The contributing factors are complex: inadequate environmental management within the country, the fierce shock to traditional lifestyles brought by waves of modernity, and global warming, against which the local people are powerless.
兩者加乘下，使得島嶼遭海水滲透或大浪淹覆的危機增加，進而造成地下水的全面鹽化。國合會駐吉里巴斯技術團團長蔡倍皋在塔拉瓦才生活 3 年，就感受到環境劣化的速度。他猶記得 2 年前在團部附近岸邊垂釣時，腳下還是繁茂多彩的珊瑚礁，如今卻已垂危白化。