Ecosystem Impacts in Tuvalu and the Maldives - 2020s

Ecosystem Impacts in Tuvalu and the Maldives - 2020s

In the 2020s, sea level rise in Tuvalu in the South Pacific and the Maldives in the Indian Ocean will reach an average of 4.0 mm per year, resulting in saltwater seepage and severe coastal erosion. Parts of Tuvalu are feared to become uninhabitable by 2030, based on a report by the UN IPCC. In the Maldives, tourism is taking a hit and the cost of protecting resort facilities is increasing. The major CO2 emitters, the US and China, account for more than 40% of the global total, with coal-fired power plants in the US and the industrial sector in China being the main sources of emissions. In the corporate sector, BP and Shell are transitioning to renewable energy, while Tesla, Vestas, and others are rapidly growing and decarbonizing. However, it remains unclear whether these efforts will come in time to protect ecosystems.