In a dramatic change of scenery, approximately 300 families belonging to the Gunas community are preparing to leave the island of Gardi Sugdub off Panama's Caribbean coast. The Gunas, who have dedicated their lives to the sea and tourism, have been compelled to trade their homes for solid ground on the mainland due to the imminent threat of rising sea levels. Gardi Sugdub is the first of 63 communities along Panama's Caribbean and Pacific coasts that are expected to be forced to relocate in the coming decades.

The Gunas of Gardi Sugdub, an Indigenous group residing on the island, have been rowing or using outboard motors to fish while their children, dressed in colorful local textiles called "molas," hurried through the narrow dirt streets on their way to school. However, the gradual sinking of the island coupled with the impact of climate change, including rising sea levels and warming oceans, has prompted the Gunas to make the difficult decision to abandon their ancestral homes.

"We're a little sad because we're going to leave behind the homes we've known all our lives, the relationship with the sea, where we fish, where we bathe, and where the tourists come. But the sea is sinking the island little by little," expressed Nadín Morales, a 24-year-old resident of Gardi Sugdub who is preparing to move with her family.

While some residents have chosen to stay on the island until it is no longer safe, Panama's ministry of housing has assured that they will not be forced to leave. However, the urgency to relocate arises from the increasing impacts of climate change on Gardi Sugdub.

Gardi Sugdub is just one of approximately 50 populated islands in the Guna Yala territory. It spans a mere 400 yards in length and 150 yards in width, characterized by a cluster of short docks where boats are tied. With the annual arrival of strong winds in November and December, water floods the streets and homes, making the need for relocation imperative.

Efforts to reinforce the island's edge have proven futile, as seawater continuously intrudes despite the Gunas' interventions using rocks, pilings, and coral. Morales remarked, "Lately, I've seen that climate change has had a major impact. Now the tide comes to a level it didn't before, and the heat is unbearable."

The Guna autonomous government had contemplated leaving the island two decades ago due to overcrowding. However, the effects of climate change have accelerated their thinking. Evelio López, a 61-year-old teacher on the island, plans to move with his relatives to the mainland where the government has developed a new site worth $12 million. The concrete houses in this new settlement are nestled amidst a lush tropical jungle, merely an eight-minute boat ride away from Gardi Sugdub's port.

Leaving behind a heritage intimately connected to the sea presents a great challenge for the Gunas. "Leaving the sea, the economic activities that we have there on the island, and now we're going to be on solid ground, in the forest," said López. The long-term consequences of this transition remain uncertain.

Steven Paton, director of the Smithsonian Institution's physical monitoring program in Panama, confirmed that the Gunas' upcoming move is a direct consequence of climate change and rising sea levels. With the islands, on average, only half a meter above sea level, complete abandonment of these islands is expected by the end of the century, if not earlier.

Panama estimates that the relocation of approximately 38,000 inhabitants facing rising sea levels will cost around $1.2 billion. The specter of coastal territories being engulfed by rising sea levels is a global issue, affecting coastal communities worldwide. From Venice in Italy to New Zealand, governments are forced to take action.

A recent study conducted by Panama's Environmental Ministry estimates that by 2050, the country will lose approximately 2.01% of its coastal territory due to increasing sea levels. With the relocation process underway, the Gunas of Gardi Sugdub, renowned for their elaborately embroidered molas, will bid farewell to their island, hoping to preserve their culture and way of life amidst the challenges of climate change.