Do the benefits of international policy commitments outweigh the burdens for small island states? : a case study of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Federated States of Micronesia

Abstract

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a small island developing state (SIDS) comprising four semi-autonomous states. The country faces a number of environmental challenges, not least of which is the loss of biodiversity upon which it relies for subsistence and economic development. The FSM is a signatory to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and must develop and deliver a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan as a way of implementing the convention and protecting its biodiversity. For a SIDS like the FSM, being a party to the CBD presents a notable burden: fielding personnel to global meetings, crafting necessary policies and legislation and implementing such policies. This article explores the perceptions of what being a signatory to the CBD brings to those in countries such as the FSM who are responsible for, or involved in, developing and implementing biodiversity conservation policy and actions. It highlights specific perceived benefits and challenges, and considers these in relation to the status of biodiversity in the FSM today.