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.,
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:
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)
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.
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]
Samoa is party to a number of international and regional treaties and conventions, including several with energy implications, particularly the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol. Environmental issues related to energy use include air pollution from incineration of rubbish and cooking in outside kitchens. About 70% of Samoa's population and infrastructure are located in the environmentally vulnerable coastal zone. Only four of the coastline is resilient to coastal hazards.
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 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
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.
Palau lias an equatorial, marine environment. No cyclones have been recorded though near passages are not unusual when high waves can be a problem. Palau has a strong program for preserving the environment, particularly that of the major tourist attractions including the Rock Islands and the reefs where some of the best diving in the world is found. Marine biodiversity is high and land biodiversity moderate. Strict USA
1. Article 6 of the Convention on Biological Diversity/ requires each Party to develop or adapt national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and to integrate, as far as possible and as appropriate, the conservation and sustainable use of biological
diversity into relevant sectoral or cross-sectoral plans, programmes and policies.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 11 Pages
One of the recommendations emerging from the COP-8 (Decision XIII/8 [6]) promoted a series of regional and/or sub-regional workshops on capacity building for NBSAPs. These will
be held with the aim to discuss national experiences in implementing NBSAPs, the integration of biodiversity concerns into relevant sectors, obstacles, and ways and means
for overcoming these obstacles. It was recommended that these workshops be held (subject to the availability of funding) prior to COP-9, to provide an opportunity to directly support
Climate change2 is one of the most pressing issues for the Pacific Island countries (PICs). The impacts of climate variability and extreme events (cyclones, floods, droughts, sea
Integrating community based disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA)
is identified at the policy and practical level as crucial to aid effectiveness. Successful integration
reduces both duplication of efforts and confusion at the community level. This research focuses
on Pacific community based DRR and CCA initiatives, and draws upon the knowledge and insight
of key stakeholders from multiple backgrounds to develop an understanding of the current status
In Solomon Islands, the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) project focused on food security, with a goal
to contribute to reduced vulnerability and increased adaptive capacity to adverse effects of climate change in
Solomon Islands. The pilot sites for the demonstration projects were the low lying atolls of Ontong Java and, in a
second phase, Sikaiana. These atolls are extremely isolated and are highly vulnerable in many respects. Climaterelated
threats mainly come from sea level rise and extreme weather events, and impacts on food security include
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
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Physical Description: 16 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).