Tuvalu – Eaten by the Sea

Friday, 16 October 2009 11:56

Tuvalu - the small nation of islands could be the first country to disappear because of global warming.
 
The nation in the Pacific Ocean consists of nine small atolls and islands. Around 10,000 people live on the altogether 26 square kilometres, and no place is more than five metres above sea level. The highest points are all situated on the slim naturally formed ridge which protects the country against waves from the open sea on the other side of the lagoon.

It is not for nothing that the Tuvaluans say that they have seawater in their veins. Nowhere on the island is the sea more than 100 metres away - the sea is where the Tuvaluans catch their food and where they spend their spare time. At the same time, the sea has become their greatest enemy.

The worlds’ climate researchers have concluded that Tuvalu will be the first country to disappear as a consequence of rising sea levels – unless we act now and stop the present course.
 
Maybe only 40 years left 
In March this year, four experts under the leadership of Professor Stefan Rahmsdorf from the Postdam Institute for Climate Impact Research cut 40 years from the country’s remaining life expectancy. Before is was estimated that the country had 80-100 years left to live, but because new research shows that the polar ice is melting twice as fast as first estimated, the small unknown nation in the Pacific Ocean could be gone in 40-50 years. 

Tuvalu’s head meteorologist Hilia Vavae has followed the development closely since 1981 and she has no doubts what so ever that the weather and ocean is changing. The country’s metrological institute has monitored flooding from seawater coming from the coral subsurface during full moon. Hilia Vavae explains that compared to the 1990s where there was only flooding in February and at times also in January, they are now experiencing flooding at full moon during six out of 12 months.  
 
Future in another country
Most of the Tuvaluans are only slowly beginning to accept the scientists’ dismal predictions for their country. The family man Seti Maumau is still sure that Tuvalu will keep on existing. However, after his small lot has been flooded numerous times, and the island was evacuated in 2006 when the waves of the Pacific Ocean swept over the otherwise protecting ridge, he is starting to consider a future in another country. He is considering Australia or New Zealand as these countries reside high above sea level.

And actually New Zealand has announced that the country is willing to receive the population of Tuvalu the day it becomes necessary for them to leave, and 3,000 Tuvaluans have already faced their destiny and moved to New Zealand.
 
 
Source: Face the climate