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Common mynas have been introduced (often as biocontrol for insects) or colonised many islands in the Pacific. They are one cause of decline in some native bird species such as endemic kingfishers, and are a pest when they damage fruit and compete for food to put out for domestic animals. The Taporoporoanga Ipukarea Society (TIS) of the Cook Islands proposes to eradicate mynas from Mangaia Island to protect kingfishers and commissioned this study to determine whether this is feasible and what would need to be done to reduce the risks of failure or overcome constraints during such an attempt. The Pacific Invasives Initiative supported this study partly because of the potential biodiversity and societal benefits to Mangaia, but partly to act as a demonstration for the management of mynas on other islands.

By this document, the Guam Environmental Protection Agency (Guam EPA), with assistance from the Guam Department of Public Works (DPW), updates and revises Guam’s Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan, as mandated by Section 51103 of Title 10 of the Guam Code Annotated. Guam’s first Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan was developed for the Guam Environmental Protection Agency and approved by the Guam EPA Board in 1999. It was modified and adopted by the Guam Legislature on December 12, 2000. It called for major changes in solid waste management on Guam, including creation of a new legally conforming landfill and closing of the Ordot Dump.

Samoa acceded the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) on 20 August 1998 two years since the Convention entered into force on 26 December 1996. As an affected country party to the Convention, Samoa has in 2000 prepared and submitted a Capacity Development Initiative Report which contains a preliminary assessment as to land degradation in Samoa and its capacity level and needs. The First National Report was produced in 2003 followed by the Third National Report in 2006. Since 2004 Samoa began the process for the formulation of its National Action Plan (NAP). The NAP commands a bottoms-up, participatory process at all levels of society, to be developed as the conceptual legal-policy framework for implementing the Convention at the national and local levels. The NAP is the core instrument to address the problem of land degradation in Samoa, in accordance with provisions and spirit of the Convention.

Waste management is widely recognised as a major concern for PICTs, with the potential to negatively impact on national development activities, including tourism and trade, food supplies, public health and the environment. The Solid Waste Management Strategy and Action Plan sets out a long term programme for addressing waste management issues in the region to avoid these adverse social, economic and environmental effects.

As part of the AusAID-sponsored South Pacific Sea Level and Climate Monitoring Project ("Pacific Project") for the FORUM region, in response to concerns raised by its member countries over the potential impacts of an enhanced Greenhouse Effect on climate and sea levels in the South Pacific region, a SEAFRAME (Sea Level Fine Resolution Acoustic Measuring Equipment) gauge was installed at Avatiu Harbour, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, in February, 1993. The gauge has been returning high resolution, good scientific quality data since installation.

Tuvalu acceded to the United Nation Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (UNCCD) in September 1998 because of its concern regarding degradation of its habitats and current predicted shortages of water connected with increasing population and the effects of climate change. As a Party to the UNCCD, Tuvalu is obliged to follow Section 9 and 10 of the Convention in preparing a National Action Plan.

The impact of animal waste on the environment is a growing problem, not only in atoll countries but also in other Pacific Island countries

The SPREP Regional Marine Species Programme Framework 2003-2007 highlights Turtle conservation as one of the priority areas. The Turtle Action Plan is one of the three Action Plans developed for the programme. These Action Plans have been endorsed by SPREP member countries and territories