Climate Change in the Caribbean

 

Hi! I'm Quater the Canary and today is all about Climate Change in the Caribbean.

What is Climate Change?

To put it simply, Climate Change refers to shifts in temperatures and weather patterns over a long period of time. This is especially important for Caribbean countries because of their size and location.

Map of the Caribbean taken from Worldofmaps.net

What are some of the causes of Climate Change in the Caribbean?

Caribbean economies typically depend on Agriculture, Manufacturing, Production of oil and gas and Tourism. With these in mind, some of the CAUSES of climate change in the Caribbean are:

1. Industries

-The generation of power and manufacturing of goods are both processes that use and emit greenhouse gases such as carbon and nitrogen from coal, fossil fuels, oil and gas.

2. Deforestation

- The cutting down or clearing of forested areas for industrial or agricultural purposes increases the concentrations of carbon in the atmosphere.

3.Agriculture

-This includes deforestation to obtain farmlands as well as livestock farming. Livestock such as cows, pigs and chicken all contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases. For example, cows generate and emit methane through their waste.

Now that we've discussed the CAUSES, what are some of the IMPACTS?

What are some of the Impacts of Climate Change in the Caribbean?

IMPACTS

Environmental	Economic	Social
Increased Temperature- Rising temperatures caused by increased greenhouse gas emissions can lead to a drier climate, reducing ocean biodiversity, degrading corals, and affecting fisheries industries.	Decreased Tourism- The loss of beaches, corals, recreational fishing and diving, as well as a rise in temperature, may have an impact on the tropical climate that attracts tourists.	Property Loss- Flooding and drought are examples of extreme weather events that can damage infrastructure and destroy homes.
Sea Level Rise- This could submerge many of the islands' coastal areas, reducing tourism and increasing the risk to freshwater resources.	Decreased Agriculture- Temperature increases and changes in rainfall patterns have an impact on soil fertility, which can reduce crop yields and grazing ability.	Decreased Standard of Living- Extreme weather can also contaminate water sources or reduce access to water and other essentials.
Extreme Weather- Temperature increases can alter rainfall patterns, the intensity and frequency of hurricanes and storms and increase droughts, and flooding.	Food Security- Temperature and rainfall can have an impact on crop yields, livestock production, fishing and forestry availability, and thus a country's ability to feed itself.	Health Problems- malnutrition via food security issues and contaminated water supplies which can cause health issues such as diarrhea.

The impacts of Climate change in the Caribbean are often connected.

Eg.  Extreme Weather-----------------Decreased Agriculture---------------Health Problems

And now you know about some of the causes and impacts of climate change in the Caribbean!

~~Bye

Sources: 1. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/causes-effects-climate-change 2. https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-and-effects-of-climate-change.php 3. https://makechange.aspiration.com/social-impacts-of-climate-change/ 4. https://www.panoramas.pitt.edu/health-and-society/environmental-and-social-impacts-climate-change-caribbean 5. https://www.iadb.org/en/ove/climate-change-caribbean-small-island-states 6. https://nacla.org/blog/2012/11/3/climate-change-and-caribbean Images: 7. https://worldofmaps.net/en/caribbean/caribbean-maps/map-caribbean-overview.htm 8. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/26036504066413806/?nic_v3=1a4IMRXPG 9. https://eastchain.net/industries/ 10. https://www.countygp.ab.ca/en/business-and-development/agriculture-and-food-production-and-service.aspx