Preparatory committee tackles problems of small island States; world conference to begin in April 1994.

A palm-fringed tropical island may be a tourist's idea of 9 trouble-free paradise, but those who live in small island developing States - known as SIDS - face some unique problems, from remoteness from world markets to possible inundation due to global warming.

Those and other concerns were discussed by the Preparatory Committee for the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small island Developing States, at its first session (New York, 30 August-10 September). The global meeting, to be held in Barbados from 25 April to 6 May 1994, is an offspring of the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 1992.

Wide divergence

There was a wide divergence of views on the outstanding work of the Committee, Chairman Penelope Anne Wensley of Australia reported. It considered, but did not approve, a draft for a programme of action for the sustainable development of SIDS.

Ms. Wensley said the Committee would work to provide a model for actions to be implemented at the regional, national, and international levels.

The problems and vulnerabilities of small island States should be addressed within the context o broader international efforts to achieve sustainable, development, she said.

Nitin Desai, Under-Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, said that the Conference would likely be among the first follow-up efforts to the "Earth Summit" to reach fruition. As such, it would represent the first full-fledged test of the international community's commitment to implement "Agenda 21", the blueprint of action adopted by UNCED.

In a 12 August report (A/CONF]67/ PC/1O), the Secretary-General said some SIDS were considered high-income countries, while others were classified as least developed. Still, many or most faced similar problems, including lack of economic diversity, vulnerability to natural disasters and fragile ecosystems.

Many SIDS depend on a single industry, often tourism, making them particularly vulnerable to fluctuations in world markets. Many are also located outside of major transportation routes, resulting in high-unit costs for passengers and freight.

In addition, there are island States prone to frequent natural disasters, as they are in the path of tropical cyclones and hurricanes. Some are situated along geological fault lines where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.

The prospect of "global warming" worries low-lying island States, as they would be most affected by sea-level rise due to higher temperatures and melting glaciers.

The islands' ecosystems tend to be especially fragile, having evolved in isolation, which give rise to rare endemic species that fall easy prey to epidemics, and plants and animals introduced from elsewhere.

Action programme

outlined

The basic elements for an action programme for the sustainable development of SIDS were outlined in a position paper (A/CONF.167/PC/L.5) submitted by China and the "Group of 77" developing countries.

That paper, identifying 15 programme elements, addressed: climate change and sea-level rise; natural and environmental disasters; waste management: coastal and marine resources; tourism; biodiversity; transport; and; communication.

Suggestions for effective implementation included: increased regional cooperation: trade liberalization to improve market access for exports; transfer of environmentally sound technologies; support for training in environmental law; and development of a "vulnerability index", to integrate ecological fragility and economic vulnerability.