Meet the President Trying to Save His Island Nation from Climate Change

As the president of the low-lying country of Kiribati, Anote Tong has been advocating for bold action to address climate change

For millennia, the people of Kiribati have lived off the land, dwelling on their small islands located in the central Pacific Ocean.  But over the last several decades rising sea levels due largely to climate change have slowly eaten away at the country’s 313 square miles.  Without action, the country of 102,000 people may disappear altogether over the next few decades.

Kiribati President Anote Tong has been advocating for bold action to address climate change for years, making his pleas around the world.  Now, Tong says his country’s citizens won’t be able to remain on the physical islands of Kiribati much longer without drastic change on global warming.  Whatever happens, his country won’t look the same in 50 years.

“We have constantly been calling the international community to do something about reducing emissions, but the reality for us is that it really does not matter,” Tong told TIME in a recent interview.  “The gas is already in the atmosphere… either we leave or we spend a lot of resources to build up the islands.”

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