Book chapter
Climate Change and the Pacific Islands
Climate Change and Impacts in the Pacific, pp.1-31
Springer Climate (SPCL), Springer Nature Switzerland AG
2020
Abstract
Climate change has been recognized as one of the most critical and controversial issues facing the world in the twenty-first century. It is predicted to lead to adverse and irreversible impacts on the earth and ecosystems as a whole. This chapter discusses the causes of climate change and current and potential impacts that will affect the people now and in the coming decades while providing a comprehensive account of how Pacific Island nations face challenges from climate change-related impacts. Global warming, sea-level rise, changing weather patterns and extreme events, pressure on water and food security, human health risks, and impacts on wildlife and ecosystems are considered as major impacts of climate change. Pacific Island countries register the greatest negative impacts of climate change even though they account for only 0.03% of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions. Current and projected climate change poses a set of fundamental challenges to the local economy and livelihoods, resulting in human mobility and cross-border displacement and migration. The dispersed nature and heterogeneity of the Pacific Island countries presents special challenges for localized climate projections and adaptation strategies. Effective adaptation measures and policies to climate change impacts in the Pacific Islands should acknowledge their unique environmental and cultural characteristics.
Details
- Title
- Climate Change and the Pacific Islands
- Authors
- Lalit Kumar (Author) - University of New EnglandSadeeka Jayasinghe (Author) - Uva Wellassa University, Sri LankaTharani Gopalakrishnan (Author) - University of New EnglandPatrick Nunn (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast
- Contributors
- Lalit Kumar (Editor)
- Publication details
- Climate Change and Impacts in the Pacific, pp.1-31
- Series
- Springer Climate (SPCL)
- Publisher
- Springer Nature Switzerland AG
- Date published
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.1007/978-3-030-32878-8_1; 10.1007/978-3-030-32878-8
- Organisation Unit
- Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre; Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; School of Social Sciences - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Law and Society; Sustainability Research Cluster
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450969702621
- Output Type
- Book chapter
Metrics
171 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Environmental Sciences
- Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites