News

Marine litter scientists from the UK kick-off work with partners in the South Pacific this week to tackle plastic pollution in the ocean. Click on the link below to read the full article. 

Papua New Guinea has announced its commitment to creating 7,500 square kilometers of marine protected areas in the Bismarck Sea by 2021. Click on the link below to read the full article. 

The MOOC on Pacific Islands in a Changing Climate si an update of the UNESCO e-learning Master Class run at USP for the last two years. Click on the link below to register for the MOOC. 

Strangely, biodiversity indicators used to describe the state of the environment and measure progress toward the Aichi targets consider only native species.

We strongly disagree with the approach of combining counts of native and non-native species because this will reduce our capacity to detect the effects of non-native species on native biodiversity with potentially devastating consequences. Click on the link below to access the full paper

Here, I argue that biodiversity and sustainability indices should include all species. This is not only consistent with definitions of biodiversity but also will promote the idea that long-term, sustainable, human well-being is intricately tied to benefits derived from nature.

FSM leaders in 2013 enacted a law that protects sharks, whales and dolphins, in addition to manta rays, in Yap. Click on the link below to read the full article. 

The Alliance for Zero Extinction has mapped 1,483 highly threatened species that are found only at a single site. But this major new assessment highlights the urgent need for better protection of these irreplaceable places. Click on the link below to read the full article. 

This Participatory 3D Model (P3DM) of Kitti Municipality on the southwest corner of Pohnpei provides a clear picture of the area from the top of the ridges to the outer barrier reef.  With this scale model (1:7,500) all members of the community, leaders, and those lucky enough to visit,

As the 2020 deadline grows nearer for nations to set aside 10% of waters in well-managed MPAs (Aichi Target 11), planners are being challenged to provide advice on what to protect and where to protect it. Click on the link below to read the full article.