Being born and raised on a tropical island, I instinctively welcome the abnormally warm weather in New York City. However, I can’t help but also think about the overall negative impact climate change has on my home country. It is known that small islands, like the Dominican Republic, are at great risk of flooding. The hardships they will endure due to climate change will begin long before they face the consequences of a rise in sea level.
The Dominican Republic was classified as the 11th most endangered country against climate change in the world in 2017. On one hand, temperatures increase in some parts of the country, leading to drought and affecting their agriculture. On the other, the east region often experiences strong storms that affect beaches, coral reefs, and fish nurseries. Climate change poses a threat to ecosystems on which the country is heavily dependent. Not only is it affecting their food source, but also the country’s economy which relies mainly on fishing and tourism. Not to mention the debilitating cost of getting the country back on its feet after natural disasters.
I believe it is easy for most people to forget about the long-term repercussions of climate change, especially in small countries. Nevertheless, it is very important for countries around the world to mitigate climate change as it is small islands that will be the most affected.
Works Cited
https://theglobalamericans.org/reports/the-caribbean-extreme-vulnerability-climate-change/
https://www.climatelinks.org/resources/climate-risk-profile-dominican-republic
image
