Small Islands Create Big Disputes

The Japanese Government＇s move to ＂purchase＂ the disputed Diaoyu Islands fuels tensions between China and Japan

Research on sustainable development of small islands in China─taking 12 island counties for examples

Islands serve as the basis for marine exploitation,and the sustainable development of islands and that of marine exploitation are closely inter-connected. This article inquires into problems on the sustainable development of small islands by taking 12 island counties in China for examples.

Toward sustainable waste management in small islands developing states: integrated waste-to-energy solutions in Maldives context

Effective waste management is a major challenge for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Maldives due to limited land availability. Maldives exemplifies these issues as one of the most geographically dispersed countries, with a population unevenly distributed across numerous islands varying greatly in size and population density. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the unique waste management practices across different regions of Maldives in relation to its natural and socioeconomic context. Data shows Maldives has one of the highest population density and per capita waste generation among SIDS, despite its small land area and medium GDP per capita. Large disparities exist between the densely populated capital Male’ with only 5.8 km2 area generating 63% of waste and the ~194 scattered outer islands with ad hoc waste management practices. Given Male’s dense population and high calorific waste, incineration could generate up to ~30 GW/a energy and even increase Maldives’ renewable energy supply by 200%. In contrast, decentralized anaerobic digestion presents an optimal solution for outer islands to reduce waste volume while providing over 40%–100% energy supply for daily cooking in local families. This timely study delivers valuable insights into designing context-specific waste-to-energy systems and integrated waste policies tailored to Maldives’ distinct regions. The framework presented can also guide other SIDS facing similar challenges as Maldives in establishing sustainable, ecologically sound waste management strategies.

Repairing small wounds around ankle by medial planta island flaps pedicled with anterior tibial artery perforator in front of inner malleolus

Objective To discuss the application of medial planta island flaps pedicled with anterior tibial artery perforator in front of inner malleolus for repairing small wounds around ankle Methods From Jan. 2005 to Jun. 2009,10 cases with small wounds around ankle

Joint Ofshore Wind and Wave Energy Resources in the Caribbean Sea

Complementarities between wind and wave energies have many signifcant advantages that are unavailable with the sole deployment of either.Using all available wind speed,signifcant wave height,and wave period buoy observations over a 10-year period(i.e.,2009–2019),colocated wind and wave energy resources are estimated.Although buoy records are imper-fect,results show that the inner Caribbean Sea(CS)under the infuence of the Caribbean low-level jet has the highest wind energy resource at~1500 W/m^(2),followed by the outer CS at~600 W/m^(2) and Atlantic Ocean(AO)at~550–600 W/m^(2) at a 100 m height.Wave energy was most abundant in the AO at 14 kW/m,followed by the inner CS at 13 kW/m and outer CS at 5 kW/m.The average and dominant wave energies can reach a maximum of 10 and 14 kW/m,respectively.Asymmetry between wind and wave energy resources is observed in the AO,where wave energy is higher than the low wind speed/energy would suggest.Swell is responsible for this discrepancy;thus,it must be considered not only for wave energy extraction but also for wind turbine fatigue,stability,and power extraction efciency.

The Connection of Vegetation with Tourism Development and Economic Growth： A Case Study for Aruba

Vegetation is an important ecosystem on earth. It influences the earth system in many ways. Any influences on this fragile variable should be investigated, especially in a changing climate. Humans can have a positive or a negative influence on plants. This paper investigates the possible impact of tourism development and economic growth on vegetation health using cointegration and causality for Aruba. The proposed framework contributes to a better understanding on the use of remote sensing of vegetation response to tourism development and economic growth. Thereby, provide opportunities for improving the overall strategy for achieving sustainable development on a small island state. The calculations showed that there were relationships between the tourism demand and economic growth on the vegetation health on Aruba for the western part of the island. On the other hand, for the central part of the island, no relationships were found.

A Framework for Disaster Vulnerability in a Small Island in the Southwest Pacific: A Case Study of Emae Island, Vanuatu

The societal costs of disasters around the world are continuing to increase and Pacific Island countries are considered some of the most vulnerable. This is primarily due to a combination of high hazard exposure coupled with a range of social, economic, physical, and political vulnerabilities. This article contributes to the growing body of work that aims to understand the causal factors of disaster vulnerability, but with a specific focus on small island developing states. The article first develops a framework for understanding disaster vulnerability, drawing on extensive literature and the well-established Methods for the Improvement of Vulnerability in Europe(MOVE)framework, and second, applies this adapted framework using empirically-derived data from fieldwork on Emae Island, Vanuatu to provide a working understanding of the causal elements of disaster vulnerability. Drawn from a significant body of scholarship at the time, the MOVE framework was primarily developed as a heuristic tool in which disaster vulnerability is considered to be a function of exposure, susceptibility(socially, economically, physically, culturally, environmentally, institutionally), and a lack of resilience. We posit that this adapted framework for small islands should also include historical susceptibility,and we prefer livelihood resilience(as capabilities, social capital, knowledge, participation, and human rights) over lack of resilience. We maintain that understanding disaster vulnerability holistically, which is inclusive of both strengths and drawbacks, is crucial to ensure that limited resources can target the causal factors that produce vulnerability and help safeguard and improve livelihoods in both the short and long term.

Capacities in Facing Natural Hazards: A Small Island Perspective

Isolated communities on small islands are often characterized as vulnerable and marginalized. We studied the recent history of Laingpatehi, a village on Ruang Island off the north coast of Sulawesi, Indonesia to show that the marginalization-vulnerability nexus can be offset by capacity and social cohesion to enable sustainable livelihoods. The island has been impacted by volcanic eruptions,earthquakes, and competition for marine resources from mainland-based fishermen. The community has shown a remarkable ability to cope and prosper in the face of a series of external hazards. We used a sustainable livelihoods approach to identify the assets that enabled the villagers to cope. Strong social cohesion was central to the ability to organize the community and confront hazards. A diversified livelihood strategy drawing on the small island environment and its coastal and marine resources, income generating activities in a distant satellite village, and significant remittances from employment in other parts of Indonesia underpinned people’s capacities to face hazards.Government assistance played a supporting role. The case of Laingpatehi demonstrates how remoteness, rather than being a source of vulnerability, can provide access to existing resources and facilitate innovation. Disaster risk reduction strategies should focus more on reinforcing these existing capacities to deal with hazards and less on physical protection and postdisaster responses.