Global SIDS: The Blue Economy and Climate Resilience

The blue economy is a key source of sustainable income and employment in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and a strong contributor to climate adaptation and resilience (e.g., healthy coral reefs protect against climate hazards by reducing the intensity of waves by upwards of 97%). Marine spatial planning can help mainstream solutions such as extending marine protected areas to include carbon-storing habitats and protecting or restoring native species that sequester carbon.

This 45-min high-level panel of international blue economy leaders will highlight the importance of the blue economy in strengthening climate adaptation and resilience while ensuring sustainable income and food security in SIDS, and will make the case for integrating the blue economy in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) revisions. It will also highlight the relevance of adopting a regional approach to address public goods and improve the coordination of policies and strategies to support the blue economy and create economies of scale for private investment.

COP27 brings together SIDS representatives, the donor community, and the private sector. This high-level panel will bring together SIDS representatives from the Eastern Caribbean, Maldives and Palau providing an opportunity to discuss collective responsibility for ensuring the health and sustainability of the world’s oceans, and their vital role in future NDCs.

Speakers are listed below