![]() ![]() Corals adorn the steel hull, which has become a haven for marine life and a pilgrimage for scuba divers. Out Of Sight But EverywhereĪn iron sarcophagus is all that is left of the Kashi Maru, a Japanese merchant ship lying in the midnight-blue waters of Mbaeroko Bay. Kinugawa Maru is just one of many shipwrecks dotting the northwestern coast of Guadalcanal and Iron Bottom Sound. Now, the increasing danger from shipwrecks and other World War II debris that is hidden beneath their waters is only adding to the peril they find themselves in. Pacific island nations and territories have long been warning about the impacts of climate change, calling for action globally as they already face its myriad effects. The marine ecosystems that underpin life in the Pacific are already being compromised. Climate change is also causing more unpredictable and severe storms and changing sea conditions. Oil and fuel spills can destroy the reefs and ecosystems fundamental to Pacific Island economies, food systems and protection from the ever-increasing threat of climate change and sea level rise. ![]() ![]() The offshore area north of Guadalcanal is called Iron Bottom Sound, named after the 1,450 airplanes and 111 shipwrecks on its floor, more than half a mile down. The problem is a big one for the Solomon Islands. Decades of decay combined with seismic activity and increasingly uncertain weather events has already ruptured some shipwrecks’ weakening fuel tanks and hulls, sending thousands of gallons of oil into the sea. ![]()
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