This chapter outlines some of the links between human security and
climate change in the Pacific Islands. It demonstrates that climate
change poses significant risks to human security in the region. The links
between climate change, human security, and instability and conflict are
also explored. It seems unlikely that climate change will be the principal
cause of violent conflict in the region in the future, but it may increase
the risk of violent conflict in some places. The chapter argues that in
They have been defined as communities that are planned, built, or modified to promote sustainable living. They tend to focus on environmental sustainablility (including develoment and agriculture) and economic sustainability. Sustainable communities can focus on sustainable urban infrastructure and/or sustainable municipal infrastructure.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 37 p.
In February 2005 Campaign Strategy Ltd1 and Cultural Dynamics2 (CDSM
Cultural Dynamics Strategy and Marketing) commissioned a nationally
representative telephone survey of over 1000 adults, who were asked a number
of questions about climate change. Some of those results3 are reported here.
The same sample was asked a large number of other questions about
environmental issues, and their political identity. They were also asked ten
questions about their lives which enable Cultural Dynamics to place them into 12
This paper presents a summary of progress to date made in implementing the Forum Leaders 2008 Niue Declaration on climate change, and proposals for how to further this implementation in light of the 2009 Cairns Call for Action on climate change.
SPREP paper to PCCR 19-21 October 2009
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 20 p.
The Pacific Climate Change Film Festival is
open to all films (animation, documentaries,
music videos, short commentaries, etc.) that
highlight climate change issues within the
Pacific.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 2 Pages
In preparation for the upcoming meeting of the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable (PCCR), to be held in Majuro in October, 2009, the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) commissioned a stocktake of the progress made in implementing the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change (PIFACC) in terms of its principles and expected outcomes, with an emphasis on adaptation and the associated enabling environment.
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.
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Climate change impacts will affect social and ecological systems in complex and broad-ranging ways as technological, economic, social and ecological changes take place across regions, groups and sectors. Many of these impacts, such as impacts on ecological systems, have cascading effects on social, economic and health outcomes. In order to respond to climate change, more vigorous actions are required to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and to adapt to unavoidable consequences that are increasing vulnerability around the world.
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The Pacific Climate Change Film Project is an innovative partnership between the British High Commission, Suva, and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 6 Pages
Gold mining is often associated with positive economic benefits; however, it may also have negative impacts on the environment and human health. It is essential that communities understand the risks and benefits associated with mining, particularly in developing countries where there is often a lack of legislation governing the environmental performance of mining corporations. The perceptions of local people regarding the risks and benefits of mining may differ significantly from those of company representatives, policy makers, and the scientific community.
This document presents a brief overview of humanitarian and short term needs three weeks after the tsunami struck Samoa on 29 September 2009. Following the disaster, the Government of Samoa, Samoa Red Cross and other national and local organizations and international organizations and bilateral partners responded to the needs with great effort. As a result operations moved rapidly from response to recovery. The government of Samoa requested within a week the UN to take the lead in the formulation of an early recovery framework.
Natural resources derived from the non-living world, e.g. land, water and air.The provision of access to genetic resources within a country and the sharing of benefit derived from the use of genetic resources.Management practices, technologies and policies that promote the positive and mitigate the negative impacts on biodiversity.
For Pacific SIDS, the need for adaptation to climate change has become increasingly urgent. Long-term climate changes, including the increasing frequency and severity of extreme events such as high rainfall, droughts, tropical cyclones, and storm surges are affecting the lives and livelihoods of people in PICs. Coupled with non-climate drivers, such as inappropriate land use, overexploitation of resources, increasing urbanization and population increase, development in the region is increasingly undermined.
Most of the development activities that generate foreign earnings for the economy of Solomon Islands are heavily dependent upon the exploitation and utilization of natural resources. For many years, economic development activities in Solomon Islands have not integrated environmental considerations.
The UN Development Assistance Framework for the Pacific Subregion (UNDAF) represents the first regionwide response to the UN operational reform process, and is a product of several partnerships in development, including between two UN Country Teams in Fiji and Samoa covering a total of 15 UN agencies, offices and programmes3, and between the UN and the governments of 14 Pacific island countries.
This discussion paper makes a case for the glass half full view of Copenhagen. To sustain this optimism, this paper seeks to move the focus from the outcomes of one (unprecedented) international meeting and draw conclusions from the more important trends in climate policy globally. Given the apparent disconnect between these positive trends and the slow progress within the negotiations, this paper calls for a 'new multilateralism' aimed at unlocking ambitious global action on climate change.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
As a background for work on the vegetation of Micronesia it was necessary to assemble all available information on the flora. early accounts of the islands and their exploration. agricultural history. and economic botany. as well as on the ecology and vegetation of the region. It was found that the published bibliographies were by no means. complete or adequate for this purpose. so a card catalog was made of all items located and examined. This forms the basis of the bibliography. but an effort has been made to locate and include any published work on other aspects of plant science. also.
The need for a Pacific Biodiversity Information Forum to provide a venue and support for biodiversity information needs in the Pacific Basin was established during the GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) meeting on Maui in May of 2002. Interested parties met again during the October 2003 GBIF meeting in Tsukuba, Japan and reaffirmed the need and began to draw up a governing structure for PBIF and identify specific biodiversity needs in the Pacific Basin that can be addressed through projects.
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
Species which have been assessed for extinction
risk are on average moving closer to extinction.
Amphibians face the greatest risk and
coral species are deteriorating most rapidly in
status. Nearly a quarter of plant species are estimated
to be threatened with extinction.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 92-9225-220-8
Physical Description: 96 p.