Environment
SPREP unveils new portal
Thursday 20 September 2012 | Published in Environment
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has launched the Pacific Climate Change Portal, an online hub of information on climate change in the Pacific region. The portal features an events calendar, experts directory, documents, national and regional committees, image library and links to virtual libraries in the Pacific on climate change. Launched […]
Rolling rubbish roundup continues
Wednesday 19 September 2012 | Published in Environment
Last week’s Rubbish Roundup instalment was another success.
Wearable arts showing tonight
Wednesday 19 September 2012 | Published in Environment
Students are putting finishing touches on their newspaper skirts and tops laden with aluminium cans ahead of tonight’s Wearable Arts show at Tereora College’s Princess Anne Hall.
Knowledge pooled on deep-sea minerals
Tuesday 18 September 2012 | Published in Environment
A deep-sea minerals training workshop to address issues associated with deep-sea minerals and mining, was recently held in Nadi as part of a series of capacity building activities aimed to develop and enhance regional knowledge on geological, technological, biological and environmental aspects of deep-sea minerals.
Weekend winds popular in Muri
Tuesday 18 September 2012 | Published in Environment
Gusty south south-easterly winds of up to 20 knots on Saturday sent thrill seekers to Muri lagoon for a day of kite surfing.
Oceania conservation role for Tiraa
Tuesday 11 September 2012 | Published in Environment
The Cook Islands has a greater presence on the international conservation stage. Te Ipukarea Society member Ana Tiraa was voted in as an Oceania councillor for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). She joins Australian Brendon Mackey and Andrew Bignell from New Zealand as the three new representatives from the Oceania region. A […]
Hot, dirty rubbish roundup
Tuesday 11 September 2012 | Published in Environment
The first event of Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative’s 2012 Rubbish Roundup, supported by CITC, National Environment Service (NES), WATSAN and General Transport, was a community driven success. Volunteers comprised of large groups from Turama Pacific, the Filipino Community and Telecom, who sponsored the Blackrock/Social Centre event on Saturday. Fifty participants collected and sorted 249kg of […]
Environment reporting elevated
Monday 10 September 2012 | Published in Environment
Consistent state of environment (SOE) reporting is an essential tool for guiding appropriate policy and decision-making. This was the general consensus of the 80 participants attending the 2nd Pacific Environment Forum held in Noumea, New Caledonia, last week. The Pacific Environment Forum is an opportunity for Pacific stakeholders to discuss environmental issues before the annual […]
EIA done for northern group solar farm
Wednesday 5 September 2012 | Published in Environment
The government’s renewable energy projects for the outer islands are one step closer to getting started.
Solar desalination plant maker in Cook Islands
Wednesday 5 September 2012 | Published in Environment
A solar desalination project recently completed on the island of Manono in Samoa could be applicable and useful in the outer islands, says Absolute Filtration Ltd managing director Ben Taylor.
SPC study helps Mangaia prepare for cyclones
Monday 3 September 2012 | Published in Environment
A study of tropical cyclones and associated wave action is providing information that can be used to assess the resilience of Mangaia, the most southern of the Cook Islands, to the impacts of climate change and sea level rise. Jens Kruger of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) said that with coastal communities, private […]
$25m for climate change
Saturday 1 September 2012 | Published in Environment
The United States has pledged US$25 million over five years to alleviate the destructive impact of climate change on Pacific Island nations. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said yesterday that her government understands the immediacy and urgency of the issue of climate change for the Pacific Islands. “We understand very well that many of […]
'Zero waste' goal announced
Friday 31 August 2012 | Published in Environment
A ‘zero waste’ Cook Islands is the goal of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning’s Water, Waste and Sanitation unit (WATSAN) and waste management department. And the acquisition of a brand new compacting machine from New Zealand company Engineering Solutions is a step towards this goal says MOIP Minister Teariki Heather and New Zealand High […]
Rounding up rubbish
Tuesday 28 August 2012 | Published in Environment
The second annual ”Rubbish Roundup“ starts on September 8 and runs through the month. The Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative (PICI) ran the first annual event last year, with great support from CITC, several local businesses and the community. This year is looking to be bigger and better, as both WATSAN and NES have decided to […]
Aquaponics project unveiled
Saturday 25 August 2012 | Published in Environment
Associate agriculture minister Kiriau Turepu has hailed the new aquaponics project in Titikaveka as the solution for the outer islands. Named Te Raurau o te Kaingavai, the aquaponics facility is the first of its kind in the Cook Islands and is on show ahead of the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum next week. Internal affairs minister […]
Green living water garden thrives
Saturday 25 August 2012 | Published in Environment
Ensuring all Pacific people have access to food, and ways to grow it sustainably, is the long-term objective of a new project underway in Rarotonga. The Green Living Water Garden, as it is called in English, rests on 5756 square metres of Titikaveka land. Nestled amongst the garden is a pilot project that could prove […]
Progress for all to see at Muri
Wednesday 22 August 2012 | Published in Environment
A progress board to chart the work underway to upgrade all residential septic systems in the Muri and Avana areas was unveiled yesterday. The colourful board placed on the front-wall of the Muri meeting house is aimed at encouraging the local community to keep track of progress on WATSAN’s work to upgrade septic systems at […]
Toa fuel depot gains approval
Monday 20 August 2012 | Published in Environment
The Rarotonga Environment Authority has granted Toa Petroleum clearance to build its fuel depot at Nikao, and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning has approved its construction plans. On Wednesday Toa learned its environmental management plan had been ratified, and yesterday it received official confirmation that its building plans passed the test. Construction of the […]
Experts 'surprised' at climate change results
Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in Environment
Two Australian climate change experts here to teach a training programme were surprised that a one-size-fits-all approach does not apply to Pacific Islands climate projections. Scientists John Clarke and Ron Hoeke from Australia’s national science agency CSIRO are in the Cooks this week for two reasons: to teach Meteorological Service staff how to use new […]
Tepuka sewerage problem solved
Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in Environment
No longer do Tereora College students have to endure the stench of untreated sewage wafting from tanks positioned at their school’s entrance. For over a decade the Tepuka wastewater plant has been under-performing, to put it politely, but this week the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP) introduces an updated secondary treatment system, installed by […]