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Cook Islands Statement at the Whales in a Changing Ocean Conference, Vava'u, Tonga

Increasing recognition of the changes in the natural environment as a result of human interference has lead to the international community agreeing on a number of multi-lateral environmental agreements (MEAs). At the 1992 Earth Summit, world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for "sustainable development" – meeting our needs while ensuring that we leave a healthy and viable world for future generations. Three key agreements from the Summit are the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. These three are known as the Rio Conventions.

Increasing recognition of anthropogenic changes in the natural environment as a result of human interference has lead to the international community agreeing on a number of multilateral environmental agreements. At the 1992 Earth Summit, world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for "sustainable development" - meeting our needs while ensuring that we leave a healthy and viable world for future generations. Three key agreements from the Summit are the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. These three are known as the Rio Conventions.

National Waste Policy : Defines waste and sets out the general principles which guide how waste issues are dealt with in the Cook Islands

The mandate for developing the National Environment Strategic Action Framework 2005-2009 was given by the Environment Act 2003. The framework provides guidance and direction for achieving sustainable social and economic progress for the Cook Islands by utilising our natural resources and environment wisely. It aims to sustain efforts generated from growing environmental awareness to protect, conserve and manage our environment and natural resources.

This review of environmental law is part of the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) National Environmental Management Strategy (NEMS) project to strengthen environmental management capabilities in Pacific developing countries. The NEMS project currently encompasses seven Pacific countries, including Kiribati. One component of the NEMS regional programme is to provide an inventory and an assessment of environmental laws and provisions which exist within a country's legal system to enable governments to assess the adequacy of "environmental" legislation and to set the pace for appropriate reforms. This review follows a similar format to those undertaken in other Pacific countries under both the NEMS project and the SPREP Regional Environment Technical Assistance (RETA) Programme.