As the debate continues on the realities of Global Warming, we in the Caribbean need to take note of the discussions as one argument does predict disastrous consequences for us.

This past winter was one of the worst ever. It started early, had record low temperatures, and went on forever! Now the summer is scorching with triple digit temperatures in North America and Europe with floods in Asia.

As the debate continues on the realities of Global Warming, we in the Caribbean need to take note of the discussions as one argument does predict disastrous consequences for us.

The Planet Is Heating Up—and Fast

Glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, cloud forests are drying, and wildlife is scrambling to keep pace. It's becoming clear that humans have caused most of the past century's warming by releasing heat-trapping gases as we power our modern lives. Called greenhouse gases, their levels are higher now than in the last 650,000 years.

National Geographic.com

The past decade has been the hottest on record, according to new global warming data released at the Copenhagen climate conference by the World Meteorological Organization. What's more, 2009 tied with the year 2004 to be the fifth warmest year since coordinated record keeping began in 1850, according to preliminary figures released by the Geneva-based UN organization.

National Geographic.com

"Islands on the Edge" is an award-winning short film directed by the Buccoo Reef Trust, and was broadcast on television throughout the English-speaking Caribbean earlier this year.

Over the past forty years Caribbean coral reefs have been flattened and have been replaced by shorter rivals resulting in the reduction of diversity necessary for both habitat of aquatic life and coastal protection. It is not sure if this damage can be repaired in our lifetime.

The cost of damages caused by Global Warming is estimated to be over 10 percent (US $11 Billion) of the GDP of the combined Caribbean Nations. Twenty percent of this will be loss of revenue from tourism due to deterioration of beaches, coral reefs, salination of water sources. Listed in the top ten countries by population likely to have most damage are Surinam, Guyana, and The Bahamas. Smaller island nations also likely to suffer are Turks and Caicos, Cayman and Barbados.

When is all this likely to happen? It’s happening right now according to some scientists. What does it all mean to us in everyday language? How about no beaches? You like drinking salt water? How about more storms/hurricanes? Unusually early and harsh winter storms in North America and the United Kingdom is a sample of the unsettled weather patterns, a result of Global Warming it is said.  Next it could be severe hurricanes in the Caribbean, thankfully sparse in 2009. Receding ice in the polar caps have also been blamed on the increase in the earth’s temperatures. As the Polar caps melt our beaches in the Caribbean are disappearing as the ocean levels rise. If it’s warmer in the northern regions of the world will we have as many tourists escaping the cold?

Also, as the climate warms up disease become a problem as the disease carrying bugs travel following the more temperate climate so don’t think you can just move up north either. You will still feel the effects there. The outbreak of West Nile Virus in 2006 has been attributed by some scientists to global warming. So if the bugs are having fun as the northern climates warm up, what will they be doing to us in the tropics?

So, no more relaxing at Rum Point in Cayman, Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos, no Negril Beach in Jamaica, Marianne Bay in Trinidad, and the Dominican Republic won’t have that 1,000 miles of beaches to boast about either.

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