Don't forget about Nauru, the Marshall Islands, the Maldives, and other small island nations. Of course these countries wouldn't register on the radar of major governments or people who don't live directly in these areas, so complacency will reign supreme on this issue until large-scale emigration begins to happen. Here's hoping the UN or other agencies can prepare for this coming reality.
I was in the Pacific Islands a few years ago, and there was a sense of gloom and doom about it from a few of the locals when we were there. Even in Fiji where the risk isn't as dire, they were pretty adamant they were just going to get ignored on the climate change issue because of their place in the world.
From the article rubecube posted, this sentence particularly breaks my heart on the matter:
Nausaleta Setani, Frank’s aunt, sleeps beside the lagoon at night in the wooden shack, using a float buoy as a pillow. Initially a non-believer in climate change, like many older people on the island, Setani has slowly become convinced of the science as her daily life becomes tougher with every erratic movement of the sea.
“The weather is changing very quickly, day to day, hour to hour,” says Setani, 54, paradoxically soothed and disturbed by the ocean lapping metres away from her hut.
“I have been learning the things that are happening are the result of man, especially [from] other countries. It makes me sad. But I understand other countries do what is best for their people. I am from a small country. All I want is for the bigger countries to respect us, and think of our lives.”
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