Fiji is projected to face a rise in sea levels by at least six inches (15 centimeters) over the next 30 years, as indicated by an analysis from NASA’s sea level change science team. Other Pacific nations, including Tuvalu and Kiribati, will also be affected, with scientists asserting that this rise will occur regardless of future changes in greenhouse gas emissions.
Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, head of ocean physics programs for NASA’s Earth Science Division, commented on the agency’s new flood tool, which illustrates the anticipated increase in flood frequency and severity for coastal communities in the Pacific Island nations.
NASA has developed flood maps for Kiribati, Tuvalu, Fiji, Nauru, and Niue, predicting that areas in Tuvalu currently experiencing fewer than five high-tide flood days each year could see an average of 25 flood days annually by the 2050s.
Ben Hamlington, a sea level researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, noted the surprising consistency of sea level rise across the Pacific, despite the typical regional variations seen in other parts of the world.
According to NASA, the consequences of a six-inch (15-centimeter) rise in sea levels will differ from nation to nation.