Title
The Underdog of the International Community Influencing Action Against Climate Change: Small Island Developing States
Files
Description
Elizabeth Rakowski, PSC 399: Research Skills in Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Professor Kyeonghi Baek, Political Science
As an increasingly paramount situation, climate change has begun bringing negative consequences to the international community. Those states that are feeling the effects of climate change in the here and now are small island developing states (SIDS). How are small island developing states capable of making a significant impact on internationally adopted decisions regarding world-wide issues? Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) are guiding the international community into action to combat climate change and work towards sustainability. When smaller less powerful states band together over commonality, then they are capable of completely establishing an influential power over all other states, especially in terms of furthering the agenda on combatting climate change through efficient resolutions. This research uses complimentary methods primarily with quantitative methods with small data analysis as well as qualitative methods with case studies. The case study of the SIDS of Fiji shows how an underdog of the international community was able to secure a powerful role of influence in the worldwide discussion of climate change. By having a Fijian representative become president of COP23 or the 23rd annual Conference of the Parties to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and holding the conference in Fiji in 2017, it allowed for a major shift in power to occur on which states are the leading actors against climate change. The international community is moving from larger developed states to SIDS when it comes to climate change and how to approach action, sustainability, resolutions, and preparing for the future.
Publication Date
2020
Recommended Citation
Rakowski, Elizabeth, "The Underdog of the International Community Influencing Action Against Climate Change: Small Island Developing States" (2020). Psychology and Social Sciences. 22nd Annual Student Research and Creativity Conference. SUNY Buffalo State.
https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/srcc-sp20-psychsocsci/28
