South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)The South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is a regional organization established by the governments and administrations of the Pacific region to look after its environment. This is reflected in the Mission Statement of SPREP that calls on the organization, "to promote co-operation in the South Pacific region and to provide assistance in order to protect and improve its environment and to ensure sustainable development for present and future generations." SPREP's members total 25, consisting of all 21 Pacific island countries and territories, and four developed countries with direct interests in the region: Australia, France, New Zealand and the United States of America. Besides being the Secretariat of the SPREP Convention (also known as the Noumea Convention), it is also the Secretariat for the Waigani Convention and the Apia Convention.
The importance of the environment to the Pacific region is exemplified by the fact that in an era where governments and administrations are seeking to consolidate, rather than to extend regional organizations, they decided to establish SPREP as a separate organization. Through this action, the Pacific island governments and administrations saw the need not only for the people of the Pacific to focus their attention on environmental considerations, but also for SPREP itself to serve as the conduit for concerted action in this area at the regional level. The establishment of SPREP also sends a clear signal to the global community of the deep commitment of the Pacific island governments and administrations towards sustainable development. Origin of SPREP Historically, SPREP was conceived out of a workshop in 1969 that focused on nature conservation. The result of the workshop led to the inclusion in 1973 of a program for the conservation of nature within the South Pacific Commission (SPC), based in Noumea, New Caledonia. That humble beginning led to the establishment of the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme in 1982. The program had a unique Coordinating Group which guided its operations, comprising representatives of the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Cooperation (now the South Pacific Forum Secretariat based in Suva, Fiji); United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP); and South Pacific Commission. In 1991, the governing body of SPREP -- the Intergovernmental Meeting -- agreed that it should become an autonomous regional organization, and in agreeing to an offer by the Government of Samoa, relocated its headquarters to Apia, Samoa in 1992. On 31 August 1995, SPREP officially became autonomous when Niue (the tenth country to do so), ratified the Agreement Establishing SPREP. Since its establishment as a separate entity in Samoa (1992), the Secretariat has continually expanded its coverage of environment issues to the extent that its staff has grown from less than ten to almost seventy. It has also had to expand its international linkages. Such expansion would not have been possible without the significant financial and other inputs from its four metropolitan donors, Australia, France, New Zealand, and the United States. What is the scope of SPREP’s work? With its inauspicious beginning in 1982 as the protégé of a joint venture between regional and international agencies, SPREP, in the last few years has seen an ever-increasing array of inputs into its activities. All its activities fall under the following umbrella categories:
SPREP’s Programmes The SPREP Secretariat takes a program-based approach for its work that incorporates project-based operations into a broad agenda with clear strategic goals that:
SPREP operates two programs, Island Ecosystems and Pacific Futures. Program 1: Island Ecosystems GOAL: Pacific islands countries and territories able to manage island resources and ocean ecosystems in a sustainable manner and that support life and livelihoods. To do this, the Islands Ecosystems Program focuses on sustainable management and conservation of the terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems of Pacific islands. It will work to conserve priority threatened species and to reduce the impact of alien, invasive species and living modified organisms. The capacities of the people of the islands to meet the challenges of sustaining the ecosystems that support them will be enhanced and supported. Program 2: Pacific Futures GOAL: Pacific island countries and territories able to plan and respond to threats and pressures on island and ocean systems. To do this, the Pacific Futures Program will support member countries and territories with sustainable development policies for improved environmental governance, which paves the way for implementation mechanisms and resources at the national and community level. The Program will improve the means to monitor and report on environmental performance and socioeconomic pressures on the environment, as well as improve the understanding and strengthen the capacity of Pacific island SPREP’s Projects Some of SPREP's current projects with input from the international community include:
The above are only some of the activities covered by SPREP. Below is a comprehensive list of projects that SPREP is currently executing:
Where to go for more information The Action Plan 2001-2004 for managing the Environment of the South Pacific Region guides all of SPREP’s activities. This document is available from the Secretariat, and outlines the vision for SPREP as " ... a community of Pacific island countries and territories with the capacity and commitment to implement program for environmental management and conservation." The new Action Plan for 2005-2008 is being drafted with input from members for adoption at the 2004 meeting. For more specific information, see the SPREP website: www.sprep.org.ws.
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countries and territories to respond to climate change, climate variability and sea level rise. Assisting and enhancing the island members’ capabilities to manage and respond to marine pollution, hazardous waste, solid waste, sewerage and other land-based sources of pollution will be essential components of the Program, as will be providing tools to improve the means to respond to pressures, emerging threats and opportunities through integrated assessment and planning.
