Effects of climate change on small island countries

Climate change is reshaping small island countries through rising seas, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, warming oceans, and stronger climate hazards, affecting ecosystems, economies, infrastructure, and communities.

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Sea-level rise: A sustained increase in the average level of the ocean, driven mainly by warming water and melting land ice. It increases coastal flooding, erosion, and permanent inundation across low-lying islands.
Ocean heat content: The thermal energy stored in the ocean, especially below its surface. Ocean warming expands seawater and contributes to global sea-level rise around islands.
Climate change adaptation: Adjustments in human or natural systems that reduce harm or take advantage of climate-related opportunities. Island plans combine infrastructure, ecosystem protection, preparedness, and changes in development.
Climate change mitigation: Actions that reduce greenhouse-gas emissions or increase the removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Adaptation addresses local impacts, while mitigation limits the global warming driving them.
Tuvalu: A Polynesian country of low-lying coral atolls in the central Pacific Ocean. Its narrow atolls face flooding, freshwater stress, and difficult choices about long-term habitability.
Saltwater intrusion: The movement of saline water into freshwater aquifers, soils, or rivers. Rising seas and storm surges can contaminate island groundwater used for drinking and farming.
Thermal expansion: The increase in a substance’s volume as its temperature rises. Warming seawater expands, raising sea levels even without additional melting ice.
Coastal management: The planning and regulation of human activities and environments along coastlines. It guides choices among shoreline protection, development limits, and managed retreat.
Managed retreat: The planned movement of people and assets away from areas exposed to hazards. It offers an alternative to defending every vulnerable shoreline with engineered barriers.
Maldives: An Indian Ocean country composed of low-lying coral islands and atolls. Its low elevation exposes settlements, infrastructure, and freshwater resources to rising seas.