Specific attention needed for SIDS and their vulnerability and fair global mechanisms must be put in place to reduce that vulnerability”,

Press Release: “Specific attention needed for SIDS and their vulnerability and fair global mechanisms must be put in place to reduce that vulnerability”, declares Minister Payet at SIDS media roundtable.
Thursday 26th June 2014

Despite 2 decades of global resolutions on SIDS and numerous assessments which clearly identify SIDS as being highly vulnerable from an economic, environmental and social perspective - the number of issues facing SIDS have continued to increase, however Samoa presents an opportunity for the international community to give special attention to SIDS, not only in terms of financial support, but by providing specific attention to their vulnerability and put in place fair global mechanisms to reduce that vulnerability.” This was the declaration made by the Minister of Environment and Energy, Prof Rolph Payet at a media round table for Small Island Developing States, alongisde ministers from St. Lucia and Samoa, host of the  the Third Conference for SIDS which will be held in Apia, Samoa.
In a later UNEA Side-Event on SIDS, Minister Payet, who was invited to make a keynote address, said that the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Foresight report clearly illustrates key and emerging issues that SIDS will face.  Adding that climate change, biodiversity loss, management of chemicals and wastes, food security and water availability are key areas of concern. “Greening the economy provides a pragmatic and essential way forward for SIDS, but significant challenges remain such as technology transfer, scaling down solutions, economies of scale, legal and institutional capacity and poor research capacity” concluded the Minister. He further suggested that the SIDS grouping should form a permanent grouping at future UNEAs to ensure that SIDS concerns are adequately represented in the outcomes and resolutions.

"The issue of integrated chemicals and waste management is also important for SIDS as they lack the capacity to manage hazardous wastes and other types such as plastic wastes and micro plastics, which end up as marine debris. Fragile ecosystems and human populations are exposed to hazardous substances most of which are not even produced in SIDS” explained Professor Payet adding that Seychelles has developed and is implementing its 2012-2020 Sustainable Development Strategy and has embarked on numerous partnerships with the support of the Clinton Foundation to address the issue of wastes in Seychelles.
All of these events were organized today during the first session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) being held in Nairobi, Kenya this week, ahead of the High Level Sessions which starts on today (Thursday). Seychelles is also part of the Group of Friends of the President of UNEA, and also the Plastic Debris and Micro plastic Drafting Team.
For more information please visit: www.unep.org/unea/