Small Island Developing States: vulnerability note 2025
This information note sets out the vulnerabilities Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have to manage and overcome, and ways they can improve resilience.
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The UK and the international community have recognised that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are a special case for sustainable development due to their combination of vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities come from SIDS’ structural characteristics of low economies of scale, remoteness, and environmental risks, and they affect SIDS’ opportunities to secure external financing. The climate crisis exacerbates SIDS’ economic and social vulnerabilities.
While there are many ways to measure vulnerability, most SIDS rank as highly vulnerable across different indicators (consistently more so than countries at a similar income level).