Knowledge Sharing and Capacity Development to Promote Early Career Ocean Professionals in Small Island Developing States: The SmartNet Approach

Food Insecurity in Small Island Developing States

BackgroundTrade liberalisation has contributed to obesogenic food environments globally. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have some of the world’s highest rates of obesity and nutrition-related noncommunicable diseases. Nutrition regulations have been recognised as necessary population health measures for combating malnutrition, however, legally-binding trade and investment agreements (TIAs) can constrain the policy options available to governments. Geographical, economic, historical, and cultural contexts of SIDS may place them at greater risk of TIA constraints resulting in barriers to the uptake of public health nutrition policies. This article explores the perceptions and experiences of key SIDS nutrition and trade policy stakeholders regarding SIDS’ ability to formulate and implement healthy nutrition policies in the context of TIAs.MethodsTwelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with key Pacific and Caribbean stakeholders. Analysis was performed via a critical realist grounded theory approach. TIA constraints to policy space, challenges faced by SIDS, and solutions for improving nutrition policy space were identified.FindingsParticipants identified that TIAs did not substantively constrain nutrition policy so long as the policy targeted a legitimate public health objective, was evidenced-based, non-discriminatory, non-arbitrary, necessary, and the least trade-restrictive measure available. However, TIAs were perceived to pose structural and procedural constraints in the form of regulatory chill, increased burden of ensuring trade-compliant nutrition policies, unfair TIA negotiation processes, inconsistent perceptions of ‘unhealthy’ foods, trade liberalisation ideology, and industry interference. These constraints were noted to be particularly acute for SIDS due to their financial and capacity constraints, industry influence and limited international power.ConclusionTIA obligations were deemed unlikely to substantively prevent meaningful public health nutrition policies from being developed and implemented in SIDS if nutrition policy met specific trade principles. However, concerns were noted that some of these principles may impose procedural and structural constraints that risked preventing, postponing or diluting potential nutrition policies. These constraints may be particularly problematic for SIDS due to their contextual challenges. Despite this, local, regional and international actors can increase SIDS’ policy space through capacity building, fostering multisectoral collaboration, developing conflict of interest policies, improving TIA negotiation processes, and championing the prioritisation of public health nutrition in trade governance.

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are among the world’s nations that are most vulnerable to climate change. SIDS have neither the resources nor the expertise to effectively evaluate the risks associated with climate change, nor the ability to adapt to potential changes. Compared to islands in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, SIDS in the Indian Ocean and eastern Atlantic Ocean off of the west coast of Africa are among the poorest and least studied of the SIDS. In this United Nations supported study, five Indian Ocean SIDS (Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Maldives) and two Atlantic Ocean SIDS (Cape Verde, and the Republic of Sao Tome & Principe) are evaluated for their vulnerability to climate change, with an emphasis on impacts on water resources and coastal zone resources. Due to significant differences between the SIDS studied in terms of size, topography, geology, precipitation, population density, storm patterns and intensities, relative sea level rise, indicators of wealth (such as GDP/capita), and other island characteristics, each SIDS faces its own unique challenges. This paper describes the major findings of the study. One important finding is that relative sea level rise at present appears most significant on one of the SIDS (Maldives), and a number of other SIDS appear to be emerging slightly at a rate high enough to presently offset the effects of global sea level rise. However, analysis shows that at sometime during the 21 st century, should sea level rise accelerate as climate models now suggest, that all the SIDS will become vulnerable to sea level change. Further, an existing stress on most of the SIDS is the human population density and tourism that have increased dramatically at most SIDS over the past several decades. Tourism provides both economic benefits to the islands, while at the same time tourists consume resources at rates typically far in excess of the native population. Therefore, stresses on water resources and the coastal zone due to human population are factored into the climate change stresses that are projected to increase over this century. Finally the paper describes capacity building efforts and strategies for adaptation that are intended to bring attention, resources, and expertise to the aid of the SIDS. One vehicle to do this is through the development of an Internet portal, eventually to be hosted and maintained by one of the SIDS.

Overseas investment and tourism economy development play important roles in the inclusive growth of small island developing states (SIDS). Taking the level of tourism economy growth as a threshold, this study explores the relationship between China’s FDI to 29 SIDS and SIDS’ inclusive growth from 2005 to 2020. This connection is investigated via the entropy method, a panel autoregressive model, and a panel threshold regression model and data from the World Bank and the Ministry of Commerce of China. Several findings emerge: (1) SIDS’ inclusive growth index demonstrated an upward trend, with PROFIT-type SIDS’ inclusive growth being highest; (2) China’s FDI to SIDS could effectively promote SIDS’ inclusive growth; and (3) tourism economic growth had a threshold effect and region–type heterogeneity within the process of FDI and SIDS’ inclusive growth. The positive impact of China’s FDI on SIDS’ inclusive growth rose by 42.308% when SIDS’ tourism receipts (% of GDP) reached 25.950%. The threshold effect was strongest in the AIMS region and was not significant in the Pacific region. A double-threshold effect applied to PROFIT-type SIDS. Additionally, the threshold effect was strongest in SITEs-type SIDS and was not significant in MIRAB-type SIDS.

Capacity building efforts in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are indispensable for the achievement of both individual and collective ocean-related 2030 agenda priorities for sustainable development. Knowledge of the individual capacity building and research infrastructure requirements in SIDS is necessary for national and international efforts to be effective in supporting SIDS to address nationally-identified sustainable development priorities. Here, we present an assessment of human resources and institutional capacities in SIDS United Nations (UN) Member States to help formulate and implement durable, relevant, and effective capacity development responses to the most urgent marine issues of concern for SIDS. The assessment highlights that there is only limited, if any, up-to-date information publicly available on human resources and research capacities in SIDS. A reasonable course of action in the future should, therefore, be the collection and compilation of data on educational, institutional, and human resources, as well as research capacities and infrastructures in SIDS into a publicly available database. This database, supported by continued, long-term international, national, and regional collaborations, will lay the foundation to provide accurate and up-to-date information on research capacities and requirements in SIDS, thereby informing strategic science and policy targets towards achieving the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) within the next decade.

This report was commissioned by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water management and written by analysts at the Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment (affiliated with the University of Gothenburg, Lund University, and Chalmers University of Technology). This report documents how marine plastic litter reaches even the most remote parts of the oceans with small island states, and how SIDS are especially vulnerable to its impact. The origin and composition of marine plastic litter and its impacts are described. Measures are discussed, both from state agencies and private corporations. Measures from existing RAPs on marine litter are reviewed and examples of private initiatives are mentioned. Also, the corresponding legal framework is given and side effects of marine litter measures on the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN are debated. THE VULNERABILITY OF SIDS SIDS are a set of island nations in the Caribbean Sea, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and the South China Sea. SIDS are exposed to disproportionate concentrations of plastic litter due to their location near the ocean gyres where marine litter accumulates and to often sub-performing waste management systems. ORIGINS AND COMPOSITION OF MARINE PLASTIC LITTER Because plastic make up most marine debris, the focus here is on plastic litter. Marine plastic litter washed ashore on SIDS originates from both distant countries overseas and the SIDS themselves. Buoyant plastic litter is globally distributed by ocean currents and is washed ashore on beach lines around the globe where it negatively impacts ecological and human systems. Plastics end up in the marine environment through leaks from the global value chains that run from the oil industry through various other industries to local retailers and consumers. A smaller but significant stream of plastic litter follows from the difficulties of many SIDS to establish and maintain efficient waste management systems. IMPACT OF PLASTIC LITTER ON ECOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC VALUES Marine litter impacts the environment and organisms therein in various ways, including entanglement, ingestion, transfer of chemicals, or by otherwise altering habitats. The extent of the social and economic impact that plastic on countries is not currently well known. However, the dependence of SIDS on their natural resources through tourism and fisheries, make them economically vulnerable to plastic litter. MITIGATION AND REMEDIATION STRATEGIES For plastic that reaches SIDS, both remediation and mitigation, especially through waste management and recycling, become necessary. LEGAL AND POLITICAL FRAMEWORKS The legal framework for preventing and managing marine litter is present on all levels of governance. A declaration particularly relevant to marine litter on SIDS is the SAMOA Pathway, a declaration from the 3rd International Conference on Small Island Developing States in 2014 calling for measures to manage waste, including marine plastic litter. Multilateral agreements require party states to take actions, but these requirements are often generally formulated, and their achievements depend on the choices and participation of all parties. POLICY MEASURES PROPOSED BY REGIONAL ACTION PLANS There are 18 Regional Seas programmes under the United Nations Environmental Program for the protection of the marine environment. Some Regional Seas programmes have written strategies to guide their actions, the RAPs, i.e. a political agenda for marine litter management agreed on by member governments of the region. The contents of different RAPs show strong similarities. The analyses conducted here show that most measures suggested by RAPs are aimed at downstream processes, while fewer address the problem upstream. Additional measures are needed to solve such a global problem. VOLUNTARY AND COMMERCIAL INITIATIVES Marine litter requires an array of actions from local to global level, and is thus a matter of governance. Most measures suggested in RAPs and other work against marine litter involve government managers as well as businesses, NGOs, and voluntary initiatives. RECOMMENDATION: FUTURE COOPERATION Competence and enthusiasm for the issue on SIDS and elsewhere is growing, but more is needed. Solutions require international cooperation. Four recommendations for cooperation are highlighted here: 1. Prevent litter from entering the ocean and thus reaching SIDS: Support cooperation in regional and international agreements 2. Plastic material reaching SIDS should not be released into the environment: Technical cooperation and support for local waste management 3. If waste reaches the environment, collect it where appropriate: Support beach clean-up campaigns and other remediation measures 4. When waste has been collected, ensure that is has a value: Develop recycling markets and opportunities

This chapter examines the role of regional co-operation inmaking progresswith theMauritius Strategy of Implementation (MSI). It examines historical features of regional co-operation in small island developing states (SIDS) and the role of the United Nations (UN) in capacity development. It illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of co-operation in SIDS as part of wider South-South co-operation. Regional co-operation operates within the SIDS geographically contiguous states such as in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). This reveals the current reality and future opportunities for promoting a more effective sustainable development strategywithin SIDS and through thewider policies and programmes in the fields of environment, economics, trade and social development by complementary partnerships and networks across the SIDS and the other countries and territories in their regions.

Small island developing states (SIDS) face a dual constraint of “environmental vulnerability and energy dependence” in the context of climate change. How to achieve just energy transitions has become a core proposition for SIDS to address. This paper focuses on how SIDS can advance Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 (affordable and clean energy) and Sustainable Development Goal 13 (climate action) through UNCLOS–Paris Agreement integration in energy transitions. Grounded in the theoretical framework of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI), this research aims to construct a comprehensive analytical system that systematically examines the energy transition challenges facing SIDS and provide multi-level energy transition solutions spanning from international to domestic contexts for climate-vulnerable SIDS. The research findings reveal that SIDS face a structural predicament of “high vulnerability–low resilience” and the triple challenge of “energy–climate–development”. International climate finance is severely mismatched with the degree of vulnerability in SIDS; the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Paris Agreement lack institutional synergy and fail to adequately support marine renewable energy development in SIDS. In response to these challenges, this study proposes multi-level solutions to promote the synergistic achievement of SDG 7 and SDG 13: at the international level, improve climate finance rules, innovate financing mechanisms, strengthen technological cooperation, and integrate relevant international legal framework; at the domestic level, optimize the layout of marine renewable energy development, construct sustainable investment ecosystems, and strengthen environmental scientific research and local data governance.

Small island developing states (SIDS) are typically characterized by being environmentally and socio-economically vulnerable to disasters and climate change. Additionally, they often have limited resources for freshwater provisioning services. This article presents an assessment of disaster risk and water security-related challenges in SIDS focusing on three major dimensions: (a) how disaster risks are perceived and addressed in the SIDS context using a case study method, (b) analyzing the current status of water security in these regions using an indicator-based approach and (c) assessing gaps and needs in institutions and policies that can facilitate sustainable development goals (SDGs) and targets, adaptation and resilience building in SIDS. In this regard, information on all SIDS is collected to be able to distinguish trends in and between SIDS based on amongst others geographical location and characteristics. This synthesis noted two key observations: first, that in SIDS, the number of disasters is increasing at a higher rate than the global average, and that the frequency and intensity of the disasters will likely increase because of climate change. These combined factors will impact SIDS on the societal level and on environmental levels, reducing their adaptive capacity, resources, and resilience. Second, most SIDS are already water-scarce with low groundwater volumes. Because of increasing demand (e.g., population growth and tourism) and decreasing supply (e.g., pollution and changes in precipitation patterns) freshwater resources are becoming increasingly limited, often suffering from the spillover effects of competing and conflicting uses. Threatened ecosystems and limited economic resources further influence the adaptive capacities of communities in SIDS. In this light, key solutions to address disaster-risk and water security-related challenges can be found by sharing best practices and lessons learned—from examples of good governance, integrated policies, improved community-resilience, and capacity-building. Added to their fragile situation, SIDS struggle to find enough funding to put their development plans, programs, and policies into action.

In the early 2020s, it became clear that addressing technological innovations like generative AI and digital public goods has attached great significance to digital governance, which is a growing field of study. Frontier technologies are being increasingly used not only respond to but also analyze and even foresee social, economic, and ecological changes and challenges around the globe. As a result, governments and especially small island developing states, have recognized the added value of leveraging these technological advances. Institutionalizing digitalization of methods and providing better public service delivery has been a point of concern in terms of public sector reform and capacity building. The rapid evolution of AI is an opportunity for small island developing states to innovate and redouble efforts to enhance local resilience and incentivize pertinent climate adaptation solutions. The premise of this research is based on the limited but gradually growing academic literature addressing, in a transdisciplinary manner, the importance of small island developing states’ governments leveraging breakthrough technologies in public governance for improved productivity and environmental resilience. As an AI-empowered governance presents a paradigm shift in global policymaking, this article merges the topics of AI-driven government efficiency and reform and environmental sustainability with the narrow literature on small and developing island states. It is a cross-regional analysis of how AI technology can contribute to research and innovation to address sustainability in two small island developing states that have been digital forerunners for a while, and whose governments are incorporating AI in their national strategies: Mauritius and Singapore.

The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the global tourism industry, leaving millions of people unemployed without certainty when tourism bounces back. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are amongst the worst hit by the novel coronavirus. The unprecedented crisis has severely aggravated the SIDS economic growth due to relying on foreign tourists heavily. In the absence of international tourism, small island residents have been grappling with alternative income sources. Despite its notorious impacts, many scholars look at this global pandemic as a discernible opportunity to reverse mass tourism in the SIDS. Therefore, this paper aims to elaborate on the current condition of small islands communities amid COVID-19, their coping strategies, and their reflection of the future tourism industry in the SIDS. Furthermore, this paper also aims to discuss a prevailing policy to contain health emergency and economic collapse in the SIDS. Based on the critical literature review, many SIDS were already faced complex predicaments before the pandemic, such as high vulnerability to the climate crisis, lack of natural resources, extreme poverty, and reliance on external debts. International support is crucial to avoid the worst-case scenario for SIDS, including those which depend on the tourism industry. As a part of the recovery phase, this paper underscores the urgency of a more sustainable tourism practice for future development in the SIDS. That comprises strategic issues ranging from environmental-based tourism with a focus on socio-cultural aspects, and economic diversification to small island community resilience.

Background: Cervical cancer is the leading cause of death in young women in developing countries which includes those in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Some of the highest rates of cervical cancer deaths in the world occur in the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, South China Seas(AIMS) and Pacific SIDS. The objective of this systematic review is to determine the range of cervical cancer treatments available in 36 of 38 SIDS who are members of the United Nations. Methods: Databases searched independently by two authors were: MEDLINE, CINAHL and Scopus. Manuscripts published between 2000-2017 were identified using a search strategy that included cervical cancer, all forms of treatment and the name of each of the selected 36 SIDS in the Caribbean, Pacific and AIMS countries. Only articles in the English language were included. Duplicates, non-relevant and those not meeting the inclusion criteria were excluded. Two authors selected and read the included articles independently and rated the methodological quality of each article. Results: From a total of 175 abstracts, 158 were excluded as duplicates and not relevant. Seventeen papers were read in full, nine were excluded as not meeting the inclusion criteria and eight manuscripts were included in the review. A narrative synthesis was considered appropriate given the heterogenous nature of the manuscripts. Seven of the eight papers were from the Caribbean SIDS underpinning evidence that treatments for cervical cancer were more developed in that region compared to the Pacific and AIMS SIDS. Surgery was available in most SIDS followed by chemotherapy with only seven (19%) SIDS, all in the Caribbean, with radiation centres. Conclusion: There is a dearth of published evidence on the details of treatments available to women with cervical cancer in 36 SIDS. With cervical cancer increasing in those parts of the world due to weak cancer prevention and control strategies, a large number of women with cervical cancer are not being treated especially in the Pacific and AIMS SIDS. More needs to be done to address treatments in the Pacific and AIMS SIDS and to increase publication of those efforts.

This paper explores why and how small island developing states (SIDS) in the Asia-Pacific region should adopt pro-poor policies to overcome development related affordable housing challenges. It first outlines SIDS’ common development challenges—small size, remoteness, greater exposure to economic and environmental shocks, and brisk urbanization. In a globalized world, SIDS’ developmental and geographic constraints make providing equitable shelter harder. Developing Asia’s rapid urban growth and simultaneously widening urban inequality offer hope and sound caution alike for SIDS, whose potential and propensity to attract global investment are unique. Tourism-based economic development is poised to accelerate the private sector’s influence on SIDS’ land and housing markets. This paper presents the cities of Honolulu (USA), Surabaya (Indonesia), and Dili (Timor Leste) as cases that exemplify, respectively, the advanced, intermediate, and early stages of a possible development continuum for SIDS. Utilizing secondary literature, primary qualitative field-research, news media sources, and observations, it demonstrates that despite common developmental challenges SIDS’ diverse governance models and institutional capacities preclude definitive solutions. Instead, it argues for tailored yet flexible policy responses informed by multiple pro-poor principles—inclusivity, affordability, alternative forms of tenure security, and innovative design and construction. Sensitive, context-appropriate adaptation of innovative policy tools that have proven effective in fraught contexts elsewhere (especially, transfer of development rights, inclusionary housing, land pooling/sharing, participatory slum upgrading, and community benefits agreements) can guide SIDS to expand pro-poor shelter provision.

for Scopus Indexing: State coalitions and non-governmental organizations (NGO s) play crucial roles in international negotiations on ocean governance. They foster cooperation, provide expertise, advocate for interests, and bring diverse perspectives to encourage equitable and sustainable outcomes. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is an internationally recognized designation for States with structural characteristics unique enough to be considered “special circumstances.” SIDS, which are particularly reliant on healthy marine ecosystems, have an inseparable fate from the ocean and see themselves as one with this global commons. SIDS have been leaders in negotiating and ratifying the pending international agreement on the biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement). Within SIDS, the emerging label of Large Ocean State or Big Ocean State (BOS) offers a new lens to reassess and build relationships among ocean actors for the collective good. SIDS, many of which also identify as BOS, have been exemplars in several major international environmental regimes. We argue that the BBNJ Agreement provides a platform for these States to consolidate their ocean governance leadership and increase their influence. We conducted structured interviews with 19 BBNJ Agreement negotiators and observers to capture their insights on the Agreement’s negotiations. From these, we distil four recommendations for SIDS and their partners to improve ocean governance: 1) Advance the BOS label within SIDS to unite over shared challenges and leverage common assets; 2) Protect the BBNJ Agreement’s complete “package” as critical to SIDS’ priorities; 3) Strengthen and clarify SIDS’ relationships with environmental NGO s; and 4) Emphasize the shared stewardship of all nations for ocean governance. The BBNJ Agreement can empower all its parties to be ocean governance leaders to achieve its goals. If adequately supported, SIDS, particularly BOS, can be greater positive drivers in the negotiation and implementation of the BBNJ Agreement.

Small island developing states (SIDS) face multiple threats from anthropogenic climate change, including potential changes in freshwater resource availability. Due to a mismatch in spatial scale between SIDS landforms and the horizontal resolution of global climate models (GCMs), SIDS are mostly unaccounted for in GCMs that are used to make future projections of global climate change and its regional impacts. Specific approaches are required to address this gap between broad-scale model projections and regional, policy-relevant outcomes. Here, we apply a recently developed methodology that circumvents the GCM limitation of coarse resolution in order to project future changes in aridity on small islands. These climate projections are combined with independent population projections associated with shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) to evaluate overall changes in freshwater stress in SIDS at warming levels of 1.5 and 2 °C above pre-industrial levels. While we find that future population growth will dominate changes in projected freshwater stress especially toward the end of the century, projected changes in aridity are found to compound freshwater stress for the vast majority of SIDS. For several SIDS, particularly across the Caribbean region, a substantial fraction (~ 25%) of the large overall freshwater stress projected under 2 °C at 2030 can be avoided by limiting global warming to 1.5 °C. Our findings add to a growing body of literature on the difference in climate impacts between 1.5 and 2 °C and underscore the need for regionally specific analysis.