Environment
Toa gains provisional licence
Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in Environment
The Ministry of Internal Affairs yesterday issued Toa Petroleum a provisional and conditional dangerous goods licence to operate from Nikao. The ministry issues dangerous goods licences for sites, not companies. Accordingly, Toa’s former licence – which was also provisional, a full licence being contingent on forthcoming upgrades – was rendered invalid by the expiration of […]
Barbados aims for 'sustainable energy for all'
Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in Environment
Small Islands Developing States such as Barbados and the Cook Islands can make a meaningful contribution to their nations’ future wealth and the global community through changing their energy sectors, says Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart. Speaking ahead of a conference to be held in Barbados next week on the hopes and ambitions of Small […]
Palmerston's turtles under study
Tuesday 1 May 2012 | Published in Environment
The Cook Islands Turtle Project (CITP) has been working six days a week on Palmerston, where a team is undertaking the first sea turtle research in over a decade. Dr Michael White and his team have been performing extensive beach and in-water surveys to help understand the distribution, population and status of sea turtles in […]
Rain-fed agriculture a risk
Thursday 26 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Rarotonga features in a new report warning of the unique freshwater challenges facing many small islands in the Pacific. Released this week by the UN Environment Programme and the Secretariat of the Pacific Communities (SPC), the report was written by David Duncan, regional environmental engineer at SPC SOPAC’s Water and Sanitation Programme. He concludes that […]
Toa's relocation up to authority
Thursday 26 April 2012 | Published in Environment
This story is a response to a reader’s request for the names of officials who will be responsible for dealing with the TOA Environmental Impact Assessment. The reader wrote: “They need to know the public is watching and counting on them to protect this island.” The public has until one week from Monday (May 7) […]
Plan to rid Suwarrow of rats
Monday 23 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Te Ipukarea Society is planning a project with the National Environment Service to eradicate rats from Suwarrow National Park to protect Suwarrow’s seabird populations. The threat to Suwarrow’s seabirds was revealed when a rat infestation was discovered on Motu Tou during a seabird survey in 2008. The survey found that no Black Noddys were nesting […]
TIS speaks out on seabed mining
Monday 23 April 2012 | Published in Environment
In its most recent newsletter Te Ipukarea Society posed a range of questions around seabed mining. The statement is as follows: “With the passing of the Seabed Minerals Act 2009, the pressure to move ahead with the mining of our deep sea manganese nodules is beginning to mount. With millions of dollars on offer, and […]
Mitiaro a key biodiversity area
Saturday 21 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Te Ipukarea Society visited Mitiaro last month to raise awareness about the unique biodiversity on the island and the identification of Mitiaro as a Key Biodiversity Area and Important Bird Area. This follows visits to Mangaia, Mauke, Atiu and Aitutaki where similar work was done. Mitiaro qualifies as an Important Bird Area because of the […]
Red flags raised
Thursday 19 April 2012 | Published in Environment
A 2010 audit raises some major red flags in relation to the state of dangerous goods facilities on Rarotonga and Aitutaki. Released on Tuesday, the audit report is revealing in its assessment of fuel and power suppliers and retailers in the Cook Islands. It addresses issues around the proximity of fuel storage facilities to the […]
Service stations mostly improper
Thursday 19 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Most service stations that the New Zealand Department of Labour’s Kim Comben inspected in 2010 were being improperly maintained and operated. The most shocking issue was environmental contamination, which seemed to be prevalent at filling points. “It appears that the suppliers are nozzle filling the underground tanks and not using liquid tight and vapour tight […]
Aitutaki power station a 'model' installation
Thursday 19 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Dangerous goods inspector Kim Comben also did site inspections in Aitutaki, where he found some of the same problems plaguing Rarotonga facilities – among them, lack of emergency preparedness and inappropriate site positioning. At the time of Comben’s inspection, Aquila Storage Tanks’ facility had no security and its tanks had no bunding. The audit concluded […]
TAU compliance 'a work in progress'
Thursday 19 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Te Aponga Uira (TAU) has acted “constructively and responsibly” to safety upgrades recommended to its Avatiu valley power station, but the complexity of some problems remain as a major hurdle to upgrades, according to chief executive officer Apii Timoti. Timoti said that TAU had taken steps to address the specific problems highlighted by New Zealand […]
Carbon emissions rise 64% in 12 years
Monday 16 April 2012 | Published in Environment
The Cook Islands’ carbon dioxide emissions have risen by 61 percent between 1994 and 2006 according to a report released by the National Environmental Service. The large majority of emissions are emulating from generators and transport throughout the country, which account for four out of every five tonnes of CO2 being released by the Cook […]
Sun-powered freezers in store at Beco
Monday 16 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Using heat to freeze your food seems like an unusual way to go about freezing. Beco Limited now has in stock solar powered freezers and fridges. These run on DC power (most models run on AC power) and can be hooked up to solar panels and 12 to 24 volt batteries. This way they run […]
Nine apply for Suwarrow jobs
Saturday 14 April 2012 | Published in Environment
The National Environment Service (NES) has received nine applications for two Suwarrow park ranger positions. The positions were advertised recently, and the deadline to submit passed this week. Elizabeth Munro of NES says a panel of three people will be interviewing all nine applicants, as there is “no need for shortlisting”. The interview panel will […]
Second climate change report to be launched
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Environment minister Henry Puna and the National Environment Service (NES) will be launching the Cook Islands Second National Communication Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) today at USP from 12.30pm. This report outlines the Cook Islands’ progress in addressing the issue of climate change since the Initial National Communication report […]
Leaders still worried by mining impacts
Thursday 12 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Environmental concerns and the unknown impacts of deep sea mining are two major issues causing unease among the Cook Islands’ traditional leaders, who gathered in Avarua yesterday to join a Secretariat of the Pacific Community workshop discussing the undeveloped industry. The aptitude of Pacific nations and territories in regulating deep sea mining in their oceans […]
Toa's move subject to EIA
Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Environment
In anticipation of Toa Petroleum’s lease on its Avatiu property expiring, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been prepared detailing the risks of the depot relocating to Nikao. To all intents and purposes, the report deems the relocation safe and says it poses “negligible environmental and social risks”. “In general, the proposed bulk fuel storage […]
Hundreds of dolphins sighted
Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Environment
A pod of between 200 and 300 dolphins was sighted off the Muri coast on Saturday. Fisherman Wayne Barclay of Reel Time and his two South African passengers noticed a line of splashing about two miles off Muri Beach. “We thought it was a school of fish feeding but we came closer and it was […]
'Biogas' could be viable here
Saturday 7 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Renewable energy specialist Peter Hails, who is on Rarotonga for a holiday and to visit his parents, Sunset Resort owners John and Gunilla Hailes, is keen to share his knowledge and expertise with government. Hailes, who carries a degree in environmental geography and a Master’s in business, created and manages a renewable energy project for […]
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