Dead and dying trees emerge from the ocean above a sunken Solomon Island. Photo / Corey Howell
Dead and dying trees emerge from the ocean above a sunken Solomon Island. Photo / Corey Howell
The author of a widely reported new study on the sinking of five islands in the Pacific says links with climate change have been exaggerated.

Dr Simon Albert's report studied 33 reef islands in the Solomon Islands between 1947 and 2014 and found that five had been washed away completely and six had been eroded.

The study blamed the loss on a combination of sea-level rise and high wave energy.

"All these headlines are certainly pushing things a bit towards the 'climate change has made islands vanish' angle. I would prefer slightly more moderate titles that focus on sea-level rise being the driver rather than simply 'climate change'," Albert told the Guardian.
    
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