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

Kiribati

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. Contributions of weblinks and 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
Ministerial and Department Reports
Technical Reports

Multimedia - posters, videos etc
Academic literature and research
Websites

Overview

* Excerpts from 'National Capacity Self Assessment Stocktake and Thematic Assessment Report: UNCBD'

Important Environment Issues and Capacity Gaps

1. Limited Environment management planning at the national level - Lack of appropriate legal instruments to support designated conservation areas for the environment and biodiversity

2. Limited information on biodiversity in Kiribati.
Less scientific researches and studies being undertaken on the biodiversity in Kiribati

3. Loss of traditional conservation practices on the islands.
Less understanding and appreciation of the importance of traditional conservation practices.

4. Loss of culturally and commercially important plants species.
Lack of incentives for replanting plants/trees species by local communities.
Limited appreciation of economic and cultural values of terrestrial atoll resource.

5. Decrease abundance and availability of native plants/trees that are important for traditional medicine purposes.

6. Severity of coastal erosion

7. Insufficient and limited water supply especially on Tarawa and Kiritimati

8. Loss of ecosystems and species.

9. Increase number of endangered species in the wild especially on Kiritimati
Insufficient enforcement of closed areas designated for wildlife sanctuaries.
Increase numbers of stray animals on Kiritimati
Increase numbers of new invader species on the island.

10 High level of pollution in the lagoon and underground water.
Unavailability of public convenience (toilet facilities)
Use the lagoon as a dumping place for unsorted rubbish.

11. Drastic change of lifestyle mainly on Tarawa.
People rely more on imported foodstuff clothing and entertainment
Increase of Exposure to the outside world and adoption of foreign influences.

12 Lack of co-operation from local communities.
Less understanding of the importance of conservation and sustainable use.
Less involvement of local communities in the process.

13. Depletion of marine resources
Over-exploitation of inshore fisheries and shell fish
Over-exploitation of significant marine ecosystems – mangroves, coral reefs and sea-grass beds particularly in South Tarawa.
Over-harvesting of certain marine species such as giant clams (tridacna maxima) sardine(sardinella) and the ark-shell (anadara antiquate)
Excess by-catch that are not needed.

14. High cost of traveling to outer islands

15. Vulnerability to obliteration by long term sea level rise.
The islands are flat coral and most vulnerable to a long term sea level rise

16 Salinity of the water-lens and prolonged draught
Severe coastal erosion and inundation during high tides and strong winds.

17. Continuous rainfall during dry season coupled with a shift in weather patterns.

18. Decrease of vegetation and loss of some culturally important trees
Rapid urbanization and increased squatters settlement, especially on Kiritimati.

19. Delayed accomplishment of assigned obligation.
Insufficient budgetary allocation and lack of capacity building

20. Increased number of invasive alien species in the country
Inadequate control over the introduction of such species.

*Excerpts from the 'National Capacity Self Assessment Report 2007: UNCCD'

The Major Environmental Issues in Kiribati.

The following environmental concerns in Kiribati are presented hereunder:

• Population Pressure in urban centres (Betio and Urban Tarawa ).
• Coastal erosion due to climate change and sea-level rise.
• Pollution by waste oil and other chemicals.
• Land pollution from poor management of solid waste.
• Sea water intrusion.
• Mining of beach sand and aggregates.
• Land clearing for developmental purposes.
• Burning of waste and debris.

*Excerpts from the 'National Capacity Self Assessment Project Thematic Area Relating to Capacity Needs to implement the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change'

“Kiribati is very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and have an insufficient capacity to implement mitigation (and adaptation) measures”.

As were identified by the 2006 workshops the impacts of climate change, in other words the environmental issues are: loss of biodiversity; loss of livelihood; coastal erosion; salt water intrusion; low ground water availability; coral bleaching; loss of production due to drought; increase costs of fossil fuel; oil supplies crises; loss of culture and identity, loss of land; destruction of infrastructure; migration; increase in water borne diseases; and vulnerability to weather extremes. All these issues are consistent with the environmental issues of the NDS2004-2007 namely: climate change potential costs to economic growth, social and economic impact of climate change, threat to public health from unsafe urban sanitation systems in densely-populated areas, and public spaces are the worst kept in the Pacific.

It is from viewing climate change both in the finality of its tendency, and by its progressive intensity that the workshops seemed to have identified the impacts. So we have in the first category loss of culture and identity, migration, loss of livelihood, and for the second category we may consider increase costs of fossil fuel, coral bleaching, and increase in water borne diseases.
In this report we suggested that all the impacts should be taken to indicate a progression in the state of the substance of the impact from what it is like at some point in time in the past or now, to a degraded state at any point of time in the future. For each impacts there is a threshold when it is irreversible, that is exorbitant costs will be required for a rehabilitation or adaptation. If climate change progresses without any check, the assumption is that most impacts will reach their thresholds, and that is then when the ultimate impacts would become a sad reality for Kiribati. Migration of the people would have been started and completed, human livelihood in Kiribati would have earlier on proved impossible, and Kiribati culture and identity would have extinct in its natural setting.

Impacts then that will require attention are those that are progressing in degrading the environment and/or increasing economic costs to the economy through the increasing destructive effects on the physical assets.

For the environment, the impacts of climate change are decreasing biodiversity and an incidence of this is the observed coral bleaching. This is a direct effect of climate change on one incidence (coral communities) of biodiversity. Other incidences of decreasing biodiversity could be explained in a chain of causes and effects starting from climate change. Decreasing biodiversity could be explained for example by global warming causing sea level rise which then causes erosion of land which results in decreasing biodiversity on the coast. Another example is that coastal erosion could lead to “low ground water availability” which leads to decreasing terrestrial biodiversity. These interactions of the effects of climate change are recognized at the workshop, but they were not examined. As noted above the effects or impacts were noted and noted further that they all lead to “Kiribati is very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and have an insufficient capacity to implement mitigation (and adaptation) measures”.

Biodiversity is a means of livelihood, and loss of biodiversity is a loss of livelihood. For this reason the loss of biodiversity of which coral bleaching is an incidence may be taken as a measure of the timing of the approaching teleological effects – “loss of livelihood” and “loss of culture and identity”. Whilst decreasing biodiversity is progressive and depends on other effects such as for example coastal erosion, these independent effects can reach their own thresholds and hasten the “loss of livelihood” and “loss of culture and identity”.

Ideally we should know thresholds for most impacts. A threshold of impact on ground water lens may be determined by a combination of rainfall and width of the land. For the latter it is known that ground water lens will not exist for land less than 300 meters wide.

All effects need therefore to be monitored and proactive response measures undertaken. But among the effects, the most relevant and comprehensive effects of climate change is on the state of biodiversity, or loss of biodiversity. It is most relevant too (as biodiversity degenerates) for judging the long-term sustainability of the livelihood and culture and identity, and of their contributions (as livelihood increasingly impoverished) to voluntary or forced migration.
Among the identified effects are those that are economic, such as loss of production due to drought; increasing costs of fossil fuel; and, oil supplies crises. These will be additional to the environmental effects but together they determine the sustainability of the livelihood and culture and identity, and their contributions to voluntary or forced migration.

Country Profiles

Adaptation Learning Mechanism [climate change adaptation] country profiles
Kiribati

Asian Development Bank Country Profiles and Strategies
Kiribati

Biosafety Profiles [CBD Biosafety Clearinghouse Mechanism]
Kiribati

Birdlife [Avifauna] Profiles

see 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]
Kiribati

see also Endemic Bird Areas [EBAs] of the Pacific [incl. Aitutaki (secondary area) ; East Caroline Islands ; Fiji ; Gilbert Islands (secondary area) ; Henderson Island ; Mariana Islands ; Marquesas Islands ; Marshall Islands (secondary area) ; Nauru (secondary area) ; Niuafo‘ou (secondary area) ; Niue (secondary area) ; Northern Line Islands (secondary area) ; Palau ; Pitcairn (secondary area) ; Rapa (secondary area) ; Rimatara ; Rotuma (secondary area) ; Samoan Islands ; Society Islands ; Southern Cook Islands ; Tonga (secondary area) ; Tuamotu archipelago ; Wake Island (secondary area) ; Wallis and Futuna (secondary area) ; Yap Islands ] [Birdlife International]

see also Important bird areas of the Pacific [IBAs] (2010) [Birdlife Pacific]

IBA Profiles:
Kiribati

IBA Reports:
Kiribati

* order the complete CD-ROM 'Important bird areas in the Pacific: a compendium' from the SPREP IRC

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 Lab profiles
Kiribati

Country Climate Profile [UNDP]
* Sourced from the Adaptation Learning Mechanism, a knowledge sharing platform developed by UNDP in partnership with the Global Environment Facility, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the World Bank, and the United Nations Environment Programme.

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] , Eastern Micronesia [Marshall islands, Nauru, Kiribati] ,
Western Polynesia [Tokelau, Tuvalu, Kiribati]

Environment Statistics - Country Snapshots [UN; 2009]
Kiribati

Environmental Vulnerability Index - Country Profiles [SOPAC / UNEP]
Kiribati

EU Pacific Country Environment Profiles

see EU Country Partnership Profiles [incl. environment and EDF10 strategies]
Kiribati

FAO Country Profiles and Mapping Information System
Kiribati

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Country Profiles
Kiribati

Fishbase Biodiversity Country Profiles (all fish)
Kiribati

Forestry Country Profiles
Forestry Department Country Profiles [FAO]
Kiribati

see also FAO Forest Resource Assessment : Country Reports [2010]
Kiribati (2010; 292kb)

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

see also State of the World's Forests 2007: Asia and the Pacific [FAO] (2008; 1.77mb)
see also Tropical and subtropical forest profiles prepared by the World Wildlife Fund

see also Mongabay Rainforest profiles:
Kiribati

Global Biodiversity Information Forum [GBIF] Country Profiles
Kiribati

see also GBIF Google Earth Country Links
Kiribati

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]
Kiribati

Invasive Species : Country Profiles [ISSG]
Kiribati

see also PIER reports on invasive species in Pacific islands:
Kiribati

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

Laws and legislation

Pacific islands Environmental Laws [Commonwealth Secretariat]
Kiribati

SPREP National Laws and Legislation clearinghouse
Kiribati

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

Mangrove and Wetlands Profiles

see : 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
see also: Wetlands in Oceania - country profiles and wetlands information [UNEP-WCMC] - Kiribati

Marine Resource Profiles

Reefbase Country Profiles (coral reefs, reef fish, biodiversity)
Kiribati

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

see also:

Status of Coral Reef Systems of the World: 2008 (2008; 20mb)

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)

MPA Global Profiles (marine protected areas database)
Kiribati

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.
Kiribati

National Communications Support Programme [Climate] Profiles [UNDP]
Kiribati

NATIONAL PROFILEs OF CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE
Kiribati (2008l 1.05kb) ,

Pacific Biodiversity Information Forum Country Data:
Kiribati

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

Protected Areas

~Pacific Protected Areas database (PBIF)
Kiribati

~World Database on Protected Areas - Pacific site profiles
Kiribati

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

see also Protected Area profiles on www.protectedplanet.net
Kiribati

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

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)
Kiribati

Threatened species: Summary of species on the 2008 IUCN Red List
Kiribati

UNCCD Country Profiles:
Kiribati

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

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

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

WHO Environmental Health Profiles
Kiribati

World Bank Country Profiles [country summary / statistics]
Kiribati / Kiribati

World Bank Environment indicators
Kiribati

World Factbook Country Profiles [CIA]
Kiribati

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)

see also Paciifc Biodiversity Information Forum website and databases

Country Reports

Asian Development Bank Country Environmental Analysis Reports
Kiribati (2006; 737kb)

Basel Convention Country Fact Sheets
Kiribati (2008; 95kb)

Country Strategy Papers and National Indicative Programmes [European Union - EDF10]
Kiribati (2008-2013; 2.09mb)

Disasters and Climate Variability in the Pacific Islands: WORLD BANK regional stocktake- Country Assessment:
Kiribati (2009; 582kb)

E-waste (electronic waste) - National reports and inventories
Kiribati (2009; 1.01mb)

Forestry Reports

see State of Forest and Tree Genetic Resources [* REPORTS PRESENTED AT THE
PACIFIC SUB-REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON FOREST AND TREE GENETIC RESOURCES, 1999]
Kiribati (1999, 106kb)

Least Developed Country [LCDs] reports
Kiribati (2006; 1.9mb)

see also 'Voices of the Least Developed Countries of Asia and the Pacific' (2005; 1.46mb)

Legislative Reviews
Kiribati (1993; 9.62mb); Kiribati - review (2004; 200kb) / Kiribati - analysis (2004; 100kb)

Mauritius Strategy + 5 Review: National Assessment Reports [5-year Review of Progress Made in Addressing Vulnerabilities of Small Islands Developing States Through Implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for Further Implementation (MSI) of the
Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA) ]
Kiribati (2010; 324kb)

Montreal Protocol: National Compliance Action Strategies to implement the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
Kiribati (2001; 196kb)

National Adaptation Plan of Action - NAPA - [Climate change]
Kiribati (2007; 823kb)

National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plans (NBSAP)
Kiribati (2005; 571kb)

see also National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans: Pacific Regional Review (2007; 269kb)

National Capacity Self Assessment (NCSA)
Thematic Assessment Reports:
Biodiversity: Kiribati (2007; 941kb)
Climate Change: Kiribati (2007; 720kb)
Land degradation: Kiribati (2007; 7.42mb)

Final NCSA Report:
Kiribati (2009; 1.07mb)

NCSA Status (NCSA website)
Kiribati ,

National Environment Management Strategy (NEMS)
Kiribati (1993; 8.07mb)

National Integrated Water Resource Management : Diagnostic Reports - drafts only [SOPAC]
Kiribati (2007; 665kb)

see also National Water Resources Policies and Plans
Kiribati National Water Resources Policy (2008; 104kb) / Kiribati National Water Resources Implementation Plan (2008 ; 379kb)

National Invasive Species Strategy

Invasives reports: Kiribati (2004; 1.02mb)

see also Invasive alien species in the Austral-Pacific region: national reports and directory of resources [GISP] (2002; 3.75mb)

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

National [Sustainable] Development Plans / Strategies
Kiribati : 2004-2007 (2003; 712kb) ; Kiribati :2008-2011 (2008; 5.72mb)

National Assessment Reports: Kiribati - Review (2002; 45kb)

Status Reports: Kiribati (2004; 30kb)

ADB Reports: Kiribati (2004; 328kb)

Pacific Regional Consultation on Water in Small Island Countries - Country briefings
Kiribati (2003; 273kb)

Pacific Regional Energy Assessment: Country Reports (PIREP)
Kiribati (2004; 1.37kb)

Regional overview report (2004; 2.59mb)

Peristant Organic Pollutants (POPs): Country Plans
Kiribati (2003; 311kb)

see also:

NATIONAL PROFILES OF CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE
KIRIBATI

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (Basel Convention, 1989), the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (Rotterdam Convention, 1998) and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (Stockholm Convention, 2001) together provide an international framework for the environmentally sound management of hazardous chemicals throughout their life cycles.

Sea Level & Climate: their present state: Country reports
Kiribati (2006; 1.94mb)

see also:

Climate Risk Profiles
Kiribati (2006; 749kb)

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

Solid Waste Characterisation and Management Plans
Kiribati (2000; 273kb)

State of the Environment Reports
Kiribati (1994; 5.65mb), Kiribati (2004; 7.64)

see also State of the Environment of the South Pacific 1983 (UNEP: 1983; 1.66mb)
see also State of the marine environment in the South Pacific Region (1990; 3.48mb)
see also State of the Environment of the South Pacific 2005 (2005; 382kb; see also ~ http://www.unescap.org/esd/environment/soe/2005/mainpub/ ~)
see also Regional perspectives: Asia and the Pacific (UNEP, GEO-4. 2007; 382 kb)

see also the archive of SPREP Country Reports between 1980-1983 as follows:
Kiribati (1980; 385kb)

United Nations. Common Country Assessments
Kiribati (2002; 801kb)

see also United Nations. Development Assistance Frameworks 2003-2007:
Kiribati (2002; 609kb)

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED: Brazil, 1992)
Country Reports :Kiribati (1992; 7.07MB)

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 on Biological Diversity (UNCBD)
National Reports: Kiribati 1a (1999 ; 770kb) , Kiribati 1b (1999 ; 1.33mb), Kiribati 1c (1999 ; 834kb), Kiribati 2 (2001 ; 274kb), Kiribati 3 (2008?; 3.8mb)

see also Country profiles compiled by the Secretariat for the UNCBD.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was one of the outcome instruments of the UNCED process, 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)
Second National Report: Kiribati [draft only - not for citation] (2002; 641kb);

see also UNCCD Country Profiles:
Kiribati

see also UNCCD Reports clearinghouse mechanism

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 Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
(i) National Communications and In-depth Reviews
Kiribati (1999; 823kb)

(ii) National Action Plans on Adaptation (NAPA)
Kiribati (2007; 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:
Kiribati (2002; 226kb)

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.

Ministerial and Department Reports

MELAD Operational Plan 2009-2011

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: Main coastal fish species exported from Kiribati [SPC]

Climate change: Pacific calling
- Maria Timon from Kiribati discusses how climate change is not only a major environmental issue, but also an issue of human rights. Maria is part of the Pacific Calling Project run by the Edmond Rice Centre, which aims to build awareness within Australian communities about what is happening to our pacific neighbours.

Islands and climate change (1/2); Islands and climate change (2/2)
- Climate change is one of the most serious environmental problems threatening our planet today. These videos examine its impacts on the small and isolated island countries in the South Pacific of Kiribati and Fiji. In this DVD, learn about the pioneering initiative in Fiji's Coral Coast where coastal communities, environmentalists and the tourist sector industry bonded together to protect the water resources and save the fringing reef.

Kingman Reef pristine coral wilderness [Kiribati]
- Kingman reef in the remote Line Islands provide a glimpse into the past, what coral reefs were like before human intervention. EDF scientist Rod Fujita narrates.

Kiribati
- Impacts of climate change on Kiribati. Striking images of high tides in Kiribati. Personal accounts from those affected. Informative.

Kiribati faces doom from rising sea levels
- ABC News documentary on the impact of climate change on Kiribati.

Messages from Kiribati
- The AYCC talks with young people from Kiribati, in the central Pacific, about how climate change is affecting their islands. This short video sends a powerful message to all people to take greater action to ensure people in the Pacific don't lose their cultures, land and way of life due to climate change.

Paradise Found: the Phoenix Islands [Kiribati]
- Watch this amazing movie about the prisitine ecology of Kiribati's Phoenix Islands. This is the story of two scientific expeditions to survey the Phoenix Islands. Excellent movie also available on DVD [25 mins.] * not YouTube.

Paradise Lost
- For many island nations like Kiribati and Niue in the South Pacific, climate change is already more than just a theory -- it is a pressing, menacing reality. PBS video.

Paradise Redefined Pt.1 ; Paradise Redefined Pt.2
- A journey to the Line Islands, a coral reef chain hidden in the Central Pacific, forces scientists to revisit the definition of a pristine environment . Informative.

The President's Dilemma
- The Pacific islands of Kiribati were among the last places to be colonized by Man. But now rising sea levels mean they may be the first to be abandoned. Should Kiribatis President Anote give in to climate change? Or can he persuade his people to tough it out?

The Rising Tide: Kiribati
- An excellent short documentary about the effects of global warming on Kiribati, a nation of 33 coral atolls in the central Pacific.

Truth talking: voices from the waves
- Global warming will raise sea levels, wreaking havoc on the small island nations in the South Pacific. Some low-lying islands will be submerged completely while others will suffer massive amage. These impacts will change forever the Pacific islanders' natural environment, culture, livelihoods and lifestyles -- all of which are intricately linked. The impact upon Kiribati is examined. Informative.

Water tomorrow: ADB Water Voices Documentary Series (1/3) ; Water Tomorrow: ADB Water Voices Documentary Series (2/3) ; Water Tomorrow: ADB Water Voices Documentary Series (3/3) - The remote island countries of Kiribati and Tonga in the Pacific rely mainly on fragile groundwater aquifers for fresh water. But groundwater sources just below the surface are highly vulnerable to pollution and salt water intrusion, as populations grow and concentrate in urban areas. Community organizers are working to change peoples' behavior to safeguard water supplies and the environment. Informative.

Academic literature and research

via Google Scholar

Websites

Climate change in Kiribati
"On behalf of the Government and people of Kiribati I am pleased to welcome you to this web site which is designed to bring you information and updates on our situation in Kiribati. You will be aware that our small country is facing critically difficult times with regard to climate change issues & its impact on our future. We hope the content and links from this site will assist you in understanding more clearly our situation..." Anote Tong

Kiribati - Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agriculture Development

Kiribati - Meteorological Office

Phoenix Islands Protected Area website [Kiribati]
Includes news, reports and multimedia resources.

see also:

The Pacific Environment Information Network [PEIN] Regional Frameworks and Strategies Directory [SPREP]

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."

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Compiled by Peter Murgatroyd. Last updated 25 October 2010.

© SPREP