Pacific Environment and Climate Change Outlook

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Issue Date: 4 December 2012

Island communities in the Pacific Ocean are facing unprecedented challenges to their economies and environment from the impacts of climate change, according to the report. Sea level rise, tropical cyclones, floods and drought, combined with pressures from unsustainable fishing practices and coastal development, and consumption and production trends, are rendering the livelihoods of some 10 million people increasingly vulnerable. Low-lying islands in particular could face projected losses of up to 18 per cent of GDP due to climate change. The report recommends actions to enforce legislation, improve the availability of environmental data, and strengthen environmental institutions to help meet the major climate change challenges facing the Pacific region. The study highlights successful efforts to create community-managed conservation areas, such as marine parks, which have used indigenous knowledge to improve recycling, energy efficiency and sustainable water use. Such techniques can be scaled up, and serve as a model for other regions, says the report. 

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