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The Pacific islands maintain resource access rights and management responsibilities over 30 million square kilometres of ocean – equivalent to the combined land areas of Canada, China and the United States of America. The total population of the Pacific islands is only 6.7 million people and only 2.6 million if the largely inland population of Papua New Guinea is excluded. There are at least 11 square kilometres of ocean for each and every Pacific Islander. Jurisdictionally, the sea is nearly 200 times more significant to the average Pacific Islander than it is to the average global citizen.1 This quote encapsulates the paramount importance of the oceans and its resources to Pacific island countries and territories (PICTs). For many PICTs the ocean is their only significant natural resource and the good governance and sustainable management of their ocean resources is the key to their economic and social well-being.

Action Strategy Reporting: The reporting for the Action Strategy for Nature Conservation in the Pacific Islands Region 2008 – 2012 was discussed and it was decided that reporting will be done under the four objectives of the Action Strategy. The roundtable working groups will be reporting their activities under the relevant objectives annually and a consolidation report at the conference. Working groups are will be approached to decide on which objectives that best link to their work and the following were recommended.

The goal of the Pacific Year of Climate Change is to build capacity for promoting the development and implementation of solutions for mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change in the Pacific Islands region.

The Workshop on the “Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972 (London Convention- LC) and its 1996 Protocol (London Protocol- LP)” was organised jointly by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Environment Programme (SPREP), in collaboration with the Government of Fiji under the Department of Environment (DOE) and the Fiji Islands Maritime Safety Administration (FIMSA) for the Pacific Island Countries. The Workshop was organized within the framework of the Integrated Technical Co-operation and Assistance Programme (ITCP) established under the London Convention and Protocol using funds provided by the Government of Australia.

This paper presents a summary of progress to date made in implementing the Forum Leaders’ 2008 Niue Declaration on climate change, and proposals for how to further this implementation in light of the 2009 Cairns Call for Action on climate change.

Politicians, scientists and experts are currently debating appropriate ways to adapt to and reduce the impacts of climate change. Responses to climate change have been largely considered from the perspective of building different types of physical infrastructure. This information brief introduces the concept of investing in natural infrastructure – that is, Ecosystem-based Adaptation to climate change – that Pacific Island communities can use to live healthy, culturally rich and secure lives, and governments can support through effective national development planning.

Climate change year 2009