Pacific environment outlook

Abstract

The Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) share some common characteristics with other Small Island Developing States (SIDS), including small physical size and geographical remoteness, fragile biodiversity, exposure to natural hazards, high population growth, a limited natural resource base, remoteness from world markets, and small economies of scale. However, some of these features are even more pronounced in PICTs, making them unique among SIDS. For example, PICTs are more geographically remote and have higher population densities than other SIDS. These characteristics make the environment and economies of SIDS particularly vulnerable to external pressures, as recognized in the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of SIDS (BPOA)and other international frameworks such as Agenda 21and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI).