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Communique Issued by Pacific Islands Environmental Conference on Sustainable Development

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): June 24, 1997 - The Pacific Islands Environmental Conference on Sustainable Development held in Pohnpei from June 16^th to the 20^th issued a communique of which the text is as follows:

"WE, the participants of this Conference, have come together to discuss a topic of great urgency to the peoples of the Pacific Islands - Sustainable development. Having carefully considered the issues of science, economics, and society, we issue this communique for the consideration of the people, governments, regional organizations, and institutions of the Pacific Islands and our fellow citizens of the globe.

WHEREAS, through traditional practices people of the Pacific Islands have, for centuries, practiced careful stewardship of their environment; and

WHEREAS, the Pacific Islands are unique because they are isolated from contential land masses and have limited natural resources, fragile ecological environments, high biodiversity and endemism; and

WHEREAS, local and global economic development activities offer hope but threaten Pacific Islands ecologies and cultures; and

WHEREAS, reef ecosystems face growing threats from land-based development and off-shore human activities; and

WHEREAS, current waste disposal practices are inefficient and degrade our land and water; and

WHEREAS, this generation has an obligation to ensure the right of future generations to a level of environmental quality equal to and exceeding that which it has enjoyed;

NOW THEREFORE, we resolve to support the following recommendations:

• Appropriate traditional resources management practices must be incorporated into all islands development; and

• Pacific Island nations should each have development strategies that unite the ecological, economic, social equity and educational concerns of communities; and

• Public education campaigns should be initiated on all islands to inform the people of the principles of sustainability; and

• Public and private developers within the islands must be accountable for the full cost (infrastructure, social, historical, environmental) of their activities; and

• Pacific Islands should begin cooperatively marketing recyclable materials; and

• Land-based and off-shore pollution must be managed to protect our valuable coral reefs; and

• Efficiency and conservation must be incorporated into the energy and transportation strategies of the islands; and

• Island resources development plans must be based on the carrying capacity of Pacific Island ecosystems; and

• Island governments must broaden their decision-making processes to include the widest public involvement, beginning with input and consensus from island communities; and

• All nations must begin immediately reducing carbon emissions by every means possible.

NOW THEREFORE, we further resolve to review our progress toward meeting these recommendations at the next Pacific Islands Environmental Conference"