Political Reviews
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Political Reviews Micronesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014 taberannang korauaba, kelly g marsh, clement yow mulalap, christina sablan, tyrone j taitano Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014 lorenz gonschor, margaret mutu, christina newport, forrest wade young The Contemporary Pacic, Volume 27, Number 1, 209–293 © 2015 by University of Hawai‘i Press 209 Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014 Reviews of American Sāmoa, Hawai‘i, period and the drought conditions Niue, Sāmoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, forecast to extend the dry season and Wallis and Futuna are not (CIN, 16 Dec 2013). With two water included in this issue. treatment plants and a desalination machine dispatched from Rarotonga, the New Zealand High Commission Cook Islands added its support by supplying one As the 49th year of Cook Islands of the solar-powered water-treatment “self-governing” in free association plants as part of a nz$225,000 grant with New Zealand, the period under to support the Cook Islands drought review has been characterized by a response strategy. The strategy number of political ups and downs, includes equipment, training, aware- culminating in a snap election with ness raising, and water level monitor- contested results and court action ing and reporting (CIN, 31 Jan 2014). set to determine the outcome. The On a much larger scale, the nz$60 results highlight the need for reform million Cook Islands Water Partner- to address the disparity of the value ship, or Te Mato Vai, linked to climate of a vote across the country. As 2014 change, is intended to improve water is also the International Year of Small supply and quality on Rarotonga. The Islands Developing States, interna- initiative will refurbish water intakes, tional and local attention is focused increase water storage and treatment, on the country’s development partner- and replace ring mains and piping ships as it prepares to celebrate its (CIN, 19 Oct 2013). Funding for the unique form of sovereignty in 2015. project has been raised, with nz$22 Other issues this year revolved around million from the Cook Islands gov- a rollout of tax reforms, marine ernment, a nz$15 million grant from resources, and the management of the New Zealand, and a nz$23 million climate change–related drought in the concessional loan from the People’s southern group islands. Republic of China. This jointly funded The Cook Islands continues to partnership has drawn international place priority on climate change and attention and is “believed to be a climate-related disaster risks, with first for the emerging Asian country a number of southern group islands which has traditionally been known “dealing with drought-like condi- to deliver aid unilaterally” (CIN, tions after months without decent 12 Sept 2013). Visiting researcher rainfall” (CIN, 16 Dec 2013). On Atiu, Philippa Brant of the Lowy Institute groundwater supplies were at criti- for International Policy in Australia cally low levels. These problems were suggested that because the Pacific further compounded with increased faced no current military conflict, the demands expected over the Christmas Cook Islands was ideal for Beijing 251 252 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) to test out its new aid strategy while above its weight, a potential game avoiding accusations of self-interest by lifter for the Cook Islands lies in its allowing the Cook Islands and New ability to deliver on the government’s Zealand to drive the project (CIN, 12 optimistic energy security goals. Sept 2013). Locally the project also Targets of 50 percent of electricity to drew attention through public meet- be supplied from renewable energy ings and consultations on the Water sources by 2015 and 100 percent Master Plan. With construction due to by 2020 are looking attainable with start on 14 April 2014, a petition with the help of old and new develop- over two thousand signatures was ment friends. Support from a range delivered to Parliament seeking to put of donors has been negotiated. This a stop to the project “until misgiv- includes a nz$20.5 million project to ings and shortcomings on the project design and construct solar-powered can be identified and investigated and hybrid energy systems on Manihiki, other options explored,” said James Rakahanga, Penrhyn, Pukapuka, Thomson, spokesman for the Te Mato Nassau, and Palmerston to enable Vai Petition Committee (CIN, 5 April these communities to move toward 2014). It was agreed that a Parlia- 95 percent reliance on solar power. mentary Select Committee would be New Zealand company Power Smart established; however, the project still has been contracted and is expected proceeded. to start in August 2014 (CIN, 12 June Since the 2011 establishment of the 2014). In addition, another New Zea- Climate Change Division in the Office land company, Infratec Renewables of the Prime Minister, a number of (NETcon International) was awarded initiatives have commenced. A us$5 a nz$3.3 million contract funded by million Adaptation Fund project facili- New Zealand and the European Union tated the development of a national to install a 960-kilowatt solar fan at climate-change policy. In November the Rarotonga Airport. Construction 2013, the Kaveinga Tapapa: Climate on that project commenced in April and Disaster Compatible Develop 2014 (CIN, 29 April 2014). How- ment Policy 2013–2016 was launched. ever, it was not all plain sailing, with In taking an integrated approach, local businessman and Chamber of the policy is focused on low-carbon, Commerce President Steve Anderson climate-change–and disaster-resilient questioning decisions to send hazard- development. Prime Minister Henry ous lead-acid batteries rather than Puna’s introductory statement notes lithium-ion batteries to a number of that the policy, by integrating with low-lying atolls as part of the renew- existing policy instruments and plan- able energy plans. ning tools, “builds on our existing Given the potential of aid being tied structures and draws on our capability to a donor country’s foreign and trade to lift our game” and its “fundamental policies, and noting the nature of the message is to prepare today for tomor- relationship between the Cook Islands row” (Cook Islands Government and New Zealand, such decisions are 2013, 2). perceived as the Cook Islands govern- With a reputation for punching ment’s not wanting “to rock the boat political reviews • polynesia 253 too much with New Zealand and Aus- featured during this review year. With tralia and China and Japan who are an exclusive economic zone of over the donors, so . they’re being guided 200 million square kilometers of by the donors who basically lay down ocean, the Cook Islands establishment the criteria of what’s going to be of a marine protected area continues given,” said Anderson in an interview moving toward being “legally desig- on Radio Australia (Fayle 2014). nated and zoned by the end of 2015” Cook Islands efforts at the interna- (CIN, 22 Feb 2014). Situated in the tional level took forward three policy southern region, the marine park will priorities of loss and damage, climate- cover an area of approximately 1.1 change adaptation, and climate-change million square kilometers. Following financing to the 19th meeting of the extensive consultations across the pa United Nations Framework Conven- enua (islands), Marae Moana Marine tion on Climate Change (unfccc) Park Project Manager Jacqui Evans Conference of Parties in Warsaw, stated that “we don’t want to prevent Poland, in November 2013. The opportunities for the country to use delegation leader (and one of seven its marine resources but we want to women on the eight-member team), see our ecosystems being sustained Ana Tira‘a, in commenting on the because they provide so much for us importance of attending such meet- in terms of food, shelter, recreation, ings and seeking global agreement to medicine, income through tourism and address climate-change impacts, said, basic ecosystem services such as water “In our northern atolls there are some treatment and coastal protection” areas that are less than 300 metres (CIN, 14 May 2014). Meanwhile, with wide—ocean on one side, lagoon on zoning providing varied protections the other. Losing a little bit of land has within the Marae Moana area, the a big impact on low lying communities government continues in developing with limited land area. Loss of land the institutional and regulatory frame- is not easily replaced” (CIN, 18 Nov work to enable the mining of mineral 2013). deposits from the seabed. Located During the period under review, the predominately through the central and Cook Islands gave support to regional northern parts of Cook Islands waters, climate-change efforts. Prime Minister at depths of up to 6,000 meters, man- Puna, as the outgoing Pacific Islands ganese nodules rich in cobalt, nickel, Forum chair, attended the 44th Forum and copper are said to offer 10 billion in the Marshall Islands in September tonnes of mineable resources (Cook 2013, adding his signature to the Islands Seabed Minerals Authority Majuro Declaration, but not before 2014). With the government’s eye calling on the leaders to support the on the potential economic benefits Nansen Initiative on climate-change– as an opportunity to diversify the and disaster-induced displacement country’s narrow economic base, the and the Oceans 21 initiative for the environmental and social implications sustainable development of the Pacific continue to be raised as prominent oceanscape (pifs 2013). concerns by cultural and environmen- Marine resource policy issues also tal watchdog groups. After a public 254 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) session of a Seabed Minerals regional protesters when he announced that the workshop focused on financial aspects Democratic Party would abolish the of deep-sea minerals and attended by a back tax (CIN, 27 Feb 2014).