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Expert Group Meeting on Identifying Emerging Issues from the Perspective of the Small Island Developing States
14 May 2013 - 16 May 2013
location
Cambridge, United Kingdom
The social, economic and environmental pillars of sustainable development are inextricably entwined, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), where a decision made in one sphere can have a strong and immediate impact on the other two. From economic growth to climate change to food security, the issues facing SIDS are multi-dimensional and they require integrated action to address them.

Our current environmental crises have their roots in human economic and social activity, in an expanding human population with ever increasing consumption demands and production expectations. Understanding the human causes of environmental degradation is vital to finding solutions. Highlighting these social and economic impacts may spur policy makers to take action in ways that long-term environmental predictions may not.
United Nations