Small Island States (SIDS) are among the nations most exposed to climate change (CC) and are characterised by a high degree of vulnerability. Their unique nature means there is a need for more studies focused on the limits to CC adaptation on such fragile nations, particularly regarding their problems and constraints. This paper addressed a perceived need for research into the limitations of adaptation on SIDS, focusing on the many unique restrictions. To this end, the study identified and described the adaptation limits they have by using a review of the literature and an analysis of case studies from a sample of five SIDS in the Caribbean and Pacific regions (Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Cook Islands, Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tonga). This research’s findings showed that an adaptable SIDS is characterised by awareness of various values, appreciation and understanding of a diversity of impacts and vulnerabilities, and acceptance of certain losses through change. The implications of this paper are two-fold. It explains why island nations continue to suffer from the impacts of CC and suggest some of the means via which adequate policies may support SIDS in their efforts to cope with the threats associated with a changing climate. This study concluded that, despite the technological and ecological limits (hard limits) affecting natural systems, adaptation to CC is limited by such complex forces and societal factors (soft limits) that more adequate adaptation strategies could overcome.

Small Island States (SIDS) are among the nations most exposed to climate change (CC) and are characterised by a high degree of vulnerability. Their special nature means there is a need for more studies focused on the limits to CC adaptation on such fragile nations, particularly in respect of their problems and constraints. This paper addressed a perceived need for research into the limitations of adaptation on SIDS, focusing on the many restrictions which are unique to them. The main research question raised by this study was that how and to what extent the challenges by human activities (e.g., agriculture and tourism) posed to coastlines of SIDS could be addressed. This paper identified and described the adaptation limits they have, by using a review of the literature and an analysis of case studies from a sample of five SIDS in the Caribbean and Pacific regions (Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Cook Islands, Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Tonga). The findings of this research showed that an adaptable SIDS is characterised by awareness of various values, appreciation and understanding of a diversity of impacts and vulnerabilities, and acceptance of certain losses through change. The implications of this paper are two-fold. It explains why island nations continue to suffer from the impacts of CC, and suggest some of the means via which adequate policies may support SIDS in their efforts to cope with the threats associated with a changing climate. This study concluded that, despite the technological and ecological limits (hard limits) affecting natural systems, adaptation to CC is not only limited by such complex forces, but also by societal factors (soft limits) that could potentially be overcome by more adequate adaptation strategies.

To cite this article: Monica K. Boodhan & Indra Haraksingh (2014): An investigation into the effect on the productivity of cascade-type solar distillation systems with varying cover thicknesses and still orientations under tropical Caribbean climatic conditions, Desalination and Water Treatment, Previous investigative work related to solar stills focuses mainly on issues relating to the temperature gradient between the brine and the condensing surface. It is common practice when calculating the efficiencies of solar stills to use the temperature of the outer glass as the condensing surface temperature rather than the temperature of the actual condensing surface. This practice is done due to the fact that the outer glass surface temperature is easily measurable and on the assumption that there is little or no drop in temperature across the thickness of the cover. These conventions in turn create room for misleading results owing to temperature losses across the cover thickness. The main objectives of this research work are to investigate the effect of using different glass cover thicknesses and different solar still orientations on the productivity of cascade-type solar stills tested under tropical Caribbean climatic conditions. In the investigation, three identical units fitted with glass covers of thicknesses 3.18, 4.76 and 6.35 mm are used. Each unit comprised two identical solar stills: one oriented to face north and the other to face south. Results were gathered at the University of the West Indies in St. Augustine, Trinidad and comparative analyses were conducted. The results indicate that the solar still with the glass cover thickness of 4.76 mm facing south produced the highest yield.