The Executive Board of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has endorsed the Secretariat’s Annual Report 2021, an 85-page document highlighting the continuation of environmental leadership in advocating for a more resilient Pacific environment.
The report, which notes the achievements and challenges of SPREP in supporting Pacific island countries to address issues relating to climate change, biodiversity and ecosystem management, waste management and pollution and environmental monitoring and governance, was tabled by SPREP’s Director General, Mr Sefanaia Nawadra, during the 3rd SPREP Executive Board Meeting.
The Chair of the 3rd SPREP Executive Board Meeting, Mr Paula Pouvalu Ma’u, of Tonga, congratulated the Secretariat for all the work they continue to do for a safer and healthier Pacific environment. He noted that despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the Secretariat remained resilient in its commitment to implement activities, programmes and projects driven by SPREP’s 2017-2026 Strategic Plan (SP). The SP prioritises four regional goals for achieving resilient and sustainable Pacific communities, which are interlinked and supported by a set of key objectives. The Strategic Plan 2017 – 2026 also identifies key organisational goals, which define the policies, processes, and capacity for SPREP to deliver on the strategic priorities.
In the foreword of the report, Chair of the 30th SPREP Meeting and Tokelau’s Director of Natural Resources and Environment, Mr Mika Perez, reiterated: “We live in very challenging and uncertain times, exacerbated by the unpredictable nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking at the stories and highlights in this Annual Report, while it cannot be denied that COVID had an impact, as people of the resilient Pacific, SPREP has had to adapt and find ways to navigate this new normal.
“I am pleased to say that despite the disruptions, the ongoing work of SPREP reflects a tenacious attitude and an unwavering commitment to fulfil our duty to serve our Pacific people and member countries.”
Mr Perez also acknowledges the changing of the guard at the helm of the organisation.
“I want to acknowledge Mr Leota Kosi Latu for his tireless work during the past seven years as the Director General in navigating the many challenges we have had to overcome. He has brought us safely through his leg of our journey and I wish him well in his future endeavours. Our new Director General, Mr Sefanaia Nawadra is at the helm of this leg, I congratulate Mr Nawadra and wish him the very best as he steers our vaka into the future.”
Among the many highlights noted in the Annual Report are the approval of the State of Environment and Conservation in the Pacific Islands 2020 Regional Report; the Pacific Islands Framework for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas 2021 – 2025; and Pacific Coral Reef Action Plan; which all connect with the core business of SPREP of ensuring the conservation and protection of the Pacific environment for present and future generations.
The report also highlighted the ‘Third Independent Corporate Review and Mid-Term Review of the SPREP Strategic Plan 2017-2026’, which assessed the performance of the Secretariat to ensure it remains a dynamic and evolving organisation, relevant to the current and changing environmental needs of the region.
The launch of the State of Environment and Conservation website making information on environment and conservation in the Pacific more accessible, as well as the endorsement of the Weather Ready Pacific Decadal Programme of Investment by Leaders at the 51st Pacific Islands Forum championed by Tonga, were identified as highlights.
The ongoing work to amplify the Pacific’s voice on climate change issues continued at UNFCCC COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland. SPREP led the One CROP support to 14 Pacific Small Island Developing States including the Chair (Samoa), as well as 146 Pacific delegates with Leaders from Fiji, Palau, and Tuvalu and Ministers from Fiji, Marshall Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea and Tuvalu. SPREP also managed and coordinated the joint office and meetings spaces, as well as the shared Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion for 15 side events.
The Annual Report also spotlights the Third Clean Pacific Roundtable (CPRT), with the theme of sustainable innovations for a clean environment, resilient ocean, and healthy communities. The meeting adopted the Cleaner Pacific Implementation Plan 2021 – 2025, the CPRT3 Outcomes Statement and confirmation of Papua New Guinea as the host of the 4th Cleaner Pacific Roundtable in 2024.
On the financial side, the Audit Committee commended the Secretariat for recording a net surplus for the financial year ended 31 December 2021 of USD 570,573, compared to the net surplus of USD 389,376 in 2020. Improvement in income mainly attributed to increased Funds received from aid agencies, for 2021 funds received were from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), NZAID, China, UNEP and other partnership agreements. The total of other income from donor funds for the year ended 31 December 2021 was USD 2,388,092 when compared 31 December 2020 it was USD 2,133,269, and Project Management fees which improved by 27% or USD 279,403 from USD 1,033,668 in 2020 to USD 1,313,071 in 2021.
Overall, the surplus performance was mainly attributed to the measures put in place by the Secretariat to manage the impact of COVID-19, engagement with donor to address alternative arrangements for project delivery and agreed changes to workplans, delivery through virtual means and working with the country partners and national focal points.
The implementation of the Strategic Plan 2017-2026 as assessed through the Performance Implementation Plan (PIP), which provides high level planning and reporting to Members on the achievement of progress towards the strategic goals, was also noted with appreciation particularly considering the impacts of covid19. The PIP process is based on a biennial cycle thus the 2020-2021 PIP and highlights of key results achieved are reported in the SPREP 2021 Annual Report. The 2020 – 2021 PIP contains a total of 117 Strategic outcome indicators, 66 of which were for the Regional Goals and 51 for the Organisational Goals. Overall, the SPREP Performance for the 2020 -2021 PIP period showed that while facing with the challenges of COVID-19, 54% of the targets by strategic outcomes were achieved; 35% are reported as on-going; and 11% were not achieved. 41% of the outcome indicators were achieved for the Regional Goals and 71% for the Organisational Goals.
Former Director General, Mr Latu, in his farewell note, acknowledged that while SPREP has achieved much, the organisation needs to adapt, adjust and be creative to keep up with the challenges and changing times. He added that in the Secretariat’s efforts to fulfil our vision of ‘a resilient Pacific environment, SPREP is extremely grateful to all its valued Members, development partners, donors, our CROP family, and stakeholders.
“The work we do cannot be done alone and hence the support of core partners is instrumental for the Secretariat. Thank you.”
Click to read SPREP’s Annual Report 2021: https://library.sprep.org/sites/default/files/2022-10/SPREP-annual-report-2021-eng.pdf
ABOUT SPREP:
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is the lead regional organisation for the protection and sustainable development of Pacific Island environments. SPREP was established by its Member governments in 1992 to support cooperation and coordination on environmental matters in the region. The agreement establishing SPREP came into force in 1993, officially making the organisation an autonomous body.
With its main headquarters in Apia, Samoa, SPREP works closely with its 26 Member countries and territories – along with partners, donors and local communities – to deliver on environmental management and sustainable development in the region in four priority areas: Climate Change Resilience, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, Waste Management and Pollution Control and Environmental Monitoring and Governance.