The fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), set to take place in St. John’s, Antigua, will host the highest number of delegates since its inception.

The conference, set to take place from May 27 to 30, has 3,300 delegates registered to attend with close to 600 in-person attendees. Among the delegation are 26 heads of state in government and 60 members of government.

SIDS4, under the theme ‘Charting the Course Toward Resilient Prosperity‘, aims to evaluate the progress and capacity of small island developing states (SIDS) in achieving sustainable development, including the goals in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

At an online media briefing, Diane Quarless, subregional director within the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC), spoke on the importance of SIDS to remain leaders globally for climate ambition.

She expressed that although making up less than one per cent of the world’s landmass and less than five per cent of the world’s population, SIDS are the “canaries in the coal mine when it comes to climate change,” referencing how its regions such as the Caribbean that are most affected despite its low carbon footprint.

Quarless added that it is important for the region to remain informed and united as collectively SIDS makes up 20 per cent of the United Nations (UN) which is not an insignificant number.

SIDS grapple with high import and export costs, limited access to concessional financing, heavy reliance on external markets and limited natural resources, environmental challenges in marine areas, and vulnerability to natural disasters. Tourism, a major economic driver, was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite contributing less than one per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, SIDS bear the brunt of climate impacts, with coral reefs and coastal ecosystems under significant threat.