Rising seas threaten low-lying coastal areas across the world, meaning some low-lying areas will have more frequent flooding.
Research shows that rising sea levels pose a threat to the 118 islands which form French Polynesia. To meet the consequences, French Polynesia’s government has decided to explore the possibility of moving its citizens to a floating city in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
The government of French Polynesia has signed an agreement with a US firm, the Seasteading Institute, to develop the world’s first floating city. Construction work is hoped to begin in 2019.
The Seasteading Institute has spent the last five years working out how to build “permanent, innovative communities floating at sea.”
-
- Image courtesy The Seasteading Institute
-
- Image courtesy The Seasteading Institute
-
- Image courtesy The Seasteading Institute
-
- Image courtesy The Seasteading Institute
-
- Image courtesy The Seasteading Institute
-
- Image courtesy The Seasteading Institute
This floating city would not only provide homes to the locals from islands like Tahiti but would also help the nation by strengthening it economically.
As per Seasteading’s executive director, Randolph Hencken, “We are planning to spin off a new industry of floating islands that will allow people to stay tethered to their sovereignty as opposed to having to flee to other countries. That’s certainly why the Tahitians are interested in us. They want the environmental resiliency as well as the economic opportunities.”
