Creating a Green Growth Framework for Islands

Islands are some of the smallest contributors to global carbon emissions, yet are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change (e.g. rising sea levels, extreme storms, and declining fish populations due to warming seas). At the same time, due to their smaller scale and local limitations on resources, island communities have been driving adaptation efforts for responding to the impacts of climate change based on their lived experiences and indigenous knowledge. Recognizing that local community members are in the best position to advance sustainability solutions in their respective island communities, our project sought to uncover best practices of islands that are collaboratively working with their communities to promote sustainable development and adapt to climate change, while leading the way in measuring progress on the SDGs. To this end, we interviewed island leaders from Hawaii, Guam, and Tasmania, who have already launched strategies for achieving these goals, and combined their experiences into a framework requested by other island leaders to encourage locally-driven, culturally-relevant green growth initiatives in partnership with our project partner, the Local2030 Islands Network (Local2030IN). Through designing the framework, we learned 17 possible actions islands can take when developing their own green growth initiative, key insights for implementing the SDGs on islands, and how to work alongside a project partner to create a final deliverable.