. Kiribati is a popular tourist destination for travelers from around the world, but like Tuvalu and many other Pacific Island chains, it is one of the nations most susceptible to the impacts of climate change and rising sea levels.

Tuvalu's president has decided that the country's citizens need to act through raising the level of its land, which currently completely sits less than two meters above sea level. The plan is to dig up clumps of sand and rock and layer them onto each of the country's islands. Although conceptually simple, the project is projected to cost in the billions of dollars, and although the country has secured a donation from the World Bank, the president is still causing upon wealthier nations with higher carbon emissions to support their cause. Although previous leaders have sought to relocate many of its citizens to neighboring countries such as Australia, Kiribati's current president doesn't believe in this strategy, as eventually, there will be no safe place from the rising sea levels.

Currently, Kiribati's government has claimed that at least three meters of sand and rock need to be added to the country's current land for sufficient safety from the rising ocean. However, the cost of this operation will undoubtedly be immense, as material will have to be imported from other countries. Kiribati's struggles are just another example of the environmental injustice faced by smaller island nations. Although its emissions are among the lowest in the world, it faces the most severe consequences, far before any wealthy nation like the US and China. This case among many others demonstrates the need for equitable environmental policy and climate accountability around the world.

Sources:

1. Corporativa, I. (n.d.). Kiribati, El primer país que engullirá el cambio climático por la subida del mar. https://www.iberdrola.com/sustainability/kiribati-climate-change

2. Guardian News and Media. (2022, November 18). “no safe place”: Kiribati seeks donors to raise islands from encroaching seas. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/18/cop27-kiribati-donors-raise-islands-sea-level-rise