Tag Archives: sea level rise

Sea level rise in Fiji

VERENAISI RAICOLA

Picture by bzarrhands

Sea level is expected to continue to rise in Fiji and coastal communities including resort owners need to adapt to this.

Scientists from the Pacific Climate Change Science Program in Melbourne Australia on their latest report on Current and Future Climate of Fiji told regional journalists currently in Australia for leadership and Climate Change reporting that the rise is predicted to be 3 to 16 cm.

The sea-level rise combined with natural year to year changes will increase the impact of storm surges and coastal flooding in the country.

As there is still much to learn, particularly how large ice sheets such as Antarctica and Greenland contribute to sea level rise, scientists warn larger rises than currently predicted could even be possible.

The predictions say that the acidity level of sea waters in the Fiji region will continue to increase over the 21st century with the greatest change under the high emissions scenario by 2030 affecting the fish and sea life negatively.

The impact of increased acidification on the health of reef ecosystems is likely to be compounded by other stressors including coral bleaching, storm damage and fishing pressure.

On a global scale while projections indicate there is likely to be a decrease in the number of tropical cyclones scientists predict an increase in the average maximum wind speed of cyclones by between 2-11 per cent and an increase in rainfall intensity of about 20 per cent within 100 km of the cyclone centre.

In the Fiji region projections indicate a decrease in the frequency of tropical cyclones by the late 21 century and an increase in the proportions of the more intense storm so more cyclone proof building will have to be constructed to withstand these weather changes.

Projections for all emissions scenarios indicate that the annual average of air temperatures and sea surface temperature will continue to increase.

By 2030 under a high emissions scenario this increase in temperature is projected to be in the range of 0.4 to 1.0 degrees Celsius placing a higher risk on the health of the population.

Increases in the average temperature will also result in the rise in the number of hot days and warm nights meaning a significant decline in cooler weather.

Tonga’s sea level rise is triple global average

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Tonga’s rate of sea level rise is reported to be increasing at nearly three times the global average of 3.22mm per year due to El Nino and climate change. By 2100, sea-level rise is expected to increase by 1.6m drowning some of the buildings in this small island.

Sea level rise will inundate roads. Photo by Yanna.B

The Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) predicted Tonga’s vulnerability to sea level rise and found that areas up to 5 m above the sea level will be affected. This means 37-46% of the total population and about 14.1% of the total land area of the main island, Tongatapu, will be inundated.

The threat of climate change is immediate and real. It will also contaminate well and drinking water. In a developing nation with limited arable land, salinity of water which also deteriorates the quality of usable land will be severely affected.

In the latest National Strategic Policy Framework, Government has included the goal to “Integrate environmental sustainability and climate change into all planning and executing of programs.” The challenge is fully integrating this into policies and enforcement.

Sea Level Rise in the Solomon Islands

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Traditional Dancers from Ontong Java photo by 350.org

Like most of it’s neigbouring countries, Solomon Islands, a small island developing state, has it’s share of problems on the issue of climate change.

The country is anticipating many impacts on society, the economy, the environment and human health, all of which are exacerbated by political instability, ongoing environmental degradation, and an isolated economy.

One of the adverse effects is sea level rise on the Ontong Java atolls, of Malaita Province which is affecting the growth of Swamp taro, one of the staple crops planted by the people on the atolls and the limited water sources on the atoll.

The government has also announced tentative plans of relocation in which they are looking at resettling the people from Ontong Java to two provinves, namely Isabel and the Choiseul Province.

The Solomon Islands Government has various projects administered under the Ministry
of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology’s recenlty established Climate Change Division, that are currently helping communities adapt and also mitigate climate change in the country.

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