BIOS helps advance resilience partnerships for small islands

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are on the front lines of the climate crisis, facing overlapping threats that jeopardize lives, livelihoods, and sovereignty. Nearly 74 million people live in SIDS, stewarding a quarter of the world’s coastal ocean environments, while remaining acutely exposed to coastal hazards and climate-driven risks.

To help address these challenges, the Pacific Research on Island Solutions for Adaptation (Pacific RISA) team in Hawai‘i and the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) have strengthened their collaboration. Together, they are building a community‑centered, impact‑driven resilience initiative that bridges science, policy, and local knowledge.

This growing partnership is supported through Arizona State University’s Global Futures Lab, where both organizations are active contributors. BIOS COO Dr. Mark Guishard, also a Professor of Practice in ASU’s School of Ocean Futures, is working closely with Drs. Laura Brewington and Victoria Keener, co‑directors of Pacific RISA and Research Professors at ASU’s Global Institute for Sustainability and Innovation.

Scaling Efforts Across Island Regions
A suite of new efforts is underway to deepen engagement with island communities across the Pacific and Atlantic/Caribbean. The shared goal: to strengthen community resilience by improving climate data access, enhancing forecasting tools, expanding local capacity, and co‑developing actionable adaptation strategies with stakeholders.

The Bermuda and Hawai‘i teams are now exploring opportunities to scale up their climate‑risk work for broader impact across multiple jurisdictions, harnessing their extensive global networks to connect science, policy, and community action.

SIDSCI Inaugural Workshop
As part of this momentum, Dr. Guishard participated in the inaugural Small Island Developing States Science Initiative (SIDSCI) workshop in Miami in January 2026. SIDSCI describes itself as “a SIDS‑led platform bridging island realities and global policy through regionally grounded, politically relevant science.”

During the workshop, Guishard co‑facilitated a session focused on identifying critical research gaps related to climate risks in SIDS. He reflected on the experience, noting:

“Small islands have a meaningful impact on the science & policy discourse about climate change, despite less capacity and resources than larger or more developed jurisdictions. As with so many other fields, our experts and leaders have learned to be nimble, multi‑disciplinary and assertive.”

Looking Ahead
As the field of island resilience continues to expand, the Islands Resilience Network is preparing to broaden its reach. The team aims to offer a suite of climate resilience services and engagement activities to island communities worldwide, building on deep regional expertise and a shared commitment to supporting frontline communities.