Can small islands survive? - The Climate Question podcast, BBC World Service

Key Concepts

• Atoll: A ring-shaped coral reef, island, or chain of islands formed of coral.
• Nuisance Inundations: Regular, minor flooding events caused by high tides.
• Sea Level Rise: The increase in the average height of the ocean due to climate change.
• Coral Bleaching: The process where coral expels algae due to stress (often heat), turning white and becoming vulnerable.
• Adaptation: Adjustments to natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic effects.
• Nature-Based Solutions: Utilizing natural ecosystems to address societal challenges, like coastal protection with mangroves.
• Desalination: The process of removing salt from seawater to create freshwater.
• Matrilineal Land Tenure System: A system where land ownership and inheritance are passed down through the female line.
• Marine Heatwaves: Prolonged periods of unusually warm water temperatures in the ocean.

The Climate Question: Saving Small Islands – A Detailed Summary

Introduction: The Existential Threat to Small Island States

The podcast episode of “The Climate Question” from the BBC World Service focuses on the disproportionate impact of climate change on small island nations, despite their minimal contribution to global emissions. These nations face an existential threat to their land, economies, and cultures, prompting the central question: how can the world save these vulnerable islands? The episode features interviews with Tina Stege, the climate envoy for the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Dr. Rosanne Martyr, a senior scientist specializing in adaptation and coastal vulnerability at Climate Analytics.

The Changing Landscape of the Marshall Islands

Tina Stege describes growing up in Majuro, the capital atoll of the Marshall Islands, characterized by its thin landmass bordered by a calm lagoon on one side and the ocean with a protective reef on the other. However, she notes a dramatic shift in her lifetime. The ocean, once a source of joy and sustenance, has become “scary” and “terrifying” due to increasing frequency of overwashing shores. This manifests in two primary ways: “nuisance inundations” – regular flooding from high tides – and more severe flooding from storm systems that damage infrastructure and contaminate agricultural land with saltwater. This salinization renders the soil unusable for months, impacting food security. Changes in weather patterns, making seasonal predictions unreliable, further exacerbate these challenges.

Shared Vulnerabilities Across Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

Stege highlights that the Marshall Islands’ experiences are shared by many other SIDS. A common threat is the devastating impact of hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons, capable of wiping out an entire nation’s GDP in a single event. These storms lead to widespread infrastructure damage, loss of electricity and water access, and societal disruption.

Adaptation Strategies: A Multi-Levered Approach

Dr. Rosanne Martyr outlines a three-lever approach to adaptation: addressing the climate hazard itself, reducing exposure to the hazard, and minimizing vulnerability.

• Addressing the Hazard: Utilizing nature-based solutions like coral reefs and mangroves to reduce wave energy and coastal erosion.
• Reducing Exposure: Relocating people and infrastructure away from vulnerable coastal areas, implementing stricter building regulations. Examples include elevated houses and restrictions on coastal construction.
• Reducing Vulnerability: Securing financial resources to implement adaptation measures, a significant challenge for SIDS.

Practical Examples of Adaptation Measures

Martyr provides specific examples:

• Mangrove Restoration: Mangroves act as natural buffers against storm surges and erosion.
• Vetiver Grass Seawalls: A project in Fiji utilizes Vetiver grass, with its strong root system, combined with rocks and mangroves to create a “living seawall” offering coastal protection.
• Traditional Engineering Solutions: Seawalls and levees are effective but can be costly (US$6-20 million per kilometer).
• Desalination: Increasingly used to provide freshwater, with a shift towards offshore desalination plants to cope with saltwater intrusion. The cost of desalination is increasing due to the need for more robust technology to handle highly saline water.

The Cost of Adaptation and the Need for Financial Support

The cost of adaptation is substantial. Stege cites an estimated US$9 billion needed for hard infrastructure alone in two of the Marshall Islands’ urban atolls. SIDS lack the financial capacity to fund these projects independently and require significant international support. She emphasizes the need for changes in global financial structures to facilitate access to necessary funding.

Global Relevance: Lessons from Small Islands

Martyr emphasizes that adaptation strategies pioneered in small islands are increasingly relevant to larger coastal cities worldwide, including Miami, Mumbai, Lagos, and Liverpool. The Caribbean implemented a catastrophic risk insurance facility, a model now being adopted elsewhere. Solutions for protecting freshwater systems, like relocating desalination plants, are also being implemented in larger cities facing similar threats. The UN Secretary-General’s office recognizes that the challenges faced by small islands will ultimately impact billions of people globally.

The Marshall Islands’ Adaptation Plan and the Threat of Resettlement

The Marshall Islands published its national adaptation plan in 2023, prioritizing nature-based solutions and hard infrastructure. However, logistical challenges, particularly the high cost of importing construction materials, pose significant hurdles. The plan also considers the possibility of land raising and, as a last resort, resettlement if sea level rise exceeds adaptive capacity.

Preserving Culture and Identity

Stege underscores the importance of land to Marshallese culture and identity. The matrilineal land tenure system, which ties families to specific parcels of land through female lineage, is a cornerstone of their social structure and provides a vital safety net. Resettlement would fundamentally alter this way of life, potentially leading to the loss of cultural heritage. The Marshall Islands are therefore “fighting every day to ensure that we can stay.”

Conclusion: A Fight for Home and a Global Responsibility

The episode concludes with a powerful message: the plight of small island nations is not merely an environmental issue, but a fight for home, culture, and survival. It highlights the urgent need for global action to reduce emissions and provide financial and technical support to help these vulnerable communities adapt to the impacts of climate change. The fate of these islands serves as a warning and a testing ground for adaptation strategies that will be crucial for protecting coastal communities worldwide.