International | Fighting for survival

Many small islands have no room for manoeuvre at COP28

Simply put, their goal is staving off annihilation 

A young boy watches his family unload their possession on Vanuatu Ambae island after the Manaro Voui volcano forced the people to evacuate
Photograph: Eyevine
|RAROTONGA AND SANTO DOMINGO

AT THE LATEST climate summit convened by the UN, COP28, which opens in Dubai on November 30th, one group is sure to have an outsize voice. These are the small island developing states (SIDS). Their club numbers just 39 full members and 18 associates. Together they account for less than 1% of the world’s population, land mass and GDP—and just 0.2% of carbon emissions. Yet on climate, as well as in other development-related areas, they have a knack of helping to shape the international agenda.

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