SPC Geoscience Division

Home Programme Overview

GeoScience for Development Programme

Tuesday, 30 March 2010 10:47 administrator
E-mail Print PDF

 

The GeoScience for Development Programme (G4D) provides vital applied ocean, island and coastal geoscience services to SPC member countries. These technical services are strategically deployed in response to member requests for assistance in the development, management and monitoring of natural resources and unique island environmental systems and processes.

We help members to better:

  • Govern and develop their natural resources;

  • Increase their resilience to natural hazards;

  • Access data-based approaches to adaptation.

Services

G4D is unique in the region. We maintain and deliver specialist skills, tools and services through flexible, integrated approaches designed to meet the needs of pacific island communities and environments. G4D is committed to bringing these services to members in an effective and timely manner. We continually strive to build "hands-on" capacity in the countries where we work, in all sectors of ocean and island applied geosciences.

Some of these services include:

  • Ocean and coastal resource characterisation, resource use solutions, monitoring and development;

  • Provision of science-based ocean and coastal policy and governance support and advice;

  • Provision of strategic communication and advocacy for coastal and ocean resource policy;

  • Strategic alliances with regional and international parters in technical, research and development assistance;

  • Capacity building via specific initiatives or through "hands-on" joint implementation of works;

  • Science-based vulnerability assessments particularly in shoreline and coastal zones;

  • Science-based adaptation responses;

  • Continued secure investment in instrumentation, tools and support services as the only regional technological facility in geoscience.

Critical Issues

In addition to the above, the following five critical issues are embedded throughout the G4D's work program:

  1. Coastal development, Urbanisation and Vulnerability
  2. Maritime Boundaries
  3. Climate Change and Adaptation
  4. Natural Resource Development
  5. Information Management and Analysis

The strong applied geoscience capacity of G4D also provides support for scientific and research interaction with other regional and international technical entities. We maintain a number of unique research and development partnerships, acting as a conduit for improved understanding of pacific island research needs to development partners and the international arena. G4D will continue to create, maintain and disseminate geoscience knowledge to provide technical advice to pacific island governments and to support policy development and decision making.

Last Updated on Thursday, 19 March 2015 12:13  

Newsflash

The Global Handwashing Day is being celebrated around the globe on October 15. Simply washing hands with soap breaks the transmission route of infectious diseases, which is crucial in saving lives. Washing hands with soap at critical times can reduce diarrhoeal incidence by 47%. Diarrhoea occupies a leading position among diseases as a cause of death and illness, especially in children.

In the Pacific region, around 3000 children under the age of 5 years die from diarrhoea annually. Globally, hand washing could save around 1 million lives, more than any single vaccine or medical intervention.

Hand washing with soap at critical times is a simple and cost-effective measure to improve health and will significantly reduce the two leading causes of childhood mortality worldwide – diarrhoeal disease and acute respiratory infection.