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Welcoming Opening remark of Samoa for the Pacific Preparatory Meeting for the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD Pre-COP16). As one of the Ministers from the Pacific that attended COP15 and witnessing the passing of the landmark Kumming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, looks forward to how far we’ve come, and what can be done at COP 16 to accelerate its implementation.

Opening Remarks; Pacific Preparatory Meeting of the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD Pre-COP16). Attending the pre-COP are representatives from: 14 PICs from environment departments, as well as agriculture, fisheries and forestry – in person; Australia and New Zealand as metropolitan SPREP members – in person, PIRT partners including TNC, CI, WWF, Island Conservation -in person and virtual; and One CROP – SPC, SPREP and OPOC – in person and virtual And input from a few additional partners including FAO (in-person), and virtually from UNEP; SCBD, GLISAP, and University of NSW. Acknowledge financial support for pre-COP and COP from NZ MFAT under the CC grant. Collaboration with FAO to engage agriculture sector for this meeting, and for input into mainstreaming biodiversity into agriculture sector. Support also from SPREP’s and FAO ACP MEA3 project.

The Fifty-Third Pacific Islands Forum was held in Nuku’alofa, Tonga from 26 – 30 August 2024 and was attended by Heads of State and Government of Australia, the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Fiji, French Polynesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and the Republic of Vanuatu. The Republic of Kiribati was represented at Ministerial level.

On behalf of the Chinese Government, His Excellency Mr. Fei Mingxing, Chinese Ambassador to Samoa presented a donation of US$200,000.00 to the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), upon the Occasion of the Donation to SPREP from the Government of the People's Republic of China as a "To Jointly Work Toward a More Resilient Pacific" (Remarks at SPREP, Wednesday 11 September 2024)

The South Pacific economies of the Cook Islands, Samoa, and Tonga are highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, including increased intensity of rainfall and tropical storms, rising sea levels, and droughts; disasters triggered by natural hazard including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis; and health emergencies

Resilient infrastructure projects support economic growth, generate jobs, and bolster local incomes. They are crucial to developing countries in Asia and the Pacific and around the world as they strive to met the Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement commitments on climate change.

The National Environment Sector Plan (NESP) 2022/2023 – 2026/2027 updates the NESP 2017-2021. It is based on the most recent State of the Environment (SOE) assess- ment documented in 2023, and lessons learned from the previous NESP.

For September to November 2024 the models agree that above normal rainfall is likely or very likely for Palau, western to central FSM, central RMI, most of the PNG mainland, the north of both Samoa and American Samoa, and the north-central Cook Islands. In addition, the models agree that below normal rainfall is likely or very likely for southeastern FSM, far southern RMI, Nauru, Kiribati, northern Tuvalu, northern Tokelau, northern French Polynesia, and Pitcairn Is-lands.

The State of the Environment Report 2023 provides the most recent health check on the threats, state and impacts on Samoa’s environment. The report builds on previous SOE reports (1993, 2006 and 2013).

It is a privilege to acknowledge the generous assistance and contribution of the Government of the People’s Republic of China to SPREP.