While progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been made over the past four years, some vulnerable island States are losing momentum in the race to 2030, according to discussions at the United Nations’ annual High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) on Wednesday.

In 2015, the UN set out a vision for “people, planet, peace and prosperity” through partnership and solidarity, when it adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

To date however, many small island developing States (SIDS) still face persistent challenges linked to poverty, inequality and climate impacts.

Speaking on behalf of the members of the Pacific Islands Forum, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, Samoa’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, painted a picture of dying corals and increasing numbers of cyclones, flooding and droughts. 

“One catastrophic event is undoing decades of progress, claiming lives, destroying vital infrastructure, homes, biodiversity and adversely affecting food security and the delivery of services and livelihoods”, she spelled out.  “Furthermore, our waste generation is outpacing our capacity to manage and are impacting our environment, ocean and marine life”.

To read more, click link: https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/07/1042161

Source: The Guardian