Name: Ciril Jazbec Country: Slovenia Job: Photography URL: http://www.ciriljazbec.com About: Ciril Jazbec (1987) was born in Slovenia, which is where he first took up photography and visual storytelling. His desire to expand his horizons led him to London where he studied MA Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at the London College of Communication. He is drawn towards stories that reach out and touch you, making you stop, think and take action in the midst of our ever-changing world. Moved by the story of the disappearing islands of Kiribati, Ciril had endeavored to capture the essence of the place whilst that remains possible. Through encounters with the locals, activists and the President, Ciril addresses environmental issues and offers a testament to the spirit of the people. Ciril is currently based in London, UK. Get Inspired by: Living full life with open eyes and positive attitude.

THE END. KIRIBATI is GONE. The story of Kiribati mirrors the modern life in many developing Pacific countries – nations that have fallen to hardship due to global warming and rising sea levels. Kiribati is a small island nation of 33 atolls spread out in the South Pacific; the area is the size of Alaska but the amount of dry land could fit within Manhattan. Inhabited by about 100,830 people, Kiribati is among the world’s poorest countries. Kiribati aroused my curiosity after I’d read an interview with Anote Tong, the president of the small island nation, who warned about his country becoming uninhabitable due to the rising sea levels and increasing salination. As Mr. Tong put it: “Kiribati might already have reached the point of no return. To plan for the day when you no longer have a country is indeed painful, but I think we have to do that.” I travelled to Kiribati for a month to witness first-hand the problems and challenges of the small island country. The story of Kiribati is a complex one, and the rising sea levels are by no means the only threat the country faces. While the country may go the way of Atlantis, there are even more severe and imminent problems with freshwater supply and with salination killing plant life. One of the findings in the Fourth Assessment Report, published in 2007, of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was that by 2050, climate change is expected to reduce water resources in many small islands, e.g. in the Caribbean and Pacific, to the point where they become insufficient to meet demand during low- rainfall periods. The main objective of the project is to invite people from all over the world to really think – and to take action in their everyday lives, to put pressure on world leaders. Not simply to enjoy the photos, but to actively consider what’s going on. The people of Kiribati don’t want us to just feel sorry for them. They want the world to admit responsibility for their problems related to climate change. Check out more on http://www.kiribatiisgone.com/

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