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Compound Issues of Global Warming on the High and Low Islands of the Tropical Pacific

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The Geography, Nature and History of the Tropical Pacific and its Islands

Part of the book series: World Regional Geography Book Series ((WRGBS))

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Abstract

The evidence for climate change and global warming, and their relationship to greenhouse gases is briefly reviewed. The terrestrial realm of Pacific high islands is described with particular emphasis on New Guinea along with the combined impacts of natural resource extraction and climate change. The high islands of Hawaii serve as additional examples. Low islands are often limited by water for drinking and agriculture. This resource is more severely strained on highly populated islands where there are often insufficient amounts of it, as well as increased levels of contamination. Rising sea levels exacerbate the problem of limited water resources, especially on low islands, as does increasing frequencies of El Niño and La Niña cycles. The Solomon Islands in the western Pacific are identified as a rising sea-level hotspot due to their proximity to the Pacific Warm Pool. The effect of warming water on tuna resources and their migration patterns are described. Coral reef bleaching and its frequency as a global phenomenon are presented. Coral reefs everywhere have experienced deadly levels of warm and acidified water that threaten one of the most spectacular and diverse ecosystems on Earth.

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA

    Walter M. Goldberg

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Goldberg, W.M. (2018). Compound Issues of Global Warming on the High and Low Islands of the Tropical Pacific. In: The Geography, Nature and History of the Tropical Pacific and its Islands. World Regional Geography Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69532-7_8

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