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National SoE Reports give information about environmental and social conditions, trends and pressures for the country, and the surrounding seas. The SoE reporting process forms the basis for effective environmental and sustainable development planning by examining the current condition of environmental indicators influenced by national, regional, and global pressures. The report uses state and trend indicators to evaluate how these “state” conditions impact not only the environment, but also the economy and the livelihoods of a country’s citizens. The term “environment” is used holistically to include biophysical, social, and economic indicators. An SoE Report should be completed every five years.

This video describes the work of SPREP’s EMG division in helping partner countries compile and analyse current environmental data. Partners can use the accurate, good-quality data to assess what environmental targets are on track, as well as areas in need of further policies and programs. Some of the key processes EMG uses to document the findings are the State of Environment Report and National Environment Management Strategies.

Solomon Islands forest life gives an overview of the terrestrial environments of the Solomon Islands, their ecology important species and some of the key threats they face. The Solomon Islands are one of the most biologically rich archipelagos on earth. Huge proportions of the animals and plants found there are endemic, meaning they are found no where else on earth. These species are closely linked to the culture livelihoods and well beings of people.

Fiji has demonstrated a strong commitment to cetacean conservation via national, regional and international plans and agreements. To provide baseline information in support of these efforts, this paper provides an updated listing of cetacean species found in Fijian waters and identifies locations where cetaceans have been noted on a consistent basis. Information for this review was sourced from peer-reviewed publications, field reports, historical whaling records, national consultations, anecdotal and opportunistic sources, as well as a national database held by the Fiji Government’s Department of Fisheries. Reliable and recent records were confirmed for 10 cetacean species in Fijian waters. In addition, less reliable records and regional species’ information provides support for the occurrence of at least 14 additional species or groups of similar-looking species that could not be identified more specifically. Thirteen hotspot areas within the Fiji Economic Exclusive Zone were preliminarily identified as being particularly important for cetaceans, including numerous sites within the Vatu-i-Ra and Lomaiviti passages and surrounding waters. Issues with the available data include uneven coverage, inherent biases within available sources, and difficulties with species identification and verification in some cases. Nevertheless, it is hoped that this review will provide a reference point from which to move forward with cetacean management and conservation efforts in Fiji.

Waterfronts are special places around the world. They have been key features of cities throughout history; are places of great beauty; and are sources of economic strength. Our aspirations for the Apia Waterfront are the same.

The world’s more than 200 000 protected areas come in many forms, on land and at sea, and occur in every country (Bertzky et al. 2012). They are places that people establish to conserve natural and cultural heritage and to sustain their benefits for society. Among other values, protected areas allow people to connect with nature for their inspiration, education, well-being and recreation. While protecting ecosystems that are essential for life, they can support human livelihoods and aspirations and offer nature-based solutions for the complex challenges faced by the world today.

This dissertation examines the relationship between contemporary development projects and the Fijian idea vanua which is commonly translated as “land” but entails meanings of people, community, and custom. Often treated as a rigid cosmological entity with its own cultural order, in this dissertation I argue that when viewed as an environmental framework in which historical actors and ideas are constantly moving in and out, vanua is actually flexible, open-ended, and has the capacity to interact and collaborate with contemporary development projects such as environmental conservation and commercial farming. This capacity is built from the entanglement of diverse historical forces (e.g. indigenous politics, pre-colonial capitalism, colonial policies) which still resonate in the environment today, and is able to affect the realization of the universal values (e.g. environmentalism, development) intended to be introduced. Here I use a small coastal village called Waitabu located on Taveuni Island as the ethnographic setting to demonstrate how these processes are played out.

The Pacific Islands region is currently experiencing an intensification of interest in culture of an enabler, rather than an inhibitor of development.

Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC)

This approach flourished in the twentieth century until it was suggested that locally grown herbs can be better for overall health and result in fewer side effects than antibiotics and other universally applicable and diagnosed materials