India, Oct. 9 -- Small Island Developing States (SIDS) - among the least responsible for climate change - face losses of up to $476 billion by 2050 if adaptation measures are not accelerated, a new report by the Global Commission on Adaptation (GCA) has warned.

The 39 island countries, scattered across the Caribbean Sea, Pacific and Indian Ocean, contribute less than one per cent of global emissions but face some of the gravest consequences - rising seas, stronger storms, saltwater intrusion, and collapsing fisheries.

"We face rising seas, threats to food and water security, and we are running out of time," said Hilda Heine, president of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, launching the State and Trends in Adaptation 2025: Small Islan...