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t'The storage and release of nuclear wastes in the
environment shall be prevented', (Declaration 9),
"The rate and nature of discharges of non-nuclear wasles
the capacity of the environment to absonb them without harm to
and to the people who live from it" (Declaration 8).
Pacif ic regional
shall not exceed
the environrnent
The draft Protocol on Oil Pollution Emergencies for the Pacific follows a global
pattern and is similar to lhose of the Kuwait, Abidjan, Barcelona and Caribbean Protocols on
Oil Pollution, but the draft Protocol, having had the benefit of the experienees in other
regions of the world, has been broadened to cover other pollutants.
Convention on Conrarvation of Nature
In June 1975r following World Environment Day, a regional neeting in Apia, Western
Samoa m the Convention ur the Conrervetion of Nature in the South Pacific was sponsored
by the SPC and the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
(ltJCN). The regional meeting and the draft Cmvention were largely the result of ILCN
initiatives following similar work in other parts of the world and the regional Syrnposium on
Conservation in I97I. The 1975 meeting in Apia was the first attempt in the Pacific to
co-qerate m environmental matters at a regional level.
Drawing on the Declaration of Environrnental Principles adopted by the United Nations
Ctrlference on the Human Environment at Stockholm in June 1972, and conscious of the
growing dangers that threaten the natural resources and fragile ecosystems of the Pacific,
collective action at regional level was thought to be lhe best nreans of prot,ecting and
safeguarding these assets for the benefit of present and future generations.
Provisions of the Convention on Conservation encourage the creation of prolected
areas (Art. ll) as well as the protection of indigenous flora and fauna (Art. V). Certain acts
such as the hunting, killing and capturing of specimens of fauna or collection of specimens of
the flora in protected areas are prohibited (Art. III). Co-qeration at regional level for the
exchange of information, research and training is encouraged (Art. V[).
Although the Convention on Conservation was tabled for information at the South
Pacific Conference on National Parks and Reservee held in New Zealand early in 1975,
followed by the Convention rneeting in Apia in June 1976, mly three countries (France,
Papua New Guinea, and Western Samoa) have signed the Cmvention. Tfe Convention requires
the ratificetion of four countries to come into force.
Perhaps the lack of regional support for bhis Cqrvention lies in the fect that
conservetion of natural resources is regarded by some countries as a national matter rather
than a regional oner es each countryrs needg are dependent on their own development
priorities. The objectives as erticulated in the Convention are pursued through national
legislation in almost all Pacific countries. For exanple, Papua New Guinears Cmstitution
declares thet the resources and environnrent be conserved end used for their collective
benefit and replenished for the uae of future generations, as their Fourth National Goal.
Other examplee are the Cmservetion Areas Act 1978, and the Fauna (Pmtection and Cmtrol)
Act 1974 (Pryua New Guinea); Tb Cmservation Act 1975 (Cook lelands); The National Parks
Act 1974 (Solomon lslands); Tb Wildlife Congervetion and Endangered Species Act (Guam);
lhe Prohibited Areas Ordinance t97l (Kiribati); the Birds end Garne protection Act l92l
(Fiji); the Fish and Bird Preservation Act (Tmge); the Endangered Species Act (TTpI); to
name e few. Tlc protective legislation in some countries detee far beck before independence
and also before the 1976 regional discussions m the Convention on the Cmservation of
Nature. Added to this is the Australian amangement ntrere each State hae its own lawe, its
own ayatem of national parks and neserves and ite own adminiStration. Research, training and
the exchange of information heve been taking place in the region prior to the 1976
discussiona and together with treditional coneervation nrethods through rituale srd taboos
thege have been sorne of the factors thet have affected e firm commitncnt at a regional
level.