News & Media Resources | Pacific Environment

Pacific delegates urged to make their voices heard at the global plastics treaty negotiations next month.

As the world grapples with the plastic crisis, international efforts are underway towards a legally binding treaty to address this global issue across five International Negotiating Committee (INC) meetings.

The Pacific Regional Preparatory Workshop for the Third Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meeting held in Koror, Palau from 18-20 October 2023, to further discuss Pacific strategies and seek endorsement on the Pacific Island Developing States (PSIDS) positions for the INC-3 including enhancing PSDIS coordination as well as commitment to the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and Asia Pacific processes. d

Worldwide plastic production has grown from approximately 1.5 million metric tons in 1950 to an estimated 275 million metric tons by 2010, and then approximately 359 million metric tons by 2018.

Approximately 8 million metric tons of plastic makes its way into our oceans each year. For the Pacific Islands region, custodians of the world's largest ocean this is a cause of grave concern.

“Plastic pollution, including in our ocean, has repercussions far beyond debris-ravaged beaches or dramatic pictures of the great Pacific garbage patch. It represents tremendous public costs in terms of waste management, and potentially undermines critical economic sectors of our societies, including tourism or fisheries. Most importantly, plastic pollution in the ocean, in the water, in the soil and the air is a threat to human health,” said the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, Dr. Filimon Manoni.

The meetings are hosted by the Government of Palau in partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and financial support from the Government of Australia, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the ACP MEAs 3 Programme. Read more: Pacific delegates urged to make their voices heard at the global plastics treaty negotiations next month | Pacific Environment (sprep.org)

Pacific Day 2023: Shaping Environmental Assessments and Planning for Resilient Development in the Pacific.

Auckland, New Zealand – Pacific Day, hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme on the margins of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ) 2023 Conference, marked a significant milestone in fostering constructive dialogues and collaborations centred on environmental assessments and planning in the Pacific region.

With the support of Stantec New Zealand, EIANZ and the New Zealand Association for Impact Assessment (NZAIA), the event brought together a diverse group of over 60 participants from the Pacific, New Zealand, Australia, and other international partners, including participants who joined virtually. These included esteemed representatives from regulatory government entities, impact assessment practitioners, academia, environment experts, and private sectors, with a common goal and commitment to shaping a more sustainable and resilient Pacific.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Easter Chu-Shing, Deputy Director-General of SPREP, emphasized the region's distinct challenges and highlighted the Pacific Day as a "platform for Pacific countries to engage in meaningful discussions, share lessons and experiences, and foster greater relationships with international organisations and experts on sustainable environmental practices." She also acknowledged SPREP’s recent partnership MoU signed with EIANZ highlighting it as a testament to deepening collective and collaborative efforts in achieving environmental sustainability in the Pacific region. Ms. Chu Shing emphasised that partnerships and collaborations are important in supporting our efforts in achieving sustainable development.

SPREP and Pacific Island participation in the EIANZ 2023 conference and associated events is supported through the European Union initiated capacity building project phase 3 titled, “Capacity Building related to Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Countries”, implemented by UN Environment programme and executed by SPREP. Read more: Pacific Day 2023: Shaping Environmental Assessments and Planning for Resilient Development in the Pacific | Pacific Environment (sprep.org)

Pacific delegates adopt the first ever amendment to the Waigani Convention.

Pacific Parties of the Waigani Convention

The extraordinary meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP) to the Waigani Convention made history today as Parties to the Convention adopted its first-ever amendment marking a significant step toward aligning the Convention with international efforts to combat plastic waste.

The Waigani Convention, a regional treaty aimed at tackling hazardous waste and other pollutants in the Pacific region, has long been a crucial instrument for environmental protection and sustainability.

The Convention is a mirror of the Basel Convention, which adopted amendments to Annexes II, VIII and IX with the objectives of enhancing the control of the transboundary movements of plastic waste and clarifying the scope of the Convention as it applies to such waste.

The Pacific Preparatory Meeting for the 5th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention (MC COP-5) on Mercury, the Extraordinary Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Waigani Convention, the GEF ISLANDS Pacific and Pacific Ocean Litter Project Consultation Meetings, and the Pacific Preparatory Meeting for the 3rd session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-3) on Plastic Pollution is held in Koror, Palau from 12-23 October, 2023.

The meetings are hosted by the Government of Palau in partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and financial support from the Government of Australia, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the ACP MEAs 3 Programme. Read more: Pacific delegates adopt the first ever amendment to the Waigani convention | Pacific Environment (sprep.org).

Making mercury history, Pacific delegates gather in Palau to prepare for Minamata COP.

Representatives from seven Pacific Island countries, Parties to the Minamata Convention, as well as four observer countries, gathered today in Koror, Palau to prepare for the 5th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury to be held in Geneva, Switzerland from 30 October to 3 November 2023.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a significant international treaty aimed at protecting human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury and mercury compounds.

Named after the city in Japan where severe mercury poisoning incidents occurred in the 1950s and 1960s, the convention has been a critical global initiative to address the dangers associated with mercury exposure. It seeks to reduce the emissions and releases of mercury and to control its trade and use, particularly in artisanal and small-scale gold mining, among other sources.

The Pacific Preparatory meeting is convened by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to discuss matters relating to the agenda and work program of the Minamata COP 5 including potential amendments to the convention and prepare Pacific Parties for their active participation at the meeting.

The meetings are hosted by the Government of Palau in partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and financial support from the Government of Australia, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the ACP MEAs 3 Programme. Read more: Making mercury history, Pacific delegates gather in Palau to prepare for Minamata COP | Pacific Environment (sprep.org)

Pacific Delegates Amplify Their Voice at International Association for Impact Assessment Conference.

Pacific delegates at IAIA2023 Conference

The 42nd Annual Conference of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) was held in Kuching, Malaysia from 8 - 12 May 2023 which brought together over 600 environmental assessment practitioners, researchers, and policymakers from around the world to discuss how impact assessment and leadership can accelerate transformation and sustain resilience in a world marred by pressing adversities that require immediate and impactful solutions.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme supported three Pacific delegates attending the conference. The participation of SPREP's and representatives from its member countries underscores the organizations commitment to building national capacity for environmental assessments and planning by facilitating knowledge sharing and collaborations at the international level. The conference was also a platform to strengthen its key partnerships in the field of environmental assessment and planning in the Pacific.

Strengthening Strategic Environmental Assessments in the Pacific

SEA Webinar

The Strengthening Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) in the Pacific Webinar brought together seasoned professionals, policymakers, environmental regulators, practitioners, civil society organizations, academics and other stakeholders involved in environmental decision-making in the Pacific region. It was held on 5 April 2023.

The webinar event featured presentations from New Zealand Associations for Impact Assessment (NZAIA) and built on Regional SEA Guidelines for Pacific Island Countries and Territories developed by SPREP 2020. It provided an in-depth overview of the principles and practices of SEA and discussed the unique challenges and opportunities in the Pacific region.

In light of SPREP's 30th anniversary, the webinar was also an opportunity to reflect on SPREP's sustained efforts on environmental governance and to recommit advancing environmental and social sustainability in the Pacific.

Calls for Ambitious Targets to Reverse and End Plastic Pollution

INC2 Meeting in the Cook Islands

One Pacific voice to amplify our island region coalition to end plastic pollution. It sets an ambitious target to reverse and end plastic pollution by 2040. The Second Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC2) was held in the Cook Islands from 24 – 25 April 2023. The two-days meeting will form the Pacific strategy for a united way forward. The UN Environment Assembly passed a resolution in February 2022 to develop a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution including that within our marine environment.

More than eight million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean each year with 40% of the world ocean’s surface is covered in plastic debris. Living within the largest of the world’s oceans, the Pacific Islands are uniting to build One Pacific Voice to amplify our Island region concerns. As the Pacific region contributes 1.3% to global plastic pollution.

The Pacific Regional Preparatory Workshop is convened by the Secretariat of the Pacific Environment Programme (SPREP) with funding support from the Government of Australia and Capacity Building Related Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Region Phase III. Read more https://www.sprep.org/news/cook-islands-calls-for-ambitious-targets-to-reverse-and-end-plastic-pollution

The Cook Islands Proactively Conserving Biodiversity

Cook Island Stakeholders

A two days’ workshop was held in the Cook Islands from the 24 – 25 January 2023 to assist national practitioners and policy makers to gain an insight into potential Other Effect Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM) concept. OECMs are not Protected Areas but are geographically defined areas that are governed and managed in ways that sustain positive and sustained long-term conservation. The two days' workshop brings together stakeholders to discuss the possible benefits and drawback of recognizing and reporting these areas and learn about the tools and assistance available. The Director of Cook Islands National Environment Service said “We are excited by the opportunities that OECMs will bring, we look forward to reviewing the value of these in the Cook Islands. They enable and empower our local communities that are currently conserving areas either on land or in our waters, to be acknowledge for their work and environment achievements hopefully leading to further support.”

The value of our "Protected Areas" goes beyond financial cost to that which help sustain our well-being be it sustainable water resourcing, food security, supporting our Cook Islands economies and uplifting our culture. OECMs are one way that we canl all work together at all levels to invest and increase this value in our island nation. Read more The Cook Islands, proactively conserving biodiversity | Pacific Environment (sprep.org)

Capacity Building in Drone Training for Samoa

Drone training

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) through the Environmental Monitoring and Governance (EMG) programme conducted a two-day Drone Training and Mapping workshop with key national environment stakeholders from Samoa’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) and Ministry of Works, Transport, and Infrastructure (MWTI).

The two days’ workshop was coordinated by Environmental Monitoring and Governance Programme (EMG) and supported by MNRE. It was held at the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) on Thursday, 17^t and Friday 18 November 2022. The Drone Training and Mapping workshop was also part of the 2022 Global GIS Week event at SPREP organized by the GIS unit with the theme “Inspiring Spatial Citizens”.

The importance of drone imagery in capturing real-time ground information for GIS analysis has been used in different fields, as a monitoring and decision-making supporting tool in Disaster management; Forest resources management; Landslides risk assessment; Mining; Flood control; Hazardous waste considerations; Environmental Impact Analysis (EIA) and Natural resources management to ensure sustainable development. With a drone, it is possible to carry out topographic surveys of the same quality as the highly accurate measurements collected by traditional methods, but in a fraction of the time. Capacity Building in Drone Mapping for Samoa | Pacific Environment (sprep.org)

Cook Island's National Environment Service Applauds Training Workshop on Environmental Governance and Sustainable Management.

CK NES Team

The Environmental Planning Unit of the Environmental Monitoring and Governance (EMG) programme of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has delivered and in-country training workshop to the National Environment Services (NES) of the Cook Islands from 7 – 11 November 2022. The week-long programme was hosted at the NES office in Rarotonga and attended by over 20 officers from the Service. The training focused on raising the capacity of NES on Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Cook Island’s National Environment Service Applauds Training Workshop on Environmental Governance and Sustainable Management. | Pacific Environment (sprep.org)

Data Critical to Good Environment Decision-Making

COP27

Data collection and management in the Pacific region is challenging and expensive in terms of time, funds, and resources. The issues concerning the collection, management, processing integration and dissemination of environmental data were highlighted at the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion in Sharm El-Sheikh during the second week of the COP27 climate change negotiations get underway. The GEF funded UNEP-SPREP Inform project addressed several of these issues by establishing data tools, strategic partnerships, and products together with processes to assist Pacific Island countries to meet identified priorities and to report back on national, regional, and global reporting obligations.

To meet these obligations, the ACP MEA 3 project is working together with the Inform project to ensure that data and the reporting processes from the national environment and climate change ministries meet the various multilateral environmental agreements that Pacific Island countries are parties to, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The “talanoa” session was formally closed by SPREP’s Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) Coordinator, Ms Anastacia Amoa-Stowers. Data critical to good environment decision-making, COP27 hears | Pacific Environment (sprep.org)

ACP MEAs Phase 3 Regional Hubs Meet at the Project Steering Committee

Regional Hubs and Partners

The meeting brought together representatives from the European Commission, the OACPS Secretariat, UNEP, FAO and its partners, the African Union, the Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) also the Secretariat of the Noumea Convention, the European Environment Bureau, the Nairobi Convention Secretariat, Abidjan Convention Secretariat and Cartagena Convention Secretariat. Read ACP MEAs Phase 3 Regional Hubs Meet at the Project Steering Committee | Pacific Environment (sprep.org)

Understanding Tools for Protected Area Management Effectiveness in the Pacific.

PAME Evaluations are tools to assess how well protected and conserved areas are being managed.

The goal to effectively manage protected and conserved areas in the Pacific has taken an important step forward with development of the Comparative Analysis of Protected Area Management Effectiveness (PAME) evaluation tools for the region.

Speaking at the launch Dr. Pisupati highlighted the key partnership between the APCMEAs 3 project and the BIOPAMA programme which has facilitated the development of the Comparative Analysis, which he added, was relevant to current initiatives and processes including the 30x30 protected target in relation to the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on plastics, and their regional seas programme.

The PAME Evaluation Tools will help to develop a strategy going forward and continuing to build capacity in the region for management effectiveness of protected and conserved areas. Read more…Understanding tools for Protected Area Management Effectiveness in the Pacific | Pacific Environment (sprep.org)

The Vanuatu State of Environment Report and ACP/MEA 3 Awareness Meeting Participants in Vanuatu.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) throught the Environment Monitoring Governance (EMG) Programme co-facilitated with the Vbnauat Department of Environmental Protection & Conservation (DEPC) form 15-17 August a validation meeting of the Vanuatu State of Environment (SoE) report. The meeting also gives the opportunity for SPREP to brief and make awareness to the Vanuatu Departent of Environmental Protection & Conservation (DEPC) the support formt he ACP/MEa 3 programme on Environmental Impact Assessment how we will engage on important strategic environmetal governance and monitoring issues. This is in line with ACP/MEA 3 support to member countries in strenthening best practices of environment assessment and planning for its member countries. A plan is in place to deliver ta secotr wide traijing for Vanuatu in 2021 with the focus to strenthen integrated environment auditing of development projects in Vanuatu by relevant sectors.

Inform Project and ACP MEA Phase 3 Programme In-Country Mission to Cook Islands

A group of people posing for a photo in front of a television

Description automatically generated

The two projects within the Environmental Monitoring and Governance Programme completed its In-Country mission to the Cook Islands from 25 – 29 July 2022. It was an opportunity for ACP MEA 3 to start on-the-ground engagement with member countries to discuss support provided by the ACP MEAs 3 programme. Cook Islands is the first in-country mission for ACP MEAs with more countries to follow such as Solomon Islands. A Talanoa session with Cook Islands National Environment Services (NES) representatives on the activities that are specific to their country to provide their views on the way forward in the implementation of such activities.

The Talanoa session highlighted areas that ACP MEA Phase 3 through SPREP can support NES by providing technical services to assist national obligations to MEAs, such as reporting, monitoring and enforcement. MEAs relating to biodiversity, such as Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), as well as waste and hazardous related MEAs, such as the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm (BRS) conventions. Furthermore, support is provided on Regional Seas Convention for the Pacific such as the Noumea Convention. The SPREP team presented ACP MEA 3 promotional materials to the Director of the National Environment Services Mr. Halatoa Fua.

Two people holding bags

Description automatically generated with low confidence

Tuvalu Launches State of Environment Report and National Environment Management Strategy

SOE Report 2022 A picture containing diagram

Description automatically generated

The Government of Tuvalu launched their State of Environment (SOE) Report 2022 and the National Environmental Management Strategies (NEMS) 2022-2026 during the national Environmental Week which was held on the 27 June 2022. The documents are guiding policy to ensure the protection and sound management of its environment. It is to ensure that environmental activities and planning are relevant to national priorities and action plans developed by the Government of Tuvalu and signals the commitment by Tuvalu towards the signed Multilateral Environment Agreements.

The SOE and NEMS were developed by the Tuvalu Government through its Department of Environment and in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme. It was made possible with financial support of Global Environment Facility and the United Nations Environment Programme through the Inform Project and UNEP coordinated programme for Capacity Building related to Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs) in Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific States (ACP) Programme Phase 3. Read more…Tuvalu launches State of Environment Report and National Environment Management Strategy | Pacific Environment (sprep.org)

Pacific Preparatory Meeting for the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm (BRS) Conference of the Parties (COP15) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Waste containers

Pacific Island parties to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions convened a preparatory meeting on 17 – 18 May 2022 for the joint Conference of the Parties scheduled in June 2022. The two days meeting was hosted by SPREP in its capacity as the Pacific Regional Centre for the Joint Implementation of the Basel and Waigani Conventions. The aim of the meeting focused on Parties sharing their views on the agenda of the BRS COP, identifying matters of concern, and the Pacific region can collectively amplify those views to Parties from around the world.

SPREP Director General at his remark’s stated “UN member states agreed to a resolution to begin negotiations to put in place a legally binding global instrument to address plastic pollution 2024”. For the Pacific Region our experiences implementing waste MEAs such as the BRS conventions will provide many lessons for these important intergovernmental negotiations process.

The sustainable management of chemicals and waste is now seen as a fundamental cornerstone of the objectives in the SDGs set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development where the BRS Conventions are highlighted as the key legally binding instruments.

PNEA Portal Upgrade Brings New Features to assist Impact Assessment and Safeguard Practitioners int eh Pacific.

Pacific Network for Environmental Assessment (PNEA) Portal have been recently upgraded and improved the security to the portal was possible from the financial support of the ACP MEAs 3 Programme. The administrators and practitioners in the region will benefit from the recent upgrade. Since the establishment of the PNEA in 2016 the members have grown over 300 with subscribers to the portal of 600. The PNEA portal role has grown since the pandemic and borders closed which prevented Pacific practitioners from traveling and attending face-to-face meetings or trainings. However, the support to members continues delivered through virtual mode.

There were several online surveys and virtual Talanoa (conversation) hosted by the PNEA to discuss shared vision of the for the network and how the portal can provide better support to impact practitioners in the region. As part of the recent upgrade, the PNEA Portal now runs on the latest Drupal 9 platform, incorporating all the latest security updates and additional features from the global open-source community. Along with a revamped user interface for ease of use of overall improved stability. The portal also hosts a newly designed discussion forum enabling practitioners to network and discuss with more ease. The new upgrade also brings access level controls ensuring better privacy and security for non-public resources such as draft EIA reports.

Sustainable Tourism in Samoa Training(2 - 4 March 2022)

Workshop on Sustainable Tourism for Samoa Government Officials.

The workshop on sustainable tourism for the Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) involved stakeholders from government, private sector, and communities. The purpose of the workshop is to improve the knowledge and awareness of key stakeholders, members and staff of the STA on the importance of sustainable development, the use of sustainable planning tools, as well as the roles and functions of the STA in line with the Planning Urban Management Agency Act 2004.

The training focused on:

Improve understanding on the various requirements and development consent process and procedures of the PUMA Act 2004 and relevant approvals for tourism operations in Samoa.
Improve understanding on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure and coordination mechanisms in place in PUMA and STA: where possible, agreed on entry points for share decision making.
Improve understanding and knowledge about the range of support service offered by Samoa agencies and SPREP for sustainable development.
Enhance awareness and understanding of sustainable development and actions to strengthen sustainable tourism.

Presentation:

Third Clean Pacific Round Table Meeting Side Event

17 November 2021

A TALANOA session how effective the role women, youth and communities are, in the implementation of the regional multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) addressing waste.