{"id":23233,"date":"2024-05-24T10:15:45","date_gmt":"2024-05-24T14:15:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/?p=23233"},"modified":"2024-05-24T10:26:53","modified_gmt":"2024-05-24T14:26:53","slug":"building-resilience-in-small-island-states-what-to-expect-at-the-4th-sids-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/2024\/05\/24\/building-resilience-in-small-island-states-what-to-expect-at-the-4th-sids-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"Building resilience in small island states: what to expect at the 4th SIDS conference"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>By Daniel Whittle<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Chronic power outages, food disruptions and climate-related disasters have become commonplace across the Caribbean. But amidst these challenges, there’s room for optimism. Increased funding, growing awareness, supportive policies and community leadership offer an opportunity for rebuilding and strengthening resilience in the Caribbean and small island developing states, or SIDS,\u00a0 around the world.<\/p>\n

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EDF has a long history of partnering in the Caribbean and in developing nations around the globe to foster resilience and bring climate solutions to scale. Now, to build on this work, an EDF delegation will be participating in the 4th<\/sup> International Conference on Small Island Developing States<\/a>, organized by the United Nations on the island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. The conference, whose theme is \u2018charting a course toward resilient prosperity,\u2019 will produce a new plan of action to address critical challenges faced by SIDS related to climate change, biodiversity loss, and growing debt.<\/p>\nBuilding resilience in small island states: what to expect at the 4th SIDS conference <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n

At the conference EDF will support adoption of the plan and several pathways for implementing and funding the plan.<\/p>\n

A successful future for SIDS<\/strong><\/p>\n

The central outcome of SIDS4 will be a new roadmap for action for small island states on sustainable development and climate change, called \u2018The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS.\u2019 The declaration will build off the prior 10-year plan of action, the Samoa Pathway, with an emphasis on improving data collection, monitoring and evaluation.<\/p>\n

EDF is looking to see agreement on an ambitious roadmap that incorporates calls to action and measurable objectives towards more resilient and prosperous communities, clean energy transition, sustainable resource management, biodiversity conservation and enhanced global cooperation.<\/p>\n

A successful outcome will also require progress on means of implementation, to ensure that the roadmap\u2019s objectives can be realized. This includes greater access to finance flows, as small island states often lack resources to address compounding challenges. Caribbean states in particular face massive shortfalls<\/a> of finance for climate action, especially from the private sector. At SIDS4, the UN Secretary General will convene a high-level meeting to discuss how to better mobilize resources to tackle the unique challenges that SIDS face, which has the potential to spur action from key actors including international financial institutions and the private sector.<\/p>\n

EDF\u2019s work in the Caribbean<\/strong><\/p>\n

As an organization that has been actively partnering across the Caribbean and Latin America, EDF focuses on crafting effective, equitable and lasting solutions that address daily challenges while fortifying long-term resilience to climate change.<\/p>\n

Our work in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Belize and The Bahamas blends grassroots, community-centered strategies with policy advocacy at the national level and, by mobilizing private and public financing at a large scale, we are driving science-based fisheries management, sustainable ocean practices, biodiversity conservation and clean energy project development. EDF is also a proud member of GLISPA \u2014 the Global Island Partnership \u2014 an important platform which catalyzes cooperation on these issues.<\/p>\n

Going forward, EDF\u2019s goal is clear: Guided by a commitment to meaningful policies, environmental justice and economic development, we strive to collaborate with island nations to create a brighter, more prosperous and safer future.<\/p>\n

EDF\u2019s work in the region has supported many meaningful steps forward:<\/p>\n