Editing Kiritimati (section)

=== Climate change ===
Much of the island's infrastructure and habitation, with the notable exception of the airport area, is located to the [[leeward]] and thus somewhat protected from storms.

A rising sea level does not appear to be particularly problematic; the increasing flooding of the subsidiary lagoons would provide easily observed forewarning, and might even benefit seabird populations by making the ''motu''s less accessible to predators. In fact, geological data suggests that Kiritimati has withstood prehistoric sea level changes well.<ref name=streets1877/><ref name=Steadman/>

The biggest hazard caused by a changing climate would seem to be more prolonged and/or severe droughts, which could even precipitate the island's abandonment (as happened in 1905). However, it is not clear how weather patterns would change, and it may be that precipitation increases.