Environment
Solomons combat climate change
Thursday 8 November 2012 | Published in Environment
The Solomon Islands government has launched a pilot climate change project that could have far reaching benefits for the Pacific region.
Renewable energy comes to Vaitau
Wednesday 7 November 2012 | Published in Environment
Vaitau Primary School on Aitutaki is already taking enrolments for the 2013 year ahead. Literacy results again this year have improved across the school, which is very pleasing, says principal Ingrid Stewart.
Cooks Islands on top of disaster risk
Saturday 3 November 2012 | Published in Environment
The Cooks were represented at a disaster risk reduction conference in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, by Emergency Management Cook Islands director Charles Carlson and MP Atatoa Herman, who attended in his role as associate minister to the prime minister – the minister for EMCI.
Membership drive for TIS
Thursday 1 November 2012 | Published in Environment
Environmental non-government organisation Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) has begun partnering with local businesses to increase support for its campaigns.
Pushing Pacific climate change and green growth
Tuesday 30 October 2012 | Published in Environment
Climate change is already disproportionally affecting the islands of the Pacific – although islanders have done little to contribute to the causes.
Risk resilience programme launched
Tuesday 30 October 2012 | Published in Environment
A new regional programme initially focused in four countries is being launched to address the challenge of ensuring Pacific communities benefit from activities around disaster risk management and climate change adaptation.
Edgewater staff learn about litter
Monday 29 October 2012 | Published in Environment
Charitable group Sustainable Coastlines kicked off its educational tour on the shocking effects of coastal litter with a workshop at Edgewater resort last Wednesday.
Miss Earth and Miss South Pacific, here we come!
Thursday 25 October 2012 | Published in Environment
Exciting times are ahead for the Miss Cook Islands Pageant Association with two of the island’s pageant queens taking part in the Miss Earth and Miss South Pacific pageants.
Cooks not at ecoislands summit
Thursday 18 October 2012 | Published in Environment
An international meeting on island states; sustainability is being held in Britain this week, but the Cook Islands won't be there.
An agent of change for the Cooks
Thursday 18 October 2012 | Published in Environment
The country’s new energy commissioner readily admits he didn’t quite know what he was in for when he started his role a week before the Pacific Leaders’ Forum in August.
Award for 'persistent pursuit of the truth'
Tuesday 16 October 2012 | Published in Environment
Non-governmental environment group Te Ipukarea Society has presented Cook Islands News reporter Rachel Reeves with an award for her dogged “pursuit of the truth” in covering offshore fisheries issues.
One-off solution to plastic issue
Friday 12 October 2012 | Published in Environment
Seventy-nine tonnes of plastic was shipped off Rarotonga last weekend, but this is a one-off solution to a long-term problem.
Plastic bag ban still in transition
Wednesday 10 October 2012 | Published in Environment
The National Environment Service (NES) says it’s only a matter of time before retailers will be stocking biodegradable plastic bags after a ban on importing non-biodegradable bags was imposed last month.
Protestors rally to save old tree
Saturday 6 October 2012 | Published in Environment
Demonstrators rallied yesterday to save the 130-year-old tamarind tree at Cooks Corner.
High wind trickery
Friday 5 October 2012 | Published in Environment
Where there’s wind – you will find local kite surfer Pauro Arnold. Arnold is building up an impressive repertoire of kiting tricks which is sure to rival international riders at the next Manureva kite surfing competition in Aitutaki next year. Strong winds over the last week or so have given the 2011 local kite surfing […]
Cooks' renewable energy programmes could get accolades
Friday 5 October 2012 | Published in Environment
A new awards programme was announced on Friday to celebrate renewable energy pioneers in small island developing states like the Cooks Islands. Renewable energy programmes and enterprises that aim to help vulnerable small island developing states make the move to sustainable sources of power are invited to enter a new awards category launched by green […]
Food, health and water security are affected by climate change
Thursday 4 October 2012 | Published in Environment
An agricultural ministry employee has learned that the Cooks need to take urgent action to combat the security issues around inevitable environmental change. Maria Tuoro attended the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) workshop on the security implications of environmental change in the Pacific, held in Hawaii from August 5 to 10. Tuoro, the first […]
Ocean acidification will affect pearl farmers
Thursday 4 October 2012 | Published in Environment
The marine resources ministry has tentative plans in place to deal with increasing ocean acidification levels. According to non-profit environmental group Oceana, the Cook Islands are in the top five nations most likely to have food security problems caused by climate change and ocean acidification in coming years. An author of the study, Matthew Huelsenbeck, […]
Legal fishing practice crucial says McCully
Wednesday 3 October 2012 | Published in Environment
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Murray McCully addressed the United Nations last week in New York, updating the general assembly on the recent Pacific Leaders Forum in the Cook Islands. In his speech to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), McCully talked of the responsibility New Zealand feels to small island states in the Pacific – […]
Ponia denies ocean acidification affecting resources
Wednesday 3 October 2012 | Published in Environment
The Cook Islands is in the top five nations most likely to have food security problems caused by climate change and ocean acidification, international environmental group Oceana said last week. The non-profit group ranked the Comoros islands in the Indian Ocean as most vulnerable to the increasing acidity of the world’s water, which is caused […]