Tuvalu: Warming Winds, Rising Tides

Tuvalu is the smallest of all the nations, with the exception of Vatican. 11,000 Tuvaluans live on nine coral atolls, totaling 10 square miles scattered over 500,000 square miles of ocean south of the equator. Think about this before you look at the photos that follow. Tuvalu has no industry, burns very little petroleum, and creates less carbon pollution than a small town in America.
Despite the little effect this tiny nation contributes to Global Warming, they are on the front line of Climate Change.
The increasing intensity of tropical weather, the increase in ocean temperatures, and rising sea level -- all documented results of a warming atmosphere -- are making trouble for Tuvalu. The people of Tuvalu face the possiblity of being amongst the first climate refugees (although that tern is never used). "Their whole culture will have to be transplanted." This is the greatest problem Tuvaluans are facing, rising sea levels. Tuvalu's highest elevation is 4.6 meters, though most of it is no more than a meter above the sea. Several times a year, the regular lunar cycle of tides rides over the roads, sloshing into neighborhoods.

Climate Change & Sea Levels

Global Warming has had its effects on our environment in many ways. One of which is a rise in seal level. Portions of Greenland and Antarctica are losing ice fast, which is causing ocean water to expand, therefore causing sea levels to rise. According to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it's estimated that the global average sea level will rise between 0.6 and 2 feet (0.18 to0.59 meters) in the next century.

The link below shows the areas within the United States that are most vulnerable to sea level rise.

http://www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Special:SeaLevel

With the progression of Climate Change, sea levels with continue to rise mostly due to the melting of continental ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica. The actual rise in sea level, in the future, is uncertain, but could possibly reach as much as 65 meters (210 feet). Though this is possible, it’s likely that the rise will only be a fraction of this total.