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Climate Change in the South Pacific
Jane Horwitz [email protected]
Haley Cureton [email protected]
James Aretakis [email protected]
Global Change 111 Section 07 April 14, 2006
While climate change is a global issue, currently, in most parts of the world, the physical, cultural, and economic consequences of global warming are seemingly unnoticeable to the human population…
But, are there places in the world that are experiencing the detrimental effects of climate now, or is it just a threat for the future?
Two boys paddle through their flooded town in the South Pacific
Image 1: http://www.acdicida.gc.ca/cida_ind.nsf/0/8D6570AF10B4DDF985256F9D004C4612?OpenDocument
We believe that for the island nations of the South Pacific, climate change is a real and immediate threat.
Images: http://www.williamjosephgallery.com/images/Artworks/Tuttle.jpg/Tuttle%20Taakoa%20Island%20Cook%20Islands%20South%20Pacific%2096x4.JPG
Our Prediction
~ We predict that the people of the South Pacific islands are being forced to make considerable changes to their lifestyles and livelihoods due to the environmental consequences of this warming process.
Our PresentationBackground Information
Image 1: http://www.dti.gov.za/econdb/trademap/pacife-w1.gif
Image 2:www.tahiti.pictures-pacific.com/ tahiti/iti-so...
Image 3: http:/ /www.thepalmbeachtimes.com/Pictures%20folder/Pictures/Economics.jpg
Image 4:http://images.google.com/images?q=health+south+pacific&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&start=80&sa=N
Physical Effects
Economic Effects
Health
Background Information
• Why is climate change occurring?
• What are the South Pacific Islands?
• What is leading to the rise of air temperatures?
• What is leading to the rise of sea temperatures?
• Why are sea levels on the rise?
The South Pacific Islands13 islands nations…3,300 islands…6 million people
Image 1: http://209.15.42.2/images/Artworks/Tuttle.jpg/Tuttle%20One%20Foot%20Island%20Cook%20Islands%203%20South%20Pacific%2096x4.JPG
American Samoa
Cook Islands
Fiji Islands
Kiribati
New Caledonia
Niue
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tahiti
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu
Cook Islands
Background Information
• Why is climate change occurring?
• What are the South Pacific Islands?
• What is leading to the rise of air temperatures?
• What is leading to the rise of sea temperatures?
• Why are sea levels on the rise?
Economic Consequences
• Fisheries
• Agriculture
• Damage control
• The difference between developed and developing countries
http://www.wwfpacific.org.fj/_img/what_we_do/climate/Vinana_Ramosi_cleans_her_catch.jpg
Physical Consequences
• Topography and habitation
• Coastal erosion and flooding
-destruction of coral reefs, natural barriers
• Storm surges• Salinization
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.rejectz.com/tegua.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.atsnn.com/story/185639.html&h=155&w=252&sz=15&tbnid=_8186DyKJ3Cb3M:&tbnh=65&tbnw=106&hl=en&start=2&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcoastal%2Berosion%2Bpacific%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D
Sea-level rise vulnerability of South
Pacific Islands
Barnett & Adger, 324
Physical Consequences
• Topography and habitation
• Coastal erosion and flooding
-destruction of coral reefs, natural barriers
• Storm surges• Salinization
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.rejectz.com/tegua.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.atsnn.com/story/185639.html&h=155&w=252&sz=15&tbnid=_8186DyKJ3Cb3M:&tbnh=65&tbnw=106&hl=en&start=2&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcoastal%2Berosion%2Bpacific%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D
Health• Warmer temperatures
• Increased spread of vectors and infectious disease
• Lack of Available Freshwater
• (i.e.) Diarrheal Disease
http://www.south-pacific-island-for-sale.com/images/real%20estate%20south%20pacific%20santo.jpg
http://www.phototakeusa.com/Pix/BBBY/ECO/BBBYECO066038-01_T.JPG
Increase of Diarrhea Reports with Increase in Temperature
(Singh, 157)
An example…
The Republic of Kiribati
Image 1: www.gesundes-reisen.de/Karte10083.jpg
-Chain made up of 33 low-lying coral reef islands.
-County has weak economic base dependent on copra production and fish exports.
-Coastal erosion is occurring
-Protecting all the islands against sea level rise is impossible.
-Protecting the two most populated islands—Betio and Buota—is only feasible with foreign assistance.
Conclusion
Due to the environmental changes driven by climate change, the South Pacific islands are being forced to make considerable changes to their lifestyles and livelihoods.
…Why is this important?
Image 1:http://www.travelwizard.com/southpacific/images/DSC00300.jpg
Image 2:ohanaedcatalog.com
Image 3:agora.ex.nii.ac.jp
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The current crisis of the South Pacific Islands is foreshadowing the future
crisis for the rest of the world…
