The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report

This briefing, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in 2014, distils the findings of the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report specifically for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It outlines the observed and projected impacts of climate change on SIDS, including sea level rise, temperature increases, and the degradation of critical ecosystems like coral reefs. The document discusses the high economic costs of adaptation relative to SIDS' GDP, the risks of 'maladaptation', and the necessity of international cooperation and finance to avert existential threats to atoll nations.

• The Earth's climate is warming, with the average surface temperature increasing by 0.85°C since the mid-19th century. There is 95% scientific certainty that human activity, specifically increasing greenhouse gas concentrations, is the dominant cause of this warming since the mid-20th century.
• Sea level rise is accelerating globally, but impacts vary by region. In the tropical western Pacific, rates of sea level rise between 1993 and 2009 were reported to be up to four times the global average, approximately 12 mm per year.
• Climate change poses an existential threat to some SIDS, particularly atoll nations, due to rising sea levels. Under a 4°C warming scenario, sea level rise of 0.5 to 2.0 metres could displace between 1.2 and 2.2 million people across the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean.
• Marine ecosystems, especially coral reefs, are highly vulnerable. Ocean warming and acidification cause mass coral bleaching and mortality; in some Caribbean reefs, the abundance of reef-building coral species has decreased by over 80%.
• Climate change negatively impacts SIDS' economic stability by undermining tourism and fisheries. Resource degradation, such as beach erosion and coral bleaching, reduces destination attractiveness, while ocean acidification-induced coral reef loss is estimated to cause annual economic damage of US$528–870 billion by the end of the century.
• The economic cost of adaptation is disproportionately high for SIDS due to 'indivisibility'—the fact that infrastructural works require large up-front overhead costs that cannot be scaled down for small populations. Consequently, the unit cost of shoreline protection per capita is substantially higher in small islands than in larger territories.
• Adaptation efforts in SIDS face risks of 'maladaptation', where interventions increase vulnerability in other sectors or locations. Examples include resettlement and migration, which may discourage viable local adaptation or foster over-dependence on external support.
• Transitioning to a low-carbon economy can improve energy security for SIDS by reducing reliance on costly fossil fuel imports. The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) launched SIDS Dock to connect the energy sector with international finance and technology to optimize energy efficiency.
• International cooperation and finance are vital for SIDS to build resilience. Developed countries committed to mobilizing US$100 billion a year by 2020 for adaptation and mitigation in developing countries, though allocation between mitigation and adaptation remains unagreed.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (2014). The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/CDKN_IPCC_Whats_in_it_for_SIDS.pdf

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report. 2014. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/CDKN_IPCC_Whats_in_it_for_SIDS.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report |date=2014 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/CDKN_IPCC_Whats_in_it_for_SIDS.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetwork2014ipccs, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2014}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/CDKN_IPCC_Whats_in_it_for_SIDS.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }