By Steven Kenda | PNG SUN| As the Asian story continues, the China Day was celebrated on Sunday at Sir Hubert Murray Stadium in ...
The initiative marks a historic effort to protect the ancestral waters, cultures, and livelihoods of Melanesia’s Indigenous Peoples, while supporting global marine biodiversity and climate goals.
Once completed, the Reserve will span six million square kilometres — a marine area comparable in scale to the Amazon rainforest. It will include the combined national waters of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and areas adjoining New Caledonia’s protected Exclusive Economic Zone. The region is recognised as one of the world’s richest marine biodiversity hotspots.
“For millennia, the Indigenous Peoples of Melanesia have been the wisest and most effective stewards of these sacred waters. That is why the governments of Melanesia are joining forces to create an unprecedented ocean reserve that honours our identities, livelihoods, and spiritual connections,” said Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele.
Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, Ralph Regenvanu, said the initiative delivers on a long-standing goal under Vanuatu’s National Ocean Policy to establish a transboundary corridor of traditionally managed ocean space across Melanesia.
“The Melanesian Ocean Reserve will allow our governments and peoples to do more to protect our ancestral waters from those who extract and exploit without care for our planet,” Regenvanu said. “We hope our Indigenous stewardship of this vast reserve will inspire similar efforts around the world.”
Although Solomon Islands and Vanuatu led the announcement, PNG and New Caledonia have signalled interest in joining, raising the potential for a unified marine conservation zone across the Melanesian region.
As part of the commitment, the two founding governments pledged to dedicate all archipelagic waters and adjacent areas to the Reserve. Only sustainable economic activities aligned with Indigenous cultural values and environmental care will be permitted.
The concept was originally developed by Solomon Islands Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management, and Meteorology, Trevor Mahaga, and Vanuatu’s Minister Regenvanu, following discussions at the 2024 Convention on Biological Diversity in Cali, Colombia. They later collaborated with PNG’s Fisheries Minister Jelta Wong, supported by nonprofit partners Nia Tero and the Islands Knowledge Institute (IKI).
Nia Tero CEO ‘Aulani Wilhelm described the Reserve as a shared vision brought to life: “What these Melanesian leaders are doing is giving voice to the hope of all Oceanic Peoples — to bring forward the dreams and knowledge of our ancestors and to care for the ocean and our planet in the way they deserve.”
The Islands Knowledge Institute, led by Indigenous ecologist Dr Edgar Pollard in Solomon Islands, has been key in building dialogue and cooperation across the region. Dr Pollard said the Reserve’s strength lies in its cultural and ecological foundation: “It reflects an unmistakable truth — that treating the ocean as our home is the best protection. This initiative makes that relationship real, from the tribe to the village to the state.”
The Melanesian Ocean Reserve represents both a bold marine conservation effort and a strong affirmation of Indigenous leadership in global ocean governance — a model that may shape future approaches as environmental challenges intensify.
WGPNG 🇵🇬🏝️WGPNG 🇵🇬🏝️
✅ The National Court has CANCELLED a massive SABL (Special Agriculture & Business Lease) over 68,000 hectares of customary land in Pomio!
📜 The lease was issued in 2008 without proper landowner consent and failed to meet legal requirements. Now, the court says: “Give the land back to the people!”
🌴 The land will now revert to its customary owners, thanks to a court order by Justice Susan Purdon-Sully and the tireless fight by landowners & legal warriors 💪🏾
👥 Groups like Tavolo Community Conservation Association (TCCA) stood strong to protect the land from illegal logging & misuse 🌿
⚖️ The ruling exposes massive abuse in SABLs and sets a powerful legal precedent: customary land is not for sale!
🛑 12,500+ SABLs are still in question across PNG — the fight is not over.
📣 SHARE if you support land rights & accountability!
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hashtag#LandBack hashtag#JusticeForCustomaryLand hashtag#PNG hashtag#SABLCancelled hashtag#CustomaryLandRights ✊🏾
“I definitely feel much more positive being at this United Nations Ocean Conference than I ever have at any COP,” he said. “This is because we have seen important commitments—such as French Polynesia announcing the world’s largest marine protected area, and our neighbour, the Solomon Islands, declaring a moratorium on deep-sea mining within their jurisdiction.”
The Minister added that while these pledges are voluntary, the fact that national leaders made them personally inspires confidence they will be upheld. “It feels like these are not just words. These are real commitments that leaders intend to keep,” he said.
Regenvanu also acknowledged the leadership of small island nations, particularly the Presidents of Palau and the Marshall Islands. “They have been champions in environmental protection, climate action, and safeguarding our oceans. These are not only policy statements—they are actions already underway. I believe we are beginning to see a shift in global efforts,” he said.
The Minister reflected on his role in an event marking the formal depositing of instruments of ratification for the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement). “At least 20 countries, including six from the Pacific, deposited their instruments at this conference. This shows legal protections for the ocean are taking shape,” Regenvanu said.
He stressed the need for legal approaches to climate challenges, noting frustration with the slow progress of UN climate negotiations over the past 30 years. “We believe legal measures are necessary because the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process has not delivered enough. Despite the Paris Agreement’s goal to keep temperature rise below 1.5°C and cut global emissions, we are seeing record emission levels and temperatures above that limit,” the Climate Change Minister added.
Regenvanu also criticised the lack of follow-through on climate finance promises. “We keep hearing about climate finance, but it has not materialised as promised,” he added.
Source VDPost