Hurricane in the Caribbean

As climate change continues, some countries are exposed to greater risk from its effects than others. Small island developing states (SIDS) in the Caribbean are especially vulnerable to sea level rise and extreme weather such as hurricanes. Experts predict that hurricanes will become more frequent and severe as a result of climate change, which will pose significant challenges to populations and economies. As of 2024, more than three hundred disasters have struck Caribbean countries since 1950. They have caused more than 250,000 deaths. They have also affected more than twenty-four million people through injury or loss of livelihood. Compounding the destruction of extreme weather events, many SIDS lack the resources to quickly recover from disasters. Some disasters can incur costs higher than the annual output of countries’ entire economies. Hurricane Maria, for instance, cost Dominica an estimated 225 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP). 

Climate change poses challenges not only to those vulnerable countries, but also to the rest of the world. Disasters can drive increased migration. In 2020, for instance, the Caribbean had one of the highest rates of emigration in the world, in part due to the frequency of natural disasters. Climate-related migration can lead to brain drain in the affected countries. It can also worsen political tensions and economic challenges in countries receiving migrants. Complicating matters, in contrast to those fleeing war or persecution, U.S. and international law do not currently recognize people fleeing natural disasters as entitled to special status. Thus, such migrants receive protections only on a case-by-case basis. In some situations, disasters can also worsen political instability. In Haiti, for instance, a series of severe disasters over the past decade has compounded ongoing political turmoil and humanitarian suffering. Many analysts characterize climate change as a threat multiplier. It can exacerbate preexisting tensions and instability around the world.

Governments both in SIDS and other countries increasingly face the question of how to assist those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Island countries vulnerable to climate disasters have highlighted the need for internationally funded adaptation projects [PDF] that can lessen risks. Those include coastal flood protections such as storm surge barriers and wetland preservation. They can also consist of more resilient infrastructure that can resist storm events. Improvements to early warning systems that can help governments prepare for disasters are also a type of climate adaptation. However, adaptation efforts require significant resources and political will to succeed. According to one report [PDF], Jamaica will need to spend $462 million per year to protect against sea level rise. That will amount to 19 percent of the country’s GDP. Adaptation projects also take time, often spanning multiple elections. To succeed, countries need to maintain political will for years.

The United States has sought to provide both short- and long-term assistance to Caribbean states. It frequently administers immediate disaster relief resources to affected islands. It has, in the past, granted temporary protected status (TPS) to communities affected by disasters. TPS allows those who have fled conflict or disasters to legally live and work in the United States. In 1988, for instance, migrants from Honduras and Nicaragua received TPS after a hurricane battered the two countries.

The United States has also assisted Caribbean states in their long-term adaptation efforts. In June 2022, the Joe Biden administration established the U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030. That initiative aims to help Caribbean states fund projects focused on strengthening energy security, critical infrastructure, and local economies. The Biden administration has also devoted more than $100 million in funding to Caribbean nations to address climate, energy, food, security, and humanitarian needs. Still, those efforts amount to only a fraction of the region’s needs. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry has said that Caribbean states will ultimately need trillions of dollars in international financing. 

In the meantime, disasters will likely take a worsening toll on Caribbean states. As the humanitarian and economic challenges of climate-related disasters grow, the United States will face pressure in the region to address both the immediate effects of natural disasters and the broader needs of building a more secure future.