Page 13 - IB AUG 2017

ALL pearl pictures to be credited: @J Hunter
Pearls
Oceans
The world pledges to save our home

Above: Pearl entrepreneur Justin
Hunter speaks about a blue economy
through community-based pearl
farms (top right, right) in Fiji at a side
event at the conference. To his left
is Gaetano Cavalieri of the World
JewelleryConfederation. Photo:
Samisoni Pareti.
Below: Lau Seascape, sustainable
harvest of the resource rich waters of
Lau, a province in Fiji forms one of
the 16 voluntary commitments at the
conference.
Photo: Samisoni Pareti

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres takes a cupful of kava at the conference opening n
June. Bainimarama with Pacific Islands Forum SG Dame Meg Taylor. Photos: SPREP
work with the Pacific Community (SPC) management. marine protected areas and like Solomon
to mobilise research, technical assistance “While everyone is quick to direct our at- Islands, enforcing measures against IUU
and capacity building in dealing with ocean tention to prioritise conservation above all fishing.
acidification in the region. else, which we have been doing voluntarily Not to be outdone, Pacific territories like
“What concerns us is the accuracy and over the years, and will continue to do so Tokelau also presented initiatives it is tak-
timeliness of measuring and monitoring unprompted; from our islands perspective, ing to protect the ocean and its resources
marine chemistry, a process that is technol- we also want to enjoy a greater and fairer at the New York world gathering. Head of
ogy intensive and costly. share of the benefits derived from our ocean the terrioty’s administration, Ulu o Tokelau
“Many small island developing states resources. After all, owners of other natural Aliki Faipule Siopili Perez said its working
including Vanuatu lack this type of tech- resources are doing exactly the same. to strengthen the coastlines of its three in-
nology that allows up-to-date information ‘Most are extracting the maximum habited atolls against the impacts of storm
on the changing chemistry of the ocean benefit and influence possible from such surges and rising sea levels.
surrounding us, hindering useful policy natural resources provided this is done Tokelau has already cut down reliance
direction,” said Vanuatu’s agricultural sustainably and effective management is on fossil fuel by switching to solar energy
and forestry minister, Seremaiah Matai in place,” said Samoa’s long serving Prime 100 per cent.
Nawalu. He also holds the portfolios of Minister and incoming chair of the Pacific r spareti@islandsbusiness.com
livestock, fisheries and bio-security. Islands Forum Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi. - Pareti covered the UN’s Oceans Conference
Further east, Samoa submitted a total To Samoa’s south, the Kingdom of Tonga with the support of the Samoa-based Secretariat
of 12 voluntary commitments under the submitted pledges on a marine spatial plan, of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme
UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) creating a sanctuary for whales, declar- (SPREP).
14 on ocean conservation and sustainable ing 30 per cent of its coastal waters to be

Islands Business, August 2017 13