Back to SIDS Community

 

Issue 49 | October 2021

The planet is facing a multidimensional emergency of nature loss, climate change, poverty, and inequality. Unfortunately, SIDS are already experiencing the negative impacts of these crises due to their multidimensional vulnerability. The drivers of environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and the destabilization of our climate are closely intertwined.  

We need integrated solutions to address these complex issues. Siloed short-term fixes must be left in the past. We need to “build forward better” by investing in systemic changes that are necessary to accelerate progress towards achieving the SDGs, including the biodiversity and climate goals. We also need to literally invest in nature, as it is estimated that we need to close a USD4.1 trillion to meet the world’s climate change, biodiversity, and land degradation targets. 

Last week, the first part of the 15th Conference of Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) took place in virtually. COP15, after being postponed last year, has been long anticipated as member states had to review the achievements and delivery of the 2011-2020 strategic plan and were expected to take a final decision on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. The primary outcome was the signing of the Kunming Declaration – a commitment by all members to the CBD to take urgent action to address biodiversity loss. This is hugely welcomed as a key achievement.  This sets the intent for COP15 Part 2, from 25 April to 8 May 2022, where the goal will be the signing of the Global Biodiversity Framework.  

With the Climate Change COP26 also around the corner, SIDS are anticipating decisive commitments and renewed resolve from all member states on action for people and planet. This was reiterated by the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres during his visit to Barbados earlier this month, reminding the world that “we must make the choice to invest in protecting the most vulnerable on our planet”. 

Image: Kiribati/ UNDP Climate

#UNDP4SIDS #RisingUpForSIDS

Keywords:  Rising Up For SIDS, COP15, Biodiversity, SDGs, green recovery, sustainable development, inclusive, blue economy, climate action, digital transformation, water solutions, blue bonds, livelihood empowerment, blue carbon ecosystems, innovation, renewable energy
Share Share
Tweet Tweet
Forward Forward
Share Share
 
Country Corner
Image: Papua New Guinea/UNDP
 
 
Papua New Guinea, like many SIDS, is highly vulnerable to extreme-weather events, including cyclones, floods, earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Therefore, strengthening resilience to natural disasters is of paramount importance for these countries. Aware of this situation, Papua New Guinea’s government decided to put its almost 40 years old Disaster Management Act under review. The review process consists of workshops organized in the various provinces of the island nation and gathers government officials and all relevant stakeholders. UNDP is providing technical support during the review process, notably on the issue of international humanitarian assistance coordination for disaster response, another challenge participants to the workshops identified. One of the tools Papua New Guinea and other SIDS can use to build resilience strategies is satellite remote sensing earth observation data, which several Pacific SIDS are resorting to as covered in our previous bulletin. The use of such data sources echoes the UN Secretary-General's Roadmap for Digital Cooperation and UNDP’s DX4Resilience initiative. The initiative consists of using data for disaster response and resilience, utilizing digital tools to reduce disaster risks and help people prepare better and recover faster from them. Indeed, as we have celebrated the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on October 13th, it is imperative that digital solutions are integrated in preparing for disasters
Find more stories in UNDP Papua New Guinea's newsletter HERE
Image: Mauritius/UNDP Climate
 

On October 5th, Mauritius submitted its enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the UNFCCC secretariat. The island nation now aims to reduce its overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40% in 2030, while it had initially pledged to curb them by 30% by that date. Even though Mauritius’s emissions only account for 0.01% of global GHG emissions, it is keen on raising its commitments for climate action since, like most SIDS, it is highly aware of its own vulnerability to the adverse impacts of external shocks caused by climate change. In order to achieve its ambitious target, Mauritius aims to have 60% of its energy needs produced from green sources by 2030 and to phase out the use of coal before 2030. UNDP is working closely with Mauritius through the Climate Promise as well as through the Green Climate Fund project “Transformational Shift to a Low Carbon Economy in the Republic of Mauritius”. In this framework, UNDP is co-funding the Mauritius Renewable Energy Agency (MARENA)’s scholarship scheme, with the British High Commission in Mauritius. Thanks to this scholarship, the first of its kind in the country, eight young Mauritian engineering graduates will benefit from tuition fees covering local universities’ courses and training on photovoltaic energy systems. Initiative such as this scholarship are key to build up SIDS’ resilience and local capabilities to attain their long-term national renewable energy targets. 

Image: Samoa/UNDP Climate Change adaptation

Samoa develops biogas systems in its push to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2025
 

SIDS are striving to build up their resilience and sustainable development capabilities. In Samoa, the government has launched since 2017, with UNDP’s support, the “Improving the Performance and Reliability of Renewable Energy Power Systems in Samoa” (IMPRESS) Project. This project is meant to set the path the country takes towards achieving 100% renewable energy electricity generation by 2025, which it pledged to do in its Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. The IMPRESS Project shows Samoa’s will to develop clean, indigenous and renewable energy resources. One of the focuses of the Project is to integrate local communities in the nation’s climate action, notably by supporting local initiatives towards making energy consumption and production more sustainable. Four years after the launch of the IMPRESS Project, the Samoan government and UNDP keep supporting local initiatives towards a greener energy mix. The latest of which being the launch, by the Samoan Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, of one of its five Community Biogas Systems at the Methodist Land Development — Ofisa I Faleula.  This particular system, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the UNDP and the Government of Samoa, will use waste from piggery farm food scraps to generate biogas for cooking and lighting purposes, and is expected to reduce direct GHG emissions by 25 267 tCO2e. On top of providing clean and affordable energy for locals, the development of this project yields multiple benefits. Indeed, it will help improving on-site waste management technology and will make energy production more cost-efficient. Biogas systems will also provide locals with employment opportunities and their promotion will raise the awareness of younger and future generations on the importance of ramping up renewable energy production. 

Find more stories in UNDP Samoa's newsletter HERE
 
Submit a UNDP story to the Country Corner section
In the News
Image: ADB

Asian Development Bank issues first blue bond worth $302 million for ocean investments
 

Access to sustainable financing is the key enabler of SIDS’ development and a prerequisite to the advancement of blue economy, digital transformation and climate action, as promoted by UNDP in its integrated SIDS offer, “Rising Up for SIDS”. Therefore, it is essential that innovative financial instruments be designed in order to fund projects which will boost SIDS resilience and bring prosperity to their people. Among UNDP-supported Thematic Bonds, blue bonds tap into capital markets to fund ocean-related environmental projects. Last month the Asian Development Bank (ADB) issued its first blue bond ever, worth around $302 million, with half being 15-year issue and the other half being 10-year issue. They are meant “to finance projects that enhance ocean health through ecosystem restoration, natural resources management, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, reduction of coastal pollution, circular economy, marine renewable energy, and green ports and shipping”. The issuance of these bonds is part of the ADB’s Action Plan for Healthy Oceans and its Green and Blue Bonds Framework, which was mentioned in this Bulletin’s issue n°47, and aims at enticing the Bank’s member countries to finance sustainable projects or to issue sovereign green and blue bonds. SIDS in the Asia-Pacific are ideal beneficiaries of these bonds, since they are Large Ocean States with vast maritime resources and are enticed to build sustainable ocean-related projects, because they are on the front line of the fight against climate change which makes the safeguard of their maritime ecosystems a top priority for them. SIDS have also been paving the way in the field of blue financing, such as the Seychelles which launched the world’s first sovereign blue bond in 2018, which then raised $15 million from international investors.  One of Asia-Pacific SIDS’s next blue financing success story may be the Greater Malé Waste-to-Energy Project in Maldives, which will stem the flow of plastics and other wastes to the ocean and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and which the ADB considers an eligible project that may be financed by the newly issued blue bond. 

Image: GCF
 

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has recently called States, especially developed countries, to meet the promises they have made for climate finance under the Paris Agreement, otherwise the climate deal could “go up in smoke”, he argued. M. Guterres warned that, unless wealthy nations commit to tackling emissions now, the world is on a “catastrophic pathway” to 2.7-degrees of heating by the end of the century. Hearing this call, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board has approved the allocation of $1.2 billion for 13 new projects for mitigation and adaptation action, a record amount for a single board meeting which now brings the size of the GCF portfolio to $10 billion, a target which was initially supposed to be met by 2018. Since the first UNFCCC conference in Kyoto (1997), wealthier nations have agreed to financially support developing countries’ efforts for sustainable development and curbing their carbon footprint, the GCF currently being one of the main platforms for achieving this goal. SIDS are among those nations in dire need of international support to face the challenges posed by climate change. Moreover, they only contribute to a marginal fractions of global greenhouse gas emissions but are yet among the most vulnerable countries to the consequences of climate change, such as rising sea-levels, more frequent coastal floods and extreme-weather events. Over half of the $1.2 billion newly allocated by the GCF will go to SIDS, Least Developed States and African States, with some of the financed projects exclusively targeting SIDS (e.g. $16.6 million for climate change adaptation in the Federated States of Micronesia or $21 million for disaster risk management in Timor-Leste) or being implemented in multiple countries including some SIDS. Despite this, wealthy countries are likely to yet again this year fall short of the annual $100 billion mark for climate finance they have pledged to reach every year, which they also did not reach in 2019 and 2020. 

Image: Unsplash
 

Doing business in Barbados, and many other SIDS, can be a burdensome process, requiring paperwork and visits to multiple government offices to apply for licenses or complete a transaction. On the side lines of the UNCTAD 15 conference in Bridgetown last week, the Government of Barbados signed a contract to move towards a Single Electronic Window for the delivery of government services. The platform aims to eliminate processes that involve moving physical documents from one government department to the next and creating a seamless space that allows departments to interface with each other and with businesses online in real time. This is part of a broader initiative towards the digital transformation of the country and efforts across the region to streamline digital government services. The Single Electronic Window is defined by the UNECE Recommendation N.33 as "a facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized information and documents with a single entry point to fulfill all import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements". Its benefits include but are not limited to: increase government revenue, enhanced compliance with trade rules, improved efficiency in resource allocation and better trade statistics. More information on the single window for trade can be found on the UNECE's website.   
Resources
 
Image: Unsplash

Debt-for-climate swaps offer opportunity for SIDS to reduce climate vulnerability

The adverse impacts of climate change, from sea level rise to more frequently occurring extreme weather events are often compounded with socio-economic vulnerabilities in Small Island Developing States, particularly in countries where national debt is high. This multidimensional vulnerability has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to an estimated fall in GDP of nine per cent in 2020, compared with a 3.3 per cent decline in other developing countries. In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, the lack of adaptation finance in SIDS is defined as reportedly the main factor hindering adaptation in SIDS, with a focus on Caribbean SIDS as one of the most affected by a narrow fiscal environment and the significant drop in tourism revenue. The paper analyses debt-for-climate swaps as a solution to the two most urgent and interconnected challenges facing SIDS. This not a novel solution, UNDP has been and continues to work with SIDS on thematic bonds, including debt-for-climate, debt-for-nature and SDG thematic bonds. Without reliable financing through concessional loans, without innovative forms of debt relief and scaled up development assistance, SIDS economies risk falling further behind, unable to safeguard the global human development agenda or provide necessary social protection for their people. As the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) declared in their Statement on Debt: “The way we aid vulnerable economies today will ultimately decide whether we can attain the future we want. Every action delayed is a future left more uncertain.” A Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) to reassess eligibility for concessionary finance will more accurately reflect this and capture their ability to absorb shocks. Such a mechanism will support SIDS to create the fiscal space necessary to overcome structural and externally induced vulnerabilities and build the resilience they need to withstand future shocks. Find more information about the MVI in UNDP’s discussion paper, “Towards a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index”. 
 

Image: Unsplash

The legal implications of sea level rise for Pacific Small Island States

A new World Bank study explores the legal implications of sea-level rise on the maritime and legal rights of Pacific Island nations, raising pertinent legal questions that will resonate with other SIDS. The report explores the latest developments in international law, assessing how states would defend their existing territories and marine resources when dealing with rising seas and land loss. The climate emergency is a fight for survival in the Pacific region, where low-lying atoll islands such as the Marshall Islands and Kiribati, risk being submerged by the end of this century. The region has been a leader in considering policy and legal options, demonstrated by the Declaration on Preserving Maritime Zones in the Face of Climate Change Related Sea Level Rise, endorsed by the Pacific island forum in August 2021. This report presents an overview of relevant legal frameworks, key terminology, and principles based on international law as well as judicial decisions and scholarly work that define the rights, resources, and obligations of SIDS and the Pacific atoll countries. It also presents a series of responses to key legal and policy questions faced by these States, in relation to sea level rise. 

Image: FSM/Unsplash

The Ocean Economy: trends, impacts and opportunities for a post COVID-19 Blue Recovery in developing countries
 

This paper discusses preliminary and still quite unknown trends on trade, finance, and technology of the ocean economy, outlines key impacts and measures taken to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and raises awareness about the potential of the ocean economy to contribute to a sustainable and resilient recovery. Based on these findings, the paper argues that sustainability and resilience considerations should be more highly prioritized in ocean-based value chains in a post COVID-19 recovery.  To support this, it highlights the importance of securing sufficient and reliable long-term investment and the creation of capacities to develop new and adapt existing service innovations.  It calls for a global trade, investment, and innovation Blue Deal as sister to the Green New Deal already gaining support around the world, particularly for developing countries. As often reiterated by Peter Thomson, UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for the Ocean, "the solution to the great 21st century challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss become clearer when viewed through the ocean's blue lens". 
 

 

The reports entitled Migration, Environment, Disaster and Climate Change Data in the Eastern Caribbean are based on a regional study assessing the national and regional data systems on migration, environment, disasters, and climate change across the Eastern Caribbean. The set of reports includes one Regional Overview and six National Analyses, and they are meant to assist the governments of the Eastern Caribbean in the governance of human mobility related to environmental change, through improved evidence and regional cooperation. The assessments were produced by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the six independent member States of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS): Antigua and BarbudaDominicaGrenadaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, between 2020 and 2021. 

 

Circular Economy : Optimising private sector investment in Mauritius

This report is the product of a partnership between Business Mauritius and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with financial support from the Government of Japan as part of efforts to facilitate the socio-economic response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in Mauritius. The successful implementation of the Circular Economy will require an integrated approach that coordinates the efforts of all stakeholders in collaboration with the private sector. We are hopeful that the insights contained in this report will be a useful guide for policymakers and actors in the private sector.

 

SustainBench: Benchmarks for Monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals with Machine Learning 

Recent advances in machine learning have made it possible to utilize abundant, frequently updated, and globally available data, such as from satellites or social media, to provide insights into progress toward SDGs. In this paper, SustainBench is introduced, a collection of 15 benchmark tasks across 7 SDGs, including tasks related to economic development, agriculture, health, education, water and sanitation, climate action, and life on land. Datasets for 11 of the 15 tasks are released publicly for the first time. 

 

5 Ways to Help Reduce Seafood Waste and Loss 

A recently published explainer article by the World Resources Institute explores seafood waste and how to reduce it. Around one third of seafood is either lost or wasted globally. “To maximize nutrition and value of seafood for all, it is vital that 100% of the fish is utilized — and it is arguably an ethical imperative, not just an economic one.” 

 

Morris Opeti: Bai Yumi Go We Nau? 

Before entering the world of politics, in 2020, Morris won the 2nd season of ‘Vocal Fusion’, a nationwide singing competition in Papua New Guinea. Morris Opeti is the voice of this music video soundtrack “Bai Yumi Go We Nau” – recorded on Bougainville Island, in August 2021. ‘Bai Yumi Go We Nau?’ (Where do we go now?) is a song that captures the essence of the very real impact of Climate Change, and rising sea levels, on vulnerable island communities in Papua New Guinea

Report on Follow-up Business Survey to Assess the Impact of Covid - 19 Outbreak in Mauritius

On October, 1 UNDP launched the second round of the business pulse survey: Undertaken between April and June 2021, this was a follow-up to the first Business Survey that took place between September and October 2020 to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses in Mauritius. While the number of businesses operating normally declined from 78% during the first survey to 65%, with the impact more felt in small businesses, 70% of businesses applauded the government for effective business support measures that have cushioned them from potential collapse. The survey is being used for facilitating more dialogue with government to build resilience of businesses. You can fid a two-minute video to the survey findings here
 

 

     The 2021 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 

The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) produced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative measures poverty by considering various deprivations experienced by people in their daily lives, including poor health, insufficient education, and a low standard of living. The report examines the level and composition of multidimensional poverty across 109 countries covering 5.9 billion people and presents an ethnicity/race/caste disaggregation for 41 countries with available information. 

 

Climate Islands Podcast Episode 2 

In this second episode of Climate Islands podcast, the Building Resilience to Climate Change (BRCC) team travel to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB) and Milne Bay provinces to assess islands vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. BRCC team leader, John Poulsen discusses the journey here. 

Upcoming Opportunities and Events

Open Call for Global Fund for Coral reefs Advisory Board Members is now open! 

The Global Fund for Coral Reefs is pleased to invite qualified individuals to apply for an Advisory Board membership role:  

  • Scientists: Three (3) 3-year rotational seats will be held by scientists with extensive expertise in #coralreef science (ecology, resilience, restoration), marine protected area management and socio-economic dynamics. 
  • National Government & Public Institutional Representatives: Three (3) 3-year rotational seats will be occupied by representatives from National Governments of GFCR priority geographies as identified in the GFCR’s Investment Plan longlist of countries.  
  • Blue Economy Experts: Three (3) 3-year rotational seats will be held by blue economy experts with strong knowledge and practice in innovation and blended finance, and socio-economic issues in coral reef countries.  

The Advisory Board will play a fundamental role in supporting coordination and strategic alignment between the GFCR’s Grant and Investment Window. In this emerging and dynamic coral space, where new information and best practices are constantly evolving, the function of the Advisory Board is critical for informing an integrated Fund approach that avoids duplication and remains up to date.  Individuals from the GFCR’s priority geographies are encouraged to apply. Please note the deadline for submission is 5 November 2021. Learn more about the Advisory Board function, available roles and application process on GFCR’s website.

Extraordinary session of the World Meteorological Congress 

The Extraordinary session of the World Meteorological Congress is being convened following the decision of the Eighteenth session of the World Meteorological Congress to address specific items of the highest importance to the Organization: progress with the WMO reform, WMO support for the global water agenda and the Earth System Data Exchange.  A Hydrological Assembly, as an open committee of Congress, will be convened as an online parallel event. 

Online registration, the annotated agenda and documents are available on the session website (here) 

When: 11-22 October 2021 

Technical workshop on Geothermal Energy at the GTI e-Convention 2021  

The Greening the Islands e_Convention – International Conference and Exhibition, reaches its 8th edition. The well-known annual event entirely dedicated to islands’ self-sufficiency and sustainability will take place on October 19-20-21 and focus on how global policy and finance need to sit at the same table with sustainable technological innovation and with joint efforts become drivers for islands’ sustainable growth. The 2020 edition explored the role of islands as laboratories for innovation and leaders in a green recovery. One year later the context has evolved: as coronavirus vaccines and stimulus packages begun to phase in, the world prepares to build back better and what was an intention must now become a reality. The 8th GTI e_Convention, culmination of the GTI Observatory’s work, endeavors to make this come true starting from the islands and their best practices protagonists of the GTI Awards

When: 19-21 October 2021 
REGISTER 

AI for environmental sustainability

The webinar will explore how AI can enhance environmental sustainability. It will provide unique insights into the relationship between emerging technologies and environmental efficiency, AI innovations and applications to achieve a low carbon future, and best practices paving the way for new ITU-T standards. From energy efficient robots to green data centers, speakers from the industry, government and academia will demonstrate their solutions for reducing carbon footprint to net zero. This Webinar is free and open to all.https://aiforgood.itu.int/event/ai-for-environmental-sustainability/

This Webinar will precede the fourth meeting of ITU-T Focus Group on “Environmental Efficiency for Artificial Intelligence and other Emerging Technologies”. Join the Group here: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/focusgroups/ai4ee

When: 20 October 2021

REGISTER

Partnerships for SIDS: Renewable Energy Sources & Water Management 

In the run-up to COP26, the primary objective of the webinar is to provide an opportunity to discuss partnerships that promote the efficient and effective use of renewable energy sources and water management practices within SIDS. Revolving around a panel of experts and distinguished speakers, the webinar aims to present an opportunity for real-time interaction and discussion among participants. Given the link between climate change and the use of renewable energy and improved water management, and in view of the impending COP26 conference, the webinar will seek to give a combined COP/SIDS perspective. 

When: 21 October 2021 

REGISTER

Conducting the Digital and Financial Literacy Survey in seven Pacific island countries 

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), under its joint Pacific Digital Economy Programme (PDEP), are looking to develop activities with legally established research institutions, think tanks, private and public sector organizations that can conduct the roll out of the digital and financial literacy (DFL) survey in seven Pacific Island Countries (PICs) including Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste.  The selected organization will be guided by UNCDFs DFL survey protocol and as well as advisory support. The DFL survey protocol is to be translated into the local language for each PIC. 

Opens Oct 11 2021 00:50 (EDT), Deadline Oct 29 2021 23:59 (EDT) 

Ocean Innovation Africa

Catch the ocean innovation wave and register to attend Africa's Blue Economy Summit, hosted during the third edition of Ocean Innovation Africa. This edition will be hybrid, with events in person on the 5th of Novembre at the V&A Waterfront in Capetown, and virtually on the 9th and 9th of Novembre. It will include expert keynotes and panel discussions, ocean-impact start-up pitches, an exhibition hall (V&A and online) and networking and B2B programme. Pre-registration is open now. 

When: 5, 8 and 9 November 2021

REGISTER

 
Join the UNDP SIDS Mailing List
 

Meet your SIDS team!


and contact us with any questions
 
Thematic Team Leaders
 
Facilitators
Read Past Issues
 

Be the first one to comment


Please log in or sign up to comment.