SPC Geoscience Division

"What are your plans to assist yourself, your family, friends, community and country address the climate change challenge?”, Dr Russell Howorth, Director of SPC Applied Geoscience and Technology Division (SOPAC), issued the challenge to the more than 40 international youth delegates from the 23rd Ship of World Youth Programme who attended a special presentation by SOPAC scientists on their work within the region on climate change.

The presentation was held at SOPAC headquarters in Suva. Dr. Howorth said that climate change has gained pre-eminence in the debate on development at all levels, national, regional and global. “The ocean is often referred to as the engine room of the global climate,” said Dr Howorth. "It occupies nearly three quarters (75%) of the earth’s surface and stores most of the incoming energy from the Sun. Not only is the Pacific Ocean the largest physical feature on Earth, here in the SOPAC region over 95% of the environment is the Pacific Ocean."

The Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) message has gone mobile in Fiji with the launch of a bus with the message ‘Water is Everybody’s Business’ running down the length of one side.

The 10 by 2 metre image depicts activities being carried out by a Global Environment Facility (GEF) sponsored IWRM demonstration project in the Nadi Basin and aims to raise awareness of the need for an integrated approach to improve water management and reduce risks from flooding.

Vinesh Kumar, Demonstration Project Manager, said that the bus launch was the start of a wider awareness campaign on how people from different sectors and backgrounds need to work together to improve water management and reduce the risks from flooding.

“Water doesn’t belong to one person or one sector. As it flows from mountain ridges to the reef it affects and is affected by many stakeholders,” Mr Kumar said. “Whether they are foresters cutting trees high in the catchment, farmers using water for agriculture, or communities and the tourism industry using water for drinking and recreation, everybody needs to play a part in improving the way we manage our water.”