Island countries hardest hit by climate crisis and coronavirus pandemic

The world’s small island nations are the hardest hit by the climate crisis, and their problems have been compounded by the coronavirus pandemic, which has particularly affected their economies and their ability to protect themselves from extinction.

Of the 38 Member States and 22 Associate Members that the United Nations has designated as Small Island Developing States (SIDS), they experience a “cruel paradox” as they are responsible for one percent of global carbon emissions, but in are in serious pain. climate change, the UN said in a statement.

“Many of these countries (…) are highly exposed to warming oceans. They are often vulnerable to increasingly extreme weather events, such as the devastating cyclones that have hit the Caribbean in recent years, and due to their limited resources, they find it difficult to allocate funds to sustainable development programs. which could help them cope better with the situation, ”said the UN.

In addition, the coronavirus pandemic has “worsened the situation” in economic matters many island states which depend in particular on tourism. This “global crisis” has “drastically” reduced international travel and, as a result, made it difficult for them to pay their debts.

“Their income has all but evaporated with the end of tourism, due to lockdowns, trade barriers, falling commodity prices and disruptions in supply chains,” the Economic Council chairman said in April. and social worker, Munir Akram.

Most research indicates that low island atolls, primarily in the Pacific Ocean such as the Marshall Islands and Kiribati, risk of being submerged by the end of the century. In addition, Flooding of salt water from freshwater aquifers would mean that small island nations could find themselves in a situation where they run out of freshwater long before they run out of land.

In other cases, islands are protected by reefs, which play a “key role” in the fishing industry and in balanced diets, but these reefs are expected to disappear almost completely unless we limit the warming. within 1.5 degrees centigrade.

On the other hand, despite “the huge drop in global economic activity” During the pandemic, the amount of harmful greenhouse gases has increased and the last six years, 2015-2020, will likely be the hottest six on record..

SIDS depend on imported oil to meet all of their energy demands, although some of these countries have successfully switched to renewable energy sources.

This is the case of Tokelau, located in the South Pacific, which meets nearly one hundred percent of its energy needs through renewable energies, while Barbados, in the Caribbean, has already committed to supplying the country with sources. fully renewable energy. sources and achieve zero carbon emissions by 2030, according to the UN.

Several SIDS have also set themselves ambitious renewable energy targets: Samoa, the Cook Islands, Cape Verde, Fiji, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Vanuatu aim to increase the share of renewable energies in their mix. energy, from 60 to 100%.

“In 2018, Seychelles launched the world’s first sovereign blue bond, a pioneering financial instrument to support sustainable marine and fishing projects,” the United Nations explained.

(with EP information)

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