Arctic meltdown | Pacific in Peril

The Pacific community of nations, once described as 'pearls of priceless beauty and an earthly paradise' are under threat from global warming. The changing climate and rising sea levels are affecting the water supply, food production, fisheries and coastline of these small island states.

At least two islets have already disappeared in Kiribati and in 1998, Micronesia, Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga were all hit by devastating droughts. Fiji lost two thirds of its export earnings from sugar cane and Tonga's squash crop was halved. In Micronesia almost 40 atolls ran out of water.

Salt water intrusion from rising sea levels is also affecting a way of life that has existed for millenia. Root crops that are the islanders' staple diet are being grown in compost in old kerosene cans because the soil is too salty. Changing ocean currents have altered the location of fisheries, so that the traditional knowledge that has always enabled communities to find fish - their main source of protein - is no longer of any use.

One of the most damaging outcomes of continued global warming is the destruction of many, if not all, of the coral reefs in the Pacific in the coming decades.

Corals are highly sensitive and can only live in water between 18 to 30 degrees C. A rise in sea temperature of as little as 1 degree C can cause bleaching which is frequently followed by mass death of coral. Once a reef is destroyed, it can take many generations before full recovery can be expected. And then only if the cause is removed.

Although industries such as tourism and fisheries often form the economic mainstay of small coral reef nations, with up to 80% of total income dependent on overseas visitors and tropical marine fisheries providing employment for millions, the value of reefs goes beyond simple dollar value.

For coastal populations, coral reefs are a significant source of food, providing up to 25% of the fish catch in developing countries. By presenting a barrier to the power of waves as they arrive onshore, coral reefs help protect coastlines from storm damage and flooding. The barrier also provides a range of sheltered habitats, such as seagrass and mangrove stands where the nurseries for up to 90% of commercial fish species are found.

A recent Greenpeace report 'Pacific in Peril' looked at the impact on 13 Pacific nations of the impending changes to coral reefs over the next 50 years. The report concluded that for many societies the loss of coral reefs strikes at the heart of the survival of entire societies and cultures and by 2020 all 13 nations are likely to face increasingly bleak conditions.

Read the backgrounder 'What is Coral Bleaching'