A French Polynesian environmentalist helping proponents of a floating island in the territory says it's likely to mean little harm to the environment.
Pauline Sillinger is helping with community outreach for the experiment which involves designing and building a floating sustainable community off Tahiti.
French Polynesia is working with the US-based Seasteading Institute on a pilot "floating island" which would be self-contained with its own governing framework.
Ms Sillinger told Sally Round she was sceptical at first but she's learnt first hand that the project's an environmental one.
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Artist's impression of "Storm Makes Sense of Shelter" a winning entry in the Seasteading Institute's design competition for a floating city. Photo: Seasteading Institute/Simon Nummy (Atkins)