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The high seas lie beyond the 200 nautical mile limits that define the extent of national sovereignty by countries of the world. They cover 64% of the area of the oceans, and nearly half the surface of the planet. They are a global commons, under the stewardship of the United Nations Law of the Sea for the benefit of all nations. But human pressures on the high seas are increasing fast, and urgent action is needed to protect them from harm. Recent research shows that industrial fishing has

In June 2007 a group of engineers, public health practitioners, local and international NGO staff, academics and government
representatives gathered to discuss water and sanitation in South East Asia and the Pacific at the Let's Come Clean Conference in Melbourne, Australia. At the conference, consensus emerged on the need for greater regional exchange of experience in sanitation. It was agreed that more could be done to document and disseminate practical lessons learned from water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives throughout the region.

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Forests and other wooded land together cover about
one-third of the Asia and the Pacific region.
Excluding the Russian Federation, forest area in 2005
was estimated at 734 million hectares, accounting for
about 19 percent of global forest area. The region as a
whole experienced a net increase in forest area of about
633 000 ha annually during 2000-2005. This
is an important breakthrough, since the region had
experienced a net loss of forest cover during the 1990s. The improvement was largely the result of an increase of more

This document outlines the analytical framework for an OECD project on Development and Climate Change. A three-tier framework is also described for the project case studies that will provide a country-level overview of principal climate change impacts and vulnerabilities, followed by an in-depth analysis at a sectoral or regional/local level on how climate responses could be mainstreamed into particular development policies and projects.

At its sixth meeting the Conference of the Parties, in decision VI/7 A endorsed the draft guidelines for incorporating biodiversity-related issues into environmental impact assessment legislation and/or processes and in strategic environmental assessment.

Climate change is real and Asia is already experiencing its adverse impacts. Projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggest that such impacts will become even more intense in the future. While the contribution of developing countries in Asia to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is increasing rapidly, per capita emissions are still low and developmental challenges remain significant.

Available online

Call Number: [EL]

Physical Description: 15 p.

Available online

Call Number: 333.7 UNI [EL]

Physical Description: 56 p.

Fisheries in the Solomon Islands comprise two distinct sectors: the industrial sector which is predominantly off-shore and depends on the abundant tuna resources found in the country's

"The impacts of the 1997-1998 El Nino are
fresh in our minds, and the latest reports from
the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) confirm tvhat all of you
already know— changes in climate matter to
individuals, communities, businesses and
governments who call islands home. Your
valuable natural resources, traditional ways of
life, critical economic sectors, community support
infrastructure, atid, to a great extent, your
future, depend on developing an effective

To date, few quantitative assessments of the marine resources of Palau have been conducted. For the off-shore tuna fishery, reasonable data time-series are available for the foreign access tuna fishery, but data for domestically based tuna operations are incomplete. For the near-shore fishery, reef resources are exploited by subsistence, commercial and recreational fishermen. Very few data are available that document trends in production for most reef-resident and reef-associated fisheries resources in Palau, except for the trochus fishery.

With these decisions in mind, the Pacific Plan identifies initiatives within an implementation framework that extends to 10 years. Some of this work is already underway. The Plan provides a framework for effective and enhanced engagement
between Forum countries and Pacific territories and with their non-state actors and development partners. It does not limit the sovereign right of Forum Member countries to determine their own national goals and priorities. It may also guide but does not restrict bilateral development programmes and activities.

1 copy

This book aims to make a contribution to the understanding of the current system of global environmental governance, its
strengths and weaknesses, and the options and opportunities to achieve much needed reform.

Call Number: [EL]

Physical Description: 90+ p.

Ice, snow and climate change are closely linked. The Global Outlook for Ice and Snow investigates those linkages. It also presents information on the trends in ice and snow, the outlook for this century and beyond and the consequences to ecosystems and human well-being of these changes. It covers all parts of the cryosphere (the world of ice): snow, land ice, sea ice, river and lake ice, and frozen ground. The Global Outlook for Ice and Snow was written by more than 70 scientists from around the world.

Call Number: 551.578 4 UNI [EL]

The natural environment of Pacific Island countries has supported, maintained and improved the social and economic wellbeing of its people and cultures since the arrival of the first inhabitants. The importance of the region’s biodiversity cannot be understated; it is present in every facet of the island way of life. Natural resources provide food, shelter, medicine and are used extensively in traditions. In the past, utilization of these resources was allowed under traditional and community management.

Research shows that marine reserves are one tool that can help to prevent, slow, or reverse negative changes in the ocean. Marine reserves are places in the ocean that are completely and permanently protected from uses that remove animals and plants or alter their habitats. Increasingly, the public, governmental agencies, commercial groups, and scientists are discussing the idea of establishing more marine reserves to complement existing ocean management. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the latest scientific information about marine reserves.

The maintenance and enhancement of arboreal biodiversity, especially forest and tree genetic resources, is vital for sustainable development in the Pacific Islands. For Pacific peoples, their forest and tree genetic resources are not just a matter of scientific, economic (in monetary terms), recreational or ecological value. They are a capital inheritance that, until recent times, was passed on, relatively intact or in some cases enhanced, by past generations to current generations.

The Marshall Islands are critically dependent on the health of their coral reefs: every rock and sand grain on the islands are the remains of coral reef organisms. Only actively growing coral reefs can protect the islands against ocean waves and global sea level rise, and provide fish to feed the people. These crucial services are rapidly deteriorating because global warming is

New Zealand's geographic isolation and long period without human habitation allowed a unique natural environment to flourish. Our
environment is known for the richness of its biodiversity, with more than 80,000 native animal, plant, and fungus species. As a result of New Zealand's isolation, much of our flora and fauna are not found anywhere else on earth.

Also available online

Call Number: 333.7 ENV [EL]

ISBN/ISSN: 978-0-478-30194-6

Physical Description: 74 p. ; 29 cm

Environmental pollution is an important issue for an island country like Fiji to address. With limited land resources and sea being the source of income generation, it is highly important that these pollution issues are dealt with. However there is another form of environment pollution which is quite significant in this country. This is air pollution. Air pollution affects a greater population than its immediate surroundings therefore a nationwide policy is critical.

Available online

Call Number: [EL]

Physical Description: 67 p.