4th April 2025 - The MACBLUE Team, in collaboration with seagrass experts from Fiji National University, launched a seagrass restoration project in Komave Village last week. The initiative, aimed at protecting local marine ecosystems, included a practical restoration exercise using the checkerboard method, followed by an awareness session on the vital role of seagrass in climate change mitigation.

24 March 2024 – Blue carbon is the organic carbon captured and stored in vegetated coastal ecosystems, especially mangroves, seagrass and tidal marshes. Due to their high sequestration rates, they are a valuable tool in climate change mitigation.

20 March 2025 - 32 representatives from Papua New Guinea graduated today from a week-long course on geospatial analysis of seagrass and mangrove ecosystems.

The workshop, led by the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Earth and Oceans Observations team in collaboration with the Climate Change Development Authority (CCDA) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ Pacific), aimed to build capacity on Geospatial Analysis of Seagrass and Mangroves Ecosystems and Carbon Stock Assessment using Open-Source Geographic Information Systems and Tools.

6 March 2025 - Seagrass meadows, the unsung heroes of marine ecosystems, play a crucial role in maintaining ocean health, biodiversity, and coastal resilience.

In recognition of their significance, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution in May 2022, declaring 01 March as World Seagrass Day. This annual observance aims to raise awareness about seagrass conservation, aligning with global efforts to protect marine biodiversity and combat climate change.

2 March 2025 - Among the Pacific islands, Fiji is home to six species of seagrass, each contributing to the vitality of its coastal ecosystems.

These species, including Halodule pinifolia and Halophila ovalis, play a vital role in sustaining Fiji’s rich marine life and coastal communities. Yet, despite their importance, seagrasses remain an underappreciated resource, often overlooked in conservation efforts.

March 1 2025 - Seagrass plays a critical role in our marine ecosystems, offering over twenty ecosystem services, including breeding grounds for fish, water filtration, and serving as significant carbon sinks. Its ability to store carbon twice as terrestrial forests (per hectare) underscores its importance in climate change mitigation.

28 February 2025 - Seagrass ecosystems are important in providing several ecosystem services. They provide habitats for marine species, including fish, reptiles, and invertebrates, contributing to wider, broader food webs. They also help to regulate water quality by filtering out pollutants and sediments.

19 February 2025 – A comprehensive carbon stock assessment conducted in the Solomon Islands will be crucial to understanding the current state of the nation’s blue carbon ecosystems and their contributions to climate change mitigation.

5 February 2025 - Alotau, Papua New Guinea - The Management and Conservation of Blue Carbon Ecosystems (MACBLUE) project has launched a series of field assessments and capacity-building activities in Papua New Guinea to strengthen conservation efforts for vital coastal habitats.

6 December 2024 - The conservation and management of blue carbon ecosystems are not only important for current generations but for future generations as well.

This was the remarks shared at the recent MACBLUE Project National Steering Committee (NSC) meeting by the NSC Chair and Solomon Islands' Deputy Secretary for the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management, and Meteorology, Chanel Iroi.

3 December 2024 - Over 20 Geographic Information System (GIS) professionals from across the Pacific participated in a capacity-building workshop focused on cloud-native computing for supervised classification of coastal ecosystems.

28 November 2024 - The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) tools and applications are important for addressing key coastal issues, says Johnie Tarry Nimau.

Nimau, the Vanuatu Focal Point for the Pacific GIS and Remoting Sense Council highlighted this during the 2024 Pacific Island GIS and Remote Sensing User Conference themed “Sustainable Management for coastal areas through remote sensing and GIS”.

27 November 2024 - The Fiji Mangrove Management Committee met this morning after a lapse of one year.

In his opening remarks, Chair Mr. Filipo Delai from the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources emphasised that the committee, established under the mandate of the National Environment Council, marks a crucial step in the conservation and management of mangroves.

25 November 2024 - The one-week Pacific Islands GIS & Remote Sensing User Conference officially begins this morning.

Pacific GIS and Remote Sensing Council (PGSRC) Board Member Wolf Forstreuter shared the conference aims to bring together scientists, service providers, software companies, and government officials to exchange knowledge and tackle key regional challenges.

21 November 2024 - More than fifty community members from Paonangisu and Siviri on Efate Province in Port Vila, participated in a community workshop on blue carbon.

The workshop took place on 16-17 October 2024, organised by the Management and Conservation of Blue Carbon Ecosystems (MACBLUE) project in partnership with the Vanuatu Department for Environmental Protection and Conservation.

2 November 2024 - A blue carbon assessment to improve the conservation and management of local seagrass and mangroves, began in the Rewa province, last week.

3 October 2024 - In a concerted effort to shape the future of blue carbon ecosystem management in Papua New Guinea (PNG), a five-day writeshop was held at Koitaki Country Club in Sogeri last week. 

5th September 2024 - The Pacific Community (SPC) hosted a workshop showcasing first results of seagrass mapping in Fiji last week. The workshop also focused on best practices for seagrass field data collection, bringing together experts in geographic information systems and remote sensing.

21 August 2024 - Speech by Ms. Yvonne Tio – Executive Manager, Marine Environment, Conservation and Environmental Protection Authority during the Papua New Guinea National Blue Carbon Policy Roadmap Workshop held at Stanley Hotel from 21st to 22nd August.

21 August 2024 - Speech by Ms. Debra Sungi – Acting Managing Director, Climate Change Development Authority during the Papua New Guinea National Blue Carbon Policy Roadmap Workshop held at Stanley Hotel from 21st to 22nd August.