Fiji is projected to experience a sea level rise of at least six inches (15 centimeters) over the next 30 years, according to an analysis from NASA’s sea level change science team. Other Pacific nations such as Tuvalu and Kiribati are also expected to be affected, with scientists indicating that this rise will occur regardless of future greenhouse gas emission trends.
Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, the director of ocean physics programs for NASA’s Earth Science Division, explained, “NASA’s new flood tool reveals the potential increase in flooding frequency and severity in the coming decades for coastal communities in Pacific Island nations.”
NASA has developed flood maps for Kiribati, Tuvalu, Fiji, Nauru, and Niue, predicting that areas of Tuvalu currently experiencing fewer than five high-tide flood days annually could see that number jump to an average of 25 flood days each year by the 2050s.
Ben Hamlington, a sea level researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, noted, “While we often examine the differences in sea level rise across various regions, the Pacific shows remarkably consistent figures.”
NASA also asserted that the effects of a 6-inch (15-centimeter) rise in sea level will differ from one country to another.