The Marshall Islands, scattered in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Papua New Guinea, consists of five main islands and 29 atolls — small low-lying islands formed by coral reefs. The total land mass is roughly the size of Washington, D.C., and the average height above sea level for the entire country is just seven feet. President Hilda C. Heine, who is serving a second stint in office, has spent much of her career working to sound the alarm about rising temperatures. But with each year, the challenges grow. Mosquito-borne diseases have spread because of more frequent rainfall. The islands’ economy relies on the sale of tuna that foreign fishing fleets catch in their waters; now tuna are leaving for cooler parts of the Pacific. Many young residents are moving abroad. And as the planet continues to warm and glaciers melt, this tiny country may be among the first to be swallowed by the sea.
How is climate change affecting the Marshall Islands? We will be submerged by 2050 if the world doesn’t do its part. We have a population of around 37,000. Ten years ago, we had closer to 50,000.
And what is driving that migration? One reason is that when we have regular inundations, some people, rather than rebuilding their homes, decide to go away and settle in the U.S. Sea-level rise is becoming scary for many of us.
Do you think your citizens make a direct connection between things like rising seas, airborne diseases and climate change? Yes, this conversation has been ongoing for many years. We have climate change in our curriculum. So our kids are growing up understanding the issues. People know that big emitters — the rich countries — are causing this, that we have no contribution to the greenhouse-gas emissions that are destroying the world and our livelihood. Our people are not complacent, but they have accepted the fact that big inequities exist and powerful countries get away with unacceptable behaviors. We are used to that mentality and attitude, since we have lived with the impact of the U.S. nuclear-testing program on our islands for 70 years.
What do you think developed nations owe countries like the Marshall Islands? The plan for elevating only two of our communities is projected to cost us billions. It’s a lot of money. I wish that the big emitters could step up and put money into that, because that could really help.
Do you feel differently about what international collaboration on climate change can accomplish now than you did at the beginning of your career? I have a positive outlook, despite everything that is happening. I think the fact that we are sitting at the table now — before, you know, it wasn’t as easy to be part of the discussions. The small-island developing states have been able to organize themselves and to be heard.
What has participating in those discussions been like for you? This is the 10th year of the Paris Agreement, and we’ve been hearing the same excuses from big emitters. You know, they’re very comfortable, and they don’t want to move from their comfort level.
What impact does the U.S. withdrawal from Paris have on the world’s ability to take action on this issue? It’s unfortunate that the U.S. has decided to step out of Paris. But there are those who rally together, because there are no other options for them. And so I think people are coming together stronger than before because you cannot rely on the U.S. in this respect. Something positive is happening, even though it’s not at the level that the Marshall Islands and other small developing countries have been advocating.
‘Big emitters are very comfortable, and they don’t want to move from their comfort level.’
What specific steps are you taking in the Marshall Islands to combat the effects of climate change? The warming of the ocean is killing our corals, which are building blocks of atoll nations. We are currently doing research to determine species of corals that can survive the warming ocean. Big emitters could provide research. Even though we are not contributing to emission levels, we are doing what we can to decrease greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. We are building a fleet of ships that use wind and solar power to replace our fossil-fuel-run shipping fleet.
Do you think your country will survive? As the leader of the Marshall Islands, I cannot take the view that we cannot survive. One important thing we’ve done is register our boundaries with the United Nations, making sure that the world recognizes our boundaries, regardless of whether we’re underwater or above water. So in that respect, the country will survive.
What are some of the changes your people have had to make to their daily lives as you navigate all this? Seven years ago, Majuro had no sea walls. Now we build sea walls to protect homes and schools. I mean, we used to be able to just walk into the lagoon. Now you have to go over sea walls to get to the lagoon side or to the ocean side. The landscape is different. I’ll share a poem that was put together by my daughter, Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner. It’s a reflection on how people are feeling about what’s happening.
My cousin
had a nightmare
that we kept
building seawalls
higher and
higher
all around
our island
up to
the sky
until suddenly
we were
at the bottom
of a wishing well
looking
up
at the world.