Transcript Climate Variability and Change and their Health Effects in

Small Island Developing States:
Climate and Health Effects
Joan L. Aron, Ph.D.
Earth Technologies Forum
Washington, DC
April 22-24, 2003
Alliance of Small Island States
“Perhaps when the human health costs are
appreciated and added to the material costs and
environmental damages faced by small island States
a new spirit of cooperation and partnership will
emerge.”
His Excellency Tuiloma Neroni Slade
Ambassador
of Samoa to the United Nations Chairman, Alliance
of Small Island States
Barbados, May 21, 2002
Alliance of Small Island States
 AOSIS:
Coalition of small island and lowlying coastal countries
• Africa, Caribbean, Indian Ocean,
Mediterranean, Pacific, South China Sea
 Issues of environment and development
 Vulnerability to the adverse effects of
global climate change
SEA LEVEL RISE
CHANGES IN RAINFALL REGIMES
Small Island Developing States
Factors increasing vulnerability
 Small physical size
 Surrounded by large expanses of ocean
 Relative isolation
 Limited natural resources
 Growing populations
 Exposure to damaging natural disasters
 Low economic diversification
 Limited funds, human resources, skills
Global Climate Change
Sea level rise
 Displacement of coastal communities
 Disturbance of agricultural activity
 Coastal erosion, beach loss, decline in
tourism
 Intrusion of sea water into freshwater
aquifers
Multiple Time Scales
Sea level rise
Sea level rise (long time scale)
Increased vulnerability to storm surges, coastal flooding
Storm event (short time scale)
Global Climate Change
Threat of sea level rise
Hurricane Lenny
Eastern Caribbean
Global Climate Change
Changes in rainfall regimes
 Prospect of more frequent droughts and
floods in tropical ocean regions in which
small island states are located
 Water supply is a major concern
 Experience of small island states is a
microcosm of the global picture
 International Year of Freshwater 2003
Water Resources
Global issue
International Year of Freshwater 2003
Multiple Time Scales
Changes in rainfall regimes
 The El Niño/Southern Oscillation ( ENSO )
affects global weather patterns, cycling
every two to seven years.
 Rainfall regimes shift.
• Floods or droughts
 Responses to ENSO help to reduce adverse
impacts of climate on health.
ENSO 1997-1998
Drought in Pacific Islands
ENSO 1997-1998
Drought in Pacific Islands
 More skin disease in FSM, Marshalls
 Poor air quality from wildfires in Guam,
Pohnpei, Yap, Palau
 Relief food shipments
 Information campaign reduced incidence
of diarrheal disease in Pohnpei hospital
 Water storage and conservation
 Many diseases under study ( dengue, ... )
Regional Interactions
African dust in the Caribbean
Regional Interactions
African dust in the Caribbean
 African dust is transported in the
atmosphere across the Atlantic Ocean to
the Caribbean.
 Drought conditions in Africa have led to
increasing amounts of dust over the past
few decades.
 Ongoing studies probe the effects of dust
on human health, coral reefs, agriculture
and livestock.
Regional Interactions
River outflows from S. America
Regional Interactions
River outflows from S. America
 Massive kills of reef fish from Trinidad &
Tobago to Barbados - July to October 1999
 Freshwater bacterium Streptococcus iniae
isolated from dead and dying fish
 High rainfall in northern S. America in 1999
 Large quantities of fresh water from
Amazon and Orinoco river basins
 Lower salinities, higher temperatures,
unusual reverse currents in the Caribbean
Climate and Small Island States
Public health response
“Ministries of Health should play a central role in
this response -- but should also remember that
finding enduring solutions will depend on intersectoral communication and convergence.”
Professor Tony McMichael
Director, National Centre of Epidemiology and
Population Health
Australian National University
Barbados, May 21, 2002
Inter-Agency Network
on Climate and Human Health
 World Health Organization
 World Meteorological Organization
 United Nations Environment Programme
and their regional offices
Inter-Agency Network
Workshops in small island states
 Pacific Ocean: Apia, Samoa, 2000
• WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific
• WMO Subregional Office for the South Pacific
 Caribbean Sea: St. Philip, Barbados, 2002
• Pan American Health Organization
• Office of Caribbean Program Coordination
• UNEP Regional Office for Latin Amer. & Carib.
 Indian Ocean: Maldives, 2003 ( planned )
• WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia
Principal Partners in
Caribbean Meeting on Barbados
Barbados Ministries
Health; Physical Development & Environment
Caribbean Organizations
CPACC; CEHI; CAREC; CIMH
Canadian Donors
Health; Environment
U.S. Donors
EPA;
NOAA;
NASA
Caribbean Climate and Health
WHO report
Small island states
Next steps in climate and health
 Recommendations from workshop
participants for enhancing awareness,
using data, and strengthening institutions
 Coordination of sharing of information and
networking of regional organizations
 Maldives workshop
 Guidelines for national vulnerability and
adaptation assessments of health impacts
of climate change
Sunset in Barbados