Climate change in the Caribbean
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Climate change in the Caribbean poses major risks to the islands in the
Geography
The Caribbean is an archipelago of islands between North and South America. These islands include
Impacts on the natural environment
Temperature and weather changes
Extreme weather events
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/2017_Atlantic_hurricane_season_summary_map.png/306px-2017_Atlantic_hurricane_season_summary_map.png)
An increase in air and
In September 2017, the United States
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Hurricane_Maria_%282017%29_170923-H-NI589-0002_%2837312143081%29.jpg/305px-Hurricane_Maria_%282017%29_170923-H-NI589-0002_%2837312143081%29.jpg)
Hurricanes of category 5 have wind speeds greater than 253 kilometres per hour (157 mph).[12] In addition to being strong, Hurricanes Irma and Maria also carried more rainfall than previous storms. The warmer the air temperature, the more water can be held by air leading to more precipitation. Multiple sources suggest that this increase in strengthening and precipitation in recent hurricanes is due to climate change.[16][15][17][18] Hurricane Irma and Maria had a total of 510 millimetres (20 in) of rainfall. In Cuba, Hurricane Irma sustained precipitation was at 270 millimetres (10.8 in) per hour. In Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria had a sustained precipitation of 164 millimetres (6.44 in) per hour.[15] We are seeing repeated and prolonged droughts, an increase in the number of very hot days, intense rainfall events causing repeated localized flooding, and rising sea levels that are consuming the beautiful beaches on which tourism in the region depends.[19]
Temperature rise of 2 °C above preindustrial levels can increase the likelihood of extreme hurricane rainfall by 4–5 times in the
Ecosystems
An increase in surface temperature has also been suggested to affect the coral reefs. In 2005 in the Caribbean, a rise in the sea surface temperature is thought to have caused widespread coral bleaching. In this study, they evaluate if this increase in sea surface temperature was due to natural climate variability or human activity. They concluded that it would be very unlikely that natural climate variability alone could account for this event. Their model suggests that this event would occur once every 1000 years if human activity is not taken into consideration in the model.[20] Coral reefs are a huge part of the Caribbean ocean and an important aspect to their ecosystem. Coral bleaching is an effect of the change in climate because of the rise in water temperature in the seawater. The coral is also being used as a "natural resource" for the natives to create cement and aggregate because they aren't provided with the same materials as are other countries.
Sea level rise
Rising sea levels are expected to cause coastal erosion due to climate change. According to NASA, the sea level is expected to increase by 0.3–1 metre (1–4 ft) by 2050.[21] By 2100, sea level in the Caribbean is expected to rise by 1.4 m.[22]
Rise in sea level could impact coastal communities of the Caribbean if they are less than 3 metres (10 ft) above the sea. In Latin America and the Caribbean, it is expected that 29–32 million people may be affected by the sea level rise because they live below this threshold. The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago are expected to be the most affected because at least 80% of the total land is below the sea level.[6][7]
Coastal losses range between US$940 million to $1.2 billion in the 22 largest coastal cities in Latin America and the Caribbean.[23] Main sources of income, such as tourism, will also be affected because many of the main touristic attractions such as beaches and hotels are near the coast. In 2004, a study reported that 12 million tourists had visited the Caribbean. Damage to the beaches can also negatively impact sea turtles that nest in the Caribbeans. The islands serve as nesting sites and habitats for sea turtles, which are all facing endangerment due to coastal erosion and changes in habitat at all stages of the life cycle. Sea level rise can impact where sea turtles nest and their nesting behavior.[24]
Impacts on people
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Climate_activist_at_Capitol_South_Metro_in_2019_-_Climate_change%2C_Hurricane_Dorian%2C_and_the_Bahamas.jpg/220px-Climate_activist_at_Capitol_South_Metro_in_2019_-_Climate_change%2C_Hurricane_Dorian%2C_and_the_Bahamas.jpg)
Multiple sources suggest that the Caribbean is in a particularly difficult position to address climate change.[25][23] The Caribbean's long history of colonialism for the extraction of goods, such as sugar, has left them dependent on colonial entities. This has created a disadvantage to the Caribbean as they lack the ability to compete with the current world economy and be self-sufficient. Centuries of colonialism has generated a feedback loop of the dependence of the Caribbean's economy on global powers.[25]
The damages expected from climate change will weaken the economy of the Caribbean as it will target some of the major sources of income, like tourism. It has been estimated that 25% to 35% of the Caribbean's economy relies on tourism.
Cultural impacts
There are a variety of people that live on the Caribbean islands and they are heavily impacted on the effects of climate change. Culturally, the peoples of the Caribbean are a mix of Africa, Asian, European, and Indigenous peoples.[26] Tourism is an important aspect in the Caribbeans economy. Without it economies will collapse and residents will struggle more than they already are. The impact of climate change on tourism will lead to unknown results and many difficulties for the islands. The coastal region, where tourist reside on their trips, is nothing like the original residence for the natives.
Mitigation
In 2019 week of climate action in Latin America and the Caribbean resulted in a declaration in which leaders says that they will act to reduce emissions in the sectors of transportation, energy, urbanism, industry, forest conservation and land use and "sent a message of solidarity with all the people of Brazil suffering the consequences of the rainforest fires in the Amazon region, underscoring that protecting the world's forests is a collective responsibility, that forests are vital for life and that they are a critical part of the solution to climate change".[27][28]
Adaptation
In Mesoamerica, climate change is one of the main threats to rural Central American farmers, as the region is plagued with frequent droughts, cyclones and the El Niño- Southern-Oscillation.[29] Although there is a wide variety of adaption strategies, these can vary dramatically from country to country. Many of the adjustments that have been made are primarily agricultural or related to water supply. Some of these adaptive strategies include restoration of degraded lands, rearrangement of land uses across territories, livelihood diversification, changes to sowing dates or water harvest, and even migration.[29] The lack of available resources in Mesoamerica continues to pose as a barrier to more substantial adaptations, so the changes made are incremental.[29]
One of the solutions researchers have come to about reducing CO2 emissions is to raise the
By country and territory
Grenada
Haiti
Puerto Rico
The Puerto Rico Climate Change Council (PRCCC) noted severe changes in seven categories: air temperature, precipitation, extreme weather events, tropical storms and hurricanes, ocean acidification, sea surface temperatures, and sea level rise.[36]
Climate change also affects Puerto Rico's population, the economy, human health, and the number of people forced to migrate.
Surveys have shown[vague] climate change is a matter of concern for most Puerto Ricans.[37] The territory has enacted laws and policies concerning climate change mitigation and adaptation, including the use of renewable energy.[38] Local initiatives are working toward mitigation and adaptation goals, and international aid programs support reconstruction after extreme weather events and encourage disaster planning.[39]US Virgin Islands
See also
- Effects of climate change on island nations
- Impact of hurricanes on Caribbean history
- Hurricane Irma
- Caribbean Sea
References
- ISBN 978-1-137-53837-6.
- ^ Ramón Bueno; Cornella Herzfeld; Elizabeth A. Stanton; Frank Ackerman (May 2008). The Caribbean and climate change: The costs of inaction (PDF).
- S2CID 156828736.
- .
- ^ a b BERARDELLI, JEFF (29 August 2020). "Climate change may make extreme hurricane rainfall five times more likely, study says". CBC News. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
- ^ .
- ^ PMID 26177285.
- ^ "Caribbean Weather: Annual Temperature & Rainfall - Current Results". www.currentresults.com. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
- PMID 31996825.
- .
Medium-range estimates of Arctic carbon emissions could result from moderate climate emission mitigation policies that keep global warming below 3°C (e.g., RCP4.5). This global warming level most closely matches country emissions reduction pledges made for the Paris Climate Agreement...
- The Australian Academy of Science, for instance, released a report last year stating that our current emissions trajectory had us headed for a 3°C warmer world, roughly in line with the middle scenario. Climate Action Trackerpredicts 2.5 to 2.9°C of warming based on current policies and action, with pledges and government agreements taking this to 2.1°C.
- ^ a b Wall, Jennifer (2015-06-09). "What Are Hurricanes?". NASA.
- ^ a b Plumer, Brad (2016-10-06). "How do hurricanes form? A step-by-step guide". Vox.
- ^ a b "Monthly Atlantic Tropical Weather Summary".
- ^ a b c "One of the clearest signs of climate change in Hurricanes Maria, Irma, and Harvey was the rain". 2017-09-28.
- ^ Taylor, Michael (2017-10-06). "Climate change in the Caribbean – learning lessons from Irma and Maria". The Guardian.
- ^ "Climate Change in the Caribbean Small Island States". Inter-American Development Bank.
- ^ Wallace-Wells, David (9 September 2017). "Will Irma Finally Change the Way We Talk About Climate?". Daily Intelligencer. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
- ^ Taylor, Michael. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/06/climate-change-in-the-caribbean-learning-lessons-from-irma-and-maria. "Climate change in the Caribbean- Learning lessons from Irma and Maria". 6 October 2017.
- PMID 17360373.
- ^ Jackson, Randal. "Global Climate Change: Effects".
- PMID 31291297.
- ^ S2CID 53317714.
- S2CID 44014595.
- ^ ISSN 0016-7185.
- ^ Coastal Education & Research. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25736087. "Climate change impacts on the Caribbean coastal areas and tourism". ISSUE NO. 24. pp. 49-69.
- ^ "Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week 2019 Key Messages for the UN Climate Action Summit" (PDF). Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
- ^ "Latin American & Caribbean Climate Week Calls for Urgent, Ambitious Action". United Nations Climate Change. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
- ^ ISSN 0165-0009.
- ^ Feld, Brian and Sebastian Galiani. "Climate Change in Latin America and the Caribbean: Policy Options and Research Priorities." Latin American Economic Review 24, no. 1 (2015): 1-39.
- ^ Luxner, Larry (2013-11-29). "Grenada's New War: Battling Climate Change". The Washington Diplomat. Retrieved 2013-12-21.
- .
- ^ a b c d "Climate Change Knowledge Portal". sdwebx.worldbank.org. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
- ^ "Puerto Rico Territory Energy Profile". U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ World Bank (2023). "Climate Change Knowledge Portal".
- S2CID 139358281– via Science Direct.
- ^ PCCC 2022, p. 106.
- ^ PCCC 2022, p. 104.
- ^ Gobierno de Puerto Rico. "Puerto Rico Revolving Fund" (PDF). Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ "U.S. Virgin Islands". Coastal Resilience.
- ^ EPA (November 2016). "What Climate Change Means for the U.S. Virgin Islands" (PDF).
Works cited
- "Puerto Rico's State of the Climate 2014-2021: Assessing Puerto Rico's Social-Ecological Vulnerabilities in a Changing Climate" (PDF). Puerto Rico Climate Change Council. 2022.
Further reading
- U.S. Global Change Research Program (2018). "U.S. Caribbean". Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II (Report). Washington, DC, USA: U.S. Global Change Research Program. pp. 809–871. .