Sustainable artificial island concept for the Republic of Kiribati

Global warming and rising sea levels are increasingly causing major problems for low lying Pacific and Indian Ocean island nations. The Republic of Kiribati in the South Pacific is currently in a dire situation, and increasing levels of international aid will be required to maintain the population at its current standard of living. This paper describes a sustainable artificial island, designed for the inhabitants of South Tarawa, the capital island of the Republic of Kiribati. Design targets were to improve infrastructure, services and quality of life for the inhabitants, to increase island sustainability and to minimise construction costs. Transition to an artificial island is a feasible option with significant international support, and would enable survival for the population of South Tarawa with minimum disruption to their current lifestyle. Its construction and population would require a large leap of faith by both the financiers and the inhabitants, but it has the potential to provide a range of economic, social and environmental benefits both for the population and for the country.