Week 8- Global Warming - Meagan Valero

What once was beautiful tropical islands here in Tahiti some 5,000 years ago have now been washed away due to global warming. The affects of rising tides has forced 270 thousand inhibitors to abandon their homes and seek shelter else where. Due to the lack of support regarding global warming the Tahitian people began to feel the affect of climate change long before the sea levels started to rise at a dangerous rate. Many small villages saw a great impact on their local economy. The tourism industry was of great importance to the French Polynesian economy but due to the cost of rebuilding beach front hotels and resorts from erosion and needing to push back tourist areas in-land, the area because an unpopular vacation spot. Visiting now this once tropical paradise we are left with nothing more then ocean as far as the eye can see. However we are able to spot glimpses of the peak of Mont Orohena, which was once the highest peak in the French Polynesian islands. We can only hope now that the people of the world see the disastrous affect of global warming and put more emphasis on the need for renewable energy we can hope to reduce the sea levels and once again enjoy the tropical nature of Tahiti. Unfortunately, the islands may never again be inhabitable but we can hope to reduce the risk of it happening to other beautiful islands like it.