Pacific Island communities are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters ranging from tropical cyclones, drought, floods, storm surges and tsunamis. Each year, these events result in significant loss of life, the destruction of homes, public infrastructure and livelihoods and the reversal of hard-won economic gains. Recently, deadly tsunami and earthquake events in the Indian Ocean region have focused the attention of the world community, particularly those living in small islands and coastal regions, to the need for greater vigilance in disaster prevention and preparedness.
Of the many stakeholders and actors in Fiji, those that might be identified as key will vary depending on the issue involved and the circumstances surrounding it. Those discussed in this study have been identified because of their importance in relation to the major issues of current concern.
Call Number: VF 6518 (EL)
Physical Description: 80 p. ; 29 cm
This paper seeks to explain the social and cultural characteristics of Samoa and to outline the ways in which they affect the course of Samoa's national development. It appears as a companion to the paper on Tonga in the series the two papers were prepared using a common conceptual framework, and readers interested in the contrasts between the two countries may wish
to read both papers.
A report of the World Bank
Call Number: VF 3308 (EL)
Physical Description: 59 p. ; 29 cm
The term "environment" in the Environment Act, (No 8 of 1998), is defined as "all natural and social systems and their constituent parts, and the interaction of their constituent
parts, including people, communities and economic, aesthetic, culture and social factors". Human activities impact its natural and social environment in many ways. Where the activity
Generally little is known of traditional systems of terrestrial forest management in Micronesia. What little we do know suggests a complex approach that has been developed over thousands of
What stands out to you as you commute, or explore our beautiful peaceful Samoan island paradise which to many Europeans in years gone by meant Utopia? No, I am not referring to the hundreds of churches, some mock Baroque, and Gothic inspired, found throughout the isles. Instead, I have seen how tidy our people have become over the last decade or so. In this regard I salute and applaud them, well, especially those villages and urban communities which have embraced our Government's 'Keep Samoa Clean' awareness campaign.
E-copy available from "FL" field
Practioners representing national, regional and international agencies, tertiary institutions and non-government organizations involved in coastal management met at the offices of the South Pacific Applied Geosciences Commission (SOPAC) 10-12 December 2003. The meeting was convened by the Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to discuss current initiatives and emerging issues relating to coastal management in the Pacific Islands region.
E-file kept in "FL" field
Call Number: VF 6591 (EL)
The Pacific Island region's coastal fisheries produce a little over 100,000 tonnes offish and seafood products per year. They are very significant in providing food, income and jobs for Pacific Islanders, and further contribute to Pacific Island economies through import substitution and generation of
Domestic contributions dominate the relatively mi-industrialized Pacific Region. Domestic wastewater disposal (or sewerage) and disposal of domestic solid waste remain critical issues for the region. In most areas the current management of these results is not sufficient to prevent deleterious effects on public
Most of the homes are built with imported timber and concrete with roofs made out of corrugated tin. Most of the homes are of basic design with an average 2.2 rooms. Majority of the
homes surveyed appeared to be in very poor condition. About half the households have common household appliances, such as fans, refrigerators, kerosene stoves and radios, but it is not
indicative of affluence. Many still continue to cook outdoors using fire pits and wash clothes in basins.
IWP-Pacific Technical Report (International Waters Project) no.15
Spearfishing is growing in importance in the Pacific Islands. While its management has featured as a topic in some regional-level meetings, detailed information on spearfishing is surprisingly scarce. In early 1994, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) proposed to consolidate information on
"SOPAC is mandated by 18 Pacific Island Countries (PICs) to provide technical policy and project level advice on the sustainable development, utilization and protection of water resources in its member countries. Of particular concern is the capacity of urban and rural water supply systems to provide safe drinking water, and the impact of inadequate sanitation facilities on water resources, the environment and public health.
This report documents the results from a workshop that examined the issue of incidental capture of threatened and endangered sea turtles by pelagic longline fisheries. It is a compilation of formal presentations by, and facilitated discussions among, government and nongovernment scientists, resource managers, and fishing industry representatives. This report documents the preliminary results and has not undergone external scientific review. The interpretation of the information presented at the
Mangrove systems occur extensively on low gradient tropical shorelines, where sedimentation enables resilience during sea-level rise (SLR). Within mangroves, inundation frequencies across the intertidal slope cause zonation of different species with elevation. This tight sea-level control of the seaward margin and zones within mangroves has been demonstrated by precise EDM survey. Hence species zones in mangroves are definitive indicators of sea-level position, and pollen
The framework for management of the ocean and coasts of the Pacific Islands region has been evolving since the early 1970s when Pacific Island countries played a significant role in the
The IW is one of the four focal areas of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The GEF was created in 1994 to provide funding for programs and projects to achieve global environment benefits in four focal areas: biodiversity, climate change, international waters, and ozone layer depletion, as well as land degradation as it relates to these focal areas.
Available online
Call Number: 333.714 COO [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 982-04-0274-3
Physical Description: 55 p. ; 29 cm
Global Climate Change and Coral Bleaching. The ultimate long-term environmental threat to coral reef ecosystems is global climate change that many believe is linked to the dramatic increase of coral bleaching in the past decade. Bleaching
varies regionally, locally within a reef, and among species. It also coincides with elevated water temperatures associated with El Nifio and La Nifia events.
1 copy|Also available online
Call Number: 574.91 STA [EL]
Physical Description: 277 p.
The watersheds of the Cook Islands provide residents and visitors with a wide range of environmental services such as drinking water supplies, natural filtration of freshwater runoff, recreational opportunities and scenery. While important, the value of these services is not readily apparent in economic terms. This means they can easily be overlooked in decision
making and policy formulation. There is a pressing need to better understand the economic value of the nation's watersheds to raise awareness and inform investment and regulatory
decisions.
The International Waters Project (IWP) aims to strengthen the management and conservation of marine, coastal and freshwater resources in the Pacific Islands region. It is financed through
the International Waters Programme of the Global Environment Facility, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme, and executed by the Secretariat of the Pacific
Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), in conjunction with the governments of the 14 participating independent Pacific Island countries.
Available online
Call Number: 363.728 LEN (EL)
This is a report on research conducted by the author under the auspices of research funding provided by The University of Adelaide and the International Waters Project (IWP)1 of the
Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP). The focus of the research project has been to examine how existing arrangements of and approaches to governance affect the management of coastal resources and environments in three South Pacific countries: Fiji, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. It is not a comparative study.
Available electronically