SPC Geoscience Division

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SPC GEOSCIENCE PROGRAMMES

The Geoscience Division’s work focuses on providing assistance to Members in three technical programme areas: Geoscience for Development (formerly Ocean and Islands), Water and Sanitation and Disaster Reduction.

  • Geoscience for Development provides applied ocean, island and coastal geoscience services to support countries to govern and develop their natural resources, increase their resilience to hazards and facilitates data-based approaches to adaption. These vital technical services will be strategically deployed in response to specific Member requests to assist in the development, management and monitoring of natural resources and unique island environmental systems and processes.
  • Water and Sanitation Programme provides technical support to Members through capacity building, awareness and advocacy related to the management of water resources and the provision of water supply and sanitation services.
  • Disaster Reduction Programme provides Members with technical and policy advice and support to strengthen disaster risk management practices. The programme carries out this responsibility in coordination and collaboration with other technical programme areas within the Division and also with a range of regional and international development partners and donors.

Technical Support Services that cross cut the work of the three technical work programmes of the Geoscience Division are: natural resource economics; GIS and remote sensing; technical equipment and services; data management; and publications and library.

Corporate Services Support to the technical work programmes and technical support services of the Division are through ensuring effective policies and practices are in place for the orderly and efficient delivery of work. Corporate Services Support consists of finance, administration and IT support facilities, all of which would progressively integrate within the SPC beginning 1 January 2011.


 

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With interest in the region for seabed mineral exploration intensifying, Dr. Russell Howorth, Director SPC/SOPAC Division has sounded a cautionary note during his opening remarks at the International Workshop on Environmental Management Needs for Exploration and Exploitation of Deep Seabed Minerals now taking place in Nadi from November 29 through December 2.  

He noted that this interest was not only within the sovereign 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Pacific Island countries, but also within international waters.

The workshop is being jointly organised by SOPAC, a division of SPC and the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to focus attention on seabed mineral exploration and to establish environmental needs in developing deep-sea mining strategies.

ISA has been mandated with signatories of 162 countries to manage the mineral resources of the international seabed beyond areas under national jurisdiction.

The importance of the workshop was highlighted with the presence of Mr. Nii Allotey Odunton, Secretary General of the International Seabed Authority who was accorded Fijian welcome ceremonies at the beginning of the proceedings.