Editing IPCC:AR6/WGII/Chapter-15 (section)

== 15.1 Introduction ==

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This chapter examines the climate change impacts and projected risks faced by small islands, including the detection and attribution of observed impacts, the losses and damages they experience, and the enablers, limits and barriers to the implementation of adaptation options applicable to them. The implications of climate change impacts on the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the need for more climate resilient development pathways based on a systems transitions approach, and how both of these intersect with future potential responses are assessed within the context of small island states.

The small islands covered in this chapter are located within the tropics of the southern, northern, and western Pacific Ocean, the central, eastern and western Indian Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the eastern Atlantic off the coast of West Africa, and in the temperate Mediterranean Sea. In contrast to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), non-sovereign island states and territories dependent on continental states and islands of semi-autonomous, sub-national island jurisdictions are included in this chapter. Further, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) consisting of 39 small island and low-lying coastal developing states which belong to the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) are covered in this assessment. Islands in the polar and sub-polar regions, North Atlantic Ocean, the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Black Sea and the Arctic Ocean are not included.

Small islands share similarities such as geographical remoteness, isolation, narrow resource bases, heavy dependency on external trade, vulnerability to exogenous economic shocks, economic volatility, and limited access to development finance. Many are biodiversity hotspots and experience a disproportionate impact of natural hazards associated with climate change. They are also diverse in physical and biophysical characteristics, economic systems, political/governance systems, and exhibit social and cultural differences. Adaptation responses vary among small islands because such diversity requires place-specific and culturally specific adaptation responses.

The chapter is structured in accordance with the overall format of the AR6 Working Group II report (Figure 15.1). This section presents points of departure from AR5. As shown in Figure 15.1, this is followed by an assessment of current and future risks that are expected to be experienced by small islands (Sections 15.3 and 15.4), what measures have been implemented ( [[#15.5|Section 15.5]] ) and enablers, limits and barriers that are being encountered ( [[#15.6|Section 15.6]] ). [[#15.7|Section 15.7]] deals with the SDGs, climate resilient development pathways and potential future responses. The chapter ends with an identification of research gaps ( [[#15.8|Section 15.8]] ).

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'''Figure 15.1 |''' '''Schematic illustration of the interconnections of [https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/chapter/chapter-15 Chapter 15] themes, including on observed impacts and projected risks (Section 15''' '''.''' '''3) and on adaptation options and their implementation (Sections 15.5 and 15.6).'''

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