Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) facility, a joint initiative with the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on the second day of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

He was joined by UK PM Boris Johnson, Australia PM Scott Morrison, Fiji PM Frank Bainimarama, Jamaica PM Andrew Holness and Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth.

The IRIS initiative

• Small island states are uniquely threatened by climate change and rising sea levels. Two Pacific islands are at risk of disappearing by the end of this century, and some communities are already having to relocate.

• The IRIS initiative is a part of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) that would focus on building capacity, having pilot projects, especially in small island developing states.

• It will provide technical support on the multifaceted issues posed by infrastructure systems and promote disaster and climate resilience of infrastructure assets in SIDS, and share latest knowledge and learnings targeted to specific infrastructure sectors. 

• It will support small island states to develop resilient, sustainable infrastructure that can withstand climate shocks, protecting lives and livelihoods.

• The goal of IRIS will directly contribute to the SAMOA Pathway (SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action), and target to deliver three outcomes with progress monitored against these outcomes through the lifecycle of IRIS. 

Aligned with SAMOA pathway, the three intended outcomes are: 

1) Improve resilience of SIDS infrastructure to climate change and disaster risk.

2) Strengthen knowledge and partnerships for integrating resilience in SIDS infrastructure.

3) Promote gender equality and disability inclusion through resilient SIDS infrastructure.

Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

• During the 74th UN General Assembly in New York in September 2019, PM Narendra Modi announced the launch of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

• The Union Cabinet had approved the establishment of CDRI along with its supporting secretariat office in New Delhi.

• CDRI is designed to be an international platform where knowledge is generated and exchanged on different aspects of disaster and climate resilience of infrastructure brings together technical expertise from a multitude of stakeholders. In doing so, it creates a mechanism to assist countries to upgrade their capacities and practices, with regard to infrastructure development. 

• It is a partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and knowledge institutions that aims to promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks, thereby ensuring sustainable development.

• CDRI promotes rapid development of resilient infrastructure to respond to the Sustainable Development Goals’ imperatives of expanding universal access to basic services, enabling prosperity and decent work

• It has 26 countries and seven international organisations as members.

How is CDRI funded? 

A large share of the estimated fund requirements to cover the core costs over the first five years has been invested by India. There are no obligations on the part of members to make financial contributions to CDRI. However, at any point (during the first five years or beyond), members of the CDRI may make voluntary financial or in-kind contributions to the CDRI such as assignment of experts from national institutions to the CDRI Secretariat.

Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

• Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are islands of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are some of the most beautiful places on Earth, with atolls of white sand beaches, mountain ranges covered in cloud forest, historic ports and towns, and agricultural landscapes. 

• They are relatively remote, vulnerable to environmental challenges, such as climate change, and generally small in size. Niue has a population of only 1,269, and Tuvalu a total land area of only 26 km.

• The SIDS were recognised as a distinct group of developing countries in June 1992, at the UN Conference on Environment and Development. 

• The aggregate population of all the SIDS is 65 million, slightly less than 1 per cent of the world’s population, yet this group faces unique social, economic, and environmental challenges. 

• Climate change has a very tangible impact on SIDS. Slow onset events such as sea level rise pose an existential threat to small island communities, requiring drastic measures such as relocation of populations, and the related challenges this poses. These challenges are compounded by limited institutional capacity, scarce financial resources and a high degree of vulnerability to systemic shocks.

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