Global warming's front line | a photo story by Jocelyn Carlin

Young men cycle along the narrowest part of the island. During high spring...

TUVALU

Young men cycle along the narrowest part of the...

00040837

A high spring tide washes a discarded mat made from panadanus leaves up onto...

TUVALU

A high spring tide washes a discarded mat made from...

00040839

Boys play around bags of coconuts, bunches of bananas and a crate of crabs...

TUVALU

Boys play around bags of coconuts, bunches of bananas...

00040795

An elderly man stands looking out across the lagoon towards his boat as the...

TUVALU

An elderly man stands looking out across the lagoon...

00040716

Girls from Fetuvalu High School wander home from school past a point on the...

TUVALU

Girls from Fetuvalu High School wander home from...

00040854

Locals carry ferns across the coral reef of the lagoon. The plants have been...

TUVALU

Locals carry ferns across the coral reef of the...

00040780

Naseli Kaitu, Chief and elder of Funafuti people who was born in 1933, carries...

TUVALU

Naseli Kaitu, Chief and elder of Funafuti people who...

00040726

Papaola Lui sits on a hammock among the coral under pandanus and coconut trees...

TUVALU

Papaola Lui sits on a hammock among the coral under...

00040818

Washing on a line is lashed by the wind as a storm approaches.

TUVALU

Washing on a line is lashed by the wind as a storm...

00040739

Fishermen are silhouetted against the sunset as they fish for small sprats to...

TUVALU

Fishermen are silhouetted against the sunset as they...

00040746

Two young men drive through the heavy rain on a motorbike during a storm.

TUVALU

Two young men drive through the heavy rain on a...

00040799

Tokaia Vavae, an employee of the Tuvalu weather office releases the weather...

TUVALU

Tokaia Vavae, an employee of the Tuvalu weather...

00040733

Losers of a fishing competition bathe in the lagoon after being caked with mud...

TUVALU

Losers of a fishing competition bathe in the lagoon...

00040727

Children play in the water around a fallen coconut tree on the beach.

TUVALU

Children play in the water around a fallen coconut...

00040803

Sisters Litia and Allainetta Homasi do their homework on a mat made from the...

TUVALU

Sisters Litia and Allainetta Homasi do their homework...

00040890

A child sleeps on his mother's shoulder as they shelter from the sun under...

TUVALU

A child sleeps on his mother's shoulder as they...

00040720

Children cross a taisala, or 'borrow pit', a stagnant tidal pool which grows...

TUVALU

Children cross a taisala, or 'borrow pit', a stagnant...

00040871

Former Prime Minister Maatia Toafa wearing traditional dress. He remains a...

TUVALU

Former Prime Minister Maatia Toafa wearing...

00040768

Young Tuvaluan male dancers of the fatele, a traditional local dance, stand in...

TUVALU

Young Tuvaluan male dancers of the fatele, a...

00040769

A young man waters the seedlings in his garden, which has been developed using...

TUVALU

A young man waters the seedlings in his garden, which...

00040766

Government owned ferries unload freight at the deep sea wharf of Fogafale...

TUVALU

Government owned ferries unload freight at the deep...

00040718

A women strips leaves from a branch to cover fish wrapped in coconut leaves...

TUVALU

A women strips leaves from a branch to cover fish...

00040774

A man with a child on a motorbike negotiates floodwaters on his return from...

TUVALU

A man with a child on a motorbike negotiates...

00040778

An elderly couple batten down the windows of their home which faces the...

TUVALU

An elderly couple batten down the windows of their...

00040742

Hilia Vavae, meterologist and Director of Tuvalu's meteriological office,...

TUVALU

Hilia Vavae, meterologist and Director of Tuvalu's...

00040796

Boats carry members of a local youth delegates across the lagoon after a...

TUVALU

Boats carry members of a local youth delegates across...

00040749

An elderly man makes a traditional Polynesian broom out of local natural...

TUVALU

An elderly man makes a traditional Polynesian broom...

00040711

A freshly dug grave is decorated with flowers and colourful fabric in a...

TUVALU

A freshly dug grave is decorated with flowers and...

00040714

A young boy plays with his toy boat in floodwaters outside the Assembly of God...

TUVALU

A young boy plays with his toy boat in floodwaters...

00040885

Boys play on a pandanus tree on the edge of the coral atoll.

TUVALU

Boys play on a pandanus tree on the edge of the coral...

00040883

Residents of the squatter settlement built over a taisala 'borrow pit', wade...

TUVALU

Residents of the squatter settlement built over a...

00040882

A car and a bus make their way through the high floodwaters which have...

TUVALU

A car and a bus make their way through the high...

00040851

A rubbish tip grows ever larger in an overpopulated part of the island. In...

TUVALU

A rubbish tip grows ever larger in an overpopulated...

00040722

Vaitupu women dance under palm trees during the annual festival on 25th...

TUVALU

Vaitupu women dance under palm trees during the...

00040728

Children play in the water around their family's boat in the lagoon.

TUVALU

Children play in the water around their family's boat...

00040781

Mosese and Lafou Huehue stand with their daughter on the threshold to their...

TUVALU

Mosese and Lafou Huehue stand with their daughter on...

00040715

		Jocelyn-Carlin Select a subject Group 2 (0) Stories (502)
Hide text All to order All to lightbox Young men cycle along the narrowest part of the island. During high spring... TUVALU Young men cycle along the narrowest part of the... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040837 North Fogafale, Funafuti Young men cycle along the narrowest part of the island. During high spring tides water washes over the coral into the lagoon. A high spring tide washes a discarded mat made from panadanus leaves up onto... TUVALU A high spring tide washes a discarded mat made from... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040839 Fogafale, Funafuti A high spring tide washes a discarded mat made from panadanus leaves up onto the coral edge of the atoll. Boys play around bags of coconuts, bunches of bananas and a crate of crabs... TUVALU Boys play around bags of coconuts, bunches of bananas... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040795 Vaitupu Boys play around bags of coconuts, bunches of bananas and a crate of crabs that wait at the edge of the port to be loaded onto a ferry to be transported to the capital. An elderly man stands looking out across the lagoon towards his boat as the... TUVALU An elderly man stands looking out across the lagoon... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040716 Funafuti An elderly man stands looking out across the lagoon towards his boat as the weather changes and the roughening sea laps against the coral atoll. Girls from Fetuvalu High School wander home from school past a point on the... TUVALU Girls from Fetuvalu High School wander home from... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040854 Fogafale, Funafuti Girls from Fetuvalu High School wander home from school past a point on the lagoon side of the atoll where the water spills over the road at full tide. Locals carry ferns across the coral reef of the lagoon. The plants have been... TUVALU Locals carry ferns across the coral reef of the... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040780 Papaelise islet, Funafuti Locals carry ferns across the coral reef of the lagoon. The plants have been gathered to decorate the traditionally constructed meeting houses, or falekaupule, on the island. Because of the overpopulation of Funafuti, which contains ten times as many people as it traditionally supported, ferns have to be gathered from neighbouring Papaelese. Naseli Kaitu, Chief and elder of Funafuti people who was born in 1933, carries... TUVALU Naseli Kaitu, Chief and elder of Funafuti people who... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040726 Funafuti Naseli Kaitu, Chief and elder of Funafuti people who was born in 1933, carries his fishing net and catch back from the beach. He goes fishing almost every day of his life and continues to do so since his retirement from his career as a carpenter. Papaola Lui sits on a hammock among the coral under pandanus and coconut trees... TUVALU Papaola Lui sits on a hammock among the coral under... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040818 Funafuti Papaola Lui sits on a hammock among the coral under pandanus and coconut trees on the beach, looking out over the lagoon. Washing on a line is lashed by the wind as a storm approaches. TUVALU Washing on a line is lashed by the wind as a storm... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040739 Funafuti Washing on a line is lashed by the wind as a storm approaches. Fishermen are silhouetted against the sunset as they fish for small sprats to... TUVALU Fishermen are silhouetted against the sunset as they... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040746 Funafuti Fishermen are silhouetted against the sunset as they fish for small sprats to use as bait for catching tuna. Two young men drive through the heavy rain on a motorbike during a storm. TUVALU Two young men drive through the heavy rain on a... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040799 Funafuti Two young men drive through the heavy rain on a motorbike during a storm. Tokaia Vavae, an employee of the Tuvalu weather office releases the weather... TUVALU Tokaia Vavae, an employee of the Tuvalu weather... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040733 Funafuti Tokaia Vavae, an employee of the Tuvalu weather office releases the weather balloon which will provide daily updates for global links to Pacific and international weather bureaux. Losers of a fishing competition bathe in the lagoon after being caked with mud... TUVALU Losers of a fishing competition bathe in the lagoon... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040727 Funafuti Losers of a fishing competition bathe in the lagoon after being caked with mud by the victors as part of an ancient local tradition. The competition is an annual event on 25th November which acknowledges the payment of a historical debt, known as a kaitalafu, of 13,000 pounds to rogue palagi traders in 1883. The gathering is designed to unite families of the same tribe from Vaitupu and Funafuti who have translocated to the island capital in search of employment over the years. Children play in the water around a fallen coconut tree on the beach. TUVALU Children play in the water around a fallen coconut... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040803 Fogafale, Funafuti Children play in the water around a fallen coconut tree on the beach. Sisters Litia and Allainetta Homasi do their homework on a mat made from the... TUVALU Sisters Litia and Allainetta Homasi do their homework... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040890 Fogafale, Funafuti Sisters Litia and Allainetta Homasi do their homework on a mat made from the pandanus leaf under pandanus and coconut trees on the coastal side of the atoll. A child sleeps on his mother's shoulder as they shelter from the sun under... TUVALU A child sleeps on his mother's shoulder as they... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040720 Funafuti A child sleeps on his mother's shoulder as they shelter from the sun under coconut and panadanus trees at the edge of the lagoon. Coral rocks are stacked around the base of the trees on the atoll in order to protect them during storm surges. Children cross a taisala, or 'borrow pit', a stagnant tidal pool which grows... TUVALU Children cross a taisala, or 'borrow pit', a stagnant... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040871 Fakaifou, Funafuti Children cross a taisala, or 'borrow pit', a stagnant tidal pool which grows ever more polluted in the overpopulated area in the absence of efficient waste management. In 1942 pits were dug in an area of land in order to provide a zone for American forces to develop a military base and the land was never replaced. Former Prime Minister Maatia Toafa wearing traditional dress. He remains a... TUVALU Former Prime Minister Maatia Toafa wearing... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040768 Vaiaku Former Prime Minister Maatia Toafa wearing traditional dress. He remains a Member of Parliament but was removed from the top job in the 2006 general election. Young Tuvaluan male dancers of the fatele, a traditional local dance, stand in... TUVALU Young Tuvaluan male dancers of the fatele, a... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040769 Funafuti Young Tuvaluan male dancers of the fatele, a traditional local dance, stand in front of the traditional meeting house, or falekaupule. Dried panadanus leaves are used abundantly across the Pacific in roofing and ceremonial dress. A young man waters the seedlings in his garden, which has been developed using... TUVALU A young man waters the seedlings in his garden, which... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040766 Funafuti A young man waters the seedlings in his garden, which has been developed using compost made and resold by the council. Stored rainwater is the main source of water on the island. Government owned ferries unload freight at the deep sea wharf of Fogafale... TUVALU Government owned ferries unload freight at the deep... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040718 Funafuti Government owned ferries unload freight at the deep sea wharf of Fogafale islet. The ships travel constantly between the islands of Tuvalu carrying both freight and passengers, yet cargo is offloaded onto smaller boats for delivery to the other atolls which are harder to reach with a large ship. A women strips leaves from a branch to cover fish wrapped in coconut leaves... TUVALU A women strips leaves from a branch to cover fish... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040774 South Fogafale, Funafuti A women strips leaves from a branch to cover fish wrapped in coconut leaves for cooking in an underground stone oven or umu. A man with a child on a motorbike negotiates floodwaters on his return from... TUVALU A man with a child on a motorbike negotiates... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040778 Vaiaku, Funafuti A man with a child on a motorbike negotiates floodwaters on his return from feeding his animals. The coral atoll is to vulnerable to sea level rise, particularly at high spring tides, when salty water seeps up through the ground and causes flooding. An elderly couple batten down the windows of their home which faces the... TUVALU An elderly couple batten down the windows of their... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040742 Funafuti An elderly couple batten down the windows of their home which faces the lagoon, in preparation for an approaching storm. Hilia Vavae, meterologist and Director of Tuvalu's meteriological office,... TUVALU Hilia Vavae, meterologist and Director of Tuvalu's... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040796 Funafuti Hilia Vavae, meterologist and Director of Tuvalu's meteriological office, surveys the eroded coastline and watches the weather. Tuvalu is one of the most vulnerable areas of the world to climate change and sea level rise. Boats carry members of a local youth delegates across the lagoon after a... TUVALU Boats carry members of a local youth delegates across... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040749 Funafuti Boats carry members of a local youth delegates across the lagoon after a picnic for a youth forum on the uninhabited Papaelise islet. An elderly man makes a traditional Polynesian broom out of local natural... TUVALU An elderly man makes a traditional Polynesian broom... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040711 Funafuti An elderly man makes a traditional Polynesian broom out of local natural materials such as the leaf from the pandanus tree. A freshly dug grave is decorated with flowers and colourful fabric in a... TUVALU A freshly dug grave is decorated with flowers and... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040714 Funafuti A freshly dug grave is decorated with flowers and colourful fabric in a cemetery at the edge of the atoll. Due to the intense heat and lack of funerarial procedure people are often buried within hours of death and frequently within in the confines of the family home. Traditional Polynesian belief is that dead ancestors remain close to the living. A young boy plays with his toy boat in floodwaters outside the Assembly of God... TUVALU A young boy plays with his toy boat in floodwaters... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040885 Funafuti A young boy plays with his toy boat in floodwaters outside the Assembly of God church community building. The coral atoll is to vulnerable to sea level rise, particularly at high spring tides, when salty water seeps up through the ground and causes flooding. Boys play on a pandanus tree on the edge of the coral atoll. TUVALU Boys play on a pandanus tree on the edge of the coral... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040883 Fogafale, Funafuti Boys play on a pandanus tree on the edge of the coral atoll. Residents of the squatter settlement built over a taisala 'borrow pit', wade... TUVALU Residents of the squatter settlement built over a... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040882 South Fogafale, Funafuti Residents of the squatter settlement built over a taisala 'borrow pit', wade through floodwaters at a high spring tide, when salty water has seeped up through the ground and caused flooding. The stagnant tidal pool of the pit grows ever more polluted in the overpopulated area in the absence of efficient waste management. In 1942 pits were dug in an area of land in order to provide a zone for American forces to develop a military base and the land was never replaced. A car and a bus make their way through the high floodwaters which have... TUVALU A car and a bus make their way through the high... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040851 Fogafale, Funafuti A car and a bus make their way through the high floodwaters which have inundated the low-lying atoll during a high spring tide. A rubbish tip grows ever larger in an overpopulated part of the island. In... TUVALU A rubbish tip grows ever larger in an overpopulated... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040722 Funafuti A rubbish tip grows ever larger in an overpopulated part of the island. In 1942 an area of land was removed in order to provide material to fill natural pits in the landscape and provide a zone for American forces to develop a military base. The land was never replaced and there is increasing pressure on the remaining undeveloped land as the population grows, creating environmental degradation. Vaitupu women dance under palm trees during the annual festival on 25th... TUVALU Vaitupu women dance under palm trees during the... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040728 Funafuti Vaitupu women dance under palm trees during the annual festival on 25th November which acknowledges the payment of a historical debt, known as a kaitalafu, of 13,000 pounds to rogue palagi traders in 1883. This year people from the outer island gather with relatives now living on Funafuti for feasting, games, singing and a fishing competition. Children play in the water around their family's boat in the lagoon. TUVALU Children play in the water around their family's boat... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040781 Fogafale, Funafuti Children play in the water around their family's boat in the lagoon. Mosese and Lafou Huehue stand with their daughter on the threshold to their... TUVALU Mosese and Lafou Huehue stand with their daughter on... © Jocelyn Carlin 00040715 Funafuti Mosese and Lafou Huehue stand with their daughter on the threshold to their house, which has been pieced together with imported materials since they arrived on the atoll in search of work. Mosese is a seaman and will go to sea after his wife's baby is born.