Transcript Climate Change in the South Pacific

Climate Change in the South
Pacific
Jane Horwitz
Haley Cureton
James Aretakis
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Global Change 111 Section 07 April 14, 2006
Two boys paddle through their flooded town in the South Pacific
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?
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 Presentation
Background Information
Physical Effects
Economic Effects
Health
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
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 Islands
13 islands nations…3,300 islands…6 million people
American Samoa
Cook Islands
Fiji Islands
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tahiti
Kiribati
New Caledonia
Niue
Cook Islands
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu
Image 1: http://209.15.42.2/images/Artworks/Tuttle.jpg/Tuttle%20One%20Foot%20Island%20Cook%20Islands%203
%20South%20Pacific%2096x4.JPG
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&t
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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&t
bnid=_8186DyKJ3Cb3M:&tbnh=65&tbnw=106&hl=en&start=2&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcoastal%2Berosion%2Bpacific%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%
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• Warmer
temperatures
Health
• 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
-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.
Image 1: www.gesundes-reisen.de/Karte10083.jpg
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?
The current crisis of the South Pacific
Islands is foreshadowing the future
crisis for the rest of the world…
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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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