Reflections on small island states and the international climate change negotiations (COP21, Paris, 2015)

The latest and most significant round of multilateral climate negotiations (COP21) takes place in Paris (30/11 to 11/12/2015). Like other participants and signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, small island states have submitted contributions (INDCs) towards reducing emissions as a precursor to the creation of a post-Kyoto global emissions framework. This reflection outlines their contributions and examines the underlying dynamics of small island INDCs as they attempt to engage with the process of international negotiation. Preliminary findings confirm the need for small island states to be supported financially and technically by global institutional mechanisms in order to develop the capacity to deal with climate change.