Abstract
The paper explores the opportunities that climate change offers for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) with particular emphasis on Samoa. There is an extensive literature reporting on the adverse impacts of sea level rise, especially on small islands and low lying coastal areas with the possibility of wiping out entire island communities. A further two-degree rise in global temperature will fuel more frequent and severe tropical cyclones /hurricanes as witnessed with Irma and Maria in the Caribbean in September 2017. Increasing ocean acidity will not only threaten the livelihood of fishing communities in the SIDS, but will also accelerate erosion of coastal infrastructures particularly sea walls and coastal roads. Among this gloom and doom, there is
optimism in the positive influences and opportunities that climate change may generate for Samoa. Green Climate Fund (GCF)resources are pivotal to address climate change threats, risks and vulnerabilities that Samoa are experiencing since the completion of the first assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1990, the same year cyclone Ofa struck the Samoa islands. The opportunities presented by GCF are highlighted as the way forward and around the ongoing climate change conversation.
Keywords: Climate change, livelihood, sea level rise, opportunities.
