Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") says that small island sovereigns are relatively susceptible to the physical effects of climate change, which can be felt via shocks like storms and floods, as well as trends like higher global temperatures and rising sea levels. Based on an assessment of the proportion of low-lying land, size of landmass, scale of the economy and concentration in climate-related sectors, Moody's has identified 18 rated small islands as particularly susceptible to climate change.