HLPF 2018: Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies

 

 

 

2018 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
Thematic review
Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies – SIDS perspective

Lucas Tavares, Senior Liaison Officer, FAO Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York

 

Thank you, Madam moderator, for giving me the floor, and thank you to the panelists for their insightful presentations.

Small Island Developing States face numerous challenges with respect to energy, land and water. They are worsened by climate change and place additional burdens on efforts to build resilience, achieve food security and promote sustainable development. Adequate response requires actions in different fronts, including:

- increasing resilience of livelihoods and reshaping development pathways, allowing families and communities to anticipate and cope with multiple risks and shocks
- promoting poverty reduction, food security and nutrition, sustainable management of natural resources, and climate change mitigation and adaptation in a holistic manner

Actions cannot be isolated. They must be intersectoral, grounded on lessons learned and well-defined priorities. They require national leadership, local involvement and international cooperation.

FAO has worked with SIDS, development partners and communities in such efforts.

Building on them, and responding to a call by the SAMOA Pathway, FAO, DESA and OHRLLS presented last year the Global Action Programme on Food Security and Nutrition. The Programme provides indicative actions to create enabling environments for food security and nutrition; to improve the nutrition-sensitivity, resilience and sustainability of food systems, and to empower peoples and communities.

As a whole, these efforts will help us respond to crises, improve disaster risk management, promote climate adaptation and mitigation, and accelerate advances towards sustainable development.

Questions to panelists: one issue mentioned was the need to move away from sectoral approaches and work better together at different levels. What more can be done to implement integrated responses at the national level and more coordinated international cooperation in SIDS?

Thank you for your attention.