West Indian Ocean Partnership - learning from the Micronesia Challenge

The Pacific Voyage Media Team

L-R: Seychelles Ambassador to the UN Ronald Jumeau, Joe Aitaro Palau

25 October Nagoya Japan - Nations comprising of the Western Indian Ocean are inspired by the small island countries’ Micronesian Challenge initiative which seeks to effectively conserve 30 percent of near shores resources and 20 percent of terrestrial resources by 2020.

Signed by the leaders of the Marianas, Guam, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia Challenge seeks to Effectively Conserve 30% of Near Shore Resources and 20% of Terrestrial Resources by 2020.

Micronesia Challenge was first launched by 2006 by Palau which was immediately supported by the other nations and that the movement has served as an inspiration for Caribbean countries to launch a similar challenge.

Seychelles’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations HE Ambassador Ronald Jumeau during a side event says that the Micronesia Challenge is an initiative that served as an inspiration that the nations are adopting.

He states that the Western Indian Ocean nations are taking lessons from the Micronesian countries as to - “where we ought to go.”

 In 2005 then Palau President Tommy Remengesau Jr.  committed his nation to preserving 30 percent of their near-shore marine resources and 20 percent of their terrestrial resources by 2020.

The initiative was then launched in 2006 and supported by the rest of the Micronesia region that agreed to match the same commitment Palau made.

Joe Aitaro, Palau’s Protected Areas Network coordinater was one of the speakers during the side event with representatives from the Western Indian Ocean countries in attendance.

‘What they wanted to hear from us was the arrangement of the initiative and what the benefits are,” Aitaro says.

He explains that one of the major points that need to be learned from the initiative is that it is a long term commitment.  Aitaro says the effort has been successful due to the head of states commitment of seeing it through.

“The leaders might have changed but the commitment is still there,” Aitaro notes.

He says that the current leaders in the Micronesian region are continually meeting to ensure its success.

Each of the five jurisdictions in the Micronesia has endorsed the Micronesia Conservation Trust as a regional finance tool to ensure that the Challenge remains sustainable.

The Micronesia Challenge represents more than 5 percent of the Pacific Ocean and 61 percent of the world’s coral species. It includes 66 threatened species, more than 1,300 species of reef fish, 85 species of birds and 1,400 species of plants — 200 of which are found only in Micronesia.

The five jurisdictions are well on their way in achieving the commitments.

Pacific partnerships combat invasive species

The Pacific Voyage Media Team

21 October Nagoya Japan - The Pacific region is home to more endemic species than anywhere in the world, all of which is potentially under threat from invasive species.  The region is working together with partners to protect Pacific biodiversity from this risk.

During the 10^th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Kiribati took the floor on behalf of the Pacific island parties to stress the importance of partnerships.

“Considerable progress has been made through regional partnerships in addressing invasive species at island and community levels,” stated Ms. Ratita Bebe of Kiribati during the Pacific statement.

“Madam Chair, these partnership initiatives came about because of the challenges that we face spread across a large ocean region with limited capacity and resources.”`

The strength of partnerships in addressing invasive species is a success story for which the Pacific island parties are showcasing and willing to share lessons learnt with other global regions.

“We wanted to highlight to the rest of the world the great initiatives undertaken by the region, having regional and international organisations working together well coordinated so that everyone is aware of what is happening and there is no duplication of effort or waste of resources,” said Dr Posa Skelton, the Pacific Invasives Learning Network Coordinator

Dr Skelton has been working with the Pacific island parties, providing technical advice and support at the CBD COP 10

One of the agenda items on the table at the CBD COP 10 is the “Aichi-Nagoya Statement” which is to provide an international plan that will help stem the loss of biodiversity, taking into account the lessons learnt from the 2010 Biodiversity target.

The Nagoya biodiversity negotiations have provided the Pacific island parties with the opportunity to remind the world that island countries are vulnerable to both marine and land based invasive species.   Further to this Climate change and invasive species together is a deadly duo to Pacific biodiversity, which must be addressed at all levels.

“The Pacific Island Parties urge Governments and partners to address Invasive Alien Species as a significant driver of biodiversity loss in the CBD Strategic Plan and post-2010 targets, and to allocate adequate and timely funding to prevent, control and manage Invasive Alien Species,” read Ms. Bebe in making the Pacific statement on Invasive Species.

“Needless to say, Climate Change and Invasive Species are the Deadly Duo to biodiversity and must be addressed at all levels and in particular regional and inter-regional collaborations. Management of both threats is also critical for successful implementation of the CBD’s island biodiversity program of work.”

Q & A: Short and sharp with the Cook Islands

15 August, Fiji - The Cook Islands is represented at the Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting for the 10th Confernence of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, 16 - 18 August, by Ms. Elizabeth Munro.

"Talking the talk" quick pointers:
- Pre COP is short for 'meeting before the 10th Conference of the Parties' (for the CBD).
- CBD COP is short for 'Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties'.
 
Q.  Why is this particular meeting important for the Cook Islands?
A.  "The pre COP is important for the Cook Islands because we, the Cook Islands need support when raising issues at the CBD COP.  In coming here to the pre-COP we join together to view our issues in the Cook Islands and in the Pacific to see where we have similar issues.  Our islands are all similar and its quite good to raise our issues now, that we'll be bringing up at the CBD COP and get support from each other". 
Q.  So why is the CBD COP important to the Cook Islands people?  What is the link between the Cook Islander in the home and this international meeting where decisions are made on Biodiversity?
A.  The Cook Islands is a party to CBD and with that we have obligations that we have to meet.  Under the CBD are three pillars, one of which is the sustainable management of biodiversity, another is the protection of species. 
For us in the Cook Islands we have species that are endemic, our natural bird the Kakerori has been under threat and was on that 'threatened list'.  It was good that we are part of CBD as that helped us in trying to take the kakerori off the threatened list.  Due to recent information, the Cook Islands is looking at taking the kakerori off the threatened list because the bird number has increased since the 1990's.  This is one way that being part of the CBD has helped us, making it a reason why the CBD is quite important for the Cook Islands.