Courtest of Christian Aslund. Betio Island, Kiribati.
Kiribati
Capital: Tarawa
Population: 116,398
Languages: English, Gilbertese
Demonym: I-Kiribati
Life in Tarawa
In and out like a metronome. The rhythm of the waves is the cadence of the I-Kiribati (pronounced ee-kiribass) heartbeat. Made up of 33 atolls and islands, over half choose to live on the Tarawa atoll. The landscape changes with the tides. Often locals can be seen swimming or canoeing to nearby land easier accessed during certain times. While the people continue to rapidly urbanize in Tarawa, a visitor would never doubt for a moment they were in Micronesia.
Courtest of Mattea Mrkusic. South Tarawa, Kiribati.
Courtesy of Kiribati Tourism. Tarawa, Kiribati
Having grown accustomed to the ocean’s ebb and flow as their clock, many still live life by its cadence. If you were to canoe away from the urban capital of Tarawa you’d see Western-style buildings slowly fade to open-sided thatched meetinghouses punctuated by the odd European-style church.
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No matter what condition it's in or how much money awaits in larger countries, to many people in Kiribati, this is home and the only home they care to have.
Courtesy of BBC News. Tarawa, Kiribati
Countdown to High Tide
The I-Kiribati made their legacy on fearlessly taking on the waves, but now they’re on the defensive. With 60% of the nation being aged 30 or younger, many fear they’ll outlive their country. The 33 atolls of Kiribati spread across an area of 3.5 million square kilometres, yet the average height across the island nation is a mere two-metres. The IPCC goes so far as to say a one-metre rise in sea-level could submerge nearly half of the country.
More than just Waves
An increase in storm surges and cyclones has pushed disease rates to unprecedented levels. When the sea rises it doesn’t just take away the land, it makes what remains even more difficult to manage. These concerns with disease paired with saltwater intrusion in remaining freshwater reserves make many pessimistic of what’s to come.
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With smaller atolls rapidly receding, those who remain are choosing to move. Being the urban centre of Kiribati, Tarawa is the usual destination. Epidemics of cholera and dengue fever have already been observed, but the rising population and tides almost guarantee the worst is yet to come.
No More Time
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When the rising sea is mentioned, there is no more discussion of ‘island time’, the sense of urgency is palpable. I-Kiribati see their land disappearing quickly and have already begun arranging for migrants to have somewhere to go.
The I-Kiribati government aims for ‘migration with dignity’. This two-part plan aims to enable those who wish to leave, while increasing domestic levels of qualification to meet the standards of Australia and New Zealand. Preliminary discussions are ongoing with Fiji, New Zealand and Australia. President Anote Tong has explicitly stated that “climate migration is five years away.”