Over the next 30 years, the Pacific Island region will experience at least 6 inches of sea level rise, according to a recent study by NASA.
NASA analyzed the region at the request of several Pacific Island countries and the U.S. Department of State.
The findings say that a rise in sea level will occur regardless of whether greenhouse gas emissions change in the coming years.
The NASA team also produced high-resolution maps showing which areas of different Pacific Island nations will be vulnerable to high tide flooding by the 2050s.
The team included researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi, the University of Colorado and Virginia Tech. They started with flood maps of Tuvalu, Kiribati, Fiji, Nauru and Niue. They plan to build maps for other Pacific Island nations.
Areas of Tuvalu that currently experience fewer than five high-tide flood days a year could average 25 flood days a year by the 2050s. Regions of Kiribati that see fewer than five flood days a year today will experience an average of 65 flood days annually by the 2050s.
The impacts of 6 inches of sea level rise will vary from country to country.
Researchers would like to combine satellite data on ocean levels with ground-based measurements. That may bring about a better understanding of the impacts to islands in the Pacific.
To read more about the study, click here.
