Livelihoods, lives, and loss

The Caribbean is particularly vulnerable to greater health, environmental and economic challenges, due to climate and land changes.

Tropical regions face complete loss of coral reefs, which provide coastal protection, faster sea-level rise, and increased threats from coastal flooding. Coastal issues also threaten the tourism and fisheries industries, major contributors to Caribbean economies.

What’s the fix?
Keeping warming below 1.5°C can help to lower sea-level rise and keep some coral reefs intact.

Tackling the Effects of Climate Change

Negative effects of climate change in the Caribbean

In the Caribbean, we often experience the negative impacts of climate change via:

  • Adverse weather conditions
  • Damage to property and infrastructure
  • Warming of oceans
  • Increased influxes of marine life (e.g. Sargussum seaweed).

All of these result in loss of lives and livelihoods.

Know the issues facing us

Affecting livelihoods and lives:

  • Reduced livelihoods tied to coral reefs.
  • Implications for disease prevalence.
  • Water, food and economic security.
  • Degradation of ecosystems’ impacts on fishing and farming.
  • GDP losses.

Threatening food security:

  • Agricultural risks, e.g. crop yield reductions.
  • Water scarcity.
  • Regional food security.

Physical erosion:

  • Complete loss of tropical coral reefs.
  • Reduced coastal protection.
  • Increased sea-level rise.
  • Coastal flooding.
  • Heat extremes.
  • Coastal erosion from sea level rise and tropical hurricanes, which greatly threaten lives and livelihoods in the region.