Editorial Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director, UNEP Editorial Mohamed T. El-Ashry, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, GEF Let action speak louder than words France Albert René describes what his islands are doing to preserve the environment and calls for a new international programme of action The size of the problem Neroni Slade tells Geoffrey Lean how the very smallness of island states puts them at the mercy of threats, from hurricanes and global warming to the storms of the world economy Looking good, feeling good Billie A. Miller describes how her country has concentrated its investment in its greatest resource, its people Vanishing islands Neroni Slade Tamari’i Tutangata describes how rising seas are already beginning to overwhelm Pacific island nations Whispers and waste Frank A. Campbell says that idyllic cruises bring pollution in their wake, and describes what is being done to clean it up At a glance: A message from Kofi A. Annan List of small island developing states Background Island states in brief Preserving paradise Francesco Frangialli advocates properly managed tourism as the best option for the sustainable development of small islands

Coral grief Fred Pearce talks to leading scientists monitoring the beautiful ecosystems and leading tourist attractions that are becoming the first major casualty of global warming Sue Wells: coral tips Bananas, biodiversity and beauty Colmore S. Christian describes the importance of forests to small islands, and outlines measures to combat the threats to them Grassroots: Pride and participation Sixto J. Incháustegui and Elizabeth Mook GEF – helping small island developing states Elizabeth Mook reviews GEF-funded projects in small island developing states Making a difference Jacqueline Aloisi de Larderel outlines what UNEP and the tourist industry are doing to promote sustainable tourism in small islands UNEP – New books: GEO 2000 and Deep Water Small is vulnerable David Bellamy Measuring vulnerability Lino Briguglio reviews progress in the development of indices for measuring the economic and environmental vulnerability of small island developing states Exporting solutions Lelei LeLaulu describes how small islands are helping the Commonwealth of Independent States New friends in Seacology Duane Silverstein describes the step-by-step approach of a small organization with big horizons