Climate change is a global issue that poses various challenges to life on earth today and the future of life on earth tomorrow. The tropics typically experiences little seasonal variation in temperature and is warm throughout the year. In the last century however, the tropics has warmed by 0.7- 0.8 degrees celsius. Although this is slightly less than the global average, even slight changes in daily temperatures may have extreme impacts on the species that flourish in stable tropical climates.

Climate change also has considerable social and economic impacts that may be exacerbated in the tropics. Extreme climate-associated events such as floods, droughts and storm surges put both lives and livelihoods at risk, through destruction of infrastructure, loss of natural resources and increased risks to human health. With most of the world’s most vulnerable people residing in the tropics, it is vital that steps to mitigate and prevent further climate change are taken.