This brochure demonstrates how measures and policies can be shaped to simultaneously address climate change, biodiversity loss and poverty. It identifies opportunities for synergies and mutual enhancement of the objectives of international agreements, particularly the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), as well as decisions taken by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly following the recommendations of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF).
Available online|1 copy
Biological diversity, or biodiversity, is the variability of life
on earth from genes to species to the entire biosphere.
Biodiversity provides immeasurable benefit to human societ-
ies through medicine, food, fiber, ecosystem services, and
cultural values. Yet, this diversity of life is under siege: species
arc being lost at a rate far beyond the natural extinction rate.
Available online|Both in English and Samoa|2 hard copies
Call Number: 333.72099614 ATH [EL]
Physical Description: 36 p.
The need for a Pacific Biodiversity Information Forum to provide a venue and support for biodiversity information needs in the Pacific Basin was established during the GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) meeting on Maui in May of 2002. Interested parties met again during the October 2003 GBIF meeting in Tsukuba, Japan and reaffirmed the need and began to draw up a governing structure for PBIF and identify specific biodiversity needs in the Pacific Basin that can be addressed through projects.
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
Species which have been assessed for extinction
risk are on average moving closer to extinction.
Amphibians face the greatest risk and
coral species are deteriorating most rapidly in
status. Nearly a quarter of plant species are estimated
to be threatened with extinction.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 92-9225-220-8
Physical Description: 96 p.
Today, May 10th, in addition to being SIDS Day, coincides with the release, in Nairobi, Kenya, of the third
edition of Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-3). This major new assessment of the current state of
biodiversity and the implications of its continued loss for human well-being was produced by the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the broadest international treaty for the conservation and
sustainable use of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits from the utilization of genetic
Wildlife trafficking is a large-scale multi-billion dollar industry worldwide. The illegal trade of
wildlife has reached such prominence that it has the potential to devastate source populations
of wildlife, impacting on the integrity and productivity of ecosystems in providing food and
resources to the local economy. In order to protect these resources, legislation has been put in
place to control the trade of wildlife in almost every country worldwide. Those assigned with
Scenarios- Finding out what people want
Scenarios can either be ideal
visions or expectations of
reality both are useful
They can be recorded
discussions, maps, models or
plans...
A stand?alone component or
EBA added into existing
scenario building
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 39 p.
Prior to this survey, the island nation of Samoa had not been systematically surveyed for freshwater biodiversity despite the clear role of freshwater and the associated biodiversity in providing essential ecosystem services. This report is beginning to address this gap in knowledge in Samoa by presenting the preliminary results from the first of an anticipated series of freshwater surveys and in-field trainings for Samoa with the target organisms being fishes and macro-crustaceans.
Biodiversity is more than just the number of animal and plant species in the world. Biodiversity is who we are, what we eat, where we live, what we do and, most importantly, how all of these things come together to form a whole. The preoccupations of our daily lives often blind us to the dangers threatening fragile ecosystems around the globe. But we ignore these threats at our peril, for we are all connected to the many facets of the planets diverse ecosystems.
The Basel Convention was created to respond to increased public concern about toxic wastes in the
1980s. Tighter environmental regulation in industrialized countries resulted in sharp increases in
the cost of hazardous waste disposal in these countries. Traders started shipping hazardous waste
to less developed countries in Africa, Eastern Europe and other regions. There were concerns about
toxic ships sailing from port to port trying to offload their poisonous cargo. In some cases, toxic
The Cook Islands Ministry of Agriculture seeks approval for the release of the plan pathogen Puccinia xanthii Schw. (Pucciniales: Pucciniaceae) into Rarotonga for biological control (biocontrol) of the introduced plant cockleburr Xanthium pungens Wallr. (syn. Xanthium strumarium; Xanthium occidentale Bertol.) (Asterales: Asteraceae).
Online only
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 21p. ; 29cm.
The Cook Islands Ministry of Agriculture seeks approval for the release of a gall-forming wasp Tetramesa romana and an armoured scale insect Rhizaspidiotus donacis into Rarotonga for biological control (biocontrol) of the introduced plant giant reed Arundo donax (Poales: Poaceae).
Online only
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 22p. ; 29cm.
A mid-term assessment of progress towards the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.
Available online
Call Number: 338.9635 SEC [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 92-9225-539-8
Physical Description: 155p. : ill. (col.) ; 29cm.
Since the early 1990s the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has been promoting the use of environmental planning and assessment processes amongst its member countries and territories. SPREP's approach to environmental planning and assessment has been part of a global programme for improving environmental management and supporting sustainable development.
Since Elton highlighted the problem of biological invasions, numerous studies have established their importance in the structural evolution of natural communities, in particular insular communities. Because of their isolation, islands are regarded as natural evolution laboratories which are characteristically very fragile once the boundary is disturbed. This fragility is illustrated by the high proportion of species extinctions observed in islands: since 1600, more than 75% of monitored disappearances have been registered in islands.
Population survey of coconut crab (Birgus latro) in the Huvalu Forest Conservation Area, Niue island, South Pacific
Unpublished report kept in vertical file collection|2 copies
Call Number: VF 2291 [EL]
Physical Description: unpaged : tables ; 29 cm
The extensive Pacific Islands region comprises around 30.000 islands scattered across the vast central Pacific Ocean. The island groups and sea areas are divided into 22 countries, with a total population of around 6 million people. The great majority of people live in relatively small and isolated coastal or rural village communities, and remain closely reliant on their local natural resources for subsistence and economic development.
Biodiversity conservation - that is, the conservation of plants and animals that make up the species richness of a country - is widely recognised as an issue of importance for the South Pacific as it is relevant to family livelihoods, culture and economic development as well as to the unique biological story that these islands possess. The biodiversity of the region is threatened by a broad range of causes including unsustainable logging and fishing, invasive species, pollution, soil erosion, fire, habitat conversion and agricultural run-off.
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.