Climate change has become a global issue characterized by extreme weather changes. Not only on land, Climate change is also felt by many people living on small islands.
“When viewed from a natural perspective, climate change on small islands occurs when sea levels rise, which happens slowly without realizing it. At the same time, sea water rises and there are big waves or strong winds. It's all climate change. As a result, sea water could enter the island or hit the sandy shores of the island,” said Syafyudin Yusuf, from Coral Center, Center for Marine Studies, Coastal, and Small Islands, Hasanuddin University, at a discussion in Makassar, end of last November.
According to Syafyudin, Island damage due to climate change has been seen on several islands in the Spermonde Archipelago. Conditions occur where sandy beaches experience extraordinary abrasion. He also found the same thing in the Balabalakan Islands, West Sulawesi.
“This all happened due to changes in the weather, there is climate change, and there is a global change when the sea level rises. Because there is global melting of ice at the poles. That's the factor,he explained.
Climate change is also considered to prevent island communities from carrying out activities so that they are isolated on their own islands. They do not have access to food sources from land.
"In the rainy season and strong winds they are isolated and this has happened several years ago where they were isolated due to strong winds and bad weather. This is one of the vulnerabilities,he added.
Another impact felt is the warming of the water which then causes a reduction in resources due to the destruction of coral reefs as fish habitat.
“Many corals have died so fish will not develop and will be greatly reduced. Or if the fish were exposed to heat by hot temperatures at the time it occurred bleaching that they will move to cooler depths. So that's the phenomenon."
Phenomenon bleaching or coral bleaching has occurred in the Spermonde Islands in 2009-2010, which then happened again a year 2016 although not as bad as before.
These various factors, If this happens continuously, it can ultimately cause sustainable poverty in society, when they feel that natural resources can no longer support their family's lives. Especially with increasing expenses, both for basic needs and for lifestyle.
"Now, the island community does not yet see that there is a significant impact of climate change. But slowly it happens even though it is not felt drastically. Therefore, society must adapt, must have variability in livelihoods.”
According to Syafyudin, One effort that can be made to deal with this vulnerability is to encourage fishermen to look for other sources of livelihood, and other food sources, does not only rely on fisheries.
“Those on the island can be given alternative activities, for example by raising ducks or chickens to meet their protein needs. Island communities who have an adequate supply of fresh water must also get used to growing vegetables so they are no longer dependent on the city,he explained.
Climate change also causes resource degradation. Fishermen will eventually find other natural resources that are still abundant to take the results, who sometimes have to go to sea far away.
"At the moment, fishermen will sail further to reach natural resources that are still abundant. For example, to pa’gae looking for fish in areas outside Sulawesi. Then the sea cucumber searchers were no longer looking for sea cucumbers around the location, because they already know that there has been degradation."
It is just, the costs they incur will be much greater than what they practiced before.
“After the surrounding resources no longer exist, then they will look for new areas that they consider profitable. This has been going on for quite a long time and this has become a factor of vulnerability for the community and a threat also for the community when they cannot maintain the surrounding environment for the better.. "They will ultimately find it difficult to find resources around us that are available to fulfill their daily needs."
It is just, he continued, Even though climate change has an impact on marine ecosystem damage, the impact is not as bad as human activity, who catch fish using bombs and anesthesia.
“Even though climate change has contributed to coral damage, However, the main cause of damage to coral reefs and other marine ecosystems is bombs. This can be seen in the damage to coral reefs at greater depths 5 meter, which is an indication that damage to the coral reef was caused by the explosion below 5 meter. Due to natural damage, such as hurricanes usually damage coral at depth 1 until or 2 meter.”
