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Introduction: Oceania & Pacific

In Oceania, population growth and economic development trends put a strain on oceanic and island ecosystems. Freshwater scarcity, overexploitation of fisheries, loss of land biodiversity, forests and trees, invasive species, soil degradation, increasing levels of settlement, poor management of solid and hazardous waste, and disproportionate use of coastal areas are some of the problems.

Climate change exacerbates most of these trends, while also raising questions about the future sovereignty of some island states (ADB 2010, Australian State of the Environment Committee 2011).

Regional hotspots:

  • Low-lying atolls are particularly prone to saltwater intrusion and extreme weather events. Entire states such as Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Kiribati may become uninhabitable or are at risk of complete inundation.
  • In recent years there have been violent escalations in Fiji and on Solomon Island between ethnic groups. In the latter case, land disputes were part of the conflict.
  • The changing climate puts a strain on Australian biodiversity. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the threatened zones that can be overwhelmed by algae by 2050.
  • The valuable Murray-Darling basin has been largely affected by overexploitation, causing changes in its flow regime and increased salinity.

Climate change risks:

  • Sea-level rise may lead to coastal erosion, loss of land mass and saltwater intrusion. Unsustainable use of coastal resources caused by extensive economic activity and settlement aggravates these risks. Vulnerability to extreme weather events increases while infrastructure and tourism are negatively affected.
  • Fishing in the region is endangered by rising ocean temperatures and coral bleaching.
  • Both quality and quantity of hydric resources are likely to decrease, compromising drinking water supply and agriculture.
  • Climate-sensitive diseases and heat-related health problems may occur more often.

Socio-economic and socio-political challenges:

Small pacific island states have restricted economic, natural and human resources and often rely on energy and food imports. The infrastructure of many islands is poorly developed. The unfavourable environmental factors are likely to make the predicted population growth, migration to the main islands and the outflow of qualified work even more problematic (Maas/Carius 2010).

Regional institutions:
The Council of Regional Organizations of the Pacific (CROP) coordinates several regional institutions involved in environmental cooperation. This includes the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, for which climate change is a major topic on the agenda. CROP also comprises the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), whose Land Resources Division works in the area of agriculture and forests, and whose Applied Geoscience and Technology Division deals with natural disaster risk reduction and water issues. Last but not least, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) focuses on the protection of the environment and sustainable development in the region. It oversees, inter alia, the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change (PIFACC). The Pacific Small Island Developing States have further formed an informal negotiation group to voice their concerns more effectively in the UNFCCC process.

 

References

ADB 2010: Responding to Climate Change in the Pacific. Moving from Strategy to Action. Philippines: ADB.

Australian State of the Environment Committee 2011: State of the Environment Report.

IPCC 2007: IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007.

Australian Government 2012: Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.