The Island Futures Divison (IFD) formerly the Environment International Division (EID), was established in July 2004 with the intent to strengthen the National Environment Services capability to meet the Cook Islands commitments to international Multi-lateral Environment Agreements (MEAs). The Division comprises of one manager (fully funded by Government) and five project staff (funded under the projects).
The IFD major functions include, but are not limited to, providing advice on MEAs to Government, NGO’s, private sector and the general public as well as meeting obligations to MEAs, negotiate, coordinate and manage all projects relevant to MEAs and participate in negotiation meetings at regional and international level on behalf of the Cook Islands.
The IFD contributes to the overall outputs of the National Environment Service through Education and Awareness programmes and assistance to the Advisory and Compliance Division.
The division handles issues under the following headings:
• Biodiversity
• Climate Change
• Education
• Hazardous Substances
• Land Degradation
Some of the International and Regional Organisations we work with:
• South Secretariat of the Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
• United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• UNDP – GEF
• Global Environment Facility (GEF) Secretariat
• Asian Development Bank (ADB)
• World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) South Pacific
• South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC)
Multilateral Environment Agreements Applicable to the Cook Islands
| Multilateral Environment Agreements | Cook Islands Status | Convention Date Signed | Convention Date Ratified Enforced | Cook Is Date Signed | Cook Is Date Ratified Enforced |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) | Ratified | 5/6/1992 | 29/12/1993 | 12/6/1992 | 20/4/1993 |
| 2. Biosafety Protocol | Signed | 29/1/2000 | 11/9/2003 | 21/5/2001 | not |
| 3. Climate Change (UNFCCC) | Ratified | 9/5/1992 | 21/3/1994 | 12/6/1992 | 20/4/1993 |
| 4. Kyoto Protocol | Ratified | 11/12/1997 | 16/2/2005 | 16/9/1998 | 27/8/2001 |
| 5. Montreal Protocol | Ratified | 16/9/1987 | 22/12/2003 | 21/3/2004 | |
| 6. Ozone Layer Convention (Vienna) | Ratified | 22/3/1985 | 22/9/1988 | 22/12/2003 | 21/3/2004 |
| 7. Basel Convention | Ratified | 22/3/1989 | 5/5/1992 | 29/6/2004 | 27/9/2004 |
| 8. Waigani Convention | Ratified | 16/9/1995 | 17/9/1995 | 30/10/2000 | |
| 9. POPs Convention (Stockholm) | Ratified | 22/5/2001 | 17/5/2004 | 29/6/2004 | 27/9/2004 |
| 10. Desertification (UNCCD) | Ratified | 17/6/1994 | 26/12/1998 | 21/8/1998 | 19/11/1998 |
| 11. Rotterdam Convention | Ratified | 10/9/1998 | 24/2/2004 | 29/6/2004 | 27/9/2004 |
| 12. SPREP Convention | Ratified | 24/11/1986 | 22/8/1990 | 25/11/1986 | 9/9/1987 |
| 13. Apia Convention | Ratified | 12/6/1976 | 26/6/1990 | 27/3/1987 | 26/6/1987 |
| 14. UNCLOS (Law of the Sea) | Ratified | 10/12/1982 | 16/11/1994 | 10/12/1982 | 15/2/1995 |
| 15. South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty (Rarotonga) | Ratified | 6/8/1985 | 11/12/1986 | 6/8/1985 | 28/10/1985 |
| 16. International Plant Protection Convention | Ratified | 1951 | 1952 | 17/11/2004 | 17/11/2004 |
| 17. International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources | Ratified | ||||
| 18. MARPOL 73/78 Convention | Under consideration | 1972 | 1992 | not | Not |
| 19. Intervention Convention 1969 | Under consideration | 1969 | not | Not | |
| 20. World Heritage Convention | Under consideration | 23/11/1972 | 17/11/1975 | not | Not |
| 21. Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) | Under consideration | 3/3/1973 | 1/7/1975 | not | Not |
| 22. RAMSAR Convention | Under consideration | 2/2/1971 | 21/12/1975 | not | Not |
For further information contact:
Island Futures Division
resources@environment.org.ck