Island Facing Up To Climate Change

Photo by gajtalbot

When we think of sea-level rise due to climate change affecting islanders, we tend to think of far-flung places like the Maldives or Tuvalu. It doesn't tend to occur to us that there may be problems closer to home.

South Uist is one such place. If predictions of sea level rise are correct, then the island may become two islands. It's just four years since a family of five were swept to their deaths from the island during a storm when their home was flooded, and this BBC report finds that the inhabitants are well aware of climate change and the effects it will have on their lives.

And the effects may be severe - a new study has found that we're on course for a 6° rise in global temperatures. If you've ever read Mark Lynas's Six Degrees then you'll know that's not a world we want to live in.