More recently the bleaching of corals has become a severe problem. Barrier islands are particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels. Potential impacts of expected climate change on coastal and near-shore environment. The economies of the region are dominated by agriculture. Fishing is an important source of food and contributes to the economy of the majority of the countries.
Tourism is an important activity.
The effects of climate change will be felt everywhere, perhaps most obviously in altered patterns of rainfall, coastal weathering, atmospheric pressure and evaporation. Besides the direct toll on human lives, there will be impacts on coastal habitats such as coral reefs, lagoons, and mangroves. The reefs will be vulnerable to wave action and sea-level rise as well as sedimentation. Their destruction will lead to a decline in natural coastal defences and further encourage coastal erosion. The quality and quantity of water available from rainfall, rivers and ground water will be affected by changes in the distribution and amount of rainfall, evapo-transpiration, surface runoff, river discharge, recharge, and aquifer volumes.