Niue national stocktake report : National capacity self assessment project for global environmental management

Abstract

The biggest challenge to capacity building in Niue is its small population coupled with the high turnover of the limited number of technical officers in the public service. Line agencies such as Department of Environment, Department of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries and others rely on one or two individuals to carry out their environmental responsibilities and although an Environment Council is stipulated under the Environment Bill to help coordinate the environmental activities of relevant agencies, such Council has not been established. There has been a number of capacity building related initiatives in Niue in the past ten years. Most of these initiatives were carried out as components of specific donor-funded projects and programmes, and as can be expected, capacity development emphasis was often placed on capacity and skills required to achieve specific project outputs and outcomes. The NCSA stocktake was carried out on 17 to 24 January 2006 after it was deferred several times for various reasons. The stocktake is the first of several activities to be carried out over the next 18 months to implement the Niue NCSA. The Department of Environment is the lead agency although it is expected that project implementation will involve a number of key agencies of government and other groups.