“There are developing countries and there are endangered species. The republic of Kiribati is an endangered country.” This is how Julien Blanc-Gras’ begins his book Paradise (before liquidation), which outlines the threats of sea level rise to these remote islands. Spread over more than a million square miles of ocean, Kiribati’s total landmass covers only 310 square miles. The population of the republic is 100,000, with more than half of those residents living on the capital of Tarawa Atoll. Scattered throughout the Central Pacific, the islands have long been isolated and relatively unknown. A once a week flight from Hawaii to Christmas Island (named so because it was discovered on Christmas day) has reduced the level of isolation, and the growing climatic threat has brought the entire nation out of…
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Kayak Session (Digital) - 1 Issue, SUP World Magazine 2015