ABSTRACT
This chapter sets the tone for the book, aiming to spark interest among academics, researchers, and students in the connections between climate change, disasters, and health risks, particularly in the context of island states. It explains the book by engaging with definitions and classifications of island states, along with climate change, disasters, and health risks. These concepts are elaborated upon using various theories from the Global South and Global North. The chapter also outlines the subsequent chapters. The second chapter offers a sociocultural understanding of climate change, disasters, and health risks through engaging with examples from “developed” and “developing” island states. The third chapter presents an argument regarding how social relationships and institutional practices perpetuate racism in the UK. The fourth chapter critically discusses the current and future complexities of climate change on health, using case examples from Sri Lanka. The fifth chapter engages with the case of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to explore the challenges posed by climate change, disasters, and health. The concluding chapter revisits the relationship between humans and nature within island states, arguing for the development of a global community that is aware of interpersonal relationships and the importance of nurturing connections with nature.
