Fighting for Fresh Water
Donald Trump's rejection of the Paris Climate Accord shocked the global scientific community. The Marshall Islands already suffer the consequences of climate change and now face a precarious future.
Living just seven feet above sea-level, these Pacific Islanders are already witnessing the most severe effects of climate change. Scientist Chip Fletcher warns that the "sea level in the Pacific is rising faster than anywhere else in the world". Lack of drinking water poses another threat to rival the rising tides. Halston deBrum, of the island's water company, knows their reservoirs are depleted and fragile. "Reservoir number one and two were pretty empty... If the big [storm] hits next month, we won't be ready for it. We'll have to find other ways to provide water." Despite having a tiny carbon footprint, these islands are paying the price for global warming, as Fletcher notes. "There are communities poised on the edge of the cliff. All it takes is one event to push you over the edge."
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