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Biofuel crops and the use of non-native species: mitigating the risks of invasion

Climate Change Resilience, Biodiversity Conservation, BRB

Available Online

GISP

Many countries are currently looking at growing high-yielding crops for the production of biofuels as alternatives to traditional fuels (petrol and diesel) to address imminent energy shortages and reduce impacts of climate change. This usually involves the importation of foreign (i.e., alien) species of plants that are known for their fast and productive growth. If these initiatives are not carefully assessed, however, promoting the cultivation of some popular species for biofuel production will increase two of the major causes of biodiversity loss on the planet: clearing and conversion of yet more natural areas for monocultures, and invasion by non-native species.

Towards effective and legitimate governance: state emerging from hybrid political orders : Vanuatu report

Available Online

Brown Anne

Nolan Anna

In contrast to some of the other case studies in this enquiry, Vanuatu is not struggling with a legacy of violent conflict; nor is the country as a whole, or parts of it, marked by serious problems of law and order. On the contrary, the country is peaceful and relatively stable. Nevertheless, Vanuatu has suffered some serious violence in the past and certainly faces real threats to social stability and order. Its current stability is under challenge from the impacts of rapid social and economic change coming from globalised markets in both their legal and criminal dimensions.

Towards effective and legitimate governance: states emerging from hybrid political orders: Solomon Islands report

Available Online

Clements Kevin

Foley Wendy

The enhancement of state effectiveness should begin paradoxically with an understanding of the diverse communities that constitute each state system. Shifting the focus from state institutions and analyzing sources of community strength, resilience and security (and the traditional values, customs, beliefs that underpin them) will help generate a better sense of grounded legitimacy which is a pre-requisite for the development of more effective political and judicial institutions in post colonial states.

Bird Life International's Position on Climate change

Climate Change Resilience

Available Online

Birdlife International

The scientific evidence is overwhelming: climate change is happening, it is largely caused by human activities, it presents very serious global risks for people and biodiversity around the world and it demands an urgent global response. The direct and indirect impacts of climate change are of central concern to BirdLifes objectives and targets, in terms both of biodiversity and of human development. The BirdLife Partnership operates in over one hundred countries and territories worldwide with over 2.5 million members, 10 million supporters and over 1 million hectares owned or managed. Together the BirdLife Partnership forms the leading authority on the status of birds, their habitats and the issues and problems affecting bird life. BirdLife has a significant contribution to make to the climate change debate.

Literature review of terrestrial biological survey information in Samoa

Available Online

Atherton James

Doherty Natasha

This report is the review of terrestrial biological information in Samoa and was written by MNRE with the technical support of Conservation International (CI). It is a contribution to Samoas Programme of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPA) which is currently being implemented by the Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment (MNRE), with funding provided by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Samoa has 13 declared protected areas (PAs), including three Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and 3 community managed conservation areas (CAs) (see annex 1). The terrestrial coverage of Samoas protected area network is approximately 7% of Samoas land area. However Samoas Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (SBSAP) has a target protected area coverage of 15% of land and presumably, near shore (Schuster and Butler (eds) 2001).

samoa

Pacific Islands Regional Coastal Fisheries Management Policy and Strategic Actions (Apia Policy) 2008-2013 / developed and endorsed by Heads of Fisheries in the Pacific Region during the special session conducted from 11 - 13 February 2008, Apia Samoa

Biodiversity Conservation

Available Online

Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)

There are 30,000 islands scattered across the Pacific Ocean. These islands are divided into 22 Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) with a total land area of 0.5 million square kilometres.They are inhabited by over 9 million people and cover a total EEZ (exclusive economic zone) area of almost 30 million square kilometres.The Pacific Ocean contains the largest array of marine habitats and coastal biodiversities in the world and sustains the largest stocks of albacore, bigeye, skipjack and yellowfin tuna. It has extensive coral reefs, consisting of 70 coral genera supporting over 4,000 fish species, 30 mangrove species and a range of reptiles, marine mammals and sea birds.The marine habitat and ecosystems of this vast area provide the pelagic and coastal fisheries resources on which the people of the Pacific depend for food security and continuing livelihoods.

Fiji : draft peoples charter for change, peace & progress & The state of the nation and economy report

Available Online

We, the People of Fiji: Awake, and We Arise To a New Dawn To a New Day, and a New Way In Our Lives, as One Nation, as One People

fiji

The deepest ocean on earth: a scientific case for establishing the Mariana trench marine national monument

Biodiversity Conservation

Available Online

Kelsey, Elin

The boundaries of the proposed monument are generous enough to protect an unprecedented cross section of the most volcanically active region on Earthcalled the Ring of Fire. Its spectacular geology and rare ecology arise from the subduction of the worlds largest tectonic plate, the Pacific Plate, under the smaller, slowermoving Philippine Plate. Three uninhabited islandsAsuncion, Maug and Farallon de Pajaros (or Uracus, as it is more commonly called) surrounded by the proposed monument are the exposed tops of a chain of volcanic mountains known as the Mariana Volcanic Arc. This wild, dangerous, tantalizing region is so remote that many of its wonders are yet to be quantified. This exceptional area has been the focus of seven separate scientific research expeditions since 2003.

Threats to mangroves from climate change and adaptation options

Climate Change Resilience, Biodiversity Conservation

Available Online

Duke Norman C

Ellison Joanna

Field Colin

Gilman, Eric L

Mangrove ecosystems are threatened by climate change. We review the state of knowledge of mangrove vulnerability and responses to predicted climate change and consider adaptation options. Based on available evidence, of all the climate change outcomes, relative sea-level rise may be the greatest threat to mangroves. Most mangrove sediment surface elevations are not keeping pace with sea-level rise, although longer term studies from a larger number of regions are needed. Rising sea-level will have the greatest impact on mangroves experiencing net lowering in sediment elevation, where there is limited area for landward migration. The Pacific Islands mangroves have been demonstrated to be at high risk of substantial reductions. There is less certainty over other climate change outcomes and mangrove responses. More research is needed on assessment methods and standard indicators of change in response to effects from climate change, while regional monitoring networks are needed to observe these responses to enable educated adaptation. Adaptation measures can offset anticipated mangrove losses and improve resistance and resilience to climate change. Coastal planning can adapt to facilitate mangrove migration with sea-level rise. Management of activities within the catchment that affect long-term trends in the mangrove sediment elevation, better management of other stressors on mangroves, rehabilitation of degraded mangrove areas, and increases in systems of strategically designed protected area networks that include mangroves and functionally linked ecosystems through representation, replication and refugia, are additional adaptation options.

Conservation of kakerori (Pomarea dimidiata) in the Cook Islands in 2006/07

Available Online

Robertson Hugh a.

Saul. Edward K.

In 1989, the kakerori (Pomarea dimidiata) was one of the 10 rarest birds in the world with a declining population of just 29 individuals living in forested hill country in the Takitumu Conservation Area (TCA) of south-eastern Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Following 12 years of rat poisoning, the population had increased to 255 birds in August 2001. The programme then shifted from species recovery to sustainable management of the Rarotonga population at 250 to 300 birds. The rat poisoning effort was reduced, and an insurance population was established on Atiu. By August 2004, following the reduction of poisoning from weekly to fortnightly, and the transfer of 30 youngsters to Atiu in 200103, there were 281 birds on Rarotonga and 25 on Atiu. The southern Cook Islands were hit by five tropical cyclones in a four-week period in FebruaryMarch 2005, and forests on Rarotonga were severely damaged. Kakerori survived the storms remarkably well, but the main effect was observed in the following breeding season (2005/06), when nesting success on Rarotonga was exceptionally poor. Reduced canopy cover caused nests to be exposed to abnormally wet conditions, and lack of fruit meant that rats were exceptionally hungry. Only 31 yearlings were known to be alive in August 2006about half the expected numberand annual mortality of banded birds (25%) was the highest since management began. The kakerori population on Rarotonga fell 8% from 275 birds in August 2005 to a minimum of 254 birds in August 2006. The situation was better on Atiu, with the population growing from about 32 adult birds in 2005/06 to a minimum of 37 adult birds in 2006/07, and an Atiu-bred pair nested successfully for the first time. The 2006/07 breeding season on Rarotonga was moderately successful, with a minimum of 51 fledglings found. Because the sustainable management regime of fortnightly rat poisoning in the TCA was only just adequate in giving protection to adult kakerori, the annual poisoning programme was modified by adding rounds of interim poisoning in April and July 2007 aimed at reducing rat and cat numbers before the breeding season.

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