UN-led Third Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) must sail. [The partnerships address the crucial issues facing SIDS — sustainable development, climate change, disaster resilience, environmental protection, access to energy and social development, among others. What next? After that initial accord, where do we go now? Pardon me if I sound cynical, but I have witnessed hundreds of conferences marked by impassioned speeches and ending with communiques outlining follow-up action. Decades later, the problems remain the same, if not worse. We have been talking seriously about managing climate change for more than 30 years now, and still the climate gets warmer year after year. Notes the Samoa Observer: “While it’s easy to get lost and become totally overwhelmed by the emotions and magnitude of the issues…the reality of life for small island states must never be forgotten. It’s quite scary in fact. Our islands are slowly but surely sinking. Coastal erosion and sea level rise are becoming more menacing with each single day…For those of us living in these small island states, the world cannot continue to treat these issues as business as usual. This is our reality, a matter of survival.” [2]
Posted on: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 12:43:19 +0000