Warming Winds, Rising Tides: Tuvalu
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 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. |
This
February, the tides were driven against the shore by unusual westerly
winds, and there was increasing erosion. The main asphalt road is only
about 10 km long, yet it runs right along the lagoon in many places and
was covered in water and coral rocks thrown up by the tide.� |
Tuvaluans
face the possibility of being among the first climate refugees |
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