The Sea Isn’t the Only Thing Rising: Life, Death and Disease in the Pacific

What can we do to address the complex interconnected threats of climate change? Multilateral investments are crucial say Ami Bera and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. 

"In Tuvalu, we stood atop a sea wall partially funded by the U.N.’s Green Climate Fund and the U.N. Development Program (UNDP), the first large-scale coastal adaptation project of its kind in the region. Completed in 2023 using local labor, huge amounts of sand were sustainably dredged to create an embankment 2,500 feet long and 330 feet wide. This “reclaimed” land stands eight feet above the Highest Astronomical Tide, providing protection to 60 percent of the population for at least the next 80 years.  Assuming there is sufficient funding for Phase 2, the entire population of Tuvalu’s capital — approximately 6,000 people — will be able to move to higher ground. Adding to the impact, the sea wall will be silted, allowing Tuvaluans to create community gardens, increasing their access to fresh produce and reducing their reliance on expensive food imports."