Regional Environmental Indicator Assessments : 2020 Report
This dataset hosts 31 individual environmental indicator assessments that are in the **State of Environment and Conservation in the Pacific Islands : 2020 Regional report.** Regional indicators are used to understand the current status of conservation in the region and to establish a process for periodic reviews of the status of biodiversity and implementation of environmental management measures in the Pacific islands region. Each Pacific regional indicator is assessed with regard to: * its present status, outlining the current health of key habitat types and resources across the region as well as data availability for the present and future assessments; * pressures relating to the dominant factors and drivers of socio-environmental change affecting biodiversity, with an emphasis on recent changes, and opportunities relating to management, knowledge generation, or socio-ecological benefits of progress towards the target outcome; and * response recommendations, describing action to improve the health and sustainability of Pacific biodiversity and ecosystems.
Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme
**This pdf combines all 31 indicators in one document**
DEFINITION - % of national budget allocated to Environment Ministry or equivalent PURPOSE - Determine trends in prioritisation of environmental funding within government DESIRED OUTCOME - Stable or positive trend; sufficient and sustainable financing to implement environmental programmes
Indicator 1 - Environment Ministry budget allocation
DEFINITION - % of MEA reporting requirements met on time PURPOSE - Determine if MEAs are being reported on DESIRED OUTCOME - 100% of MEA reporting requirements met on time or positive trend. PICTs successfully meet reporting obligations under MEAs in a timely manner, ideally using the State of Environment Reporting as the basis for responding to these reporting requirements
Indicator 2 - MEA Reporting Requirements
DEFINITION - Level of extractive terrestrial wildlife use by humans PURPOSE- Increase the safety to species, ecosystems, and people from the sustainable use of terrestrial wildlife DESIRED OUTCOME - Monitored and sustainable use of wildlife with stable populations; zero use of protected species
Indicator 3 - Terrestrial wildlife protection
DEFINITION - Percentage native forest cover of total land area PURPOSE- Indicates the suite of environmental values associated with forests (e.g. biodiversity, carbon sequestration, subsistence hunting) DESIRED OUTCOME - Stable or positive trend in tree cover, or reduced rate of tree cover loss
DEFINITION - E. coli levels in water samples PURPOSE - E. coli are indicators of faecal contamination in freshwater bodies and are associated with a range of possible human diseases. High levels of E. coli can be associated with cloudy water and decreased dissolved oxygen DESIRED OUTCOME - E. coli threshold at or below globally accepted standards for drinking and bathing water, which is none detectable per 100 mL for both E. coli and total coliforms for drinking water; standards vary for bathing and swimming water
DEFINITION - % of total arable land that is under cultivation PURPOSE - Tracks the area of arable land that is developed for agriculture DESIRE OUTCOME - Stable trend in area under cultivation. A decreasing area under cultivation might affect food security and an increasing trend under area under cultivation implies some conversion of natural vegetation to agriculture
DEFINITION - % cover of wetlands, mangroves, and seagrass PURPOSE - Wetlands, mangroves and seagrass provide ecosystem services not provided by other ecosystems (such as nurseries for economically important fish species, natural flood mitigation and water filter systems). They also support plants and animals not found in other ecosystems. DESIRED OUTCOME - Stable or positive trend in area of wetlands and mangroves
DEFINITION - % of live coral cover in coastal and marine environments PURPOSE - Indicator of overall health of reef ecosystems. These ecosystems provide important services for humans DESIRED OUTCOME - Stable or positive trend in live coral cover
DEFINITION - Enterococci levels in water samples PURPOSE - Enterococci are bacteria found in the intestines of animals and humans and indicate the presence of faecal pollution in coastal waters DESIRED OUTCOME - Enterococci levels are within the safe threshold for marine recreation at all monitored sites. Current United States EPA thresholds are
DEFINITION - Trends in biomass of tuna species PURPOSE - Track the health of this important component of the ocean ecosystem DESIRED OUTCOME - Stable biomass catch
DEFINITION - Fish biomass for inshore fish populations PURPOSE - Indicates inshore fish population status and reef health DESIRED OUTCOME - Stable level of biomass; or juvenile fish are not overrepresented in markets
DEFINITION - % of plastic in waste audits, including beach clean-ups PURPOSE- Determine trends in marine plastic pollution from land and at-sea sources DESIRED OUTCOME - Stable or declining trend in proportion of plastic in waste audits
Indicator 13 : Terrestrial Protected Areas Indicator 14 : Marine Protected Areas Indicator 15 : Protected Area Management Effectiveness Indicator 16 : Key biodiversity areas protected Indicator 17 : Governance and equity of protected areas Indicator 18 : Integration of protected areas into wider land and seascapes
Indicator 13 - 18 : Protection of Pacific Spaces
Indicator 19 : Invasive species under management or eradicated Indicator 20 : Priority sites with invasive species managed
Indicator 19 - 20 : Managing invasive species in the Pacific
DEFINITION : Population abundance of identified species PURPOSE : Tracks the status of populations of priority species over time DESIRED OUTCOME : Stable or positive trend in population size
Indicator 21 : Status of Migratory Species of Concern
DEFINITIO : Number and types of species listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List and a summary of their threats PURPOSE : Track the status of threatened species and understand the most important threats DESIRED OUTCOME : Trend for species to be downgraded to lower threat levels or off the threatened species list
Indicator 23 - 25 : Climate resilience through environmental management
DEFINITION : Trend in consumption of ozone depleting substances (ODS) PURPOSE : Tracks countries progress to phasing out ODS. Ozone depleting substances destroy the earth’s ozone which protects the earth from UV radiation DESIRED OUTCOME : Negative trend in ODS consumption
Indicator 26 - Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)
DEFINITION : Trend in percentage production of energy from renewable sources PURPOSE : Energy generation is a major source of GHG emissions. Pacific island countries also have limited capacity for oil and gas storage and are therefore highly vulnerable to fluctuations in fossil fuel price and availability DESIRED OUTCOME : Positive trend in energy production from renewable sources
DEFINITION : Annual per capita generation of municipal solid waste PURPOSE : Accurate measurement of per capita waste generation for better waste management DESIRED OUTCOME : Stabilisation and subsequent negative trend in household waste generated
Indicator 28 - 29 : Per capita generation of municipal solid waste
DEFINITION : Quantity of generated hazardous wastes processed/treated (including export) PURPOSE : Treatment and safe storage of hazardous waste mitigates the risk to humans and nature. Hazardous materials can have direct and indirect, chronic or acute impacts DESIRED OUTCOME : Full treatment/processing of all hazardous waste generated
DEFINITION : % of households connected to central sewerage system PURPOSE : Tracks progress in managing sewage in a way that minimises the risk of water contamination. Untreated sewage and leaking septic systems are a major source of ground and surface water contamination DESIRED OUTCOME : Positive trend in % of households connected to central sewerage system
Indicator 31 : Access to and quality of sewage treatment
In this report, a set of recommendations is provided for each indicator to support the next best steps for management action that will advance progress towards the target outcome and support Pacific people and biodiversity.
State of Environment and Conservation in the Pacific Islands - 2020 Regional Report
Developing a Pacific Climate Change Preparedness Scorecard