At COP29 in Baku, leaders from small island nations in the Caribbean and Pacific urgently addressed the severe impacts of rising sea levels due to global warming.

They called on global leaders to honor the Paris Agreement and limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C, emphasizing the catastrophic consequences of inaction.

Nations such as Grenada and Tuvalu highlighted immediate threats from rising temperatures and sea levels, with Grenada's Johann Hoschitialek describing unprecedented climate events like droughts, hurricanes, and floods within a single year.

Fred Patison from the Solomon Islands warned about saltwater intrusion and the loss of coastal environments, stating that the islands are not just losing land but also livelihoods and food security.

Coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, and failing crops have forced many communities to abandon their ancestral homes.

Cultural heritage is also at risk, as many islanders have deep spiritual connections to their land, which is now threatened, with Reverend Faiimata of Tonga expressing that their identity is disappearing with their islands.

The loss of these islands threatens not only geography but also entire cultures, livelihoods, and histories, representing a significant loss to humanity.

Without significant global intervention, these island nations face a bleak future involving loss of land, culture, and history.

The plight of these nations serves as a warning for the rest of the world, highlighting the need for urgent climate action and global solidarity.

Tourism, a crucial economic sector for many island nations, is threatened by beach erosion and infrastructure damage, with Small Island Developing States (SIDS) losing $153 billion to extreme weather from 1970 to 2020.

Between 1901 and 2018, global sea levels rose by 15-25 centimeters, with an acceleration to an average of 3.7 millimeters per year since 2006.

A recent NASA report predicts at least six inches of sea level rise for Pacific nations like Tuvalu and Fiji within the next 30 years, with the World Meteorological Organization noting that this rise is accelerating faster than the global average.