Malta sponsored research will measure climate change vulnerability of small islands

Research aimed at measuring how small island states are affected by climate change is being sponsored by Malta, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Friday.

“This deliberate focus is intended to underscore the pronounced vulnerability of these nations to the impact of climate change,” the PM told a Malta-hosted side event to the United Nations COP28 talks Dubai.

He said the tool, drawing from the multidimensional vulnerability index, s designed to be both scalable and universally applicable.

Prime Minister Robert Abela speaking during the event

“In its initial phases, the project will concentrate on small island developing states. This deliberate focus is intended to underscore the pronounced vulnerability of these nations to the impact of climate change,” Abela said.

He said the deleterious impacts of climate change persist in compounding the economic and financial difficulties confronted by developing countries, further compounded by the pandemic.

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