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World Heritage Conservation in the Pacific : The case of Solomon Islands

The Independent Pacific Island States are home to a diverse array of heritage sites. These include impressive marine and terrestrial ecosystems, sites evidencing the development if island societies, and placed of significance due to their connection with the customs of Pacific islanders. The World Heritage Conservation requires State parties to implement the legal measures needed to protect the World Heritage within their borders, but does not mandate what firm that legislation must take.

Custodians of the globe’s blue carbon assets

Over the last decades scientists have discovered that seagrass meadows, tidal marshes, and mangroves – “blue carbon” ecosystems – are among the most intensive carbon sinks in the biosphere. By sequestering and storing significant amounts of carbon from the atmosphere and ocean, blue carbon ecosystems help mitigate climate change. But conversion and degradation of these ecosystems can also release billions of tons of CO2  and other greenhouse gases into the ocean and atmosphere and contribute to global warming.

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Ecologist Ian Hutton has lived on World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island for 40 years and says it's a thrilling life, surrounded by pristine waters and subtropical forests. Mr Hutton said there were still discoveries to be made on the island, which lies about 600 kilometres east of mainland