Global Warming: Tuvalu

Climate Change and Tuvalu

Tuvalu Impacted

Tuvalu is a small island country located in the south Pacific ocean. In the 1990's it was identified as being under threat from rising sea levels. The affects of this can be seen on the island today, with coastal erosion, saltwater contaminating fresh water, and more exposure of reefs to bleaching affects. The island will most likely be uninhabitable in the next 100 years.

The sinking island

Little resources, little help

Few Options for the Island

Due to the island being such a small nation, they are lacking in resources they can use to fight such drastic changes to their environment. The president of Tuvalu has enacted some measures to try to prevent their rising sea level problem, such as creating disaster plans and a plant-a-tree program. Along with that they have also begun a community water tank service, and they plan to erect sea walls to try to slow the affects.

Miami: The sinking city

Although far away from Tuvalu, being on nearly the opposite side of the world and not even an island, Miami is facing the same problems as Tuvalu. These rising levels have caused millions in infrastructural damage and have even began to harm the Everglades. Saltwater is slowly being pushed further into the everglades, interfering with the wildlife and fauna found in the area. Globally, sea levels will continue to rise and within 100 years levels will rise by 1.3-1.6 meters. Most coastal cities will be sinking or underwater if it reaches that point.

Far From Tuvalu, Close to the Sea

Author links open overlay panelPablo Fraile-Jurado a, et al. “Alternative Approaches to Medium-Long Term Sea Level Rise Mapping in Southern Miami Beach (Florida, USA).” Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, Academic Press, 17 Apr. 2021, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272771421002183.

Sources

‘The Global Warming Clock Is Ticking so See ... - Wiley Online Library. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-9493.2010.00392.x.