RESF 2016 Presentation Summaries
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2016 Oceania Regional Environmental Security Forum - Presentation Summaries 2016 OCEANIA REGIONAL PRESENTATION ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY SUMMARIES FORUM Co-sponsored by: | Republic of Fiji Military Forces & U.S. Pacific Command 1 2016 Oceania Regional Environmental Security Forum - Presentation Summaries TABLE OF CONTENTS Day 1 – Opening Ceremony Honorable Douglas E. Sonnek, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4 Honorable Praveen Kumar Bala, Minister for Local Government, Housing and Environment, Republic of Fiji ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 7 Day 1 – Sustainable Ocean Resources "Introduction to Sustainable Ocean Resources Theme," by Mr. Russell Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Fisheries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States of America ………………………………………………………………………. 10 “Environmental Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement in the Oceania Region,” by Mr. Anthony Talouli, Marine Pollution Advisor, South Pacific Regional Environmental Programme …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 14 "Marae Moana Cook Islands Marine Park: Progress and Challenges," by Mr. Kelvin Passfield, Technical Director, Te Ipukarea Society, Cook Islands ………….…………………………. 16 "Laamu Atoll Environmental Sensitivity Index," by LTC Ahmed Thohir, Principal Director, Administration & Personnel Service (J1), Maldives National Defence Force, Republic of Maldives …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 18 Day 2 – Protecting the Coastal Zone "Introduction to Protecting the Coastal Zone Theme," by Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai, Fiji Country Director, Wildlife Conservation Society …………………………………………………………….. 20 "Coastal Marine Spatial Planning," by Ms. Nicole Griffin, Environmental and Energy Manager, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, United States of America …………………………… 23 "Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs): A Home Grown and Globally Recognized Environmental Solution," by Mr. Alifereti Tawake, Council Chair & Technical Advisor, Locally Managed Marine Area International Network, Republic of Fiji ……………………………. 25 "Global Environment Facility Pacific Ridge to Reef Programme," by Mr. Marc Wilson, Global Environment Facility Pacific - Ridge to Reef Regional Programme Coordinator, Geoscience Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community …………………………………………….. 27 2 2016 Oceania Regional Environmental Security Forum - Presentation Summaries TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Day 3 – Resiliency to Extreme and Frequent Weather Events "Introduction to Resiliency to Extreme and Frequent Weather Events Theme," by Commodore Ian Murray, Royal Australian Navy, J1/J4, Director General Support, Headquarters Joint Operations Command, Australia ……………………………………………………… 28 “Tropical Cyclone Winston Response,” by Mr. Luke Koroisave, Chief Economic Planning Officer, Sectoral Regional Division, National Development & Strategic Planning, Ministry of Finance, Republic of Fiji ………………………………………………………………………………… 34 "2011 Tuvalu and Tokelau Drought," by LTCOL Terry McDonald, Director of Strategic Development, Army General Staff, New Zealand Defence Force, New Zealand ………………. 36 "American Samoa 2009 Tsunami - Then and Now," by Mr. Iuniasolua T. Savusa, Director, Department of Homeland Security, American Samoa (Delivered by Mr. Justin Pummell, Geographer, Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 38 Day 4 – Closing Ceremony Brigadier General Jeffrey L. Milhorn, Commanding General, Pacific Ocean Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, United States of America ………………………………………………… 40 Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto, Commander, Republic of Fiji Military Forces, Republic of Fiji ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 43 3 2016 Oceania Regional Environmental Security Forum - Presentation Summaries Presentation Title: Opening Ceremony Statement Date: 24 May 2016 Time: 0910 - 0915 Theme: Opening Ceremony Speaker: Honorable Douglas E. Sonnek, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu Biography: Douglas E. Sonnek is the Deputy Chief of Mission for the Embassy of the United States of America to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu. Since July 2014, Doug Sonnek has functioned as the chief operating officer at the US Embassy Suva, responsible for the day-to-day running of the Mission. Prior to taking up this position, he served as Political/Economic Counsellor at the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon, Burma from July 2011 to May 2014, advising policy makers on the full range of political and economic issues affecting U.S.-Burma relations during a period of rapid change in bilateral relations. In the years prior to his posting in Rangoon, Doug focused on Vietnam – first as the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affair’s Vietnam Desk Economics Officer then as Economic Section Chief at the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City – during which time U.S.-Vietnam bilateral trade increased dramatically. Doug’s career with the Department of State also took him to Ljubljana, Slovenia as well as Beijing and Shenyang, China, where he specialized in trade and investment issues. Before joining the State Department, Doug spent three years as a Peace Corps Volunteer, first in the Central African Republic then on the South Pacific island nation of Niue. Doug graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. He is accompanied in Fiji by his wife Winnie and their two children. 4 2016 Oceania Regional Environmental Security Forum - Presentation Summaries Statement: On behalf of Ambassador Judith Cefkin, I would like to welcome Honorable Minister Kumar Bala, Brigadier General Jeff Milhorn, Deputy Assistant Secretary Russell Smith, Commodores, Permanent Secretary, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Ni sa bula vinaka! Namaste! Salam Aleichem, Good morning! I am delighted to be here to welcome you all to this important forum. First, I would like to say a few words of appreciation to the organizers from the U.S. Pacific Command, in particular the event’s director Christopher Sholes and our gracious Fijian hosts, especially LtCol Jone Tavainavesi who worked so hard to organize this forum. The Regional Environmental Security Forum was launched in 2010 by the United States Pacific Command to provide an opportunity for militaries in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region to collaborate with their civilian counterparts on enhancing environmental security, protection, awareness and management in the region. Since the first forum, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, succeeding forums have taken place in Indonesia, Australia, Maldives, and Thailand. Each forum has chosen different areas of focus. I am very pleased that this year’s Forum, hosted by the Republic of Fiji Military forces has selected the themes of sustainable ocean resources, coastal zone protection, resiliency to extreme weather events, and regional project collaboration as the areas of focus. I understand that there will also be a workshop on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing. These issues are at the forefront of our work at the U.S. Embassy in Suva. We understand that the future of the United States and our Pacific partners is inextricably linked to our ability to respond to the challenges posed by climate change and the degradation of ocean resources. One may ask: why would the military get involved in environmental management - something that has traditionally been a civilian domain? I believe that President Obama answered this question very well in a speech he delivered to the graduating class of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy almost exactly a year ago. In this speech, focused on the threat climate change poses for global security, the President said: "Rising seas are already swallowing low-lying lands, from Bangladesh to Pacific islands, forcing people from their homes...Globally, we could see a rise in climate change refugees...Elsewhere, more intense droughts will exacerbate shortages of water and food, increase competition for resources and create the potential for mass migrations and new tensions. All of which is why the Pentagon calls climate change a 'threat multiplier.’” The President went on to say that one impact of climate change -- extreme drought -- is believed to have played a role in the rise of Boko Haram in Nigeria, and the civil war in Syria, so that military services need to factor climate change into plans and operations. Also, he stated that the increasingly extreme storms being generated by climate change mean that our forces will have to be prepared for more humanitarian missions to deliver lifesaving aid. We have just seen this so clearly in Fiji -- with the devastation wrought by Cyclone Winston -- the strongest cyclone ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere. And indeed, it fell to the RFMF to mount a large-scale humanitarian relief effort. 5 2016 Oceania Regional Environmental Security Forum - Presentation Summaries I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the U.S. Government's condolences for the terrible losses Fiji has suffered from Cyclone Winston, as well as our deep admiration for the tremendous skill with which the RFMF and Government of Fiji have responded. As I said earlier, the issues being tackled by this forum are among the highest priorities for the U.S. Government. President Obama, Secretary Kerry and other U.S. leaders care passionately about the environmental stewardship of our planet. This is why we worked so intensively with the Pacific and other international partners to achieve