News

Environmentalists in the Cook Islands have criticised former Prime Minister and Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) head Henry Puna for joining the board of a deep sea mining company.

The Cook Islands is the chair for the Pacific Region’s Project Steering Committee (PSC), which has the largest portion of the GEF ISLAND fund.

Cook Islands National Environment Service (NES) hosted the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Asia-Pacific regional training workshop for Operational Focal Points (OFPs) this week at the Edgewater Resort, Rarotonga marking a significant milestone for the country.

The Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) annual Christmas Bird Count once again showcased the vital role that community volunteers and conservation efforts play in protecting the islands' unique bird populations.

“WE don’t want foreigners exploiting our seas,” said Tui Moala Ratu Irivi Draunidalo as he raised concerns over the increasing foreign fishing activity around Moala Island. He said the presence of ‘outside’ vessels was putting pressure on the island’s marine resources and livelihoods.

Funding from the Birds New Zealand Pacific Islands Bird Conservation and Research Fund was used to support seabird surveys and monitoring training for staff from the Ministry of National Resources and Environment and the Samoa Conservation Society.

 Fisheries officials and delegates from the 17 Members of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), are gathering this week at the Millenium Hall in Alofi, Niue, for the 138th Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC) Annual Officials Meeting.

A week-long training on using open-source GIS tools and remote sensing satellite data from the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Digital Earth Pacific (DE Pacific) will enable Solomon Islands government officials and researchers to better map, monitor and protect seagrass and mangrove ecosystems.

The inaugural Pasifika Futures Forum officially opened today at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, bringing together over 150 Pacific Island leaders, policymakers, traditional knowledge holders, youth, disability advocates, and development partners from across the Pacific region.

The Government of Papua New Guinea, through the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA), hosted an official ceremony to signing the project document for the implementation of a Global Environment Facility (GEF) initiative under its 8th funding replenishment cycle (GEF-8) yesterda