South Pacific

Agreements

Initiatives

Actors


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.


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.


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


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".