There is growing evidence that seagrasses are experiencing declines globally due to anthropogenic threats (Short and Wyllie Echeverria 1996, Duarte 2002, Orth et al. 2006). Runoff of nutrients and sediments that affect water quality is the greatest anthropogenic threat to seagrass meadows, although other stressors include aquaculture, pollution, boating, construction, dredging and landfill activities, and destructive fishing practices. Natural disturbances such as storms and floods can also cause adverse effects.
Integrating community based disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA)
is identified at the policy and practical level as crucial to aid effectiveness. Successful integration
reduces both duplication of efforts and confusion at the community level. This research focuses
on Pacific community based DRR and CCA initiatives, and draws upon the knowledge and insight
of key stakeholders from multiple backgrounds to develop an understanding of the current status
This chapter outlines some of the links between human security and
climate change in the Pacific Islands. It demonstrates that climate
change poses significant risks to human security in the region. The links
between climate change, human security, and instability and conflict are
also explored. It seems unlikely that climate change will be the principal
cause of violent conflict in the region in the future, but it may increase
the risk of violent conflict in some places. The chapter argues that in
They have been defined as communities that are planned, built, or modified to promote sustainable living. They tend to focus on environmental sustainablility (including develoment and agriculture) and economic sustainability. Sustainable communities can focus on sustainable urban infrastructure and/or sustainable municipal infrastructure.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 37 p.
In February 2005 Campaign Strategy Ltd1 and Cultural Dynamics2 (CDSM
Cultural Dynamics Strategy and Marketing) commissioned a nationally
representative telephone survey of over 1000 adults, who were asked a number
of questions about climate change. Some of those results3 are reported here.
The same sample was asked a large number of other questions about
environmental issues, and their political identity. They were also asked ten
questions about their lives which enable Cultural Dynamics to place them into 12
This paper presents a summary of progress to date made in implementing the Forum Leaders 2008 Niue Declaration on climate change, and proposals for how to further this implementation in light of the 2009 Cairns Call for Action on climate change.
SPREP paper to PCCR 19-21 October 2009
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 20 p.
The Pacific Climate Change Film Festival is
open to all films (animation, documentaries,
music videos, short commentaries, etc.) that
highlight climate change issues within the
Pacific.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 2 Pages
In preparation for the upcoming meeting of the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable (PCCR), to be held in Majuro in October, 2009, the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) commissioned a stocktake of the progress made in implementing the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change (PIFACC) in terms of its principles and expected outcomes, with an emphasis on adaptation and the associated enabling environment.
Climate change impacts will affect social and ecological systems in complex and broad-ranging ways as technological, economic, social and ecological changes take place across regions, groups and sectors. Many of these impacts, such as impacts on ecological systems, have cascading effects on social, economic and health outcomes. In order to respond to climate change, more vigorous actions are required to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and to adapt to unavoidable consequences that are increasing vulnerability around the world.
Available online
The Pacific Climate Change Film Project is an innovative partnership between the British High Commission, Suva, and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 6 Pages
For Pacific SIDS, the need for adaptation to climate change has become increasingly urgent. Long-term climate changes, including the increasing frequency and severity of extreme events such as high rainfall, droughts, tropical cyclones, and storm surges are affecting the lives and livelihoods of people in PICs. Coupled with non-climate drivers, such as inappropriate land use, overexploitation of resources, increasing urbanization and population increase, development in the region is increasingly undermined.
A Workshop on Regional Action to Combat Invasive Alien Species on Islands to Preserve Biodiversity and Adapt to Climate Change highlighted successes, deepened connections within regions and facilitated the exchange of experiences across regions.While discussions outlined significant obstacles to invasive alien species management2 on islands, they also showcased how targeted successes have led to major gains for conservation and development.Collaboration across developmental and environmental sectors and sustained support are critical to success in this field.Exciting new initiatives are dev
The vulnerability issue is relevant for drawing up a panorama of the weaknesses and the strengths of a
territory in face of natural hazards, at the crossroads of various determinants (spatial configuration,
societal cohesion, environmental sensitivity, economic diversification, territorial coherence and level
of development). In parallel, we argue that because of the numerous and partly irreducible climatic and
anthropogenic uncertainties, it remains very speculative to try to directly measure the level of
Vulnerable ecosystems- Sea?level rise
Increasing temperatures
Changes in rainfall
Ocean acidification
Coral reefs
Increased storm activity
Overall in Melanesia the central mountains of New
Guinea and the coral reefs and ocean life in the
outer islands of Papua New Guinea most impacted.
In the wider Pacific inundation is a major threat.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 22 p.
In Solomon Islands, the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) project focused on food security, with a goal
to contribute to reduced vulnerability and increased adaptive capacity to adverse effects of climate change in
Solomon Islands. The pilot sites for the demonstration projects were the low lying atolls of Ontong Java and, in a
second phase, Sikaiana. These atolls are extremely isolated and are highly vulnerable in many respects. Climaterelated
threats mainly come from sea level rise and extreme weather events, and impacts on food security include
The Fifth Pacific Climate Change Roundtable was held from 12 - 14 May 2015 at the Tanoa Tusitala Hotel, Apia Samoa. The conference was jointly organized by the PCCR Steering Committee, consisting of country representatives, development partners and CROP agencies, hosted by SPREP and Government of Samoa with major funding support from the Government of Switzerland. The meeting brought together some 183 participants from Pacific Island Countries and Territories, regional and international agencies, nongovernmental organizations, private sector, academia and development partners.
The Pacific region has benefited from a number of regional and national programmes to both assess the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and develop programmes to adapt to climate change. Such programmes are critical considering that the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 1/ states that the Pacific region has already experienced temperature increases of as much as 1°C since 1910.
Climate change is a major threat to global biodiversity. From the tropics to the Poles, the worlds ecosystems are all under pressure. A study published in the scientific journal Nature posited that 15 to 37% of terrestrial animal and plant species could be at risk of extinction because of human-induced impacts on climate (Thomas et al., 2004). Scattered across the four corners of the Earth, European Union overseas entities, are home to a biological diversity that is as rich as it is vulnerable.
On 20 November 2006 the Biological Diversity Advisory Committee (BDAC), whose role it was to advise the then Australian Government Minister for the Environment and Heritage, held a one day workshop in Canberra on climate change and invasive species impacts on biodiversity. Eight talks were given, followed by a session of free discussion. Most attendees were experts from government departments, universities, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and cooperative research centres (CRCs).
Island conservation programs have been spectacularly successful over the past five decades, yet they generally do not account for impacts of climate change. Here, we argue that the full spectrum of climate change, especially Island conservation programs have been spectacularly successful over the past five decades, yet they generally do not account for impacts of climate change. Here, we argue that the full spectrum of climate change, especially sea-level rise and loss of suitable climatic conditions, should be rapidly integrated into island biodiversity research and management.