Marshall Islands plans to raise islands to escape sea level rise

By Giff Johnson

Facing possible extinction from rising sea levels, the Marshall Islands is for the first time focusing on how to raise islands in this atoll nation.

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"Whatever approach is selected, it will involve selecting islands to raise, add to, or build upon (islands)," [President Hilda Heine] said. "All Marshallese stakeholders, but especially traditional landowners, need to be at the forefront of this discussion if we are ever going to move the conversation forward. We have many scientists and others interested in helping the Marshall Islands. We must come together as a nation as this is about our survival as a nation, as a people and as a culture."

The Marshall Islands aims to increase engagement with the three other all-atoll nations in the world - Kiribati, Tuvalu and the Maldives - to add momentum for "adaptation." Ms Heine is chair of the Coalition of Atoll Nations Against Climate Change (CANCC) that represents these four nations.

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In addition, the aim is "to work more collectively, as the Coalition of Atoll Nations Against Climate Change grouping, to get global institutions and major donors and partners to take into account the exceptional circumstances our nations and people face, especially with the increasing trend and projections for sea level rise."

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