Wikipedia

Small Island Developing States

TheSmall Island Developing States(SIDS) are a grouping ofdeveloping countrieswhich are smallisland countriesandsmall statesthat tend to share similarsustainable developmentchallenges. These include small but growing populations, limited resources, remoteness, susceptibility tonatural disasters,vulnerability to external shocks, excessive dependence oninternational trade,and fragile environments. Their growth and development are also held back by high communication, energy and transportation costs, irregular international transport volumes, disproportionately expensive public administration andinfrastructuredue to their small size, and little to no opportunity to createeconomies of scale.They consist of some of themost vulnerable countriesto anthropogenicclimate change.

Map of the Small Island Developing States

The SIDS were first recognized as a distinct group of developing countries at theUnited Nations Conference on Environment and Developmentin June 1992. TheBarbados Programme of Actionwas produced in 1994 to assist the SIDS in their sustainable development efforts. TheUnited Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States(UN-OHRLLS) represents the group of states.[1]

List of SIDS

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As of 2023, theUnited Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States(UN-OHRLLS) lists 57 suchnations(39sovereign statesand 18dependent territories).[2]These nations are grouped into three geographical regions: theCaribbean;[3]thePacific;[4]andAfrica,Indian Ocean,MediterraneanandSouth China Sea(AIMS),[5]including 18 Associate Members of the United Nations Regional Commissions. Each of these regions has a regional cooperation body: theCaribbean Community,thePacific Islands Forum,and theIndian Ocean Commissionrespectively, which many SIDS are members or associate members of. In addition, most (but not all) SIDS are members of theAlliance of Small Island States(AOSIS), which performs lobbying and negotiating functions for the SIDS within theUnited Nations System.

Caribbean Pacific Africa, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Sea (AIMS)
Anguilla[a][b][c] American Samoa[c][d][e] Cape Verde[e]
Antigua and Barbuda Cook Islands[c] Comoros[f]
Aruba[c][g][h] Fiji Guinea-Bissau[e][f][i]
Bahamas French Polynesia[a][b][c] Maldives[h]
Barbados Guam[c][d][e] Mauritius
Belize[i] Kiribati[f] São Tomé and Príncipe[e][f]
Bermuda[c] Marshall Islands Seychelles
British Virgin Islands[a][b][c] Micronesia Singapore[e]
Cayman Islands[c] Nauru
Cuba[e] New Caledonia[a][b][c]
Curaçao[c] Niue[c]
Dominica Northern Mariana Islands[a][c][e]
Dominican Republic[h] Palau
Grenada Papua New Guinea
Guadeloupe[j] Samoa
Guyana[i] Solomon Islands[f]
Haiti[f] Timor-Leste[a][f][h]
Jamaica Tonga
Martinique[j] Tuvalu[f]
Montserrat[a][c] Vanuatu
Puerto Rico[a][c][h]
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Sint Maarten[c]
Suriname[i]
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos Islands[c]
U.S. Virgin Islands[c][d][e]

Impacts of climate change

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Main article:Effects of climate change on small island countries
3rd International Conference on Small Island Developing States, Samoa, September 2014

The SIDS are some of the regions mostvulnerable to anthropogenic climate change.Due to their oceanic environment, SIDS are especially vulnerable to the marineeffects of climate changelikesea level rise,ocean acidification,marine heatwaves,and theincrease in cyclone intensity.Changing precipitation patterns could also causedroughts.Many citizens of SIDS live near a coastline, meaning that they have a high risk exposure to the effects of marine climate change. Additional climate change vulnerability comes through their economies: many SIDS have economies that are based on natural resources, such as ecotourism, fishing, or agriculture. Phenomena like sea level rise,coastal erosion,and severe storms have the potential to severely impact their economies.[7]

In addition to these vulnerabilities, the energy sector in SIDS faces unique challenges and opportunities, particularly in the least-electrified regions. According to the March 2024IRENAreport, "Small Island Developing States at a Crossroads: Towards Equitable Energy Access in Least-Electrified Countries," these states, which contribute less than 1% to globalgreenhouse gas emissions,are exploring decentralizedrenewable energysolutions to address their energy access issues. Technologies such asbiomass gasification,small-scale hydro,andsolar PVnot only offer paths to reduce theircarbon footprintbut also enhance resilience against climate impacts. The report highlights case studies fromGuinea-Bissau,Papua New Guinea,andVanuatu,showing significantsocio-economicbenefits from improved energy access, including increased income opportunities for rural women and reduced indoorair pollution.These advancements are crucial as they not only provide immediate relief but also contribute to long-term sustainability and resilience against future climate challenges. "[8]

Sustainable Development Goals

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Small island development states are mentioned in several of theSustainable Development Goals.[9]For example, Target 7 ofSustainable Development Goal 14( "Life below Water" ) states: "By 2030, increase the economic benefits to small island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism".[10]

Notes

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  1. ^abcdefghNeither member nor observer of the Alliance of Small Island States
  2. ^abcdAssociate member of regional cooperation body
  3. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrDependent territories
  4. ^abcObserver of theAlliance of Small Island States
  5. ^abcdefghiNeither member nor observer of regional cooperation body
  6. ^abcdefghAlso aleast developed country
  7. ^Observer of the Alliance of Small States as part of the Netherlands Antilles
  8. ^abcdeObserver of regional cooperation body
  9. ^abcdBelize,Guinea-Bissau,Guyana,andSurinameare included even though they are not island countries. This may be because they are low-lying coastal countries whose economies are dependent on a small number of activities. Their classification as SIDS is controversial.[6]
  10. ^abOverseas departments and regions of France

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States |".United Nations.Retrieved2022-07-10.
  2. ^"List of SIDS | Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States".United Nations.Retrieved2023-10-10.
  3. ^"The Caribbean".Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform.UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Archived fromthe originalon Feb 3, 2014.Retrieved26 January2014.
  4. ^"The Pacific".Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform.UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Archived fromthe originalon Feb 3, 2014.Retrieved26 January2014.
  5. ^"The AIMS".Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform.UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Archived fromthe originalon Feb 3, 2014.Retrieved26 January2014.
  6. ^"What makes a SIDS a SIDS – UNCTAD Development and Globalization: Facts and Figures 2021".Retrieved22 March2023.
  7. ^Thomas, Adelle; Baptiste, April; Martyr-Koller, Rosanne; Pringle, Patrick; Rhiney, Kevon (2020-10-17)."Climate Change and Small Island Developing States".Annual Review of Environment and Resources.45(1): 1–27.doi:10.1146/annurev-environ-012320-083355.ISSN1543-5938.
  8. ^"Small Island Developing States at a Crossroads: Towards equitable energy access in least-electrified countries".www.irena.org.2024-03-26.Retrieved2024-04-13.
  9. ^United Nations (2017) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 6 July 2017,Work of the Statistical Commission pertaining to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development(A/RES/71/313)
  10. ^United Nations (2017) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 6 July 2017,Work of the Statistical Commission pertaining to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development(A/RES/71/313)
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