Many people claim that sea levels are rising, and that smaller nations (such as the island nations in the pacific) are about to be swamped by the rising sea levels. Many are only are few meters above sea-level. Tuvalu has insisted that countries like Australia and New Zealand accept their citizens as refugees.

Australia's Phil Ruddock pointed out that if Tuvalu were to be swamped by rising sea levels, then most of Sydney would also be under water, and that would be a very different situation.

The actual rise in sea-levels is hard to measure, but is thought to have been between 3 and 30 millimeters over the last century. Estimates of the further rise over the next century are between 20 millimeters and 20 meters. Environmental alarmists and greenies clearly prefer the latter figure.

The truth is of little concern to a zealot though, and activists continue to insist that higher sea levels are flooding the pacific nations. Apparently they believe that sea levels rise in more around third world countries than first world countries.

In fact the damage to the Pacific islands is self inflicted. Over cropping and poor land practices cause erosion, and soil is simply washed away. Dynamiting reefs and other structures which provide natural protection catches fish, but results in flooding, and salination in storms and high tides.

Blaming the wealthy nations is both politically expedient for the local corrupt governments, and also has a chance of getting subsidies for the local populations.It is also politically expedient for the first world activists who want to damage capitalism. Hence the hysteria continues, and the situation gets worse because those who are actually responsible can continue to exacerbate the problem.