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Although it is now widely acknowledged that economic analysis and the use of economic instruments are key to dealing with the problems associated with biological invasions, there remains little guidance as to how economic approaches and tools should be applied in practice. Invasive species have many unique and unusual characteristics which set them apart from other environmental and land use issues, meaning that analysis does not lend itself easily to conventional economic models. A more innovative and thoughtful approach is thus required, which is tailored to the specific issues, problems and features of invasives. Economic analysis needs also to be targeted to providing practical and policy-relevant techniques and information which can be used to support and inform real-world policy, planning and management.

Climate change is a major threat to global biodiversity. From the tropics to the Poles, the world’s ecosystems are all under pressure. A study published in the scientific journal Nature posited that 15 to 37% of terrestrial animal and plant species could be at risk of extinction because of human-induced impacts on climate (Thomas et al., 2004). Scattered across the four corners of the Earth, European Union overseas entities, are home to a biological diversity that is as rich as it is vulnerable. Located in several global biodiversity hotspots, these territories are home to a far greater number of endemic animal and plant species than continental Europe. However, this natural wealth is under pressure from numerous quarters: habitat destruction, invasive alien species, pollution, over-exploitation of species; no territory has been spared. Today, climate change represents an additional threat to these ecosystems, and one which could possibly end up being as damaging as all the others combined.

The Climate Change Wildlife Action Plan Guidance Document provides voluntary guidance for state fish and wildlife agencies wanting to better incorporate the impacts of climate change on wildlife and their habitats into Wildlife Action Plans. The approaches and techniques described in this document also will be useful in modifying other wildlife plans (e.g. big game/upland game/migratory bird plans, joint venture implementation plans, national fish habitat action plan, etc.) to address climate change. The document provides an overview of the information currently available on climate change, tools that can be used to plan for and implement climate change adaptation, voluntary guidance and case studies. Climate change is a large and growing threat to all wildlife and natural systems and will also exacerbate many existing threats. Efforts to address climate change should not diminish the immediate need to deal with threats that may be independent of climate change such as habitat loss/fragmentation from development, introduction of invasive species, water pollution and wildlife diseases. Since climate change is a complex and often politically-charged issue, it’s understood that the decision to revise Wildlife Action Plans or other plans to address climate change, rests solely with each state fish and wildlife agency.

The Pacific Invasives Initiative (PII) is a sister partnership based at Auckland University which shares 6 partners with PILN. The goal of the PII is to contribute to conserving island biodiversity and enhancing the sustainability of island livelihoods by minimizing the spread and impacts of invasive species in the Pacific region. This is achieved by increasing support and developing capacity in the region for managing the impacts of these species. It works with Pacific agencies/organisations to increase their support for invasive species management and develop their capacity to take effective action against their priority invasive species problems. These outcomes are achieved through facilitation of Demonstration Projects, provision of technical support and advice, provision of training and facilitation of skills exchanges.

Work is based around country visits by the network coordinator to support PILN teams to identify and take strategic action to manage their priority invasive species. The network is functioning by sharing awareness of successful activities being earned out by the teams, providing the mechanism for other teams to do the same, and actively encouraging them to do so. Capacity building is linked to on-going invasive species projects and achieved through workshops and exchanges.

Many countries are currently looking at growing high-yielding crops for the production of biofuels as alternatives to traditional fuels (petrol and diesel) to address imminent energy shortages and reduce impacts of climate change. This usually involves the importation of foreign (i.e., alien) species of plants that are known for their fast and productive growth. If these initiatives are not carefully assessed, however, promoting the cultivation of some popular species for biofuel production will increase two of the major causes of biodiversity loss on the planet: clearing and conversion of yet more natural areas for monocultures, and invasion by non-native species.

In 1989, the kakerori (Pomarea dimidiata) was one of the 10 rarest birds in the world with a declining population of just 29 individuals living in forested hill country in the Takitumu Conservation Area (TCA) of south-eastern Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Following 12 years of rat poisoning, the population had increased to 255 birds in August 2001. The programme then shifted from ‘species recovery’ to ‘sustainable management’ of the Rarotonga population at 250 to 300 birds. The rat poisoning effort was reduced, and an ‘insurance’ population was established on Atiu. By August 2004, following the reduction of poisoning from weekly to fortnightly, and the transfer of 30 youngsters to Atiu in 2001–03, there were 281 birds on Rarotonga and 25 on Atiu. The southern Cook Islands were hit by five tropical cyclones in a four-week period in February–March 2005, and forests on Rarotonga were severely damaged. Kakerori survived the storms remarkably well, but the main effect was observed in the following breeding season (2005/06), when nesting success on Rarotonga was exceptionally poor. Reduced canopy cover caused nests to be exposed to abnormally wet conditions, and lack of fruit meant that rats were exceptionally hungry. Only 31 yearlings were known to be alive in August 2006—about half the expected number—and annual mortality of banded birds (25%) was the highest since management began. The kakerori population on Rarotonga fell 8% from 275 birds in August 2005 to a minimum of 254 birds in August 2006. The situation was better on Atiu, with the population growing from about 32 adult birds in 2005/06 to a minimum of 37 adult birds in 2006/07, and an Atiu-bred pair nested successfully for the first time. The 2006/07 breeding season on Rarotonga was moderately successful, with a minimum of 51 fledglings found. Because the ‘sustainable management’ regime of fortnightly rat poisoning in the TCA was only just adequate in giving protection to adult kakerori, the annual poisoning programme was modified by adding rounds of ‘interim’ poisoning in April and July 2007 aimed at reducing rat and cat numbers before the breeding season.

The examples of practice presented in this book focus on students aged 10 to 15, which, depending on the national school system, includes the upper level of primary school, as well as the lower and partly the upper secondary school levels. This age group spans many developmental stages. Currently, most ESD publications are geared toward children in primary schools or toward students at the higher secondary and tertiary levels of education, who have almost reached adulthood. Beginning to concentrate more on the pre-adolescent students is about more than just adapting and implementing learning material to the potential of students from that age group. It also involves reflecting on the role that youth of this age group play in our present-day society. Are they taken seriously? What kinds of actions can they take? Whom do they trust? Do they have the capacity and ability to ask for considerable goals and to understand and make clear to others the necessity to act?

This support has taken various forms: bringing participants together for annual meetings, developing specific workshops to meet needs they had identified, passing around information, supporting learning exchanges and assisting with national planning. The result has been that most participants who responded to a survey felt that PILN had helped them carry out their invasive species work more successfully. Partner agency representatives all reported that they were very satisfied or satisfied with PILN. Flinders were also well pleased with the networks progress and several considered that future support might be possible.

Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to Samoa’s natural heritage. In fact the impacts of invasive species are immense, costly and usually irreversible and are being increasingly felt in Samoa. Impacts can range from adversely affecting the productivity and subsequent economic output of primary industry, such as agriculture, forestry and fisheries, to impeding cultural practices and traditions, household food security and sustainable livelihoods, and threatening the integrity and biodiversity of natural ecosystems, including vital ecosystem processes.