ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a general explanation of the climate and climate change followed by an exploration of the likely effects of such climate change to small island developing states and territories (SIDSTs). It discusses the possible effects of climate change on Pacific tourism by providing evidence from the three case study nations such as Kiribati, Samoa and Vanuatu. Consequently, SIDSTs and LDCs will be hit harder by the effects of climate change than other regions, nations and sectors. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlighted in their Fourth Assessment Report (FAR) that even with greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations stabilised, a general warming of the Earth resulting in sea-level rise will continue due to the 'lag effect'. A focus will be given to the effects of sea-level rise, extreme weather events such as cyclones, sea surface warming and coral bleaching. The chapter concludes with some recommendations for how the tourism sector could be further involved in addressing climate change.
