In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Taiwan Foreign minister heads to Palau for island meet
2. PACIFIC — Japan shipping proposal raises Pacific concerns over emissions targets
3. GUAM — Moylan introduces bill to restore radiation compensation eligibility
4. NIUE — Niue receives memorial headstones honoring World War I veterans
5. VAN — Independent candidate leads Northern Ward in unofficial results
6. FIJI — Fiji strengthens tropical cyclone forecasting with new satellite system
7. PACNEWS BIZ — Solomon Islands PM invited to address FFA side event in Palau
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Vanuatu’s food security under pressure as heat, drought and floods damage key growing areas
9. PACNEWS BIZ — PNG landowners urged to keep customary land for tourism, small businesses
10. PACNEWS DIGEST — From space to shore, Samoa maps climate loss and damage
11. PACNEWS DIGEST — Pacific Islands Advance Regional Geohazard and Tsunami Resilience at Honiara Meeting
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — Vanuatu makes progress in digital ship clearance
PAC – PIFLM55: TAIPEI TIMES PACNEWS 2: Thu 27 Aug 2026
Taiwan Foreign minister heads to Palau for island meet
TAIPEI, 27 AUGUST 2026 (TAIPEI TIMES) — Taiwan Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung is to attend an annual gathering of Pacific Island leaders in Palau next week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday, after Taiwan and other non-members of the bloc were barred from the event last year.
Lin departs for Palau today to attend meetings coinciding with the 55th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) summit, to be held in Koror from Sunday to 04 September, the ministry said.
Events include the Taiwan/Republic of China-Forum Countries Dialogue and the Pacific Prosperity Exhibit, it said.
The exhibit showcases Taiwan’s ongoing efforts to help its Pacific partners in areas such as digital resilience, renewable energy, smart medicine and healthcare, infrastructure and social empowerment, the ministry said.
Lin is leading a delegation with representatives from the energy, technology, food, construction and agricultural sectors, the ministry said.
The minister plans to visit Palauan President Surangel Whipps, Jr. and Vice President Raynold B. Oilouch, and inspect a Taiwan-funded project in Palau — the development of the Belau National Hospital’s artificial intelligence system — to see its progress and discuss future cooperation, the ministry said.
He is to meet with “Taiwan’s Pacific allies and other friendly nations to discuss deepening Taiwan’s partnerships with Pacific Island nations and jointly maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region,” it said.
Although not a member of the PIF, Taiwan has been a “development partner” in PIF mechanisms since 1993. It usually holds the Taiwan/Republic of China-Forum Countries Dialogue and other side events alongside the PIF’s annual summit.
However, the Solomon Islands, the host of last year’s meeting, barred Taiwan from attending at the time.
This resulted in all external countries being disinvited, despite the island states’ reliance on foreign aid and investment, and the PIF Leaders’ Meeting was attended only by the bloc’s 18 member states.
China has poached several of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the Pacific as part of its efforts to expand its dominance in the region and isolate Taiwan from the international community.
PIF members Nauru, Kiribati and Solomon Islands have all switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing since 2019.
Reports suggested that the Solomon Islands sought to block Taiwan’s participation due to coercion from Beijing.
This year’s host, Palau, is among Taiwan’s 12 remaining diplomatic partners, along with Pacific nations Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands.
China’s test-firing last month of a missile into the Pacific alarmed regional powers but failed to spur a unified response from Pacific Island governments, underscoring divisions over how to confront growing strategic competition in the region.
China has expanded its influence in the Pacific in the past few years through infrastructure financing, diplomatic outreach and security cooperation, which has prompted concern among traditional partners including Australia, New Zealand and the U.S…. PACNEWS
PAC – EMISSION: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS 2: Thu 27 Aug 2026
Japan shipping proposal raises Pacific concerns over emissions targets
TOKYO, 27 AUGUST 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — Japan’s revised proposal to the International Maritime Organisation on reducing greenhouse-gas emissions from international shipping is raising concerns in the Pacific over weaker emissions targets and a shift away from a central global carbon fund.
Japan’s submission ahead of the 85th session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee in November proposes greenhouse-gas fuel-intensity reduction targets that the Micronesian Centre for Sustainable Transport (MCST) says are unambitious.
The proposal would move toward more flexible offsetting and let profit-oriented shipping companies decide which projects globally to invest in, a decision that should be made by Member States.
MCST Co-Director Maria Sahib said the proposed changes would weaken the ambition of the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework and create significant challenges for Pacific Small Island Developing States.
“The Pacific has been at this table for years. Through 6PAC+, our countries have consistently brought the realities of climate-vulnerable island states into the IMO negotiations. Our position has not changed: shipping decarbonisation must be ambitious, science-based and just,” Sahib said.
Sahib said Japan’s proposed easing of emissions reductions targets could weaken the market signal needed to accelerate investment in zero-emission vessels, cleaner fuels and maritime infrastructure.
The Centre is also concerned that moving away from a centrally managed Fund and mandatory contribution system for emissions could make support for vulnerable states less predictable, she said.
Pacific economies depend heavily on international shipping for food, fuel, trade and essential goods, while facing some of the highest shipping costs and most severe impacts of climate change.
“For the Pacific, finance is fundamental to a just and equitable maritime transition. We need predictable and accessible resources to ensure our countries can decarbonise their maritime sectors while strengthening resilience,” Sahib said.
The Pacific is not new to the negotiations. For more than a decade, Pacific countries have worked collectively through the 6PAC+ Alliance to push for ambitious climate action at the IMO.
The alliance grew from the original 6PAC initiative, which in 2015 advanced a 1.5°C-aligned position in IMO negotiations.
Pacific countries have continued to advocate for an ambitious phase-out of fossil fuels from international shipping, strong emissions-reduction measures aligned with 1.5, and a transition that provides adequate support to SIDS and other vulnerable developing countries.
The 6PAC+ Alliance maintained this position through successive IMO negotiations, including MEPC 82 and MEPC 83, where Pacific leaders and delegations pressed for a strong global emissions-pricing mechanism and a transition consistent with the 1.5°C temperature goal.
As MEPC 85 approaches, Sahib said the Pacific will continue working collectively through 6PAC+ to ensure that the voices and priorities of SIDS remain central to the IMO’s climate negotiations.
“The 6PAC+ has demonstrated what Pacific unity can achieve at the IMO. We will continue to work together for a framework that delivers ambition, integrity and equity,” Sahib said.
“The Pacific cannot support a transition that shifts the costs to those least responsible and least able to absorb them,” Sahib said…. PACNEWS
GUAM – RADIATION: GUAM DAILY POST PACNEWS 2: Thu 27 Aug 2026
Moylan introduces bill to restore radiation compensation eligibility
HAGATNA, 27 AUGUST 2026 (GUAM DAILY POST) — Guam Del. James Moylan has introduced a new bill that would put Guam back on the list of communities eligible for federal compensation tied to the fallout from decades of U.S nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific, an effort he says builds on work he’s pushed since his first year in Congress.
The Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorisation Act of 2026, or RECRA, would expand eligibility to Guam along with Colorado, Montana, all of Nevada, and all of Arizona, according to a press release from Moylan’s office. It would also raise compensation payments to $150,000 for all covered classes, extend the filing deadline by 15 years, allow reimbursement of medical expenses, and let claimants file using sworn affidavits in cases where old records no longer exist.
“This legislation brings together a strong bipartisan coalition of members of Congress, survivors, advocates, and communities who have refused to give up this fight,” Moylan said in the release. “I’m not backing down until we get this across the finish line for the people of Guam who were impacted and all those still left behind.”
Guam has been here before. The island appeared in two Senate versions of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act in recent years, only to be dropped, along with Colorado, Montana, and Nevada, from the version that passed last year as part of a broader federal tax and spending package. That left a 2004 finding from a congressional research board, which determined Guam residents received measurable fallout and should qualify for compensation, without the legislative follow-through advocates had been counting on.
Moylan’s bill has drawn co-sponsors from both parties, including Reps. Wesley Bell of Missouri, Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico, and Brittany Pettersen of Colorado, whose districts deal with their own legacies of nuclear contamination. Bell, whose district includes areas affected by Manhattan Project waste near St. Louis, said the bill would raise compensation for that category of claimants from $50,000 to $150,000 and add medical coverage. “Nothing can fully right this wrong, but this effort tips the scales toward justice for everyone from St. Louis to Guam,” he said in the release.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Del. Kimberlyn King-Hinds said the bill would also direct research into whether Pacific nuclear testing affected the CNMI, something she said constituents had raised with her office. “My responsibility as your delegate is to listen when concerns are brought to me, look at the facts, and then determine what we can do about them,” she said. The CNMI would be covered under a study provision rather than added as a recognised downwinder community, a distinction Robert Celestial, president of the Pacific Association for Radiation Survivors, said he couldn’t fully explain. “That’s a question for her,” he said of King-Hinds during an interview with The Guam Daily Post on Monday.
Celestial has spent more than two decades building the case that Guam was contaminated by fallout from 67 nuclear detonations the United States conducted across the Pacific between 1946 and 1962. Part of that case rests on a retired Navy lieutenant named Bert Shreiber, who served as a radiological safety officer on Guam in 1952. Celestial tracked him down years later and obtained a sworn statement describing how his Geiger counters spiked three days after the United States detonated its first hydrogen bomb at Enewetak Atoll, information Shreiber had been barred from disclosing under a national security clearance at the time. Celestial submitted that testimony, along with other declassified records, to the National Academy of Sciences, which he said backed up the conclusion that Guam qualifies as a downwinder community.
Moylan’s office has said it is working to build a wider coalition of co-sponsors from states with radiation-exposed communities and will need a Senate companion bill before the measure has a realistic shot at passage…. PACNEWS
NIUE – HEADSTONES: NIUE GOVT PACNEWS 2: Thu 27 Aug 2026
Niue receives memorial headstones honoring World War I veterans
ALOFI, 27 AUGUST 2026 (NIUE GOVT) — The Government of Niue Wednesday received 39 Service Memorial Headstones honouring Niuean men who served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the First World War.
The headstones were transported to Niue by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), in partnership with New Zealand Veterans’ Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), with support from the New Zealand High Commission in Niue.
On 13 October 1915, 150 young Niuean men left Niue aboard the Te Anau to serve during the First World War. They answered the call of duty and carried the name and spirit of Niue with them.
Today, Niue remembers with pride the 150 men who answered the call to serve. The 39 memorial headstones represent their families and provide a lasting place to remember those who served and for future generations to learn about their stories.
Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Veteran Affairs, Richie Mautama, acknowledged the support of the Government of New Zealand, Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand, the NZDF, MFAT and the New Zealand High Commission in Niue in making the handover possible.
Minister Mautama also acknowledged the Department of Community Affairs, in consultation with the Niue Returned Servicemen Association (RSA), former Minister for Social Services Sonya Talagi, Alexander Brunt, Head of Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand, and his delegation who travelled to Niue for the handover.
“We have a responsibility to ensure our young people know the stories of these men and understand the values they represented service, courage, sacrifice, love of family and love of homeland,” said Minister Mautama.
The handover marks an important moment in preserving Niue’s history and ensuring the service and sacrifice of its World War I veterans continue to be remembered in their homeland…. PACNEWS
VAN – MUNICIPAL ELECTION: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS 2: Thu 27 Aug 2026
Independent candidate leads Northern Ward in unofficial results
PORT VILA, 27 AUGUST 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST) — Independent candidate Lopez Adams is leading the number of votes in the Northern Ward of the Port Vila City Council (PVCC), with the highest number of votes across all polling stations.
According to unofficial results, the candidate secured 261 votes at the Vila North Polling Station, 217 at the Anglican Church Hall Tagabe, 107 at the Tagabe Agriculture Station and 236 at the Ohlen Freshwind Playground.
Adams is the runner-up behind Davis Nambaru of Vanua’aku Pati (VP), who has 250 votes. John Surao of the Rural Development Party (RDP) is in third place, followed by female candidate Rose Peter of the Union of Moderate Parties (UMP).
He led the votes at Vila North School, ahead of Surao from RDP and Emmy Siro from the Graon mo Jastis Pati (GJP). He also led at the Anglican Church Hall Tagabe, ahead of Surao and James Jimmy of the Vanuatu Green Confederation (VGC).
The entrepreneur contested against 11 other candidates for one of the three seats to represent the ward on the council.
During his campaign, he pledged to introduce recycling machines for plastic, metal, glass and wood; improve drainage; install streetlights; address traffic issues with 30 new bus stops and shelters; beautify streets with public art; create jobs for 3,000 people by 2027; clean Port Vila daily; and build children’s playgrounds in Port Vila.
Adams operates Waterfall Precinct at Fatumaru Bay. He is an inspiration to many young entrepreneurs and a testament to the fact that local people can own and operate businesses in the heart of Port Vila’s Central Business District. He also advocates for small business growth and takes part in local civic activities…. PACNEWS
FIJI – DISASTERS: FIJI GOVT PACNEWS 2: Thu 27 Aug 2026
Fiji strengthens tropical cyclone forecasting with new satellite system
SUVA, 27 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI GOVT) — Fiji’s ability to monitor tropical cyclones and other severe weather systems has been strengthened with the installation of a new Himawari satellite data receiving and processing system.
Supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the new system provides the Fiji Meteorological Service with Himawari satellite imagery at 10-minute intervals, enabling forecasters to closely monitor developing weather systems, cloud formations and tropical disturbances across Fiji and the wider Pacific.
Access to more frequent satellite information will support timely weather analysis and forecasting, strengthening early warnings and decision-making before and during tropical cyclones and other high-impact weather events.
The system also strengthens backup capacity in Suva, helping ensure the continuity of critical meteorological services during severe weather or situations that may affect normal operations.
Beyond Fiji’s national forecasting capability, the initiative will support regional training and capacity building, helping meteorological professionals further develop their skills in satellite-based weather monitoring, analysis and forecasting.
Timely and reliable weather information remains critical to protecting communities, supporting preparedness and strengthening Fiji’s resilience to natural hazards.
The Fiji Meteorological Service acknowledged the continued support of JICA and the Government of Japan towards strengthening meteorological and early warning capabilities in Fiji and across the Pacific…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – PIFLM55: SOLOMON STAR PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 27 Aug 2026
Solomon Islands PM invited to address FFA side event in Palau
HONIARA, 27 AUGUST 2026 (SOLOMON STAR) — Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Matthew Wale, has been invited to deliver a keynote address at a Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) side event during the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Koror, Palau.
Prime Minister Wale who is the Outgoing Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) will address the event on 31 August 2026.
The event will highlight the importance of fisheries to Pacific peoples, government revenue, food security and the region’s future prosperity.
Ahead of the Leaders Meeting, Prime Minister Wale visited the FFA headquarters on Monday, 24 August, where he was briefed on the agency’s work and toured its Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre (RFSC).
During the visit, the Prime Minister was briefed on the RFSC’s regional fisheries surveillance and monitoring operations, including systems supporting Pacific countries in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Prime Minister Wale commended FFA for its work and expressed his appreciation for the capabilities demonstrated at the surveillance centre.
He was particularly impressed by the strength of the Pacific’s regional fisheries surveillance system, supported by strong regional cooperation and Pacific-led approaches to protecting the region’s valuable marine resources.
For Pacific Island countries, fisheries remain a critical source of livelihoods, food security, government revenue and economic opportunity.
Effective management, monitoring and protection of the region’s marine resources are therefore essential to the long-term interests and prosperity of Pacific peoples.
Prime Minister Wale’s engagement with FFA demonstrates the Government’s commitment to working closely with Pacific countries to safeguard our fisheries, strengthen regional efforts and ensure our marine resources continue to support the livelihoods and wellbeing of Pacific people…. PACNEWS
VAN – AGRICULTURE: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 27 Aug 2026
Vanuatu’s food security under pressure as heat, drought and floods damage key growing areas
PORT VILA, 27 AUGUST 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — Extreme heat, drought, cyclones, flooding, sea-level rise and coastal inundation are damaging crops and arable land in Eratap and Teouma, the main suppliers of fresh market produce to Vanuatu’s capital, threatening food security and livelihoods in the Pacific island nation.
Community members told a Building Our Loss and Damage (BOLD) Response Project consultation in Eratap that climate-related events are becoming more frequent and severe, disrupting planting, harvesting seasons, and making it harder to maintain reliable food production.
“Long periods of severe heat and drought have a devastating impact on our crops and lands,” said John Markal from Eratap.
“At the end of 2025 our gardens were full of healthy crops, but the severe heat has caused many to die.”
Taro varieties can survive the heat, Markal said, but manioc, a staple food used in traditional cooking, often cannot.
Participants also described food shortages after recent cyclones, when a ban on selling produce at markets was imposed to ensure adequate food supplies for families. The ban, however, also reduced community livelihoods and income.
An El Niño event was declared in June 2026 by the World Meteorological Organisation’s Pacific Regional Climate Centre.
For nations in the eastern and central Pacific, the event means an increased likelihood of below-normal rainfall and potential drought conditions, which may add stress to crop production, food security and livelihoods.
Communities said recovery was becoming more difficult as extreme events occurred more frequently and closer together, leaving little time to restore gardens, replace lost crops and return to normal production levels before the next event.
At Teouma Beach, a site visit highlighted the impact of flooding on the Teouma River Basin, where riverbanks were heavily eroded.
Many gardens are situated along the river because of access to water and good soil, but flooding can wipe out entire gardens, forcing families to start again or relocate to safer areas.
Relocation can put families farther from optimal selling points, increasing stress and the cost of living, participants said.
A significant portion of Teouma Beach, once used for gardens and farming, has also been lost to extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and coastal inundation, placing further strain on livelihoods.
“Growing two or more crops in the gardens can reduce the risk to climate events,” Eratap Chief Kenneth Alban said during a site visit to his upland gardens.
“During drought or cyclones, mixed cropping can reduce losing everything at once. If one crop is damaged or dies, another may survive and continue to provide food and income.”
Alban also emphasised the importance of building knowledge about climate change impacts and effective responses.
“This consultation has been a good opportunity for our community to learn about climate change,” he said.
“We are continuing to see the impacts and it’s important for us to know how to respond to the changes and build our knowledge on the issue so we may share with our other community members.”
A significant portion of Vanuatu’s population relies on subsistence agriculture for food security and livelihoods, leaving the sector highly exposed to climate change and natural hazards.
“Following the BOLD Response Project Vanuatu Inception Meeting in February 2026, the agriculture sector has emerged as the highest priority sector for scientific assessment and implementation,” BOLD Project Manager Malaki Iakopo said.
“We are committed to locally led approaches and implementation that recognise traditional knowledge, customary governance and community priorities,” he said.
The Eratap consultation, held from Aug. 17-18, was the first of several community engagement activities for Vanuatu under the BOLD Response Project. The Vanuatu Department of Climate Change organised and facilitated it, with technical support from SPREP and Climate Analytics.
BOLD is a five-year project running from 2025 to December 2029 and funded by the Federal Republic of Germany through its Federal Foreign Office under the International Climate Initiative.
A consortium led by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme and Climate Analytics is implementing the project across Fiji, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu…. PACNEWS
PNG – TOURISM: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 27 Aug 2026
PNG landowners urged to keep customary land for tourism, small businesses
PORT MORESBY, 27 AUGUST 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — The upgraded Gurney Airport in Papua New Guinea is set to serve as the gateway to a new era of tourism growth in Milne Bay, creating opportunities for customary landowners to generate sustainable income while preserving their culture and environment.
Prime Minister James Marape, addressing communities during the airport’s opening, urged landowners throughout the province to retain ownership of their land and use it as the foundation for tourism and small business development.
“Do not sell your land to outsiders,” Marape said.
“We have already moved to stop the sale of customary land. Register your land properly under Incorporated Land Groups and keep ownership within your families and clans.”
Marape said the National Government would work with the National Development Bank to help registered land groups access finance for tourism-related investments, including guest houses, eco-lodges and other visitor facilities.
“My government’s job is to create the enabling environment. Your job is to use your land productively,” he said.
“You already own the land. Register it properly, borrow responsibly, build tourism facilities and become entrepreneurs in your own communities.”
Marape said Milne Bay possessed some of Papua New Guinea’s richest cultural traditions, spectacular islands and marine attractions, making it one of the country’s strongest tourism prospects.
“The greatest asset you have is not only your forests, fisheries or minerals. It is your people, your culture and your customary land.”
The Prime Minister said the Government envisioned a tourism corridor stretching from Port Moresby through Central Province to East Cape, with local landowners playing the central role in providing accommodation, cultural experiences and tourism services.
“Tourists spend thousands of dollars during their stay. That money should remain in Milne Bay by supporting local guest houses, local businesses and local communities,” Marape said. “Hold onto your land. Develop it. Let your children and grandchildren benefit from it for generations to come,” 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
From space to shore, Samoa maps climate loss and damage
APIA, 27 AUGUST 2026 (SPC) — Climate change is reshaping Samoa’s coasts, ecosystems and communities, but deciding where to act and invest depends on knowing where the impacts are occurring, what is being lost and how those changes are understood locally. Samoa is building that evidence by combining satellite observations with GPS records, drone imagery, field observations and local stakeholder input collected across Upolu, Savai’i, Manono and Apolima.
From 25 July to 8 August, teams from Samoa’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) and the Pacific Community (SPC) visited priority locations affected by flooding, coastal erosion, sea-level rise, tropical cyclones and drought.
The work forms part of the Geospatial Mapping of Loss and Damage Project, led by the Government of Samoa through the climate change division of the MNRE in partnership with SPC, through funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. Loss and damage include climate impacts that occur despite efforts to reduce emissions and adapt. Some can be measured financially, including damage to homes, roads, crops and public infrastructure. Others affect livelihoods, ecosystems, cultural practices and people’s connection to place.
Elisapeta Areta Toma, Principal Climate Change Resilience Officer in the Climate Change Division at MNRE, said stronger national evidence would allow Samoa to identify priority locations and plan its response.
“Satellite data allows us to examine environmental change across Samoa, while field observations and stakeholder consultations confirm what is happening at specific locations and how those impacts are experienced.
Bringing these sources together with community consultations will improve how we identify priority sites, plan adaptation and document losses that may not be captured through economic assessments alone.” – Elisapeta Areta Toma, Climate Change Division, Samoa Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
At each location, teams recorded GPS coordinates, photographed visible impacts and documented changes affecting communities, infrastructure and natural ecosystems.
Drone surveys provided detailed aerial images at selected sites, while consultations captured information shared by communities, officials and national stakeholders about local impacts, priorities and conditions that may not be visible in satellite imagery alone.
Satellite images allow scientists to detect change across large areas and over time. Field validation, often called ground-truthing, is needed to confirm what those changes represent.
A pattern detected from space could indicate erosion, flooding, vegetation loss, new development or another local change. Observations made at the site provide the detail needed to interpret the image accurately.
Litia Gonavou, Geospacial Technical Officer, member of the Pacific Geospacial Women Network team at SPC, highlighted the importance of local consultations.
“Local stakeholder input adds another layer of eveidence by explaining how observed changed affect livelihoods, infrastructure, ecosystems, cultural practices and community priorities.” – Litia Gonavou, Pacific Community (SPC)
This helps ensure the final maps and dashboard reflect both the physical evidence of climate impacts and the lived realisties behind them.
Shyam Lodhia, Earth Observation for Loss and Damage Officer with SPC’s Geoscience, Energy and Maritime Division, said combining satellite and field evidence would improve the accuracy and practical value of the final maps.
“Earth observation gives us a consistent view of change across Samoa’s islands. Field data provides the detail needed to understand what those changes represent. Together, they produce information that is scientifically robust and relevant to evaluating loss and damage in Samoa and identifying vulnerable sites.” – Shyam Lodhia, SPC
The resulting inventory of priority loss and damage locations is supported by GPS records, field photographs, drone imagery, baseline geospatial data and stakeholder input. It will contribute to Samoa’s national land-cover and land-use mapping, showing where climate hazards overlap with settlements, infrastructure, livelihoods and ecosystems, and where locally reported impacts require further monitoring.
It will also support national climate-impact assessments, identify locations requiring continued monitoring and provide the foundation for the Samoa Loss and Damage Decision Support Dashboard. The dashboard will allow government planners and technical agencies to view affected locations, compare risks and identify priorities for adaptation and investment.
Michelle DeFreese, SPC Loss and Damage Funding Coordinator, Danish Funds, said country-owned evidence was also important for connecting climate impacts with international finance.
“Leveraging Digital Earth Pacific’s capabilities, the funding provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, SPC can respond to country requests for technical support to document detailed information and evidence about where loss and damage is occurring, which communities are affected, and how those impacts are changing over time. This work will give Samoa a stronger evidence base for planning, monitoring and developing proposals for international loss and damage finance funding mechanisms.” – Michelle DeFreese, SPC
As part of SPC’s broader regional work on climate-induced loss and damage in Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS), the project also expanded technical collaboration between the Samoan Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Pacific Community in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), earth observation and the national use of climate data.
As Pacific countries prepare for Pre-COP31 in Fiji and COP31 in Türkiye, Samoa’s work shows how evidence for loss and damage can be built: national data supported by satellite observation, verified on the ground, informed by local stakeholders and connected to the decisions governments need to make…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Pacific Islands Advance Regional Geohazard and Tsunami Resilience at Honiara Meeting
HONIARA, 27 AUGUST 2026 (UNESCO) — Representatives from Pacific Island Countries and Territories, regional organisations, and international technical partners convened in Honiara, Solomon Islands, from 10 to 14 August 2026 for the Annual Meeting of the Oceania Regional Seismic Network (ORSNET), the 11th Meeting of the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (PTWS) Regional Working Group for Pacific Island Countries and Territories (WG-PICT), and the Third Regional Geohazards Meeting.
The week-long gathering focused on strengthening regional cooperation to enhance earthquake, tsunami, volcano, and landslide monitoring, early warning, preparedness, and resilience across the Pacific. Hosted in Solomon Islands, the meeting brought together representatives from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, French Polynesia and New Caledonia, alongside technical and development partners, to review regional progress, identify emerging challenges, and agree on priority actions for the period 2026–2030.
The discussions underscored the growing need for a coordinated, multi-hazard approach to early warning systems in a region highly exposed to earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and landslides. Participants highlighted persistent challenges including limited technical capacity, incomplete monitoring coverage, equipment maintenance constraints, and uneven access to real-time geophysical data.
Strengthening Regional Seismic and Geohazard Cooperation
A key outcome of the meeting was the endorsement of priority actions to strengthen the Oceania Regional Seismic Network (ORSNET), including improved seismic data sharing, enhanced interoperability, workforce development, and greater investment in maintaining critical monitoring infrastructure. Participants agreed on the establishment of an ORSNET Technical Working Group to support regional standards, data governance, operational procedures, and technical coordination among member countries.
The meeting also validated implementation priorities for ORSNET, the Oceania Regional Volcano Network (ORVNET), and the Oceania Regional Landslide Network (ORLNET), emphasising the importance of strengthening monitoring networks, expanding technical training, improving metadata and information management, and supporting national early warning systems through enhanced scientific cooperation.
Participants further endorsed the continued development of a formal Regional Geohazards Network, which will provide a coordinated platform for seismic, volcano, landslide, and tsunami-related collaboration across the Pacific. The network aims to strengthen governance, interoperability, technical capacity, and resource mobilisation to support hazard monitoring and early warning services throughout the region.
Advancing Tsunami Early Warning and Preparedness
The 11th Meeting of WG-PICT reviewed progress under the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System and assessed regional priorities for strengthening tsunami preparedness and resilience. Participants examined progress against the 2025 PTWS Capacity Gap Assessment and discussed actions to improve tsunami monitoring, warning dissemination, response planning, and operational coordination across Pacific Island Countries and Territories.
The meeting highlighted advances in national tsunami response planning, including validation of Fiji’s updated tsunami response arrangements, increased seismic data sharing to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, and ongoing hazard assessment activities supported by regional and international partners. Special attention was given to strengthening national tsunami warning systems through improved coordination between meteorological services, geohazard agencies, disaster management offices, and national tsunami warning centres. Participants emphasised the importance of 24-hour operational capability, automated warning technologies, and decision-support tools to improve the speed and effectiveness of tsunami warnings.
Preparing for Pacific Wave 2026
Participants also discussed preparations for Exercise Pacific Wave 2026 (PacWave 2026), the Pacific-wide tsunami exercise scheduled to coincide with World Tsunami Awareness Day. This exercise will include scenarios involving tsunamis generated by volcanic activity and will provide an opportunity for countries to test communication mechanisms, standard operating procedures, and regional information-sharing arrangements.
Building on lessons from the 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption, the exercise will support efforts to improve preparedness for volcanic tsunami hazards and enhance regional coordination among tsunami warning stakeholders.
Building Capacity for Safer and More Resilient Communities
Capacity development emerged as a major theme throughout the week. WG-PICT members reviewed the development of a new PTWS Minimum Competency Training Programme designed to strengthen operational capabilities of tsunami warning personnel. Participants also explored opportunities to align training with accredited educational frameworks through regional institutions, including the Regional Training Centre in Nadi and the University of the South Pacific.
The meeting reaffirmed support for the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme, recognising its role in strengthening community preparedness and reducing tsunami risk across coastal communities in the Pacific. Participants called for continued investment in public awareness, preparedness activities, evacuation planning, and regular exercises to build long-term resilience.
Supporting Early Warnings for All
The outcomes of the meeting contribute directly to regional efforts under the Early Warnings for All initiative and broader Pacific resilience frameworks. Participants emphasised the need for sustainable financing, stronger partnerships, and long-term investment in geohazard monitoring infrastructure, scientific expertise, and workforce development.
By strengthening cooperation across ORSNET, WG-PICT, ORVNET, and ORLNET, Pacific countries and partners are advancing a shared vision of more integrated, reliable, and people-centred early warning systems capable of protecting lives and livelihoods from geohazard risks.
These series of meetings were supported by the Government of Solomon Islands, the Pacific Community (SPC) through the European Union funded “Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific Phase II Project” and United States Geological Survey (USGS), SPREP Weather Ready Programme (WRP), UNDRR and UNESCO-IOC…. PACNEWS
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Vanuatu makes progress in digital ship clearance
PORT VILA, 27 AUGUST 2026 (IMO) — A national seminar held in Port Vila, Vanuatu (18–20 August) has identified practical next steps for establishing a Maritime Single Window (MSW) to ease the flow of maritime traffic.
A Maritime Single Window is a centralised digital platform for exchanging information between ships and public authorities when ships call at ports. Using a single-entry point can make clearance procedures faster and more transparent, improving the efficiency of international maritime transport. IMO Member States have been required to use MSWs in ports since 2024.
Priorities for implementation
The seminar identified several priorities to support Vanuatu in establishing an MSW. Recommendations included:
– designating a lead agency;
– establishing an effective coordination mechanism;
– involving the private sector;
– clearly defining the scope of the MSW; and
– aligning implementation with other national and development-partner initiatives.
Participants emphasised that successful implementation will depend on more than technology. It requires clear leadership, effective coordination between agencies, supportive legal and regulatory arrangements, streamlined procedures, adequate capacity and continued engagement between government and the maritime industry.
Improving processes
The seminar brought together government agencies and private-sector stakeholders to examine the IMO Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention), related international standards and the practical steps for implementing an MSW.
Participants mapped existing cargo and ship-clearance processes and explored how to improve them through greater coordination, digitalisation and reducing duplicate information. Discussions focused on ensuring any future system responds to Vanuatu’s operational and institutional needs.
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) contributed to the seminar with an overview of its related work in Vanuatu.
The activity was delivered through IMO’s Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme in close collaboration with the Government of Vanuatu and the Vanuatu Maritime Safety Authority…. PACNEWS
