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Tuvalu’s crippling drought offers important lessons to the Pacific

Thursday, 06 October 2011 09:31 administrator
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As Tuvalu enters its second week of a drought induced national emergency, important lessons are emerging on the nature of climate change impacts in the Pacific and how island communities can best prepare their climate defences.

Tuvalu relies almost exclusively on captured rainfall for its drinking water, supplemented by a limited desalinated supply. Without immediate rain, government and community storages on the main island of Funafuti could be depleted in less than two weeks.

Noa Tokavou, disaster management adviser with Secretariat of the Pacific Communities’ (SPC) Applied Geoscience and Technology Division (SOPAC), has just returned from Tuvalu’s parched capital, where he was assisting Government to plan for future disasters and climate change.

Last Updated on Thursday, 06 October 2011 11:25 Read more...
 

Snapshots 71 - September 2011

Tuesday, 04 October 2011 17:38 administrator
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From The Manager's Desk

It’s hard to believe that we’ve already turned the corner on the midpoint of 2011 and will shortly be participating in the first annual meeting of the SOPAC Division – the newest within the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

We will have some interesting feedback for you following that meeting but that is for next month’s edition.

This month we provide you with coverage on community level DRM training in Lau and Kadavu, Fiji, Pacific Disaster Net training in Samoa, support to Pitcairn Islands and initiatives.

There is an article on aviation safety training that SOPAC/SPC supported in collaboration with the Association of South Pacific Airlines. This particular initiative has been on the cards since 2005 and we’re pleased to be able to finally bring it to fruition.

I hope you enjoy this edition of Snapshots.

Mosese Sikivou
Deputy Director, Disaster Risk Programme

Read Full Issue Online | Download Full Issue

Last Updated on Tuesday, 04 October 2011 17:54
 

SOPAC Division Wins Best Poster Award at the WaterMicro 2011 Symposium

Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:01 administrator
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The 16th International Health Related Water Microbiology (WaterMicro) symposium was held in Rotorua, New Zealand, from 19 to 23 September 2011 – the first in the Pacific region.

Topics of discussion included the following: water pollution and diseases; microbial source tracking; catchment protection; water and sanitation in developing countries; diffuse pollution; recreational water and health; epidemiology of waterborne diseases; and microbial risk assessment.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:07 Read more...
 

Tuvalu Shores Up Its Climate Defence With Action On Water

Monday, 26 September 2011 15:19 administrator
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Leaders and representatives of communities and stakeholder groups have gathered in Funafuti to direct Tuvalu’s policy response to a range of increasingly serious water and sanitation issues.  

Close to 100 people assembled for two days at the Nanutasi Fou Falekaupule on Funafuti atoll to participate in a lively but constructive debate on how to best secure Tuvalu’s water future.

In opening Tuvalu’s first Sustainable Water Forum, Minister for Public Utilities Mr Kausea Natano stressed the critical importance of water to the atoll country.

Last Updated on Monday, 26 September 2011 15:29 Read more...
 

SPC and Pitcairn Islands Join Hands To Secure Reliable Water Supplies for Pitcairn Islanders

Saturday, 24 September 2011 10:02 administrator
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Pitcairn Islanders are experiencing longer, more severe periods of drought, as illustrated below. The effects can be devastating on many fronts, from crop production to drinking water consumption or fighting fires. Highly dependent on local water resources, the 48-strong population is fighting back, with the support of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).

The objectives of this partnership are three-fold: (1) closely monitor the climate, the weather and water resources on the island; (2) utilise this knowledge to bolster the island’s water catchment, storage, treatment and distribution capacity; and (3) enhance the island’s water and meteorology governance arrangements.

Last Updated on Saturday, 24 September 2011 10:17 Read more...
 
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Page 45 of 74

Newsflash

Friday 11 July 2014, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) headquarters, Noumea, New Caledonia – The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing team has received two awards from the world’s leading supplier of satellite imagery, DigitalGlobe Inc., based in Colorado, USA.

They received a Partner Excellence Award 2014 for increased sales volume and meeting business growth expectations. SPC is the only authorised reseller of DigitalGlobe products in the Pacific Island region.

SPC members currently receive the highest-resolution satellite image data commercially available at some of the lowest prices on the planet.

Speaking at the awards ceremony held at SPC’s Suva Regional Office on Thursday 10 July, 2014 Wolf Forstreuter, GIS and Remote Sensing Specialist, explained emerging fields in the application of satellite imagery data.

‘Emily Artack, our Maritime Boundaries Technical Officer, used satellite image data for determination of maritime boundaries between Kiribati and Marshall Islands. This is a new application for satellite image data. And it is the first time that the International Seabed Authority has recognised satellite imagery as a legal tool to determine boundaries.’