Proceedings of the Thirty-Fourth Session
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH SESSION hosted by the Government of Samoa at the Hotel Kitano Tusitala Apia, Samoa 24-30 September 2005 SOUTH PACIFIC APPLIED GEOSCIENCE COMMISSION PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH SESSION hosted by the Government of Samoa at the Hotel Kitano Tusitala Apia, Samoa 24-30 September 2005 January 2006 The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of SOPAC concerning the legal status of any country or territory or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of the frontiers of any country or territory. The mention of any firm or licensed process does not imply endorsement by SOPAC. 2 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION TO SOPAC .......................................................................................................... 4 OPENING ADDRESS Opening Address by Honourable Faumuina Liuga, Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure .................................................................................................. 7 SUMMARY RECORD OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH SOPAC SESSION ............................................... 9 APPENDICES 1 List of Participants ............................................................................................................ 43 2 Agenda................................................................................................................................51 3 Designation of National Representatives ........................................................................ 53 4 Statements by Delegations Part I: Member Countries ............................................................................................ 55 Part II: CROP Organisations ......................................................................................... 70 Part III: Cooperating Governments & International Agencies ................................... 76 Part IV: National Institutions ....................................................................................... 78 5 STAR Chair’s Report to Council ........................................................................................ 82 6 EU EDF 8/9 Report ............................................................................................................. 94 7 Programme Monitoring Evaluation Groups Reports and Associated Documentation .... 97 8 List of Conference Room Documents ............................................................................. 110 9 Acronyms ......................................................................................................................... 113 3 INTRODUCTION TO SOPAC Objectives The Commission’s Work Programme is formulated from The South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) member country requests, and is carried out by its Secretariat is an independent, inter-governmental, regional organisation based in Suva, Fiji Islands. mandated by several Pacific nations to: SOPAC was established in 1972 as CCOP/SOPAC (the • develop resource policy, and advise on the management Committee for Coordination of Joint Prospecting for Mineral and development of onshore and offshore mineral and Resources in South Pacific Offshore Areas) under the aggregate resources; sponsorship of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). In 1984, CCOP/ • meet the needs for water resources, waste management, SOPAC changed its legal status to become an independent, health and sanitation through the provision of resource regional inter-governmental body, changing its name to policy and management advice, appropriate information SOPAC (South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission) in and training; 1989. • support the information requirements and enhance the skills required for management and operation of the energy sector in member countries; Funding SOPAC is funded by a combination of statutory and voluntary • assist decision makers and planners to develop coastal contributions by its member countries and grants from donor zones and extract resources while protecting them from governments and international agencies. An annual budget degradation; of around F$14 million supports the implementation of the Work Programme and the operation of the Secretariat. • predict the effects of hazards on the health, wealth and development potential of member countries; Supporting countries include Australia, Fiji and New Zealand as members, Canada, France, Republic of Korea, Japan, • assist decision makers and planners to understand ocean Norway, the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, United States processes, develop ocean areas and extract resources while and the United Kingdom. The European Union, protecting oceans from over-exploitation and pollution; Commonwealth Secretariat and UNDP are the principal • provide geoscientific and related education needs through multilateral supporting agencies. SOPAC has formal and the provision of a variety of training and education informal links with many other supporting agencies and opportunities at all levels of geoscience and resource institutions. Member countries provide considerable support management; during survey work, and ship time in the region is regularly contributed by other countries such as the France, Japan • meet the demands for electronic information by member and Germany. country governments and regional organisations to manage resources and risk; • support National authorities in disaster management SOPAC Annual Session activities through advice information; and The SOPAC Annual Session is a meeting of the Commission, and has four components: • provide readily-available and current information in geoscience and related fields to member countries and (a) a Plenary Session covers the procedural aspects of the others. meeting and the presentation of reports from member countries, donor Governments and organisations, and the Secretariat. This session is a meeting of the Council at which other delegates are invited as observers, Member Countries contributing to the discussion of non-technical matters Member countries are currently Australia, Cook Islands, concerning SOPAC such as cooperation and funding. Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji Islands, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua (b) a meeting of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to consider New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Kingdom of Tonga, the SOPAC Work Programme. All TAG members Tuvalu and Vanuatu. American Samoa, New Caledonia and participate as equals during this meeting. Tahiti Niu are Associate Members. (c) a meeting of the Science Technology and Resources Network (STAR ) which is an open forum for reporting geoscientific research in the Pacific and for exchanging Background information and ideas between scientists from SOPAC The Commission comprises the Governing Council (the Member Countries and the international geoscientific member country representatives), the Secretariat (based in community. Suva) and the Technical Advisory Group (TAG). TAG (d) a Governing Council meeting to discuss the administrative comprises advisors who are nominated by member countries and financial business of SOPAC, which may be open to and by supporting Governments and organisations, or are observers who could speak when invited. invited by the Secretariat. See the Table on the next page for a summary of past SOPAC sessions. 4 SUMMARY OF SOPAC ANNUAL SESSIONS Session Date Venue Chairman Vice-Chairman TAG Chairman Rapporteur(s) Preparatory Jul 1971 Manila, Philippines R.W. Willett, NZ — — — FIRST Nov 1972 Suva, FJ D. Green, FJ S. Tu’a Taumoepeau,TG R. Willett, NZ — SECOND Aug-Sep 1973 Nuku’alofa, TG S. Tongilava, TG R. Richmond, FJ R. Willett, NZ — THIRD Sep 1974 Apia, WS T. Enari, WS P. Mueller, WS J.W. Brodie, NZ — FOURTH Sep 1975 Honiara, SB R.B. Thompson, SB G. Sawtell, CK J.W. Brodie, NZ — FIFTH Nov 1976 Rarotonga, CK G. Sawtell, CK S. Tongilava, TG D. Kear, NZ — SIXTH Oct 1977 Port Moresby, PN N. Agonia, PN R. Richmond, FJ J.W. Brodie, NZ J. Wright, UK SEVENTH Oct 1978 Wellington, NZ D. Kear, NZ S. Kingan, CK J. Wright, UK G. Shepherd, TS EIGHT Sep-Oct 1979 Suva, FJ R. Richmond, FJ A. Macfarlane, VA M. Terman, US J. Wright, UK NINTH Oct 1980 Tarawa, KI T. Otang, KI A. Macfarlane, VA J. Wright, UK J. Eade, NZ TENTH Oct 1981 Port Vila, VA A. Macfarlane, VA S. Tongilava, TG J. Wright, UK J. Eade, NZ ELEVENTH Nov 1982 Wellington, NZ H. Thompson, NZ S. Tongilava, TG N. Exon, AU J. Eade, NZ TWELFTH Oct 1983 Nuku’alofa, TG S. Tongilava, TG L. Ioane, WS N. Exon, AU D. Howell, US; J. Eade, NZ THIRTEENTH Oct-Nov 1984 Apia, Western Samoa K. Eteuati, WS S. Danitofea, SB H.G. Greene, US N. Exon, AU FOURTEENTH Sep 1985 Honiara, SB J. Saliga, SB S. Kingan, CK H.G. Greene, US D. Mallick, UK FIFTEENTH Sep 1986 Rarotonga, CK S. Kingan, CK G. Anderson, PN J.V. Eade, NZ D. Mallick, UK 5 SIXTEENTH Oct 1987 Lae, Papua New Guinea W. Searson, PN S. Sopoanga, TU D.J. Mallick, UK J. Eade, TS; M. Fisk, UN SEVENTEENTH Oct 1988 Suva, FJ S. Sopoanga, TU R. Rutland, AU C. Helsley, US J. Eade, TS EIGHTEENTH Oct 1989 Canberra, AU R.W. Rutland, AU K. Kolone (Interim) R.N. Richmond, TS J. Harper, TS NINETEENTH Oct 1990 Tarawa, KI T. Tokataake, KI C. Mortimer, VA R.N. Richmond, TS H. Creech, TS TWENTIETH Sep-Oct 1991 Port Vila, VA C. Mortimer, VA S. Tongilava, TG B. Page, UK A. Sherwood, TS TWENTY-FIRST Sep-Oct 1992 Nuku’alofa, TG S. Tongilava, TG A. Simpson, FJ H.G. Greene, US A. Sherwood/J. Eade, TS TWENTY-SECOND Oct 1993 Suva, FJ