Will Ile Perseverance sink in thirty years?

The man-made Ile Perseverance and apartment blocks under construction.

There is a general consensus between international scientific studies that the levels of man made greenhouse gases are leading to a global climate change. Possible consequences include rising temperatures, changing sea levels and changes generally in the global weather pattern. These changes could have serious impact on the lives of millions of people, especially those living in areas vulnerable to extreme natural conditions and in our case here in Seychelles, flooding in low lying areas.

According to this month’s (October 2007) issue of the Seychelles Isola Bella, President James Michel, went to the Italian capital in the last week of September to campaign for actions to counter the effects of climate change. Islanders considered to be the most vulnerable are already feeling the effects of melting ice in the artic.

“When you live on an island, climate change is a reality that you wake up to face every day. The fisherman sees it every day as he takes to sea. Every child sees it when returning to his favourite beach to play”. Michel told the First Global Island Partnership Strategy in the meeting on 25th September, in Rome. “Much of our coastlines have already experienced loss over the last five years. In some areas in Seychelles, we may have lost over 50 metres of coastal plateau,” President Michel added.

The sea level is rising and it is rising fast between 2.5mm and 4mm annually. Some other predictions are saying that between now and 2115; the level of the sea will have risen by some 50cm or more. According to the Isola Bella, ‘It is not known how the sandy low lying coastal areas and islands will react to the sea-level rise. A higher volume of water may wash away land. Areas will be swamped. Four generations down the line our islands will have different shapes. We will certainly have less land to live on. Private properties by the seaside are no longer safe. Coastal erosion at Anse Kerlan, Praslin and North East Mahe is eating away the land by the seashore, bringing down huge takamaka, casuarina and coconut trees. Roads will have to be diverted inland.’

This situation is very real and it is no good just paying lip service to this cause. The SPPF have a record of talking and not acting to address the problem at hand. President Michel in addressing the First Global Island Partnership Strategy meeting in Rome expressed unease about this situation, rising sea level. We are all hoping that having returned to the islands the issue is not totally forgotten and pushed under the carpet as it is usually the practise of the SPPF government. And that his speech was not just only a window- dressing exercise before international observers……..