This chapter provides a brief description of Papua New Guinea, its past and present climate as well as projections for the future. The climate observation network and the availability of atmospheric and oceanic data records are outlined. The annual mean climate, seasonal cycles and the influences of large-scale climate features such as the West Pacific Monsoon and patterns of climate variability (e.g. the El Niño‑Southern Oscillation) are analysed and discussed.
4 copies|Available online (Eng & French)
Call Number: VF 7459 ,[EL]
Physical Description: 4p. : ill. (col.)
The Oceania region is very prone to natural disasters having experienced two Category 5 cyclones in as many years; Tropical Cyclone (TC)Pam struck Vanuatu on 13 March 2015 and TC Winston struck Fiji on 20 February 2016.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 92 p
Inshore fish populations are complex, exist in variable
and rapidly changing ecosystems, and are harvested
and impacted by a broad range of users, making their
management complex.
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 4 p.
Fishing is a complex topic with many species and ecosystem components as well as social, cultural, political, and economic components. Here, we focus on the defined indicator regarding tuna, considering the biomass of these pelagic fish as well as the ecosystems that support these fish. For information about coastal and nearshore fisheries, please see Regional Indicator: Coastal fish biomass.
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 4 p.
Simplifying coral reef ecosystems to a single number for a country, or for a region, runs counter to our knowledge of the complexity and variability that characterise healthy reefs in a healthy ocean scape.
Pacific data are limited, but existing data show high
proportions of plastic in the waste stream (Table 29.1),
as marine litter, and as microplastics present throughout Pacific marine ecosystems, including in the guts of fish and their prey (SPREP 2016, Markic et al. 2018). In a 2011 study, plastics formed 12% of the waste stream in Honiara (SPREP 2017).
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 6 p.
Enterococci are used as an indicator for the microbiological quality of marine waters from the standpoint of human health. The same bacterial group is also commonly used as an indicator for safe consumption of shellfish. The safety thresholds differ by the type of use, such as swimming or consumption of seafood from the marine area.
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 4 p.
Island biodiversity continues to be extremely vulnerable, and 47% of the known threatened Pacific species are declining towards extinction. Pacific island species have high levels of endemism combined with small land areas and therefore limited habitat. Habitat change, naiveté to predation by introduced animals, vulnerability to invasive species-driven changes, pollution, and climate change combine to influence
the abundance and population structure of Pacific biodiversity.
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 6 p.
The Pacific island region has diverse wetlands, such as
the classic coastal ecosystems of mangrove forests, salt marshes, coral reefs, and seagrass beds along with rivers, freshwater lakes, and swamps (SPREP 2016). However, these wetlands are understudied. Land-use change and environmental change can alter the areal extent and condition of wetlands, and the pace of these changes vary among Pacific islands.
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 4 p.
To date, there is no defined list of priority migratory species of concern (indicator species) at the regional level for the Pacific islands to direct efforts. The Regional Marine Species Action Plans (under revision; see below) and the regional CMS Memorandum of Understanding (2006) for cetaceans can be considered as part of regional level prioritisation. For birds, Bird Life’s Data zone includes a list of migratory species for each country in the region.
Protected and conserved areas are vital for safeguarding our unique biodiversity - as well as underpinning culture and livelihoods. This report is the first comprehensive regional assessment of protected and conserved areas. The biodiversity and Protected Areas Management Programme (BIOPAMA) supported the preparation pf this report.
Call Number: [EL],333.95 CON
ISBN/ISSN: 978-2-8317-2214-6,978-2-8317-2215-3
Physical Description: 272 p.
A report on the convention on migratory species for the conservation of cetaceans and their habitats in the Pacific Islands region
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 24 p.
There are low and high islands in the Pacific Ocean. All islands have some of the same environments (kinds of places such as coral reff, open ocean and forests)
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 978-982-9123-87-9
Physical Description: 36 p. : col. Ill, 29 cm
The Pacific Islands region that is served by SPREP covers 32 million km2 and is in
the middle of the largest continuous marine habitat on the planet, the Pacific Ocean.
This region is home to a diverse range of large marine animals, including cetaceans,
sirenians and marine turtles. Over half of the world’s known species of cetaceans are
found in the region. The area also supports the world’s largest remaining populations
of dugongs, and green, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles.
Available online
Regional cooperation and responses are common across the PICTs. SPREP already has in place regional action plans for marine turtles, dugongs, and whales and dolphins. In addition, the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), comprising 17 Pacific States, has a proven track record in cooperation on fisheries management issues including the longstanding Nauru Agreement and the current development of a regional monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) strategy.
The idea for tills manual has roots in more than 25 years of work interpreting and transferring scientific and technical information for
use by policy and decisionmakers. I was privileged to take part in the formulation of the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
while Chief of the Environmental Policy Division of the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. This law called for the
preparation of an environmental impact statementan action-forcing provision aimed at American government officials. But the concept of
The Pacific Islands region is important for a great number of cetaceans (whales and dolphins), whether as a permanent habitat, a breeding ground or a migration corridor. Currently, more
than thirty species of whales and dolphins have been identified in this area.
The presence and diversity of cetaceans in our region has led to the development of whale watching, both on a commercial and recreational basis. Whale watching is defined as viewing