countries on the brink
Like Nauru, Kiribati and Tuvalu were quite sad places to visit, both for their history (rusting tanks, gun emplacements, etc) and for the litter, abandoned cars, etc, from their present-day occupants. But also from the threat of rising sea level resulting from climate change. Tuvalu is taking steps (largely funded by the UNDP's Green Climate Fund) to build up its landmass against the sea, with thousands of sacks of some 'geotextile' mineral - imported from Fiji - providing a barrier, within which they have deposited some 250,000 cubic metres of sand dredged from the sea the other side. now filling an area covering some 7 hectares. The aim is to provide flood-free land to protect against sea level rise and the larger waves which come with cyclones. I read that on completion in early 2024, this will be the highest land on the island – around 2.4 metres above the highest tide – and should remain flood-free and safe for at least the next 80 years. Of course it is good to se...