Carribbean Island Nations and Climate Change

On November 15, please join the UIC School of Public Health’s Dean’s Office and Global Health Program, the BRACE-Illinois Project, the Student Alliance for Public Health and the Environment (SAPHE), and experts in the fields of climate change and public health for in-depth discussions about how climate change will impact the Caribbean region, the public health implications, and how Caribbean nations and territories can address these effects.

The 28 Caribbean island nations and territories are on the front lines of climate change threats. Increasing temperatures, changing rain patterns, rising sea levels, and increasing severity of hurricanes threaten lives, livelihoods, and homes. Many of these states rely on economic sectors that are particularly vulnerable to climate patterns such as agriculture, tourism, and fishing. Over 40 million people living in the Caribbean region face the real possibility of their island completely disappearing as the sea level rises. Climate change will have far-reaching effects on local island culture and lifestyles, infrastructure, economic development, the ecosystem, and health.