Q. How are climate change and the sea level rise affecting the very existence of many island nations? Discuss with examples.
Possible Introductions
Factual intro
According to the IPCC AR6 Report (2022), global sea levels are rising at an average of 3.7 mm per year, threatening the survival of several low-lying island nations in the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and the Caribbean.
Current-affairs intro
The Maldives, Tuvalu, and Kiribati have recently raised concerns at the UN COP summits, warning that unchecked sea-level rise could wipe their homelands off the map within this century.
Philosophical intro
For many small island nations, climate change is not a future risk but a present reality, where rising seas and climate extremes erode both physical land and cultural identity.
Directive Analysis
“Discuss” → demands explanation of how climate change + sea-level rise threaten island nations, with examples of socio-economic, ecological, and geopolitical impacts.
Main Body
1. Submergence of Land and Habitats
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- Low-lying islands (average elevation <2 m) highly vulnerable.
- Kiribati and Tuvalu risk being completely submerged by 2100.
- Coastal erosion already eating away agricultural and settlement areas.
2. Loss of Freshwater Resources
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- Saltwater intrusion contaminates aquifers.
- Maldives faces severe freshwater scarcity, relying increasingly on desalination.
- Coral atolls particularly vulnerable due to porous geology.
3. Ecosystem Degradation
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- Coral bleaching due to warming oceans threatens fisheries.
- Mangroves, natural barriers against storms, are receding.
- Biodiversity at risk in Seychelles and Marshall Islands.
4. Socio-Economic Impacts
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- Threat to tourism-based economies (Maldives, Fiji).
- Decline in fisheries → food insecurity.
- Rising costs of coastal protection and adaptation measures.
5. Human Displacement and Climate Refugees
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- IPCC projects tens of millions of people displaced from small islands by 2100.
- Carteret Islanders (Papua New Guinea) already relocated due to rising seas.
- Tuvalu considering purchase of land in Fiji for future relocation.
6. Cultural and Geopolitical Challenges
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- Possible disappearance of sovereign states (legal debates on “drowning nations”).
- Loss of cultural heritage and indigenous traditions tied to ancestral lands.
- Strategic implications in the Indian Ocean (Maldives) and Pacific (Marshall Islands, Kiribati).
Sweet Spot – Flowchart (Text form)
Climate Change → Rising Sea Level → (i) Land Submergence → (ii) Saltwater Intrusion → (iii) Ecosystem Loss → (iv) Displacement → (v) Threat to Sovereignty & Culture
Examples Table
| Island Nation | Threat Faced | Present Response |
|---|---|---|
| Maldives | 80% of land <1 m above sea level | “Climate Emergency” declaration; floating city project |
| Tuvalu | Gradual submergence | Seeking relocation land in Fiji |
| Kiribati | Salinity, erosion | Purchased land in Fiji (2014) |
| Marshall Islands | Rising storms & tidal floods | Coastal protection projects |
Possible Conclusions
Urgency-based
For island nations, climate change is an existential crisis—rising seas threaten not just land but sovereignty, culture, and identity.
Global responsibility
As per the Paris Agreement, developed nations bear greater responsibility for mitigation and financing adaptation for vulnerable islands.
Philosophical
As Tuvalu’s foreign minister stated at COP26, “We are sinking, but so is everyone else”—island nations are a warning for the entire humanity.
Forward-looking
The survival of island nations hinges on rapid global decarbonization, innovative adaptation (floating cities, seawalls), and recognition of climate refugees in international law.
