The freshwater resources of small island states can be classified as either "conventional" or "nonconventional." Conventional resources include rainwater collected from artificial or natural surfaces, groundwater, and surface water. Nonconventional resources include seawater or brackish groundwater desalination, water importation by barge or submarine pipeline, treated wastewater, and substitution (such as the use of coconuts during droughts) (Falkland 1999a).
Kept in vertical file collection|Source: The World's Water 2002-2003. Chapter 5: 113-131
Following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the governments of the Asian and Pacific region have, within certain limitations and constraints, drawn up and implemented national strategies, action plans and programmes to attain the objectives of sustainable development. The international, regional and subregional organizations have developed their respective action programmes to assist the governments in their efforts. There were also some common problems and transboundary issues that lent themselves to action at the regional and subregional levels.
Pacific Islanders traditionally have enjoyed diverse ways to achieve food security, through gardening, fishing, hunting, and selling products or labour for cash, reports JON BARNETT.
But robust local food production has significantly been eroded with urbanisation and cheap, poor quality food imports. Climate change will increase threats to food security, through
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.
This paper attempts to present a "quick snapshot" of the current status of biodiversity in the Pacific Islands and the prospects and challenges for the mainstreaming of its conservation and sustainable use by Pacific Island peoples during the 21st century. It is hoped that it will form the basis for useful discussion dining the conference. Particular emphasis is placed on providing an understanding of the status of biodiversity, not only from a scientific perspective, but also from the view of the Pacific Island peoples who have owned and used it for millennia!
IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD of Tuvalu, the fourth-smallest country in the world, so much the better, because its nine square miles of diy land may soon disappear from sight like a polished stone chopped in the deep sea. And if that happens, it might be
unpleasant to consider that the basic amenities of our lifestyle-our cars and planes and power plants, our well-lighted, well-cooled and -heated homes-have brought about the
obliteration of an ancient, peaceful civilization halfway around the world.
E-copy available from "FL" field|Downloaded off the internet
The directory aims to promote interaction and active partnerships among key development organisations in civil society, including NGOs, trade unions, faith-based organizations, indigenous peoples movements, foundations and research centres. In creating opportunities for dialogue with
governments and private sector, civil society organizations are helping to amplify the voices of the poorest people in the decisions that affect their lives, improve development effectiveness and sustainability and hold governments and policymakers publicly accountable.
Climate, biodiversity, and human well-being are inextricably linked. Significant policy objectives for each
now exist in international political commitments and country actions. Although our understanding of these processes and their inter-relationships is far from complete we know enough to identify some critically important components for immediate attention and priority areas for research and policy development. New mechanisms will be needed to galvanise work in this area, especially at the inter-governmental level.
This document presents a national plan for the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. Fiji was the second country in the
world to ratify the Stockholm Convention, having done so on 20 June 2001. The Convention entered into force on 17 May, 2004.
Available online
Call Number: 363.7287 NAT [EL]
Physical Description: v, 61 p. ; 29 cm
Field and Garden Plants of Guam is designed as a botanical field
guide and its purpose is to provide a way for interested people to learn the names of the plants that they see around them. Like most other places, Guam has a flora that is well documented for use by specialists of the scientific world. Reliable reference tools for students and interested amateurs, however, are almost nonexistent and it is for these individuals that this book is intended.
Available in electronic form
Call Number: [EL]
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
Vulnerable ecosystems- Sea?level rise
Increasing temperatures
Changes in rainfall
Ocean acidification
Coral reefs
Increased storm activity
Overall in Melanesia the central mountains of New
Guinea and the coral reefs and ocean life in the
outer islands of Papua New Guinea most impacted.
In the wider Pacific inundation is a major threat.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 22 p.
The purpose of the action is to improve transportation and reduce maintenance cost by upgrading
causeway between Foa and Lifuka Islands, to become more resilient and less vulnerable to impacts
of high energy waves. Built in the period 1978-1979, the raised coral structure has served the people
of Foa and Lifuka well despite increasing maintenance cost. The replacement structure is similar to
the existing one but with rock armoring to reduce the energy of waves impacting on the structure
Global biodiversity loss is disproportionately rapid on islands, where invasive species are a major driver of extinctions. To inform conservation planning aimed at preventing extinctions, we identify the distribution and biogeographic patterns of highly threatened terrestrial vertebrates (classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature) and invasive vertebrates on ~465,000 islands worldwide by conducting a comprehensive literature review and interviews with more than 500 experts.
This report examines the role of the ecosystem services in reducing the vulnerability of the people of the Pacific Islands to climate change. Specifically, it describes the decision-making frameworks and the current state of knowledge of specific ecosystem-service/development relationships that are relevant to EbA.
Natural disasters such as hurricanes, cyclones, and tropical depressions cause average annual direct losses of US$284 million in the Pacific. With a combined population of fewer than 10 million people, annual losses are the highest in the world on a per-capita basis. Extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall are closely linked to climate change, suggesting that Pacific Island nations face increasing risk of disasters such as flooding and landslides. Proactive management through infrastructure development, social solutions, and/or ecosystem-based adaptation can mitigate these risks.
The Key Biodiversity Areas and Important Bird Areas (KBA's
& IBA's) approach is a simple, effective means of
implementing the protected areas elements of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD). KBAs and IBAs are places of
international importance for the conservation of biological diversity through protected areas and other governance mechanisms.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 38 p
The United Nations List of Protected Areas periodically reviews the global
protected area estate and highlights progress achieved by countries in expanding their national protected area networks
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 978-92-807-3717-2
Physical Description: 72 p