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This proposal has been prepared by the Ocean and Islands Programme (OIP) within the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) in collaboration with the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA). It has been prepared in response to an invitation1 from the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to assist the Cook Islands in deriving coastal related information to underpin and inform climate change adaptation decisions for coastal areas of Mangaia Island.

The Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) is currently executing the project Reducing Vulnerability in Pacific ACP States with funding from the European Development Fund (EDF). The project has the objective to reduce Pacific ACP States' vulnerability to natural disasters affecting their coasts through the development of an integrated planning and management system which targets: hazard mitigation and risk assessment; alternative sources of aggregates for construction; and water resources and sanitation. Major activities undertaken through this project with participating countries are: -assessment of aggregate resource supplies to mitigate the impact of unsustainable aggregate mining from the coastline; -development of bathymetric maps, 3D bathymetric and hydrodynamic models spatial databases relating to resource use, exploration and survey, and vulnerability to disasters; and -investigating and raising awareness about coastal processes.

The present report, prepared by the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), is in response to a request from the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) to develop a proposal for a programme of assistance to under-take an in-depth study of the potential impact of expected climate changes on the FSM The possible climate changes include sea level rise and increases in temperature and extreme events, such as tropical cyclones, storm surges, flooding and drought. The climate change impacts are considered for both the natural environment and the socio-economic systems in the FSM.

This existing Committee, which consists of permanent secretaries of government departments, could have its functions broadened to include a specific responsibility for establishing and implementing environmental management policies. The Committee should incorporate in its decisions related to development projects and other activities, environmental considerations using, amongst other information, the results of environmental assessments and recommendations provided by the Environmental Assessment Group.