The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) several years ago
identified the mismanagement of hazardous chemicals in the Pacific Island Countries as a
serious environmental concern, and hence the Persistent Organic Pollutants in Pacific
Island Countries (POPs in PICs) project was developed as an AusAID funded initiative,
to be carried out by SPREP. POPs are a group of twelve particularly hazardous
chemicals that have been singled out by the recent Stockholm Convention for urgent
The Kingdom of Tonga is a nation of 171 islands located in the South Pacific. It has a
The Pacific islands have an extremely rich maritime heritage. The islands themselves were first populated by what are arguably the greatest mariners in human history. In pie-European times the Pacific islandersnavigated wooden canoes held together with coconut fibre across thousands of miles of open ocean, with
nothing but the stars and their intimate knowledge of the sea to aid navigation. Today, this seafaring tradition is continued, with several island countries, such as Kiribati and Tuvalu, being suppliers of seamento the regional and global shipping fleet.
Vision: The Federated States of Micronesia will have more extensive, diverse and higher quality of marine, terrestrial and freshwater
ecosystems, which meet human needs and aspirations fairly, preserve and utilize traditional knowledge and practices, and fulfill the
ecosystem functions necessary for all life on Earth.
Available online
Call Number: 333.9516 BLU [EL]
Physical Description: 101 p. ; 27 cm
The Information Resource Centre & Pacific Environmental Information Network PEIN, Project No.8, ACP.RPA.001 was approved by the Commission on 28 February 2000 and is a
three-year programme with total funding of 560,000. The project is being implemented by the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and will conclude 31 December 2003.
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Call Number: VF 6013
Physical Description: 88 p. ; 29 cm
The Federated States of Micronesia includes the most geographically and culturally diverse part of the greater Micronesian region. The nation is comprised of four states Yap, Chuuk,
Pohnpei, and Kosrae lying along the equator in geographic sequence from west to east. The nation has a total population of about 106,000. Each state has considerable autonomy
within the federation and has devised its own strategy for development. An overall, integrated development vision for the federation is provided by the national government.
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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
Call Number: [EL]
Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) offers a systematic approach to address the sustainable development, allocation and monitoring of water resources for Pacific island Countries (PICs). The key concept of IWRM is that it provides a framework to integrate societal, economic and environmental considerations in water resource management. It recognises that all water use is interdependent and therefore should be managed in an integrated manner.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 45 p.
Small Pacific Island countries (PIC) rely heavily on the freshwater resources. However, due to the small land masses of many PICs, most of the freshwater sources are under pressure from overuse and/or pollution leading to deteriorating water quality due to urbanisation, economic development, and population growth. The pollution of freshwater resources also lend a hand to the pollution of marine ecosystems, which many Pacific Islanders rely on heavily for sustenance. Urbanisation and population increases weigh heavily on wastewater disposal,
Water is essential for human, faunal and floral physiology. Water sustains life and is essential for climatic equilibrium, the maintenance of ecosystems, agriculture, industrial processing and hydropower. In many countries, increasing population, natural resource extraction, food production,
The economic and social wellbeing of Pacific Island Countries are dependent upon the quality and quantity of their freshwater. Constrained by their relative small size, natural vulnerability,
and limited human and financial resource base, Pacific Small Island Developing States face specific challenges to effectively manage their water resources.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 105 p.
The Solomon Islands is characterised by scattered islands that vary considerably in size, physical and hydrologic characteristics. The types of islands range from high volcanic to tiny low coral atolls. The higher islands have river systems whilst the low coral atolls have no natural surface water systems and are completely dependent upon rainwater catchments and groundwater.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 86 p.
The structure of this diagnostic report follows the outline of the Pacific Regional Action Plan on sustainable Water Management (Pacific RAP) arranged over six thematic areas of water
resources management, island vulnerability, awareness, technology, institutional arrangements and financing, preceded by a general chapter on relevant background information on Tonga.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 73 p.
Tuvalu is a Pacific Island country of 9 low-lying coral atolls, humid tropical climate and high rainfall, with limited land area, high mean population densities, and an Environmental Vulnerability Index of 3.6. Tuvalu has a GDP per capita of US$1,681. 30% of GDP is attributable to government wages, with 40% from public enterprises. The private sector contributes approximately 30% of GDP of which half is from external remittances.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 57 p.
The Government of Niue (GoN) is restructuring its Public Service which is a timely opportunity to integrate water management functions adopting the IWRM approach and principles in lieu of the current sectoral approach adopted over the last 3-4 decades. This will be an opportunity to integrate NGOs, civil society and all stakeholders in the process of water and wastewater
These goals are a big challenge to small Pacific Islands Countries with their small land masses, remote locations and small but rapidly growing populations making them vulnerable. Vanuatu shares these and other challenges to sustainable development. In Vanuatu real GDP per capita is still lower than in the 1980s, infrastructure is poorly developed, the population is rapidly growing at 2.6% per year, water resources are declining and in many places contaminated, and household
Active participation from people is key to the success of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). The purpose of these guidelines is to support government departments and organisations in mobilising people towards IWRM.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 85 p.
With the passage of the Commerce, Justice, and State Appropriations Act of 2001, Congress mandated that each state and territory develop its own comprehensive strategy. The strategy is required to have eight elements including a description of the status of species determined to be a species of greatest conservation need, important habitats and
their condition, conservation actions, monitoring of these species, and gauging conservation success. Important in the development is a "good faith effort" to include the public in the development.
Available online
Under the mandate of the U.S. Congress, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) has joined the 50 states and 5 other territories in presenting its Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy
(CWCS). A "road map" or guide to help the reader find information on each of the Eight Elements required by the CWCS.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 390 p.
GEF support for the preparation of National Capacity Self-Assessments (NCSA) is pursuant to the GEF Council Decision which "requests the GEF Secretariat, in collaboration with the Implementing Agencies and Executing Agencies, to initiate processes so that the self-assessment of capacity building needs can begin immediately in countries that request such assistance".