Creating the world’s first floating country Kiribati part 2.

1. Shingo Nomura’s foundation is called the Center for Global Action and Sustainable Development (CGASD). Its members are over 20 of Japan’s leading specialists in engineering, architecture, ocean research and engineering, agriculture, education  and city planning  join the venture donating their time, expertise and patents. The CGASD will move its head quarters to Tarawa to undertake this project and I will become one of the five directors of the CGASD. As I have said previously, Shingo has said he has devoted the rest of his life to this project- that is commitment to a purpose beyond the self for something higher than the personal self- heroic.   It sounds audacious to be proposing the construction of the world’s first floating nation in Tarawa Kiribati. It is the only option available if the integrity of this small country is to be retained and the traditional sea and blue sky is to remain part of the consciousness of the I-Kiribati peoples. The other options all involve moving to another land based country that will take them. It also offers at the same time the opportunity for the nation to leap into the 21 st century in terms of economic and social and environmental transformation.
2. Over three stages up to 110,000 people could be settled in three separate yet closely located cities of circular wooden design of 10,000 people by 2015, an additional 30,000 by 2020 and an additional 70,000 by 2030 people. Each settlement will be self sufficient in renewable water, energy and food being fruit, vegetables, fish and similar animals’ local people keep now. The cities will be the first in the world to be CO2 neutral generating its energy from hydrogen from sea water, solar, tidal and wind power. All waste will be recycled Each floating city will have a periphery of existing flora (Including palm and coconut trees and mangroves) with a mix of traditional village buildings and mostly honeycomb shaped new living buildings close to but separated from the agriculture areas. They are proposed to be located in the lagoon side of Tarawa where the waters are relatively shallow- the sea side drops to over 550-1000 metres quite quickly. The Kiribati a developing nation operating at basically subsistence level, would take a quantum leap into the future as a developed nation and be exposed to leading edge technology and practices that could bring new future employment opportunities to the young and maintain/increase the traditional employment like fishing and tourism in particular. 60% of the population of Kiribati is under 15 years of age.  The proposal includes a planned transfer of technology and best practices across a wide range of skills to the Kiribati people. CGASD has devised a salt project on one of the islands that is expected to fund over time the USD5 Billion project (including the capital and operating cost of the salt project) together with additional revenues from the Patents owned by members of CGASD. No funds are being requested from the Kiribati government or its people for this re settlement project.  At the end of 30 years (assuming the green light is given in 2010) all the property will be returned to the Kiribati government at no cost. Sounds unusual but technically and hopefully in regards to funding this is all possible. There is some way to go yet to get this approved by the Government, funded completely and then executed. The management of the inevitable cultural change will be an important and crucial part of the project and this will be developed in cooperation with the Government and the people. However we have been told that the people of Kiribati have in their consciousness as part of their traditions the sense they are turtles who live on both land and sea at the same time. I am honoured and joyous that I am involved with this evolutionary and meaningful endeavour.  I am working with a completely Japanese team at this stage. I will keep you informed with regular updates on progress and more detail on the “floating of the world’s first sustainable nation” project! You can be a part of the emergence in real time of the new world order.