Climate change is not an issue specific to a certain nation, but it hits harder in certain
areas than others. Air pollution, increased production, oil and increased emissions have all
contributed to the declining safety of the air we breathe as well as warming the whole planet. If
things don’t change soon, the planet could be in trouble. The Caribbean is one of the most
affected regions on the planet, getting rising sea levels, high temperatures, flooding, erosion,
saltwater intrusion, and many more.
Research is predicting that the Caribbean could become inhabitable in nearing years.
Global warming has contributed to significantly higher sea levels, threatening the people on the
land. It first threatens agriculture in nearby areas, posing a threat for the starvation of some
people. Another issue it arises is its heightened consequences for natural disasters. Higher water
levels means that things like hurricanes and tsunamis can come up higher on the land. By
moving more inland, it affects more people because in nations such as Barbados and Dominica, a
large portion of the urban population lives inland. Natural disasters as such in addition to
destroyed agriculture and economy can lead to loads of debt and long term problems for nations.
The nations of Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas have surfaces that are only a few meters
above sea level. This heightens their risk for the negative effects. It is easier for them to come
into debt as a nation because they are having to invest so much of their nation’s money into relief
efforts for these natural disasters and to aid in restarting different agricultural practices.
Other economic struggles they face relate to tourism. As the safety of these nations
decline, tourism becomes less common. Most Caribbean nations have tourism at the center of
their economy, or at least a large portion of it. In 2023 alone, tourism contributed to around 85%
of the region’s total GDP. But it is expected that this number will drop by around 38 to 47 percent
by 2100. It also provides many job opportunities, so with this industry declining, many people
are losing their jobs and starting to struggle financially as a result. Without a job in the tourism
industry, many might plan to turn to agriculture. But as shown earlier, those jobs are becoming
more scarce as well as that industry takes a hit as well.
These circumstances are not just inconvenient, or causing struggle. Many lives are being
lost as a result as well. Around 70% of Caribbean populations live and work in coastal areas, and
these people are being wiped out by the natural disasters. Those who do survive likely live in
misery, as they struggle for money, housing and jobs. Circumstances in the Caribbean cannot
change in a day, but they can be helped one day at a time. As a child, it might seem hard to make
a significant difference. But we can do our part by conserving whenever possible. Other nations
should step in to help this issue with more drastic measures than ever before if we wish to
improve global warming.
Works Cited
Roy, Diana. “How the Caribbean Is Building Climate Resilience.” Council on Foreign Relations,
16 Aug. 2023, www.cfr.org/backgrounder/how-caribbean-building-climate-resilience.