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The Impact of Climate Change on Small
Island States and Migration
By Hayden Black-Cuba-General Assembly
Ever since 1975, the earth has been getting hotter. This is due to the burning of fossil fuels like gas, coal,
and oil. Because of Climate Change, many coastal areas have been eroded. If this continues, many people
could have to flee their homes. Global warming affects small island developing states (SIDS) the most.
Because the SIDS are developing, they don’t have enough money to do anything when the warm climate
affects their land. Some of the countries most affected by global warming are the Philippines, Madagascar,
and Cuba. Unfortunately, because there aren’t many reliable sources to replace fossil fuels, it is very difficult
to even slow global warming.
After the year 1975, scientists began to notice that the world was getting warmer. By the year 2000, the
temperature had risen almost 1 degree Celsius. The oceans had also risen almost a foot! By the year 2100,
most of the SIDS will probably be completely under water. This is due to the ongoing burning of fossil
fuels. These fossil fuels emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, thickening the earth’s atmosphere and
making the earth hotter. With the earth becoming hotter, icebergs around the world begin to melt into water,
emptying into the oceans. If this continues, many people will be forced to flee their homes.
One of the biggest efforts to slow climate change was the Kyoto Protocol. Cuba signed it on March 15,
1999, and ratified it on April 30,2000. The goal of the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce the greenhouse gas
emissions (CO2). Despite the combined efforts of many countries, the Kyoto Protocol was a failure because
the greenhouse emissions have risen significantly since it began. The biggest reason that it failed was that
the US and China, the two countries that emitted the most greenhouse gas, refused to participate. More
recently, the countries tried again to stop global warming. This time, Cuba submitted it’s action plan before
the meeting. All the countries met in Paris and signed the Paris agreement. Its goal is to limit global
warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Although all countries on all continents are affected by global warming, SIDS are especially
impacted. Cuba is no exception. Cuba believes that the major industrialized countries should cut down on
their pollution. Cuba is doing very well on cutting down on their emissions. It is expected that Cuba will try
to get the other SIDS to do the same. Cuba’s leader, Raul Castro, says regarding global warming: “In spite
of the landmark signified by the United Nations Convention on Climate Change, carbon dioxide emissions
increased by 38% from 1990 to 2009. We are now moving toward a global increase in temperature which
will place at risk, in the first place, the integrity and physical existence of numerous developing island states
and will produce serious consequences in the countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.” In other words,
Raul Castro fears Climate Change will have a big impact on Cuba.