To many people, island nations such as Tuvalu, Kiribati and the Marshall Islands are synonymous with climate catastrophe. But prophesies of doom aren’t all that helpful.
Laiap, to the west of the site of the now-disappeared Nahlapenlohd.
In 1850, the Micronesian island of Nahlapenlohd was the scene of Pohnpei state’s first battle involving cannons and muskets. Less than two centuries later, it has sunk beneath the waves.
Environmental threats in the Pacific Islands can be cultural as well as physical.
Christopher Johnson/Wikimedia Commons
Steven Cork, Australian National University e Kate Auty, The University of Melbourne
Australia is good at ‘hard hat’ responses to crises such as cyclones. But a new environmental declaration on the Pacific Islands points out that the best approach is more well-rounded and subtle.
The remains of one of six partially eroded islands in the nation of Solomon Islands.
Simon Albert/Reuters
Due to rising sea levels, low-lying island nations are in immediate danger. If drastic measures are taken, this disastrous trend can be transformed into an opportunity for sustainable development.
Property is under threat, physically and conceptually, from climate change.
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To create property systems that are as dynamic as the landscapes we occupy, we might need to start thinking about ourselves as belonging to and answerable to the land, not the other way around.
The crack along the Larsen C ice has grown significantly over the past few weeks.
EPA/NASA/John Sonntag
A huge iceberg is set to break free from Antarctica. While the iceberg isn’t hugely concerning, it could herald the breakup of the entire Larsen C ice shelf, which could trigger more sea-level rise.
Water mass enters the ocean from glaciers such as this along the Greenland coast.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Greenland’s ice is largely responsible for the accelerating pace of sea-level rise. A new analysis shows that, while Greenland accounted for just 5% of the rise in 1993, that figure rose to 25% by 2014.
Part of the land inhabited by some of the early Australians is now submerged, but details of their life is now revealed in an excavation on an island off the continent’s north-west coast.
Church and climate: two issues that are close to many Pacific Islanders’ hearts.
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What does God have to do with climate change? A lot, if you want to engage with communities in the Pacific Islands, where almost everyone goes to church and religious leaders are hugely influential.
Most businesses can ignore the long term effects of climate change. But not football clubs.
The original conflict between development and preservation of natural assets is broadening as the risks of climate change become ever more obvious.
Crystal Ja/AAP
Conflicts over coastal areas have largely been between development and preserving what makes these attractive places to live. Rising sea levels are now complicating our relationship with the coast.
Climate fiction: A novel describes New Yorkers keeping on even after 50 feet of sea-level rise next century.
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A researcher on sea level rise and climate change impacts reviews Kim Stanley Robinson’s new novel, ‘New York 2140,’ which envisions the city’s future in the face of extreme sea-level rise.
A big part of South Africa’s appeal lies in its good weather. Climate change poses a risk to the tourism industry.
IMAGE REUTERS/Mike Hutchings
South Africa’s weather is very attractive to international visitors. Climate change could alter their perceptions unless mitigation strategies are put in place.
Residents of Collaroy, NSW, got a painful lesson in the power of the ocean in June.
AAP Image/Dean Lewins
Many Australians live on the coast, but how much do we know about the risks? While average sea levels are relatively easy to gauge, the risk of flooding also depends on weather, landscape, and climate.
In New York the sea will rise by up to two metres.
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