Fourth Report - The UK Small Island Developing States Strategy

The government's response

What the committee recommended 26

1. 1
   Absence of measurable objectives in SIDS Strategy risks de-prioritising UK commitment. Conclusion · paragraph 14
2. 2
   Provide a written update on progress in delivering the SIDS Strategy by September 2024. Recommendation
3. 3
   Vulnerability-based measures are necessary for SIDS to access UK ODA Conclusion · paragraph 25
4. 4
   Advocate within OECD to reform ODA eligibility criteria for SIDS' vulnerabilities Recommendation · paragraph 25
5. 5
   Advocate as GCF co-chair for policies improving SIDS' access to climate finance Recommendation · paragraph 28

See all 26 recommendations and conclusions

Sources

• Fourth Report - The UK Small Island Developing States Strategy ↗The committee's report, HC 476, parliament.uk
• 2nd Special Report - The UK Small Island Developing States Strategy: Government Response ↗The government's response, 13 January 2025, parliament.uk

Recommendations and conclusions 26

1. 1
   Absence of measurable objectives in SIDS Strategy risks de-prioritising UK commitment. Conclusion · paragraph 14 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Conclusion (the committee's words)

   We welcome the Government’s publication of the Small Island Developing States Strategy 2022–2026. Being a firm, committed supporter of SIDS in addressing their developmental and environmental challenges is not only morally right; it is also in the UK’s geopolitical interest. However, we are concerned that, given the absence of measurable objectives in the strategy, the UK’s commitment to SIDS may slip down the Government’s priority list over time.
2. 2
   Provide a written update on progress in delivering the SIDS Strategy by September 2024. Recommendation · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Recommendation (the committee's words)

   The Government must honour the commitment it made to provide the Committee with a written update on progress in delivering the SIDS Strategy across the six areas of focus by 30 September 2024. Points that the report should cover are listed in Annex
3. 3
   Vulnerability-based measures are necessary for SIDS to access UK ODA Conclusion · paragraph 25 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Conclusion (the committee's words)

   We recognise that there could be risks in moving towards the use of vulnerability- based measures in determining ODA eligibility. However, such a move is necessary for ensuring that vulnerable SIDS have the opportunity to access UK aid. It will remain for individual donor countries to determine where the need for ODA is greatest.
4. 4
   Advocate within OECD to reform ODA eligibility criteria for SIDS' vulnerabilities Recommendation · paragraph 25 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Recommendation (the committee's words)

   The UK Government should use its membership of, and influence within, the OECD to advocate that ODA eligibility criteria be reformed to reflect SIDS’ vulnerabilities. This could take the form of a ‘small island exception’ as employed by the World Bank or a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI), such as that currently being considered by the United Nations.
5. 5
   Advocate as GCF co-chair for policies improving SIDS' access to climate finance Recommendation · paragraph 28 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Recommendation (the committee's words)

   Accessing climate finance from international organisations such as the Green Climate Fund is a challenge for Small Island Developing States. As co-chair of the GCF in 2024, the UK is well-positioned to push for reforms that benefit SIDS. The UK Government should use its co-chairmanship of the Green Climate Fund’s board to advocate for policies that will improve SIDS’ access to GCF resources, consistent with the commitments outlined in its 2024–27 Strategic Plan—especially in the area of simplified application procedures.
6. 6
   Promote simplified application procedures for SIDS' access to GCF resources Recommendation · paragraph 28 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Recommendation (the committee's words)

   The UK Government should use its co-chairmanship of the Green Climate Fund’s board to advocate for policies that will improve SIDS’ access to GCF resources, consistent with the commitments outlined in its 2024–27 Strategic Plan—especially in the area of simplified application procedures.
7. 7
   UK climate finance labelled as grants are disbursed as loans Conclusion · paragraph 33 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Conclusion (the committee's words)

   We are concerned that the UK labels the climate finance it provides via multilateral development banks as “grants”, but that these are disbursed in the form of loans to recipient countries.
8. 8
   Ensure reported grant climate finance is disbursed as grants, not loans Recommendation · paragraph 33 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Recommendation (the committee's words)

   The UK Government should ensure that any climate finance it reports as grant funding is disbursed to recipient countries as such, and not in the form of loans.
9. 9
   UK positioned to advocate for SIDS' representation on World Bank and IMF boards Conclusion · paragraph 36 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Conclusion (the committee's words)

   As a major shareholder of the World Bank and IMF, the UK is well-placed to take the lead in advocating for governance reforms that secure better representation for SIDS on these bodies. While this Committee recognises that better board representation would not guarantee that SIDS would enjoy seamless access to finance, it would at least ensure that their voices are heard when decisions on how to allocate finance are being made.
10. 10
    Explore better representation for SIDS on World Bank and IMF boards Recommendation · paragraph 36 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Recommendation (the committee's words)

    Therefore, in addition to using its own influence within international financial institutions to advocate for reforms that benefit SIDS, the UK Government should also explore how SIDS might be better represented on the World Bank and IMF boards, potentially using the Green Climate Fund’s governance structure as a guide.
11. 11
    UK SIDS Strategy omits loss and damage, despite advocacy opportunity on fund board Conclusion · paragraph 43 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Conclusion (the committee's words)

    The Committee is concerned that, given its importance to Small Island Developing States, the UK SIDS Strategy makes no mention of issues of loss and damage. We are also disappointed that, having stated its aspiration in the SIDS Strategy to “lend [ … ] our voice to advocate for issues important to SIDS internationally”, the UK opposed the SIDS’ position and supported the hosting of the Loss and Damage Fund in the World Bank, even if this was on an “interim” basis. However, as holder of a seat on the Loss and Damage Fund board, the UK now has the opportunity to advocate in favour of the SIDS’ position in decisions over how finance will be disbursed.
12. 12
    Advocate on Loss and Damage Fund board for grant-based disbursements Recommendation · paragraph 43 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Recommendation (the committee's words)

    Now that the agreement is in place, the UK Government should use its seat on the Loss and Damage Fund board to advocate that the Fund disburses its funding in the form of grants.
13. 13
    Government's Loss and Damage Fund pledge drawn from existing commitments disappoints Committee. Conclusion · paragraph 45 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Conclusion (the committee's words)

    The Committee welcomes the Government’s £60 million pledge to the UNFCCC’s Loss and Damage Fund, but is disappointed that this is drawn from previously announced commitments. The Committee understands the Minister’s contention that wider funding streams are needed, but until these are agreed upon, it befalls to donors such as the UK, who have historically been responsible for higher emissions, to plenish the Fund.
14. 14
    Pledge new and additional funding to the UNFCCC's Loss and Damage Fund. Recommendation · paragraph 45 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Recommendation (the committee's words)

    The UK Government should pledge new and additional funding to the Loss and Damage Fund.
15. 15
    Legal statehood issues offer UK leadership opportunity for Small Island Developing States. Conclusion · paragraph 49 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Conclusion (the committee's words)

    The issues of legal statehood and maritime zone continuity provide the UK Government with an opportunity to exercise international leadership in supporting SIDS to address an existential threat.
16. 16
    Commit to recognising SIDS' legal statehood continuity and fixed maritime boundaries despite sea-level rise. Recommendation · paragraph 49 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Recommendation (the committee's words)

    In the light of the ILC’s impending report on the topic, the UK Government should commit to working with like-minded states to explore ways of (i) formally recognising the continuity of Small Island Developing States’ legal statehood, should all their The UK Small Island Developing States Strategy 43 inhabitable land disappear due to sea-level rise and (ii) recognising countries’ legal maritime zone boundaries as fixed, even if their coastlines retreat due to sea level rise.
17. 17
    Short-term funding undermines SIDS' needs-driven capacity-building programmes despite UK efforts. Conclusion · paragraph 58 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Conclusion (the committee's words)

    This Committee acknowledges and welcomes the UK Government’s efforts to ensure that its capacity-building programmes in Small Island Developing States are driven by local needs. However, these efforts can be undermined by short-term funding horizons.
18. 18
    Commit to making multi-year funded programmes the norm in partnerships with SIDS. Recommendation · paragraph 58 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Recommendation (the committee's words)

    In its partnerships with SIDS, the Government should therefore commit to making multi-year funded programmes the norm.
19. 19
    SIDS' inter-regional co-operation remains underdeveloped and under-resourced despite UK support. Conclusion · paragraph 61 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Conclusion (the committee's words)

    We commend the UK’s active support for SIDS’ collective action and international advocacy. However, SIDS’ inter-regional co-operation remains underdeveloped and under-resourced.
20. 20
    Provide annual direct funding to Alliance of Small Island States Secretariat for advocacy work. Recommendation · paragraph 61 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Recommendation (the committee's words)

    The Government should consider providing a small amount of direct funding annually to the Alliance of Small Island States Secretariat to support its work of amplifying SIDS’ collective voice in international fora. The 4th SIDS Conference in May presents the ideal forum at which to announce this.
21. 21
    UK SIDS Strategy disappointingly lacks explicit mention of gender impacts on women and girls. Conclusion · paragraph 69 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Conclusion (the committee's words)

    Given the disproportionate impact of SIDS’ environmental and economic challenges on women and girls, it was disappointing to see no explicit mention of gender in the UK SIDS Strategy.
22. 22
    Ensure FCDO SIDS approach addresses gendered impacts, promotes equality, and collects disaggregated data. Recommendation · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Recommendation (the committee's words)

    In its approach to SIDS, the FCDO should ensure that the gendered impacts of SIDS’ environmental and developmental challenges are identified and addressed, and that UK support for SIDS is designed and implemented in a way that considers the impact of any interventions on women and girls. It should: (Paragraph 69) a) ensure that the FCDO’s bilateral aid programmes with SIDS, as well as centrally managed programmes, are on track to meet the commitment, outlined in the White Paper, that 80% of bilateral aid programmes have a focus on gender by 2030; b) support SIDS in collecting gender-disaggregated data to map the differential impact of development challenges and policy interventions on women and girls; c) make the promotion of gender equality an explicit, discrete investment criterion of the Blue Planet Fund. 44 The UK Small Island Developing States Strategy Oceans
23. 23
    Government has deprioritised Global Ocean Treaty ratification despite SIDS strategy focus. Conclusion · paragraph 75 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Conclusion (the committee's words)

    Given that the UK SIDS Strategy sets out “Ocean and Biodiversity” as an area of focus, it is concerning that the Government has ostensibly deprioritised the ratification of the Global Ocean Treaty by failing to designate the Parliamentary time necessary to pass the prerequisite legislation in this Parliament.
24. 24
    Prioritise laying primary legislation for ratifying Global Ocean Treaty before next election. Recommendation · paragraph 75 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Recommendation (the committee's words)

    The Government should prioritise the laying before Parliament of the primary legislation necessary for ratifying the Global Ocean Treaty before the next election.
25. 25
    UK domestic policies undermine credibility as serious partner to vulnerable SIDS countries. Conclusion · paragraph 80 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Conclusion (the committee's words)

    This Committee is concerned that the UK Government’s domestic policies are making it difficult for the UK to be seen as a serious partner to SIDS—the countries likely to be hit hardest by a failure of the international community to meet the agreed target to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
26. 26
    Implement domestic climate leadership opportunities outlined in Climate Change Committee's 2024 Briefing Note. Recommendation · paragraph 80 · addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Recommendation (the committee's words)

    This Committee urges the Government to implement the next steps on domestic opportunities for climate leadership outlined in the Climate Change Committee’s January 2024 Briefing Note.