As climate change looms, there are few better vanguard countries to keep an eye on than Tuvalu. A series of islands in the Pacific, the atoll nation's highest point is 5m above sea level, and is the perfect testing ground for issues relating to the interaction between human development and environmental change. It is extremely susceptible to not only rising tides, but also fluctuations in weather patterns. This year, it has been devastated by a drought so severe as to beg the question - is it feasible to continue to live there? Regardless of the answer, many residents below a certain income level are trapped. Emigration is high, and many families would do so if they could. However, there are also members of another camp, including the chairman of the national disaster committee. Disturbingly, he takes a c'est-la-vie position when asked about the prospects of living in a potentially dying country.
In the light of recent retractions and setbacks in the battle against climate change, the attitudes in Tuvalu raise questions as to how first-world countries will deal with these same issues when their time comes. If it is to be taken as an example, we may need to ensure that our leaders are not simply waiting for the inevitable by voting with the highest priority given to candidates' stances on climate change.
((Article at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/17/tuvalu-drought-climate-change
Image from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/648373.stm))
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