Pacific Island Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas announced at UN Conference

18 October 2012, CBD COP 11, Hyderabad India – The 9^th Pacific Island Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas was announced during the Pacific Voyage Side Event in Hyderabad, India.

The 11^th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity was the venue for the special event.

The Minister for Local Government, Housing, Urban Development and Environment, Col. Samuela Saumatua announced the event which will be hosted in Fiji in 2013.

 “This is a premier conservation event which happens every 4-5 years in the Pacific since the first conference in 1975….Fiji is proud to host this event to showcase our unique biodiversity and the actions taken to conserve it.”

The theme of the 9^th conference is on “Natural Solutions: Building Resilience for a Changing Pacific”.  It reflects the role of ecosystem services as natural solutions to the threats of climate change while developing community resilience through sustainable development of natural and physical resources. 

Fiji is a fitting backdrop to the conference.  It is host to a unique ecological lattice threading and weaving together large expanses of coastal wetlands and mangroves; seagrass and algal beds, mudflats, lagoons; and a large diverse array of coral reefs. 

 The Fiji Islands contain almost 40% of intact forest with some of the riches natural communities of all the oceanic islands of the Pacific. The island of Kadavu has the highest number of endemic birds per land area in the world while the island of Taveuni has large expanses of forest from ridge to reef. Many species and higher taxa of flora and fauna are endemic to Fiji.

“Encompassed within this vibrant ecological framework are over 390 coral species in a complex coral system housing over 1200 varieties of fish and a multitude of invertebrates. Mangrove and seagrass habitats act as breeding and feeding grounds for the various species of fish, invertebrates, reptiles and seabirds of this eco-region.”

For more information on the 9^th Pacific Island Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas please see the below:

1. 

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.

Traditional knowledge valuable resource for the Pacific

 Article 8. In-situ Conservation

(j) Subject to its national legislation, respect, preserve and maintain knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and promote their wider application with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge, innovations and practices and encourage the equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of such knowledge, innovations and practices;

12 October 2012, CBD COP 11, Hyderabad India - The value of traditional knowledge in the Pacific was acknowledged at the 11^th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.  Known as Article 8J in the CBD, this strengthens the role of traditional knowledge in contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Fiji presented a statement on behalf of FSM, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Nauru and Tonga:

“Traditional knowledge and culture are important components of biodiversity within these countries. The Pacific island countries including the stated countries are diverse in culture and traditional knowledge which are intricately linked to our livelihoods. Cultural practices and traditional knowledge have enabled the people of these nations to survive on the islands since time immemorial. It is for this reason that the Governments for these countries consider cultural diversity, an important component of the national biodiversity programmes implemented at the national, islands and village levels.”

While the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing pertains to the genetic resources and their use, Traditional knowledge is about the innovations, practices and knowledge of local communities around the world.

The Institute of iTaukei Language and Culture is undergoing a Cultural Mapping project working closely with the Department of Environment to look at linkages between Traditional Knowledge and Biodiversity.

This project covers all villages within the 14 provinces in Fiji with research teams recording and documenting indigenous knowledge and cultural expressions.  A key objective of these activities is to retrieve important traditional knowledge from the elderly who are often the key repositories of knowledge.

L - R Sarah Tawaka Fiji, Rawlston Moore GEF, Easter Galuvao SPREP

“We proposed on behalf of these countries that we link the role of biodiversity and traditional knowledge to climate change, as traditional knowledge can assist with climate change adaptation,” said Sarah Tawaka of the Fiji delegation.

“We also asked that they consider how we can resolve repatriation of traditional knowledge before Article 8J came into force as countries have varying levels of traditional knowledge that was released before Article 8J, we would like to address this.”

For more information on Article 8J.

Oceans under microscope for Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas

10 October 2012, CBD COP 11, Hyderabad India - 58% of the world’s oceans have completed review for their potential to be an Ecologically or Biologically Significant Area resulting in 26 areas identified in the Western South Pacific region as meeting the EBSA criteria.

Over the past year the world’s oceans, both near shore and deep ocean regions, have been under the microscope through a series of workshops to identify those parts that can be considered as Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs).

The definition of EBSA includes aspects such as uniqueness or rarity, biological productivity and diversity and a state of naturalness.

At the CBD COP10 meeting in 2010, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity was directed to organise a series of regional workshops around the world to investigate and identify EBSAs.

Results from these workshops were presented during the 11^th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 11) in Hyderabad, India.

Side event on EBSA at the CBD COP 11

 In the Western South Pacific region, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the CBD coordinated and lead a workshop in Fiji, November 2011 with the technical support of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) from Australia, to identify EBSAs for this huge ocean area. 

The workshop was attended by 13 nations and 12 international and regional organisations to develop an extensive database of marine resources. This database was used to identify EBSA and marine environments that need to preserved for future generations.

“26 areas were identified that meet the EBSA criteria, with a further two areas in need of further review.  This is a significant milestone for the Pacific in meeting its CBD objectives.”  Reported Mr Stuart Chape, SPREP Director - Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management at the side event on Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) on Day 1 of CBD COP11 at Hyderabad, India. 

Mr. Stuart Chape making a presentation

 "The biogeographic zones used to define the EBSA region were adjusted to better reflect the SPREP region. The total area considered covered 40 million sq km of ocean, almost 10% of the planet. This huge area is vital for the current and future sustainable development of Pacific island countries and territories, as reflected in the Pacific Oceanscape framework adopted by Pacific island leaders to implement a regional approach to management and governance of the ocean. Identification, and future protection, of EBSAs will contribute to the regional Oceanscape process as well as meeting global commitments through the CBD."

The Pacific Oceanscape is a regional framework seen as the catalyst for action for the Pacific Islands Regional Ocean Policy (PIROP) to protect, manage, maintain and sustain the cultural and natural integrity of the ocean for our ancestors and future generations and indeed for global well-being.   For more information on the Pacific Oceanscape.