2023-11-16 07:00:08
Across the vast oceans, island nations like the Maldives, Tuvalu, Kiribati and the Marshall Islands are on the front lines of rising seas due to climate change. These atolls, sometimes barely a few meters above sea level, embody vulnerability (In management risks, the vulnerability of an organization or an area, etc.) in the face of this growing threat. Five uninhabited islands in the Solomon Islands have already disappeared beneath the waves over the past century, reflecting the gravity of the situation. the relative location of a…).
The Maldives – Illustration image Pixabay
These atolls, despite their beauty, are alarmingly fragile. Geronimo Gussmann, researcher at the Global Climate Forum, underlines their dynamic nature (The word dynamic is often used to designate or qualify what is relative to movement. It…): they change shape, gain elevation, sometimes merge quickly. Their survival depends largely on the health of the coral reefs that surround them, themselves seriously threatened by global warming (Global warming, also called global warming, or…).
Rising waters are not the only danger. Floods salinize drinking water, compromising agriculture and daily life. A 2018 study of Roi-Namur in the Marshall Islands predicts that most atoll islands could lose their drinking water by the 2060s, or even the 2030s in a worst-case climate scenario. Already, thousands of Marshall Islands residents have emigrated.
Tuvalu – Funafuti Atoll – Image Wikimedia
In Mundoo, in the Laamu atoll in the Maldives, despite the devastating floods of 2004, residents returned to settle. This resilience highlights the complexity of defining what is “habitable.” Political decisions can sometimes surprise, influencing the survival of these communities.
In Fongafale, Funafuti Atoll in Tuvalu, measures are being taken to combat rising sea levels, such as adding artificial pitches. But even these efforts could prove insufficient in the face of multiple risks linked to climate change, such as the decline in tourism and the degradation of marine ecosystems.
The future of these islands will largely depend on the global response to climate change. The survival of these island communities highlights the urgency of global and concerted action to limit the devastating effects of global warming (A planetary designates a mobile mechanical assembly, representing the solar system…).
The Atoll, a unique ecosystem under threat
An atoll is a coral island formation, usually ring-shaped, surrounding a central lagoon. This unique ecosystem is found primarily in tropical and subtropical waters. Atolls form from coral reefs that grow around volcanic islands as they sink. Over time, these islands erode and disappear underwater, leaving behind a ring of coral reefs and, often, small coral islands. These natural structures, whose formation extends over millennia, are home to remarkable biodiversity. They play a crucial role in protecting certain coasts against erosion and storms, and serve as habitats for many marine species. Atolls also provide vital resources for island communities, including fishing, tourism and culture.
However, atolls are extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Rising water levels, a direct consequence of global warming, threaten their very existence. Coral reefs, essential to the survival of atolls, are also at risk, weakened by coral bleaching due to increased water temperatures, ocean acidification and pollution (Pollution is defined as this which makes an environment unhealthy. The definition varies depending on the…). These converging factors endanger not only the atoll ecosystem, but also the lifestyles and culture of the island peoples who depend on it.
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