"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
The area of concern for this Regional Wetlands Action Plan (RWAP) is the Pacific islands region, extending from Palau and the Northern Mariana Islands in the north-west to French
Polynesia and Pitcaim in the south-east, encompassing 22 Pacific island countries and territories including large countries such as Papua New Guinea (PNG). It equates to the region of operation
of the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
3 copies|SLIC other copy kept in VF 3098|Available electronically
Call Number: 333.918 REG (EL),VF 3098
Latent sea-level rise is defined here as the sea-level rise ultimately likely to occur due to emissions of greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere, i.e. if all anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases were to cease at a particular time, various global systems would continue to change in response to
the gases remaining in the atmosphere until equilibrium was reached. Those systems include the atmosphere: the cryosphere, comprising snowfields,tundra soils, glaciers and ice-caps: the biosphere,including both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems:
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the
expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the World Meteorological
Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or
concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
2 copies
Call Number: 551.632 PAC
Physical Description: various pagings
This report was commissioned by the South Pacific Regional Environment Programmme (SPREP) in early 2000, and forms part of SPREPs initiative to: identify the requirements of the National Meteorological Services (NMSs) of twenty Pacific island SPREP member countries and territories, package the requirements for aid consideration, and further, to coordinate and administer any consequential aid projects.
3 copies|Also available in e-copy if you clink on "FL" field|Tuvalu copy kept at NEE
Call Number: 551.5092099 NEE (EL),NEE
The idea for tills manual has roots in more than 25 years of work interpreting and transferring scientific and technical information for
use by policy and decisionmakers. I was privileged to take part in the formulation of the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
while Chief of the Environmental Policy Division of the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. This law called for the
preparation of an environmental impact statementan action-forcing provision aimed at American government officials. But the concept of
Environment The Solomon Islands is part to various treaties and conventions related to environmental protection, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol. A communication to UNFCCC, including greenhouse gas emissions and vulnerability to climate change, is expected to be submitted during 2004.
Available online|This report is based on data gathered by a PIREP team consisting of John Korinihone, Morgan Wairiu, John Vos and Peter Johnston
Call Number: 333.79415953 JOH (EL)
The Republic of the Marshall Islands consists of two groups of atolls and islands: Ralik in the west and Ratak to the east, within a rectangle extending 1150 km north-south and 1300 km east- west. about 3200 kilometers from Honolulu and Tokyo. Twenty-two of 29 atolls, and four of the five small raised coral islands are inhabited. The islands are typically several km long and rarely over 200 meters in width.
The Kingdom of Tonga has previously indicated to SPREP that specialised short term training in reef ecology and the development of coral reef survey and monitoring skills is a priority for their country (Thistlethwaite et al. 1993, SPREP 1995, SPREP 1996). In recognition of the ongoing need for regional capacity building in coral reef survey and monitoring techniques, and to accommodate the particular requests of the Kingdom of Tonga. SPREP sought and received funding from AusAID to run a sub-regional course in Vava'u. Kingdom of Tonga.
The self-governing territory of the Cook Islands consists of 15 islands and atolls that are spread over 2 million square kilometres of the South Pacific Ocean.
The islands are geographically divided into two groups, commonly referred to as the Northern and Southern Group islands. The two groups of islands making up the country exhibit marked differences in their social, cultural and economic activities. The Northern Group islands remain relatively isolated from
the Southern Group islands.
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.
The nine Pacific Island countries (PICs)1 covered in this regional strategy face similar development challenges today despite notable differences in history, culture, and endowments.
The lack of economic growth in the face of growing populations has contributed to rising unemployment and hardship in the region. Even those countries that have seen positive growth in
The main map shows that higher population densities occur (i) around and inland from major coastal towns, (ii) in the elevated PNG Highlands (H) and the Baliem Valley (B) of Papua, and (iii) along most of the coasts of the mainland and major islands. The distributions of inhabited places and of annual fires reveal that people and their effects are widely dispersed across much of the landscape. However, vast landscapes in the upper catchments of the Mamberamo River (M) in Papua and in parts of the upper Fly River (F) and Sepik River (S) in PNG remain sparsely inhabited.
Several large regions of the world are plagued by
conservation problems shaped around a particular inherent
set of geographical, biological and human conditions which
have been operational for varying periods of time. Typical
of situations facing Latin America are the progress of
economic development in Amazonia with its attendant loss of
rainforest biodiversity, and the Central American
"hamburger connection" involving conversion of forests to
grazing land to support the export of cheap beef to the
The Pacific Islands region is important for a great number of cetaceans (whales and dolphins), whether as a permanent habitat, a breeding ground or a migration corridor. Currently, more
than thirty species of whales and dolphins have been identified in this area.
The presence and diversity of cetaceans in our region has led to the development of whale watching, both on a commercial and recreational basis. Whale watching is defined as viewing
This report has been prepared by the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts for Members of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to support discussion on Agenda Item 8.1 'Streamlined reporting by Pacific Island countries (PICs) to the biodiversity- related multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) - the development of a consolidated reporting template' at the 19th SPREP Meeting in September 2008.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 49 p
There is now a consensus that there is a discernible human influence on global climate. The form these global changes will take in the Pacific is far less certain, but the most significant and more immediate consequences are likely to be related to changes in rainfall regimes and soil moisture budgets, prevailing winds (both speed and direction) and in regional and local sea levels and patterns of wave action.
Available online
Call Number: 341.7623[EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 982-04-0194-1
Physical Description: 84 p.
This report presents an overview of the global assessment landscape and highlight elements of best practice with respect to the future undertaking of major assessments. It includes an analysis of existing and ongoing sub-regional and regional assessments from a multi-thematic perspective.
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
A Workshop on Regional Action to Combat Invasive Alien Species on Islands to Preserve Biodiversity and Adapt to Climate Change highlighted successes, deepened connections within regions and facilitated the exchange of experiences across regions.While discussions outlined significant obstacles to invasive alien species management2 on islands, they also showcased how targeted successes have led to major gains for conservation and development.Collaboration across developmental and environmental sectors and sustained support are critical to success in this field.Exciting new initiatives are dev