Environmental Issues and Opportunities

Several authors have mentioned the consequences that climate change will have on island nations. While droughts, famines and extreme weather events occupy the minds of folk living on large continents, residents of island nations have to worry about their country disappearing due to flooding by the end of the century. Peter Singer comments that low lying atoll nations such as Tuvalu, the Maldives and Kiribati will suffer from rising sea levels that could cover the entire countries. Steven Myers gives voice to Ronald Jumeau, the Seychelles UN representative. Jumeau states that as an island nation that, “we cannot adapt anymore.” The rising waters now erode major areas of coastline, valuable real estate for the country. Which  countries will be held accountable for the growing number of island nation climate refugees? One answer comes about by looking at the total carbon emissions per capita. Countries with extremely high emissions per capita, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, must take in these refugees and compensate them for their loses. Unfortunately, this solution does not solve all issues, and leaves an enormous disproportion between developed nations and developing nations. For example, a country such as Australia may argue that although they have contributed extremely high carbon emissions per capita, they no longer have enough habitable land to share with displaced island nations. Though these arguments may not entirely make moral sense, and seem as if more powerful countries will simply deflect responsibility for island nations, these possibilities may certainly happen. Perhaps island nations people will settle the land in developing countries, in different parts of South America or Africa. To what, then, do these people belong to? If these people have no more land of their country left, will they simply assimilate into the host country? How will the identity of these people change once they no longer have land? I envision a situation similar to relationships between European colonies and indigenous communities around the world. While at first the host countries may seem welcoming and accepting, they very well may turn against and utilize these people for their advantage. Border imperialism will certainly play a role in the lives of these peoples. Though much speculation has been done, one common factor to this problem seems clear. The leaders of the world do not and will not take responsibility for their actions. If they aren’t able to curtain emissions and sequester carbon to save these island nations, they will certainly not do any better helping refugees.