Tonga, a remote chain of 176 lush islands spread over 500 miles of the Pacific Ocean, faces potentially devastating effects from climate change. Some studies suggest that sea levels may rise by up to 6 feet by the end of the century — a catastrophe for many low-lying islands.
As part of her series on small islands and climate change, Worldfocus producer Megan Thompson visited Tonga and documented the government’s campaign to get the word out about the issue — both at home and abroad. The trip was sponsored by the U.N. Environmental Program and coordinated by the Alliance of Small Island States.
- Read Megan’s blog posting from Tonga
- Listen to Worldfocus Radio: Small Islands, Big Climate Changes
- Watch: Creeping seas threaten tiny island chain of Maldives and Caribbean nations fear climate change
03/25/2010 :: 06:03:41 AM
Interested Observer Says:
There has been no net rise in sea level in the South Pacific. What you are seeing is erosion. Erosion has always taken place and atolls/low lying islands are always sinking. It is their very nature to do so.
Cyclones are not getting stronger.
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