Climate change is already negatively impacting small island developing states (SIDS) in multiple ways, including: higher temperatures; more frequent and more intense cyclones, storm surges and droughts; changing rainfall patterns; sea level rise; coral bleaching; and invasive species. While resilience is strong in many SIDS communities, inadequate data about future climate trends and the effectiveness of adaptation practices, lack of human capacity, and limited access to climate finance are just some of the barriers they face in the path to effective climate adaptation.
The SIDS Global Data Hub was launched at the SIDS4 Conference in May 2024. Its objective is to establish a sustainable and enduring repository for comprehensive data on SIDS, help national governments share data, monitor public investments, track progress toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and engage stakeholders.
This study was undertaken to inform the Hub and SIDS' broader suite of activities on adaptation and resilience information, in the context of the next 10-year SIDS agenda: ‘The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS – a Renewed Declaration for Resilient Prosperity’.
The authors surveyed over 50 SIDS stakeholders with roles in planning, implementing, financing, monitoring, evaluation and learning on adaptation and resilience. They were asked where they get their information, what information is missing, and how they would like to be supported to compile and analyse data and learn better.
The study reinforces earlier studies’ findings that there are huge gaps in the availability of development information in SIDS and it adds further nuance concerning the landscape of climate risk, resilience and adaptation information.
Authors: Courtney Lindsay, Mairi Dupar, Emilie Beauchamp
