LAWRENCE — A climate change study by a Kansas University geology professor indicates that Pacific island nations will continue to exist. But the study said the same may not be the case for the residents of those Pacific island nations. The study by KU professor Gene Rankey in the journal “Sedimentology” says that low-lying island nations such as Tuvalu and Kkiribati won’t be end up underwater as sea levels rise. However, the islands still face a bleak future because their shorelines are undergoing major changes and the rate of changes also appear to be increasing, Rankey said. “Even if an island does not change size, but the shoreline moves, it can be devastating,” Rankey said. “The distinction is important for islanders who literally build their houses right to the shoreline. If the shoreline shifts, and you live in the place where it shifted, you are in trouble.” Satellite and GPS data, and sediment samples show that the changes are occurring so fast, it’s impossible to predict what impact the changes will have, he said.
Monday, May 30, 9 a.m.
