SPREP

Nine of the 13 Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Members that are Parties to the Waigani Convention were present at the meeting. SPREP is the Secretariat of the Waigani Convention that entered into force in 2001.

The Meeting brings together the governing council of SPREP to discuss SPREP strategic issues and approve the 2016 work plan for the organisation.

A number of different issues will be discussed by the 14 Pacific island and 5 metropolitan member countries and partners of SPREP.  Over the three day meeting these include an update on the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC), Climate Finance, discussion on a new regional strategy on waste management and the development of the next SPREP Strategic Plan.

A survey has found that some South Pacific countries are awash with the hazardous building material which can lead to lung diseases or cancer.

The Pacific environment agency SPREP says that until now there's only been anecdotal evidence about the quantity and condition of asbestos in the region.

SPREP's Pacwaste project manager, Stewart Williams, says the survey, done with European Union assistance, found that the once-common building material is widespread, including in public buildings such as schools and hospitals.

The Global Environment Facility-Pacific Alliance for Sustainability (GEF-PAS) Pilot Project on Composting and Recyclable Waste Separation is being implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in partnership with the Pacific Organic and Ethical Trade Community (POETCom).

POETCom is housed in the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and is engaging in building resilient farming capacity in Niue through funding support from the International Fund for Agriculture Development. Composting is a resilient farming technique.

Periodic SOE reports serve as a "health check-up" for the environment and environmental services upon which the people of the Marshall Islands depend. The results from these reports feed directly into strategic environmental planning, which seeks to protect the healthy parts of RMI's environmental systems and improve other parts that are in decline.

A two day State of the Environment Report write-shop and National Environmental Management Strategy consultation was held in the Marshall Islands this month.

A three day workshop coordinated by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) led to the formation of the Tuvalu Invasive Species Committee which will be coordinated by the Environment Department.

"A key outcome in forming this Committee is that stakeholders and various agencies have agreed to collaborate which can bring about positive outcomes," said Dr Posa Skelton, Coordinator of the Pacific Invasives Learning Network at SPREP.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program is implementing the pilot project, with at least 200 families in seven villages being targeted to get involved.

SPREP's Lusiana Ralogaivau says the adoption of compost techniques will help reduce harmful chemicals in the Pacific region.

She says composting will also build healthy soils and a sustainable source of food for a country that relies heavily on agriculture, protecting natural ecosystems, and being part of the climate change mitigation solution.

The MOU expresses the mutual interests of SPC and ISA in developing regional and national frameworks that support the interests of both organisation’s Pacific member states, and efforts to regulate and manage deep sea mineral activities in ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction; conducting marine scientific research and analysis results; and participating in capacity-building initiatives and sharing seabed resources information.

Chief Geoscientist at SPC, Dr Kifle Kahsai, said the MOU will strengthen partnership of the two organisations.