As New Zealand prepares to go to alert level two in the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, the attention turns to the recovery of the economy – and we must spare a thought for the economies of the Pacific. Most of the Pacific relies on tourism, as does New Zealand, however devastation of the industry has rendered […]
Tag: Biodiversity
Effective Management of Medical Waste Essential During Pandemic
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, countries are now facing another challenge as a result: how to manage medical waste safely and effectively. Many types of additional medical and hazardous wastes are being generated during the pandemic, including infected masks, gloves, and other personal protective equipment (PPE). The Secretariat of the Pacific […]
Forest loss slows globally as sustainable management grows
Globally deforestation continues, albeit at a slower rate, with 10 million hectares a year being converted to other uses since 2015, down from 12 million hectares a year in the previous five years, according to the key findings of a flagship report that is conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations […]
The local hero protecting Papua New Guinea from DDT
When Joshua Wowo was a child, his uncle would take him on rambling walks through the lush forest surrounding their home in Papua New Guinea’s East New Britain Province. On these explorations, Wowo would be introduced not only to the beauty of his country, but also to the health risks facing its people. Joshua’s uncle […]
Threats to Pacific Islands’ Rich Biodiversity a Key Focus of the Conference
Conservation management of the rich biodiversity across the Pacific islands region is at the core of the 10th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas. An important event, this will help protect our valuable ecosystem services that the world depends upon. The conference will take place in New Caledonia at the Tjibaou Cultural […]
Work to address marine plastic litter gets off the ground
A cleaner Pacific Ocean free from single-use plastics. This is the vision behind the Pacific Ocean Litter Project (POLP), a six-year AUD 16 million project, which aims to complement existing waste management projects to support the delivery of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)’s Pacific Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter 2018. […]
Logging the life out of Lungga
“There is a particular tree that grows by the Lungga River. We call it the lania tree. I have been by the riverside and I have seen the tree. I have seen our father, even our great grannies walk alongside the Lungga River and gaze at the tree. I have been told; countless times, that […]
Palau President supports Pacific Islands Environment Leadership Award
In 2020, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the 10th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas will recognise and honour Pacific Islanders with a commitment to environmental sustainability and resilience within the Pacific Islands. The special PIELA ceremony will be held during the 10th Pacific Islands Conference on […]
Logging remains a major threat to freshwater biodiversity
Logging remains a major threat to freshwater biodiversity in the Solomon Islands, a recent survey by international and local scientists have found. A team of International and Local Scientists from the French Ichthyological Society (SFI), based at the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN) Paris, France, and Ecological Solutions, Solomon Islands (ESSI) recently completed freshwater fish, […]
Scientists discover new freshwater fish and prawns in Solomons
A total of five new fish records and one potential new fish species as well as five new records and two potential new prawn species were discovered on Isabel and Choiseul Provinces in the Solomon Islands. The discovery followed a recent expedition by the French Ichthyological Society (SFI), based at the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle […]