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Island Responses to COVID 19 - In the Context of Climate Resilience and Sustainable Development through the Local2030 Islands Network
Monday, 12 July 2021
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Virtual (NY Time)

Side Event

Documentation
The Permanent Mission of Ireland to the UN co-organized with U.S. Federated States of Micronesia, Hawaii Local2030 Hub, Global Island Partnership, Curacao, UN Foundation, shift7 and Guam

This event will showcase the ways in which islands are coming together through the Local2030 Island Network to achieve the SDGs during the Decade of Action, despite the current challenges faced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout 2020, the Local2030 Islands Network ran a series of webinars focussed on building back better in the context of COVID-19 and was able to share island solutions, experiences and approaches between island peers.

This side event will build on that series of webinars. This will include solutions and examples from the webinar series related to food security (SDG 2), economic resilience and recovery (SDG 8), youth engagement in recovery (SDG 10 and 17), building climate resilience for COVID-19 recovery (SDG 13), and the public private partnerships and effective institutions in islands that can support recovery (SDG 16 and 17) all in the context of SDG implementation.

Islands are on the frontline of climate change, experiencing sea level rise, biodiversity loss and severe weather events. Climate change is inherently about disruption and the current pandemic serves as a postcard from the future of a climate disrupted world if we fail to achieve the SDGs this decade. Islands were particularly affected by COVID, which disrupted supply chains and highlighted the dependence on the tourism economy. Despite the disruption, island economies demonstrated remarkable resilience, doubling down on food security and accelerating net-zero emissions pathways to ensure a more equitable, green and sustainable future. This event will showcase island “bright spots” of resilience and provide an opportunity for Local2030 Island Network members and partners to share how they are approaching the climate crisis, the pandemic and SDG implementation.

Through this event, island economies will share technological, innovative, and systems-thinking solutions and pathways that are globally relevant. Through a collaborative, informative, and engaging discussion, we will demonstrate just how important islands, and island values, are in terms of a resilient, equitable and green future for Island Earth.

United Nations