The Caribbean consists of more than seven thousand islands that are surrounded by the

Caribbean ocean. In terms of location, the Caribbean Sea is settled between nine degrees and
twenty two degrees latitude north and between sixty one degrees and eighty eight degrees
longitude west. The Caribbean area is situated south-east of the Gulf of Mexico, east of Central
America and Mexico and north of South America. The Caribbean includes the islands of the
Greater and Lesser Antilles as well as the mainland territories of Central America and South
American countries such as Venezuela.
The Caribbean intrigues and seduces tourists from international countries because of its exotic
nature and natural beauty. These characterizations are ineluctably tied to its geography, both the
natural and physical elements of its geography. Geography emphasises the relationship between
the spatial distribution of a population or the Diasporas between the human race and the
environment. These elements of geography are the basis for the development of the Caribbean
nations and the factors that shape their identity historically, culturally and territorially. The
Caribbean is situated in the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) which is the main reason
for many of the regions features, more so in terms of climate, such as precipitation, humidity,
solar energy, winds, atmospheric pressure, temperature and evaporation
(http://thebritishgeographer.weebly.com/the-climate-of-tropical-regions.html). This puts the
Caribbean region at a high risk for climate change and the consequences that come with it.
Climate change is the most tangible problem that we are facing and its existence can no longer
be denied (http://www.epa.gov/climatechange) . Climate change is a long-term shift in the
climate of a specific location, region or planet. The shift is measured by changes in features
associated with average weather, such as temperature, wind patterns and precipitation. Nowadays
climate change is the biggest threat to the well being of the environment and the human race. The
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fatal process has already commenced and represents one of the greatest environmental, social
and economic threats facing the planet.
Climate change has generated a great deal of dangerous events in relation to the environments
response to this ordeal. The warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident
from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting
of ice caps, and rising global mean sea level. According to http://climate.nasa.gov/ , the Earths
average surface temperature has risen by 0.76 C since 1850, according to statistics. Another
huge problem is that the sea levels are rising worldwide. Also the expansion of ocean water is
caused by warmer ocean temperatures. Mountain glaciers and small ice caps are melting as well
as Greenlands Ice Sheet and the Antarctic Ice Sheet. The temperature is consistently rising
which means that ice is melting rapidly. According also to http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/,
global sea level rose about seventeen centimetres within the last century. The rate in the last
decade, however, is nearly double that of the last century. This can be catastrophic to the
Caribbean region because the miniature size of most of the Caribbean islands cant withstand
high sea levels which can lead to excessive and widespread flooding.
There has also been an increase in the atmospheric temperatures across the globe. The majority
of this increase in temperatures has been occurring since the 1970s, with the warmest
temperatures being recorded from the period of 1981 until today. This is what leads to ice
glaciers melting.
With reference to an article published in the Guardian, the World Bank has warned that a rise
in sea level could have catastrophic effects for the Caribbean. A new study executed by the
Washington-based financial institution has urged Caribbean nations to link risk
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management with social, economic and environmental initiatives in order to increase their
resilience to climate change.
Salt-water erosion and coastal flooding will be just a couple of the most serious
consequences of this phenomenon, warns the study, noting that 70 per cent of the
Caribbean population lives on the coast. It noted that in all of the main cities in the
Caribbean, millions of inhabitants are less than a mile from the coastincluding,
obviously, highly vulnerable cities like Port-au-Prince, Haiti and Havana, Cuba.
Tourism and agriculture are essential to many Caribbean economies, the report cautions
that coastal erosion caused by rising sea levels is a real threat for the tourist industry.
Coastal erosion is already faced by St Georges, Grenada, Kingstown, St Vincent and the
Grenadines, Castries, St Lucia, and in Cane Field, Dominica, where the airports already
flood after heavy rains.
The climate can affect every individual and their health directly through increases in
temperature. Such increases may lead to more extreme heat waves during the summer while
producing less extreme cold spells during the winter. Particular segments of the population such
as those with cardiac problems, asthma, the elderly and the very young can be especially
vulnerable to extreme heat. There can be extreme floods and droughts, hurricanes, which can
cause excessive damage to infrastructure. Most of the warming that has occurred over the last
fifty years is very likely to have been triggered by human activities.
During the past century, human activities have released large emissions of carbon dioxide and
other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Since, modern societies have progressed from

agrarian to industrialised societies; there has been an increase in the amount of harmful gases
released into the atmosphere. Most of the gases come from burning fossil fuels to produce
energy. Greenhouse gases are like a blanket around the Earth, trapping energy in the atmosphere
and causing it to warm. This is called the greenhouse effect and it is natural and necessary to
support life on earth. However, while greenhouse gases build-up, the climate changes and result
in dangerous effects to human health and ecosystems. Cars and trucks can also contribute
climate by releasing carbon dioxide when fossil fuels are burned to power them as well as
emitting carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. When wildfires occur, carbon dioxide is released
into the atmosphere. There has also been an increasing to the removal of flora which reduces the
carbon levels in the atmosphere as plants use carbon dioxide for executing the process of
photosynthesis.( http://climate.nasa.gov/causes)
The phenomena of climate change can drastically affect the Caribbean nations negatively with
respect to possible loss of revenue, infrastructure, agriculture and even the loss of life. As a
result, it is imperative that the Caribbean must establish mitigation and adaptation measures to
combat this growing problem. Climate mitigation is any measure taken to permanently reduce
the long-term risk and hazards of climate change to human life, property whereas climate
adaptation refers to the ability of a system to adjust to climate change. In order to mitigate future
impacts on business and the environment, there is a dire need for enforcing stricter building
codes, purchasing comprehensive insurance and constructing sea walls where necessary. Possible
means of adaptation for the agriculture industry are the strengthening of the water supply system,
changes in production technology and introduction of new crop varieties resistant to flooding and
diseases.

Tourism industry businesses need to implement and execute a decisive strategy for the way
forward in dealing with climate change issues, such as building infrastructures best resistant to
flooding and excessive strong winds.
Additionally, a more environmentally friendly tourism model is needed. For instance, they can
use alternative sources of energy (for example: solar and wind) in facilities, utilize energy
conservation technologies, cease further coastal tourism development and acquire environmental
certification. Intensive carbon producing businesses should immediately begin lessening their
carbon footprint in order to prevent further environmental damage and excessive carbon
emission.
Jamaica, an island with abundant rainfall, can experience water shortages in the dry season,
which begins in December and ends in April. These dreaded droughts, exacerbated by climate
change, can bring water restrictions and economic hardship upon various industries and
communities such as tourism and agriculture-based areas. Jamaicas poorest households spend on
average over ten per cent of their income on water, whilst in the United Kingdom, for example,
spending three per cent of family income on water is considered the hardship threshold. This
statistic helps to demonstrate the important link between access to water and economic
development. While Jamaica seeks to increase the proportion of its population with access to safe
water, climate change challenges this goal. The specific country has implemented rainwater
harvesting in response to climate extremes enhances the resilience of human society. This in turn
provides the country with sufficient supplies of water during the dry spells. The Caribbean
Community Climate Change Centre coordinates the Caribbean regions response to climate
change, working on effective solutions and projects to combat the environmental impacts of

climate change and global warming. It provides climate change-related policy advice and
guidelines to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States through the CARICOM
Secretariat.
(http://www.jm.undp.org/content/jamaica/en/home/ourwork/povertyreduction/successstories/rain
waterharvesting)
It is recommended that economic recovery and diversification plans be established
following a disaster, and that there be more investment in flood controls and preparation for
changes in rainfall volume and frequency.
In conclusion, the Caribbean does not have the resources and is not properly prepared for
climate change and the measures mentioned above should be implemented for the greater
good of the Caribbean region as well as for the region to have sustainably development.