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American students learn about Pacific environmental issues at SPREP

[General]10 students from different universities throughout America have come a long way to learn about environmental issues in the Pacific and how they affect the lives of those who live here.

Their visit to Hawaii, Samoa, American Samoa and Fiji is part of a 15 week programme coordinated by the School for International Training.

It is while in Samoa that the students spent an afternoon this week, learning about how the Pacific region is affected by climate change, marine pollution and marine species from staff of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme(SPREP).

"It was a good session,” said Taito Nakalevu, the Programme Manager for the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change Project.

“There were a lot of questions asked by the students – they were int ...(to be continued)

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Va’a Gaualofa assists Coral Survey team

[Nature Conservation]Va’a Gaualofa has helped ensure smooth sailing of the coral survey undertaken in Fagaloa Bay, Samoa.

Since May last year, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has worked with the Ministry of Fisheries of the Government of Samoa to carry out a year long coral reef monitoring project at Fagaloa Bay.

The project is to assess the impact of the fresh water discharge into the Bay and is funded by the Asian Development Bank in response to complaints from residents in the area who allege that coral health and marine resources have been declining due to a power plant in the area.

“We did an extensive survey to assess the live coral cover and the fish population in Fagaloa Bay in July 2009 and since then, we have been doing more targeted sur ...(to be continued)

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Value Island Biodiversity - It’s Our Life! Regional efforts for the year of biodiversity begin

[Nature Conservation]The 2010 International Year of Biodiversity tonight received an additional boost as the Pacific islands region formally launched its efforts for the campaign during a function at the Headquarters of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). Speaking during the launch and unveiling of the Pacific Biodiversity logo, Acting Director for SPREP, Mr Kosi Latu, stated that celebrating the Year was a way of recognizing the value of biodiversity to us as island dwelling people.

“The slogan, Value Island Biodiversity, It’s Our Life says it all,” he said. “All humans, no matter where we live, are totally dependent on biodiversity – on nature and natural systems.”

“We rely on nature for food, clothing, pharmaceuticals and for our overall well-being,” said Mr ...(to be continued)

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New Pacific Futures programme manager at SPREP

[General]The Pacific Futures programme at the SPREP has a new manager. The organisation welcomed Dr. Netatua Pelesikoti to Samoa when she began her three year contract in December last year.

Having already had a strong relationship with SPREP, she is no stranger to the organisation and its work. For many years Dr. Pelesikoti was the SPREP focal point from Tonga, she also worked as the Sustainable Development and Disaster Risk Management Adviser for Secretariat of the Pacific Applied GeoScience Commission (SOPAC) for five and a half years before coming to SPREP.

Working in the typical small island atmosphere, Dr. Pelesikoti has worn many different hats during her career.

“I worked right up from being an environmental technical officer to working on policy and managem ...(to be continued)

COP15 Copenhagen
Pacific Team Blog

Read all about COP15 here.
United Nations Climate Change Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark 7 Dec - 18 Dec 2009
Articles by the COP15 Pacific news team. Click here

20th SPREP Meeting of Officials

Meeting Records and Working Documents
16 - 20 November 2009
Apia
Samoa

Latest press releases

American students learn about Pacific environmental issues at SPREP(3/18/2010)

Va’a Gaualofa assists Coral Survey team(3/11/2010)

Value Island Biodiversity - It’s Our Life! Regional efforts for the year of biodiversity begin(3/5/2010)

Latest publications

Turtle Research and Monitoring Database System (TREDS) : Annual Report 2009(3/17/2010)

Action Strategy for Nature Conservation in the Pacific islands: empowering local people, communities(2/12/2010)

Work Programme and Budget for 2010 (SPREP) - French version(12/25/2009)