Man-Made Islands
Man-made islands have long been a topic of debate for environmentalists, the uber wealthy, and nations at odds. In addition to fetching a high price tag, nations like China are now exploring the use of man-made islands to claim rights to exclusive economic zones that extend for 200 miles of the island’s shorelines. This has raised international pushback and reexamination of the laws that define islands and manmade structures in the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea.
Additionally, the construction and habitation of these islands take an enormous input of money and raw materials, and impact to the aquatic ecosystems in the reefs and rocks they’re built upon. Once constructed, the islands require extensive maintenance to combat shoreline loss, creating a perpetual problem. This issue is visually demonstrated by examining the island communities, The World and The Palms, off the coast of Dubai. As photos in the article document, the upkeep has had a rapid and destructive impact on local resource with no long term solution.
With global sea level rise and replenishment of sand resources declining at a faster rate then their extraction, the construction of man-made islands appear to be a fool’s errand. However, with major political, economic, and environmental ramifications, it is imperative that a system of rules and regulations be defined and implemented to protect these valuable resources.
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