Small Island Developing States in a post‐pandemic world: Challenges and opportunities for climate action

Abstract

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have been impacted by and responded to COVID-19 in ways that give us clues about vulnerabilities under climate change, as well as pathways to resilience. Here, we reflect on some of these experiences drawing on case study examples from the Caribbean, Pacific, and Indian Ocean SIDS, exploring how SIDS have responded to COVID-19 and considering the potential for coping mechanisms enacted for the pandemic to support long-term resilience to climate change. Island responses to the pandemic highlight both new directions, like tourist schemes that capitalize on the rise of remote working in Barbados and Mauritius, and reliance on tried and tested coping mechanisms, like bartering in Fiji. Some of the actions undertaken to respond to the pressures of the pandemic, such as visa schemes promoting "digital nomadism" and efforts to grow domestic food production, have climate resilience and equity dimensions that must be unpacked if their potential to contribute to more sustainable island futures is to be realized. Importantly, the diversity of contexts and experiences described here illustrates that there is no single "best" pathway to climate-resilient post-pandemic futures for SIDS. While the emerging rhetoric of COVID-19 recovery often speaks of "roadmaps," we argue that the journey towards a climate-resilient COVID-19 recovery for SIDS is likely to involve detours, as solutions emerge through innovation and experiment, and knowledge-sharing across the wider SIDS community.

Against All Odds? Blue Economy and Blue Ocean Maritime Strategy in Seychelles and Mauritius

“…Cordes et al (2016) explain how the continual expansion of oil and gas exploration in the deep sea has become increasingly challenging to environmental protection. Franda (2019), Bari (2017), Foley et al (2022) also explains the need for Blue Economy as the oceans provide a means of transportation for almost 80% of trade worldwide.…”

“…Furthermore, due to the reliance on external markets, SIDS are vulnerable to many factors, recently the COVID-19 pandemic (Webinar Focused Group Discussion Note 7, September 3, 2020). Both Indian Ocean Island countries are highly dependent on their tourism sector: accounting for 80% of the Seychelles national GDP, and 24% of the Mauritian national GDP (Foley et al 2022). SIDS were among the nations who suffered the worst economic hits due to the pandemic in 2020: their GDPs are predicted to have to dropped by 6.9% as compared to 4.8% of other developing nations (OECD 2021).…”

Pre-University engagement and education for sustainable development in Aruba: The Academic Foundation Year

“…In a world approaching ecological planetary boundaries and confronted with increasingly modified ecosystems (Steffen et al , 2015), Small Island States (SIS) may very well be the litmus test for the efficacy of measures mitigating the impacts of climate change and promoting sustainable development (Parsons and Nalau, 2019). As sustainable development entails the transformative processes that would enable the natural environment and humanity to thrive continually (Sachs et al , 2019), a particular concern for SIS is whether these processes can be initiated in a timely manner as a response to current threats (Eppinga et al , 2020; Foley et al , 2022). Compared to larger continental countries, SIS are subject to numerous additional threats due to their specific environmental, geographical, social and economic characteristics (Briguglio, 2014; de Scisciolo et al , 2016), leading to greater vulnerability (Mycoo, 2018).…”

“…These threats may limit the sustainability of ecological, economic, social and/or political components of SIS’ social-ecological system (Ruggerio, 2021), thereby constraining future trajectories (Leopold, 1949; Schellnhuber, 1999). In this context, SIS’ sustainability is linked to their resilience to respond, reorganize and adapt to internal and external threats (Briguglio, 2014; Foley et al , 2022). Indeed, initiatives have been undertaken to build resilience to these threats, but the focus of these attempts is mostly externally oriented, rooted in international technical and logistical support and consultancy (Baldacchino, 2018).…”

The Impact of Nutrition-Based Interventions on Nutritional Status and Metabolic Health in Small Island Developing States: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis

“…Small island developing states (SIDS), home to over 69 million people across 58 countries and territories, have an alarming legacy of a complex history of malnutrition, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities, with a looming health crisis [1][2][3]. The impact of these vulnerabilities coupled with urbanisation, internal migration, and the effects of international trade agreements on agriculture, has decreased local agricultural production and increased reliance on imported foods [1,4].…”