First global warming refugees in Tuvalu

The sea level rising is already threatening the existence of a country in the world - obviously with its population, culture and biodiversity. This alarming piece of news testifies the effects of global warming and should be treated with responsability by the international community. But perhaps because Tuvalu is not a big player in the international arena, we don't even get to know the tragedy is happening. Check the details below.

The 11,000 Tuvaluans live on nine coral atolls totaling 10 square miles scattered over 500,000 square miles of ocean south of the equator and west of the International Dateline. Tuvalu is the smallest of all nations, except for the Vatican. Tuvalu has no industry, burns little petroleum, and creates less carbon pollution than a small town in America. This tiny place nevertheless is on the front line of climate change. The increasing intensity of tropical weather, the increase in ocean temperatures, and rising sea level -- all documented results of a warming atmosphere -- are making trouble for Tuvalu.

Tuvaluans face the possibility of being among the first climate refugees. Sea level rise is the greatest problem. Tuvalu's highest elevation is 4.6 meters .
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The islands are not going to go under immediately. Yet the effects accumulate, year by year. "Even if we are not completely flooded, " said Laupepa, "in 50 to 70 years we face increasingly strong storms and cyclones, changing weather patterns, damage to our coral reefs from higher ocean temperatures, and flooding of all our gardens." Not growing enough food and decreasing fish catch if reefs are damaged would mean "importing more food, more foreign exchange, and more health and diet problems, " he said.

Source: http://www.worldviewofglobalwarming.org/pages/rising-seas.html