"Comparison of the average hard coral cover between the three five-year periods comprising the last 15 years (2005-09, 2010-14, 2015-19, Tab. 9.3) indicated that there was a high degree of confidence (93%) in the long-term decline, despite the uncertainty in individual yearly estimates. Further, the vast majority (90%) of this decline occurred between 2010-14 and 2015-19, suggesting that the rate of decline in hard coral cover has accelerated during the last five years"
Circular 21/150
Inform Plus proposed 5 pillars
- Component 1: Environmental Governance
- Component 2: Monitoring and field data collection for environmental standards and standardised environmental indicators
- Component 3: Data management utilising the Pacific Island Network Portal (PEP). Production of information products for decision makers based on existing data sets.
- Component 4: Enhance and expand GIS use for data collection, analysis and presentation to inform decision makers
Map of the Nauru island landcover, with country-level summary of the different classes.
Map of the Nauru Island Key Biodiversity Areas
Circular cover letter that was sent out on 1st December 2021
Proposed Project Objective: Enhanced use of data for decision making in the environment sector throughout the Pacific region. Building on the tools and momentum the Inform project established, this scaled up project will expand the user base and fill significant gaps including in situ monitoring, increased partnerships between the environment ministries and other ministries, increase use of spatial tools, and the establishment of standardise environmental standards and key indicators for key resources.
Coral reefs in every region of the world are threatened by climate change, no matter how remote or well protected. Identifying and protecting climate refugia is a popular recommendation for coral reef management. Climate refugia are locations that maintain suitable environmental conditions for a resident species even when surrounding areas become inhospitable.
The purpose of this research is to develop a robust water quality baseline data of relevant physical, chemical and biological parameters, over an 8-month period, 4 months in summer and 4 months in winter, at both low and high tides for three main estuaries along the Suva foreshore, where an increase in recreational water activity has been noted, as a result of urbanisation. Such a baseline is currently not available in the Fiji Islands. This investigation used affordable advanced and approved standard methods.
Summary table of the status of Pacific Island countries in relation to International and Regional conventions.
Focusing management efforts on thermal refugia may only be effective in the short-term. Promoting adaptation to higher temperatures and facilitating migration will instead be needed to secure coral reef survival.
At present in the Fiji Islands, no guidelines are available only for biological parameters for receiving water bodies commonly used for recreational activities. The ANZECC (2000) guidelines recommend the use of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Enterococci (Faecal Coliforms) as indicator organisms for fecal contamination of fresh and marine recreational water. This study compiled results for 3 biological parameters, namely, Total Coliforms (TC), E. coli and Faecal Coliforms (FC) at 3 sites in Fiji, namely; My Suva park, Wailea settlement and Centre Point.