A major objective of this report was to develop a regional assessment of Pacific Island sensitivity to projected climate change as a component of the Pacific-Australia Climate Change Science and Adaptation Planning (PACCSAP) program
The handbook is a joint publication of Environment Canada and the University of Joensuu – United Nations Environment Programme Course on International Environmental Law-making and Diplomacy. Environment Canada initiated this project and provided core contributions for the main text. UNEP generously provided the glossary, as well as expert advice on the handbook as a whole.
This dataset hosts 31 individual environmental indicator assessments that are in the **State of Environment and Conservation in the Pacific Islands : 2020 Regional report.**
Regional indicators are used to understand the current status of conservation in the region and to establish a process for periodic reviews of the status of biodiversity and implementation of environmental management measures in the Pacific islands region.
Each Pacific regional indicator is assessed with regard to:
The Convention for the Protection of Natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific Region (1986) is also known as the SPREP Convention or Noumea Convention. The Convention has two Protocols that also entered into force in 1990. This Convention is the major multilateral umbrella agreement in the Pacific Region for the protection of natural resources and the environment.
DEFINITION : Trend in consumption of ozone depleting substances (ODS)
PURPOSE : Tracks countries progress to phasing out ODS. Ozone depleting substances destroy the earth’s ozone which protects the earth from UV radiation
DESIRED OUTCOME : Negative trend in ODS consumption
DEFINITION : Trend in percentage production of energy from renewable sources
PURPOSE : Energy generation is a major source of GHG emissions. Pacific island countries also have limited capacity for oil and gas storage and are therefore highly vulnerable to fluctuations in fossil fuel price and availability
DESIRED OUTCOME : Positive trend in energy production from renewable sources
DEFINITION : Annual per capita generation of municipal solid waste
PURPOSE : Accurate measurement of per capita waste generation for better waste management
DESIRED OUTCOME : Stabilisation and subsequent negative trend in household waste generated
DEFINITION : Quantity of generated hazardous wastes processed/treated (including export)
PURPOSE : Treatment and safe storage of hazardous waste mitigates the risk to humans and nature. Hazardous materials can have direct and indirect, chronic or acute impacts
DESIRED OUTCOME : Full treatment/processing of all hazardous waste generated
DEFINITION : % of households connected to central sewerage system
PURPOSE : Tracks progress in managing sewage in a way that minimises the risk of water contamination. Untreated sewage and leaking septic systems are a major source of ground and surface water contamination
DESIRED OUTCOME : Positive trend in % of households connected to central sewerage system
In this report, a set of recommendations is provided for each indicator to support the next best steps for management action that will advance progress towards the target outcome and support Pacific people and biodiversity.
The Convention for the Protection of the Natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific Region (1986), along with its two additional Protocols, entered into force in 1990. The Convention is a comprehensive umbrella agreement for the protection, management and development of the marine and coastal environment of the South Pacific Region, and represents the legal framework of the Action Plan for managing the Natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific adopted in 1982 on behalf of the South Pacific Conference on Human Environment.
State of Environment (SoE) reports provide in-country partners with a process to gather data on current environmental indicators, document their status, and formulate a plan for keeping these indicators on track or developing policies and programs as needed. This SoE Toolkit dataset contains resources that serve as guides to help create up-to-date State of Environment reports.
These guidelines detail the process, timeline, and steps taken to complete a State of Environment Report.
This policy applies to SPREP’s own data as well as data held by SPREP on behalf of government agencies and partners within the Pacific.
In the Pacific Islands region, fish and invertebrates (specifically shellfish) fulfill important ecological roles in coastal and oceanic habitats, and many species are targeted by fisheries, making vital contributions to food security, livelihoods, government revenue and cultural heritage. This report discusses how climate change is expected to have profound effects on the status and distribution of coastal and oceanic habitats, the fish and invertebrates they support and, as a result, the productivity of fisheries and aquaculture
This report focuses on marine/coastal inundation and sea level and how they are affected by climate change.
The region of interest is the Pacific Islands, with a focus on Commonwealth countries (Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu).
This paper discuss the profound effects of climate change on oceanic fish habitats, food webs, the fish stocks they support and, as a consequence, the productivity of fisheries