'Warning for the World': Five Pacific Islands Officially Lost to Rising Seas

[kadaholo]

Source: CommonDreams by Staff Writer Nadia Prupis

Five Pacific Islands have been swallowed by rising seas and coastal erosion, in what Australian researchers say is the first confirmation of what climate change will bring. The submerged region, which was part of the Solomon Islands archipelago and was above water as recently as 2014, was not inhabited by humans.

However, a further six islands are also experiencing "severe shoreline recession," which is forcing the populations in those settlements—some of which have existed since at least 1935—to flee, according to a study published last week in Environmental Research Letters.

Researchers used aerial and satellite images dating back to 1947 to track coastal erosion across 33 islands. At least 11 islands across the northern region of the archipelago "have either totally disappeared over recent decades or are currently experiencing severe erosion," the study found.

"This is the first scientific evidence...that confirms the numerous anecdotal accounts from across the Pacific of the dramatic impacts of climate change on coastlines and people," the researchers wrote at Scientific American on Monday. Lead author Dr. Simon Albert, a senior research fellow at the University of Queensland, told Agence France-Presse that rates of sea level rise in the Solomons are almost three times higher than the global average.

Read more: http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/05/10/warning-world-five-pacific-islands-officially-lost-rising-seas

[villager]

1. World will be busy not paying attention. Too many deck chairs to rearrange!

Something's on TV!

Plus -- check out this latest personal insult about the candidate you're supporting in the primaries!

[LiberalArkie]

2. To paraphrase villager: Why should I care I live on a mountain? or No problemo man, I will just

get in my plane and go where it is dryer or maybe They should have thought about that before they moved there.

When Manhattan starts flooding then they will care.

[villager]

4. "I manage a hedge fund! This can't be affecting me!!" nt

[LiberalArkie]

6. Wasn't it your private getaway island to avoid US rules and regs?

[houston16revival]

3. This is not really happening

The islands are sinking rather than the water rising

and Trump will drain the water and ship it to the
African desert

[Kablooie]

5. Hey, 5 hedge fund managers made over 1 billion dollars each last year.

So things are going great!
Who cares about some small time nobody islanders when there are billions of dollars to be made!

You've got to get your priorities straight.

[jwirr]

7. why are these signs all in one area? Shouldn't there be

evidence around the world?

[Friend or Foe]

8. Not sure

But I think it's because the Solomon Islands sit right on top of the equator (653 miles).

[jwirr]

9. Okay. They may set lower in regard sea level than the rest

of the world also but I do not really understand this.

[pediatricmedic]

10. Sand bars are subject to erosion and drift over time, not really a good article

[A Simple Game]

14. True, these islands were probably going to be history anyway, but climate change

probably accelerated their demise.

Makes me wonder how many islands like these we lose every year.

As for the oceans rising? Ask the people of Miami about that.

[mahina]

12. We're seeing it too

[greyl]

17. Off the top of my head, it's probably due to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation.

Just kidding, the probable answer was found here: https://weather.com/science/environment/news/solomon-islands-disappearing

The study noted that the rates of sea level rise in the Solomon Islands are amongst the highest globally. While the global average rate of sea level increase has been 3.2 millimeters a year since 1993, the Solomon Islands have experienced approximately "7 to 10 millimeters of sea level rise."

Steve Nerem, an aerospace engineer at the University of Colorado, Boulder, who specializes in satellite measurements of sea level change, told weather.com in an email that ocean-atmosphere climate variability may also play a factor in the island nation's predicament.

"The extra sea level rise versus the global average is probably due to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, which is beginning to switch its phase, so the higher rate of sea level rise should lessen soon," Nerem said.

?James Titus, sea level rise expert at the US Environmental Protection Agency, told weather.com in an email that the islands haven't kept pace with recent tidal rise.

https://weather.com/science/environment/news/solomon-islands-disappearing

[Old Union Guy]

11. And the solution is ...

More power to the same old corrupt politicians?

More money to the same old connected rent seekers?

Might as well be a denialist for all the good the proposed solutions will do.

[jwirr]

13. So true. We are to decide between two corporate toadies and

expect them to work toward saving the environment. We are delusional.

[leimen]

15. Bernie

Bernie said the most important problem we're facing is climate change, and I believe him. The migrant problem today is nothing compared to what it will be shortly. We need to address these issues, really bathrooms pale in the light of our real problems. We need a leader focused on our future or we're doomed.

[jwirr]

16. Absolutely true and this is nowhere so clear as in Europe.

When you have that many refugees show up on your shores all at once they had better be your first concern and the next should be what has caused them to leave home and risk coming to a country that has little in common with them?

[Delphinus]

21. You seem to understand.

Thank you - and welcome to DU!

[maxsolomon]

18. as long as republicans have any shred of power

the US will not do a goddamn thing to address ACC. but go ahead and blame it on HRC, because she's a "toady".

regardless, it's largely too late - sea levels are going to rise.

the time for action was when Al Gore brought it up (and likely before that). instead we went to war over monotheism, because the GOP had power.

[They_Live]

19. This calls for more tax cuts

and building a huge wall around the oceans.

[KamaAina]

20. The South Pacific island nation of Tuvalu is preparing to evacuate all 10,000 residents to NZ.

The entire country.