<< More about the Ocean and Islands Programme

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• Past Interventions
• Current Issues for Niue.
• Programme Response

The physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the ocean and island ecosystems of Niue create both opportunities and constraints to its development. The recognition of these ecosystems as components of the Earth system - a dynamic, complex blend of environmental, economic and social factors interacting in a myriad of ways - is absolutely fundamental to the understanding of sustainable development.

The overall goal of the Ocean and Islands Programme, to improve scientific knowledge of ocean and island ecosystems for the sustainable management of natural resources, demonstrates a clear role in ecosystem management, with interventions focused on mapping and monitoring the physical and chemical attributes of ecosystems, and providing resource use solutions and assessments to its Island States membership. The Ocean and Islands Programme also provides assistance and support towards the development of sound policies and regulations, and meeting obligations under various treaties and agreements.

Outputs under the ‘resource use solutions’ and ‘monitoring the physical and chemical change in ecosystems’ components of the Programme can address many of Niue’s issues that relate to sustainable development. These issues will need to be considered by the Niue Government when they develop their National Sustainable Development Strategy and related plan of action.

Past Interventions

A preliminary study in 1996 of the coastal geology, nearshore processes, coastal engineering concerns, storm surges and other natural hazards, as well as related management issues was carried out on Niue. A detailed digital map of its coastal morphology and shore types, for use in planning, was also completed (Forbes, 1996). The report’s recommendations address:

• Geological and engineering issues such as limited coastal sediment resources, reef blasting, modification and development of harbour facilities, oil storage facilities, land-based pollution and the development of breakwaters and engineered coastal defences.
• Coastal management and zoning issues such as the impacts of natural hazards [for example from tropical storms, cyclones and tsunamis], coastal degradation and erosion and the impacts of new infrastructural development initiatives.
• Research and survey requirements such as swath mapping and geophysical surveys for natural hazard assessments, as well as living and non-living marine resources identification and assessment, and the development of a geographical information system as a robust planning and decision-making tool.

In 1999, a policy on mining exploration, mining and quarrying development for aggregate both on-land and offshore was also developed for Niue (McLeod, 1999), to ensure fiscal transparency, competitiveness, environmental and cultural protection, and sustainable mineral development. This initiative was prompted by past mineral exploration activities that suggest possible mineralisation within the basalts that occur beneath Niue’s carbonate sedimentary rock sequence, as well as the potential occurrence of manganese nodules within Niue’s EEZ.

Current Issues for Niue.

The following environmental, economic and social issues and concerns that can be addressed under the Ocean and Islands Programme, either wholly or in part, have been cited in various assessment reports of Niue:

• Lack of policies and legislation for the utilisation and conservation of natural resources.
• Fragmented approach to environmental management.
• Lack of community understanding of sustainable management of inshore and in-zone marine resources.
• Limited availability of baseline data [for example, the lack of data and knowledge of inshore resources and the resources of at least seven [identified] seamounts occurring within its exclusive economic zone, as well as the Antiope and Beveridge Reefs].
• Environmental impact of reef blasting and the siltation of reefs.
• Impacts of increasingly frequent and severe tropical storms from coastal inundation, wave run-up and tidal surges.
• Declining coastal water quality from land-based activities.
• Land degradation and coastal erosion.
• Limited coastal sand resources.
• Shipping access and wharf integrity at Alofi and the need for improved facilities for small boat handling.
• Lack of capacity both in terms of appropriate technologies and human resource skills.

Programme Response

The following interventions, which are currently programmed under Ocean and Islands, either address the current issues that have been identified in various assessment reports or contribute toward Niue’s overall goal of achieving sustainable development.

• An eighteen-year-old SOPAC-JAPAN Cooperative Deep-sea Minerals Programme, in its second phase [three years long] of stage two includes Niue as a beneficiary State for preliminary mapping and sampling within its Exclusive Economic Zone. A marine scientific survey has been planned for late 2003 to assess the potential for deep-sea mineral resources, with capacity building through participation during the cruise and in processing and analysing data immediately following the cruise . This is the first significant marine scientific research cruise to be conducted within Niue’s EEZ and the results of this will determine whether there will be further initiatives.
• The Certificate of Earth Science and Marine Geology [CESMG] seeks to build the capacity of island member nationals in the areas of applied geoscience and forms the basis, for some, to pursue higher education in degree courses in geoscience. The current cycle enjoys the attendance of Suzie Mautama, Niue’s first national to enrol in the course.
• SOPAC.s monitoring of the physical and chemical change in ecosystems of island member countries embraces the philosophy of Global Ocean Observing Systems [GOOS], which advocates public access to long-term oceanographic data and information. The recently established regional alliance of GOOS, the Pacific Islands. Global Ocean Observing System [PI-GOOS] , seeks to ensure that relevant applications for ocean observations and resulting products from global, regional and national long-term observing systems are developed and made available to Pacific Island end-users in order that they can make better decisions for sustainable development.
• The South Pacific Sea Level and Climate Monitoring Project provides tide gauge and other data, and related products, collected over the past fifteen years. SOPAC provides an important maintenance and operations role for project equipment installations in recipient Island States such as Niue.
• SOPAC also offers assistance in the area of Ocean Governance, by offering professional development programmes for strengthening legal and negotiation skills of advocates for maritime boundary delimitation , the implementation of Part XIII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [UNCLOS] through the provision of technical skills and policy advice and the coordination of issues related to the law of the sea in their member country regions .