Carteret Islands as Poster Child

As mentioned in a previous blog post, the Carteret Islands seem to be getting most of the media attention as the "first climate refugees." This is further bolstered by a Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting documentary about the islanders needing to move because "rising sea levels have polluted their fresh water wells with salt water. High tides flood more and more of the islands, and erosion is a growing problem." ('Next Wave' chronicles the climate change refugees). This comes on the heels of a groundbreaking resolution passed by the UN that acknowledges climate change's threat to security, particularly for small Pacific islands. While nonbinding, the resolution looks to be just the start of international recognition on climate change and possible forced migration scenarios.

To learn more about the climate change's effect on the Carteret Islands, see the short preview below:



"Located 50 miles off the coast of Papua New Guinea, the Carteret Islands are disappearing into the ocean. Climate change is destroying the atoll, forcing the islanders to search for homes on Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea. Though this is the story of one remote community, scientists estimate climate change will displace up to 50 million people by 2050."