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Rodents remain one of the most widespread and damaging invasive alien species on islands globally. The current toolbox for insular rodent eradications is reliant on the application of sufficient anticoagulant toxicant into every potential rodent territory across an island. Despite significant advances in the use of these toxicants over recent decades, numerous situations remain where eradication is challenging or not yet feasible. These include islands with significant human populations, unreceptive stakeholder communities, co-occurrence of livestock and domestic animals, or vulnerability of native species. Developments in diverse branches of science, particularly the medical, pharmaceutical, invertebrate pest control, social science, technology and defense fields offer potential insights into the next generation of tools to eradicate rodents from islands. Horizon scanning is a structured process whereby current problems are assessed against potential future solutions. We undertook such an exercise to identify the most promising technologies, techniques and approaches that might be applied to rodent eradications from islands. We highlight a Rattus-specific toxicant, RNA interference as species-specific toxicants, rodenticide research, crab deterrent in baits, prophylactic treatment for protection of non-target species, transgenic rodents, virus vectored immunocontraception, drones, self-resetting traps and toxicant applicators, detection probability models and improved stakeholder community engagement methods. We present a brief description of each method, and discuss its application to rodent eradication on islands, knowledge gaps, challenges, whether it is incremental or transformative in nature and provide a potential timeline for availability. We outline how a combination of new tools may render previously intractable rodent eradication problems feasible.

Rodent eradications undertaken on tropical islands are more likely to fail than eradications undertaken at higher latitudes. We report on 12 independent rodent eradication projects undertaken on tropical islands that utilized the results of an in situ bait availability study prior to eradication to inform, a priori, the bait application rate selected for the eradication. These projects also monitored bait availability during the eradication. The results from our analysis verified the utility of bait availability studies to future rodent eradication campaigns and confirmed the influence of two environmental factors that can affect bait availability over time: precipitation prior to the study and the abundance of land crabs at the study site. Our findings should encourage eradication teams to conduct in-depth assessments of the targeted island prior to project implementation. However, we acknowledge the limitations of such studies (two of the projects we reviewed failed and one removed only one of two rodent species present) and provide guidance on how to interpret the results from a bait availability study in planning an eradication. Study design was inconsistent among the twelve cases we reviewed which limited our analysis. We recommend a more standardized approach for measuring bait availability prior to eradication to provide more robust predictions of the rate at which bait availability will decrease during the eradication and to facilitate future comparisons among projects and islands.

A regional workshop was organized in Suva, Fiji, aimed at bolstering environmental journalism among media professionals from nine Pacific Island nations. Hosted by prominent environmental organizations, including the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the event aimed to strengthen reporters’ ability to cover complex environmental issues, with an initial focus on climate change The Pacific is acutely vulnerable to environmental threats such as intensifying cyclones, sea-level rise, and coastal flooding, yet regional media remain under-equipped to report these dangers effectively. Better-informed journalism is seen as essential to influence policy, raise community awareness, and support climate adaptation strategies . The curriculum encompassed: Simplifying scientific and technical environmental information for broader audiences, Investigating and sourcing credible data, Crafting impactful narratives for print, radio, digital, and broadcast formats, Networking with climate and environmental experts to deepen reporting quality . Outcomes & Goals Journalists left the training inspired and better prepared, equipped with tools to translate complex climate issues into compelling public stories. The workshop aimed to foster a durable network of informed environmental correspondents across the Pacific, strengthening regional media collaboration and coverage.

1. Overview & Concerns A regional report titled “Poisoned Paradise” examines the environmental consequences of pesticide use across South Pacific islands, highlighting the ecological risks of toxic chemicals in agriculture and disease control . 2. Tonga – Tongan Megapode (“Malau”) The report raises concerns about pesticide exposure in Tonga’s fragile ecosystems, including impacts on unique species like the endangered Tongan megapode (Megapodius pritchardii). While direct studies are limited, ongoing threats include habitat degradation and potential chemical contamination in breeding grounds—often geothermal nests on volcanic soils. 3. Rarotonga – Indigenous Fly Species In Rarotonga (Cook Islands), pesticide usage to control agricultural pests and disease vectors (e.g., fruit flies, mosquitoes) threatens endemic insect populations, disrupting local food webs and ecological balance. Residues may accumulate in soils, water, and non-target wildlife—posing risks to biodiversity and human communities. 4. Broader Regional Themes The report indicates South Pacific nations increasingly rely on pesticides without sufficient regulation, labelling, monitoring, or disposal systems, leading to misuse and environmental contamination Over half of these countries report negative impacts from toxic chemicals in agriculture and public health initiatives, raising the need for stronger governance on chemical management. 5. Recommendations & Path Forward Strengthen regulatory frameworks: Licensing, proper labelling, safe use protocols. Build local capacity: Training for farmers, pest control operatives, and environmental officers. Promote integrated pest management and safer alternatives like biological controls. Enhance monitoring and waste disposal infrastructure to prevent environmental build-up. Foster regional cooperation to share research, best practices, and regulatory support.

PNG government has released its new forestry guidelines, with and intention to reform the forestry industry operating in the country. This process began with the bar netting quarry in the late 80s portrayed part of the industry as out of control. In 1991 a new forestry act began changing the way timber were being harvested. The computing courses allow weather offices to analyse and advice on the weather of their own countries.

One of the most important outcome earth summit on environmental development held in Brazil, was an agreement to establish the United Nations commission on sustainable development. This commission has been entrusted the task of ensuring the follow up to the unsaid conference. The biological project is considered as a compost site. with organic waste to be used as fertilizers in the Federated States of Micronesia. Kiribati developing NEMS, to define the major of environmental issues faced by the countries and provide solution to face these issues.

Two significant meetings concerning the management and conservation of fish stocks in the South Pacific were recently held at the United Nations in New York. The discussions focused on implementing sustainable fishing practices, upholding international agreements like the UN Fish Stocks Agreement, and reinforcing cooperation among Pacific Island nations. The outcomes are expected to influence future policies and strengthen the region's capacity to protect its marine resources.

"Bat species in PNG called the Bismak flying fox, amazing thing about this bat is the male bat produces memory gland and breastmilk" provides an intriguing insight into the reproductive biology of the Bismarck flying fox (Pteropus capistratus). This species is notable for the rare occurrence of male lactation, where male bats produce milk—a phenomenon observed in only a few mammal species. The article also touches upon environmental issues in the Pacific region, including debates over logging in the Solomon Islands and the impact of tourism in Bora Bora.

PNG Logging Reforms: At the Australian Forest and Timber Conference in Sydney, Papua New Guinea’s Forest Minister, Tim Neville, outlined a plan to phase out raw log exports by the year 2000 and shift toward domestic timber processing. He warned that current harvest levels exceeded the forests' regeneration capacity, fueling illegal practices and unsustainable growth. Basel Convention Outcome: During its latest meeting in Basel, the international Basel Convention issued a landmark ban on hazardous and toxic waste shipments from developed to developing nations—a victory lauded by Greenpeace as a major step for environmental justice. Context & Implications: Neville emphasized that unchecked logging had reached scam-like proportions, and stressed forests’ vital importance to PNG communities . Separately, the Basel decision clamps down on the transfer of environmentally harmful waste—a policy shift that supports cleaner waste management in countries like PNG.

Southern Whale Sanctuary Declaration - Covers the recent global approval of a southern whale sanctuary—anchored in Mexico—and the momentum among Pacific nations to support whale conservation. Tuvalu’s Population Growth Strategy - Focuses on Tuvalu’s rising population and the potential environmental and public-health challenges it poses. The country’s response includes drafting a comprehensive national population-growth management strategy. Solomon Islands Logging Tax - Reports on the Solomon Islands government's introduction of a new tax targeting log exports that exceed sustainable yield. The measure is designed to give the government legal leverage to curb overharvesting and protect forests.