🏝️ Ocean Mini Dives: Island Resilience

Once considered idyllic, remote paradises, islands now represent one of the most extreme frontiers against climate change. 

Small island developing states (SIDS) experience the most adverse effects of extreme weather, ranging from flooding to tropical cyclones and storm surges. Moreover, rising sea levels threaten the very existence of certain islands, with places like the Maldives, Tuvalu, Kiribati, and the Marshall Islands under particular threat due to their very gradual elevation. The nearby Solomon Islands have already seen five islands disappear fully under water at high tide. 

Despite being responsible for less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, these countries have lost $153bn in the past 50 years as a result of climate hazards. And while many have made strong political commitments to net zero, climate change adaptation requires financial investment and innovation that many of these countries cannot afford. 

Infrastructure in SIDS is simply not built to withstand these multiple threats. Many of these nations are densely populated or spread across multiple, smaller islands, creating infrastructure challenges for construction, transport, energy, water access, and waste management, to name a few. 

So where do we see the opportunities for innovation?

⭐️ Insurance & climate finance

A large part of the problem is economic, insurance and financing has a big role in building climate resilience in SIDS. As new climate threats mount, island communities will need increasingly complex types of financial protection and cover—such as AI or satellite imaging that can provide accurate and all-encompassing cover. Moreover, while many islands rely on public climate financing, we’re interested in new ways to broaden access to sustainable financing to local businesses, communities, etc. 

⭐️ Climate resilient buildings

Opportunities to adapt existing design principles to create buildings that safeguard their occupants against extreme weather. This starts with the location of the buildings, with technologies to project future threats, as well as their actual design. There is also opportunity for innovation around construction materials—whether that’s hurricane resistant windows or reinforced concrete to protect against salt water intrusion. 

⭐️ Circular systems

Islands can stand to benefit by making more from less, particularly through circular economy solutions. We’ve seen interesting innovations in everything from water reclamation to waste management that helps communities get more out of limited resources. 

⭐️ Offshore and onshore energy

Energy resilience is a huge asset to islands’ efforts towards decarbonisation. This requires innovative combinations of onshore and offshore energy that make efficient use of limited land space. DRIFT Energy Ltd is one such innovator, building mobile renewable energy capture that can distribute clean power to islands and remote communities.

⭐️ Knowledge sharing

While islands vary in size, remoteness, and economy, many of them face the same challenges. Knowledge sharing technologies stands to be a powerful tool for resilience against climate threats with the potential for uncovering new methods for adaptation and mitigation

Are you building in any of these areas?

➡️ Apply to Blue Action Accelerator: https://bit.ly/3wOB8ow

➡️ Recommend a startup: https://bit.ly/3yDEfjF 

Read our previous Ocean Mini Dives:

🚢 Port infrastructure

💧 Water accessibility

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