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L'initiative internationale pour les recifs coralliens (ou International Coral Reef Initiative en anglais) a ete initiee en 1995 par les Etats Unis. Plusieurs pays s'y sont immediatement associes (Australie, France, Japon, Jamaque, Philippines, Royaume Uni et Suede). Apres une conference de lancement a Manille, ou furent proposes un plan d'action et un cadre pour Taction, plusieurs colloques regionaux ont ete organises dans le cadre desmers regionales du Programme des Nations Unies pour I'Environnement (PNUE). Un Comite de Planification et de Coordination (CPC) a ete constitue. II rassemble les pays fondateurs, des pays en voie de developpement, des organisations du systeme des Nations Unies, des organisations Internationales non gouvernementales, la banque mondiale, des banques regionales de developpement et divers autres partenaires.

The nine Pacific Island countries (PICs)1 covered in this regional strategy face similar development challenges today despite notable differences in history, culture, and endowments. The lack of economic growth in the face of growing populations has contributed to rising unemployment and hardship in the region. Even those countries that have seen positive growth in per capita income have been unable to fully translate this into adequate job creation and poverty reduction. With over 50 percent of the region's population under age 24, steady rural-to-urban migration, and the erosion of traditional systems of social support, all PICs recognize the importance of dealing with the issue of youth unemployment and its associated social problems.

The Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States remains the blueprint for small island developing States and the international community to address national and regional sustainable development in small island developing States that takes into account the economic, social and environmental aspects that are the pillars of the holistic and integrated approach to sustainable development. The Programme of Action sets out basic principles as well as specific actions that are required at the national, regional and international levels to support sustainable development in small island developing States. Along with the Barbados Programme of Action, the Rio Principles, the full implementation of Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and the outcomes of other relevant major United Nations conferences and summits, including the Monterrey Consensus, all contribute to the sustainable development of small island developing States.

The objective of the UNFCCC is to stabilise the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at levels that prevent dangerous interference with the world's climate. This should be done within a time frame that will allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.

The Pacific Strategy for the New Millennium1 of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) focuses on the core objectives of (i) continuing support for economic growth, good governance, and public sector reform; (ii) promoting private sector development as the engine for growth; and (iii) supporting sustainable environmental management and equitable social development. A new regional strategy is being prepared for ADB operations in the Pacific, which will focus on the priority needs of the poor, as defined by an extensive program of qualitative and quantitative poverty assessment, based on listening to the voices of those in hardship or poverty. The new strategy will focus on improving access to basic services and creating employment opportunities. As the Government is beginning preparation of its Strategic Development Plan 8 (SDP8) for 2005-2007, it is timely to review ADB’s strategy and program for Tonga.

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.

As signatories to the three Rio Conventions - the CBD, UNFCCC and UNCCD - it is important to understand what our obligations under these conventions are and to work towards fulfilling them. This chapter simplifies some of those important provisions and obligations in the context of their relevance to the Cook Islands and summarises some of the other Conventions that may be relevant. The NCSA process should help to identify what capacity constraints and gaps exist in terms of the Cook Islands meeting its global obligations as well as fulfilling its national priorities. Annex 11 highlights the Cook Islands status regarding key international and regional environmental Conventions and related protocols.

Vanuatu's economy is based on the beneficial use of environmental resources for subsistence and commercial purposes. Tourism, subsistence and commercial agriculture, forestry and subsistence and commercial fisheries are all important sectors of economic activity. The potential for adverse impacts from the spread of living organisms beyond their natural range is well known. A wide range of plant and animal species have potential to reduce biological diversity of the environment; to affect environmental processes; to reduce the productivity of marine, forest and agricultural eco -systems; to provide vectors for disease; or make human habitats uncomfortable.

Biosafety issues are becoming very contentious today given the uncertainty of the impact of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on the environment, biodiversity and the people. There are those that view GMOs as an answer to alleviating world hunger and mitigating global health problems through the introduction of new and technologically advanced GMO for food, feed, food processing and pharmaceuticals. Then there is the other group that argue that GMOs pose a risk to the environment, biological diversity and the safety and health of the people.