Heat-Related Climate Change Impacts on a Small Island Developing State (SIDS): A Case Study of Trinidad, W.I.

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have high levels of vulnerability to climate change due to their inherent physical and socio-economic characteristics. Levels of heat within urban areas in the Caribbean are not well-understood or studied. Consequently, heat-related human health impacts can be underestimated or exaggerated. The main objective of this chapter is to determine the extent of temperature variations in Trinidad. Investigations were conducted regarding the temporal variations in land surface temperatures, heat indices, and projected heat accumulation in Trinidad. Analyses showed that urban regions in Trinidad are prone to experiencing higher temperatures and heat due to dense urban infrastructure that absorbs and radiates greater amounts of heat. Heat Index (HI) analyses showed that there were significant (p ≤ 0.001) increases in the maximum HI in Trinidad from 1976 to 2015. Projected Heat Accumulation (HA) analyses showed that the western and southwestern regions of Trinidad were most prone to heat risks. These findings suggest significant adverse implications for human and ecological health as well as to the broader socio-economic sectors of Trinidad and Tobago.