Climate change in the United States Virgin Islands

[2] The EPA notes that "waters around the U.S. Virgin Islands have warmed by nearly two degrees since 1901, and sea level has been rising by about an inch every ten years.

Rising sea level submerges marshes, mangroves, and dry land; erodes beaches; and exacerbates coastal flooding.

Coral reefs provide critical habitat for a diverse range of species, while shellfish and small shell-producing plankton are an important source of food for larger animals.

More intense rainstorms can increase flooding as dry guts resemble rivers more frequently, and more water accumulates in lowlying areas that drain slowly.

[2] The EPA has also said that despite heavy rainstorms becoming more common, "shifting weather patterns have caused total rainfall to decrease in the Caribbean region.

With less rain and drier soils, the U.S. Virgin Islands may face an increased risk of drought, which in turn can affect water supplies, agriculture, and the economy.

[2] According to the EPA, "warmer temperatures and changes in rainfall could expand, shrink, or shift the ranges of forest plants and animals, depending on the conditions that each species requires.

If storms become more severe, sugar cane crops in neighboring countries may be harmed more often, which could affect the availability of imported molasses for the rum industry".

Although reliable long-term temperature records for the U.S. Virgin Islands are unavailable, the frequency of warm nights in nearby Puerto Rico has increased by about 50 percent since 1950".

[2] With respect to water-related illnesses, the EPA cautions that higher temperatures increase the risk of infectious agents such as vibriosis, a bacterial infection that can come from direct contact with contaminated water or eating infected shellfish, and ciguatera fish poisoning from eating fish that contain a toxic substance produced by a type of algae found in this area.