But countries warned to meet obligations

Asterio Takesy
The environment sector has had an eventful year and over the past 11 months, I’ve covered in this magazine several issues I thought had impacted environment matters in the Pacific Islands region.

In my last monthly column for this year, I’d like to review several significant events that have contributed to ensuring a sustainable future for Pacific Islands Countries and Territories (PICTs). Good progress has been made in the following sectors: biological diversity, whale and dolphin conservation, marine pollution, waste and land management, and turtle conservation.

The Pacific can take pride in its rich biodiversity. The 2006 SPREP publication, Island Life, documents the extent of that biodiversity existing in the three recognised terrestrial hotspots in the tropical Pacific—the Melanesian Islands, New Caledonia and Polynesia-Micronesia. A hotspot is a biologically rich zone.

The neighbouring Western Pacific rates the highest in the world in marine diversity, with close to 3000 species found on a single reef. Our marine and land resources are part of our identity and cultural heritage. Livelihoods depend on them.

National economies of developing PICTs that rely on tourism as a key revenue earner rely on a vibrant environment. While the Pacific region should celebrate its biodiversity, we should be mindful also of our disappearing resources, which urgently need proper management.

One of SPREP’s roles is to strengthen environmental management and promote sustainable development among its 21 Pacific Islands Members. SPREP’s commitment to strengthening islands ecosystems became clear at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 8th Conference of the Parties (COP8) that was held in Brazil in March. The Island Biodiversity Programme of Work (IBPOW) was accepted by conservation practitioners at the COP8 meeting. The IBPOW prioritises the conservation of the Pacific’s land and marine resources. This pledge to environmental growth can only continue successfully if stakeholders uphold firm leadership and commit to solid partnerships.

Several countries have noticeably progressed on protected area networks at the community or ground level. One of those countries is low-lying Kiribati. Not only did it set an example for proper waste control initiatives, it also dedicated the Phoenix Island as a Marine Protected Area (MPA). This puts the conservation of the Phoenix Island coral ecosystem as the third largest MPA in the world. The next one up is the Northwestern Hawaii Islands National Monument, and the largest is the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in Australia, which is also cited as a World Heritage area.

The CBD has targeted the establishment of a network of protected areas representing 10 percent of the world’s marine and coastal regions by 2012.

In Fiji, eight MPAs or tabu (taboo) areas have been established within the Macuata i qoliqoli or fishing grounds.
The Macuata community took it upon itself to create these MPAs. Fiji is committed to establishing an MPA network covering 30 percent of its waters by 2020. Palau set another example through the Micronesia Challenge.

The Micronesian country aims to conserve 20 percent of its forest cover and 30 percent of its coastal marine resources by 2020; its neighbours Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Marshall Islands, and Northern Mariana Islands also participate in this challenge. The people of these countries recognise the importance of protected areas. Their actions show they value not only biodiversity, but see the need to sustain the livelihoods of their communities for a healthier future.

Marine pollution and the protection of whales and dolphins (cetaceans) received due attention during the 17th SPREP Meeting in New Caledonia in September. The loss or threat of extinction of one species affects nature’s balance. To further support the conservation of cetaceans, nine SPREP Member countries signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the protection for the Conservation of Pacific Islands Cetaceans and their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region. The MoU is governed under the Convention on Migratory Species and gives countries a fresh platform to work closer on cetacean issues in the Pacific region. The MoU coincides with SPREP’s review of its Whale and Dolphin Action Plan.

Ministerial officials also signed three Protocols on marine pollution at functions combined with the annual SPREP Meeting. The three Protocols are: Prevention of Pollution of the Pacific Region by Dumping; Protocol on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation in the Pacific Region; and the Protocol on Hazardous and Noxious Substances Pollution, Preparedness, Response and Cooperation in the Pacific Region.

These protocols are mostly updates of existing agreements. The revised agreements iron out inconsistencies previously existing in the regional protocols. While the protocols are there, it is the duty of each Pacific country to ensure that appropriate policies are intact at the national level.

>From ocean to land—the 2005 Year of Action Against Waste (YAAW) has seen many great community leaders championing the cause for a cleaner and better environment through waste control.

Kiribati was awarded the YAAW Award for effectively tackling its waste problems at an International Waters event alongside the SPREP Meeting. The Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific International was actively involved in Kiribati’s Kaoki Mange (‘return the rubbish’) recycling operation, a project that blends community participation and commercial gains for both the people and waste facility operators. SPREP has been involved in the Kaoki Mange project through the International Waters Project (IWP). The IWP comes to end in 2006.

I’d like to mention here the four-year regional solid waste project that was agreed to by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA); Samoa’s Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Meteorology (MNREM); its Ministry of Finance and SPREP. The project is now operational and continues to 2010. Targeting Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) countries, the project is using Samoa’s remodelled and sanitised Tafaigata Landfill as a model for upcoming waste projects.

The landfill is an implementation of a Japanese waste control technique known as the Fukuoka method. There will be a workshop in 2007 to show individuals in the waste industry how the Fukuoka method works.
Land degradation is an important issue for countries in the Pacific Islands region. SPREP has been assisting countries develop their National Action Plans (NAPs).

NAPs are carried out to identify three things: the status and causes of desertification, action to be taken and resources needed, and the roles and responsibilities of each country. NAPS are the primary tools for the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) at the national level.

The health and productivity of land is an important development issue in the region as it underpins sustainable development and impacts the health and productivity of coastal and marine ecosystems.

Much movement has occurred within the Pacific Year of the Sea Turtle (YOST) campaign. Marine turtles are traditional icons for Pacific people and are an endangered species.

The YOST aim was to highlight the proper conservation of these creatures, tackle issues threatening their longevity, and strengthen partnerships.

The following have been key to YOST: turtle satellite tracking; a turtle research database for the region; the plastic bag—Turtle bag campaign in Samoa; and developing sustainable partnerships.

I commend Pacific Islands countries that have put in place appropriate waste control policies to manage their plastic bag issues and introduce plastic bag substitutes.

Plastic debris that is not discarded properly finds its way into the ocean, and ends up in unsightly heaps on land. Unfortunately, turtles and other marine animals mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, a food source.

To address this, YOST has pushed for the use of biodegradable plastic bags and the blue Turtle bags in Samoa, or any other good substitute for plastic bags. Satellite tagging and the turtle database for the region have given us an insight into the behaviour of turtles after they nest.

YOST comes to an end in early 2007. Campaigns have a limited lifespan, but the lessons learnt through them should not end with them. Although YOST is a SPREP initiative, its effectiveness is attributed to the partnerships created with stakeholders around the region.

The environment is everyone’s business and we should all contribute to ensuring that it continues to remain a part of us. A healthy future, regardless of whether this means social; cultural or economic, means that we need to manage our resources in a more sustainable manner.

Year 2007 should be another interesting time for us all. I wish you the very best and let’s make 2007 an even more successful year for environmental conservation.