SIMONET, Indonesia -- Indonesia is the world's fourth-most populous nation and the largest archipelagic country, comprising more than 17,000 islands. Most of its smaller islands are only 1 meter above sea level, and many coastal areas are being threatened by climate change.
Deforestation, land reclamation and the illegal extraction of groundwater by industry are making these areas ever more vulnerable to rising sea levels. Experts predict that before 2050, thousands of small islands and millions of houses in coastal areas will disappear.
