Blog with us about the GPDRR13

Climate change impacts, such as the increasing severity of extreme-weather events and sea level rise, are exacerbating SIDS’ disaster risks. Sea level rise, for instance, is expected to aggravate inundation, storm surge, erosion and other coastal hazards - threatening vital infrastructure, settlements and facilities that support livelihoods of small island communities.

According to a recent article by the Guardian, Australia, a close neighbour of small, low-lying South Pacific states at the frontline of climate change, should be the first country to formally recognise climate change refugees, the country’s main refugee advisory body has said. This is an interesting statement as Small island developing States (SIDS) are on the frontline of vulnerability and exposure to disaster risk and climate change. The experiences of SIDS are a precursor to what other countries might face in the future.

A key feature event at the Global Platform will be on “Strengthening Partnerships Towards Small Island Developing States” which recognizes that SIDS are located amongst the world’s most vulnerable regions, facing intense and frequent natural and environmental disasters. The increasing impact of disasters is having a disproportionately high economic, social, and environmental cost, causing complex reconstruction challenges. Six of the top ten countries with the highest proportion of annual average losses against their yearly production of gross capital are SIDS.

It is estimated that the average annual losses from tropical cyclones are significant, from more than US$12 million in Fiji to around US$60 million in the Dominican Republic.

Learn more about the event and what’s on the agenda here: http://www.preventionweb.net/globalplatform/2013/programme/featuredevents