Biodiversity in the Pacific islands

Review of the Action Strategy for Nature Conservation and associated Roundtable process

The Action Strategy for Nature Conservation in the Pacific Islands Region for 2003-2007 arose out of the 7th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas that was held in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, in July 2002. It was then endorsed by the member country representatives of SPREP at the September 2003 SPREP Meeting and it represents a consensus on the priority concerns for conservation and ways in which these can be addressed.

At the same Conference, the delegates officially resolved to confirm the Pacific Island Roundtable for Nature Conservation “as a mechanism for promoting, facilitating and monitoring the implementation of the Action Strategy.” The delegates also confirmed that the Roundtable’s mandate for the next five years was to “increase effective conservation action in the Pacific Islands”. And the Roundtable was required to report to the 8th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas on the implementation of the Action Strategy.

In order to progress these issues the Roundtable has had a consultant (funded by NZAID, ADB and the World Bank) to review both the Action Strategy and the Roundtable itself. The review process had extensive regional and national consultation and has come up with the following recommendations which the Roundtable will now be recommending to the PNG conference:

• To get a better sense of ownership and commitment among those that sign up for the Strategy it needs a clearer focus by reducing the number of hierarchical layers and objectives.
• It needs to be formulated based on specific country/territory priorities but focused on the shared priorities where regional collaboration can make a difference.
• The Action Strategy should reflect the goals and expectations of PICTs and what countries are actually doing. Government goals should be reflected in the strategy such that this becomes their regional Strategy and the proposed links with the NBSAPs should help bring this about.
• The Roundtable will strive to raise awareness of the Action Strategy, improve communication between the Roundtable and the country level, and provide assistance to Governments in implementing their priority actions (e.g. help with identifying technical assistance, funding sources, etc).
• Donors should use the Action Strategy to guide and support them when developing projects in the Pacific Region. New initiatives in the region must be seriously integrated with the Action Strategy.

The basis of the recommendations to the conference on proposed refined objectives for the Action Strategy is the analysis of the common themes, objectives and targets available in NBSAPs and other key documents. The following table summarizes the information that was available in early 2007 from countries and against themes.

Table 1: Click here to view the Table of Summary themes available in NBSAPs and other key documents

Developing a monitoring process

The Roundtable for Nature Conservation is charged with monitoring implementation of the Action Strategy. As part of the process of reviewing the Action Strategy it is recommending that the objectives of the Action Strategy be reduced and refocused. To that end the recommendation from the Roundtable to the Conference is that there be three objectives for the Action Strategy:

Objective 1: Identify, safeguard and conserve priority sites, habitats and ecosystems
Objective 2: Safeguard and restore indigenous species of ecological or cultural significance, especially those at risk
Objective 3: Manage priority invasive species, prevent new invasions, and regulate genetically modified organisms

Once these recommended objectives are confirmed by the conference a working group will be formed for each objective and will confirm its monitoring framework.

The following table outlines potential monitoring mechanisms for each proposed objective.

Table 2: Click here to view the Table of Proposed Objectives and potential monitoring mechanisms

Through its partnership with the Pacific Biodiversity Information Forum (PBIF) and others, the Roundtable will also produce other useful products illustrating the nature conservation situation in the Pacific region. These will include a web-based and up-to-date database of conservation projects and other initiatives in the region together with their status; and the database on protected/conservation areas in the region. PBIF will provide the data and information management functions of the Roundtable and will also be able to serve as a means of archiving experiences and lessons learnt across the region.

In their reports on progress towards the Action Strategy objectives, PICTs will be encouraged to recognize barriers that may have hindered progress and propose solutions. The solutions may identify resources required in addition to what the government can mobilize, and request the Roundtable members to assist with the identification of potential funding sources, expertise, and other resources. In performing this “stock exchange” function, the Roundtable will capitalize on the comparative advantage it possesses through its span of membership.

Further information, contact, Kate Brown-Vitolio, Action Strategy Adviser.