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SPREP LIBRARY & INFORMATION RESOURCE CENTRE

Pacific Environment Information Network [PEIN] Country Profile and Virtual Environment Library

Cook Islands

Compiled by the SPREP IRC and Library the Pacific Environment Information Network [PEIN] Country Profiles are a browsable compilation of country profiles , national environment reports , technical reports and academic literature for the countries of the Pacific Islands. The intention of the PEIN Country Profiles is to provide a browsable access point for the range of environmental indicators and country documents produced under the various environment programmes in effect in the Pacific. Contributions of documents, whether in hardcopy or digital form are welcome and can be sent to irc@sprep.org .

[*Note that many of the documents below are large pdf files and may be difficult to load. Some pdf files may only be compatible with version 6.0 of adobe acrobat or higher. The issue should be resolved by upgrading to the latest Adobe Reader software. The Reader version 8 is free software available on the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html .

Documents can be requested from irc@sprep.org .]

Contents

Overview
Country Profiles

Country Reports

Technical Reports

Multimedia - posters, videos etc
Academic literature and research
Websites

Overview

* Excerpt from 'Cook Islands National Sustainable Development Plan 2006-2010'

SUSTAINABLE USE AND MANAGEMENT OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

Cook Islands natural environment provides the foundation for the long term economic and social well being of the people. Its key economic sectors, tourism, pearl industry as well as tuna fisheries, are directly dependent on a healthy and dynamic ecosystem that support these activities.

The physical beauty and the quality of the terrestrial and marine environments of the Cook Islands is one of the main attractions for tourists. To achieve and maintain the desired growth in tourism, and other sectors, the people of the Cook Islands also need to find ways in which the land and other resources can be easily mobilized for economic use, while recognizing the communal and property rights of the traditional owners and maintaining biodiversity and environmental quality. Whilst advocating economic development and environmental conservation on a national scale, an island specific management approach is important if expected outcomes can be realized.

Compounding these challenges is the presence of different agencies with overlapping responsibilities with little, or in some cases no sharing of information, and or coordination of efforts. Critical issues are not addressed and if addressed, at times even duplication of efforts is found. Limited availability of quality information and empirical data further adds to the complex challenges of natural resource and environment management.

Overall, the lifelines of the national economy and the wellbeing of the current and future generations cannot be assured without the country developing national capacity and adopting an integrated and balanced and appropriately coordinated approach to economic and social development and environmental management and good governance practices, involving all stakeholders.

Key Baseline Indicators

Proportion of households with secure tenure owning their land outright - 59.6%

Number of protected natural areas - 39

Ratio of area protected to maintain biological diversity to surface area - 15.3%

Pearl exports - $3.5 m

Fish exports - $5.1 m

Proportion of population with sustainable access to improved water source in Rarotonga - 99.2%

Volume of wastes going to landfill - 25 tonnes per week

Volume of aluminum cans, and plastic bottled recycles - 20 tonnes per year

Proportion of urban and rural population with access to improved sanitation - 80% of households have flush toilets

Source: Cook Islands MDG Report 2005, Cook Islands Government, 2006

CHALLENGES:

• Lack of a balanced ecosystem based marine resource management strategy.

• Lack of a stakeholder driven sustainable pearl industry and diversified inshore fishery.

• Reduced agricultural and livestock production thus increasing reliance on imports and reducing consumption of safe and nutritious foods.

• Limited promotion of conservation of biodiversity and natural resources on all islands.

• Increased risk of introduction and establishment of foreign plant and animal pests and diseases.

• Lack of coordinated intersectoral management of natural resources and environmental issues, including biodiversity conservation, wastes and water management, climate change mitigation and adaptation and coastal zone management.

• Lack of a national strategy to increase efficiency in energy use and the use of financially viable renewable energy sources.

Country Profiles

Adaptation Learning Mechanism [climate change adaptation] country profiles
Cook Islands

Asian Development Bank Country Profiles and Strategies
Cook Islands

Biodiversity Clearinghouse Mechanism websites
Cook Islands

Biosafety Profiles [CBD Biosafety Clearinghouse Mechanism]
Cook Islands

Birdlife [Avifauna] Profiles
Cook Islands
see also Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World - browsable by country and by individual island within the Pacific region - excellent data source

see also Species profiles [*For the Globally Threatened Birds (those evaluated as Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable), each factsheet contains a summary account, range map and an illustration, plus additional data tables. For Extinct, Extinct in the Wild, Near Threatened, Least Concern and Data Deficient species, each contains a concise summary paragraph and some additional data tables.] [Birdlife International]
Cook Islands

see also Endemic Bird Areas [EBAs] of the Pacific [incl. Aitutaki (secondary area)]

see also Pacific regional overview [Birdlife International]
see also Globally Threatened Birds (those evaluated as Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable) of Oceania [Birdlife International]
see also State of the World's birds website and report [Birdlife International] - including Pacific country case studies

Climate Risk Profile
Cook Islands (2005; 534kb)

Earthtrends Thematic Country Profiles [WRI]
Agriculture and food, Biodiversity and protected areas, Climate and atmosphere, Coastal and marine ecosystems, Economics, business and the environment, Energy and resources, Environmental governance and institutions, Forests, grasslands and drylands, Population, health and human well-being, Water resources and freshwater ecosystems.

Ecoregion Profiles [World Wildlife Fund]
Tropical Moist Forests
Central Polynesian [Kiribati, Cook Islands] , Cook Islands

Environment Statistics - Country Snapshots [UN; 2009]
Cook Islands

Environmental Vulnerability Index - Country Profiles [SOPAC / UNEP]
Cook Islands

see also EU Country Partnership Profiles [incl. environment and EDF10 strategies]
Cook Islands

FAO Country Profiles and Mapping Information System
Cook Islands

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Country Profiles
Cook Islands

Fishbase Biodiversity Country Profiles (all fish)
Cook Islands

Fisheries Resources Profiles
Cook Islands (1993;1.55mb)

Forestry Country Profiles
Forestry Department Country Profiles [FAO]
Cook Islands

see also FAO Forest Resources Assessments - Data collection for the Pacific region [2000]
Cook Islands

Global Biodiversity Information Forum [GBIF] Country Profiles
Cook Islands

see also GBIF Google Earth Country Links
Cook Islands

Global Environment Facility (GEF) Country Profiles
Use the drop down menu to go to the individual profiles - includes GEF-4 Allocation and Utilization , Approved Projects and Projects Under Preparation

Integrated Water Resource Management Profiles [SOPAC]
Cook Islands

Invasive Species : Country Profiles [ISSG]
Cook Islands

Land-based pollutants inventory for the South Pacific region: Part 2: Regional summary and country profiles [SPREP] (1993; 19mb)

Laws and legislation
SPREP National Laws and Legislation clearinghouse
Cook Islands

see also 'Legislative reviews' in Country Reports (below)

Mangrove and Wetlands Profiles

Wetlands in Oceania - country profiles and wetlands information [UNEP-WCMC] - Cook Islands

see also: A Directory of Wetlands in Oceania [1993]
see also: Wetlands of the Pacific Island Region (2008; 882kb)
see also: IWMI Global Wetlands - Interactive Web Map Server - includes countries of Oceania

Marine Resource Profiles
Cook Islands (?; 1.24kb) see also Cook Islands [MMR website]

see also:

Reefbase Country Profiles (coral reefs, reef fish, biodiversity)
Cook Islands

see also GIS data for corals in the Pacific from Reefbase - browse by country and reef profile
see also GIS data for marine protected areas in the Pacific from Reefbase - browse by country and ecosystem

Chapter 13 - Status of Coral Reefs in Polynesia Mana Node Countries: Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Niue, Kiribati, Tonga, Tokelau and Wallis and Futuna (2008; 1.85mb)

see also:

MPA Global Profiles (marine protected areas database)
Cook Islands

see also Millennium Coral Reef Mapping - South Pacific products
IMARS Geomorphological classification is publicly available on the University of South Florida web site from http://www.imars.usf.edu/MC/output_south_pacific.html . Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Tonga, Samoa, New Caledonia, Cook Is, French Polynesia and East Solomon are there (PNG will hopefully be coming shortly). Files are distributed as Shapefiles (ArcGIS) and can be opened in MapInfo.

Mapservers containing country level data on land utilisation, forestry, minerals etc.
Cook Islands

Millenium Development Goals - Country Profiles
Cook Islands

National Communications Support Programme [Climate] Profiles [UNDP]
Cook Islands

Pacific Biodiversity Information Forum Country Data:
Cook Islands

Pacific Regional information System - PRISM [SPC]
Environmental and Climate Statistics
Cook Islands

Political Reviews [Contemporary Pacific]
Cook Islands

Protected Areas

~Pacific Protected Areas database (PBIF)
Cook Islands

~World Database on Protected Areas - Pacific site profiles
Cook Islands

see also: Protected Areas of the Pacific Islands profiles [UNEP / WCMC]
Maps of the Pacific Islands
Wetlands in Oceania - country profiles and wetlands information - Cook Islands

see also Protected Area profiles on www.protectedplanet.net
Cook Islands

see also GIS data for marine protected areas in the Pacific - browse by country and ecosystem
see also MPA Global Profiles (marine protected areas database) above

Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade
Cook Islands

SPREP Country Profiles: Exchange of Information by Members at SPREP Annual Meetings:
- Exchamge of information by Members on National Developments related to Natural Resource Management Priority of the Action Plan [2007]
see Agenda Item 6.1: Country Profiles of the Report and record of the 18th SPREP Meeting of Officials in Apia, Samoa on 11th to 14th September 2007

- Exchange of information by Members on national developments related to Pollution Prevention priority of the SPREP Action Plan [2008]
see Agenda Item 8.6: Country Profiles of the Report and record of the19th SPREP Annual Meeting of Officials in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia on 8–12 September 2008

- Exchange of Information by Members on National Developments Related to the Climate Change Focus Area of the SPREP Action Plan [2009]
see Agenda Item 11.2: Country Profiles of the Report and record of the 20th SPREP Annual Meeting of Officials in Apia, Samoa on 17 - 20 November 2009

- Exchange of Information by Members on Year of Biodiversity [2010]
see Agenda Item 11.3: Country Profiles of the Report and record of the 21st SPREP Meeting of Officials in Madang, Papua New Guinea on 6-10 September 2010
see also individual profiles for: Wallis and Futuna

Sustainable Development Profiles (UN Agenda 21)
Cook Islands

Threatened species: Summary of species on the 2008 IUCN Red List
Cook Islands

UNCCD Country Profiles [land degradation]:
Cook Islands

UNEP Country Profiles [* poorly maintained and little information available]
Cook Islands

Water Resource Profiles [SOPAC - Pacific water - http://www.pacificwater.org/]
Cook Islands

see also "Pacific Regional Consultation on Water in Small Island Countries" - country briefing papers (2003)
Cook Islands

WHO Environmental Health Profiles
Cook Islands

World Factbook Country Profiles [CIA]
Cook Islands

World Ocean Database 2005 [NOAA]
Geographically sorted data for the Pacific Ocean [datasets]

see also Environmental indicators: South Pacific (UNEP: 2004; 6.23mb)
see also Polynesia / Micronesia Biodiversity Hotspot Ecosystem Profile (2007; 1.16mb)

Country Reports

Action Plans for Sea Turtle Migration
Cook Islands (2010; 162kb)

Barbados Programme of Action + 10 (BPoA)
National Assessment Reports: Cook Islands (2003; 315kb)

Pacific Environment Outlook (2005; 30.99mb)

The Conference on Small Island Developing States (Barbados Conference, 1994) highlighted the importance of island biodiversity as an ecological corridor linking major areas of biodiversity around the world. The conference called for international co-operation and partnership to support the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in their efforts to conserve, protect and restore their ecosystems. The Barbados Plan of Action recognizes the importance of the coastal zone as a source of subsistence and economic development.

Country Strategy Papers and National Indicative Programmes [European Union - EDF9]
Cook Islands (2002-2007; 500kb)

Country Strategy Papers and National Indicative Programmes [European Union - EDF10]
Cook Islands (2008-2013; 2.05mb)

Forestry Reports
State of Forest and Tree Genetic Resources [* REPORTS PRESENTED AT THE
PACIFIC SUB-REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON FOREST AND TREE GENETIC RESOURCES, 1999]
Cook Islands (1999; 24kb)

Legislative Reviews
Cook Islands (1992; 14.82mb)

Millenium Development Goals National Reports
Cook Islands (2005; 1.29mb)

Pacific Islands Regional MDG - Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability (2004; 324kb)
Pacific Islands Regional MDG Full Report

National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plans (NBSAP)
Cook Islands (2002; 1.12mb)

National Capacity Self Assessment (NCSA)
Inception Reports: Cook Islands (2005; 1.38mb)
Stocktake Reports: Cook Islands (2005; 2.81mb)

Thematic Assessment Reports:
Biodiversity / Climate Change / Land Degradation: Cook Islands (2007;1.22mb)

Cross-cutting Analysis: Cook Islands (2007; 1.08mb)

Action Plans:
Cook Islands (2008; 3.34mb)

NCSA Status (NCSA website)
Cook Islands

National Environment Strategic Action Framework (NESAF)
Cook Islands 2005-2009 (2004; 2.23mb)

National Environment Management Strategy (NEMS)
Cook Islands (1993; 9.9mb)

National Invasive Species Strategy
Invasives reports:Cook Islands (2002; 1.64mb)

see also Invasives Species on Pacific Islands [reports] - HEAR / PIER project website

National [Sustainable] Development Plans / Strategies
Cook Islands 2006-2010 (2006; 632kb) / Cook Islands 2007-2010 (2006; 460kb)

National Assessment Reports: Cook Islands (2006; 156kb)

ADB Reports: Cook Islands (2003; 1.38mb)

ADB Economic Reviews: Cook Islands (2000; 65kb)

National Waste Strategies
Cook Islands (2004 ; 1.42mb)

Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change [PACC] - reports, activities and PACC news updates
Cook Islands

Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change [PACC] - report of in-country consultations
Cook Islands (2009; 175kb)

Pacific Regional Consultation on Water in Small Island Countries - Country briefings
Cook Islands (2003; 161kb)

Pacific Regional Energy Assessment: Country Reports (PIREP)
Cook Islands (2004; 1.43kb)

Regional overview report (2004; 2.59mb)

Peristant Organic Pollutants (POPs): Country Plans
Cook Islands (2003; 431kb)

Preventive Infrastructure Master Plans
Strengthening Disaster Management and Mitigation:
Cook Islands (2007; 4.24mb)

Priority Environmental Concerns (PECs) Reports
Cook Islands (2004; 563kb)

Sea Level & Climate: their present state: Country reports
Cook Islands (2006; 2.07mb)

see also:

Climate Risk Profiles
Cook Islands (2005; 534kb)

Ships' Waste Management in Pacific Islands Ports: Country reports
Cook Islands

State of the Environment Reports [*currently being digitised]

Cook Islands (1992; 8.87mb)

see also the archive of SPREP Country Reports between 1980-1983 as follows:
Cook Islands (1980; 409kb)

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED: Brazil, 1992)
Country Reports : Cook Islands (1992; 3.63mb)

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED, 1992) and the Rio Declaration highlighted the need for sustainable development-socially responsible economic development that protects the resource base and the environment for the benefit of future generations. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was one of the outcome instruments of the UNCED process, also highlights the need for conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (Land Degradation) (UNCCD)
National Reports: 2nd report: Cook Islands (2002; 2.35mb)

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification is an agreement to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements.

United Nations Development Programme Country Programme Action Plans [CPAP]:
Cook Islands (2008; 2.29mb)

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
(i) National Communications and In-depth Reviews
Cook Islands (2000; 1.66mb)

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC,1992) is concerned with global warming and the consequent rise in sea levels that may result in the flooding of coastal areas, and submerging islands, which could adversely affect coastal communities. The treaty aims at reducing emissions of greenhouse gas in order to combat global warming. Although the treaty as originally framed set no mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions for individual nations and contained no enforcement provisions; it did include provisions for updates (called "protocols") that would set mandatory emission limits. The principal update is the Kyoto Protocol.

World Summit on Sustainable Development [Rio+10 - Johannesburg 2002]
National Assessment Reports:
Cook Islands (2002; 594kb)

Pacific WSSD Regional Assessment (2002; 91kb) and Pacific Position Paper (2004; 91kb)
see also: Synthesis Report for Asia and the Pacific (2001; 1.22mb)

The WSSD Plan of Implementation calls for the management of the natural resources base in a sustainable and integrated manner. In this regard, to reverse the current trend in natural resource degradation as soon as possible, it is necessary to implement strategies which should include targets adopted at the national and, where appropriate, regional levels to protect ecosystems and to achieve integrated management of land, water and living resources, while strengthening regional, national and local capacities.

The Johannesburg Declaration and the Plan of Implementation arising from the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD, 2002) reconfirmed the commitment of States to advance and strengthen the interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development-economic development, social development and environmental protection-at the local, national, regional and global levels.

Technical Reports

Reports available online from the SPREP Library and IRC database
Reports available online from SOPAC [Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission]
Reports available online from ReefBase Pacific

search also SPC Coastal and Oceanic Fisheries Digital Library

Multimedia - posters, videos etc

Poster: Some inshore fish species of the Cook Islands [SPC]
Poster: Tuna and othe pelagic fish species of the Cook Islands [SPC]
Poster: Bottomfish species of the Cook Islands [SPC]

Video: Kuhl's Lorikeet Conservation: 'Ura: The Spirit of the Queen Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3
- In three parts, 'Ura: The Spirit of the Queen walks us through the conservation of the Kuhl's Lorikeet and recent efforts to save this species by moving it among spectacular South Pacific islands.

Academic literature and research

via Google Scholar

Websites

Cook Islands - Environment Service ; Ministry of Marine Resources ; Meteorological Office

Cook Islands Biodiversity and Natural heritage website
The biodiversity database lists around 4,200 species (Jan 2007), which includes most of the species known to experts and recorded in publications. Includes images, sound and video.

Cook Islands Environment News
"In this section we present stories on the environment. From global issues such as climate change, to local issues such as renewable energy and the state of our lagoon; Cook Islands News endeavors to be at the forefront of the fight to protect our land and waters by bringing our readers the latest news and views."

Te Ipukarea Society Inc. [Cook Islands Environmental NGO ]

Topographical maps of the Cook Islands

SPREP Library and IRC collection [SLIC] - includes online full text access to a wide range of Pacific environment materials.

The Pacific Environment Information Network [PEIN] Virtual Library - full text publications from SPREP, SOPAC, SPC and other CROP agencies, Pacific govt. environment depts. , regional institutions, and NGOs active in the area of environment conservation.

Pacific Environment Databases and Recommended Internet Resources

see also:

SPREP's International Instruments' webpage
"International instruments relevant to SPREP's work in the areas of Sustainable Economic Development, Ecosystems Management, Climate Change, and Waste Management."