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These countries are sinking into the sea. What happens when they disappear forever?

Can these small island nations still be considered states if their land disappears?

 Small island nations such as Tuvalu, Kiribati, the
Maldives and Marshall Islands are particularly vulnerable to climate
change. Rising seas, stronger storms, freshwater shortages and damaged
infrastructure all threaten their ability to support life. Some islands
even face the grim possibility of being abandoned or sinking beneath the
ocean. This raises an unprecedented legal question: can these small island
nations still be considered states if their land disappears? The future
status of these nations as “states” matters immensely. Should the worst
happen, their populations will lose their homes and sources of income. They
will also lose their way of life, identity, culture, heritage and
communities.

Independent 29th Aug 2025, https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/climate-change-un-maldives-kiribati-islands-states-icj-b2816719.html

September 5, 2025 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | climate change