!['We made the ocean our home': The islands fighting climate change. Credit - Jawahir al-Naimi/Al Jazeera]](/sites/default/files/styles/news_teaser/public/Islands_CC.jpg?itok=kpSYUIzR)
There is nothing like certainty in uncertain times. Every September, the northern summer folds into autumn, the southern winter blooms into spring. The leaves fall, the buds blossom, and all is well with the world. Except it is not.
As the world focuses on the coronavirus pandemic, many experts are warning of a far more dangerous threat - climate change.
Viruses love bats. The flying nocturnal mammals make outstanding hosts because — just like people — they live in large, dense groups, their air travel spreads germs between populations and their longevity enables a virus to persist for years in an individual animal.
Upcoming elections and the economic impact of COVID-19 have put higher pressure on the Palau National Marine Sanctuary (PNMS) to pay off in creating more sustainable pelagic fishing sources for Palau.
Marine mammals could play a role in Guam's future economic recovery, according to Sen. Kelly Marsh.
A fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance operation in the Pacific concludes this week, with excellent cooperation demonstrated between nations despite the challenges of COVID-19 continuing to affect surveillance in the region.
Member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) are actively working together to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 being transmitted through fisheries operations, allowing the industry to continue making a vital contribution to Pacific island economies. At their meeting in August
Scientists are to warn world leaders that increasing numbers of deadly new pandemics will afflict the planet if levels of deforestation and biodiversity loss continue at their current catastrophic rates.
Indigenous peoples are fighting the COVID-19 pandemic daily, taking strong measures to protect their communities and territories from this virus. In these times, historical exclusions affecting rights to basic services and health infrastructure have become more acute, making indigenous peoples an extremely fragile and vulnerable section of society in this pandemic. In addition, attempts to appropriate traditional lands, territories and resources and open up areas for mining and commercial exploitation continue in certain regions.
The Environmental and Resource Economics special issue “Economics of the Environment in the Shadow of Coronavirus” comes at a hugely critical time for environmental economists and policy makers alike. We are in a situation of significant social change, a change that could potentially lay the foundation for mankind’s future in the years to come.