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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported last week that global temperatures last year were the highest on record — and that this year is likely to be hotter still. That is a powerful reason for rich countries to begin making good on their promises to help low-lying island nations, some of the poorest countries in the world, build their defenses against the disastrous effects of climate change, which some are already experiencing.
In the Solomon Islands, receding shorelines have destroyed some villages and rising sea levels have submerged five uninhabited islands, according to a study published in May. Drinking water is becoming increasingly scarce in Kiribati, another Pacific Ocean nation, as wells run dry or become contaminated by saltwater. And droughts appear to have become more intense in Africa and the Middle East and are probably a contributing factor to the migration of millions of people to Europe in recent years.
Source: The New York Times
