The Policy Goal of the Ministry is "to Act as the Focal Point for all International, Sub-regional Conventions, Treaties and Protocols relating to Environment, Conservation, Global Warming, Climate Change, and others in addressing Environment, Conservation and Meteorology issues, to integrate national issues, in a holistic way so as to adapt to climate change, halt deterioration of ecosystems, restore damaged eco-systems and ensure their survival in the long term".
Available online|1 copy
Call Number: [EL],338.9 MIN
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.
Available online
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
Development and climate change project: concept paper on scope and criteria for case study selection
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.
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
In World Resources 2005 we showed that ecosystems can become the focus of a powerful model for nature-based enterprise that delivers continuing economic and social benefits to die poor, even as it improves the natural resource base. Evidence shows that poor rural families empowered with secure resource rights can significantly increase their income stream from nature with prudent ecosystem management. To make this possible, a funda-
mental shift in governancein the power of the poor to access resources of value and build functional enterprisesis required.
Available online
The Earth currently finds itself in the midst of what some have termed the "Anthropocene Era" - a period during which human activities have become a dominate force affecting not only the
planet's landscape, but also its atmosphere. Since the dawn of the industrial evolution of the mid-18th century, humans have contributed to substantial increases in the concentration of
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide has increased by 36%, methane by 17%, and nitrous oxide by 151%. These changes in the global atmosphere are directly linked to over
The Pacific Invasives Initiative (PII) is a sister partnership based at Auckland University which shares 6 partners with PILN. The goal of the PII is to contribute to conserving island biodiversity and enhancing the sustainability of island livelihoods by minimizing the spread and impacts of invasive species in the Pacific region. This is achieved by increasing support and developing capacity in the region for managing the impacts of these species.
Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change have committed themselves to considering the special needs and concerns of developing countries resulting from the adverse effects of climate change in the area of insurance. The needs of small island states have been are highlighted for attention, due to their unique geographic features and exposure, and thus unique vulnerability.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 49 p.
The Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC (IPCC AR4) Working Group II (2007) identifies small island states as being among the most vulnerable countries of the world to the adverse impacts of climate change. Hay, el al.y (2003) in discussing the Pacific's observed climate noted that compared to earlier historical records during the twentieth century, the southern Pacific had experienced a significantly drier and warmer climate (by 15 percent and 0.8°C, respectively).
STRATEGIC CONSERVATION PRIORITIES IN MICRONESIA: Identify the top strategic conservation priorities in Micronesia through locally appropriate and participatory in-country and regional assessments of biodiversity, threats, opportunities and local and regional capacity. Monitor and regularly update these assessments to enable us to adapt our implementation strategies.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: ?
The Vanuatu Government, through the Vanuatu Environment Unit in collaboration with relevant departments, has implemented this UNEP/GEF funded project on National Capacity Self Assessment (NCSA) Project, which started in Vanuatu in December 2004. The main objective of the NCSA project is to enhance the capacity of Vanuatu in addressing global environment management issues, particular in the thematic areas of Biodiversity, Climate Change and Land Degradation, each being addressed within its respective international convention.
Available online
This report provides an overview of priority environmental concerns (PEC) in the 3 IWP focal areas of sustainable coastal fisheries and marine protected areas, protection of freshwater resources and community based waste reduction.
In a unique move Tokelau requested all regional and international organizations that it is affiliated to either through full membership, associate or by accessing through regional international projects, to visit and consult Tokelau as a "body corporate" or all at once. The intention is to assist a small tiny country in managing all the possible assistance available from these organizations so that the actual assistance itself could be much more effective in their delivery and avoid duplication.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
This remote chain of 13 islands (9 inhabited) and two atolls is located 140 south of the equator near the International Date Line. It is divided into two political entities, the US Territory of American Samoa and the neighboring independent country of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa. The land area of (western) Samoa is approximately 15 times larger than the land area of American Samoa
2 copies and also available electronically
Call Number: 508.099613 CRA [EL]
Physical Description: 130 p. ; 28 cm
"The CARICOM Environment in Figures 2004 has been prepared the Caribbean
Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Statistics Sub-programme based on data submitted
by Member States and Associate Members., from the United Nations Statistics Division
(UNSD) and from other regional and National Organisations. This is the second report in
this area of Statistics that has been produced. The first report contained data up to the
period 2002. The work on Environmental Statistics in the CARICOM Region was
The need for a Pacific Biodiversity Information Forum to provide a venue and support for biodiversity information needs in the Pacific Basin was established during the GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) meeting on Maui in May of 2002. Interested parties met again during the October 2003 GBIF meeting in Tsukuba, Japan and reaffirmed the need and began to draw up a governing structure for PBIF and identify specific biodiversity needs in the Pacific Basin that can be addressed through projects.