The Fiji Islands are surrounded by numerous fringing coral reefs which are an extremely important natural resource, valuable as local fishery areas, tourist attractions, and for protection of the coastline from the damaging effects of waves. Over recent years, there has been increased development of the coastline in Fiji which has lead to pressure on the surrounding reefs. Degradation of reefs has been observed as the result of factors such as increased erosion on land and siltation of reefs, water
Solomon Islands is one of the seven countries of the South West Pacific Node of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN). The country coordination is carried out by the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) Gizo Office in the Western Province. All coral reef monitoring activities are carried out by WWF Gizo staff with very little interaction with other stakeholders in way of information sharing.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 7 Pages
In 2000, the Fiji Islands was at the northern edge of a large pool of unusually warm water, and suffered extensive hard coral death due to coral bleaching. A paper composed of a collection of studies from across the Fiji islands, linking this coral
death to elevated sea temperatures at the time, was published (Cummings et al 2000). The difficulty of gathering data from very different sources, and which had been recorded using many different methods, established the need for standardised
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.
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 purpose of the action is to improve transportation and reduce maintenance cost by upgrading
causeway between Foa and Lifuka Islands, to become more resilient and less vulnerable to impacts
of high energy waves. Built in the period 1978-1979, the raised coral structure has served the people
of Foa and Lifuka well despite increasing maintenance cost. The replacement structure is similar to
the existing one but with rock armoring to reduce the energy of waves impacting on the structure
The Kingdom of Tonga has previously indicated to SPREP that specialised short term training in reef ecology and the development of coral reef survey and monitoring skills is a priority for their country (Thistlethwaite et al. 1993, SPREP 1995, SPREP 1996). In recognition of the ongoing need for regional capacity building in coral reef survey and monitoring techniques, and to accommodate the particular requests of the Kingdom of Tonga. SPREP sought and received funding from AusAID to run a sub-regional course in Vava'u. Kingdom of Tonga.
Niue consists of a single uplifted coral atoll with a unique rugged coastline. It is situated in the Southwest Pacific Ocean within the Polynesian cultural zone. The population of Niue was 2.088 at the 1977 population census, and is a declining population due to outward migration. Niue lies on the edge of the southern tropical cyclone belt, and has two distinct seasons, a hot wet season from November to March and a cool dry season from April to November. The economy is largely dependent on overseas aid. with no realistic prospect of economic self-reliance.
This report provides an overview of the current state of knowledge of cetacean diversity, habitat and threats in the Pacifi c Islands Region.
Global change poses enormous challenges to those responsible for managing the world's forests. There is perhaps no other ecosystem that is so closely linked to, and affected by, human induced changes to climate - being regarded simultaneously as a victim, a villain and a potential saviour. Concentrations of carbon dioxide methane and other greenhouse gases are rising at an accelerating rate in the atmosphere, largely as a result of emissions from human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels.
This report presents the integrated case study for Fiji carried out under an OECD project on Development and Climate Change. The report is structured around a three-tier framework. First, recent climate trends and climate change scenarios for Fiji are assessed, and key sectoral impacts are identified and ranked along multiple indicators to establish priorities for adaptation. Second, donor portfolios are analyzed to examine the proportion of donor activities affected by climate risks.
Water resources are finite and fragile, and yet they are under increasing pressure from population growth, urbanisation, economic development and other forces. This is especially true even in the small islands of the Pacific. Different uses of water are interlinked and interdependent. It is important therefore to take a holistic approach to the management of water resources. These are the underlying principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).
Available online|Draft version 3.0
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Maninita, the southernmost island of the Vava'u group is an important seabird nesting site and a proposed national protected area as originally identified by the Government of Tonga's Ministry of Lands, Survey and Natural Resources. The Tonga NZODA Nature Tourism Programme has responded to this and the increasing interest in the island from Vava'u's tourism sector by including a Maninita initiative as a component of its overall programme.
Available online
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Physical Description: 29 p.
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
Specifically the Community Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment was conducted to make it possible for the people of Aitutaki to tell the CBDAMPIC project team what climate related
There is now a consensus that there is a discernible human influence on global climate. The form these global changes will take in the Pacific is far less certain, but the most significant and more immediate consequences are likely to be related to changes in rainfall regimes and soil moisture budgets, prevailing winds (both speed and direction) and in regional and local sea levels and patterns of wave action.
Available online
Call Number: 341.7623[EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 982-04-0194-1
Physical Description: 84 p.
While acknowledging their diversity, the IPCC Third
Assessment Report (TAR) also noted that small island states
share many similarities (e.g., physical size, proneness to natural disasters and climate extremes, extreme openness of their economies, low adaptive capacity) that enhance their vulnerability and reduce their resilience to climate variability and change.
Available online|(* NB these materials are also available on the workshop CDROM deposited with the IRC NBSAP workshop Nadi, Feb 2009)
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This paper is concerned with integrating adaptation to climate change with local development in the context of a climate change mitigation project for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. It is argued that integration will enhance locally appropriate and sustainable outcomes necessary for effective forest conservation in the context of rural Vanuatu.
Report No. 1 presents preliminary results from fieldwork conducted with the Mangaliliu Lelepa Island community in mid 2008. This case study forms one of three assessments of community-based vulnerability and resilience to climate stress in rural Vanuatu undertaken as part of a PhD in Geography.
Available online
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Physical Description: 28 p.
International treaties and national policies seek to enhance global efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. While it is important to continue to strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigation alone is not enough and will not be felt before the second half of the century. Global warming is already underway and adaptation strategies are now a matter of urgency, especially for the most vulnerable poor countries, which are even now being disproportionately affected.
Available online
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