This report reviews the past and present status of natural resources and their uses and indicates what trends are occurring to determine future resource uses and impacts of uses. It suggests possible priorities for incorporation into the FSM
Nationwide Environmental Management Strategy Optimal socio-economic development in the Federated States of Micronesia requires a long-term, inter-generational perspective on management of the limited but valuable natural
resources and the environment.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
This Review of Environmental Law in the Kingdom of Tonga has been implemented as an important component of the Regional Environment Technical Assistance (RETA) Project. The RETA project has been developed to address environmental issues in a
number of Pacific countries. It has been funded by the Asian Development Bank and carried out with technical assistance from IUCN - the World Conservation Union. The RETA project is an important regional initiative, which reflects the need for careful management of the Pacific environment.
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This is a region-wide activity covering all the island
territories of the region except Australia and New Zealand.
Since most of the pollutants found in the South Pacific are
land-derived, this will provide the data necessary for
determining what pollutants are likely to be found in any given
locality. Atmospheric transport of pollutants may be important
in certain parts of the world, but recent studies have shown
that the South Pacific atmosphere (apart from certain
industrial areas) is the cleanest so far studied (Riley et al.,
The foregoing quotations, those presented to or sanctioned by governments and inter- governmental agencies on the one hand, and those contained in magazines and newspapers (as well as in the local press and on radio) on the other hand, provide one of the contexts for the present study. The effects of such reports on island governments, officials, elders and not the least island residents themselves was, as several Tokelauans told us, one of uncertainty, bewilderment and genuine fear about the future for their families, lands and livelihood. This
The report suggests that bodies such as the World Conservation Union, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Asian Development Bank, the Global Environment Facility and some of the relevant non-government organisations operating In the Pacific region have roles, or further roles, to play in delivering environmental law services in the Pacific region. The
coordinating role of the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme in the provision of these services is seen as crucial, in terms of consistency and cost-effectiveness. Specific actions
The ten countries participating in the Pacific Islands
Climate Change Assistance Programme (PICCAP)
Cook Islands. Federated States of Micronesia. Fiji.
Kiribati. Marshall Islands. Nauru. Samoa. Solomon
Islands. Tuvalu. Vanuatu recognise the importance of
greenhouse gas mitigation and are committed to meeting
their obligations under the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
3 copies|Also online
Call Number: 551.523 ELL (EL),CLI,363.738 7 GRE,PAC 551.523 ELL
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 Pacific Islands Climate Change Assistance Programme (PICCAP) is a three-year climate change enabling activity involving 10 Pacific Island Countries (PICs): Cook Islands, Federated States
of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. PICCAP is designed to assist PICs in meeting their reporting requirements under
Articles 4 and 12 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by the United Nations
Irrespective of which part of the world one lives in, the environment now figures highly on most national agendas, be they economic, political or social, and among the many environmental
issues, one dominates. Global climate change hangs over all of us like the sword of Damocles, alarming because of the enormous scale of the phenomenon, our inability to delineate its exact
configuration, and our apparent incapacity to check its course.
Cook Islands holds 551.6
Call Number: 551.699612 NUN [EL],551.6
ISBN/ISSN: 9820400295
The Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are currently heavily dependent on fossil fuels. Renewable energy (RE),
mostly hydro, is estimated to contribute less than 10 percent of each PICs commercial energy use and the
region is characterized by scattered and fragmented efforts to promote RE technologies that are based on
unreliable and unsubstantiated data on RE resource potentials. The Pacific Islands Renewable Energy Project
(PIREP) will facilitate the promotion within the PICs of the widespread implementation and ultimately,
With financial assistance from the Government of Denmark, the South Pacific Regional Environment
Programme (SPREP) convened this meeting in order to provide a forum where government officials, scientists and other technical experts from the region could interact with individuals working at the international level in climate change research, assessments, negotiations and institutional and financial support.
Kept in vertical file collection|E-copy of full text is available in "FL" field
Call Number: 551.699
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.
The Environment can be considered tropical marine. Atolls are especially vulnerable to environmental damage. The water supply is easily damaged by pollutants. Land biodiversity is low. The primary dangers to the environment are tropical storms, oil spills and waste disposal from the settlements. Direct hits by cyclones are not common though near passages have caused serious damage due to high waves.
Available online|This report is based on data gathered by a PIREP team consisting of Tomas Tafia and Herbert Wade
Call Number: 333.794159615 WAD [EL]
SPREP's direction in the Islands Ecosystems Programme reflects a
fundamental commitment to sustaining the livelihoods of island peoples today and tomorrow by supporting ecosystem management and species conservation. The Programme focuses on developing the capacities of the peoples of the Pacific islands to equip them to sustainable manage and conserve the terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems of their islands. The programme also focuses efforts to protect priority threatened species, and to protect Pacific island countries and terrttories (PICTs) from
Tonga has a small open economy with squash, coconuts and vanilla the main export crops that make up two thirds of total exports. A high proportion of food is imported, mainly from New Zealand. Remittances are important to the economy, as is tourism. Private sector development is emphasized in its Strategic Development Plan and there is a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. Fisheries and tourism are considered as having the most potential for further economic growth.
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)
Environmental issues have a high priority. The people of Nine have taken positive action to maintain the environment for future generations. The low population density has allowed large areas of the island's interior to remain as natural forests and this natural state has become a tourist attraction along with the exotic coral formations, caves and other natural attractions of the island. In general water quality and air quality are very good. Periods of drought occur that can cause loss of crops and hardship for residents.
The climate is equatorial marine in nature. There are 110 cyclones though rainfall is cyclic and periodic droughts are a serious problem with one year having a recorded rainfall of only 280 nun. The land biodiversity is limited with only
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 International Waters Project (IWP) aims to strengthen the management and conservation of marine, coastal and freshwater resources in the Pacific Islands region. It is financed through
the International Waters Programme of the Global Environment Facility, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme, and executed by the Secretariat of the Pacific
Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), in conjunction with the governments of the 14 participating independent Pacific Island countries.