A fighting chance

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are among the world’s nations that are most vulnerable to climate change. SIDS have neither the resources nor the expertise to effectively evaluate the risks associated with climate change, nor the ability to adapt to potential changes. Compared to islands in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, SIDS in the Indian Ocean and eastern Atlantic Ocean off of the west coast of Africa are among the poorest and least studied of the SIDS. In this United Nations supported study, five Indian Ocean SIDS (Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Maldives) and two Atlantic Ocean SIDS (Cape Verde, and the Republic of Sao Tome & Principe) are evaluated for their vulnerability to climate change, with an emphasis on impacts on water resources and coastal zone resources. Due to significant differences between the SIDS studied in terms of size, topography, geology, precipitation, population density, storm patterns and intensities, relative sea level rise, indicators of wealth (such as GDP/capita), and other island characteristics, each SIDS faces its own unique challenges. This paper describes the major findings of the study. One important finding is that relative sea level rise at present appears most significant on one of the SIDS (Maldives), and a number of other SIDS appear to be emerging slightly at a rate high enough to presently offset the effects of global sea level rise. However, analysis shows that at sometime during the 21 st century, should sea level rise accelerate as climate models now suggest, that all the SIDS will become vulnerable to sea level change. Further, an existing stress on most of the SIDS is the human population density and tourism that have increased dramatically at most SIDS over the past several decades. Tourism provides both economic benefits to the islands, while at the same time tourists consume resources at rates typically far in excess of the native population. Therefore, stresses on water resources and the coastal zone due to human population are factored into the climate change stresses that are projected to increase over this century. Finally the paper describes capacity building efforts and strategies for adaptation that are intended to bring attention, resources, and expertise to the aid of the SIDS. One vehicle to do this is through the development of an Internet portal, eventually to be hosted and maintained by one of the SIDS.

Climate effects on health in Small Islands Developing States

A Hybrid Modelling Framework for Ecosystem-Based Climate Change Adaptation Using System Dynamics and Bayesian Networks

This essay seeks to further the dialogue concerning climate-change impacts for small island developing states (SIDS). Climate-change adaptation and mitigation strategies must be developed to cope with changes such as shifting precipitation patterns, increasing evapotranspiration, and expanding saline intrusion into coastal aquifers and wells. While it is necessary to study all climate-change mitigation measures, this essay uses Jamaica as a case study to examine the utility of rainwater harvesting (RWH) in SIDS. What role can RWH play in providing a sustainable supply of water in a changing climate? Through various water demand and deficit scenarios, questions are answered regarding (1) how much rainwater can be harvested on the island given present and future precipitation patterns and (2) how much can RWH realistically curb water-supply deficits now and in the future. Water resources are directly linked to many other considerations, including infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and the overall economy. Exploring the aforementioned questions can help to facilitate more effective policy decisions for water resources given predictions for rainfall. It is my hope that this analysis spurs a broader reflection on what concrete actions SIDS should take to prepare for the water-resource impacts of climate change.

In the early 2020s, it became clear that addressing technological innovations like generative AI and digital public goods has attached great significance to digital governance, which is a growing field of study. Frontier technologies are being increasingly used not only respond to but also analyze and even foresee social, economic, and ecological changes and challenges around the globe. As a result, governments and especially small island developing states, have recognized the added value of leveraging these technological advances. Institutionalizing digitalization of methods and providing better public service delivery has been a point of concern in terms of public sector reform and capacity building. The rapid evolution of AI is an opportunity for small island developing states to innovate and redouble efforts to enhance local resilience and incentivize pertinent climate adaptation solutions. The premise of this research is based on the limited but gradually growing academic literature addressing, in a transdisciplinary manner, the importance of small island developing states’ governments leveraging breakthrough technologies in public governance for improved productivity and environmental resilience. As an AI-empowered governance presents a paradigm shift in global policymaking, this article merges the topics of AI-driven government efficiency and reform and environmental sustainability with the narrow literature on small and developing island states. It is a cross-regional analysis of how AI technology can contribute to research and innovation to address sustainability in two small island developing states that have been digital forerunners for a while, and whose governments are incorporating AI in their national strategies: Mauritius and Singapore.

Climate change is the greatest threat to global health. There are several working groups at the intersection of climate and health, which provide leadership in global governance around the issue-but their diversity has not been previously analysed. We analysed 13 active committees, comprising 226 members. Committee members were analysed in terms of World Bank country income status, political grouping (G7 membership), climate vulnerability (being from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and top 10 in the Global Climate Risk Index, 2021) and gender. We found that 72.1% of the committee members are from high-income countries (HICs), 57.0% are from G7 nations, 2.2% are from SIDS nations, 5.3% are from the top 10 most vulnerable climate vulnerable countries and 45.6% are female. Only three committees exhibit a balanced representation in terms of country income status. Nine committees have more than half of their members from G7 countries. 10 committees do not have representation from SIDS, and 7 lack members from the 10 most climate-vulnerable countries. Eight committees have good gender representation. Most chairs and co-chairs (only six committees reported them) are from HICs (83.3%), with good gender representation. Half of these chairs and co-chairs are from G7 nations, 16.7% are from SIDS and none are from the 10 most climate vulnerable nations. We call on committees to develop policies that are grounded in intersectionality to improve diversity among their members, including for Indigenous/Adivasi people (which we did not analyse) to improve global governance of climate and health.

Mapping Climate in the 21st Century

Overcoming barriers to climate change information management in small island developing states: lessons from pacific SIDS

Aim. To study the development of the social protection system in Ukraine and compare it with the social models of other countries. 
 Materials and methods. The sample observation, questionnaire, formal-logical methods, analogies and comparisons, the system analysis, the content analysis were used. 
 Results. According to the results of our studies, it has been found that the formation and development of the Ukrainian legislation in the field of social protection and social security can be divided into four stages; each of them has special characteristics and trends. The main approaches to regulating the social protection system and social security include the Soviet and European models. 
 Conclusions. Considering the development of the Ukrainian legislation in the field of social protection and social security and the analysis of modern reforms it can be argued that today Ukraine combines the latest foreign and personal approaches and on their basis reforms the social protection and social security system with the implementation of the European social protection standards. The analysis has shown that the future social policy of our state should be based on the principle of justice and protection of vulnerable groups, with the preference given to social benefits, the system of the targeted assistance, a new healthcare system and pension protection.

Small island developing states (SIDS) are distinctively more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change than other developing countries. The focus of this paper is the Caribbean region that is described as one of the most vulnerable regions in the world and highly affected by the impacts of climate change. This paper applies a case-study approach and focuses on the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). With limited efforts to understand the adaptation, vulnerabilities, and challenges at the national level in these SIDS, this paper helps to fill this gap and has two main aims. First, it identifies SVG’s main focus on climate change adaptation. Second, it identifies the barriers to climate change adaptation in SVG. To fulfil the aims of this paper, content analysis, and semi-structured interviews with 32 stakeholders from the public and private sector were applied. This paper finds that SVG is mainly adapting to changes in hurricane, rainfall, drought, and soil and coastal erosion patterns. It also finds that many factors are limiting national-level adaptation. The three main reported barriers are a lack of financial, human resources, and technical capacity. These findings are important for the government of SVG and international donors and agencies. This will help them to identify and fill the gaps in their adaptation actions and prioritising finance. This paper’s findings also highlight the importance of mainstreaming climate change adaptation in sectoral plans and work programs and improving SVG’s access to international climate change adaptation funding.

The Social Protection and Health (SPH) Division of the IDB hosted its annual Regional Policy Dialogue (RPD) on Adaptive Social Protection Systems from June 17th to 19th, 2024, in Lima, Peru. This event aimed to address the increasing vulnerability of households to natural disasters, economic disruptions, and health crises, many of which are exacerbated by climate change. With over 78 million people living in high-risk areas in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the dialogue was crucial for fostering resilient social protection systems. The RPD brought together over 120 participants from 31 countries, including high-level representatives from the Ministries of Finance, Social Protection, and Health, including 10 ministers, vice-ministers, and many worldwide experts. The RPD focused on the need to bring together experts and practitioners involved in Adaptive Social Protection (ASP) systems in the region and other continents to promote the exchange of knowledge and lessons learned, as well as to explore new methods, financial tools, best practices, and innovative activities that can contribute to furthering the discussion on the challenges faced by the region on this matter.

Social protection goes well beyond cash transfers; it includes policies and programs that bridge skill, financial, and information gaps, aiding people in securing better jobs. The three pillars of social protection—social assistance, social insurance, and labor market programs—support households and workers in handling crises, escaping poverty, facing transitions, and seizing employment opportunities. But despite a substantial expansion over the past decade, 2 billion people remain uncovered or inadequately covered across low- and middle-income countries. Drawing from administrative and household survey data from the World Bank’s Atlas of Social Protection Indicators of Resilience and Equity (ASPIRE), the "State of Social Protection Report 2025: The 2-Billion-Person Challenge" documents advances and challenges to strengthening social protection and labor systems across low- and middle-income countries, analyzing the evolution of expenditure, coverage, and adequacy of support. This report details four policy action areas governments can embrace to maximize the benefits of adequate social protection for all: extending social protection to those in need; strengthening the adequacy of social protection support; building shock-proof social protection systems; and optimizing social protection financing. The report discusses how the path of reforms will depend on country context, capacity, and fiscal space. The rising frequency of shocks and crises calls for major investments in the adaptability and preparedness of social protection and labor systems. Amid a world in transition, social protection is more important and necessary than ever.

Women migrant workers often face a variety of problems in the workplace, for example violence, sexual abuse, rape, extortion, and so on. Social protection systems for women migrant workers in other countries are very important. In the Philippines, there are two social protection systems to improve social welfare for vulnerable populations. Two models of social protection called the health care system and social health insurance. Both social protection systems can be managed, as based on: (1) culture value, (2) to be funded by the financial institutions, (3) implemented freely, (4) the scheme is combined with the national health insurance system, (5) able to create a high quality service. The conditions of women migrant workers are more vulnerable than male workers. So, the social protection for women migrant workers is urgent and need policies to protect them. The Government of the Philippines emphasizes the problems related to the obligation of women migrant workers to have right information and guidance before they leave the country in order to minimize social problems. Finally, social protection, not only in the Philippines, but also cooperation among countries to ptotect women migrant workers by making policy of social protection from local, national, regional, and international level. Keywords: Migrant Worker, Social Protection in Philippines, Health Care System, Social Health Insurance

PAHO is committed to promote gender equality in health status and health development through research, policies, and programs which give due attention to gender differences in health and its determinants. To achieve this PAHO’s Gender Equality Policy is implemented as a cross-cutting policy. All directions and programs of PAHO implement actions in their respective field of expertise, and actively promote equality between women and men. This policy reflects PAHO’s unwavering commitment to the principles of equity, respect for human rights, and the exercise of citizenship, in addition to its determination to actively participate in global efforts to eliminate all forms of gender discrimination. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality. PAHO has created Gender Observatories since 2009, as channels for monitoring and tracking public policy, anticipating emerging social developments, and gaining empirical evidence, based on official data, regarding the Status of women, and their inequalities in relation to men. Despite all the efforts, the balance remains to be unequal because of the conditions under which women join the formal and informal sectors. These determine their opportunities to benefit from social protection in health schemes, access and out-of-pocket expenditures. Although several types of schemes were developed during the last two decades to reform social protection systems, they still have significant differences in access for women and men. Women generally are excluded from social security because most of them are in low-productivity informal sectors, limiting their autonomy and empowerment. Women have fewer opportunities to access contributory health protection systems caused by the limitations of the labour market (segregation, no contracts, salary gaps, lack of social benefits); The unpaid workload of caregivers as a major factor limiting job opportunities (increasing due to NCDs and ageing population); Women’s working conditions limit their access to pension and retirement plans with health coverage (Women access much less pension and retirement benefits); and, Women pay more out-of-pocket expenses (higher due to service demand and car for family). In 2017 World Woman’s day, PAHO called for action to overcome barriers to accessing social protection in health in the reforms of social protection systems. Social health protection policies must be based on the right to health, addressing and responding to the specific needs of women’s different situations. The following recommendations included: avoiding to linking access to social protection in health schemes to formal employment or contributory schemes; increase and improve health insurance coverage, with equity, efficiency, and sustainability, promoting the elimination of direct payment at the point of access to health services, as well as eliminating additional payments by women due to their reproductive role; offer comprehensive health services for women in basic services schemes (in addition to sexual and reproductive health care); and, develop social policies that address the issue of unpaid care in the home, without perpetuating the role of women as caregivers. It is necessary to seek a fair distribution of labour among the state, the community, the private sector, and households—and within households, between men and women.

Recent environmental discourses and headlines on small island developing states (SIDS) have heralded the grave and impending threats of global warming and associated sea-level rise. These are undoubtedly significant challenges for SIDS, including atoll nations such as Kiribati. Nevertheless, securing small island state futures also requires a renewed commitment to addressing the obvious and immediate threats of urbanisation, pollution and sanitation. Looking at pressures of development on freshwater, this article argues that the future survival of small island states and their societies also greatly depends on managing the impacts of development. Approaches which can concurrently strengthen the resilience of communities and their ecosystems will result in mutual benefits for both sustainable development and climate change adaptation.