The recent Training Course on Marine Environment and Three-Dimensional Disaster Monitoring Capacity for Small Island Developing Countries, held in Hangzhou, China, brought together participants from across the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Caribbean to share knowledge and build capacity around marine protection and disaster preparedness.
Representing the Cook Islands was Matthew Rima, Senior Compliance Officer at the National Environment Service (NES), whose participation marked an important step in strengthening local expertise on marine spatial planning, environmental monitoring, and integrated approaches to managing our ocean space.
The training course, hosted by China’s Second Institute of Oceanography with support from the Ministry of Natural Resources, provided a space for small island nations to connect, compare challenges, and discuss strategies for building more resilient marine environments. Across the two-week program, participants learned about the impacts of climate-related marine disasters, shared case studies on restoration and coastal management, and explored how national and regional efforts can work better together.
This training is particularly relevant for the Cook Islands, As sea levels rise and lagoon systems experience growing stress from both natural and human pressures, the ability to monitor change and respond quickly is becoming increasingly important. While we’ve taken big steps under the Marae Moana Act and through our State of Environment reporting, there’s still work to do in building real-time capacity and cross-agency coordination. This training supported that direction.
One of the clear takeaways from the course was the value of collaboration, not just between countries, but across sectors. As in many SIDS, the Cook Islands faces practical constraints around technical equipment, data systems, and specialist expertise. Forums like this allow us to learn from other island nations, many of which have already begun developing integrated systems for marine planning, coastal resilience, and early warning preparedness.
Rima shared his reflections on the experience:
“Being able to learn alongside others from the Pacific and beyond was a reminder that while our contexts may differ, our challenges are often shared. The training helped connect those dots and offered useful ideas we can consider adapting back home.”
The training also aligns with the broader goals of NES, building internal capacity, strengthening partnerships, and supporting evidence-based approaches to environmental governance. Whether through marine park zoning, development assessments, or compliance and permitting, stronger understanding of marine environmental dynamics helps ensure better long-term decisions.
Looking ahead, NES is exploring opportunities to build on the momentum. This includes nominating future staff for similar training, connecting with institutions like the Second Institute of Oceanography for potential collaboration, and identifying areas within our current work where these insights can be applied, particularly around lagoon health, climate adaptation, and multi-stakeholder marine planning.
While the journey toward fully integrated marine monitoring is ongoing, this training offered an important reminder: we don’t have to start from scratch, and we don’t have to work alone. The relationships, knowledge, and shared experiences gained from this opportunity will support the Cook Islands’ ongoing commitment to ocean stewardship.
