If the current political environment is stressing you out or if you’re just looking for a change, a movement of philanthropists, academics and investors are working on an alternative; the idea sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi novel. The group of investors and builders are aiming to create a new country floating in the Pacific.
Floating islands coming by 2022
Some of the investors in the island have started to call themselves “seavangelesse.” A term they coined that means evangelist that want to live off the grid and on the ocean. Troubles with governments inspired the idea for the islands.
The pilot program is made in partnership with the French Polynesia government. Around 300 homes will be built on the first floating island. It is estimated that the island will cost $50 million to create and should be completed by 2022.
The Polynesian region was chosen for precise reasons. “This is the region where land is resting on coral and will disappear with rising sea levels,” said Nathalie Mezz-Garcia, a political scientist turned “seavangelesse.”
Investors plan for more islands that will also become their own sovereign countries.
Cryptocurrency plays a huge part
So far the project has been funded by philanthropic donations through the Seasteading Institute and Blue Frontiers, which sells tokens of Varyon. Varyon is a cryptocurrency and is the currency planned to be used on the island.
The islands aren’t just meant to be homes; they are also expected to serve as business centers that aren’t controlled by government regulations. Governments on the islands would only be intended to serve as service providers and not much else.
“This means there is stability, outside of fluctuating geopolitical influences, trade issues, and currency fluctuations-it’s the perfect incubator,” Mezz-Garcia said.
The concept is new and has to be tested before more islands can be created. However, the plan is that if a resident were to become dissatisfied, they could unhook their home and join another island.
“Once we can see how this first island works, we will have a proof of concept to plan for islands to house climate refugees,” Mezz-Garcia said of future plans.