B rum ▁proposed ▁a ▁Maj uro ▁Dec laration ▁for ▁Cl imate ▁Le ad ership ▁to ▁gal van ize ▁concrete ▁action ▁on ▁climate ▁change . ▁ ▁R ising ▁sea ▁levels ▁are ▁threaten ing ▁the ▁islands . ▁Reg ard less ▁of ▁the ▁cause , ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁islands ▁may ▁become ▁un in hab itable ▁if ▁the ▁levels ▁become ▁excess ive . ▁Major ▁flo oding ▁occurred ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁leading ▁to ▁a ▁state ▁of ▁emer gency ▁for ▁Maj uro . ▁Th ous ands ▁of ▁island ers ▁have ▁already ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁US ▁over ▁the ▁past ▁dec ades ▁for ▁medical ▁treatment ▁and ▁for ▁better ▁education ▁or ▁employ ment , ▁many ▁sett ling ▁in ▁Ark ansas ; ▁em igration ▁is ▁likely ▁to ▁increase ▁as ▁sea ▁levels ▁rise . ▁The ▁right ▁of ▁residents ▁to ▁do ▁so ▁ends ▁in ▁ 2 0 2 3 ▁unless ▁the ▁Comp act ▁with ▁the ▁US ▁is ▁renew ed . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁Ge ological ▁Survey ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁war ned ▁that ▁rising ▁sea ▁levels ▁will ▁sal in ize ▁the ▁fresh ▁water ▁on ▁the ▁islands , ▁" th us ▁likely ▁forcing ▁inhabitants ▁to ▁abandon ▁their ▁islands ▁in ▁dec ades , ▁not ▁centuries , ▁as ▁previously ▁thought ". ▁ ▁A ▁report ▁in ▁mid ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁by ▁Stan ford ▁University , ▁some ▁ 7 0 ▁years ▁after ▁ 2 3 ▁atomic ▁bomb s ▁were ▁det on ated ▁on ▁B ik ini ▁At oll , ▁indicates ▁abund ant ▁fish ▁and ▁plant ▁life ▁in ▁the ▁cor al