The Cook Islands National Environment Service (NES) continues to strengthen its technical capability in environmental management following the participation of Senior Compliance Officer Matthew Rima and Compliance Officer Alowesi Suveinakama in the Regional Training on Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) and Environment Data Portal for Coastal Marine Management and Climate Adaptation and Resilience, held in Nadi, Fiji, from 29 June to 3 July 2026. The regional workshop, organised by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), brought together technical officers from 11 Pacific Island countries to build practical skills in environmental data management, spatial planning and climate resilience. The training was supported by SPREP, the Pacific BioScapes Programme, the European Union, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the United Nations Environment Programme.
Throughout the five-day programme, participants received intensive hands-on training in the practical application of GIS technologies, the QField mobile data collection platform, Google Earth Engine, and the Pacific Environment Data Portal. The workshop focused on developing skills to collect, validate, analyse and visualise environmental data, enabling countries to produce high-quality spatial information to support environmental reporting, marine and coastal management, biodiversity conservation, and climate adaptation planning. Participants also learnt how to prepare metadata and upload validated datasets to national and regional environmental data portals, ensuring that environmental information is more accessible and available to support evidence-based decision-making.
A highlight of the training was the field exercise at the Narewa Mangrove ecosystem in Fiji, where participants undertook practical environmental surveys using the QField mobile application. Data collected included mangrove distribution, biodiversity observations, land degradation, livestock impacts, waste accumulation and other environmental pressures. These field observations were subsequently integrated into GIS software to produce professional-quality spatial maps, demonstrating how digital technologies can rapidly transform field data into valuable information for planning and management. The Cook Islands delegation also developed benthic habitat maps using Google Earth Engine, showcasing the potential of freely available satellite imagery to assess shallow marine habitats, reef systems and coral health.
The workshop also provided an important opportunity for regional collaboration and knowledge exchange. NES officers shared the Cook Islands’ experience in applying GIS technology to environmental compliance, invasive species mapping, wetland management and marine spatial planning. Discussions also covered the use of spatial mapping to support environmental governance, including seabed minerals activities, where the Cook Islands highlighted that publicly available environmental spatial data already contributes to informed decision-making. SPREP further acknowledged the Cook Islands, alongside Kiribati, for its progressive achievements in Marine Spatial Planning and the continued development of Marine Protected Areas, recognising the country’s leadership in applying spatial information to sustainable ocean management.
The knowledge and practical skills gained through this training will directly strengthen the Cook Islands’ environmental monitoring and reporting systems. NES will apply these new capabilities to improve environmental compliance activities, enhance mapping of coral reefs, wetlands and biodiversity, support national marine spatial planning initiatives, and strengthen the country’s Environmental Data Portal. The National Environment Service remains committed to investing in staff capability and adopting innovative digital technologies that improve environmental stewardship, strengthen climate resilience and support informed, science-based decision-making for the benefit of present and future generations.
