Climate Change

The extensive coastlines of SIDS are vulnerable to the effects of climate change, particularly since a majority of residents live close to, and depend upon, coastal areas for their livelihoods. Although, SIDS produce a tiny portion of greenhouse gasses, they are predicted to be the first to feel the effects of sea level rise and other climatic effects such as El nino or la ninia.

Strategies to mitigated sea level rise, such as early warning systems, urgently need to be developed. Furthermore, reliable contingency plans that deal with the effects of the loss of coastal and possibly in-land areas need to be established. Reliable monitoring measures (including geographical information systems, remote-sensing and other data/information systems) to gauge the state of the environment are also seriously needed.