Food security, waste management, and alternative energy are just some of the topics a meeting of Pacific Island leaders, representatives and other stakeholders in Samoa will cover.
More than 130 delegates from 14 Pacific Island countries and territories are in Apia at the first climate change roundtable of the Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme that got underway today.
The Apia-based director of SPREP, Asterio Takesy, says the four-day meeting will look at a number of issues, including the control of waste, land management, and coral bleaching.
Mr Takesy says its hoped that with everyone's cooperation, gaps in the action plan to move forward on climate change mitigation and adaptation things should progress.
"That is why we have sought as much as possible to involve a wide range of stake holders in our consultations so far, to ensure that this will indeed be a Pacific meeting; that the processes we establish are Pacific and that we build on the co-operation that we have among regional agencies, governments, international agencies and civil society."
Mr Takesy says a better coordinated effort on environmental issues might also convince external donors and development partners to give more assistance.
