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Nouméa
Convention
The
Convention
for the Protection of Natural Resources and Environment of the
South Pacific Region (Nouméa Convention) was adopted
in 1986 and entered into force in 1990. It obliges Parties to
endeavour to take all appropriate measures to prevent, reduce
and control pollution from any source and to ensure sound environmental
management and development of natural resources, using the best
practicable means at their disposal, and in accordance with
their capabilities. The Convention has two protocols:
The
South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) serves
as the Secretariat for the Nouméa Convention.
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Apia
Convention
The
Convention
on Conservation of Nature in the South Pacific (Apia
Convention) was adopted in 1976 and entered into force in 1990.
It obliges States in general terms to create protected areas
to safeguard representative samples of ecosystems, and places
of scenic, geological, aesthetic, historical, cultural or scientific
importance. The Convention also prohibits the taking or killing
of fauna (including eggs and shells ) unless the taking is controlled
by the competent authorities of the State concerned or unless
in pursuance of 'duly authorised' scientific investigations.
There is a further obligation on States to use their best endeavours
to protect indigenous species from unwise exploitation and other
threats that may lead to their extinction.
The
South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) serves
as the Secretariat for the Apia Convention.
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SPREP
+ Action Plan + PACPOL + PACPLAN + Strategic Action Programme/Int.
Waters
The
South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
is a regional organisation established by the governments and
administrations of the Pacific region to look after its environment.
According to its Mission Statement, the organisation is "to
promote co-operation in the South Pacific region and to provide
assistance in order to protect and improve its environment and
to ensure sustainable development for present and future generations".
SPREP's members total 26, consisting of all 22 Pacific island
countries and territories, and four developed countries with
direct interests in the region: Australia, France, New Zealand
and the United States of America. All activities are guided
by the Action Plan for Managing the Environment of the South
Pacific Region to the year 2001-2004.
SPREP
serves as the Secretariat for the Apia Convention and the
Nouméa Convention, and will serve as the Secretariat
for the Waigani Convention (Convention to Ban the Importation
into Forum Island Countries of Hazardous Wastes and Radioactive
Wastes and to Control the Transboundary Movement and Management
of Hazardous Wastes within the South Pacific ).
In
addition to UNDP/GEF International Waters project (Strategic
Action Programme for the the International Waters of the Pacific
Small Island Developing States; see below), SPREP's projects
with input from the international community include, inter
alia:
- Waste
Management Education and Awareness by the European Union
- The
Programme of Capacity Building for Sustainable Development
in the South Pacific: Building on NEMS (Capacity 21 , part
of UNDP's focus on capacity building; and
- The
environmental clearing house functions of SPREP operate
with funding from New Zealand.
The SPREP
Action Plan for Managing the Environment of the Pacific Islands
Region is intended as the regional agenda for managing
the environment of the Pacific Islands region for four-year
periods. The present Action Plan covers the period 2001-2004.
The Action Plan embodies the vision of the SPREP members and
key stakeholders for the long-term management of their shared
environment. It is the main planning document which identifies
the broad priorities and key result areas of the regional
agenda and associated capacity-building processes and interventions.
From this document, the Secretariat will develop its corporate
plan and annual work programmes in support of national, regional
and global initiatives. Pacific Ocean Pollution Prevention
Pacifc Ocean Pollution Prevention Programme, PACPOL,
is the marine pollution component of the SPREP Action Plan
and focuses particularly on pollution from shipping (see also
1999 press
release). The objective of PACPOL is to maintain, protect
and enhance the quality of the coastal and marine environment
in the Pacific Islands region by minimizing ship sourced marine
pollution. Expected outcomes are: imporved capability to respond
to marine spills; imporved management of ship's waste; increased
consideration of environmental issues in development and opreation
of ports; increased ratification of relevant international
and regional marine environment conventions.
As part of the implementation of PACPOL, a Pacific Islands
Regional Marine Spill Contingency Plan (PACPLAN)
has been elaborated. The Plan was adopted in 2000 and will
function as the operational part of the Combattning protocol
to the Nouméa Convention.
The five-year Strategic
Action Programme for the the International Waters of the Pacific
Small Island Developing States,
which commenced in 2000, is implemented by the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by GEF, and executed
by the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
The oceanic component of the SAP, executed by SPC and FFA,
will support the work of participating countries in developing
management and conservation arrangements for their oceanic
fisheries resources. The Integrated coastal watershed component
of the SAP will focus actions on freshwater supplies, including
groundwater, marine protected areas, sustainable coastal fisheries,
integrated coastal management planning, including tourism
development and activities to promote waste reduction in local
communities
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Tokyo
MoU
According
to the Memoradum
of Understanding on Port State Control for the Asia and Pacific
Region (Tokyo MoU), each Authority will establish and maintain
an effective system of Port State Control with a view of ensuring
that, without discrimination as to flag, foreign merchant ships
visiting the ports of its State comply with the standards laid
down in the relevant international instruments. |
Australian
Maritime Safety Authority
The
Australian
Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is a largely self-funded
government agency with the charter of enhancing efficiency in
the delivery of safety and other services to the Australian
maritime industry. According to its mission statement. AMSA
"will pursue world's best practice in the efficient provision
of highly effective maritime safety, aviation and marine search
and rescue, and marine environment protection services".
See, for example, information on major
oilspills in Australia during the period 1988-1999; the
Australian
National Plan to Combat Pollution of the Sea by Oil and other
Noxious and Hazardous Substances, as well as information
on the Oil
Spill Response Atlas (OSRA) Project. The major outcome of
this project was to produce a complete and uniform National
Oil Spill Response Atlas (OSRA) for Australia in a computerized
Geographic Information System (GIS). |
Great
Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
The
goal of the Australian Great
Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is to provide for the
protection, wise use, understanding and enjoyment of the Great
Barrier Reef in perpetuity through the care and development
of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The Water Quality Action
Plan includes one chapter on
shipping. The Park Authority, in co-operation Queensland
Transport, has also made an Oil
Spill Risk Assessment for the Coastal Waters of Queensland and
the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. |
Australian
Coastal Atlas
The
Australian Coastal
Atlas is a network of Commonwealth and State/Territory nodes
using a variety of interactive mapping tools to provide information
about the Australian coastal environment. The national node
of the Coastal Atlas has now been integrated with the Australian
Natural Resources Atlas. |
Maritime
Safety Authority of New Zealand
The
principal objective of the Maritime
Safety Authority of New Zealand is to undertake activities
that promote a safe maritime environment and provide effective
marine pollution prevention and an effective marine oil pollution
response system, at reasonable cost. This includes developing
effective Marine Protection Rules, carriage of dangerous goods
and responding
to marine oil spills. The MSA is responsible for responding
to major marine oil spill incidents, maintaining a nationwide
level of oil spill response preparedness and for dealing with
cost recovery and procescution There are two documents that
document this preparedness: The 1999/2000 New
Zealand Marine Oil Spill Response Strategy, and the National
Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plan. The MSA is responsible
for maintaining a nationwide capability to respond to marine
oil spills of any size. The base at Auckland, National Oil Spill
Service Centre (NOSSC, and Regional Councils, provide a co-ordinated
response capability. Oil spill equipment, including the national
pool of large and specialised equipment, is stored there. |
New
Zealand Petroleum
The
site of NZ
Petroleum, of the New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development,
contains information on petroleum permitting and royalty regimes
in New Zealand, petroleum systems, basins and producing fields
(including maps), current petroleum permits, current and planned
Blocks Offers, and geoscience data from petroleum exploration. |
Australian
Marine Oil Spill Centre
The
mission of the Australian Institute
of Petroleum (AIP) is "to promote and assist in the
development of a strong internationally competitive Australian
petroleum products industry, operating efficiently, economically
and safely, and in harmony with the environment and community
standards". |
Australian
Institute of Petroleum
The
mission of the Australian Institute
of Petroleum (AIP) is "to promote and assist in the
development of a strong internationally competitive Australian
petroleum products industry, operating efficiently, economically
and safely, and in harmony with the environment and community
standards". |
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