The Minister for Environment, Hon. Robert Tapaitau and the National Environment Service (NES) have released the final Cook Islands State of the Environment (SOE) Report 2018 to wrap up the activities that NES have conducted as part of their Environment Month 2020 programme.
The SOE Report represents the first integrated account of the Cook Islands natural resources, since the publication of the Cook Islands National Environment Management Strategies Report in 1993. The SOE Report updates the 1993 baselines with recent findings supported by scientific data, and presents it in a form that is easily understood.
This Report contains key information to inform planning, monitoring and decision making at all levels. A total of 37 environment indicators were assessed, with the ‘state’ being rated as good (16%), fair (55%) and poor (26%). Further work from all stakeholders, including our communities, will be needed to address findings and improve environment management across the Cook Islands.
The information gathered to form this Report was only possible through the collective efforts of national stakeholders and Government Agencies and in partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) through the UNEP-GEF INFORM Project. NES acknowledges the support of all of those that provided information and support to the development of the SOE.