PINA

The Australian government has pledged AUD$150m (US$99.04 million) climate finance for Pacific countries but has not contributed to a newly created global loss and damage fund. Nearly 200 countries reached an historic consensus agreement on the first day of the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai to set up the loss and damage fund to help the world’s poorest and most...

By Elenoa Dimaira Tuvalu, a nation heavily reliant on tuna fishing for revenue, is hopeful that the 20th session of the Western and Central Pacific Fishing Commission (WCPFC) will address key issues related to longline fisheries. Samuela Finekaso, the Director of Fisheries in Tuvalu, has emphasised the need to address the compliance gaps in purse seine fishing and long line fishing,...

By Elenoa Dimaira The 20th session of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission currently meeting in Rarotonga, Cook Islands must put in measures that would ensure the sustainability of our fisheries, says WWF Western and Central Pacific Tuna Programme Manager, Bubba Cook. “Now, is the time to put measures in place that ensure the longevity of the fisheries. I've...

By Elenoa Dimaira Civil society organisations remain hopeful and optimistic that the outcomes of the 20th session of the Western and Central Pacific Fishing Commission (WCPFC) in Rarotonga, Cook Islands would include measures that would curb regional challenges such illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. WWF Pacific Western and Central Pacific Tuna Programme manager, Bubba Cook said discussions since the first day...

By Elenoa Dimaira There are high expectations of a new Tropical Tuna Measure when the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission meeting concludes on Friday this week in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Forum Fisheries Commission Glen Joseph said while there was a wide ranging of views, the 17 member countries of the Forum Fisheries Agency were concerned with the compliance gaps between...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai UN Special Envoy for the Ocean Ambassador Peter Thomson, a Fijian diplomat, delivered a blunt message on the challenges faced in the battle for ocean preservation. “Are we winning the war? No. The oil and gas industry is definitely winning the war, and so we just have to keep fighting. Look at the process,”...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE Australia's Ambassador for Climate Change, Kristin Tilley, has highlighted the urgency of focusing on ocean-related climate issues and the challenges in securing the COP31 bid. “When you started with Palau President Whipps, terrestrial-based climate responses, especially in forests, have had a head start in COP discussions for decades. Oceans are very much...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr has emphasised the need for urgent action to protect the Pacific and the vital role of oceans in global health. Speaking at the side event on Oceans, organised by the Office of Oceans Commissioner (OPOC) at the COP28 in Dubai which focused on accelerating the sea lane...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai UAE Pacific political champion for Gender and Social Inclusion, and Niue Minister for Natural Resources, Mona Ainu'u, Wednesday shared the stark realities facing the Pacific region in the context of climate change and the need for immediate global action on Oceans. “I like to talk as a mother for Niue; we are a...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE Pacific Ocean Commissioner Dr Filimon Manoni Wednesday reiterated the need for strategic planning and genuine partnerships to address the challenges faced by Pacific nations in the era of climate change. “This journey as Pacific Islands is about ensuring that the great work undertaken for centuries by our people through traditional knowledge in...