SPC Geoscience Division

Kia Orana and Salutations:

Delegates representing Members of the SPC
Director General of the SPC, Dr Jimmie Rodgers
Director of the SOPAC Division, Dr Russell Howorth
Members of the STAR scientific and technical network
Representatives of partner and donor organisations
SPC Staff
Friends

I must say from the outset that Noumea occupies a special place in my heart and it’s a great pleasure to return to be among friends from around the region, and to be a guest of Director General Dr. Jimmie Rodgers.  

The only down-side is that this visit has to be a very brief one as I must return home to Parliamentary duties.  But it’s great to be back and to be included in this week’s organised gatherings of esteemed representatives from around the Pacific and beyond.

Following the STAR Network Meeting address yesterday, my pleasure doubles this morning in providing a few welcome remarks and a short Outgoing Chair's Address for this opening plenary session of the Second Meeting of the SPC Applied Geoscience and Technology Division – more commonly referred to – as SOPAC.

It is pleasing to welcome delegates representing most of the SPC Members here today. I also extend a welcome to all those delegates representing partners and donors that provide the support, including financial resources for the Division to carry out its extensive work programme.  In particular, I recognise the Chair of STAR, Professor John Collen and his colleagues from the Science, Technology and Resources (STAR) Network.  

Thank you for the privilege of addressing the STAR Meeting last evening.  I’ve noted that some 40 scientific and technical papers were presented over the course of the 2-day meeting.  

Likewise Professor Gary Greene, Chair of the Programme Monitoring and Evaluation Group (PMEG), who are drawn from the STAR Network to provide for Members the invaluable independent annual ongoing overview of the Division and its work.

I am aware you have been carrying out your monitoring and evaluation over the past week with staff at the Division Offices in Suva and here in Noumea amongst the Members.  On behalf of the Members, I extend to your team our sincere appreciation.    

Deep Sea Minerals – At the 2009 Pacific Island Forum meeting, Leaders agreed a number of key priority areas for progressing the Pacific Plan including: “the development of a regional framework for deep sea minerals that shall be used by Pacific ACP States to formulate national legal instruments for the governance and administration of marine mineral resources”. Under Key Result Area 1 of the SPC-EU EDF10 Deep Sea Minerals (DSM) Project, a Regional Legislative and Regulatory Framework (RLRF) for Deep Sea Minerals Exploration and Exploitation has been developed to ensure (i) environmental protection, (ii) countries are prepared to meaningfully engage in this new industry, and (iii) long term sustainable benefits for the Pacific Islands Region.

The inaugural DSM Project regional workshop that was held in Nadi Fiji in June 2011 was an opportunity to bring together deep sea mineral experts around the world, representatives of Pacific ACP States as well as private sector and civil society to discuss various deep sea mineral issues and collectively identify priority areas and agree on a concerted way forward for the region.

Following the inaugural workshop, a Terms of Reference (ToR) for the development of the RLRF was prepared but it was not until the completion of the November 2011 International Workshop focusing on the environmental management needs for deep sea mineral activities that was organised by the International Seabed Authority (‘ISA’) in collaboration with the SPC through the DSM Project and the Government of Fiji that the RLRF was subsequently drafted.