Sustainable Development in Small Island Developing States
Issues and Challenges

About one fifth of all politically independent countries are small island developing states. For these countries, sustainable development is not a matter of choice, it is imperative.
Highly vulnerable due to their size and isolation, small states have had to pursue development paths that are economically, environmentally and socially sustainable. They also face particularly stark impacts from climate change. This book details experiences and lessons from small island developing states in their efforts to balance environment and development needs, and getting these to work in harmony. Above all the message of this book is that this process still has some way to go, but we have learned valuable lessons that will help to support integrated and participatory planning for sustainable development in the future. In five chapters the expert contributors discuss:
• existing national sustainable development strategies
• Papua New Guinea’s experience in implementing sustainable development
• the significance of ocean and marine resource management
• renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation technologies
• the threat of climate change
This book seeks to initiate a debate on how to support a new wave of action for sustainable development.
Contents
Acronyms and abbreviations
1. Introduction
2. The Development of National Sustainable Development Strategies in Small Island Developing States by Saki Hirano
3. Risk, Consultation and Participation in the Creation of a National Sustainable Development Strategy in Papua New Guinea by Albert Nita
4. Rethinking Oceans and Marine Resource Management by Padma Narsey Lal
5. Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Small States by David Barrett
6. Climate Change and Small Island Developing States by Lino Briguglio, Kanayathu Koshy, Leonard Nurse and Poh Poh Wong
About the contributors
About the contributors
Janet Strachan (Editor)
Janet Strachan advises on sustainable development at the Commonwealth Secretariat. She coordinated the Commonwealth Secretariat's strategies for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and the 2005 Small Island Developing States Summit in Mauritius and the development of its work on climate change. She organises ministerial dialogues on issues such as environmental governance, globalisation, sustainable tourism, and partnership approaches to water and sanitation.Constance Vigilance (Editor)
Constance Vigilance works at the Commonwealth Secretariat as the Economic Adviser responsible for small states. She holds a Master's in International Affairs in Economic Policy Management from Columbia University, New York.Reviews
‘This Commonwealth Secretariat Economic Series Paper is a timely contribution to the increasingly important debate on how small island developing states (SIDS) might best develop effective sustainable development strategies.’
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