- ABC News
- Climate Change
- December 21, 2018
The Marshall Islands: In fear of extinction
The Marshall Islands, a tiny nation of islands and atolls located between Hawaii and Australia, are in a fight for survival. In a battle between man and nature, officials say climate change is threatening the islands' existence. The most extreme predictions say that rising sea levels could make the nation uninhabitable as soon as 2030. The capital city of Majuro is only 300 feet wide in most places, yet the thin strip of land is home to over 27,000 people. Charlotte Jack, one of the city’s residents, lives just steps from the water’s edge — her front yard is the ocean. At 16 years old, she has grown up feeling its fury made worse by unpredictable weather. “One day it could be like… just the perfect day,” she said. “Tomorrow it could be like pouring rain, and water is up high and it’s just scary.” More than once, she said, she's been woken up by water flooding into her home. Jack is part of what's called the "last generation" — over half the country's population is under the age...