Island nations fight for survival against rising sea levels

Small island nations are increasingly acting as a moral conscience for the global community as climate change and rising sea levels threaten their physical existence and cultural identities. Palau President Surangel Samuel Whipps Jr. reported that two-thirds of Helen Island has disappeared due to rising seas, swallowing generational burial grounds.

Despite their small geographic size, these nations have historically exerted influence in international climate negotiations. During the 2015 Paris climate pact, island nations successfully advocated for tightening the global warming limit from 2 degrees Celsius to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

However, scientists and the United Nations warn that the world is likely to surpass the 1.5-degree threshold within the next year or two. Experts suggest that the only way to prevent permanent damage is to reduce the use of coal, oil, and gas to zero in the coming decades to eventually bring temperatures back below the critical threshold.