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The purpose of this report to provide an account of activities undertaken by the Associate Turtle Database Officer over the six-year contract period (1st March 2004 – 1st March 2010) at SPREP as well as provide handover information for the in coming Associate Turtle Database Officer.

The Secretariat of the CBD (SCBD) was established to support the goals of the Convention. Its principle functions are to prepare and service meetings of the Conferences of the Parties (COP) and other subsidiary bodies of the Convention, support Parties as appropriate, and coordinate with other relevant international bodies. The SCBD established the Biodiversity for Development Unit in 2008 with the support of the French and German governments. The goal of the Unit is to promote the integration of biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation objectives in both conservation planning (e.g. National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans) and development planning (e.g. Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers or Sustainable Development Strategies).

In this 2010 State of the Birds report, we consider one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time, climate change. How will the impacts of climate change influence our bird populations and their habitats? Accelerated climate change as a result of human activities is altering the natural world as we know it, diminishing the quality of our environment. This report calls attention to the collective efforts needed to protect nature’s resources for the benefit of people and wildlife.

Climate change is the defining challenge of our time. It will affect the poor and vulnerable first and foremost. The world’s response to climate change today will bear directly on the development prospects of a large part of the world’s population, particularly those who contributed least to the cause of climate change. Integrating climate change considerations in national and sectoral decision-making processes and in development assistance programmes is critical to meeting this challenge. Mainstreaming climate change, by integrating the risks and opportunities it poses, can help ensure that our efforts today continue to advance development even in the face of climate change.

The Access and Benefit-Sharing Regional Consultation for the Pacific regional countries was organized from 15 to 16 February 2010 in Auckland with the financial support of UNEP, through the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP), in close collaboration with the CBD Secretariat, and in consultation with the Co-Chairs of WG-ABS.

Pacific island countries and territories are disappointed by the outcomes of the Climate Change Conference of December 2009 in Copenhagen. The clear, legally binding deal on greenhouse gas emissions Pacific Island countries called for was not secured. On the positive side, the conference highlighted the global concern about climate change and acceptance of the science of climate change, and there should be increasing funding to help island states respond. However, there will still be a need to continue to press for a global deal and stronger and clearer commitments to reduce emissions and support adaptation in our vulnerable island states.

Reducing the climate change vulnerability of coastal communities in Samoa.

Climate change variability has emerged as a significant, overarching and very real threat to tropical marine ecosystems globally. Its potential to cause extensive mortality to coral reef ecosystems and impact the communities who depend on them for a range of vital services (including food and income) is now little disputed. While this global phenomenon is largely beyond the control of local marine and coastal resource managers, meaningful action can be taken to respond to inevitable local impacts.

In November 2007 and November 2008, we conducted a bird and mammal survey on Wallis and Futuna. We found two non-native bird species on Wallis: the Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) and the Chestnut-breasted Munia (Lonchura castaneothorax), and one on Futuna: the Jungle Myna (Acridotheres fuscus). We also recorded Black Rats (Rattus rattus) on Futuna, a recent introduction to this island. The introduction of 3 bird species and Black Rats in the last decade denotes a lack of preventive measures and demonstrates that the issue of invasive species has not received sufficient priority