Small island states are facing “disaster” from catastrophes.
The first comprehensive research on health and climate change in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) reveals the impact of the crisis and calls on wealthy countries to take action to reduce future disasters.
Over 65 million people living in small island countries are facing health impacts due to climate change, including heatwaves, droughts, vector-borne diseases, and worsening weather conditions. This is putting the lives of people in these island states at risk.
More than 1 million people living in low-lying areas of developing states in small island nations across the Pacific, Caribbean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and South China Sea are likely to be forced to migrate due to global warming. Melting glaciers are causing sea levels to rise, threatening their homes.
In addition to forced migration, research centers monitoring the impact of climate change on health in SIDS have warned of increasing food shortages due to changing marine environments. This will lead to rising chronic health issues, such as diabetes and obesity.
The center’s report, published in Lancet Global Health, states, “International action from high-income countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is necessary to address these problems.”
The challenge in solving these issues lies in “heat.” Heat impacts both physiological health and marine environments, which are crucial for small island developing states.
Moreover, heat affects work productivity. People are able to work outside less safely, and the number of hours they can work outdoors is reduced.
These islands are facing “a worsening of an already dire situation.” The rising global temperatures will have vast impacts on humanity, including more severe natural disasters, the loss of homes, significant loss of life, and the potential for entire islands to be submerged underwater.
Reference
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