Environmental refugees

Question 1

Environmental refugees

Answer 1

communities forced to abandon their homes because of natural processes, including sudden ones such as landslides or gradual ones such as erosion or rising sea levels

Question 2

Which places are most at risk of becoming environmental refugees because of sea level rise?

Answer 2

• low lying islands
• maldives
• seychelles
• tuvalu

Question 3

What factors but small islands at so much risk from sea level rise?

Answer 3

• 80% of people in seychelles live and work on the coast
• Tuvalu’s highest point is 4.5m above sea level
• water supply is limited and at risk from salt water incursion as sea level rises and groundwater is over used
• they have small, narrow economies based on tourism and fishing
• high population densities, limited space, no opportunity for relocation

Question 4

What is the end term scenario for these places?

Answer 4

Some, or all, of islands will have to be abandoned, creating environmental refugees.