The National Environment Service and the Ministry of Agriculture Cook Islands joined representatives from 14 Pacific Island countries for the Subregional Capacity Building Workshop on the 2026 United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) National Reporting, held in Rarotonga from 27–30 April 2026.
The workshop focused on strengthening Pacific SIDS’ capacity to prepare national reports for the 2026 UNCCD reporting cycle. Participants worked through the reporting process step by step, including the tools, data, and indicators used to track land condition and environmental change.
A key discussion was the need for global reporting systems to better reflect small island realities. Much of the global data used for reporting is generated from satellite imagery, which does not always clearly capture small island developing states. For countries like the Cook Islands, this highlights the importance of strengthening national data and improving how local information is used.
The Cook Islands continues to build its capacity in data collection and analysis, with support from regional and technical partners. Strengthening these systems will support more informed decision-making on how we manage and protect our limited land resources.
The week concluded with a COP17 preparatory meeting for Pacific SIDS, chaired by the Cook Islands, focused on regional priorities and coordination ahead of negotiations.
For the Cook Islands, the workshop was an important opportunity to strengthen national capacity, build regional coordination, and contribute to shaping global approaches that better reflect the realities of small island developing states.
