26 May 2025 , Apia, Samoa - Biodiversity loss and climate change are two of the most pressing challenges facing humanity—and in the Pacific region, their impacts are deeply intertwined. Healthy ecosystems serve as natural buffers against climate impacts, while climate change accelerates environmental degradation and species loss. Recognising this interdependence, Pacific island nations are taking steps to integrate their responses to these dual crises through more coherent environmental governance strategies.
Representatives from Pacific Island governments, technical partners, biodiversity and climate change practitioners have gathered today, 26 May 2025, at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in Apia Samoa, for a three-day workshop focused on promoting policy coherence for environmental governance in the Climate and Nature Nexus.
Hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), SPREP, and the Government of Samoa, the workshop responds to the growing call for collective approaches to address climate change and biodiversity conservation effectively.
In her opening remarks, Chief Executive Officer of the Samoa Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ms Lealaisalanoa Frances Brown Reupena highlighted the importance of policy coherence in achieving long-term sustainability.
“It involves ensuring policies across various sectors and levels of government are aligned and mutually reinforcing to achieve sustainable development goals,” said Ms Brown Reupena.
“This will be realised through effective mechanisms, including strong leadership, collaboration, and knowledge sharing—these are essential for fostering policy coherence and facilitating swift action.”
The workshop is a response to recent decisions under the CBD which calls on countries to update and align their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) and encourages parties to take integrated approaches that reflect the interdependencies between climate change and biodiversity.
Through this workshop, Pacific Island countries will not only share their experiences in national coordination across biodiversity and climate change but discuss regional approaches to the implementation of environmental agreements.
SPREP Acting Director General, Ms Easter Chu Shing welcomed the participants to SPREP and emphasised the importance of a collective approach to coherent and synergistic implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA).
“The workshop will explore the implementation of global environment commitments at the national level, and it will provide an opportunity for us to look at the regional level. Through the exchange of experiences and information, we can work collaboratively to strengthen Pacific engagement in addressing the challenges in climate change action and biodiversity conservation.”
UNEP Law Division Director, Ms Patricia Makeri-Mbote, echoed the sentiment for collaborative efforts. “Increasingly the focus of UNEP and many of our partners is on supporting countries in coherent and effective implementation of the MEAs on the ground. For UNEP, ensuring whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches are key elements in this work, entailing cooperation across the board utilizing the various legal and policies, as well as voluntary instruments and partnerships effectively."
Executive Secretary for the Convention of Biological Diversity, Ms Astrid Schomaker, expressed her gratitude to all partners and the Government of Samoa for organising the workshop and highligted its importance for MEA coordination. "This workshop provides a great opportunity to promote synergies among relevant MEA implementation processes while enhancing capacities for developing national and regional monitoring systems and reporting. Effective planning, monitoring, reporting and reviewing are essential in ensuring that the ambition of the KMGBF can be realized."
The gathering marks a significant step forward for the Pacific region in uniting climate and nature governance under coherent and inclusive policies that reflect the leadership and unique ecological context of the Pacific region.
For more information on SPREP’s involvement please contact Mr Jope Davetanivalu at joped@sprep.org, Ms Vanda Faasoa Chan-Ting at vandac@sprep.org and Ms Amanda Wheatley at amandaw@sprep.org