Conceptualizing the Paradox of Immersive Technologies in Small Island Developing States: Bridging the Digital Divide and Environmental Trade-offs in Climate Action

The 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) indicated that progress in relation to climate action such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing financial and technological support to vulnerable countries was slow [1]. In addressing this issue, there is an accepted recognition that emerging technology in its varying forms, is an integral element to climate change solutions. However, for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), these technologies are often out of reach due to the global digital divide.While SIDS are encouraged to adopt emerging technologies, such as immersive technology, to address climate challenges, their use could inadvertently worsen the problem. This paper explores this paradox, focusing on how SIDS can leverage immersive technologies for climate solutions while managing the environmental impact.With reference to green theory, the article illustrates how investments in technology to address climate issues represent short-term human interest rather than long-term ecological values. Instead, this article posits that, to properly address climate change, the focus must be placed on changes in human behavior that will consequently have a transformative change in global politics. This article thereby forces us to rethink how SIDS should approach closing the digital divide in their climate action efforts while managing the cyclical environmental harm that takes place as a result.