ISA Side Event: 4th International Conference on SIDS | Ocean action to support resilient prosperity in SIDS
29 May 2024 - 29 May 2024
Antigua and Barbuda
The vital role of oceans and seas in achieving sustainable development is widely recognized, including through their contribution to poverty eradication, economic growth, food security, sustainable livelihoods and decent work. Small island developing States (SIDS) face unique challenges due to their vulnerability, in particular to climate change, but also stand to benefit from the opportunities of ocean-based economies. Inclusive responses to the triple planetary crisis are essential to build fairer, sustainable, and resilient societies, particularly in SIDS, the large ocean States, through mitigation, adaptation, and disaster risk reduction actions and through nature-based solutions and/or ecosystem-based approaches.
This side event aims to explore the role that UN-Oceans members play and could play in supporting SIDS to build resilient prosperity, including through climate-smart, ecosystem‑focused, science‑based and sustainable ocean management, as well as cooperation for planning and implementation of on‑the‑ground action.
UN-Oceans is an inter-agency mechanism for cooperation and coordination among United Nations entities and the International Seabed Authority with competence in oceans and coastal matters.
Enhancing collective ocean action, working across UN-Oceans members’ mandates, can help SIDS to meet capacity needs, capitalize on synergies, and present a clear opportunity, with necessary investments, towards achieving shared goals of building resilience, prosperity, and sustainable development.
Organized in alignment with the thematic interactive dialogue on “Revitalizing SIDS Economies for accelerated and sustainable growth”, this side event will showcase how UN-Oceans -members are working together to enhance the ability of SIDS to chart a course towards resilient prosperity.