Pacific Islands Framework for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas 2021-2025 - SPREP
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Pacific Islands Framework
for Nature Conservation
and Protected Areas
2021-2025
Final Draft for Members Endorsement
Cover photo: Gondwana © Stuart Chape
Pacific Islands Framework for Nature
Conservation and Protected Areas
2021-2025
Content:
Executive Summary..................................................................................4
About this Framework..............................................................................5
Purpose and scope of this Framework......................................................5
Who should use this Framework, and how?..............................................5
Global and regional environmental governance.........................................6
30-year Ambition for Pacific Conservation, 2002-2032.............................7
Principles for Conservation Implementation in the Pacific...............8
Strategic Objectives 2021-2025..........................................................14
Implementation and communication of the Framework.............................36
Governance arrangements........................................................................36
Measuring progress..................................................................................37
Process for the development of this Framework.......................................37
Key references.........................................................................................38
Vemööre Declaration Commitments to nature conservation
action in the Pacific islands region, 2021-2025.................................39
Appendix..............................................................................................45
Appendix A: Linkages to selected global and regional targets and goals....46
Appendix B: Relevant global and regional frameworks and agreements....57
3
Executive Summary
This Pacific Islands Framework for Nature Conservation and Each Strategic Objective is accompanied by selected Action
Protected Areas 2021-2025 is the principal regional strategy Tracks that representing priority areas for implementation,
document for environmental conservation in the Pacific. Its and which reflect the key themes of discussion at the 10th
purpose is to provide broad strategic guidance for nature Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and
conservation planning, prioritisation, and implementation in our Protected Areas. The Strategic Objectives and Action Tracks
region. It reflects the urgent need for transformative action in were endorsed by the High-Level Session of the Conference,
response to the multiple accelerating threats, both established and and commitments to action have been made in the Vemööre
emerging, that are faced by nature and people in the Pacific. Declaration. The Framework provides Overviews of Best
Practice as guidance for work undertaken within each Action
The Framework identifies the key regional priorities for action Track by Pacific island countries and territories alongside their
that are needed to make progress towards the 30-year Vision, key regional partners.
Mission and Goals for conservation that were adopted by Pacific
leaders in 2002. These regional priorities are presented in the The Framework also presents a set of eight Principles for
form of six Strategic Objectives for the period 2021-2025: Conservation Implementation in the Pacific. These constitute
a code of conduct for all nature conservation initiatives within
1. Empower our people to take action for nature the Pacific region, and apply to all stakeholders across all the
conservation, based on our understanding of Strategic Objectives. The Principles are:
nature’s importance for our cultures, economies, and
communities. • Community rights
2. Integrate environmental and cultural considerations • Conservation from Pacific perspectives
into the goals, processes, and trajectories of economic
• Ownership of conservation programmes
development in the Pacific.
• Resourcing for longevity
3. Identify, conserve, sustainably manage and restore
ecosystems, habitats, and priority natural and cultural • Good governance and accountability
sites. • Coordination and collaboration
4. Protect and recover threatened species and preserve • Growing Pacific capacity
genetic diversity, focusing on those of particular
ecological, cultural and economic significance. • Reinforcing resilience
5. Manage and reduce threats to Pacific environments and Implementation of the Framework is primarily the responsibility
drivers of biodiversity loss. of Pacific island countries and territories, supported by the
member organisations of the Pacific Islands Roundtable for
6. Grow Pacific capacity and partnerships to effectively Nature Conservation (PIRT) and other regional and domestic
monitor, govern and finance nature conservation action. conservation partners and funders.
Mangroves at the mouth of the Labasa River, Vanua Levu, Fiji. Photo: © Stuart Chape
4
About this Framework
This Framework is the most recent in a series of regional communities, and economies. Commitments to action were
Pacific strategies for nature conservation that have been articulated by Pacific island countries and territories at
produced approximately every five years since 1985. It the 10th Pacific Nature Conference through the Vemööre
replaces the Framework for Nature Conservation and Protected Declaration, which also forms part of this Framework.
Areas in the Pacific Islands Region 2014-2020.
The Framework includes notes on the various responsibilities
This 2021-2025 Framework has been reviewed, discussed of stakeholders in its implementation, on its governance
and endorsed by the participants of the 10th Pacific Islands arrangements, and on monitoring and reporting of regional
Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas progress. Recognising the importance of alignment with
(Pacific Nature Conference), convened virtually in November other multilateral instruments and agreements, the Strategic
2020. It reflects the urgent need for coordinated action across Objectives of the Framework are linked to key global
the Pacific region to address both contemporary environmental environment and development frameworks.
crises, and emerging threats to Pacific environments,
Purpose and scope of this Framework
The purpose of the Pacific Islands Framework for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas 2021-2025 is to provide broad
strategic guidance for conservation initiatives undertaken by all stakeholders in the region. It does this by:
1. Articulating a shared vision for nature conservation in 4. Providing relevant guidance on best practice to
the Pacific, with an emphasis on the interdependence of stakeholders and conservation practitioners.
environmental, social-cultural and economic domains.
5. Ensuring coordination and collaboration between entities
2. Identifying regional Strategic Objectives to guide involved in conservation in the Pacific.
conservation action in the Pacific, and focusing this work
6. Encouraging mobilisation of partnerships and resources
towards priority issues for the region.
to address priority conservation issues for the Pacific.
3. Providing an intermediary or bridging function between
The Framework is not a prescriptive document, and does not
global and national environmental frameworks.
replace the fundamental rights and responsibilities of Pacific
island countries and territories for planning, prioritising, and
implementing their own nature conservation and environmental
management regimes.
Who should use this Framework, and how?
Pacific governments and agencies should use the scoping and development; for reference when drafting their
Framework as a source of broad strategic guidance for the own strategic plans; in fundraising and in reporting to funders
development of national policies, programmes and priorities, and global agencies; and to guide their collaboration with other
including their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action regional organisations.
Plans (NBSAPs); in fundraising and in reporting to funders
and global agencies; and to inform their interactions with, and Communities and civil society can use the Framework
expectations of, their conservation partners. to hold governments, funders, NGOs, and other international
and regional organisations to account about their partnership
Funders should integrate the Framework’s Strategic responsibilities and commitments to conservation action.
Objectives and Principles for Conservation Implementation
into their funding criteria, prioritisation processes, and wider Private sector organisations may draw on the Framework
decision-making for projects in the Pacific. to help guide their adoption of sustainable business practices,
to clarify their environmental responsibilities in the Pacific, and
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and other to inform any conservation partnerships they may undertake
international and regional organisations should use with Pacific governments or communities.
the Framework to help shape their partnerships with Pacific
governments and communities; for priority-setting, and project
5
Traditional stone fish traps, Naviti Island, Fiji. Photo: © Stuart Chape Global and regional environmental governance The Pacific participates in a complex Demonstrating progress towards the frameworks include those on climate system of global environmental Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) change and disaster risk management, agreements and frameworks, each with is also a priority for Pacific island ocean governance, pollution and varying levels of influence over national countries and territories, and is closely hazardous waste, biodiversity and and regional policies, and varying linked to national programmes of action conservation, and political and economic extents of implementation within those for nature conservation. Appendix A regionalism. It is intended that the policies. The primary global mechanism links the Strategic Objectives of this implementation of this Framework for for biodiversity conservation is the Framework to both the [Targets of the Nature Conservation be consistent with Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD) GBF] and the SDGs. the delivery of these other regional which [has adopted the 20 Targets frameworks and agreements. of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Regional agreements and frameworks Framework]. Pacific island countries are a primary vehicle for regionalism in Appendix B lists global and regional and territories prepare their National Pacific and a key element of regional agreements and frameworks of direct Biodiversity Strategies and Action governance. These generally outline relevance to this Framework. Plans (NBSAPs) to reflect the Goals collective approaches to selected and Targets of the CBD as well as regional issues, with the bulk of their national priorities and regional implementation responsibilities at commitments. the national level. Influential regional 6
30-year Ambition for Pacific Conservation, 2002-2032
VISION
Healthy Oceans – Healthy Islands – Healthy People
Our people proudly honour, value and protect our natural and cultural heritage and
cultural identity for the wellbeing of present and future generations; the waters of our
streams, lagoons and oceans are bountiful and unpolluted; our mountains are wild,
our forests intact and our beaches unspoiled; our towns and gardens are healthy and
productive; our societies are vibrant, resilient and diverse; we have equitable relationships
with our global partners and our economies thrive; our cultures and traditions are widely
appreciated; and the products of our creativity and labour are especially prized.
MISSION
To protect and preserve the rich natural and cultural heritage of the Pacific islands
forever for the benefit of the people of the Pacific and the world.
GOALS
Environment Society Economy
The biodiversity and Pacific peoples are Nature conservation and
natural environment of the leading activities for the sustainable resource use
Pacific are conserved in conservation and sustainable are the foundation of all
perpetuity. use of natural resources island economies.
and the preservation of
cultural heritage for the
benefit of present and future
generations.
About this 30-year ambition for Pacific conservation
The Vision, Mission and Goals were created and endorsed by the delegates of the 7th Pacific Islands Conference on
Nature Conservation and Protected Areas in Rarotonga in 2002. They are 30-year statements of conservation ambition
in the Pacific, and provide the overarching structure of this Framework and its predecessors.
7
Principles for Conservation
Implementation in the Pacific
Photo: © Ocean Ventures Fiji
8
Community
rights
Conservation
Reinforcing from Pacific
resilience perspectives
Principles for
Growing Ownership of
Conservation
Pacific conservation
capacity Implementation programmes
in the Pacific
Coordination & Resourcing
collaboration for longevity
Good
governance &
accountability
About the Principles:
A code of conduct for implementation of conservation programmes
These Principles articulate the critical components for The eight Principles are mutually supporting, indivisible
implementing conservation projects in Pacific contexts. They amongst themselves and are applicable across all six Strategic
are designed as a guide for designing, establishing, delivering Objectives of the Framework. Their application will lead to
and sustaining conservation programmes in the Pacific. They enriched, more respectful relationships between conservation
apply to all conservation initiatives undertaken in the Pacific agencies and Pacific communities, and to a significant
region, not only those specifically linked to the Framework. improvement in the conservation capacity of the region with
corresponding progress towards the Vision and Goals of the
Framework.
9
Principles for Conservation Implementation
in the Pacific
Principle 1:
1 Community rights
Pacific indigenous and local communities have the right to own, use, manage, and conserve their natural
resources and wider environment.
National, regional and international partners will actively recognise, respect and support:
• Community property rights, including traditional rights over natural resources, and indigenous intellectual
property relating to natural resources and cultural knowledge.
• Community decision-making practices.
• Community rights to design, prioritise, conduct, and publish research.
• Community rights to access information available on their resources, natural cultural heritage, and society
in appropriate forms of language.
• Community rights to develop opportunities that support and sustain local livelihoods and wellbeing.
Principle 2:
2 Conservation from Pacific perspectives
Natural environments are central to the cultures, identities, livelihoods, and development opportunities of Pacific
communities. Nature conservation affects all aspects of social, cultural, and economic life and must therefore
align with the values, priorities, and aspirations of these communities.
National, regional and international partners will actively recognise, respect and support:
• Community aspirations for development and wellbeing.
• Pacific approaches to conservation based on sustainable resource use, cultural heritage and expressions,
and traditional, indigenous, and local knowledge.
• The need of some communities to use their own languages and protocols when engaging with or
undertaking conservation initiatives.
• The importance of establishing and maintaining lasting individual and organisational relationships with
Pacific communities.
Principle 3:
3 Ownership of conservation programmes
Lasting conservation in the Pacific can only be achieved if national partners and local communities lead the
design, implementation, and evaluation of conservation initiatives.
National and community partners will commit to:
• Exercising and building their capacity for leadership of conservation programmes.
• Greater engagement and ownership of conservation within the private sector and local organisations,
including cultural, spiritual, business, sporting, youth, and women’s organisations.
10Regional and international partners will commit to:
• Respecting, encouraging, and helping to build capacity for national and community partner leadership of
all conservation programmes.
• Aligning all conservation programmes, including regional and international initiatives, with national
programmes, priorities, and aspirations.
• Strengthening and resourcing national and local partners as an alternative to establishing independent
institutions or infrastructure.
• Ensuring all key programme decision-making takes place in-country alongside national and community
partners, and is led by local conservation priorities.
Principle 4:
4 Resourcing for longevity
Conservation initiatives must be adequately and appropriately resourced over time, by planning for the financial,
social, organisational and cultural components of project longevity.
National, regional and international partners will commit to:
• Ensuring their conservation programmes are of scale and budget appropriate to the local context.
• Long-term strategic planning and resource mobilisation that sustains conservation over time.
• Adhering to best practices for supporting livelihoods and community wellbeing, including poverty reduction
and enhancing community financial sustainability based on local biocultural resources.
• Developing appropriate new and improving existing methods and partnerships to sustain financial
investment and resources for conservation.
• Ensuring that locally specific social, cultural, and equity factors are considered when decisions are made
about conservation financing.
5
Principle 5:
Good governance and accountability
Conservation is inclusive, participatory, accountable, transparent, equitable, and open to stakeholder scrutiny.
National, regional and international partners will commit to:
• Reinforcing inclusive and participatory approaches by involving all stakeholders, particularly community
representatives, when designing, implementing, communicating, assessing, and reporting on conservation
programmes.
• Ensuring systems are in place to enable full transparency and accountability to the people affected by
conservation programme implementation and environmental regulatory services.
• Recognising and applying inter-generational equity and gender equality principles in all activities.
• Promoting and supporting cost-effective scaling up and adoption of best-practice conservation models.
• Developing and implementing durable, effective policies which are integrated across government agencies
and governance levels.
11National partners will commit to:
• Setting clear and standard processes for the establishment, operation, and accountability of international
partners through formal agreements. These agreements should include a Code of Conduct with defined
consequences for breaches and mechanisms to ensure transparency of operations.
• Establishing systems to register the conservation activities of all partners against national and local
priorities, such as NBSAPs.
• Setting easily measured benchmarks to ensure progress against defined conservation objectives, with
each partner held accountable for its commitments and progress.
Regional and international partners will commit to:
• Adopting systems that ensure transparency and accountability of their programmes at a national level.
• Providing timely, transparent, and comprehensive reporting on conservation programmes to national
partners, including reporting on implementation of NBSAP priorities. Appropriate reporting must also be
provided to community partners.
Principle 6:
6 Coordination and collaboration
Conservation is more effective when partners coordinate, collaborate and work within a strategic framework.
National partners will commit to:
• Ensuring NBSAPs and locally devised conservation programmes are strategic, focused, and set clear local
priorities for action.
• Taking a leadership role in coordinating all partners, including by providing national and local focal points
for coordinating NBSAP and other programme implementation.
Regional and international partners will commit to:
• Working within the legislation, policies, strategies, programmes, and priorities established by national
partners.
• Working with each other to ensure collaborative analysis, strategies, agreed priorities, and coordination of
political engagement to avoid duplication or inconsistencies.
• Avoiding programming that competes with national partners for projects and funding.
• Strengthening existing and cultivating new partnerships that are culturally oriented, innovative, and results
driven.
• Working to integrate environmental datasets and other forms of relevant information, and making this
available in accessible formats to national and community partners.
12Principle 7:
7 Growing Pacific capacity
Increasing national, sub-national and community capacity to design, prioritise, direct, manage, implement,
monitor and evaluate conservation programmes.
National partners and communities will commit to:
• Building effective and sustainable conservation capability and organisations through ongoing capacity
development.
• Ensuring conservation is continuously improved by recording, disseminating, and incorporating lessons
learned and best practices.
• Building capacity with and within local organisations, such as cultural, faith-based, sporting, youth, and
women’s organisations, as well as the private sector.
• Enhancing the capacity of conservation practitioners to use appropriate concepts and tools, including
those of the private sector.
Regional and international partners will commit to:
• Supporting national partners in their efforts to build effective and sustainable institutions.
• Supporting national partners and communities in their efforts to develop core competencies such as
leadership, project management, scientific monitoring, and financing.
• Ensuring their presence in-country does not undermine national and local institution-building or capacity
development.
• Contributing to national and community partners’ best practice by recording, disseminating, and
implementing lessons learned.
Principle 8:
8 Reinforcing resilience
Implementing nature conservation that supports the resilience and wellbeing of Pacific communities in the face
of sudden or long-term disruption.
National, regional and international partners will commit to:
• Programmes and projects which focus on building resilience and adaptive capacity in Pacific communities,
cultures and environments.
• Promoting innovative, community-based, and culturally grounded natural solutions, drawing on appropriate
learning networks and the best available knowledge.
• Supporting communities to implement conservation activities by applying approaches and principles of
ecosystem-based management and adaptation to their local context.
• Safeguarding traditional, indigenous and local knowledge, and supporting communities to utilise this
knowledge for resilience and adaptation.
13Strategic Objectives
2021-2025
Photo: © Charles Netzler
14Strategic Objectives 2021-2025
1. Empower our people to take action Scope and purpose of the
Strategic Objectives
for nature conservation, based on our
The Strategic Objectives are broad
understanding of nature’s importance priorities for nature conservation
for our cultures, economies, and action in the Pacific. Work done
within the areas of the Strategic
communities. Objectives, in a manner reflecting
the Principles for Conservation
Implementation, will contribute to
2. Integrate environmental and cultural progress towards the 30-year Vision
considerations into the goals, and Goals of the Framework.
processes, and trajectories of economic The purpose of the Strategic
Objectives is to provide a
development in the Pacific. coordinated strategic approach to
conservation across jurisdictions
3. Identify, conserve, sustainably manage in the Pacific region. Decisions
around national goals, targets and
and restore ecosystems, habitats, and indicators for their implementation
priority natural and cultural sites. are the responsibility of Pacific
governments, supported by their
partners.
4. Protect and recover threatened species
Each Strategic Objective is
and preserve genetic diversity, focusing accompanied by Action Tracks,
on those of particular ecological, representing the priority areas
for implementation; these were
cultural and economic significance. identified at the 10th Pacific
Nature Conference. Summaries
5. Manage and reduce threats to of Key Challenges are noted for
each Action Track, alongside
Pacific environments and drivers of Overviews of Best Practice for
work undertaken within each
biodiversity loss. Action Track. This best practice
guidance applies the Principles for
6. Grow Pacific capacity and partnerships Conservation Implementation to
the achievement of the Strategic
to effectively monitor, govern and Objectives. Key Partners and
finance nature conservation action. Programmes are also listed, to
indicate the range of conservation
programmes for each Action Track
across our region; the list is not
exhaustive, and for initiatives with
multiple partners only the lead
organisations are noted.
15Strategic Objective 1
Empower our people to take action for nature conservation, based on our understanding of nature’s
importance for our cultures, economies, and communities.
Priority action Examples of key partners
Key challenges Overview of best practice
tracks and programmes
Our people at the • Community rights over • The rights of Pacific communities • Coral Triangle Initiative on
centre of conser- territories and resources may to make and implement informed Coral Reefs, Fisheries and
vation action be insufficiently recognised, decisions about the sustainable use of Food Security
respected or enforced by their environments, as full participants
other parties. of conservation initiatives from design • SPREP-PEUMP Lui Bell
to implementation, must be actively Scholarship: Capacity
• Some community members, upheld by all parties. These include the development through
or entire communities, may right to utilise traditional, indigenous, research grants to Pacific
be excluded from decision and local knowledge, and the right to islanders
making processes. access other forms of knowledge, data,
or information. • SPREP-PEUMP community
• There may be insufficient engagement in the planning
local capacity or resources • Engagement with communities and implementation of Rapid
to negotiate positive by other parties should be on an Biodiversity Assessments
outcomes in decisions about equal and mutually beneficial basis. (BIORAPS) and Ecosystem
environmental management, Sufficient resources must be invested and Socio-economic
or to manage or enforce in community engagement to support Resilience Analysis and
conservation projects long-term relationships. Mapping (ESRAM)
effectively.
• Place-based conservation • TNC Voice, Choice and
• Development or programmes should build the knowledge Action Framework
conservation projects may not and capacity of Pacific communities
take sufficient account of the (including women, youth, and people • BirdLife Local Engagement
close relationships between living with disabilities) to design and Empowerment
Pacific people and their and implement such programmes programme and Capacity
places. themselves. Development programme
• There may be conflict • Conservation initiatives should build • SPC social inclusion
between the differing the capacity of partner organisations programme
economic, social-cultural, and and government agencies to learn from
environmental aspirations and engage with Pacific communities.
of community members and
other parties. • Monetary, livelihood, or other benefits
should flow directly to communities
• The expertise of local through the comprehensive
people in the theory and implementation of access and benefit-
practice of conservation often sharing policies.
goes unrecognised.
16Priority action Examples of key partners
Key challenges Overview of best practice
tracks and programmes
Behaviour • The importance of local • All parties should recognise the right • Rare – Fish Forever
change for cultural expressions and of Pacific peoples to determine how program
nature conser- knowledge is sometimes they value biodiversity and natural
vation through not recognised within ecosystems, based on wellbeing, • BirdLife Local Engagement
identity, tradi- conservation narratives identity, connection to place, and and Empowerment
tional knowledge, and behaviour change traditional, indigenous, and local programme and Capacity
education, heri- interventions. knowledge. Development programme
tage, and cultural
expressions • In some contexts, Pacific • Government agencies and partner • SPREP-PEUMP community
people (especially youth) are organisations must share environmental engagement in the planning
becoming disconnected from information with communities in ways and implementation of Rapid
their cultural heritage and that respect local values and are Biodiversity Assessments
natural environments. relevant to livelihood decisions. All (BIORAPS) and Ecosystem
parties must respect locally owned or and Socio-economic
• Knowledge held by Pacific community-derived information, and Resilience Analysis and
elders is sometimes not utilise this appropriately through mutual Mapping (ESRAM)
being passed on to the next agreement and dialogue.
generation.
• Awareness-raising initiatives should
• There is a need to improve share relevant tools that have been
collective Pacific capacity to successful in other communities.
share successful initiatives in Members of Pacific communities are
appropriate formats and with often the best people to share their
all relevant stakeholders. information and experiences with other
communities.
• Awareness campaigns
and other behaviour change • Education-for-conservation and
interventions are often not art-for-conservation initiatives must
monitored and evaluated for value and celebrate Pacific cultural
effectiveness. expressions by cultivating partnerships
with our elders, educators, artists,
• People and interests that athletes and community role models, as
benefit from environmentally well as with our youth, women’s, faith-
degrading activities are based and cultural organisations.
often more powerful than
those that are harmed, and • Existing traditional schools of learning
lack incentives for voluntary should be supported by conservation
behaviour change. partners, as well as newer forms of
education.
• Enquiry-based learning approaches
can be especially effective in
reconnecting participants to their
cultural heritage and natural
environments.
2 Million Tree Planting Campaig
Photo: © Roland Setu
17Strategic Objective 2
Integrate environmental and cultural considerations into the goals, processes,
and trajectories of economic development in the Pacific.
Priority action Examples of key partners
Key challenges Overview of best practice
tracks and programmes
Sustainable • The rapid deterioration • National ocean policies should be • UN Environment Sustainable
and resilient of marine ecosystems developed, implemented, and enforced, and Blue Finance Initiative
ocean undermines many Pacific should reflect regional and international
economies livelihoods and threatens agreements on ocean governance and • USP-PEUMP Certificate
progress on eliminating conservation. Ocean policies should Programme on Pacific Ocean
poverty. promote integrated management of Finance
different economic sectors, whilst
• The proliferation of ocean- upholding the interests of communities. • Pacific Resilience
based economic activities Partnership
results in high cumulative • Existing legal frameworks should
environmental impacts, with be strengthened, and environmental • TNC Electronic Monitoring
sectors not yet planning considerations should be mainstreamed Program
collectively to reduce impact. across national legislation.
• BirdLife Marine Programme
• Current economic models • Regional policy frameworks for ocean
• SPREP-IUCN (PEUMP/APC-
promote short-term use of economies should be developed, focusing
SIDS): Support for marine
natural resources, with a lack on resilient, equitable, and locally led
spatial planning across
of accountability for social or economies that support the wellbeing of
jurisdictions
environmental consequences. Pacific peoples.
• SPC Pacific Territories
• There is still very limited • Environmental and cultural impact
Regional Project for
consideration of the assessments must be strengthened,
Sustainable Ecosystem
applicability of circular including assessment quality, compliance
Management (PROTEGE)
economies in Pacific contexts. monitoring, enforcement capacity, and
integration into planning processes.
• SPC Vulnerability and
• Some forms of blue Monitoring of the effectiveness of
adaptation of coastal fisheries
economy may reinforce conservation initiatives, as well as
to climate change
existing inequalities, with monitoring of adverse impacts and their
benefits not necessarily mitigation, is important for adaptive
experienced by Pacific management.
communities.
• Monitoring and enforcement of all marine
• Global health crises and and maritime industrial and commercial
other shocks may disrupt activities must be strengthened.
island economies, with a risk
that unsustainable short-term • All economic development and
solutions may be adopted. conservation initiatives must have robust
processes for seeking free, prior and
informed consent from communities and
uphold their interests and values.
• Finance mechanisms should be
redirected to secure the protection,
restoration and resilience of coastal
and marine ecosystems, as well as the
communities dependent on them.
18Priority action Examples of key partners
Key challenges Overview of best practice
tracks and programmes
Sustainable • Global health crises and • Pandemic recovery strategies must aim • IUCN Energy, Ecosystems
and resilient other shocks may disrupt to ‘build back better’ to support economic, and Sustainable Livelihoods
island island economies, with a risk environmental and social cultural wellbeing Initiative (EESLI)
economies that unsustainable short-term in the Pacific. Recovery should aim beyond
solutions may be adopted. ‘sustainability’, to regeneration. • Pacific Resilience
Partnership
• The transformation of • Place-based conservation initiatives
land use for economic should recognise and support the • Micronesia Challenge
development can involve importance of diverse agroecological
deforestation, soil erosion, systems for social-cultural, environmental • Micronesia Conservation
and loss of traditional and economic resilience. Trust Livelihoods Program
agricultural systems. This
• Environmental and cultural impact • SPREP-PEUMP By-catch
ultimately leads to lower
assessments must be strengthened, and Integrated Ecosystem
economic, social, and
including assessment quality, compliance Management Initiative
environmental resilience.
monitoring, enforcement capacity, and
• SPC Pacific Territories
• Shifts towards integration into planning processes.
Regional Project for
monocultures and cash Monitoring of the effectiveness of
Sustainable Ecosystem
crops lowers local biological conservation initiatives, as well as
Management (PROTEGE)
and economic diversity, monitoring of adverse impacts and their
and increases community mitigation, is important for adaptive
vulnerability to environmental management.
and market dynamics.
• Existing legal frameworks should
• Many countries are be strengthened and environmental
experiencing increasing considerations should be mainstreamed
social-economic inequality, across national legislation.
including between urban and
rural areas. • All economic development and
conservation initiatives must have robust
• Current economic models processes for seeking free, prior and
promote short-term use of informed consent from communities and
natural resources, with a lack uphold their interests and values.
of accountability for social or
environmental consequences. • Government agencies and partner
organisations should facilitate opportunities
• National legislation and for Pacific communities to participate
policy is often sectoral actively in island-based sustainable
rather than holistic, and economic activities that provide fair and
may not reflect regional or just economic returns.
international agreements.
• Businesses, especially small and
medium enterprises, should be supported
to establish resilient practices, including
building transparent and sustainable supply
chains that foster community wellbeing.
19Priority action Examples of key partners
Key challenges Overview of best practice
tracks and programmes
Nature-based • NbS can have unforeseen • All NbS projects must be designed and • KIWA Initiative
Solutions negative impacts if applied implemented with demonstrable benefits
(NbS) to without proper social and for human and ecological wellbeing, where • Oceania Nature-Based
sustain environmental safeguards or possible at multiple scales. Solutions Collaboration Hub
our social- equity considerations.
ecological • NbS must be designed to equitably • IUCN/SPREP Coastal
systems • Perceived trade-offs balance trade-offs between achievement Marine Ecosystem Resilience
between environmental, social of their primary goals and the continued Programme
and economic health can provision of multiple benefits.
impede cross-cutting action • SPREP-PEUMP By-catch
to address all of these. • NbS aiming at climate change mitigation and Integrated Ecosystem
must also have demonstrable benefits for Management Initiative
• Some attempted NbS fail biodiversity and ecosystem integrity.
due to the absence of an • Pacific Ridge to Reef (R2R)
effective governance structure • Traditional practices and indigenous
Pacific knowledge systems must be • SPC-UNDP Managing
or mandate. Likewise, some
acknowledged and supported within NbS Coastal Aquifers in Selected
fail to become adequately
Pacific SIDS (MCAP)
embedded in local or national projects.
governance processes.
• As with all conservation initiatives, NbS • SPC Pacific Territories
Regional Project for
• It can be difficult to identify must be based on inclusive, transparent,
and empowering governance processes. Sustainable Ecosystem
indicators and metrics for
Management (PROTEGE)
the social, economic and
environmental effectiveness • Scenario-planning tools should be
of NbS. utilised to explore alternative and
sustainable economic pathways adapted to
• Although usually cost- local, national and regional contexts.
effective compared to
other solutions, NbS are • NbS projects should utilise tools which
often radically underfunded provide environmental and social-cultural
compared to the scope of safeguards for economic projects, such as
their objectives. impact assessments and spatial planning.
• Path dependency • NbS must be designed to address
associated with solutions community-level challenges as identified
more familiar to decision- by resource users, with environmental and
makers, such as ‘grey’ social-cultural co-benefits documented and
infrastructure, may inhibit the communicated.
uptake of NbS.
• NbS should aim to ‘build back better’
from the impacts of COVID-19, in order
to support economic, environmental and
social cultural wellbeing in the Pacific.
• NbS practitioners should utilise the
IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based
Solutions.
Forest research. NFI camp near Kupiano, Papua New Guinea.
Photo: © Cory Wright
20Priority action Examples of key partners
Key challenges Overview of best practice
tracks and programmes
Environmentally • Some models of tourism, • Pandemic recovery strategies must aim • Pacific Tourism Organisation
and culturally especially those with mass to ‘build back better’ to support economic, (SPTO) programmes
sensitive visitor numbers, have environmental and social cultural wellbeing
tourism significant environmental and in the Pacific. Recovery should aim beyond • ACP Support Programme
cultural impacts. ‘sustainability’, to regeneration. for Small Island Developing
States
• There is a risk that reliance • Tourism operators must proactively im-
on mass tourism creates prove their efficiency of resource use and • Pacific Organic Tourism and
greater vulnerability to global disposal, including best practices related to Hospitality Standard
shocks, such as pandemics. electricity, water, and waste.
• Travel restrictions due to • Government agencies should mainstream
COVID-19 risks the collapse environmental and cultural considerations
or downsizing of many as part of national and regional tourism
Pacific tourism enterprises. development planning, and prioritise forms
Potential impacts of this are of tourism that enhance environmental and
the increased attractiveness social-cultural wellbeing.
of extractive industries such
as mining or forestry, the • The tourism sector and partner or-
disappearance of tourism- ganisations must participate in national or
supported conservation regional initiatives to reduce environmental
projects, and increased threats, particularly those directly related to
harvesting pressure on wild tourism practices.
species as people return to
their villages. Conversely, it • The tourism sector should contribute
may also mean the temporary economically to efforts to preserve the
suspension of some natural and cultural heritage that it relies
detrimental tourism practices. upon.
• Some tourism operators • Agencies and partner organisations
consider environmental should explore and encourage opportuni-
concerns to be a lower priority ties for local communities to establish
compared to the economic small-scale sustainable tourism activities.
stresses of the pandemic.
• Appropriate indicators should be used to
• Foreign-owned tourism measure progress in the transition to more
operators may be difficult to environmentally and culturally sensitive
influence or to regulate. tourism.
Tourist resort, Momi bay, Fiji
Photo: © Stuart Chape
21Strategic Objective 3
Identify, conserve, sustainably manage and restore ecosystems, habitats,
and priority natural and cultural sites.
Priority action Examples of key partners
Key challenges Overview of best practice
tracks and programmes
Effective • There are challenges in • The customary rights of communities to their • IUCN Marine Programme
marine assessment, monitoring, locally managed marine areas and fisheries
protected and enforcement of MPAs must be upheld. When effectively managed • IUCN Oceania Protected
areas at all scales. Most MPA and monitored, these should be included in and Conserved Areas
data focuses on spatial registers of natural and cultural protected Programme, including
coverage, but it is much areas. Customary rights must not be eroded BIOPAMA
harder to measure the quality, through protected areas or spatial planning
effectiveness or equity processes. • SPREP-IUCN (PEUMP/
implications of protection. APC-SIDS): Support for
• All Pacific communities should have support marine spatial planning
• It is a continuing challenge to establish locally managed or conserved across jurisdictions
to ensure that MPAs are marine areas if they wish to do so, including
adequately designed and support to undertake or participate in • Locally Managed Marine
sited to achieve multiple appropriate marine spatial planning processes. Area Network
social, cultural, economic and For partner organisations, this might mean
• Micronesia Challenge
ecological objectives. investing in capacity building networks and
learning hubs to advance effective and lasting
• WWF Accelerating
• Some forms of spatial implementation.
Coastal Community-Led
protection may conflict with
Conservation Initiative
the livelihood needs of local • Data should be collected on the spatial
communities. extent, habitat type, species presence/
• BirdLife Marine and IBA/
abundance, and health of protected areas over
KBA programmes
• Some local communities are time, including through traditional, indigenous
reluctant to share protected and local knowledge. Community members •SPREP-PEUMP By-catch
area data or formally register should be supported to lead or take part in the
and Integrated Ecosystem
their protected areas, due monitoring of protected areas, as appropriate. Management Initiative
to concerns that this may
impact their autonomy and • Sufficient long-term resourcing must be
customary rights. made available for assessment, monitoring,
enforcement, and other management actions in
• Other Effective Area-Based MPAs. This includes resourcing for government
Conservation Measures agencies and sustainable financing
(OECMs) are yet to be mechanisms to support the long-term role of
adequately mapped in the local communities.
Pacific.
• The identification and management planning
• The representative coverage of priority sites must take their changing role
of MPAs across marine in seascape-level ecological functioning and
ecoregions remains low. connectivity into account, including across
political jurisdictions and on the high seas.
• There are ongoing
challenges in integrating deep • MPA design and management should
sea habitats into networks of consider ways to reduce land-based impacts
MPAs. on coastal ecosystems. These may not be
within the scope of communities to address
• There is not yet an accepted and may require coordinated action across
process for establishing MPAs government agencies and partners.
on the high seas.
22Priority action Examples of key partners
Key challenges Overview of best practice
tracks and programmes
Marine • Local and global • Threatened or significant ecosystems • KIWA Initiative
ecological environmental pressures are and habitats should be assessed, mapped,
integrity escalating, with direct impacts and monitored. These include coral reefs, • Coral Reef Rescue Initiative
on marine ecological integrity. seagrass beds, and other Ecologically or
These pressures include Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) or • Pacific Mangroves Initiative
the loss and degradation of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs).
• SPREP-PEUMP Integrated
habitats, coastal development
• Strategic environmental assessment ecosystem strategies and
and pollution, over-fishing,
and marine spatial planning processes coastal zone management
climate change, and ocean
should be established and implemented planning
acidification.
at national, sub-national, and community
• SPREP-PEUMP Climate
• The rapid increase of many levels. These should be comprehensive,
change adaptation strategies
Pacific island populations and inclusive, and equitable, and should plan
integrated into coastal
the associated increased rate to manage marine ecosystems actively
community plans
of resource use is putting and adaptively for multiple types of
pressure on coastal marine benefits, such as biodiversity, food security,
• TNC Reef Resilience
ecosystems. shoreline protection, and social-cultural
Network
values and functions.
• Across the Pacific there
• WWF Accelerating Coastal
are relatively few long-term • Protections, regulations, and any other
Community-Led Conservation
monitoring programs, or conservation measures must be designed,
Initiative
easily accessible datasets, for implemented, and enforced in partnership
many key marine ecological with local communities. Such measures • BirdLife Marine and IBA/
indicators. should address multiple anthropogenic KBA programmes
pressures to recover ecological resilience,
• Ecosystems that are integrity, and functioning.
resilient in the face of one
anthropogenic threat may be • The restoration of coastal ecosystems
highly vulnerable to another. should be a key focus for conservation
partnerships, ensuring that all partners
• Vulnerable marine understand and share the prioritisation of
ecosystems may not be indigenous species.
explicitly mentioned in policy
frameworks. • Sustainable traditional ocean
management should be promoted and
• There is a risk that some defended by all parties, as should the right
restoration projects may be of Pacific communities to exercise these
doomed to failure if they do practices.
not address the causes of
decline. • Businesses and other organisations must
ensure fair and equitable economic returns
• Significant financial, to communities for their marine products.
capacity, and institutional
barriers remain for • Regional capacity to deliver effective
Pacific islanders wishing and integrated ocean governance must
to undertake training or be strengthened, including appropriate
become employed as marine conservation measures for the high seas.
ecologists.
23Priority action Examples of key partners
Key challenges Overview of best practice
tracks and programmes
Effective • There are challenges in • The customary rights of communities • IUCN Oceania Protected and
terrestrial assessment, monitoring, and to their locally managed areas and Conserved Areas Programme,
protected enforcement of protected agrobiodiversity systems must be upheld. including BIOPAMA
areas areas at all scales. Most When effectively managed and monitored,
data focuses on spatial these should be included in registers • Critical Ecosystem
coverage, but it is much of natural and cultural protected areas. Partnership Fund (CEPF)
harder to measure the quality, Customary rights must not be eroded
effectiveness or equity through protected areas or spatial planning • SPREP-PEUMP Integrated
implications of protection. processes. ecosystem strategies and
coastal zone management
• It is a continuing challenge • All Pacific communities should have planning
to ensure that protected areas support to establish locally managed or
are adequately designed conserved terrestrial areas if they wish to • SPREP-PEUMP Climate
and sited to achieve multiple do so, including support to undertake or change adaptation strategies
social, cultural, economic and participate in appropriate spatial planning integrated into coastal
ecological objectives. processes. For partner organisations, this community plans
might mean investing in capacity building
• Across the region there • Micronesia Challenge
networks and learning hubs to advance
is limited utilisation of effective and lasting implementation.
• BirdLife IBA/KBA
appropriate evaluation
programme
protocols such as Protected • Data should be collected on the spatial
Area Management extent, habitat type, species presence/
Effectiveness. abundance, and health of protected areas
over time, including through traditional,
• Protected areas do not indigenous and local knowledge.
necessarily align to areas Community members should be supported
important for biodiversity or to lead or take part in the monitoring of
ecosystem functioning. protected areas, as appropriate.
• Some forms of spatial • Sufficient long-term resourcing must be
protection areas may conflict made available for assessment, monitoring,
with the livelihood needs of enforcement, and other management
local communities. actions in protected areas. This includes
resourcing for government agencies
• Some local communities are and sustainable financing mechanisms
reluctant to share protected to support the long-term role of local
area data or formally register communities.
their protected areas, due
to concerns that this may • The identification and management
impact their autonomy and planning of priority sites must take their
customary rights. changing role in landscape-level ecological
functioning and connectivity into account,
• Other Effective Area-Based including their impact on freshwater and
Conservation Measures marine ecosystems, alongside the values
(OECMs) are yet to be and interests of communities.
adequately mapped in the
Pacific.
24Priority action Examples of key partners
Key challenges Overview of best practice
tracks and programmes
Terrestrial • Local and global environ- • Threatened or significant ecosystems • KIWA Initiative
ecological mental pressures are esca- and habitats, such as native forests, should
integrity lating, with direct impacts on be assessed, mapped, and monitored in • Critical Ecosystem
terrestrial ecosystems and partnership with communities. Partnership Fund (CEPF)
their associated cultural val-
ues. These pressures include • Strategic environmental assessment • SPREP-PEUMP Integrated
the loss and degradation and spatial planning processes should be ecosystem strategies and
of habitats, land develop- established and implemented at national, coastal zone management
ment and pollution, forestry, sub-national, and community levels. These planning
invasive species, mining, should be comprehensive, inclusive, and
equitable, and should plan to manage • SPREP-PEUMP Climate
wildfires, the conversion of
terrestrial ecosystems actively and adap- change adaptation strategies
diverse agroecological sys-
tively for multiple types of benefits, such as integrated into coastal
tems into monocultural crop-
biodiversity, food security, soil and water community plans
ping spaces, and the many
effects of climate change. health, carbon capture, and social-cultural
• BirdLife IBA/KBA, Invasive
values and functions.
Alien Species and Preventing
• The rapid increase of many
• Protections, regulations, and any other Extinctions programmes
Pacific island populations
and the associated increased conservation measures must be designed,
• SPC Pacific Territories
rate of resource use is implemented, and enforced in partnership
Regional Project for
putting pressure on many with local communities. Such measures
Sustainable Ecosystem
terrestrial ecosystems. should address multiple anthropogenic
Management (PROTEGE)
pressures to recover ecological resilience,
• Across the Pacific there integrity, and functioning.
• SPC-UNDP Managing
are relatively few long-term
Coastal Aquifers in Selected
monitoring programs, or eas- • The restoration of forest ecosystems
Pacific SIDS (MCAP)
ily accessible datasets, for should be a key focus for conservation
many key terrestrial or fresh- partnerships, ensuring that all partners
• SPC Regional Forest
water ecological indicators. understand and share the prioritisation of
Inventory Facility
indigenous species.
• Ecosystems that are
resilient in the face of one • Sustainable traditional land management,
anthropogenic threat may be forest use, and farming practices should be
highly vulnerable to another. promoted and defended by all parties, as
should the right of Pacific communities to
• Vulnerable terrestrial eco- exercise these practices.
systems may not be explicitly
mentioned in policy frame- • Businesses and other organisations must
works. ensure fair and equitable economic returns
to communities for their forest and agricul-
• There is a risk that some tural products.
restoration projects may be
doomed to failure if they do • Sustainable financing mechanisms
not address the causes of should be established to support place-
decline. based conservation and management,
especially to support the role of landowners
• Significant financial, capa- and local communities.
city, and institutional barriers
remain for Pacific islanders • Where possible, indices that consider eco-
wishing to undertake training logical integrity, ecological benefits to people,
or become employed as ter- and governance components (for instance,
restrial ecologists. the Freshwater Health Index) are a useful tool
to make sense of monitoring data.
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