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ISLAND POLICY LAB

Strategizing Island Futures at the Science-Policy-Diplomacy Interface

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About the Island Policy Lab

The Island Policy Lab (IPL) is passionately committed to finding solutions to the unique challenges faced by island nations, territories and other small island jurisdictions stemming from social, economic, environmental and natural resource factors.  The IPL is a multi-stakeholder partnership as listed with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) formed to address island specific development issues in alignment with the goals and aspiration of the SAMOA Pathway, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Accords and other multilateral agreements.  Launched in 2021, the IPL is proposed to serve as the global Secretariat of the UN Universities Consortium of Small Island States (UCSIS).

Mission of the Island Policy Lab

The mission of the IPL is to provide policymakers, corporate public and private leaders and the general public with data-driven and high quality analysis on sustainability issues in islands.  The IPL also provides a shared, open knowledge sharing and transfer platform to strengthen island research and training capacity and island government policy interventions. It aims to bring the power of academic rigor to generate innovative and applied policy-based solutions to islands’ problems. 

Latest Webinars

“Energy Innovation for Islands’ Sustainable Development” offers an expert discussion about leveraging new tools, technologies and approaches to sustainable energy transition in islands.

“Post-COVID Blue Economic Recovery for Islands” offers an expert discussion about how to revive key economic activities in sustainable ways as islands emerge from the pandemic.

“Environment and Climate Change Innovation in Islands” offers an expert discussion on leveraging scientific data and information for solutions to todays’ pressing environmental and climate change challenges.

Latest News

New Publication in Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability

Read our new publication published in Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. Director Dr. Shah discusses regulatory systems for environmental management in islands.

New Publication in Energy for Sustainable Development

Read our new publication published in Energy for Sustainable Development where Director Kalim Shah investigates clean energy transition pathways in the U.S Virgin Islands.

New Publication in the J. of Sustainable Tourism

New publication on the Journal of Sustainable Tourism discusses the nexus between tourism and climate change.  Click to read more.

"The Future of the Blue Economy" by Global Americans

The High-Level Working Group on Climate Change in the Caribbean has released the first report on “The Future of the Blue Economy”.  IPL Director Dr Shah has served as a member of the WG for this report.  Click to read more.

Latest Publication in WIREs Energy and Environment

Read our latest publication published in WIREs Energy and Environment entitled “Electric vehicle adoption in small island economies: Review from a technology transition perspective”.

In the news: "Transitioning to Renewable Energy in the U.S. Virgin Islands"

Biden School News covers the ongoing research project of the Island Policy Lab on energy transition in the U.S Virgin Islands.

AR6 – Implications for islands

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has released their Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) with findings even more alarming than previous reports. These findings have huge implications for small islands and coastal developing countries which the Island Policy Lab at the University of Delaware seeks to highlight in this video.

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Island Policy Lab
Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy & Administration
270C Graham Hall
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716, USA
Phone: 302-831-4700
islandpolicylab@udel.edu