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Developing a Vulnerability Index for
SIDS
Recent Events
As part of the Mauritius (2005) preparatory
process, UWICED, supported by UNDP and UNDESA,
organized a series of expert meetings to
generate valuable reports on the sustainable
development challenges facing SIDS. Accordingly,
in October 2003, an expert meeting entitled,
‘Enhancing Resilience - the Role of
the Private Sector, Civil Society and Trade
in the Sustainable Development of SIDS’
was held in Dominica. Please click
here
to view reports, presentations, and outcomes
from this event.
In preparation for the The World Summit
on Sustainable Development, a global roundtable
entitled, ‘Vulnerability and Small
Island Developing States; Exploring Mechanisms
for Partnerships’ was held in Montego
Bay, Jamaica, 9-10 May 2002 . The Round
Table mobilized new political commitments
and forged partnerships to reduce small
islands' vulnerabilities, mainly through
further implementation of the SIDS programme
of action. It also attempted to rally international
organizations to champion a renewed framework
for implementation of the SIDS agenda. For
more information, presentations, and documentation
please click
here.
Project Background
Although many SIDS have made substantial
strides in economic growth, social development,
and environmental conservation, their small
size, isolation, susceptibility to natural
disasters, and ecological fragility, means
that such progress will always be precarious.
SIDS are estimated to be 34% economically
more vulnerable than other developing countries,
largely because of their exposure to natural
disasters and high level of export concentration.
Such challenges have been articulated in
Agenda 21, the 1994
Programme of Action
for the Sustainable Development of Small
Island Developing States, the decisions
adopted at the
twenty-second
special session of the General Assembly
(1999) and in (WSSD
Plan of Implementation, para. 52, in 2002).
Because one hurricane or commodity price
downturn can erode years of development
gains in SIDS, it is essential that small
islands build their resilience and capacity
to mitigate recurrent environmental and
economic shocks.
As a first step in addressing the issue
of vulnerability, the General Assembly endorsed
a broad assessment, using economic, social,
and environmental vulnerability indices
developed specifically for SIDS. The 1994
resolution 49/122, states,
"Small island developing States, in
cooperation with national, regional and
international organizations and research
centres, should continue work on the development
of vulnerability indices and other indicators
that reflect the status of small island
developing States and integrate ecological
fragility and economic vulnerability. Consideration
should be given to how such an index, as
well as relevant studies undertaken on small
island developing States by other international
institutions, might be used in addition
to other statistical measures as quantitative
indicators of fragility".
"Appropriate expertise should continue
to be utilized in the development, compilation
and updating of the vulnerability index.
Such expertise could include scholars and
representatives of international organizations
that have at their disposal the data required
to compile the vulnerability index. Relevant
international organizations are invited
to contribute to the development of the
index. In addition, it is recommended that
the work currently under way in the United
Nations system on the elaboration of sustainable
development indicators should take into
account proposals on the vulnerability index".
In 1996 the Commission on Sustainable Development
(CSD) at its fourth
session in decision
4/16 encouraged “the relevant bodies
of the United Nations System to give priority
to the development of the index”.
Accordingly, in 1996, the United Nations
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
(DESA) undertook initial studies in order
to provide a conceptual framework for the
development of a vulnerability index.
In 1997, the Department of Economic and
Social Affairs engaged two consultants to
develop economic and ecological vulnerability
indices. DESA also convened an ad hoc expert
group to review the technical work of the
consultants and to make appropriate recommendations.
Interagency Coordination
In 2001 and 2002, the Secretary-General
presented reports to the United Nations
General Assembly 56th and 57th sessions
respectively on the ongoing efforts taken
by several United Nations organizations
and intergovernmental bodies in developing
indicators that would measure the vulnerability
of small island developing States. The reports
indicated the important research carried
out in developing a definitive economic,
social, and environmental vulnerability
indices.
The report of the
Secretary-General submitted to the
57th session of the General Assembly
(A/57/131)
[Arabic]
[Chinese]
[English]
[French]
[Russian]
[Spanish]
The report of the Secretary-General
submitted to the 56th session of the
General Assembly (A/56/170)
[Arabic]
[Chinese]
[English]
[French]
[Russian]
[Spanish]
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