These Pacific Islands are building walls to stop rising seas. Will it work?

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One of Marshall Islands' most populated islands, Ebeye, is buttressing its coast with a wall of rock shipped from Dubai and funded by the World Bank and Green Climate Fund.

New seawalls also protect low-lying atolls in Tuvalu, and more will appear in Kiribati, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Fiji and other island nations, many with funding from the Australian government and international development organisations.

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But researchers in climate change adaptation say seawalls are usually a costly, short-term fix in a region with limited money.

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Professor Barnett says there are other options for communities where seawalls are too costly to build and maintain.

One is to try restoring and conserving ecosystems in a way that lets islands respond naturally to sea level rise.

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Some Pacific Island nations are also creating nature-based barriers, using mangroves, sloping rock walls and vetiver grass to block rising seas.

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