Small island developing states and their economic vulnerabilities

doi:10.1016/0305-750X(95)00065-K

World Development

Volume 23, Issue 9, September 1995, Pages 1615-1632

https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-750X(95)00065-K Get rights and content

Abstract

Many small island developing states (SIDS) face special disadvantages associated with small size, insularity, remoteness and proneness to natural disasters. These factors render the economies of these states very vulnerable to forces outside their control — a condition which sometimes threatens their very economic viability. The GDP or GNP per capita of these states often conceals this reality. In this paper the major vulnerabilities faced by SIDS are discussed and when possible quantified in the form of an index. An attempt is also made to construct a composite index of vulnerability.

References (24)

G. Bertram
Sustainability, aid and material welfare in small pacific island economies
World Development
(1993)
R. Cole
Economic development in the South Pacific: Promoting the private sector
World Development
(1993)
J.W. Ashe et al.
Institutional arrangements for small-island developing countries within the framework of UNCED's Agenda 21
INSULA
(1993)
L. Briguglio
The economic vulnerabilities of small island developing states
L. Briguglio
Preliminary Study on the Construction of an Index for Ranking Countries According to their Economic Vulnerability
A.S. Downes
On the statistical measurement of smallness: A principal component measure of size
Social and Economic Studies
(1988)
J. Connell
Sovereignty and survival: Island microstates in the Third World
A.L. Dhal
Island Directory
(1991)
N. Hicks et al.
Indicators of development
World Development
(1970)
IMF

B Jalan

Classification of economics by size

J. Jacobs

Reflections of a Non-Economist

Cited by (699)

Estimating and comparing the direct economic contributions of reef fisheries and tourism in the Asia-Pacific
2024, Marine Policy
Global estimates of the economic value of coral reefs have been made using benefit transfer and other valuation methods, but it is unclear whether these estimates match actualized values (e.g. market values of reef fish and reef tourism) or how they scale to specific regions. Here we empirically estimated the (actualized) direct economic contribution of fishing and tourism on coral reefs (i.e., direct use values) in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, which includes a majority (∼80%) of the global reef area. We found that coral reefs in the APAC region directly contributed $25 billion annually on average over the years 2008–2012 to the region’s economy from fishing and tourism alone. The majority of direct economic contributions (US$19.5 billion) was provided by reef tourism, while the remainder was divided between artisanal (US$2.4 billion) and industrial (US$3.2 billion) fisheries. The average economic productivity of coral reefs was estimated at US$112,000 per square kilometer of coral reef, although there were large deviations between countries in terms of economic utilization of their reefs. Our findings suggest that a highly-cited prior estimate of the global potential value of coral reefs (Cesar et al., 2003) is likely a significant underestimation of actual economic contributions. We discuss some of the implications for reef management. Most notably, our results indicate that the non-consumptive direct use of reef resources provide substantially more economic benefits than consumptive uses.
Seychelles Plateau's oil spill vulnerability
2023, Marine Pollution Bulletin
Small Island Developing States, such as Seychelles, are highly susceptible to oil pollution incidents, with limited infrastructure for detection and mitigation. While an oil spill could significantly impact Seychelle's tourism industry, contributing to ~40% of its GDP, the archipelago's vulnerability remains largely unknown. Here, we developed a high-resolution ocean circulation model for Seychelles Plateau, simulating currents over three years (2018–2020) to model oil spill dispersal to six ecologically and economically significant coastal areas. Our findings reveal distinct seasonality in offshore risk distribution, driven by seasonal fluctuations in atmospheric and oceanic circulations. We show that an oil spill originating from any part of the plateau could potentially impact a sensitive coastal site in less than five days. By identifying high-risk areas, including the major north-south shipping route, we emphasize the importance of close satellite and airborne monitoring for early warnings to protect Seychelles' coastal ecosystems and tourism industry.
Sinking Paradise? Climate change vulnerability and Pacific Island extinction narratives
2023, Geoforum
The extinction narrative of the ‘sinking island states’ is well known and discussed extensively in the climate change institutions, academic literature, and media accounts of climate change. This article questions the theoretical basis upon which this narrative has developed, asking how it became so embedded in climate change politics, and what implications this narrative has both for islands and for action on climate change. Focussing on the Pacific, this article uses the insights of racial capitalism and critical feminism to historicise the sinking islands extinction narrative. This historical analysis shows that underlying these extinction narratives of doomed islands and islanders is a colonial logic of disposability that has developed over time, shifting to naturalise changing forms of violence and exploitation in the Pacific. This argument has implications for climate change politics where extinction narratives are widespread, including in justice arguments. The racialised and gendered colonial logics that underlie vulnerability discourse means it does not function to strengthen arguments for mitigation, but instead to naturalise the suffering and loss of those deemed vulnerable. Questioning how discourses of vulnerability impact on capitalist accumulations and dispossessions is therefore important, as the solutions to vulnerability are different if it is understood not as inherent, but as an actively reproduced condition that is being resisted by vulnerabilised communities.
Use of marine debris as nest material by ospreys
2023, Marine Pollution Bulletin
The use of anthropogenic debris as nest-building materials may affect nest function. We study ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) on an island with scarce vegetation and high availability of beached marine debris. We describe the anthropogenic debris in osprey nests, evaluate the factors affecting its prevalence and abundance, and test its potential effects on breeding parameters. We also quantify plastic entanglements among adults and nestlings. Of the 36 studied nests, 92 % included non-natural items, with plastic being the most frequent material (88.9 %). Nests that were bigger and closer to the coast had more anthropogenic items. The abundance of anthropogenic items in nests did not correlate with osprey breeding parameters. We recorded two live entangled adult females, which represent 3.9 % of the adult population. Monitoring the abundance of anthropogenic debris and its effects on wildlife is necessary to guarantee long-term viability of coastal wildlife.
Assessing vulnerability in ethnic Munda community: A study on a cyclone-prone area of Bangladesh
2023, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction
Despite the much research on cyclone vulnerability in Bangladesh, few papers have addressed the assessment of cyclone vulnerability. Furthermore, there has been no study of the vulnerability of the Munda minority in the Southwestern part of Bangladesh. The Sundarbans, the Gorai River, the Rupsa-Pasur River, and the coastline region are visible in Bangladesh's Southwest. It is often referred to as the Ganges Tidal Plain and consists of a delta that is only partially active. Numerous creeks and canals run through it. This study assesses the vulnerability of the Munda community to cyclones using 28 social, economic, physical, institutional, and cultural indicators. After the cyclone Aila, the education level of 84 Munda households in Gabura and Munshiganj Unions of Shyamnagar Upazila, Satkhira District, increased. Many members of the Munda community live in poverty (less than US$100 monthly income). About 70% of them rely on agriculture and fishing as their primary source of income. They also have alternative sources of income, such as daily labor. However, they were physically vulnerable. Only 7% of Munda houses were semi-pucca (partially concrete houses). Additionally, 85% of Munda houses were built over a decade ago. Cyclones severely damaged approximately 89% of houses in the past. Many (88%) did not have access to proper sanitation. The physical vulnerability was also found to be significantly greater (P < 0.05) in Gabura Union (0.54 ± 0.09) than in Munshiganj Union (0.48 ± 0.13). However, they reported strong institutional support for disseminating cyclone warning messages, information on cyclone shelters, and evacuation procedures during cyclone emergencies. National and international disaster risk reduction strategies should encompass all people of all races, ethnicities, and nationalities.
Fact or fiction? Unpacking the terminologies used in fisheries allocation discussions
2023, Marine Policy
In fisheries management, allocating resources has been described as one of the most arduous and challenging tasks. Although most of the tuna regional fisheries management organizations (tRFMOs) have allocation processes in place, the equity of these processes has been questioned. Negotiations on allocations are driven by national and geopolitical interests, which also influence the manner in which key principles and concepts are used in the negotiation process. This article seeks to clarify how key principles and concepts in international fisheries law are understood and to dispel some misconceptions regarding their scope and application. Through facilitating a better understanding of terminology, the authors aim to improve equity and transparency in allocation negotiations, the sustainable management of tuna stocks and the equitable allocation of fishing opportunities.

View all citing articles on Scopus

View full text

Small island developing states and their economic vulnerabilities

Abstract

World Development

World Development

Institutional arrangements for small-island developing countries within the framework of UNCED's Agenda 21

INSULA

The economic vulnerabilities of small island developing states

Preliminary Study on the Construction of an Index for Ranking Countries According to their Economic Vulnerability

On the statistical measurement of smallness: A principal component measure of size

Social and Economic Studies

Sovereignty and survival: Island microstates in the Third World

Island Directory

Indicators of development

World Development

Classification of economics by size

Reflections of a Non-Economist