How Climate Change Threatens the Survival of Island Nations?
Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, affecting every country and region in the world in different ways. However, some areas are more vulnerable and exposed to the impacts of climate change than others. Among them are the island nations, which are facing a serious existential crisis due to the rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and loss of biodiversity caused by the warming of the earth.
Island nations are countries that consist entirely or mostly of islands, such as Fiji, Maldives, Kiribati, Tuvalu, and many others. They are home to diverse cultures, languages, and traditions, as well as rich natural resources and ecosystems. However, they are also among the least developed and most isolated countries in the world, with limited economic opportunities, infrastructure, and access to basic services. They are also highly dependent on the ocean and the environment for their livelihoods, food security, and identity.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global mean sea level has risen by about 20 cm since the late 19th century and is projected to rise by another 26 to 82 cm by the end of the 21st century. This poses a serious threat to the low-lying island nations, some of which have an average elevation of less than 2 meters above sea level. For instance, the Maldives, the world’s lowest-lying country, could be submerged by the end of the century if the sea level continues to rise at the current rate. Similarly, Kiribati, Tuvalu, and Marshall Islands are also at risk of losing their entire land area and becoming uninhabitable.
Rising sea levels are not the only problem that island nations face due to climate change. They also have to cope with more frequent and intense storms, cyclones, hurricanes, and floods, which can cause widespread damage to their infrastructure, agriculture, and human lives. For example, in 2016, Cyclone Winston, the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere, hit Fiji and killed 44 people, injured hundreds, and displaced tens of thousands. It also destroyed or damaged more than 40,000 homes, schools, and health facilities, and caused an estimated $1.4 billion in economic losses. In 2017, Hurricane Irma, one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record, devastated several Caribbean Island nations, including Barbuda, which was left 95% destroyed.
Another consequence of climate change that affects island nations is the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The ocean and the coral reefs that surround many island nations provide them with food, income, tourism, and coastal protection. However, climate change is causing the ocean to become warmer, more acidic, and less oxygenated, which harms the marine life and the coral reefs. According to the IPCC, more than 70% of the world’s coral reefs are projected to decline by 2030 due to coral bleaching and mortality, and more than 99% by 2100 under a high-emission scenario. This would have devastating effects on the island nations that rely on the ocean and the reefs for their survival.
In the face of this existential crisis, island nations are not passive victims, but active agents of change. They are taking various measures to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as well as to mitigate their greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the global efforts to combat climate change. For example, some island nations are investing in renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and hydro, to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and lower their carbon footprint. Others are implementing coastal management and protection strategies, such as planting mangroves, building seawalls, and restoring coral reefs, to enhance their resilience to sea level rise and storm surges. Some are also exploring the possibility of relocation or migration, either within their own countries or to other countries, as a last resort option for their people.
However, island nations cannot cope with the existential crisis of climate change alone. They need the support and cooperation of the international community, especially the major emitters of greenhouse gases, to take urgent and ambitious actions to limit the global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, as agreed in the Paris Agreement. They also need more financial and technical assistance to implement their adaptation and mitigation plans, as well as to address the loss and damage caused by climate change. Moreover, they need more recognition and respect for their human rights, dignity, and sovereignty, as well as their cultural and historical heritage, as they face the possibility of losing their homes and identities.
Island nations are among the most vulnerable and affected by climate change, but they are also among the most resilient and determined to fight for their future. They are not only fighting for themselves, but for the whole world, as they are the canaries in the coal mine of climate change. Their plight and their voice should be heard and heeded by everyone, as we all share the same planet and the same fate.
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