scholarly journals Securing the Limits of Large Ocean States in the Pacific: Defining Baselines Limits and Boundaries amidst Changing Coastlines and Sea Level Rise

Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 394
Author(s):  
Leonardo Bernard ◽  
Michael Petterson ◽  
Clive Schofield ◽  
Stuart Kaye
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Potential Response ◽  
Response Options ◽  
Island States ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Pacific Island States ◽  
And Sea Level

The Pacific Island States and Territories are traditionally described as ‘small island’ nations. However, they are also ‘large ocean’ nations with jurisdiction over substantial maritime spaces stretching to at least 200 nautical miles. The article addresses issues related to baselines along the coast on which these broad maritime claims depend. The article then examines geodynamic considerations coupled with sea and land level projections in the Pacific leading to an assessment of the vulnerability or resilience of atolls in particular. The article then discusses potential implications for the coastlines and baselines of the Pacific Island States and Territories, the limits of their maritime entitlements and both delimited and undelimited maritime boundaries. Potential response options, prospects, and concluding thoughts are then offered.

scholarly journals China contributes to the ISID in Pacific Island Countries

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 2254-2256
Author(s):  
Hongfei Yue
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Island States ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Pacific Island States ◽  
Pacific Island Countries

As we know, the Small Island Developing States face special challenges to their development. This is particularly true for the Pacific Island States, scattered as they are over a huge area of ocean.More specifically, the 22 Pacific Island countries are scattered over one third of the globe (thirty million sq. km. mostly ocean). The total population of the South Pacific excluding Australia and New Zealand is about 8 million; half of which reside in Papua New Guinea.Many stakeholders have been involving in assisting the development of Pacific Island Countries for a long time. In recent years, China has become one of the active players in the inclusive and sustainable development of Pacific Island Countries.

scholarly journals Pacific Regionalism: Historical Anachronism, or Pathway to Future Development?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Elspeth Davidson
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Pacific People ◽  
Island States ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Regional Organisations

<p>This study looks at the relevance of regional organisations in the Pacific Island region. It analyses the history of the key regional organisations: the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS). Since their establishment, there has been extensive criticism of the work of these organisations. This study tests and analyses the issue of legitimacy within supra-national organisations, and questions whether regionalism in the Pacific is an anachronism of the past.  In the Pacific, regionalism puts out a compelling argument for its existence. Throughout the region, small island developing states are spread across the world’s largest ocean. Pacific Island states face many challenges, including: small economies, geographical disadvantages, vulnerability to climate change, varying availability to resources and a diverse range of cultures and languages. Regionalism provides a chance for these island states to influence world policy, build capacity in the region, promote good governance, maintain peaceful neighbourly relations, and create positive development outcomes.  The methodology uses qualitative research of document analysis and semi-structured interviews with key informants. The research claims a social constructivist epistemology and uses an inductive conceptual framework in order to find solutions to the complex challenges of Pacific regionalism.  It was found that regional organisations need to increase their transparency in order to enhance their legitimacy. They need provide a clearer evidence base, where all Pacific people can recognise and understand the benefit of regional organisations. The organisations need to work strategically to be nimble and reactive to upcoming critical junctures and issues. Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) agencies need to coordinate better amongst themselves, open up communication with all stakeholders and create clearer mandates. In order to promote positive development, all stakeholders and Pacific people need to take ownership of these organisations, and support the Framework for Pacific Regionalism process. This study argues that there is great potential for regionalism in the Pacific, but this will only be possible if the region works collectively to enhance the legitimacy of these organisations.</p>

scholarly journals Multilateral Resource Negotiations Between Weak and Powerful States: The Case of the 1987 United States-Pacific Island Fisheries Treaty

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sōsefo Fietangata Havea
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Soviet Union ◽  
United States Of America ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
The United States ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Island States ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Pacific Island States

<p>On April 2, 1987, the Treaty on Fisheries Between Governments of Certain Pacific Island States and the Government of the United States of America was signed. The signatories to the Fisheries were the 16 members of the South Pacific Forum and the United States of America. After six difficult years of negotiations, the Treaty permitted American fishing vessels to fish in Pacific Islands’ waters in exchange for a substantial access fee. This thesis identifies key aspects of that treaty and examines what it meant from both a theoretical and practical standpoint. How did a collection of small, comparatively weak Pacific states strike a satisfactory deal with the most powerful state on the planet? What did the agreement mean in terms of its political, legal and environmental consequences? As well as looking at the events and negotiations that led to the treaty, this thesis also attempts to discern the key political lessons that flow from this case that might be relevant for the future development of the Pacific island States in the key area of fisheries regulation. The thesis argues that disputes between Pacific nations and the United States over tuna resources and the presence of the Soviet Union in the Pacific region were the two critical factors that led to the adoption of the Treaty. From the United States’ perspective, the Treaty was seen (at the time) as the only viable option if it were to reconsolidate its long and prosperous position in the Pacific region. The US did not want the Soviet Union to capitalize on American fishing disputes with the Pacific islands, and it could not afford for the Soviet Union to establish a strong association with the Pacific islands. The Treaty therefore served three purposes for Washington: (i) it maintained its long friendship with the Pacific islands, (ii) it maintained its fisheries interests in the region, (iii) and it kept the Pacific communist-free. This fusion of US economic and strategic interests gave Pacific Island States a stronger hand in the negotiations than their size and power would have otherwise offered.</p>

scholarly journals Local Government in the South Pacific Islands

2008 ◽  
pp. 7-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Hassall ◽  
Feue Tipu
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Government Reform ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Capita Expenditure ◽  
Island States ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Pacific Island States ◽  
South Pacific Islands

In this paper we seek to answer some basic questions about the condition of local government in the Pacific. Firstly, we examine what is meant by ‘local government’ in the various islands and for that matter how Pacific Island states have perceived and accepted local government institutions in practice; second, we ask basic questions about existing legal and constitutional recognition and powers; and third, we provide initial findings on current per capita expenditure and local government financial viability in a number of Pacific cities and towns. We also make some observations on current moves towards local government reform.

scholarly journals Putting WASH in the water cycle: climate change, water resources and the future of water, sanitation and hygiene challenges in Pacific Island Countries

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wade L. Hadwen ◽  
Bronwyn Powell ◽  
Morgan C. MacDonald ◽  
Mark Elliott ◽  
Terence Chan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Water Resource Management ◽  
Water Cycle ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation And Hygiene ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Pacific Island Countries

The Pacific region presents some of the lowest water and sanitation coverage figures globally, with some countries showing stagnating or even declining access to improved water and sanitation. In addition, Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are among the most vulnerable countries on the globe to extreme and variable climatic events and sea-level rise caused by climate change. By exploring the state of water and sanitation coverage in PICs and projected climatic variations, we add to the growing case for conserving water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions within a holistic integrated water resource management (IWRM) framework. PICs face unique challenges of increasing variability in rainfall (leading to drought and flooding), increasing temperatures, and likely higher than average sea-level rise, all of which impact on freshwater security. Add to this geographic and economic isolation, and limited human and physical resources, and the challenge of WASH provision increases dramatically. In this setting, there is a stronger case than ever for adopting a holistic systems understanding, as promoted by IWRM frameworks, to WASH interventions so that they consider past and current challenges as well as future scenarios.

Oceanographic anomalies and sea-level rise drive mangroves inland in the Pacific coast of Mexico

2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xavier López-Medellín ◽  
Exequiel Ezcurra ◽  
Charlotte González-Abraham ◽  
Jon Hak ◽  
Louis S. Santiago ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Pacific Coast ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
And Sea Level
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