Climate crisis puts small island nations' health at risk

Small island developing states are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis according to a new report. Despite their leadership in global climate advocacy, small island nations face escalating health risks.

The inaugural Lancet Countdown Indicator Report released on 9 December, reveals how insufficient global climate action is endangering the lives and livelihoods of over 65 million people living in these vulnerable regions.

University of Auckland’s Dr Roannie Ng Shiu (Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences), whose research plays a pivotal role in climate resilience, led the report’s assessment of health, hazards and impacts.

Ng Shiu emphasises the urgent need for health systems to be climate ready.

“Health systems are not prepared for the mounting challenges posed by climate change,” she says.

“Rising non-communicable diseases, mental health issues, and the spread of infectious diseases are compounded by fragile health infrastructure. Without decisive, ambitious action, the catastrophic health impacts of climate change will be irreversible.”

"Small island developing states may be small and remote, but their collective population of 65 million people cannot be ignored. These communities are already feeling the heat – literally and figuratively – as rising temperatures, extreme weather, and sea-level rise threaten their lives and livelihoods.”

At the 2022 United Nations General Assembly, small island developing states leaders delivered 64 per cent of all climate-health statements. However, the report reveals that national climate and health strategies exist in only eight of 59 small island states, with just one (Mauritius) receiving Green Climate Fund support to explicitly address health.

During the record-breaking summer of 2023, the report found that infants under one year old endured far more heatwave days than in previous decades, while older adults faced similarly dangerous conditions.

Rising sea levels are forcing coastal communities to the brink, with over one million people across small island developing states living in areas less than one metre above sea level and increasingly at risk of displacement.

At the same time, ocean temperatures continue to rise, destabilising marine ecosystems and threatening food supplies for Pacific nations reliant on fish consumption.

The climate crisis is also driving a surge in infectious diseases. Dengue transmission potential has increased by a third since the 1950s, while risks of Vibrio bacterial infections are growing due to greater coastline exposure. Extreme heat is devastating livelihoods, with over 4.4 billion labour hours lost in 2023 alone, particularly impacting those working in agriculture and construction.

Dr Georgiana Gordon-Strachan, director of the Lancet Countdown Small Island Developing States Centre, says these states are at a critical stage. While vulnerabilities to climatic and external shocks have been regionally and internationally acknowledged, effective action is yet to be taken.

“Small island leaders have been raising the alarm for our nations who are exposed to the sharp end of climate change impacts. It is no secret that our lives and livelihoods are under attack as the planet warms, the oceans rise, and extreme weather becomes more frequent – yet we are still waiting for international agreement, with the highest emitters stepping up to their responsibilities.”

The report also highlights the lack of reliable data, particularly on the health effects of climate-related air pollution. The report calls for more research and improved monitoring to inform climate policies that protect public health.