Vanuatu

The following response was made to a commenter's reply to my comment on a post concerning sea level rise.

Hey Boo-boo, always liked you. Yogi’s conscience. Good choice for a moniker. Thanks for the opportunity to do a little research on Vanuatu: home to Survivor 2004 and frequent recipient of earthquakes - 8 in the last week alone. It appears to me that the people of Vanuatu have read what Dr. Vincent Gray has to say about sea level in the Pacific Islands. http://icecap.us/index.php/go/joes-blog/pacific_island_sea_levels_are_not_rising/.

Their reassurance has led them to build resorts and market them as places to get away from global warming. Go figure. http://blog.paradizo.com/private-islands/ratua-vanuatu-private-island-vacation/

Apparently, Cate Blanchett, who has purchased beachfront property in Sydney, also has purchased in Vanuatu. Guess she isn’t expecting an oceanic uprising, at least, not while she is alive.  http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/movies/cate-blanchetts-island-buy-in-vanuatu-ignores-rising-seas/story-e6frfmvr-1226070683300

Of course, when there is money available, there will be recipients with their hands out. Vanuatu is no exception. http://thecitizen.co.tz/news/4-national-news/5114-tanzania-gets-sh44bn-from-eu-to-fight-climate-change.html

With low lying islands there is always the problem of trying to figure out whether the land is rising or sinking.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,707884,00.html


Toodaloo. 

Some supplementary information on the response of low lying atolls to sea level rise can be found here.

Kiribati and Guilt Money

 

Kiribati

Kiribati (pronounced Kiribas) is an island nation in the Central Pacific NE of Australia that does not concern too many people. There are about 100,000 folks who live on the island atolls that make up Kiribati. The government of Kiribati has become aware of the world concern with rising sea levels due to alleged global warming caused by human induced CO2 additions to our atmosphere. Kiribati is not far above sea level. They believe that they will be swamped by rising sea and are entertaining the possibility of moving their culture to Fiji by purchasing 6000 acres of land on Fiji. The interesting fact in all of this is that sea level around Kiribati is dropping. Is this just another plea by a small island nation for 'guilt funding' from the UN which really means from the developed countries who are producing the most CO2? 

Small islands can disappear for other reasons. They can also grow.

Very interesting take on Kiribati. 

Here is Dr. Nils-Axel Morner, sea level expert on the Kiribati story. 

Scientists are not worried about an oceanic uprising in Kiribati. 

No sea level rise on the Tarawa atoll in Kiribati. Interesting points in this article on the Pacific Island nations.