The biodiversity of the Pacific region is recognised as being globally significant. The Solomon Islands was recently included into the famous "Coral Triangle", the area of ocean considered to have the highest marine biodiversity in the world. This includes the waters of the Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The Solomon Islands Rainforest Ecoregion is recognised as "one of the world's great Centres of Plant Diversity"
Tonga has made "good and steady progress" towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as reported in Tonga 1st National Status Report: Millennium Development Goals Today and Tomorrow and summarised .
The report on a new regional institutional framework was commissioned by the Pacific Plan Action Committee (PPAC). The aim in doing so was to present the report to Pacific Islands Forum Leaders at their October 2006 meeting, after PPAC had considered it in August 2006 in Nadi,Fiji Islands.
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.
Matter and energy budgets for coral reefs, their components, and the world around them can, do, and must balance in a theorical context (Smith and Kinsey, 1988). In this paper, we will try to
establish nitrogen, phosphorus and silica budgets between ocean and lagoon waters of Tikehau atoll in the purpose to learn more about the functioning of coral reef lagoons. Nutrient concentrations (dissolved components and particulate organic matter) were measured in the lagoon and in the surrounding oceanic surface waters between 1983 and 1987.
Available online
Fish communities in the lagoon of the Tikehau atoll were studied by only a few researchers. Harmelin-Vivien (1984) studied the distribution of the main herbivorous families (Scaridae and Acanthuridae) in the lagoon and on the outer slope to 30 m in depth. The total fish community of the outer slope was studied by Galzin (1985, 1987) at 12 m in depth. These studies were carried out in the southwestern part of the atoll. Spatial organization of coral associated fish community was studied throughout the lagoon by Morize et al. (1990). Most of the other
The Western Samoan Turtle Hatchery Project is, as the accompanying documents will show, a low-input, high-potential stock-reviving programme aimed primarily at increasing the amount of fresh protein currently available to the local population.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 13 p.
WITH UNRULY hair; a cheerful glint in his eye and a mischievous grin. Samoan-born Vili lese is passionate about conservation. Right now, he's undertaking ground-breaking research in Tuvalu's waters to help build a sustainable future for Tuvalu's community of almost 12,000 a community who rely heavily on fishing and
farming to survive.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 6 Pages
Some presentations refer to the term Marine Managed Area (MMA) instead of Marine Protected Area (MPA) in order to cover more management options. The workshop proposed and adopted a rough typology of MM As that will be useful to communicate with the key decision makers (land use planners, coastal zone planners and managers, regional planners, protected area planners and managers, community leaders, sectorial planners in fisheries and environment...)
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 28 p.
The impetus tor developing this Guide came primarily from two situations. Firstly, the enormity of the Asian Tsunami disaster in 2004-2005 right on Australia's doorstep, and the inability of the renewable energy community to donate goods and services, highlighted a need to develop an understanding of a pathway with the aid and disaster relief organisations to overcome this situation.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 978-0-9803518-1-1
Physical Description: 82 p.
The Takitumu Conservation Area was created in 1996 on the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. Its main purpose is to conserve biodiversity for the benefit of present and future gen-
erations. Only local people own the land and its resources. Ecotourism will be the area's main economic activity. A guided nature walk has been organized with landowner agreement and
support.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 4 Pages
Tuvalu is a nation of low-lying coral atolls and is presently listed by the LIN as one of the least-developed of nations, with GDP per capita estimated at $US 800 in 1995 (CIA. 2000).
Tuvalu is essentially bereft of natural resources, with the exception of those provided by the sea. A major component of
Tuvalu economy is income generated by licensing international fisliing vessels to operate within the nation's EEZ.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 8 Pages
The guidelines provide advice on watching whales and dolphins in the wild, including observations from the land, water or air as well as activities such as swimming and diving, feeding, touching, and making noise. They are relevant to all Australian
waters (Commonwealth, State and Territory) and cover all people watching whales and dolphins including both commercial operators and the general public.
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Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 20 p.
Estimates vary but Nauru has probably been occupied for at least 3000 years. Although the people are considered Micronesians. the island was probably discovered by different ethnic groups at different times - there are indications of both Melanesian and Polynesian influences - and their descendents combined to form today's ethnic Nauruans. The language of Nauru is unique and gives few hints of its origins. Traditional Nauru society
is matrilineal and is based on 12 tribal grouping.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
This report presents the results of field studies of the National Forest Inventory. Details of the survey methodology and coverage are provided and summaries of results are presented.
We found coral diversity to be relatively high, especially at both tips of the island. Here we estimated the hard coral coverage to be about 30-40% and soft coral coverage about 25%. However, dead Pocillopora and Acropora colonies, already
overgrown by algae, were scattered throughout the reef. On the northwest windward side of the island we encountered vast areas of bare rock with nibble filling the crevasses. Even in deeper zones live hard coral coverage was estimated to be only
Over the past decade since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio, there has been only modest progress in the Asia-Pacific Region towards sustainable development. Since 1992, environmental quality in the Region has deteriorated. In advance of the September, 2002, World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), a number of agencies active in the Asia-Pacific Region, including ADB, ESCAP, UNDP, and UNEP, agreed to co-ordinate a series of subregional and regional preparatory meetings.
The process by which individuals, groups, organisations, institutions and societies increase their abilities to:
Perform core functions, solve problems, define and achieve objectives
Understand and deal with their development needs in a broad context and in a sustainable manner.
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Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 129 p.
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.1
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Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 49 p.