‘Use science to analyse nuclear waste plan’
The head of Samoa's premier environmental organisation has called for “science-based judgement” of Japan's plans to discharge treated wastewater from a nuclear plant into the Pacific.
International media reports suggest the Japan Government plans to discharge treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean next month with the United Nations' International Atomic Agency (IAEA) recently giving its...
Nuclear watchdog gets New Zealand government support amid concerns over Japan’s Fukushima plan
The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) director general Rafael Mariano Grossi is in Aotearoa advising the Government on the safety of treated wastewater disposal into the Pacific Ocean this year from its damaged Fukushima power plant.
The Government’s announcement that it supports the International Atomic Energy Agency amid a new IAEA report giving Japan the green light to release treated...
China’s Xi Jinping pledges economic, tech aid for Solomon Islands
Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged economic and technical aid with “no political preconditions” for Solomon Islands – Beijing’s first close security partner in the strategically important South Pacific.
Meeting Solomons’ Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in Beijing on Monday, Xi said: “Although our friendship arrived belatedly, it is leading the way in relations between China and the Pacific Islands.”
“China supports...
Xi expounds on China’s policy toward Pacific island countries
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday met with visiting Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare in Beijing.
Xi said as China and Pacific island countries are all developing countries, they should strengthen mutual help and assistance under the framework of South-South cooperation.
He pointed out that China fully respects the sovereignty and independence of Pacific island countries, and upholds...
Crunch talks due on deep-sea mining controversy
Controversial proposals to allow deep-sea mining will be centre-stage at global talks in Jamaica from Monday.
It comes after a two-year ban on the practice expired when countries failed to reach agreement on new rules.
Scientists fear a possible "goldrush" for precious metals beneath the oceans could have devastating consequences for marine life.
But supporters argue that these minerals are needed if...
Temperatures off the charts, but more records imminent: WMO
Global sea surface temperatures reached a record high in May, June, and July – and the warming El Niño weather pattern is only just getting started – experts at the UN World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said on Monday.
Alarm bells have been rung at the UN agency in particular because of an “unprecedented peak” in sea surface temperatures in the...
Adapting coastal communities in the Pacific to sea level rise
Sea-level rise represents one of the most compelling consequences of climate change, as well as one of the most critical issues for Pacific Island Countries and Territories.
Government representatives, members of civil society, researchers and climate change practitioners have gathered in Fiji for a regional workshop on “Adapting Coastal Cities and Territories to Sea Level Rise in the Pacific”. Held...
80 Solomon Islands athletes bound for China
Eighty Solomon Islands athletes selected to undertake intensive training in China departed the country last week.
The athletes will spend 90 days intensive training in China to prepare them physically and mentally to compete in the 2023 Pacific Games on their return. The 80 athletes are our representatives in Seven of the Twenty-Four sports at the upcoming Pacific Games.
Farewelling the...
‘Ikale Tahi players train ahead of Australia A match 14 July
Tonga's national rugby team, ‘Ikale Tahi, is training hard ahead of its match against Australia A on home soil on Friday, 14 July, at Teufaiva Stadium.
The strong team of rugby players who arrived last week, held an open training session on Friday, 7 July, and in support of Child Cancer, delighted young fans when they met them and signed...
Nauru prepares to mine deep seas in big climate controversy
Nauru is a small Pacific island 4,000km (2,485 miles) off the coast of Australia. It is so small, it has no capital city and just one road.
But its roughly 12,000 inhabitants are at the heart of a conflict over mining the world’s sea beds for precious minerals.
The clash pits differing views about how to tackle climate change. Nauru’s government...