In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Vanuatu seeks faster access to climate funds as needs outpace delivery
2. B/VILLE — Bougainville MP challenges PNG lawmakers to ‘have some guts’ on independence vote
3. FIJI — Amnesty International demands answers over Vakarisi death in military custody
4. FIJI — Fiji Trades Union Congress pushes to scrap immunity clause in Constitution, warns it fuels future coups
5. NEW|CALE — French Senators visit New Caledonia
6. FIJI — Thousands speak out as Vuda Waste-to-Energy consultations wrap up in Fiji
7. GUAM — Governor seeks Title 32 authorisation to activate Guam National Guard for disaster recovery
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Global finance gap hits US$4 trillion: UNSG
9. PACNEWS BIZ — White line fever: coked-up fish double swim distance
10. PACNEWS DIGEST — Between Phases: Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services take stock as ENSO shifts
11. PACNEWS DIGEST — Strategic donor and partners dialogue advances coordinated climate action
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — Almost 30 percent of the ocean floor has been mapped
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — Creating proteins to fight malaria
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — PNG elections: the time to worry was then
PACIFIC – CLIMATE CHANGE: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 3: Tue 21 Apr 2026
Vanuatu seeks faster access to climate funds as needs outpace delivery
PORT VILA, 21 APRIL 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — Climate funding commitments grow but remain difficult to unlock at the pace Pacific island communities need, according to regional officials and development partners.
Despite more than US$1 billion in climate-related support now flowing into the Pacific Island region through major funds, including the Green Climate Fund (GCF), access barriers stagnate delivery on the ground, even as climate risks intensify across small island states.
“Yet the communities most exposed to climate impacts often face the highest barriers to finance, complex processes, stretched capacity and support that can be fragmented,” said Nicolette Brent, the United Kingdom’s high commissioner to Vanuatu.
The gap between available funding and actual access is emerging as a central challenge for Pacific nations, where governments plans are in place, but implementation remains constrained by systems that are difficult to navigate.
“At the national level, we have developed our country programs, listing projects that we intend to do. We have priced them,” said David Gibson, director general at Vanuatu’s Ministry of Climate Change.
Across the Pacific, countries are increasingly framing climate finance not as a question of availability but of accessibility. While multilateral funds have expanded their portfolios, local institutions often lack the administrative capacity or accreditation required to secure and manage large-scale funding.
Germany, one of the region’s key contributors, has pledged significant support, including contributions to the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) and broader global climate funds. But officials acknowledged that existing systems are not yet delivering at the scale or speed required.
German Ambassador Beate Grzeski, recognised that “more has to be done,” citing persistent challenges such as “accreditation hurdles” and “limited administrative capacities.”
Those barriers are particularly acute for small island developing states, where governments must balance immediate climate threats with complex funding requirements set by international institutions.
Data shared by the Green Climate Fund shows that all 14 Pacific small island developing states now have access to funding, with investments in the region surpassing US$1 billion in projects and readiness support.
Vanuatu alone has accessed about US$106 million in project funding, along with additional capacity-building support.
“Our needs are quite big,” Gibson said, raising concerns about whether current arrangements can meet those demands.
The issue is not only financial but structural. Accessing funds often requires detailed proposals, compliance with international standards and coordination across multiple agencies, steps that can delay implementation even when funding is approved.
Regional partners say reforms are underway to address these bottlenecks, including efforts to streamline application processes and strengthen local institutions.
“Success today means three things,” Brent said. “First, a shared understanding of the current state of funding and reform. Second, honest experience sharing on what it takes to move from application to implementation that reaches communities. Third, practical ideas for how finance processes can better align with national priorities.”
For Pacific countries, alignment with national priorities is critical. Governments are increasingly developing their own climate strategies and project pipelines, but they need funding systems that can respond directly to those plans.
At the same time, there is growing concern that global attention may be shifting away from climate issues, potentially affecting future funding flows.
“Because of the focus on security issues, more in the Middle East and many other sorts of issues that are happening at the moment, you all would recognise that the conversation is shifting away from climate change,” said Zarak Khan, regional manager for the Green Climate Fund.
He warned that without sustained political focus, climate finance could fall short of expectations in the years ahead.
“If we don’t have these political conversations, and if you’re not sending the right signals to our partners, then it’s not just the GCF, but you also have the Global Environment Facility Adaptation Fund, the Pacific Resilience Facility – all of these funds won’t have the level of resources that they are trying to secure,” Khan said.
To address both access and scale, regional initiatives are exploring new approaches, including multi-country platforms and stronger coordination between funding institutions.
One proposal under discussion involves using existing readiness funding to support regional mechanisms such as the Pacific Resilience Facility, which aims to channel resources more directly to communities.
The goal is to reduce duplication, speed up approvals and ensure that funding reaches frontline areas more efficiently.
For Pacific leaders, the urgency is clear. Climate impacts, including stronger storms, rising seas and coastal erosion, are already affecting livelihoods, infrastructure and national economies.
“Climate finance is not only a commitment. It’s a test of whether the international system can respond at the pace and scale that frontline countries require,” Brent said…. PACNEWS
B/VILLE – INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 3: Tue 21 Apr 2026
Bougainville MP challenges PNG lawmakers to ‘have some guts’ on independence vote
BUKA, 21 APRIL 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) — A prominent Bougainvillean MP believes Papua New Guinea’s parliament will back the autonomous region’s drive for independence.
Francesca Semoso, one of four Bougainvillean MPs in the national parliament, made the comment as the deadline looms for the national parliament to vote on the region’s future.
PNG’s parliament was initially expected to decide in June whether to ratify a non-binding 2019 referendum, which saw 97.7 percent of Bougainvilleans back independence.
However, Prime Minister James Marape has since indicated that parliament is unlikely to deliberate on the matter until early September.
But Semoso, an outspoken MP who belongs to Marape’s ruling Pangu Pati, seems convinced that the tide could turn.
“I am confident that at the last-minute people might change their mind and say let’s give it to Bougainville,” Semoso said.
“I mean what kind of people would want to hold onto people that they’ve badly hurt, it’s about money, it’s about mineral wealth.”
Bougainvilleans had already waited too long for a decision, she said.
“This process has taken six years. Now let’s be leaders, have some guts, have some respect for my people of Bougainville. Take the vote to the floor of the parliament, let’s make some decisions,” she said.
Political commentators have claimed in the past that there is little support in the capital Port Moresby to cut Bougainville loose.
Michael Kabuni, a political scientist from PNG, told RNZ Pacific last October that he believed the PNG government was widely opposed to independence.
“It’s not only Marape, but the majority of the PNG MPs also hold the same position. My conversation with a few of them is that if consultation results went to parliament about 10 percent would support independence. That’s how lopsided the PNG parliament is at the moment,” he said previously.
Historically, there was a lack of commitment from PNG over the issue, Kabuni said.
“Because if you go for autonomy, PNG’s history with Bougainville is that when they agreed to autonomy the PNG government never devolved the powers that were agreed under the Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA),” he said.
Semoso said despite what academics think, there is only one way to find out.
“The only thing that we can do is to take that vote to the floor of parliament, let the members make a decision, a choice.
“How the hell are we supposed to know whether the parliamentarians support it or not. We want to know where we stand, and the most important thing is this – we want that vote ratified.”
Whichever way it goes, Semoso added, both sides needed to prepare for the outcome. She said if the referendum is not ratified, Bougainville would call for a unilateral declaration of Independence.
“The only reason why we should take to the floor of parliament is for the parliament to ratify the independence vote that has been taken by the people of Bougainville. If they don’t ratify it, what is their fall-back plan?”
She stressed that Bougainvilleans will not be demeaned.
“We are not going to be belittled; we took the vote in 2019. Now we’ve been forgotten, there was an army that declared war on us. How the hell do they think we feel?” she said.
Semoso said claims by the national government that the referendum is legally unenforceable are questionable.
“If that was not legally binding why did the government of PNG allow for the referendum vote to take place? They were part and parcel of the referendum vote, so where are they coming from?” she said.
Semoso said her people are watching and waiting and the onus is on the two governments to find a workable way to implement the decision.
Bougainville’s President Ishmael Toroama vowed on his re-election to the top job last September that he would push for independence, whether PNG liked it or not.
The BRA commander told RNZ Pacific at the time that he would achieve political independence for his people, despite his lack of success in the past five and a half years.
Toroama has said that the autonomous region would declare independence no later than 01 September 2027.
In his view, the referendum carries legal weight because it is enshrined in the PNG constitution.
“I see that as a binding referendum, so I really think whilst moving ahead, whether they (the PNG government) like it or not, it’s a step ahead, we can move forward with that,” he said…. PACNEWS
FIJI – DEATH PROBE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Tue 21 Apr 2026
Amnesty International demands answers over Vakarisi death in military custody
SUVA, 21 APRIL 2026 (PACNEWS) — Amnesty International has raised serious concerns over the death of Jone Vakarisi in military custody, saying official accounts have been inconsistent and calling for a full independent investigation.
Responding to the case, Amnesty International Pacific Researcher Kate Schuetze said the information released so far is troubling.
“The information provided by authorities on this death in custody raises more questions than answers. Initial responses from the military suggested that Jone Vakarisi died from a pre-existing medical condition yet copies of the police autopsy report circulating online suggest that this was a case of serious assault.”
She said any death in custody must be properly investigated.
“Any death in custody must be met with an independent, impartial, effective and prompt investigation, with results being made public,” she said in a statement.
Schuetze warned that statements alone are not enough.
“Statements of regret by the Commander of Fiji’s military are meaningless unless followed by comprehensive and transparent explanations and – where there is sufficient admissible evidence – appropriate criminal charges against those responsible.”
She also raised broader concerns about accountability within the military.
“This death also raises questions about the culture of impunity within Fiji’s military forces and the role of the military in policing matters, including its ability to meet the needs of detainees in line with international human rights law and standards.”
Amnesty also criticised attempts to limit public discussion.
“Meanwhile, the military’s cautioning against people discussing the incident raises serious freedom of expression concerns. Questions and reporting about this case cannot be supressed for reasons of ‘national security’.”
Fiji authorities confirmed that Vakarisi died in custody at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks on 17 April after being taken in a day earlier with three others.
Initial statements from the Republic of Fiji Military Forces said he died from a “medical emergency” linked to a pre-existing condition, but the military later acknowledged that its initial communication was not factually correct following the autopsy findings.
No criminal charges have been confirmed, and it remains unclear what Vakarisi and the others were being investigated for, although the military linked the detentions to alleged drug-related activities and an organised criminal network.
Amnesty said under international standards, any death in custody places responsibility on the state unless a proper investigation proves otherwise, increasing pressure on authorities to ensure a transparent and credible probe…. PACNEWS
FIJI – CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW: FBC NEWS PACNEWS 3: Tue 21 Apr 2026
Fiji Trades Union Congress pushes to scrap immunity clause in Constitution, warns it fuels future coups
SUVA, 21 APRIL 2026 (FBC NEWS) — The Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) is calling for the removal of the Immunity Clause under Chapter 10, Section 156 of the 2013 Constitution.
General Secretary, Felix Anthony appeared before the Constitution Review Commission Monday, presenting submissions on key provisions he believes require amendment.
Anthony said the Immunity Clause encourages future military takeovers, as perpetrators may be pardoned under the highest law of the land.
“This encourages future coups. Immunity has been given before, and anyone who engages in a future coup may expect the same. It sends the wrong signal.”
In their submission, the union is calling for zero tolerance of any takeover or coup emphasising that this be clearly reflected in the 2013 Constitution.
FTUC has also raised concerns over the interpretation of Section 131(2) of the 2013 Constitution, warning it could blur the line between military and civilian authority.
Anthony said the provision, which gives the Republic of Fiji Military Forces overall responsibility for the security, defence, and well-being of Fiji and all Fijians, remains unclear.
He said the wording has been widely debated and needs further clarification.
Anthony also questioned whether the provision allows the military to assume the role of government, or whether it remains subject to civilian leadership.
He warned that if the Constitution is interpreted in a way that legitimises military intervention, any future takeover could be seen as lawful.
“We believe the RFMF must report to a civilian government. That is the true essence of democracy. Otherwise, there will be no illegal takeovers-only legal ones.”
Anthony stressed that the military must remain under civilian control, describing it as the foundation of a functioning democracy.
He said that without clear limits, the country risks a situation where future takeovers are no longer considered illegal.
The Constitution Review Commission has received 13 written submissions and 10 in-person submissions from organisations and individuals.
Public consultations are expected to begin next month in the outer islands…. PACNEWS
NEW|CALE – DIPLOMACY: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS 3: Tue 21 Apr 2026
French Senators visit New Caledonia
NOUMEA, 21 APRIL 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — A delegation of six French senators arrived in Nouméa last Friday for a week-long mission focused on economic development in New Caledonia.
The delegation includes two Caledonian senators: Georges Naturel of the Republicans and Robert Xowie of the FLNKS. They were welcomed by the customary Senate shortly after their arrival.
The mission will specifically examine development issues, not the territory’s institutional future. “We do not want to mix current political discussions with the focus of our study,” said delegation president Micheline Jacques, a senator from Saint-Barthélemy.
Jacques said the group is looking at “sectors of the future” for overseas territories. “Often our territories are seen as problems and “Everything comes from France even though we have local resources across the region,” Jacques said. “It would be interesting to promote them.” Jacques said. “It would be interesting to promote it.”
The delegation has previously submitted reports on the Indian Ocean (2024) and the Atlantic Ocean (2025). This year’s Oceania mission aims to better connect overseas economies with regional opportunities.
The senators met Friday with Congress, the mayor of Nouméa, and the high commissioner. They plan to travel to Wallis over the weekend.
After returning, they will meet with the interministerial mission for New Caledonia to discuss the economic and social aspects of the refoundation pact. Other meetings are scheduled with business groups including Medef, FEINC, CPME, SLN, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the university, and the Research Institute.
While institutional discussions are not the main purpose, political exchanges are still planned. Early next week, the delegation will meet with UNI, Caledonia Together, Ocean Awakening, loyalist groups, and a separate FLNKS delegation.
The mission will conclude with a meeting with the president of the government, a visit to the Tjibaou Cultural Centre, a dinner with armed forces representatives, and talks with the Ambassador for the Pacific and the High Commissioner…. PACNEWS
FIJI – INCENRATOR PROJECT: PACNEWS/FIJI SUN PACNEWS 3: Tue 21 Apr 2026
Thousands speak out as Vuda Waste-to-Energy consultations wrap up in Fiji
SUVA, 21 APRIL 2026 (PACNEWS/FIJI SUN) — More than 3,000 individuals have already made their voices heard in Fiji’s ongoing debate over the proposed Waste-to-Energy project in Vuda, as public engagement intensifies under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) review process.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change confirmed that, as of 6.15pm on 20 April, it had received 207 written submissions alongside petitions representing 3,005 individuals, underscoring the level of public interest and concern surrounding the project.
This comes as the Ministry concluded the third and final day of public consultations, held at the Miki’s Supermarket Convention Centre, Lautoka, where members of the public were given another opportunity to directly engage with project proponents, relevant authorities, and government representatives.
The consultation session ran late into the night, concluding at 12.45am.
Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Sivendra Michael, said the consultation phase marks a critical step in the decision-making process, but stressed that no final determination has yet been made.
He explained that all submissions gathered, both during consultations and in written form, will now be reviewed by the Technical Review Committee (TRC), which comprises representatives from government agencies, academia, and environmental organisations. Following this review, the Director of Environment will make the final decision on the project.
Dr Michael reiterated the importance of respecting the integrity of the process, assuring the public that all legislative procedures are being strictly followed and that every submission will be carefully considered.
The Ministry has also confirmed that the EIA report remains accessible for public viewing, with written submissions accepted until the close of business on 22 April.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to due process, noting that all stages of the assessment will be completed thoroughly before any decision is issued.
Meanwhile, Vuda landowner Adi Makelesi Tavaiqia has questioned the feasibility and logistics of importing waste into Fiji under a proposed waste‑to‑energy project.
Tavaiqia raised concerns about whether Pacific Island countries had agreed to send waste to Fiji and whether they had the capacity to properly package and transport it.
She directed her questions to developer Next Generation Fiji Pte Ltd during a public consultation held on Sunday evening regarding the proposed Vuda waste‑to‑energy project.
“The regional countries you mentioned that would be sending waste to Fiji — have they agreed? Do they have facilities to pack the waste properly before sending it? And for transportation, will you use specialised ships or hire companies? If hiring, have companies agreed to carry the waste?” Tavaiqia asked.
Developer representative David Gamble said Fiji currently had sufficient waste to meet the project’s requirements, with the option of supplementary material from other Pacific island nations at a later stage.
“We have been partnering with a company called Swire Bulk over the past three months, assisting us with Pacific routes should we need to transport material from those countries,” Gamble said.
“In the past four to six weeks, our modelling has shown Fiji has sufficient material to meet our waste‑mix requirements, which could later be supplemented by Pacific islands,” he said.
Gamble said importing waste would only be considered after the project secured the necessary approvals.
“We need to secure approvals first before taking the next steps. We have identified a shipping partner — one of the largest globally — to assist if required,” he said.
He added that the company planned to take a “bottom‑up” approach, including community education on waste separation.
“We would look at securing land near ports where waste could be baled, stored and prepared for shipment,” he said.
“This would involve education programmes in communities and schools on separating waste at the household level. Suitable material would then be baled, stored and shipped when vessels arrive,” Gamble said…. PACNEWS
GUAM – TYPHOON DAMAGE RESPONSE: GUAM PACIFIC DAILY NEWS PACNEWS 3: Tue 21 Apr 2026
Governor seeks Title 32 authorisation to activate Guam National Guard for disaster recovery
HAGATNA, 21 APRIL 2026 (GUAM PACIFIC DAILY NEWS) — Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero has formally requested federal authorisation under Title 32 of the U.S Code to activate the Guam National Guard to support Super Typhoon Sinlaku disaster response and recovery operations across Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Authorisation under Title 32 means the Guam National Guard can operate in support of disaster response with federal backing, while remaining under the command and control of the governor.
The Guam Guard have already been deployed to assist the Guam Police Department in directing traffic at downed traffic lights across the island last week.
Last Friday, the governor offered up their services, along with other government of Guam agencies, to assist the Guam Power Authority and Guam Waterworks Authority to deploy generators to GWA’s water wells.
When Typhoon Mawar hit Guam in 2023, some 200 Guam National Guardsmen were activated to help with recovery efforts.
Guam National Guard spokesperson Mark Scott told the Pacific Daily News Monday night that a total of 119 Guam National Guardsmen has been activated so far.
These include 90 Army guardsmen and 29 Air guardsmen.
It’s unclear at this time how many are expected to assist once Title 32 is authorized by the federal government.
“If we go on [Title 32], our recon team will assess how many we need to meet the [governor’s] request,” Scott said.
Recovery is measured by how quickly the island can return to normalcy, and by activating the Guam National Guard, recovery can be expedited, the governor said.
“Every hour matters. Activating our National Guard means more hands in the field, stronger coordination on the ground, and faster relief reaching the families who need it,” she said in a statement Monday…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
UN – GLOBAL FINANCE GAP: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 21 Apr 2026
Global finance gap hits US$4 trillion: UNSG
NEW YORK, 21 APRIL 2026 (PACNEWS) — UN Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a blunt warning to world leaders, saying rising conflict, debt and inequality are pushing development out of reach, as he opened the 2026 ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development.
“This Forum marks the first major gathering on financing for development since Member States adopted the Sevilla Commitment last year.”
Guterres said the moment demands unity despite global tensions.
“Sevilla was a moment of choice.”
“At a time when multilateralism is under multiple threats, Member States made a choice to stand together.”
“To overcome geopolitical divisions and chart a common course.”
“And to keep their promises to developing countries, which are starved of investment and drowning in debt.”
He warned the global outlook is worsening.
“The task before us is steep.”
“We are living through a moment of profound turbulence. Geopolitical divides are deepening.”
“Millions are caught in prolonged cycles of suffering, instability and displacement,” he said.
Guterres highlighted the conflict in the Middle East as a major new shock.
“On top of these challenges, we face a major new shock: the conflict in the Middle East.”
“The violence and economic fallout are spilling across the region — and around the world.”
He said the impacts are already being felt globally.
“We are seeing in real time the war’s impacts on the cost of fuel, fertiliser and food — as well as trade, transportation and tourism.”
“Government finances are stressed through rising energy costs, slower growth and currency depreciations — adding even more pressure to the debt burdens shouldered by developing countries.”
He also criticised global spending priorities.
“Meanwhile, aid is declining, while military spending skyrockets.”
“Governments are spending more on the instruments of death than the foundations of development and peace,” he emphasised.
Guterres said the global financial system is failing developing nations.
“Through it all, the global financial system is struggling to meet the needs of developing countries and still reflects the economic and power structures of the past.”
“The financing gap to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals now stands at over US$4 trillion annually — and growing fast.”
He called for urgent action.
“This Forum is an opportunity to scale up — and speed up — the finance required.”
Guterres outlined key priorities, starting with boosting global finance systems.
“First — it’s time to rev-up the machinery of finance.”
He urged stronger use of development banks and new financing tools.
“By increasing the assets housed in Multilateral Development Banks and fully leveraging them.”
“By making progress on blended finance platforms to combine public and private finance in new and expanded ways to support development.”
“And by mobilising domestic resources and channeling them to the areas of greatest need — including by tackling illicit financial flows.”
He also called for an end to rising military spending.
“I also call on all governments to reverse the upward spiral of unchecked military spending.”
“It is time to stop this madness.”
“It is time to come together to end the wars that are pushing development out of reach.”
On debt, Guterres said reforms are critical.
“Second — borrowing must work for, not against, developing countries.”
“When channeled towards investment, debt is an important ally of development.”
He highlighted new steps under the Sevilla Commitment.
“A borrowers’ platform to give developing countries a stronger voice in the debt architecture, which was launched last week.”
“New efforts to develop principles for responsible sovereign borrowing and lending.”
“A UN process to convene all stakeholders to work toward a development-oriented debt architecture while putting in place effective mechanisms for debt relief.”
“And a global effort to reimagine the credit ratings agencies which, in its current form, locks too many developing countries out of the borrowing tools they need.”
Guterres warned that without urgent action, development goals will remain out of reach as global instability grows…. PACNEWS
AUST – FISHERIES: AAP PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 21 Apr 2026
White line fever: coked-up fish double swim distance
SYDNEY, 21 APRIL 2026 (AAP) — Cocaine exposure could lead fish to swim further, raising alarms as the drug’s by-product seeps into the world’s waterways.
A study led by researchers from Griffith University and other international institutions has found salmon exposed to benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite, swam up to 1.9 times further per week and dispersed up to 12.3km further across a body of water than unexposed fish.
While the impact of more mobile fish was unclear, any change in animal behaviour could be a concern, study co-author Marcus Michelangeli said.
“If we’re finding exposure to these substances basically causes erratic behaviour – in this case, moving too far or bursting further than they naturally do – that can really mess with the normal ecological functions these species play,” Dr Michelangeli told AAP.
Cocaine and benzoylecgonine end up in waterways when the drug are ingested and broken down by humans and then released into wastewater through urine.
Treatment facilities often cannot fully remove the substances from wastewater, which means they are discharged into lakes and rivers.
Across the world, illicit drug use has increased by about 20 percent in the past decade.
Cocaine and its metabolite are found in higher concentrations in urbanised areas, cities or other places where there are more humans.
But at this point, concentrations of cocaine in waterways are not high enough to pose any threat to human health, Dr Michelangeli said.
The experiment exposed salmon to cocaine and its metabolite by mixing the drug with coconut oil and injecting it into the fish.
Over time, the fat will slowly break down, releasing the contaminant and exposing the fish to concentrations of the substances found in the environment.
This meant they did not have to pollute an entire waterway and were able to isolate the exposure to the fish while allowing them to swim in the wild.
Over eight weeks, the 105 juvenile Atlantic salmon were monitored in Sweden’s second-largest lake, Lake Vattern.
While the cocaine exposed group also swam further than those not exposed to any substance, the result was statistically insignificant.
“The reality is that wildlife is already being exposed to a wide range of human-derived drugs every day” Dr Michelangeli said.
“The unusual part is not the experiment – it’s what’s already happening in our waterways,” he said…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Between Phases: Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services take stock as ENSO shifts
APIA, 21 APRIL 2026 (SPREP) — The 2025–2026 La Niña event has ended.
According to SPREP’s Pacific Islands Early Action Rainfall Watch (EAR Watch) for April 2026, sea surface temperatures in the central tropical Pacific have returned to El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) neutral range, and the atmospheric indicators are steadily settling toward neutral. The shift marks a significant transition point for Pacific Island communities, and the question of what comes next is now at the centre of attention for National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) across the region.
El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), is a major driver of year-to-year variability in the region, cycling between two extreme phases. During La Niña, cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific bring wetter conditions to many western Pacific islands. During El Niño, those waters warm and the pattern often reverses, bringing drier conditions to the same communities.
The EAR Watch Bulletin which is produced for Pacific disaster managers highlights the contrasting conditions that shaped the Pacific over the past three months. Across the northern Pacific, CNMI, Guam, northern Palau, northern FSM, and the northern and central Marshall Islands recorded very wet to seriously wet conditions from January to March 2026. In the south Pacific, southeastern PNG, the Solomon Islands, central and southern Vanuatu, New Caledonia, southern Fiji, Niue, and the southeastern Cook Islands all received rainfall well above historical norms.
The dry side of that picture was equally pronounced. Eastern and southern FSM, PNG’s mainland and northern islands, northern Solomon Islands, Kiribati’s Phoenix and Line Islands, southern Tuvalu, Wallis and Futuna, Samoa, most of the Cook Islands, and central and northern French Polynesia all came in at the dry end of the historical record, straining water supplies, affecting crops, and compounding pressures on communities that were already managing difficult conditions.
This season also brought reminders that Pacific hazards rarely arrive in isolation. The formation of twin tropical cyclones on either side of the equator within the same period illustrates how circulation patterns can simultaneously compound dry conditions in one location and flooding in another. It is precisely this complexity that makes platforms such as the Pacific Regional Climate Centre (RCC) Network Pacific Islands Climate Outlook Forum (PICOF) so important for regional climate coordination.
It is within this context that climate scientists from Pacific NMHSs will convene at PICOF-18 later this month. PICOF brings together NMHS representatives from across 15 Pacific Island countries to review the climate over November 2024 to April 2025 and outlooks for May to July and August to October 2026 that national teams carry home to guide planning and decision-making. In addition, NMHS representatives will review the 2025/26 tropical cyclone season, discuss the likelihood of El Niño developing later in 2026, and work through the implications for communities whose livelihoods depend on reliable, locally relevant climate information.
For farmers, fishers, water managers, and disaster risk officers, the consensus outlook produced at PICOF is among the most practically grounded climate products available at regional scale. Climatologists do not simply relay global model outputs, but they interrogate them, reconcile differences and produce guidance that is nationally relevant and locally useful. That is the value the forum has delivered for nearly two decades, and what it will seek to deliver again when it convenes in Nadi, Fiji.
Community members are also encouraged to observe traditional and local knowledge indicators, such as the behaviour of birds, fish, plants and winds, which Pacific peoples have long used to read seasonal change, and which remain a valuable complement to scientific forecasting.
PICOF-18 will be held from 23 to 24 April 2026, in Nadi, Fiji, and will be attended by more than 35 professionals from 15 NMHSs across the Pacific. Technical support will be provided by the Bureau of Meteorology Australia (BoM), Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ), the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the University of Hawaiʻi (UoH), Météo France, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the APEC Climate Centre, the Pacific Community (SPC), and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
PICOF-18 is made possible through joint funding from the European Union-funded Climate Services and Related Applications programme (ClimSA), the Climate and Oceans Support Programme in the Pacific (COSPPac), the Republic of Korea-Pacific Islands Climate Prediction Services Project (ROK-PI CLIPS), and the UN Environment Programme Enhancing Climate Information and Knowledge Services for Resilience in 5 Island Countries of the Pacific Ocean (CIS-PAC5).
The Pacific Islands Early Action Rainfall Watch for April 2026 is available from the SPREP website. Local meteorological services should be contacted for detailed national outlooks…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Strategic donor and partners dialogue advances coordinated climate action
SUVA, 21 APRIL 2026 (SPREP) — The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) convened its first high-level dialogue for Fiji based donors and partners from 16 to 17 April in Suva.
The dialogue provided a platform for funding agencies and other development partners to engage directly with SPREP senior leadership, on funding priorities and programming approaches including the changing donor landscape and shifts towards programmatic approaches to resource mobilisation; as well as regional coordination and opportunities for enhanced collaboration across SPREP’s main programme areas of Climate Change, Climate Science and information, Biodiversity and Conservation, Waste Management and Pollution, and Environmental Governance.
“Our Blue Pacific is facing compounding environmental challenges at a time when funding is more constrained and expectations on delivery are higher than ever,” said Sefanaia Nawadra, Director General of SPREP.
He added that the dialogue comes at a critical moment for the region.
“The Pacific needs solutions that are integrated, regionally driven and capable of responding simultaneously to climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Our partners play a vital role in helping us align ambition with action.”
The dialogue included broader participation from development and technical partners, reinforcing the importance of coordination and complementarity in addressing the region’s triple planetary crisis, and positioning SPREP as a trusted regional mechanism for delivering collective environmental impact.
Engagement extended beyond the formal sessions.
Donors and partners were joined by representatives of Fiji’s diplomatic corps and Government agencies at an evening reception hosted by the Director General on Thursday, providing further opportunities to strengthen relationships and exchange perspectives.
Discussions on the second day were preceded by an informal strategic exchange over breakfast with members of Fiji’s media fraternity, enabling open dialogue on SPREP’s mandate and the role of media as a key partner not only in information dissemination; but also, in informing the implementation of SPREP programmes.
The dialogue builds on outcomes of the second SPREP Partners Dialogue held in Apia in September 2025; and will continue to inform SPREP’s new strategic plan and future programming direction…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Almost 30 percent of the ocean floor has been mapped
MONACO, 21 APRIL 2026 (SPATIAL SOURCE) — A total of 28.7 percent of the world’s ocean floor has now been mapped.
Close to five million square kilometres of ocean floor data were added over the past year alone.
These figures were announced on behalf of the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project by Mitsuyuki Unno, Executive Director of The Nippon Foundation, at the Assembly of the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO), currently underway in Monaco.
The latest update represents approximately 104 million square kilometres of mapped seabed, an area equivalent to more than two-thirds of the Earth’s land surface.
A total of 220 organisations have now contributed data to the project, including 15 new contributors over the past year, with first-time data contributions coming from countries including Malaysia, Morocco, Papua New Guinea and Saudi Arabia.
Substantial increases
The 2026 update includes significant regional increases in mapped coverage. For instance, the Regional Organisation for the Protection of the Marine Environment Sea Area more than tripled in coverage, increasing from approximately 6.4 percent to 20.5 percent.
Coverage also increased across the Eastern Atlantic, North Indian Ocean, Meso American and Caribbean Sea, and North Sea regions. At the national level, substantial increases were recorded within several exclusive economic zones.
The past year has seen the incorporation of a wide range of new and previously unshared datasets, such as:
*Significant contributions from major data repositories, including NOAA-NCEI and PANGAEA;
*Expanded coastal mapping through datasets such as the Global Coastal SDB Dataset from Copernicus/EOMAP, adding new coverage in areas not represented in previous GEBCO Grid releases;
*Notable satellite-derived bathymetry from the Greenwater Foundation, in partnership with TCarta and Caladan Oceanic;
*Additional bathymetric data from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), expanding coverage in the North Pacific;
*Deep-water mapping data from NOAA-led Seascape Alaska campaigns;
*Multibeam survey data contributed by the Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation of the Brazilian Navy; and
*Multibeam data around the Comoros, contributed by the Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM), marking a new contributing organisation.
All data collected and shared with the Seabed 2030 project is included in the free, publicly available GEBCO Global Grid.
Global effort
According to Seabed 2030 Director Jamie McMichael-Phillip, “This update reflects what the global community can achieve when data is shared openly and collaboratively”.
“Seabed 2030 exists to help bring those contributions together, and we are seeing that collective effort translates into meaningful results,” he said.
“We are grateful to The Nippon Foundation and GEBCO for their ongoing support, which enables us to accelerate progress towards a complete map of the ocean floor.”
Established in 2017, Seabed 2030 is a collaborative project between The Nippon Foundation and GEBCO, which seeks to accelerate the complete mapping of the world’s oceans and to compile all the data into the freely available GEBCO Ocean Map.
The Project is also formally endorsed as a Decade Action of the UN Ocean Decade.
GEBCO is a joint programme of the IHO and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, and it is the only organisation with a mandate to map the entire ocean floor…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Creating proteins to fight malaria
BRISBANE, 21 APRIL 2026 (UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND) — Equitable access to malaria proteins is helping to put accurate diagnosis and ultimately, elimination of this deadly disease, within reach for communities that need it most.
Since 2021, AIBN’s Protein Expression Facility (PEF) has played a vital role by producing these essential proteins used to design and qualify lifesaving diagnostic tests and develop new treatments.
This year, PEF and PATH are renewing their partnership, signalling a shared commitment to advancing worldwide research into high-quality malaria diagnostics.
Equitable access globally
Dr Christian Fercher, Operations Manager at PEF, said producing high quality malaria proteins for PATH at cost ensures that these critical reagents are made available and accessible beyond well-resourced laboratories.
Accurate diagnosis is key to elimination
Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite, which is spread to humans by Anopheles mosquitoes.
In 2024, over 280 million people were infected with malaria across 80 countries, with more than 600,000 deaths.
Because there are five species of the Plasmodium parasite, some of which require different treatments, accurately identifying which species has infected a patient is crucial to providing appropriate treatment.
Early and accurate diagnosis is also essential for surveillance, control and elimination of the disease.
Supporting researchers
Director of PEF, Professor David J Owen said the renewed partnership between The University of Queensland (UQ) and PATH highlights the impact of access to the proteins in tackling malaria worldwide.
“We are delighted to keep working with PATH – we have been able to support many researchers over the last five years and look forward to supporting many more,” he said.
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Diagnostics for ‘silent’ malaria
Out of the five parasites, Plasmodium falciparum causes the most severe malaria, with pregnant women and children especially at risk.
Recently, P. falciparum has learned how to evade the most commonly used rapid diagnostic tests in Africa.
This can result in sick patients receiving delayed treatment, with potentially lethal consequences, especially for children.
The second most prevalent form of malaria, Plasmodium vivax, is also known as ’silent’ malaria, as it can often be asymptomatic, going undetected and acting as a hidden reservoir of infection.
As countries work to eliminate malaria, mass testing to find carriers and then treat them is vital to meet malaria elimination goals.
Access to proteins for research made possible by the UQ-PATH partnership has facilitated the design of more sensitive diagnostic tests to find P. falciparum and P. vivax, which can evade detection by current, widely used tests.
“We are supplying orders worldwide, including to clients in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia – these clients are often startups or small companies that don’t have big budgets, and we are able to provide the proteins at a reasonable price.”
A multifaceted malaria programme
Working with PEF is just one part of the PATH-led Actionable Surveillance and Neglected Disease Control and Elimination (ADVANCE) program which is advancing a portfolio of high-quality diagnostics to ensure equitable access to effective malaria treatment options across the Indo-Pacific.
Dr Gonzalo Domingo, PATH’s Diagnostics Program Leader, said he is excited to direct manufacturers and researchers to the resources at PEF.
“Having the diagnostic target proteins for all species of malaria available at the high quality provided by PEF will greatly accelerate the development and qualification of new diagnostic tests, meeting the evolving challenges presented to countries trying to treat and eliminate this disease,” he said.
The proteins are available for purchase and can be obtained directly from The University of Queensland’s Protein Expression Facility.
Funding to support the development of custom proteins for malaria diagnostics has been provided to PATH by the Gates Foundation and with support from the Australian Government through the Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative, to the ADVANCE team which brings together the expertise of PATH, the Burnet Institute, and WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)….. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
PNG elections: the time to worry was then
By Terence Wood
PORT MORESBY, 21 APRIL 2026 (DEVPOLCY .ORG) — It’s becoming routine now. Papua New Guinea holds an election. There are irregularities, allegations, omissions, bad decisions and tragedies. The problems are so bad that, for a brief moment, the country’s political elites take notice, organise a review, launch the review and then — with the occasional exception — appear to lose all interest. Donors also get involved, get thwarted, get distracted (did someone say China?) and then hope, optimistically, that today’s small projects will eventually deliver improvements.
Then the next election arrives — with a bang — and problems aplenty.
Why does this always happen?
Part of the answer will be familiar to anyone who has put off anything ever: time. Too much of it. Papua New Guinea’s elections occur at five-yearly intervals. That’s long enough for urgent problems to feel like tomorrow’s problems. It’s an all-too-human failing. The trouble is that, if you want future elections to be better, you need to start planning today. Building a new, accurate roll, in particular, takes years. Electoral reform ought to start in the immediate aftermath of electoral failure. But it never does in Papua New Guinea.
Another part of the answer is that miracle cures — usually biometric voting or electronic counting — are very tempting, particularly when touted by foreign companies with slick sales pitches. Although technology may be tempting, it’s no substitute for the dreary work required to run elections well. Other than making the electoral process more complex, biometric voting won’t help if the roll is a historical artefact. And, although it’s a slow process, thanks to the presence of scrutineers, ballot counting is actually pretty good in Papua New Guinea. Good enough that the last thing anyone should want to do is introduce a complex and opaque new technology to replace it.
The clientelist nature of Papua New Guinea’s politics also contributes to the problem. Clientelism leads to MPs focusing more on patronage, rather than national issues. General elections are, by their very nature, a national issue and so they receive too little attention. This structural lack of political will means that the sustained domestic effort required to improve electoral quality is always lacking, all the more so because poorly run elections actually help some MPs when it comes time to contest their seats.
Then there’s donors — or to be more specific — donor. In Papua New Guinea most donor countries aren’t large enough to tackle major challenges such as elections. Australia is though. In 2023, according to Lowy Institute Pacific Aid Map data, it gave more money to PNG than all other donors combined. But despite the fact that it spends something in the vicinity of $700 million (US$502 million) in aid a year in Papua New Guinea, and despite the importance of elections, it never seems to engage comprehensively. Don’t get me wrong: individually there are some genuine experts involved. (Full disclosure: I currently have a minor role as part of a team providing DFAT with some advice on elections globally, but my role is minor, and the expertise I’m talking about here isn’t mine.) And Australia also provides very valuable logistical support close to the time of the election. But it’s one thing to have experts and help at the last minute. It’s another thing to devote substantial attention and money over time. It’s true that Australia, as an external actor, is constrained by the extent to which Papua New Guinea’s government requests assistance, but it still has some agency. Australian involvement will never be a panacea. But enduring, fully focused attention from Australia would nudge things in the right direction.
Too much time, wishful thinking about technical quick fixes, uninterested politicians, inadequately determined donors — mix all these ingredients together and you have an explanation as to why we’re here in 2026 with Papua New Guinea’s next election scheduled for 2027 and so little has been achieved.
Hopefully, 2027 won’t be a disaster. Last minute Australian logistical support will help. The current acting Electoral Commissioner is very capable. The perseverance of many people involved in running elections is an important asset. There aren’t many NGOs in Papua New Guinea, but organisations such as Transparency International do their best to serve as watchdogs. This all helps. But there will be major issues, nevertheless.
The worst of these will be violence. Not only is it not getting better in Highlands hotspots, but it seems to be flaring up in places where it hasn’t been a problem previously. Violent elections — elections where voters are imperilled — aren’t elections at all. There will also be the capture of polling stations and hijacking of ballot boxes. This is better than violence. But it’s still not democracy. Hopefully, cheating of this nature will be mostly confined to particular places. There’s another issue that won’t be though: the roll, which will continue to be terrible everywhere. If you don’t want disenfranchised citizens, and if you don’t want their disenfranchisement to be accompanied by overly enfranchised citizens who vote numerous times, you need an up-to-date and accurate roll.
If all these problems sound familiar, that’s because these are more or less the things I was worrying about four years ago. That was the time to worry. Because now, it’s mostly too late…. PACNEWS
Terence Wood is a Fellow at the Development Policy Centre. His research focuses on political governance in Western Melanesia, and Australian and New Zealand aid.
