Marshall Islands won't disappear

The U.N. General Assembly adopted the first Sea-Level Rise Declaration, affirming that statehood endures even if land is lost to rising seas. The Marshall Islands' legal status and maritime zones are now secure.

“Sea level rise will not alter the statehood, sovereignty, or maritime zones of any state.”

But survival on land is different

Legal protection doesn't keep people safe. The Marshall Islands consists of 29 low-lying coral atolls with no higher ground to move to, so rising seas threaten the physical ability of Marshallese people to live there.

Climate impacts are getting worse

Heavy rains followed by drought are becoming more severe. Water tanks empty, wells run dry, crops fail, and the Marshall Islands must ship water to communities with none.

The world is overshooting 1.5 degrees

The U.N. Environment Programme says exceeding the 1.5 degree Celsius target is now almost certain. Every fraction of a degree means higher seas and more lives lost, so the world must make any overshoot as small and brief as possible.

“Every fraction of a degree means greater risks, higher seas, and more lives and livelihoods lost.”

Fossil fuels must phase out fast

Pacific leaders are calling for a fossil fuel-free Pacific. The International Court of Justice ruled that continued fossil fuel licensing and subsidy may constitute internationally wrongful acts.

Adaptation costs hundreds of billions

Managing worsening climate impacts requires 310 to 365 billion dollars per year globally. The Marshall Islands has a complete National Adaptation Plan but lacks funding to implement it.

“what this region needs is climate finance, and finance that actually reaches people on the ground.”

Precise data is essential

The Marshall Islands is mapping its atolls meter by meter because satellite data has a margin of error three times the height of most of the nation. Accurate elevation data is crucial for determining which land to raise and accessing climate finance.

Solutions exist, but require will

The Marshall Islands is launching the Rising Nations Institute to translate climate principles into practical solutions. The world has legal frameworks to protect island nations, but now must ensure finance and adaptation systems can endure physical change.

“We cannot completely hold back the rising seas. But we can do a lot more to limit that rise.”