Kiribati is composed by a series of atoll islands which stand isolated and scattered along the Pacific Ocean, extending almost as much as the United States. Current climate pressures, driven by anthropogenic effects, threaten the sustainability of this nation: sea level rise is washing its shorelines; coral bleaching is erasing the natural foundations that originate these islands; the perpetuation of planning, extraction, and exploitation of these atolls from the first world are increasing their state of emergency. Erosion Urbanism presents an alternative urban planning to grow the atolls islands, thus increase the habitability of Kiribati. This is done through a common understanding between our living and natural environment. In this sense, landscape design is set to regenerate the ecosystem services provided by coral reefs and mangrove forests, reinforcing the existing atoll and even generating new land; urban planning extends along the shoreline as an additional layer to control erosion, and recovers traditional forms of organization such as the Kaainga due to the sense of community union; architecture recovers the Kia Kia as a construction unit given its usage of local materials such as the palm tree, thus reinforcing the local economy. These interventions contribute to the absorption of greenhouse gases within the frame of blue carbon initiatives, making of them an appealing investment for first world nations to counter the excess in carbon emissions that their lifestyle produces.
TYPE
Urban
LOCATION
Kiribati
IMPACT
129 thousand people
Masterplan The masterplan for Kiribati presents a comprehensive strategy tackling the nation's challenges by empowering the local economy through indigenous techniques and materials ingrained in the atolls' natural cycles. To counter global isolation's impact on communication and technology access, the approach emphasizes preserving local identity and culture, crucial for informing foreign investments. "Erosion Based Urbanism" focuses on empowering atoll communities against climate concerns and erosion of both, its geography and cultural identity due to generic interventions.
With the goal of preserving and potentially expanding Kiribati's mainland, organic systems are proposed to replace ineffective hard interventions like sea walls. Techniques include electrochemical reef construction, growing autochthonous flora like mangroves and phytoplankton, and a strategic landscape intervention for erosion-trapping settlement. The plan strategically targets vulnerable areas, aiming to consolidate existing land and create new land in a soft-intervention manner. Electrochemical reef construction aims to regenerate coral reefs and increase available land, while mangrove integration offers organic walls adaptable to atoll dynamism. Proposed areas for phytoplankton growth contribute to the food chain and CO2 absorption, enhancing the ecosystem's sustainability.
Atoll Condition Atolls are shaped by natural elements like magma, ocean currents, and the sun-driven growth of coral reefs. However, current global carbon emissions pose a threat by causing ocean acidification and coral bleaching, jeopardizing the structural integrity of these ecosystems. Atolls, hailed as natural treasures, have historically provided resources yet faced exploitation by Western nations, including the distressing history of nuclear testing rendering some uninhabitable. The modern challenge lies in reconciling the growing need for resources in a digital era while respecting the delicate balance of these environments. Foreign interventions often overlook the fragility of atolls, proposing unsuitable solutions, but the essay advocates for tailored interventions to address issues like sea-level rise and global warming without imposing generic solutions onto these unique regions.
Colonial heritage The Pacific region, shaped by British and French colonial legacies, includes islands scarred by atomic tests and resource exploitation, resulting in environmental risks from buried nuclear waste. Kiribati, molded by colonial history that introduced currency, faces economic challenges like low GDP and high unemployment, predominantly reliant on service and agriculture. However, these formal economic measures overlook "informal" economies, leaving a gap in understanding the Pacific nations' true economic status.
Kiribati heavily imports food and machinery, contrasting with its fish and coconut exports, emphasizing the need to protect its fisheries amid rising global demand. The impact of imported systems on Kiribati profoundly influences its socio-economic framework, highlighting the necessity of comprehensively analyzing every detail's effect on this small nation.
