Climate change is one of the greatest threats to our
planet and its people. Reducing emissions of greenhouse
gases (GHG) is called mitigation. Responding to the impacts of climate change is called adaptation. A certain amount of adaptation will be necessary, no matter what we do. But, there will come a point where it will not be possible to adapt our way out of the problem.
In 2007, the UNFCCC Secretariat prepared a report on
"Investment and Financial Flows to Address Climate
Change".11 The report covers mitigation and adaptation in
various sectors over the period to 2030. The report defines
an investment as the initial (capital) cost of a new physical
asset with a life of more than one year, such as the capital
cost of a gas-fired generating unit or a water supply
system. A financial flow is an ongoing expenditure related
to climate change mitigation or adaptation that docs not
"There is a window of opportunity for avoiding the most damaging climate change impacts, but that window is closing: the world has less than a decade to change course. Actions taken - or not taken -... will have a profound bearing on the future... The world lacks neither the financial resources nor the technological capabilities... What is missing is a sense of urgency, human solidarity and collective interest (2007/2008 Human Development Report).
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 126 p.
All over the world Indigenous Peoples are affected by the impacts of climate change. They often live close to the land and depend on its physical resources and richness for their livelihoods and well-being. Their environments are increasingly threatened by, for example, desertification, sea level rise, extreme weather events, and changes in wildlife health, migration patterns and abundance. At the same time, there is evidence that some current attempts to tackle climate change may also have disastrous effects on indigenous groups and communities.
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Healthy marine resources require healthy, intact ecosystems. Marine and coastal ecosystems are highly productive and deliver various goods and services that support communities and economies, including food security, clean water, recreational
opportunities and other benefits. Effective area-based protection, through MPAs, helps maintain ecosystem health and productivity, while safeguarding social and economic
Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are heavily dependent on natural resources and likely to remain so for the near future, making resource management an issue of critical importance for economic development. This chapter employs a simple neoclassical
growth model to diagnose deficiencies in current policy regimes and suggest possible alternatives. Current practices in the exploitation of the regions mineral, tuna, and forest resources are used to illustrate problems and suggest possible policy interventions.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
This report presents a set of indicators, referred to as the 'core' set. for reporting on the state of the environment across Commonwealth and State and Territory jurisdictions. The core indicators have been developed by the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) through an extensive consultation process involving both government agencies and the general public.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 0 62419479 3
Physical Description: 96 p.
More than 20 cetacean species are known to exist in the
Pacific Islands Region, which encompasses the U.S. Exclusive
Economic Zone, or EEZ (waters out to 370 km from shore) around
the entire Hawaiian Archipelago. Johnston Atoll. Kingman Reef and Palmyra Atoll. Baker and Howland Islands. Jarvis Island. American Samoa. Wake Island, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, totaling some 5.8 million km2 of ocean.
Many of the species present are poorly studied throughout their
It is now widely acknowledged within the scientific community that the global rate of sea- level rise is quickening - and is likely to continue to do so as a result of anthropogenic
climate change. It is expected, therefore, that any resulting increase in the frequency or intensity of extreme sea-level events will cause serious problems for the inhabitants of low-
lying coastal communities and islands during the 21st century.
Available online
Call Number: [EL[
Physical Description: 16 p.
Fishers have changed their methods from wading in the shallows to the use of sail and paddle canoes, and dinghies with outboard motors. This has resulted in greater coverage of the area where sea cucumbers live, more regular fishing, access to remote areas and the capacity to transport greater catches. Loss of much larger numbers of sea cucumbers from many areas as a result of this increased fishing pressure reduces the chances of adults remaining at densities high enough for effective reproduction.
Palau is blessed with a wealth of natural resources. We enjoy clean air, clean water, abundant marine life, and healthy, productive reefs. Our stunning Rock Islands and majestic dive sites continue to draw admiration from around the world. But Patau's wealth is not just found in its natural resources. Palau has also been blessed with a wealth of human resources and technical capabilities. The population of Palau is well educated and highly talented, and makes use of the most advanced computer and development techniques on a daily basis.
This report serves as to create an overview of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) progress and activities in the Pacific Island Countries (PICs). The overview is to form part of a submission by the GWP (Global Water Partnership) Secretariat at the forthcoming;
"(i) donor meeting to mobilise and seek support for IWRM in February, 2004, and the
(ii) CSD conference in New York, March, 2004".
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 37 p.
Offshore Environment Tuna, Sharks and other targeted species Cook Islands
Data on Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) including Greenhouse Gases
This data set is a digital soil survey and generally is the most detailed level of soil geographic data developed by the National Cooperative Soil Survey.
The dataset is included the Digital Atlas of Micronesia, module Pohnpei, by Island Research & Education Initiative (iREi), in collaboration with Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific (WERI) University of Guam and partial funding from United States Geological Survey (USGS), under WRRI 104-B Program, project # 2016GU302B.
This dataset the extent of coral reefs around Pohnpei. The data layer shown here is a subset of Pohnpei base layer. The original data, so-called Digital Line Graphs (DLSs), were created by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the 1:25,000-scale topographic maps (2001). The shoreline was modified by by University of Guam (UOG) (2017) based on 2016 Worldview-3 satellite imagery from Digital Globe. The dataset was slightly shifted and also updated (mainly around Kolonia and its vicinity).
This dataset shows the extent and basic types of sea grass areas around Pohnpei. It classifies sea grass areas by one of the three main species (Cymodocea rotundata, Thalassia hemprichii, and Enhalus acaroides) and the level of coverage (describes as continuous, aggregated, and isolated). The data source is McKenzie, L.J. and Rasheed, M.J. (2006), Seagrasses: Pohnpei Island and And Atoll Marine Assessment, Technical report of survey conducted 26 October 3 November 2005, SeagrassWatch HQ, DPI&F, Cairns, 60pp.
This dataset shows the areas of biological significance (ABS) on Pohnpei. The original dataset was created by The Nature Conservancy. A subset to show only Pohnpei was created by the Island Research & Education Initiative (iREi). These data are intended to capture those areas that represent the wide range of biodiversity features in the marine and terrestial areas of FSM. They are used to guide conservation planning and projects in FSM, and ultimately to help establish conservation areas. Polygons capturing expert knowledge from FSM Blueprint project.
The Dataset contains and will contain the following: • Updated text; • National R2R website or associated links; • Social media account names/handles – FB, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube etc; • Newsletters ; • Articles ; • Videos • Photographs • Resources – Concept/Technical Notes, Guides, Posters etc.