SPREP and UN relationship strengthened through Agreement

L - R David Sheppard SPREP, Achim Steiner UNEP

16 October, CBD COP 11, Hyderabad, India - Ties between the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme and the United Nations Environment Programme were rejuvenated today with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.

The 11^th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity was the backdrop for the event which brought together Pacific island countries and territories to commemorate.

The  also attended the event, meeting with the Executive Director of UNEP, Mr. Achim Steiner.

L - R Hon. Tufuga Gafoa, Associate. Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Samoa, Achim Steiner UNEP

 

“This is a stepping up of what we have always called a very special relationship.  The Pacific region represents a very significant part of the planet and this relationship reaffirms and further develops our relationship between SPREP, the Pacific region and UNEP,” said Mr. Steiner.

“Small Island Developing States have in the United Nations, found one of the places where their voice is heard louder and clearer than in some of the other for a that we have for our geo-political meetings and I would like to commit our MoU that we have signed today, to strengthen that voice".

The last MoU signed between SPREP and UNEP took place in 2005, the new agreement is to cover the next five years.  It will help ensure increased cooperation in mutual areas of work and expertise.  Environment information will be exchanged and there will be an increased in capacity of Pacific islands to access and manage environment and climate change resources.

 

“We suffer major issues of isolation, biodiversity loss, major challenges and we must have good partners.  Since coming to SPREP we have had a reform process, focused on delivery to members, improved our systems and built better partnerships.  Partnerships are fundamental,” said Mr. Sheppard.

“We see UNEP as a partner of choice, this MoU is very important, and SPREP is committed to making this agreement in the future."

Present at the signing event today were delegates from the Cook Islands, FSM, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu with staff from SPREP and UNEP.

Conserving Pacific wetlands

4 July 2012, Bucharest, Romania - The future host of the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is a major topic on the agenda at the 11th Conference of the Parties to the Convention.  Currently hosted by IUCN in Gland, Switzerland, a proposal is on the table to have the Ramsar Secretariat hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme.

This was one of two key matters highlighted for the Oceania region, by the Marshall Islands who sat at the roundtable today, representing our region at the 44^th meeting of the Ramsar Standing Committee.

This committee meets once a year with an additional meeting before and after the Conference of the Parties, whereby it transforms into the Conference Committee for the duration, providing advice and guidance on issues that may arise.

“This is an important issue for our Pacific countries.  UNEP has been active, the conduit between the countries and the Global Environment Facility and then again IUCN also has a strong presence in our region, so that’s an important issue we should pay attention to,” said Olai Uludong, Chief, Coastal and Land Management Division of the Environmental Management Authority of the Marshall Islands and current Oceania representative on the Ramsar Standing Committee.

L - Vainuupo Jungblut SPREP,  Olai Uludong Marshall Islands

"This Draft Resolution will determine the future administration of the Ramsar Secretariat," said Vainuupo Jungblut, the Oceania Ramsar Officer at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).

“A lot of ground work on the pros and cons for this proposal has been prepared.  My advice would be for the Oceania parties to thoroughly consider the information they have available to them, very carefully before making their final decision on this issue.  This is a huge issue.”

The Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention have varying views on this issue, however if no consensus can be reached on this matter, further deliberations will take place through a sub-committee formed to deliberate this topic.

The second issue was the proposal to have two contracting parties from each region attend the different committees within these negotiations, given the small numbers from the Pacific at this conference, this will also need to be considered if it is possible for delegates from the Oceania region.

The Standing Committee, acting as the conference committee will be meeting on a daily basis during the Conference of the Parties.

The 11^th Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is from 6 – 13 July.  Pacific contracting parties to the Convention are; Australia, Fiji, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea and Samoa.

Quick tips Ramsar Convention on Wetlands:  What is a Standing Committee?

This Committee normally meets once each year, in addition it meets just before each COP at which time it transforms itself into the Conference Committee for the duration of the COP; and then again on the last day of the COP when the newly elected members choose the incoming executives.

The standing committee consists of 16 regional, two ex officio members from the Ramsar regions as well as eight permanent observers. 

The role of this committee is varied, ranging from canvassing opinions of Contracting Parties in their regional group before the meeting of the Standing Committee to advising the Secretariat in setting the agenda of regional meetings.

The Oceania representative to the Standing Committee is selected on a rotational basis.  All but Fiji and Palau have been members on the Standing Committee.

Read more about the Standing Committee of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.