Henderson island, a World Heritage Site in the Pitcairn group, south-central Pacific Ocean, has often been thought to have a pristine vegetation. Our archaeological investigations and field observations in 1991-1992, supported by recent observations in
1997, suggest the occurrence of former areas of Polynesian cultivation near to the North and East Beaches, and indicate that about 17 non-native vascular plant taxa have occurred.
The study of dispersal processes of small mammals, and especially of rodents, has a wide range of applications and until recent years there were few publications discussing the
colonisation of 'oceanic' islands by small mammals (cf. Crowell, 1986; Diamond, 1987; Hanski, 1986;Heany, 1986; Lomolino, 1986).
The main aim of this report is to set out a preliminary assessment of the current needs within SPREP in relation to assisting the development of environmental law in Pacific island countries, particularly in relation to legal responses to the impacts of climate change in the region, and to make a series of recommendations based on that assessment. The context of the assessment is that climate change has become one of the overarching priorities within SPREP, also recognizing SPREPs climate-change leadership role within the region.
Available online
The freshwater resources of small island states can be classified as either "conventional" or "nonconventional." Conventional resources include rainwater collected from artificial or natural surfaces, groundwater, and surface water. Nonconventional resources include seawater or brackish groundwater desalination, water importation by barge or submarine pipeline, treated wastewater, and substitution (such as the use of coconuts during droughts) (Falkland 1999a).
Kept in vertical file collection|Source: The World's Water 2002-2003. Chapter 5: 113-131
The Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are currently heavily dependent on fossil fuels. Renewable energy (RE),
mostly hydro, is estimated to contribute less than 10 percent of each PICs commercial energy use and the
region is characterized by scattered and fragmented efforts to promote RE technologies that are based on
unreliable and unsubstantiated data on RE resource potentials. The Pacific Islands Renewable Energy Project
(PIREP) will facilitate the promotion within the PICs of the widespread implementation and ultimately,
With financial assistance from the Government of Denmark, the South Pacific Regional Environment
Programme (SPREP) convened this meeting in order to provide a forum where government officials, scientists and other technical experts from the region could interact with individuals working at the international level in climate change research, assessments, negotiations and institutional and financial support.
Kept in vertical file collection|E-copy of full text is available in "FL" field
Call Number: 551.699
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
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.
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.
As noted in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, climate change is one of the most important drivers of biodiversity loss" and is projected to further adversely affect the role of
biodiversity as a source of goods and services. The impacts of climate change on biodiversity have been of major concern to the Convention on Biological Diversity since 2002 when, following a request from the Conference of the Parties and the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), an Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group was established to carry
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.
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
Call Number: [EL]
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.
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 Ok Tedi copper-gold mine, located at the eastern end of the central mountain range of New Guinea, discharges approximately 80.000 tons of ore processing residues daily, and a similar volume of waste rock and overburden into the headwaters of the Ok Tedi River.
2 copies|Available in e-copy
Call Number: 363.709549 HET [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 9820401259
Physical Description: vi, 71 p. ; 29 cm
The study investigated the situation of three Pacific small island nations concerning. While the detail of the specific situations varied there were several common underlying themes
which probably apply to a majority of smaller developing countries seeking to negotiate, ratify and implement national responsibilities for MEAs. The attached reports address the
specific situations of the Cook Islands. Palau and Vanuatu. This summary addresses some current and potential broader issues for the South Pacific Region and more generally for developing Islands countries
Since 1987, I have assisted the Cook Islands Conservation/Environment Service and, more recently, the Takitumu Conservation Area Project and the Avifauna Conservation Programme of the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to plan and implement a recovery programme for the kakerori, a critically endangered forest bird endemic to Rarotonga. In 1989, the kakerori was one of the 10 rarest birds in the world, and classified as 'critically endangered' (Collar et al. 1994) with a population of just 29 birds. I calculated
Assisting the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme's (SPREP) island members to plan, prepare and respond to marine spills is one of the four activity areas of the Pacific Ocean Pollution Prevention Programme (PACPOL). PACPOL activities currently include a regional risk assessment regional and national contingency plans, formulation of a regional equipment strategy and facilitating regular workshop to discuss marine spill issues.