Story | 03 Mar, 2020
Samoa: improved government capacity to map protected and conserved areas
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Samoa Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) completed a national training for Samoa’s government officers across environment and fisheries sectors. The training was organized in the frame of the BIOPAMA…
Story | 02 Mar, 2020
IUCN adds its voice to 108 organisations around the Globe urging end to harmful fisheries subsidies
Ahead of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference, scheduled to launch on World Ocean Day, a statement with 108 signatory organisations from around the world delivers world leaders a message: Reach a meaningful agreement to stop harmful subsidies.
Governments have been…
Story | 27 Feb, 2020
Report: Building ambition and planning ahead for the High Seas treaty
A new IUCN report gives a series of recommendations to build ambition for the new agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) under UNCLOS.
…Story | 25 Feb, 2020
"Plastic Waste-Free Islands" sounds like a dream, but a project works to bring it to reality
The Plastic Waste-Free Islands (PWFI) project has started its work: assist several island nations in the Pacific and Caribbean region to reduce plastic waste generation and eliminate leakage to the ocean on which they depend.
In this article we overview the PWFI project and cover the…
Story | 17 Feb, 2020
Pacific Resource Hub making an impact: 50% of protected areas data updated
In the Pacific region, Protected and Conserved Areas are essential for halting biodiversity loss, maintaining essential ecosystem services and supporting human well-being within an island context. Recognising this, the countries of the region have shown considerable commitment and leadership –…
Story | 17 Feb, 2020
Full speed ahead for BIOPAMA's grant-making facility in 2020
The BIOPAMA grant-making facility, the “Action Component” was launched in 2019 with two calls for proposals for two different types of grants: one for medium grants (June 2019) and one for small technical grants (December 2019). During 2020 there will be further calls for proposals and…
Story | 17 Feb, 2020
SPC and PIDF join the Pacific Island Roundtable
In efforts to improve collaboration and coordination towards effective conservation action in the region, the Pacific Island Development Forum (PIDF) and the Pacific Community (SPC) are now new members of the Pacific Island Roundtable for Nature…
Story | 04 Feb, 2020
The Marine Plastic Footprint report: calculating the millions of tonnes that end up in the oceans
In The Marine Plastic Footprint, Joao Sousa of IUCN introduces new measures to understand and calculate the frightening leakage of plastic into the marine environment - by following its movement through every stage from production to waste to final destination.
Three integrated case…
Story | 30 Jan, 2020
The untapped power of local protected areas, in South America
Home grown success: local-level protected and conserved areas are proven to be as effective in biodiversity conservation as many national-level formal protected area designations.
In…
Story | 30 Jan, 2020
Schools part of the solution to managing French Polynesia's vast marine protected areas
Effectively managing French Polynesia's vast distances of marine protected areas is a massive challenge, but there have been creative solutions to help with the scale of the work to be done.