Evaluating Ecosystem-Based Adaptation For Disaster Risk Reduction In Fiji

Natural disasters such as hurricanes, cyclones, and tropical depressions cause average annual direct losses of US$284 million in the Pacific. With a combined population of fewer than 10 million people, annual losses are the highest in the world on a per-capita basis. Extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall are closely linked to climate change, suggesting that Pacific Island nations face increasing risk of disasters such as flooding and landslides. Proactive management through infrastructure development, social solutions, and/or ecosystem-based adaptation can mitigate these risks.

States of national biodiversity strategies and action plans [presented at] Regional capacity development workshop for the Pacific region on National Biodiversity Strategies and Action plans, Mainstreaming of Biodiversity and Integration of Climate change, Nadi, Fiji, 2-6 February 2009: item 3 of the provisional agenda

1. Article 6 of the Convention on Biological Diversity/ requires each Party to develop or adapt national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and to integrate, as far as possible and as appropriate, the conservation and sustainable use of biological
diversity into relevant sectoral or cross-sectoral plans, programmes and policies.Available onlineCall Number: [EL]Physical Description: 11 Pages

Nutrient levels and macro-algal outbreaks in Fiji's coastal water

The Fiji Islands are surrounded by numerous fringing coral reefs which are an extremely important natural resource, valuable as local fishery areas, tourist attractions, and for protection of the coastline from the damaging effects of waves. Over recent years, there has been increased development of the coastline in Fiji which has lead to pressure on the surrounding reefs. Degradation of reefs has been observed as the result of factors such as increased erosion on land and siltation of reefs, water

Strengthening a nested system of coastal management in Fiji: progress and lessons learned towards integrated coastal management on the Coral Coast and their implications for national policy

The main goal of the project is to improve the planning and management of coastal resources in Fiji using an integrated approach, with the Coral Coast of Nadroga Province serving as a pilot site. Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) is a process that involves the integration (working together) between sectors at both the local and national levels and also between different levels of government. ICM helps solve problems. This initiative worked at both levels.

The science of marine reserves

Research shows that marine reserves are one tool that can help to prevent, slow, or reverse negative changes in the ocean. Marine reserves are places in the ocean that are completely and permanently protected from uses that remove animals and plants or alter their habitats. Increasingly, the public, governmental agencies, commercial groups, and scientists are discussing the idea of establishing more marine reserves to complement existing ocean management. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the latest scientific information about marine reserves.

Status of coral reefs in the Fiji islands : 2006 reef monitoring report, knowledge, management and beneficial use of coral reef ecosystems

In 2000, the Fiji Islands was at the northern edge of a large pool of unusually warm water, and suffered extensive hard coral death due to coral bleaching. A paper composed of a collection of studies from across the Fiji islands, linking this coral
death to elevated sea temperatures at the time, was published (Cummings et al 2000). The difficulty of gathering data from very different sources, and which had been recorded using many different methods, established the need for standardised

Fiji's great sea reef : the first marine biodiversity survey of Cakaulevu and associated coastal habitats

This report presents the results of a twelve day survey expedition (5 to 16 December, 2004) and represents the first ever systematic effort to document the marine biodiversity of the Great Sea Reef (GSR), locally known as Cakaulevu, to the north of Vanua Levu in the Fiji Archipelago.