Many island environments have been commercially exploited by external interests for much of their recent history. This is especially common for timber, the wholesale removal of forests, especially on tropical islands, exposing land to heavy rain that leads to denudation and increases lowland sedimentation . Negative aspects of both processes will be exacerbated by climate change, demonstrating the practical need for reforestation in many island contexts . Some small island economies are sustained by extractive industries such as mining, creating dependencies that lead to their environmental impacts being downplayed . It is important to address these impacts as they will add to negative impacts of climate change .
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report