Five small Pacific islands have disappeared due to rising sea levels, and another six have experienced severe shoreline recession, according to a new study.
The submerged islands were part of the remote Solomon Islands, a country located northeast of Australia that's made up of six major islands and more than 900 smaller islands.
The missing islands were not inhabited by humans, but the study showed that shoreline recession at two sites destroyed villages that existed since at least 1935. Severe coastal recession that took place on the shoreline of Nuatambu island between 2011 and 2014 resulted in ten houses being washed into the ocean.
The study, published in the online journal Environmental Research Letters, is believed to be the first scientific confirmation of the impact of climate change on small islands in the Pacific. Researchers used aerial and satellite imagery from 1947 to 2015, along with historical insight from local residents to identify the five vegetated reef islands that have vanished over the 68-year time period.
Researchers said sea-level rise in the Solomon Islands over the past two decades are amongst the highest globally, averaging 3mm per year since 1950 and between 7 and 10mm per year since 1994. The study also notes that the projected sea levels for the Solomon Islands indicate a rise of 24 to 89cm between 1996 and 2090, depending on future greenhouse gas emissions.
"Climate change induced sea-level rise is anticipated to be one of the greatest challenges for humanity over the coming century," the study notes. "The large range of erosion severity on the islands in this study highlights the critical need to understand the complex interplay between the projected accelerating sea-level rise, other changes in global climate such as winds and waves, and local tectonics, to guide future adaptation planning and minimize social impacts."
Post Credit: CTV News
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