A significant step was made by Samoa to address the nations pressing environmental challenges for a sustainable future with the launch of two milestone documents. The Fourth State of Environment (SOE) Report 2023 and the updated National Environment Sector Plan (NESP) 2023-2027 was launched this month.
The comprehensive assessment on which the SOE report is based identified key drivers, evaluated environmental pressures, and examined their impacts on Samoa’s ecosystems. It also analysed current and emerging environmental trends, placing an emphasis on resilience and risks, such as global pandemics.
The report assessed four key thematic areas: the natural environment, the built environment, atmosphere, climate and disaster management, as well as environmental governance. Data-driven insights and recommendations were based on fifty indicators and sub-indicators assessed across these themes. Overall, Samoa's state of the environment is rated as ‘fair to good’ however, the state of the terrestrial marine and coastal environments varies, ranging from ‘good to poor’. Of particular concern is the ongoing threat to Samoa’s biodiversity, which remains significant.