A Pacific delegation comprising of representatives from Fiji, Samoa, Tuvalu and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) attended the Environment Institute for Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ) 2024 annual conference held from 6-8 November 2024 in Sydney, Australia.
The conference brought together more than 100 experts, policymakers, innovators, and advocates from across Oceania to address a comprehensive range of critical topics, including improving social and environmental impact assessment, drawing from learnings and shared experiences to find multidisciplinary solutions to complex environmental problems in Oceania under the theme ‘Moving Beyond Transition’.
The main highlights of the conference included discussions on why environmental issues are still not being addressed despite the development of improved regulations and standards. Participants also deliberated on sustainable practices and how these can be fully effective. “Perhaps our focus remains heavily on compliance and not on outcomes”, observed one participant.
The conference commended the work of the International Finance Corporations (IFCs) such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, for putting in place and continuously reviewing and updating their Environmental and Social Safeguards standards and policies which have had a positive outcome on projects. “It is my hope that Oceania countries including Australia and New Zealand use IFCs environmental and social standards and policies for their projects”, noted a plenary speaker during one of the sessions.
The Pacific delegation had the opportunity to showcase how the environmental practices of the Pacific Islands are evolving using regional and national case studies.
Ms Mere Bainimarama from the Fiji Department of Environment shared a case from Fiji on how traditional landowners played an important role in project planning and in the environmental impact assessment process for projects.
SPREP shared about developments in environmental management practices in the Pacific region in response to emerging environmental trends such as the integration of the One Health Approach within Pacific Environment Sector, the recent adoption of the Internationally Legally Binding Instrument on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) and the implementation of Environmental and Social Management Systems (ESMS) to respond to the unprecedented rate and scale of donor funded projects in the region.
The key take aways from conference included the need to shift from stocktaking to addressing the root of environmental problems and to think ‘environmental outcomes’ rather than ‘environmental compliance’. The conference also highlighted the need to build capacity and motivate civil society and community-led initiatives in addressing environmental problems.
SPREP Environmental Assessment and Planning Officer, Mr Puta Tofinga highlighted the importance of the representation of the Pacific at the EIANZ conference. “The EIANZ conference provides an excellent platform for bringing together environmental professionals in different sectors across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Thus, also providing an opportunity for knowledge and resource sharing, and strengthening networks to further improve environmental practice and outcomes in the Pacific”.
SPREP has maintained a strategic partnership with EIANZ since 2022 which has facilitated valuable knowledge exchange and networking opportunities for environmental practitioners across our Pacific Islands and both partners remain committed to supporting and advancing environmental governance across Oceania.
The participation of the Pacific delegation including SPREP in the EIANZ 2024 conference 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 executed by SPREP.