Low lying coral Islands might be a good place to relax, but did you know they form on top of living reefs? That they are nature’s mix of sediments, skeletons and the shells of living biota?
Or that scientists recently estimated a quarter of these desirable destinations in Australian waters stand to be wiped out by climate change?
The tragic loss would be both ecological and human, with many such islands being home to millions across the globe.
In Australian waters, fishing and mining are also at risk; according to the law of the sea, as sea levels rise, the right to use the ocean around you goes up for grabs.
Lead researcher Dr Tommy Fellowes at the USyd’s School of Geosciences Geocoastal Research Group joins reporter Glenn Morrison in a salty tale for Cosmos and The Greenlight Project.
The Greenlight Project is a year-long look at how regional Australia is preparing for and adapting to climate change.