Island biodiversity has a notorious record of decline and extinction which continues due to habitat loss and degradation, invasive species, overexploitation, pollution, disease and human-forced climate change. In terrestrial systems, these global and local pressures are more acute because of relatively small land to sea area, high endemism and poor adaptations to resist predation.

This new Pacific islands framework for nature conservation and protected areas 2021-2025 was endorsed during the conference and subsequently at the 30th SPREP Meeting bu 26members countries and territories in 2021. It reflects the urgent need for transformative action in response to the multiple accelerating threats, both established and emerging, that are faced by nature and people ion the Pacific.

Caring for nature is part of the Pacific way of life. Pacific Leaders have endorsed regional and national priorities for protecting and managing the Pacific environment and its diverse ecosystems and for improving our relationship with nature.

This digital story introduces the State of Environment and Conservation in the Pacific Islands: 2020 Regional Report, which assesses the status and trends of the endorsed 31 regional environment indicators across seven thematic areas.