This webinar on the ongoing global program “Implementing Sustainable Low and Non-Chemical Development in SIDS," known as ISLANDS, was the first in a series of technical discussions focused on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in 2024. Participants discussed the progress achieved by the ISLANDS program, emphasizing its successful collaborations with the private sector and its efforts to empower youth leaders to achieve its ambitious objectives.
The ISLANDS program aims to prevent the build-up of materials and chemicals in the environment that contain persistent organic pollutants, mercury, and other harmful chemicals in SIDS and to manage and dispose of existing harmful chemicals and materials in these countries. The ISLANDS program supports 33 island nations in the Atlantic, Caribbean, Indian, and Pacific regions in improving chemicals and waste management. The global program is led by the United Nations Environment Programme and was approved in the seventh GEF replenishment period (GEF-7).
Island nations rely heavily on imported goods, including batteries, computers, cars, and plastic-based items, many of which contain hazardous substances. Due to limited space and inadequate infrastructure, these nations face heightened pollution risks and struggle to manage chemicals and waste safely. Consequently, discarded products often end up being dumped, burned, or left in landfills, resulting in harmful toxins leaching into the soil, water, and air, posing significant threats to human health and the environment.
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