May 2010: This policy paper, titled “Confronting Environmental Treaty Implementation Challenges in the Pacific Islands” and published by the East-West Center, examines the difficulties that Pacific Island countries (PICs) have in fulfilling their environmental commitments, particularly multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs).

The 43-page paper, authored by Pamela S. Chasek, provides an introduction to the region, describes the MEAs that play a role in the region, and examines challenges to implementation. Finally, the paper provides recommendations to donors, regional organizations, the UN system, and NGOs on addressing PICs’ implementation challenges. Chasek notes that, despite the “pervasive” notion that small islands – and especially PICs – are relatively prosperous and enjoy a high quality of life due to their heavily natural environment, they experience “environmental and social fragility and a high degree of economic vulnerability to many possible external shocks.” She indicates that these shocks can be exacerbated, instead of alleviated, by efforts to participate in the MEA system, due to the significant time and resources required. For PICs, the paper finds that “these requirements are quite large in relation to the total number of government personnel and their other responsibilities.”

As a result, the research suggests that, “while MEA processes may be the key to building up resources and capacities to address the full range of environmental issues over the medium to long term, in the short term they can impose significant additional stresses on smaller developing countries, like those in the Pacific.” [The Policy Paper]