Small islands tend to have high degrees of endemism and levels of biodiversity, but the relatively small numbers of the various species impose high risks of extinction and create a need for protection. 5. The small size of small island developing States means that development and environment are closely interrelated and interdependent. Unsustainable development threatens not only the livelihood of people but also the islands themselves and the cultures they nurture. Climate change, climate variability and sealevel rise are issues of grave concern. Similarly, the biological resources on which small island developing States depend are threatened by the large-scale exploitation of marine and terrestrial living resources.
Many small island developing States are entirely or predominantly coastal entities.
Due to the small size, isolation and fragility of island ecosystems, their renowned biological diversity is among the most threatened in the world. This requires that in pursuing development, special attention be paid to protecting the environment and people's livelihoods. It also requires the integrated management of resources. In some small island developing States, the rate of population growth exceeds the rate of economic growth, placing serious and increasing pressure on the capacity of those countries to provide basic services to their peoples, and placing a high burden on women in particular as heads of households. Although their population density may be high, many small island developing States have small populations in absolute terms, insufficient to generate economies of scale in several areas, and thus limited scope for the full utilization of certain types of highly specialized expertise.