Cir#19-53:Accepting Nominations for the 2nd Pacific Islands Environment Leadership Awards 2020

It is with great pleasure to announce that nominations are now being accepted for the 2nd Pacific Islands Environment Leadership Awards (PIELA). The PIELA commemorates and promotes the outstanding contributions of individuals, communities, non-governmental organisations, private enterprises and countries towards achieving an environmentally sustainable Pacific in the following key thematic areas:
• Biodiversity and ecosystem protection
• Environmental governance
• Climate change adaptation and resilience
• Waste management and pollution control

Cir#19/52: Introduction of Biodiversity Research Institude (BRI), consultant for Mercury inventory development using the UNEP mercury toolkit (Minamata Initial Project- MIA)

The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. The major highlights of the convention include a ban on new mercury mines, the phase out of existing ones, control measures on air emissions and the international regulation of the informal sector for the artisanal and small scale gold mining (ASGM)

Cir#19/51:Pacific Environment Forum PEF - 2 September 2019

Further to the Circulars #19/35 and 19/47 on the Invitations and Arrangements for the Twenty Ninth SPREP Meeting (29SM) of Officials and associated meetings, please find attached the Agenda the Pacific Environment Forum (PEF). As advised previously, the Environment Forum will be held on Monday, 2nd September 2019 at Tanoa Tusitala Hotel.

This year the PEF is being hosted by the Waste Management and Pollution Control Programme and will focus on plastic pollution, which has become a critical concern globally.

Cir#19/50: Survey to gauge Capacity Building and Training Needs on Environment Impact Assessment of Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs)

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) are important planning and decision-making tools which are critical to the achievement of national sustainable development priorities including SDGs and multilateral environmental commitments that countries in the region have signed up to. As you are aware, EIA focuses at the project level while SEA is applied at the strategic planning level and both tools mutually support and complement each other.

Cir#19/49: Administrative Note: Revised Provisional Agenda and List of Side events for the 29SM

Further to circulars 19/35 and 19/47, please find attached the following documents for the meeting.

Cir#19/48: Save the date: IMPACT Pre-COP25 Pacific Preparatory Meeting 5-8 November 2019, Pacific Climate Change Centre, SPREP, Apia, Samoa

SPREP in partnershop with Climate Analytics and the One CROP+ team will be convening a COP25 Preparatory Meeting under the IMPACT project.

Cir#19/47: 29th SPREP Meeting: 'Resilient Blue Pacific' and the SPREP Environment Ministers' High Level Talanoa on 6 September 2019

Further to Circular 19/35 on the Invitations and Arrangements for the Twenty Ninth SPREP Meeting (29SM) of Officials and associated meetings, please find attached the Provisional Agenda for the Environment Ministers' High Level Talanoa.

Cir#19/46: Apia Convention - suspension in accordance with the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties

As you will be aware, at the Eighth Ordinary Meeting of Parties to the Convention on Conservation of Nature in the South Pacific (the Apia Convention) in 2006 Parties discussions on the future of the Apia Convention.

Cir#19-45: GEF Healthy Oceans Initiative

SPREP presents its compliments to the Country GEF Focal Points and would like to remind Members of the agreed output from the GEF Pacific Constituency meeting held in late May 2019 in Palau. As per paragraph 21 of the meeting minutes (outlined below), it was agreed a coordinated approach to presenting priorities for the Healthy Oceans initiative at the forthcoming Extended Constituency Workshop (ECW) to be held in Nadi Fiji from the 22nd – 25th July would be undertaken:

Cir#19/44: Indicator-based reporting for Regional State of Environment and Conservation reporting for Oceania

The Secretariat through a partnership agreement with The Nature Conservancy is currently in the initial stage of developing a 2019/2020 Regional State of the Environment Report.

Cir#19-43:EDF-11 PEUMP Bycatch and Integrated Ecosystem Management Project Inception Meeting, 16 – 17th July, Nadi, Fiji

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) will be convening the Bycatch and Integrated Ecosystem Management (BIEM) Project Inception Meeting on the16 – 17th July, at the Novotel Hotel in Nadi, Fiji. The Inception meeting will be followed by a two day Bycatch and endangered species detailed planning meeting on 18 – 19th July in the same venue.

Cir#19/42:Invitation to attend the Fifth Pacific Meteorological Council Meeting (PMC-5) in Apia, Samoa at theTui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi (TATTE) Conference Centre, 7th – 9th August 2019.

At the kind invitation of the Government of Samoa, I have the pleasure of inviting you or a nominated representative to attend the 5th Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC-5) to be held in Apia Samoa from the 7th – 9th August 2019.

Cir#19/41:Invitation to attend the pre-PMC workshops on the IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) and Next Generation Climate Change Projections

I have the pleasure of inviting two nominated representatives, your IPCC focal point and your climate change focal point to attend two back-to-back workshops namely:

  •  IMPACT Workshop on IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) – 29 to 30th July
  •  Next Generation Climate Projections for the Pacific Workshop- SPREP/CSIRO– 31 July to 1 August.
Cir#19/40: SPREP Vacancies
  • Environmental Planning Adviser
  • Systems Developer and Analyst

Applications are invited for the above positions that are being advertised within SPREP Apia, Samoa.
The closing date for applications is  Friday 28 June 2019

Cir#19/39: GEF ISLANDS included in PFD clearance for June 2019 work programme

It is with sincere pleasure to convey to you that the GEF ISLANDS Programme has been included in the June 2019 GEF Work Programme. This inclusion is based on the understanding that the Programme is in conformity with GEF Trust Fund focal area strategies and with GEF policies and procedures, and will be endorsed by GEF Council by June 10.

Cir#19-38: SPREP VACANCIES
  •          PacWaste Plus, Regional Project Officer – Fiji
  •         PacWaste Plus, Regional Project Officer – Republic of Marshall Islands

  •         PacWaste Plus, Regional Project Officer – Vanuatu

 Applications Are Invited For The Above Positions That Is Being Advertised 

Cir#19-37: SPREP Staff Appointment

SPREP is pleased to announce the new members of the SPREP Community

Cir#19/36: Vacancy - Manager, Pacific Climate Change Centre (Re-advertisement)

Applications are invited for the above position that is being re-advertised within SPREP Apia, Samoa.

 

Manager, Pacific Climate Change Centre (Re-advertisement)
Cir#19/35: Invitations and Arrangements - Twenty-Ninth SPREP Meeting (29SM) of Officials and associated meetings from 29 August - 6 September 2019 Apia, Samoa

As the meeting is fast approaching and we are in the process of finalizing arrangements, we would appreciate receiving the list of your delegations at the latest by 31 July 2019.

Cir#19/34:SPREP Vacancy

Applications are invited for the following position that is being advertised within SPREP
Apia, Samoa.
1. PacWaste Plus, Technical Waste Project Officer – three new positions
Applications Close: Friday, 17 May 2019

Technical Waste Project Officers (3) - PacWaste Plus (TWPOPWP)
Cir19/33:Invitation to the Regional Inform Project Meeting, 19th – 22nd August, 2019, Apia, Samoa

The Environmental Monitoring and Governance (EMG) Programme of SPREP is currently executing the
GEF funded Inform Project, implemented through UN Environment, which has supported and
delivered a number of key targeted interventions to support environmental decision making in the
region.

Cir#19/32: 29 SPREP Meeting Provisional Agenda

Please find attached the draft provisional agenda for the 29 SPREP Meeting and associated Ministerial Meeting including the 2019 Pacific Environment Forum (PEF) Apia, Samoa from 2-6 September 2019. The 29 SPREP Meeting will be preceded by the COPs for the Noumea and Waigani Conventions.

Cir#19-31:Invitation to the Regional Workshops on the International Convention for the Control And Management of Ships'Ballast Water and Sediments.

On behalf of International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), I write to invite your governments participation in the Regional Workshops On The International Convention For The Control And Management Of Ships' Ballast Water And Sediments, The International Convention On The Control Of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems On Ships And The Guidelines For The Control And Management Of Ships’ Biofouling To Minimize The Transfer Of Invasive Aquatic Species from 3-7 June 2019, to be held in Suva, Fiji. The workshop is kindly hosted by the Government of Fiji. A draft programme for the workshop is attached at, Annex 1.

Cir#19/30:Invitation for the NAP Writeshop from the 14th to 17th May 2019 in Apia, Samoa.

SPREP will be organizing the NAP Writeshop from 14 to 17 May 2019. A notification was sent out last week. This letter serves as the official invitation to nominate participants. Please be advised that SPREP can only fund participation of two participants from each Pacific Island Country that is a Party to the UNFCCC. Additional participants from other agencies may attend at their own cost if they are already working in partnership with a country on a specific GCF national adaptation planning concept or proposal.

Cir#19/29:Review of the Draft Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) Guidelines

The Secretariat continues to develop guidelines and tools to support Members in its efforts to strengthen environmental governance and promote best practice as articulated in the Strategic Plan.

Cir#19/28:SAVE THE DATE – Pacific National Adaptation Planning Writeshop, SPREP, Apia, Samoa, 14-17 May 2019

The writeshop will deliver the following outputs and contribute to the following outcomes:


1. Participants have a clearer understanding of the benefits and requirements of NAP Readiness
funding.
2. At least five concept notes or first draft proposals will be produced with clear timelines for
submission.
3. More and higher quality concepts and proposals will be developed in 2019, leading to higher
quality national adaptation planning in the region.
4. In turn, this should improve access and absorption of climate finance and speed up efforts to
enhance building resilience and adaptation efforts.


SPREP is therefore requesting that focal points identify relevant personnel and ensure that they set
aside the dates of the writeshop so that they can attend and benefit from this opportunity. SPREP is
planning to fund participation of two participants from each Pacific Island Country that is a Party to the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. These invitations will follow soon.

Cir#19/27: Staff Appointment

SPREP is please to announce the following appointment of:

Mr. Semi Qamese, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Intra African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA+) Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change and Resilience Building.

Cir#19/26: Vacancy - Young Professionals Programme - Pacific Islands Nature Conference Coordinator

Short term opportunities to young professionals and recent graduates from the Pacific Island member countries and territories.

Young Professionals Programme: Pacific Islands Nature Conference Coordinator
Cir#19/25: Vacancies
  • Framework for Resilience Development in the Pacific Coordinator
  • Technical Waste Officers, PacWaste Plus Project (3)
Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific Coordinator , Technical Waste Project Officers (3) – PacWaste Plus Project
Cir19-24:Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) Advisory Board Teleconference Meeting

As we come closer to the completion of the construction of the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) and target for handover in August 2019, it is my pleasure to call the first meeting of the PCCC Advisory Board. As you may recall the First SPREP Executive Board Meeting held in September of last year