"Environmental challenges in the Pacific are enormous and we must all paddle together and in the same direction if these challenges are to be effectively addressed." Mr. David Sheppard, Director, SPREP.
The 22nd Annual Meeting of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme is underway in Samoa, bringing together member countries to address a wide agenda that focuses on work carried out by the Secretariat (SPREP).
The Prime Minister of Samoa, Hon. Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi opened the three day meeting with a speech that touched on a vast range of environment issues including the need for the Pacific to have a green economy applied to a blue world, invasive species, waste and climate change.
Hon. Jacky Bryant Minister of the Department of Environment with the Prime Minister of Samoa, Hon. Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi
"Every country needs to do their part. For Samoa we are committed to cutting carbon emissions and want to be carbon neutral by 2020."
The 22nd SPREP Meeting agenda over the next three days includes the programme of work for SPREP in the coming year, study on options for establishing a sub-regional presence for SPREP as well as a Directors overview of progress since the last SPREP meeting in Papua New Guinea, 2010.
It was at the opening ceremony that Mr. David Sheppard, the Director of SPREP briefly outlined key achievements carried out by the Secretariat in the areas of biodiversity, waste and climate change, providing a hint of what was to come during the Directors overview.
The Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) Project is supporting countries to adapt with on the ground activities in the areas of coastal management, food production and security and water resource management. It is now starting to demonstrate practical outcomes.
"In a word of one of the delegates to the Niue Roundtable: "PACC is working". We need to build on this success and it is very positive to see donors such as Australia and the United States as announced last week at the Pacific Islands Forum, in helping Pacific countries adapt to climate change by building on the PACC process and priorities," said Mr. Sheppard.
Partnerships also play a vital role in helping to strengthen the Pacific environment this year at the SPREP meeting there are 40 observers that are present at the meeting in Samoa. According to Mr. Sheppard, who quoted the saying 'if you want to run fast you go alone, if you want to go far you go together':
"SPREP aims to go far, and partnership has been fundamental to SPREP's change management process over the last few years. Environmental challenges in the Pacific are enormous and we must all paddle together and in the same direction if these challenges are to be effectively addressed."
The SPREP meeting is taking place at the Tanoa Tusitala Hotel in Apia, Samoa. While the opening took place on the evening of 12 September, the meeting proper is held 13 – 15 September.