The 2024 small island developing states report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change

The 2024 small island developing states (SIDS) report for the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change expands on the global Lancet Countdown 2023 and 2024 reports to explore the unique contexts, geographies, vulnerabilities, and needs that shape the evolving links between health and climate change in SIDS in the Pacific, Caribbean, and Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and South China Sea regions. SIDS were first recognised as a distinct grouping of island nations at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development; they share high vulnerability to extreme weather events, climate change, and global economic shocks. The message of the global Lancet Countdown is echoed in this Lancet Countdown report for SIDS: a health-centred response is essential to allay the severity of the encroaching impacts of global climate change on the health and wellbeing of populations. Such a response requires international action from high-income countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This action, in conjunction with other locally and internally driven efforts, should enable a prosperous future for the SIDS, which collectively have low emissions.

Shouro Dasgupta and Elizabeth Robinson were authors of indicator 1.4 on Food Security.

The 2024 small island developing states report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change, Gordon-Strachan, Georgiana M et al. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00421-2