TUVALU

The 9 coral atolls that comprise the Tuvalu archipelago have palmy, white sand beaches, turquoise waters and abundant sea life — a picture of South Pacific paradise. But Tuvalu has been forced to confront a very different reality. Rising sea levels and extreme weather floods the nation on a regular basis. Homes are devastated and crops are ruined at exhausting rates. There is frequent talk that Tuvaluans could become the world’s first entire nation of climate-change refugees.

According to its inhabitants, the unusually high tides, or “King Tides,” were once rare for the islands. Since the 1990s, they have occurred every year. As I witnessed one of these king tides, the feeling I had was fear mixed with fascination as I watched it happen. Salt water bubbled up through the porous coral island bottom, flooding large parts of the island. One can imagine that the idea of Tuvalu being wiped off the map must feel like a constant Sword of Damocles for the inhabitants of Tuvalu.

But despite the evidence, many people in Tuvalu don’t believe they will be forced to leave, and point to the Bible for proof. In this deeply Christian country, great faith is placed in the words of Genesis, which says that rainbows—an almost daily occurrence—are proof that God is keeping his covenant made with Noah: to never again flood the earth.