Vanishing shores: Climate change, cultural heritage, and the resilience of the Marshall Islands community

In the Marshall Islands, a concerted community effort is fighting hard to protect not only their home, but also their identity, their landmarks, their history, and their future.

Image © Chewy Lin | In early December 2021, the road to the airport in Majuro was blocked by debris carried by high tides.

Nov 8, 2023

Image © Chewy Lin | In early December 2021, the road to the airport in Majuro was blocked by debris carried by high tides.

Aerial view of an atoll near the capital city of Majuro · Travel Pix

The Marshall Islands is comprised of 29 coral atolls · Shawn Heinrichs

Low-lying cemeteries close to the shore, like this one in Bikini Atoll, are at great risk of being destroyed by rising sea levels · Reinhard Dirscherl

Rising sea levels and changing fish habitat distribution threaten commercial and subsistence fisheries in the Marshall Islands · Shawn Heinrichs

Flooding along low-lying residential areas in Majuro in 2011. The highest elevation in Majuro Atoll is only 3 meters above sea level · Giff Johnson

Industrial wreckage pollutes the shore · Shawn Heinrichs

Seaweed siege: Unravelling sargassum's effect on coastal livelihoods in the Dominican Republic

Fueled by a warming ocean, the aggressive proliferation of sargassum seaweed has turned an important ecological haven in the open seas into a destructive force inundating the coastline of the Dominican Republic. Now swaths of the Dominican Republic’s shores are covered by masses of rotting algae, disrupting local communities and industries that depend on a healthy ocean. But people are working to turn this crisis into an opportunity.

Article·10 min read

The Caribbean’s coral crisis: Ocean acidification threatens coastal livelihoods

The Caribbean is a paradise in peril — more than 50% of the Caribbean’s coral reefs could be lost by 2050. Urgent action is needed from the global community to preserve these vital ecosystems and protect the region’s economy.

Article·6 min read

Tidal threats: Displacement and resiliency in Papua New Guinea

Rising sea levels and exceptionally high tides are displacing communities across Papua New Guinea, disproportionately affecting women. Tulele Peisa, a women-led relocation organization, is setting an example for climate migration efforts around the world.

Article·8 min read

Sinking islands, rising costs: The Maldives’ race against climate change

The Maldives are the lowest lying islands on Earth, and they’re sinking — by 2050, 80% of the island nation could become uninhabitable. The deterioration of coral reefs poses a threat to the country’s biodiversity, economy, and existence.

Article·9 min read