Search the SPREP Catalogue

Oceania is geographically one of IUCN’s largest regional programmes, covering much of the central and south west Pacific Ocean as well as Australia and New Zealand. The Pacific Islands cover almost 15% of the world’s ocean surface. The area is characterized by a high degree of ecosystem and species diversity, as well as a high level of endemicity (often over 90% for particular groups) on many of the Pacific Islands. Increasing awareness about the importance of biodiversity and the threats to these species is critically important to the survival of all species on Earth. Thus, IUCN is working with like-minded organizations to contribute to biodiversity conservation in the Pacific context. The concept of “Investing in Nature” is central to this approach, given that often the day-to-day goods and services provided by nature are taken for granted. For Oceania, it is vital that additional efforts and investments in natural resources promote sustainable long-term use, management and conservation of our biodiversity resources.

Mare nostrum, the Mediterranean Sea, the historic cradle of so many different cultures, is a melting-pot containing all that is at stake in terms of sustainable development and conservation of marine biodiversity. Mare medi terra, this semi-enclosed sea, representing less than 1% of the world’s oceans comprises 10% of the identified marine biodiversity known. The Mediterranean acts as a catalyst for the questions of integrated management of human activities and governance for the following reasons: it supports 1/3 of global maritime traffic, and is home to 150 million people attracting 200 million visitors each year; nearly half of its coastline has become “artificial”; over a quarter of the species of rays and sharks in the Mediterranean are threatened, and because management of fish stocks is a current topic for debate.

The spread of marine species beyond their native environment is of increasing concern due to rapid growth in commercial shipping and recreational boating, activities that can help organisms ‘hitchhike’. Marine invasive species are currently recognized as one of the major direct causes of biodiversity loss and changes in ecosystem provisioning and supporting services.

As environmental problems continue to increase at an ever more rapid rate, exacerbated by the major threat of global climate change, the need for widespread remedial action is becoming ever more pressing. Scientific consensus on both the root causes of these problems and the measures required to tackle them is growing, while mass media and public interest has reached fever pitch. Of course, while this has put pressure on decisionmakers to take positive action, the realisation of the gravity and extent of the environmental problems has encouraged all those concerned about the state of our world to search for partners around it: one such significant partnership to e­merge in recent years is between those concerned with the conservation of nature –and of its biodiversity– and the custodians of sacred sites, representing both indigenous beliefs and mainstream faiths.

Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms, including fish, molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic plants, and embraces all kinds of aquaculture (inland and marine, and capture based or not). Farming implies some sort of intervention in the rearing process to enhance production, such as regular stocking, feeding and protection from predators. Farming also implies individual or corporate ownership of the stock being cultivated.

Many governments are actively encouraging private investment in biofuels developments to harness the perceived benefits of biofuels such as agricultural development, increased energy security and independence, improved balance of trade and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. However, in the rush to pursue the benefits of biofuels, the risks of invasion by introduced species have received little or no attention and are not being adequately prevented or managed. The situation is most acute in countries lacking the capacity and resources to adequately avoid and manage the risks of invasion. Lack of suitable pest and weed risk assessment and management regimes compromises the long-term viability of the biofuels sector and threatens local livelihoods and the environment.

The Pacific islands of Oceania cover almost 15% of the world's surface and are characterised by a high degree of ecosystem and species diversity. The region is characterised by thousands of isolated small coral atolls and higher volcanic islands, which has led to the high diversity of species found today. In fact, the number of plants and animals found nowhere else on earth (endemic species) is extremely high - often up to 90% for particular groups. Often, these rare and endemic species are adapted to specialised habitats and limited to small areas of a few islands. With economic and cultural dependence on the natural environment very high in the Pacific islands, along with a rapidly expanding human population, there are ever increasing demands on the region's natural resources. Plant and animal species are therefore vulnerable to extinction from climate change, competition from introduced (invasive) species and human impacts such as habitat destruction, over-harvesting of species and pollution.

The Pacific islands of Oceania cover almost 15% of the world's surface and are characterised by a high degree of ecosystem and species diversity. The region is characterised by thousands of isolated small coral atolls and higher volcanic islands, which has led to the high diversity of species found today. In fact, the number of plants and animals found nowhere else on earth (endemic species) is extremely high - often up to 90% for particular groups. Often, these rare and endemic species are adapted to specialised habitats and limited to small areas of a few islands. With economic and cultural dependence on the natural environment very high in the Pacific islands, along with a rapidly expanding human population, there are ever increasing demands on the region's natural resources. Plant and animal species are therefore vulnerable to extinction from climate change, competition from introduced (invasive) species and human impacts such as habitat destruction, over-harvesting of species and pollution.

The Pacific islands of Oceania cover almost 15% of the world's surface and are characterised by a high degree of ecosystem and species diversity. The region is characterised by thousands of isolated small coral atolls and higher volcanic islands, which has led to the high diversity of species found today. In fact, the number of plants and animals found nowhere else on earth (endemic species) is extremely high - often up to 90% for particular groups. Often, these rare and endemic species are adapted to specialised habitats and limited to small areas of a few islands. With economic and cultural dependence on the natural environment very high in the Pacific islands, along with a rapidly expanding human population, there are ever increasing demands on the region's natural resources. Plant and animal species are therefore vulnerable to extinction from climate change, competition from introduced (invasive) species and human impacts such as habitat destruction, over-harvesting of species and pollution.