Agenda 21, Chapter 17, Section G
Sustainable Development of Small Islands
The objectives of Section G set the challenge of addressing the problems as aforementioned in the overview. The first major step in ensuring the implementation of the objectives set out in Agenda 21 was the Global Conference on Sustainable Development of Small Island States. This conference, held in Barbados in 1994, set out a more specific set of issues faced by small islands and a more clear and comprehensive plan of action to deal with them.
Agenda 21 outlined two objectives and, whilst very strong in their wording and associated management activities, the issues contained within each one are a massive task to be approached as a whole. For example, objective 17.128b outlines the threat of climate change to the environment as well as the economy and society in terms of disaster mitigation. This objective also outlines the need for a complete catalogue of marine and terrestrial resources. The formulation of the Barbados Programme of Action B-PoA was key in breaking down the huge task into 14 more manageable options as outlined below: -
1. Climate change and sea level rise
2. Natural and environmental disasters
3. Coastal and marine resources
4. Freshwater resources
5. Biodiversity
6. Land resources
7. Energy resources
8. Waste management
9. National institutions and administrative capacity
10. Regional institutions and technical cooperation
11. Transport and communication
12. Science and technology
13. Tourism resources
14. Human resource development
Objective 17.128a
Objective 17.128a set the challenge of addressing the economics for sustainable development of Small Island Developing States. Since the Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA) was agreed, many different projects have been initiated worldwide. Two key developments were the Lome Convention for Europe, and the increase in regional communications - most notably the creation of the Small Island Developing States Information Network (SIDSnet) (see case study).
The VIII Lome Convention was held in Paris on 1-2 September 1998, and addressed the European Community’s (EC) funding for the 21 Small Island African, Caribbean and Pacific Developing States, which signed the agreement. The aim of Lom¾ was to fund ‘sustainable economic and social development with particular stress given to…among others…environmental protection…’Islands appeal for funding on an individual basis using their vulnerability indices (see later) to implement priorities of the BPoA. States requiring funding must ensure that their own policies are coherent, both nationally and regionally, and that they are well prepared to implement the proposed projects. Between 1995 and 2000 $US950 million were earmarked for national programmes in the small islands.
Kiribati – 8.5 million ECU Funds have been made available for promoting economic activity while preserving the environment, culture and social characteristics of Kiribati.
65% of EC funds were allocated to establish telephone communications between South Tarawa and the outer islands.
20% of EC funds were allocated for the environment, designed to increase awareness and to strengthen environmental education at primary and secondary level. Also to encourage the protection of biodiversity in atoll and marine environments through waste management and land use planning.
As the Barbados Plan of Action set out the guidelines for SIDS, many regional organisations, namely, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean ECLAC and South Pacific Region Environment Programme SPREP, have worked with their members to implement different aspects of the plan.
Jamaica
ECLAC has facilitated the Solid Waste Management Programme with funding from the Government. The focus from the BPoA was for the management of wastes and for capacity building. The project objective is to develop an integrated solid waste management system that offers efficient and financially sustainable services. The three key components are, regulatory and institutional adjustments and investment, community-focused collection and recycling projects and public awareness and participation.
SPREP have played an important role in recognising the value of indigenous knowledge in any environmental plans, with three leading Fijian education authorities calling for traditional knowledge of protecting the environment to be included in education and training programmes. Centuries of experience have been accumulated in the Pacific and should not be ignored when planning for protection.
The Capacity Building for Environmental Management in the Pacific (CBEMP) aims to mix traditional, local knowledge of managing the environment with modern management approaches. Information about how traditionally, islanders managed their forestry and ocean resources is collected and stored. This is then used to increase awareness of the range of ways to manage the environment for both decision-makers and communities alike. Essentially, CBEMP aims to take the best of traditional and modern approaches to environmental management and create new, innovative ways like eco-tourism.
Other initiatives have been set up on a national basis independently. The example below illustrates how many components in the Section G objectives can be incorporated into one programme.
St Lucia
Belvedere Integrated Development Programme (IDP). With the help of St Lucia National Trust Belvedere embarked on a programme of integrated environmental conservation in 1994 as a direct result of the Rio Earth Summit. The aims of the project were to enable the community to manage and direct their own development. The issues addressed were:
1. Awareness
2. Community self-reliance
3. Capacity-building and community empowerment
4. Community participation in decision-making processes
5. Solid and liquid waste management
Achievements
A collective sense of community needs and actions was developed.
The Belvedere Development Committee, which services as a representative body and coordinating mechanism, was established.
Exposure and recognition at the national level was gained.
Jobs were created.
A community development fund was established.
St Lucia received a national award as ‘Best Community' in national tourism and hospitality awards for the period January - December 1995.
Objective 17.128b
Objective 17.128b deals with the threats of climate change to SIDS, not only to the environment, but also economically and socially. Its primary aim is to mitigate against the changes whilst still allowing for sustainable development. Agenda 21 recognised that SIDS are a special case for sustainable development, and also a special case when it comes to climate change. Geographically, they are low lying and are therefore at particular risk from sea level rise. As already mentioned they are already facing the impacts of severe weather events, affecting terrestrial ecosystems and marine resources on which these islands are dependent. In particular, the international community is concerned with global warming and sea level rise, which would place fragile ecosystems, such as coral reefs, and sea grass meadows that are already under threat, under even greater threat of destruction, especially in terms of biodiversity. Although environmental impact is the key concern politically, for the indigenous populations the impact of management on their society is of primary concern.
Since the formulation of the Barbados Programme of Action, there have been a number of regional initiative and programmes implemented to deal with the many expected impacts of climate change, these include
South Pacific Regional Environment Programme SPREP.
South Pacific Disaster Reduction Programme SPDRP.
The Caribbean: Planning for Adaptation to Global Climate Change CPACC.
All have made huge progress through education and science based mitigation programmes, but each individual island will have a different set of priority problems and threats from global climate change and will have varying economic strengths and weaknesses. For example, in the Caribbean Antigua and Barbuda has been hit by four hurricanes between 1995 and 1999, whereas two only hit Anguilla. However, the damage to Anguilla in the 1995 impact of hurricanes Luis and Marilyn was 147% of GDP and the damage to Antigua and Barbuda was only 71% of GDP. So how is the international finding allocated to the different regions and islands in terms of their vulnerability?
Vulnerability Index
The special disadvantages of SIDS have been discussed for many years, first raised in 1972 during UNCTAD III, concerning the insular nature and remoteness of SIDS. By 1988, a huge array of disadvantages had been recognised. Although a conference was held in Malta in 1988 to include natural disaster vulnerability into their disadvantages, by 1990 there was no agreement on an index against which vulnerability could be measured.
In 1990, it was recognised that GDP alone was not enough to construct a vulnerability index. Along with the economic vulnerabilities, environmental and social factors had to be considered such as:
1. Exposure to foreign conditions
Dependence of foreign trade
Economic dependence on a narrow export range
Dependence on imported technology and expertise
2. Remoteness
3. Prone to Natural disasters
Only includes disasters where at least 1% of GDP is affected
UNDRO reports of a total index of damage over 20 years
Average index, i.e. damage per disaster
Other variable, e.g. environmental fragility, demographic changes, etc.
A few islands are now examining these indices, as a means to assess the need to aid. Islands also use their vulnerability indices to apply to the international community for funding with projects.
As stated above, the individual islands are susceptible to the impacts of climate change. Within the Caribbean, six countries have been selected to pilot programmes to assess the expected impacts. St Lucia has been one of the islands involved in the pilot programmes.
St Lucia’s response strategy for climate change mitigation
They are party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The aim of this convention is to address the anthropogenic contribution to climate change. As party to the conference St Lucia had to prepare a National Communication, one part of this being an inventory of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, by source and also by sink removal.
80% of the inventory has so far been completed, which includes carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons all generated by activities on St Lucia.
Existing technologies are also being examined to speed up the implementation of environmentally friendly technologies.
Another programme that is being implemented as a direct result of CPACC component 7 is an Economic Valuation of Coastal Resources. This inventory of a 10km coastal stretch on the North West coast, was designed to:
Assess the economic value of natural resources.
Conduct a cost benefit analysis for suitable development programmes.
Justify the expense of natural resource management.
This assignment of ‘eco values’ to all coastal uses, i.e., economic, such as tourism, ecological, such as marine reserves like Choc Mangrove, and social issues such as the every day use of the beaches and beachfront nightlife, will hopefully be applied to the whole island so that more adaptation and mitigation measures already in use on St Lucia can be employed. For example:
Development of set back for coastal construction.
Restrictions on permanent beach structures.
Beach nourishment and armouring restrictions.
Resource exploitation and habitat use incorporated in fishing regulations.
Sewage and solid waste disposal regulations.
