On the frontlines: Island nations demand global climate action

If you live in a wealthy country, climate change might feel like something creeping toward the future – hotter summers, maybe stronger storms. But for millions living on small islands across the South Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Caribbean, the crisis is already at their doorstep.

Flooding, contaminated drinking water, and dangerous heat are daily threats – not distant possibilities.

Yet for years, people in these small island nations haven’t had a voice in the global conversation. They’re some of the most affected by climate change, but their opinions have been left out of major surveys that shape global policy. That just changed.

Listening to the voices left out

A new study is filling a major gap. It’s the first global climate opinion survey of people living in 55 small island countries and territories.

Researchers launched the project after realizing that 30 countries – many of them small islands – had never been included in global climate surveys. These are places that face the worst climate risks, yet no one had been asking what the people there think.

The research was led by a team from UC Santa Barbara, in partnership with Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania, UC San Diego, and UCLA.

Belief in climate change runs high

Between June and July 2022, the team ran a Facebook ad campaign in each region. They asked people to take a survey – in their local languages – about how climate change is affecting their lives and how they think the world should respond.

The answers showed a nearly universal belief that humans are causing climate change. Support ranged from 89% in Anguilla to 100% in the Marshall Islands and Turks and Caicos.

Large majorities in every country said they’re worried about their personal safety, especially from extreme weather, sea-level rise, and coastal erosion. Many also mentioned concerns about drinking water contamination.

“Not only do residents of small-island countries face some of the highest vulnerability to climate change around the world, they also have among the highest belief in climate change and level of concern that we’ve ever observed,” noted Gabriel De Roche of UC Santa Barbara.

“We find very high levels of concern not just for their own neighbors and countries, but for people the world over.”

Climate change as a global threat

People living on small islands understand that climate change doesn’t respect borders. Even though they face the most immediate risks, they don’t see this as just their problem.

Study lead author Matto Mildenberger is an associate professor of political science at UCSB.

“Interestingly, while many residents in places like the United States view climate change as primarily affecting other countries, we found that residents of small island states and territories view impacts of the climate crisis as a global phenomenon,” said Mildenberger.

“Respondents indicated that they view climate impacts as proximate for themselves as well as for distant communities and more developed countries.”

All hands on deck

This wasn’t a blame game. The people surveyed support a wide, shared approach to solving the climate crisis. They believe everyone should help – especially countries that have contributed the most to the problem.

That includes big polluters like the U.S. and China, but also former colonial powers and fossil fuel producers like Spain, the Netherlands, and Saudi Arabia. Local governments also share responsibility.

“Our research arrives at a critical moment as the international community seeks to redress the impacts of climate change on the world’s most climate-exposed societies,” said co-author Paasha Mahdavi, an associate professor at UCSB.

“We directly measure the attitudes and preferences of individuals in small island states regarding whom they see as responsible for solving climate change.”

Climate damage to island nations

The idea of shared responsibility just gained legal weight. In July 2025, the International Court of Justice ruled that people whose lives are damaged by climate change may be entitled to “climate reparations” from big polluters.

This study gives real-world data to support that case – showing that people in vulnerable countries do see a wide range of nations and governments as responsible.

“Our findings paint a nuanced and complex picture that reveals grassroots belief in responsibility not just for large emitters, but also smaller-emitting colonial powers like Spain and the Netherlands, as well as fossil fuel producers like Saudi Arabia,” Mahdavi said.

“We see these nuances as an important empirical component for policy discussions moving forward in light of the ICJ ruling.”

Climate action for island nations

This study isn’t just about numbers and quotes – it’s a wake-up call. People living in the most vulnerable places on Earth aren’t waiting for help. They understand what’s coming. And they’re asking for real action, fast.

“Our research finds an urgent demand for ambitious climate action from residents of small island states and territories,” said De Roche. “This population, among the most affected by climate change’s negative impacts, is calling for all hands on deck action on climate adaptation and resilience.”

“We see a clear opportunity for leaders from these small island states to push for ambitious policy on climate adaptation and resilience by large current polluters, former colonial powers, and within their own governments.”

These nations may be small, but their voices are clear. They’re asking the world to show up, and it’s time we start listening.

The full study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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