Science and Technology

04 Feb 2013 | SIDS Policy and Practice
31 January 2013: The Pacific Invasives Learning Network (PILN) “Soundbites” January 2013 issue highlights the Solomon Islands’ $1.5 million grant to fight the Giant African Snail, and the Pacific Invasives Partnership (PIP) member contributions to the Pacific Environment and Climate Change Outlook (PECCO) report, which was released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in Doha, Qatar, at the 2012 Doha Climate Change Conference. The Issue notes 2012 achievements by the Global...
31 Jan 2013 | SIDS Policy and Practice
29 January 2013: The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) held a workshop at the Kiribati Institute of Technology to train government officers to use cost-benefit analysis (CBA) as a framework to improve decision making and project quality, in particular for projects affected by climate change. The workshop focused on two analysis, namely alternative energy options on Kiribati Island, and fish aggregating device deployment. Kurinati Robuti, Kiribati National Economic Planning Office (NEPO...
29 Jan 2013
The 14th meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (ICP) is to carry out an in-depth review of the oceans-related outcomes of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), and how those outcomes would impact and benefit international coordination and cooperation. The consideration of issues relating to sea-level rises and their impact on security and survival, particularly on low-lying coastal areas and island nations, against...
29 Jan 2013 | SIDS Policy and Practice
17 January 2013: The Government of the Cook Islands has submitted a Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) seeking support for implementation to pursue the objective of achieving electricity 100% based on renewable sources by 2020. The proposal includes an implementation plan to generate 50% of its energy production from renewables by 2015, phasing out its current diesel generator-dominated system. The Cook Islands are currently dependent on imported diesel fuel that costs households...
29 Jan 2013 | SIDS Policy and Practice
17 January 2013: The Global Soil Partnership (GSP), an initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), held a training on soil legacy databases and soil classification in support of the establishment of a Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Soil Partnership and the development of a regional soil legacy database and soil map. The training was held from 13-17 January 2013 in Amman, Jordan and included a focus on soil legacy data, standard soil templates, quality control and...