Thirty-three Small Island Developing States (SIDS) took significant steps towards a cleaner environment today, with the global launch of a half-billion-dollar initiative to avoid marine litter and sustainably manage hazardous chemicals and waste.

Because of many islands’ small size, limited disposal capacity, and prohibitive export costs, over 80 per cent of mismanaged waste in SIDS ends up in the ocean, according to UN reports, leading to biodiversity loss, acceleration of climate change effects through emissions from waste, loss of national tourism revenue, and health impacts for local people exposed to the pollution.

Launched at the Conference of Parties of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions in Geneva today, the $515 million Implementing Sustainable Low and Non-chemical Development in Small Island Developing States Programme (ISLANDS)will help island countries in the Atlantic, Caribbean, Indian, and Pacific ocean regions prevent the release of over 23,000 metric tons of toxic chemicals and more than 185,000 metric tons of marine litter by 2027.