Environmental+pressures+on+Small+Island+Developing+States+(SIDS)


 * Main points to consider about the issue**
 * Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are island and low-lying coastal nations that face common barriers to sustainable development
 * Common barriers include but are not limited to: natural disasters, vulnerability to high sea levels, poor economic resilience and limited resources
 * Although these small islands emit under one percent of harmful global greenhouse gasses, they are put at great risk for they experience the effects of global climate change more severely and immediately than most regions
 * Climate change threatens these islands through: affecting the natural habitat, loss of habitable and agricultural land, coastal erosion, increased intensity and frequency of tropical storms, decreased food and water security, and adverse impacts on human health.
 * There are about 52 recorded Small Island Developing States; These SIDS are primarily concentrated in the tropical zones of three regions: Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean


 * What the international community has already done to address this issue**
 * Small Island Developing States Programme of Action (SIDS POA) was adopted in 1994 at the United Nations Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (UNGCSIDS)
 * Many small island states have joined in collaborative organizations and formulated [|national action plans] that address and respond to climate change.
 * These various plans and approaches integrate research and facts to develop a greater resilience to these environmental pressures; The Barbados Programme of Action was produced in 1994 to assist the SIDS in their sustainable development efforts.
 * Many of these small islands are in the development of community-based adaptation and alleviation strategies.
 * Established in 1991, The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) consists of the 43 island member states within the G77 and collaborate on economic, political and environmental isues
 * Many experts have pointed out that "strategies that include component renewable energy development, energy efficiency programs, and technology transfer can reduce the carbon footprint of small island nations while simultaneously decreasing energy costs and vulnerabilities to climatic changes and extreme weather events."
 * In Vanuatu, South Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP ) has worked in partnership with the Canadian government to move 100 villagers living in the Lateu settlement to higher ground 15 meters above current sea level.


 * Your country's point of view about this issue and reasons for this point of view**
 * These Small Island Developing States face suffering as they face severe environmental pressures. These pressures can not be stopped or prevented as they are beyond our control. The most we can do is provide aid and support these states. It is essential that the international community build partnerships with these states and provide them with assistance, including financial.


 * At least three solutions that your country would propose to address this issue**
 * The international community must aid the SIDS's by providing financial resources in accordance with chapter 33 of agenda 21 as a form of cooperation with Small Island Developing States in implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development... (SIDS POA)
 * Create restrictions and/or guidelines on the development of these states as to minimize unsustainable development which adds more stress to the already environmentally pressurized states
 * Create initiations or organizations compromised of scientists to increase and further develop the research on climate change and sea level rise

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=__**CLAUSES**__=

**1.** Recommends the establishment of UN based organizations consisting of specialized scientists and researchers to work together with the Alliance with Small Island Sates to, a) Develop research on the common barriers of sustainable development with the SIDS region through the collection of data, including but not limited to, i. Climate change,  ii. Sea level rise,  iii. Poor economic resilience,  iv. Limited resources,  b) Map particularly vulnerable areas and develop information covering assessments and observations to develop adequate response strategies, c) Monitor the implementation of the Small Islands Developing States Programme (Barbados Programme of Action) and other programmes of action, d) Explore and facilitate the special needs which some SIDS’s require in order to develop sustainably, e) Respond efficiently to sudden environmental incident,

**2.** Encourages the international community to financially aid the SIDS’s in accordance with chapter 33 of Agenda 21 –examines the basic resources necessary to push forward a global partnership for sustainable development,

**3.** Requests that all SIDS as well as all member nations read the Barbados Programme of Action scrupulously and adopt the plans of action within it to develop and strengthen the response system towards environmental pressures,

**4.** Considers creating restrictions and/or guidelines on the development of SIDS to limit their ultimately unsustainable development that adds more stress to the already environmentally pressurized states,