Download UNESCO List of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS)

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UNESCO List of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS)
1. Antigua and Barbuda
2. Bahamas
3. Bahrain
4. Barbados Barbados: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture,
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5. Belize
6. Cape Verde
7. Comoros*
8. Cook Islands
9. Cuba
10. Dominica
11. Dominican Republic
12. Fiji
13. Grenada
14. Guinea-Bissau*
15. Guyana
16. Haiti*
17. Jamaica
18. Kiribati*
19. Maldives
20. Marshall Islands
21. Mauritius
22. Federated States of Micronesia
23. Nauru
24. Niue
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25. Palau
26. Papua New Guinea
27. Samoa*
28. São Tomé and Principe*
29. Singapore
30. St. Kitts and Nevis
31. St. Lucia
32. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
33. Seychelles
34. Solomon Islands*
35. Suriname
36. Timor-Lesté*
37. Tonga
38. Trinidad and Tobago
39. Tuvalu*
40. Vanuatu*
UNESCO SIDS ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
1. Anguilla
2. Aruba
3. British Virgin Islands
4. Cayman Islands
5. Curuçao
6. Sint Maarten
7. Tokelau
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SIDS
(Small Island Developing States
The populations of small islands are acutely vulnerable to environmental degradation,
climate change, overexploitation of fisheries resources, land-based pollution, and
natural disasters. Moreover, they share a number of disadvantages, including a
limited population, a narrow range of available resources, excessive dependence
on international trade and vulnerability to global developments. In addition, they
suffer from lack of economies of scale, high transportation and communication
costs, and costly public administration and infrastructure.
Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
Small island developing States are particularly vulnerable to climate change, climate
variability and sea-level rise. As their population, agricultural land and infrastructure tend to
be concentrated in the coastal zone, any rise in sea-level will have significant and
profound effects on their economies and living conditions. For some low-lying SIDS, their
very survival is threatened. Global climate change may damage coral reefs, alter the
distribution of zones of upwelling and affect both subsistence and commercial fisheries
production. Furthermore, it may affect vegetation, saline intrusion and may adversely
affect freshwater resources. The increased frequency and intensity of the storm events
that may result from climate change will also have profound effects on both the economies
and the environments of small island developing States
Keywords:
SIDS; small island developing states; climate change; vulnerability;
migration
“Already, warming of Pacific ocean water of three degrees has been measured in the Pacific.
Plankton – the tiny single cell plants and animals that are the basis of the ocean food web in
northern latitudes and the source of at least half the oxygen we breathe – are dying. Zoo
plankton in the northeast Pacific have declined by 80% since 1950.
In the southern oceans, coral reefs are dying, perhaps because of ocean warming,
threatening biological productivity in tropical seas.”
Examples of adaptation measures identified by some small island developing States
• Agriculture – management and infrastructure development (Mauritius)
• Water resources – more efficient management of both demand and supply; improved
monitoring and forecasting systems for floods and droughts (Seychelles); desalination of sea
water (Federated States of Micronesia, Malta)
• Human settlement and infrastructure – hazard mapping; improved forecasting and early
warning systems; insurance provision (Antigua and Barbuda)
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• Public health – development of a health surveillance and forecast system; strengthening of
data collection and reporting systems; vaccination campaigns and health education (Saint Kitts
and Nevis)
• Tourism – protection of essential facilities and infrastructure as part of the Integrated Coastal
Zone Management strategy (Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Singapore)
• Coastal zone – integrated, sustainable coastal zone resource management (Dominica
About Small Island Developing States and Climate Change
Despite the profound challenges facing the world's Small Island Developing States, many of
these countries have been successful in overcoming a number of their environmental
challenges - including adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change.
For example, while many Small Island Developing States have little or no access to modern
and affordable energy sources, and energy prices are among the highest globally, a number of
island nations have identified innovative, renewable sources of energy and are beginning to
mainstream them:
-In the Pacific, the national policies of Fiji and Vanuatu promote the production of biofuels
through planting on degraded lands;
-In Fiji, Solomon Islands, Samoa and Vanuatu hydropower is increasingly being used for
electricity production;
-In Barbados and Antigua and Barbuda, the government has provided subsidies to encourage
the use of solar water heaters;
-The island of Tokelau recently began producing 100 per cent of its energy from solar sources.
-In Fiji, where the resources to make new drainage systems and seawalls are lacking, local
residents are restoring mangroves and coral reefs to help prevent flooding and erosion.
About World Environment Day
The celebration of World Environment Day began in 1972 and has grown to become one of
the main vehicles through which the United Nations encourages positive action for the
environment
These are the slogans to choose from:
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No one is an island: think globally
Island voices. Global choices
Raise your voice, Not the sea level
Climate Action. Island Protection
No one is an island. Act globally