The island nation of Kiribati, located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean, is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island. Straddling the equator and lying on both sides of the 180th meridian and the International Date Line, Kiribati is the only country in the world that is located in all four hemispheres.
Kiribati has been facing rising waters by as much as 5 mm per year since 1991. This phenomenon has also been causing the high salinization of its fresh water. Global warming is being blamed for what has been happening to the island nation that is one of the lowest spots on earth, found between Hawaii and Fiji.
According to environmental researchers that have been studying the situation of Kiribati, the problem of global warming is not so much the rising waters as the death of corals. Ocean acidification caused by emissions of greenhouse gases is fatal to coral reefs that have already been weakened by destructive fishing practices such as massive catches of grouper, a species that plays a crucial role in the balance of the coral reef. Researchers note that if there is more coral, there are more islands.
“The alternative is dying, disappearing,” said Anote Tong, President of the Republic of Kiribati. The country is considering embarking on the purchase of new land.
Via ScienceNews/The Rising Tide: Kiribati/itvs/Dhivehi Observer
