Tonga is looking at phasing out single-use plastics such as shopping bags, cutlery, straws and more starting next year, confirmed Director of Environment, Lupe Matoto. Lupe told a regional conference last week that in September last year, Cabinet started the process to ban single-use plastics. Work is currently underway with the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance, […]
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Posted inStory / Article
Vaisigano Bridge in Samoa seven years in the making
The climate change resilient brand new Vaisigano Bridge, took seven years in the making. And under no circumstances are the bridge and all other Government initiated infrastructural projects (such as new roads, schools, water, etc) were designed to be used as a campaign strategy by Government, as a lead up to the 2021 General Elections. […]
Posted inStory / Article
Climate Change can’t be ‘quarantined’: Taloiburi
Pacific Island Forum Secretariat finance adviser Exsley Taloiburi is worried that climate change may slip down regions’ agenda as Pacific ministers put focus on coronavirus. Speaking in the margins of the Economic Forum Ministers Meeting (FEMM) Taloiburi said while the deadly virus can be quarantined and worked around, the change in weather patterns can never […]
Posted inStory / Niue
Fisheries Ministers express concerns over COVID-19 impacts
Fisheries Ministers from member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) have expressed serious concern about the unprecedented impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on their domestic economies. This was during the 17th FFC Ministers meeting last week. Ministers have expressed strengthened commitments to regional solidarity and collaboration as central to confronting the impacts […]
Posted inStory / Fiji
30 Pacific Climate Warriors graduate
A total of 30 Pacific Climate Warriors graduated from the Pacific Pawa up Fellowship (PPUF) on Saturday. Labelled as a milestone achievement for global climate activism, 350 Pacific’s communication’s officer, Patricia Mallam said the warriors graduates following a 12-week online training initiative designed to coach Pacific climate activists by equipping them with essential skills needed […]
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FFC adopts the FFA Regional PSM framework
The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC) has successfully sanctioned the regional Port State Measure (PSM) framework at its 114th meeting held in June. According to the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency’s (FFA) Director-General, Dr Manu Tupou-Roosen, “this marks a significant milestone in the Agency’s efforts to strengthen and enhance port-based activities in relation to addressing […]
Posted inStory / Vanuatu
Vanuatu: A real test for local emergency response
Rated as the country with the highest disaster risk worldwide, Vanuatu is no stranger to severe tropical cyclones. When Tropical Cyclone Pam struck the country in 2015, it affected around 166,000 people and left a trail of destruction. Similarly, Tropical Cyclone Harold, a category 5 cyclone that hit Vanuatu on 6 April this year, affected […]
Posted inStory / Tonga
Giant, fruit-gulping pigeon eaten into extinction on Pacific islands
A large fruit-eating bird from Tonga joins the dodo in the lineup of giant island pigeons hunted to extinction. Fossils show that Tongoenas burleyi, a newly described genus and species, inhabited the Pacific islands for at least 60,000 years, but vanished within a century or two of human arrival around 2,850 years ago. Unlike the […]
Posted inStory / Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands private sector strengthens engagement in climate change resilience
A national mapping project has provided businesses in the Solomon Islands with increased understanding of climate and resilience financing. The project is seeking to strengthen private sector’s engagement and to promote public-private partnerships in this crucial area of financing. The mapping project was a joint undertaking by the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry […]
Posted inStory / Fiji
Climate Change Projection Maps for Fiji launched
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in partnership with the Fiji Meteorological Service today presented a series of climate projection maps for Fiji to Permanent Secretaries at a function held at the Suva Business Centre in Suva. The maps provide projections, using models based on data collated by CSIRO, of the average […]