Environment
Befriending Biodiversity
Monday 25 January 2010 | Published in Environment
Nod if you just read the word and wondered ‘what the heck is biodiversity?’ Now take a look around you, at your surroundings. Do you see trees outside your window? Are you fortunate enough to have a co-worker who is wearing a flower in her air? Have you got a great view of the ocean? […]
Fly problem worries ministers
Saturday 23 January 2010 | Published in Environment
Two cabinet ministers are joining forces to come up with a new plan to tackle the fly problem at the Arorangi waste facility which has been blamed for the large number of them in the surrounding community. Health minister Apii Piho and minister of infrastructure and planning (MOIP) William ‘Smiley’ Heather are aware of the […]
Queensland Uni course comes to Raro
Saturday 23 January 2010 | Published in Environment
A two-week University of Queensland environmental management course is being held in Rarotonga from Monday until February 5. About 30 people from the region are here to take the annual course which looks at integrating contemporary and traditional coastal ecosystem management in the Pacific. This is the first time the course has been held in […]
Chicken pieces spill mystery
Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in Environment
The remains of chicken pieces, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower and pumpkin were scraped of the road at the Harley Street corner on Tuesday afternoon. Police, public health and the national environment service were alerted of the spill around 10am, before public health officials cleaned up the mess later that afternoon. It is understood that the equivalent […]
Dead animals found on foreshore
Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in Environment
First it was chicken pieces on the road at Nikao on Tuesday. Yesterday morning it was a couple of decaying dogs and a pig carcass discovered on the Matavera foreshore. National environment service compliance officer Keri Herman said they were alerted after a member of the public reported the discovery of the remains to public […]
Start made on sustainable energy initiatives
Thursday 7 January 2010 | Published in Environment
Progress has already been made on the country’s sustainable energy action plan which was submitted to cabinet last month. Spearheaded by the national energy committee, the policy was presented to cabinet by former energy minister Tangata Vavia and ratified two days before he quit his position last month. He has since been replaced as energy […]
Shark plan launched
Tuesday 17 November 2009 | Published in Environment
The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) launched the Pacific Islands regional plan of action (PI-RPOA) on sharks. At least 80 species of sharks and rays are found within the Pacific Islands region. Around half of these species […]
Rain on Raro at weekend
Wednesday 26 August 2009 | Published in Environment
Tuesday 25: Rarotonga received a drenching on Sunday night as the island welcomed much needed rain throughout the weekend. The meteorological service at Nikao says 51.1 millimetres (two inches) of rain was recorded from 8am on Sunday to 8am yesterday. This was the highest rainfall recorded for a 24-hour period to date this month. The […]
CITC is going green
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Environment
Monday 17: CITC is going green and increasing its efforts to be more environmentally friendly. Starting last week, customers receive a free reusable bag when they buy two or more cans of Palm corned beef from the CITC supermarket in Avatiu. CITC sales and marketing manager George George says that CITC will be rolling out […]
$25m pledged for renewable energy work
Wednesday 12 August 2009 | Published in Environment
Friday 7: The Australian government has pledged at least $25 million in funding over four years for Pacific initiatives in clean and affordable energy. At the end of the 40th Pacific Islands Forum held in Cairns, Australia, this week, the leaders announced that Australia would also now convene an early meeting of officials within the […]
Pacific still faces climate disaster says Greenpeace
Wednesday 12 August 2009 | Published in Environment
Friday 7: “The outcome of the Pacific Island Forum is a disaster for the Pacific,” according to Greenpeace political advisor Seni Nabou. She says Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd has chosen big polluters over the very survival of Pacific Islands. “At the same time, Pacific Islands leaders have buckled to a watered down climate agreement […]
Call to action on climate change
Wednesday 12 August 2009 | Published in Environment
Friday 7: Pacific leaders have issued a call to action on climate change following their 40th Pacific Islands Forum in Cairns Australia this week. The issue of climate change dominated the leaders meeting with many small island state members such as the Cook Islands calling for larger reductions in carbon emissions from developed countries. “For […]
PM supports call for climate change action
Wednesday 12 August 2009 | Published in Environment
Thursday 6: Prime minister Jim Marurai addressed the plenary session of the 40th Pacific Islands Forum yesterday on the issue of climate change. The issue has been touted as one of, if not the, most important issues at the forum being held in Cairns. Marurai was only one of a handful of leaders to speak […]
Pacific looks to Rudd to do 'right thing'
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Environment
5 August: Greenpeace says Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd can either do the right thing for the climate, his country, the Pacific and beyond, or do the dirty and keep investing in coal pro-duction. The campaigning organisation has just completed its month-long Pacific ship tour in anticipation of the 40th Pacific Islands Leader’s Forum being […]
Postcard from Cairns
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Environment
3 August: It’s been about 20 years since I was last in the Sunshine State – Queensland. But it’s the first time I’ve been to Cairns. Arriving on Friday I set out to discover the blocks of shops around my hotel, the lovely Novotel Oasis Cairns Resort. What I have discovered is that this city […]
Rare bird visits Traders
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Environment
Thursday 30: Around 5.30pm last Wednesday (July 22) Chris Douglas reported a new seabird in the water at Trader Jacks. Its distinctive markings indicated it was a Cape Petrel. The petrel had earlier joined the ocean training session of Roland Maru and his oe vaka under 19 team and followed them back to Avarua harbour. […]