The report highlights UNEP’s activities in assisting Small Island Developing States in implementing the Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA), 1994, for the Sustainable Development of SIDS. As a group, SIDS share several characteristics, which make them economically, environmentally, and socially more vulnerable to factors of which they exercise little or no control. Accordingly, the combination of these shared features places SIDS at a distinct disadvantage compared to larger countries.