An environmental-risk index evaluated 40 islands based on 12 different factors to assess their vulnerability to climate change and environmental hazards. Islands with lower scores on this index face reduced risk from phenomena such as hurricanes and coral bleaching.
The index showed varying risk levels across different island regions. For example, islands in the Pacific, like Fiji and Sulawesi (Indonesia), scored 64 and 98 respectively, indicating higher risk. Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean, scored 61, while Sri Lanka also in the Indian Ocean, scored 100.
Caribbean islands like Cuba and the Dominican Republic had scores of 69 and 92, suggesting a moderate to high environmental risk. These scores highlight that certain island nations are more susceptible to the impacts of a changing climate than others, influencing decisions for tourism and long-term sustainability.
