Collaborating for sustainability : a resource kit for facilitators of participatory natural resource management in the Pacific

Abstract

Addressing unsustainable resource use and environmental degr adation is a central challenge for people of the Pacific. Many programs, past and present, have grappled with such issues as nature conservation, climate change, sustainable use of marine and land based resources, and waste management. Some crucial lessons have been emerged from this recent history. Firstly, natural resource management (NRM) programs in the Pacific Islands (and elsewhere) generally have a much greater chance of success if they engage and work closely with people and groups that have a strong stake in the resources (Whyte, 2002, Baines et al.. 2002. see Case 1). Secondly, as well as engaging stakeholders, we need to also base our interventions on a sound understanding of the causes of resource management problems, and their relationship to key social, cultural and economic conditions (Hunnam, 2002, Lal and Keen. 2002). Without these two foundations, we are less likely to achieve lasting and equitable change towards sustainable development.