COP29 Side Event - Policy Coherence and Synergies in Action in Small Island Developing States | Page 3 | Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

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Thursday, 14 November 2024 - 11:15am to 12:15pm

Background

Climate-related disasters have increased drastically in the past two decades exacerbating inequalities within and between countries, with small island developing States (SIDS) often experiencing the worst impacts despite contributing the least to global emissions. Rising sea levels, increased frequence and intensity of tropical storms, and ocean acidification threaten their ecosystems, economies and populations, putting immense strain on sustainable development. Disaster risk reduction and climate action, including adaptation and actions to avert, minimize and address loss and damage, have the common objective of reducing vulnerability and enhancing coping capacity and resilience. This is reflected in the overall goals and objectives of UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States (2024-2034) (ABAS), complements these global frameworks, advocating for stronger international support, enhanced resilience-building and investment in sustainable infrastructure to protect SIDS from the devastating impacts of climate change. The ABAS also specifically recognizes the coordination challenges faced by the Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea (AIS) SIDS Region. The island communities have already recognized that to make the needed impact, disaster and climate resilience investment and collective action is needed more than ever. However, despite positive advances in integrated policy and institutional reform in many SIDS, a level of fragmentation between disaster risk reduction and climate planning and action still remains.

Objectives

This side event will explore ways to strengthen interinstitutional and cross-sectoral coordination through a comprehensive risk management (CRM) approach. It will explore how to achieve coherence and synergies between climate change action, including CCA, and DRR measures in planning and implementation. The discussion will focus on the importance of a coherent policy basis for implementation, including through harnessing emerging mechanisms for technical assistance and funding, particularly the Santiago network and the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.