Climate and Debt: How Can Small Island Developing States Weather the Perfect Storm?

The climate crisis is posing an existential threat to Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Large-scale investments are needed to climate-proof existing and build new climate-resilient infrastructure and adapt societies and economies to the impacts of climate change. Moreover, significant investments are needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the SAMOA Pathway, the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action. A high cost of capital and severely limited fiscal space have constrained critical investments in adaptation, resilience and development already prior to the Covid-19 crisis. As a result of the pandemic, the sustainability of sovereign debt of SIDS has worsened significantly. This London Climate Action Week event will discuss policy opportunities for addressing simultaneously the crises of debt, advance climate protection and enable SIDS to fully implement the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.

Speakers:

• Ambassador Dr Walton A. Webson, Permanent Representative of Antigua and
  Barbuda to the United Nations & Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States
• Dr Emily Wilkinson, Senior Research Fellow, Overseas Development Institute & Director, Resilient and Sustainable Islands
• Dr Ulrich Volz, Professor of Economics at SOAS University of London and Director
  of the SOAS Centre for Sustainable Finance

To attend this event, please register on Eventbrite.