Plan to help small island states tackle climate threat bodes well for all coastal regions
In a major initiative at the ongoing COP26 summit, India and the UK have jointly launched the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) initiative to help small island developing states build resilient infrastructure to climate change. As is well known, small island states are the most vulnerable to climate change, with rising sea levels threatening their very existence. Take, for example, the Marshall Islands in the central Pacific with a population of 60,000 just two meters above sea level. Its climate envoy recently warned that its home could be gone within 50 years. if concrete measures are not taken to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
In fact, for many of these island nations – numbering around 58 and spread across three geographic regions – even a 1.1°C rise in global temperature is dangerous, requiring massive investments in adaptation measures. This is where IRIS hopes to leverage finance and technology for small island nations to build quality infrastructure. India has also offered to create a special data window by its space agency Isro that would help these countries get advance warning of cyclones and monitor their coasts and reefs.
Beyond the humanitarian need, the reason why attention must be devoted to small island states’ fight against climate change is that by protecting the most vulnerable, the international community can protect itself. In fact, India’s 8,118 km long coastline is also threatened by rising sea levels and extreme weather events. Areas like the Sundarbans in Bengal are already experiencing a decline in housing.
Managing all of this will require a smart mix of mitigation and adaptation. From preparing and requalifying the most vulnerable populations to managing the increase in water salinity, difficult times lie ahead. Coastal states and small island states have much in common when it comes to climate challenges. And only by working together can we protect the future from climate catastrophe.
This article appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of the Times of India.
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