AGP Executive Report

Climate & Oceans: A new WMO report says the South-West Pacific had its 2nd-warmest year on record in 2025, with hotter, more acidic seas driving marine heatwaves that disrupt ecosystems and fisheries, while sea-level rise threatens low-lying communities. Marine & Community Resilience: The report also flags major cryosphere loss, with Indonesia’s last tropical glacier down to about 2% of its 1988 size and expected to vanish by late 2026 or early 2027. Local Conservation Governance: Conservation International, IUCN and Ui Ariki Ngateitei o te Kuki Airani convened a Pacific Inclusive Conservation Learning Exchange in Rarotonga, focusing on community-led conservation, customary land and marine governance, and climate resilience tools like rāhui. New Caledonia in the Regional Spotlight: A Pacific Islands Forum mission report questions the credibility of New Caledonia’s third referendum process, while the government seeks regional support ahead of leaders’ discussions. Biodiversity Solutions: A Pacific Innovation Forum in Vanuatu highlighted eco-concrete and grass-based soil stabilisation as top climate and environment winners. Health & Mosquito Risk: Separate from the Pacific climate focus, Hawai‘i reported a travel-related dengue case on Oʻahu and urged residents to remove standing water to prevent local spread.

Climate & Ocean Health: A new WMO report says the South-West Pacific had its 2nd-warmest year on record in 2025, with hotter, more acidic seas driving marine heatwaves, coral and fish impacts, and rising sea-level risks for coastal communities. Marine Governance & Fisheries: Pacific fisheries ministers wrapped up the Forum Fisheries Committee meeting in Wellington, with New Caledonia attending as an observer and priorities set for regional cooperation. Community-Led Conservation: In Rarotonga, a Pacific Inclusive Conservation Learning Exchange brought together Indigenous leaders, conservation groups and youth (including New Caledonia) to push community governance, customary marine rules like rāhui, and climate resilience. Innovation for the Environment: Vanuatu’s Wave Makers Pacific Innovation Forum highlighted eco-concrete and grass-based soil stabilisation solutions pitched by Pacific entrepreneurs. Local Education & Sustainability: Scout Island Nature Centre in Williams Lake continues its teacher naturalist program, while Aircalin unveiled a new brand identity ahead of its first A350 arrival. New Caledonia Politics: A Pacific Islands Forum mission report raises concerns about the credibility of New Caledonia’s referendum process as election deadlock deepens.

Climate & Oceans: The WMO reports the South-West Pacific had its 2nd-warmest year on record in 2025, with hotter, more acidic seas, marine heatwaves disrupting fisheries and ecosystems, and sea-level rise threatening low-lying communities. Marine Life & Ice Loss: The region’s remaining tropical glacier ice is down to about 2% of its 1988 size, with the last glacier expected to vanish by late 2026 or early 2027. Community-Led Conservation: In Rarotonga, a Pacific Inclusive Conservation Learning Exchange brought together Indigenous leaders and conservation groups (including New Caledonia) to back community governance, customary marine management like Rāhui, youth leadership, and climate resilience. Pacific Fisheries: Ministers wrapped up the 25th Forum Fisheries Committee meeting in Wellington, setting priorities for regional cooperation on fisheries management, with New Caledonia represented as an observer. Local Education & Nature: Scout Island Nature Centre in Williams Lake is hiring summer “teacher naturalists,” including a student from the College of New Caledonia, and running programs like Stream to Sea that raise salmon and release them into local rivers. Aviation Branding: Aircalin unveiled a new identity ahead of its first A350-900 arrival, keeping New Caledonia’s hibiscus and lagoon-inspired colours.

Climate & Oceans: The WMO reports the South-West Pacific had its 2nd-warmest year on record in 2025, with hotter, more acidic seas driving marine heatwaves, ecosystem and fisheries disruption, and rising sea levels threatening low-lying communities. Marine Life & Ice Loss: The report flags severe impacts from warming waters and ocean acidification, plus the region’s last tropical glacier in Papua, Indonesia, shrinking to about 2% of its 1988 size and expected to vanish by late 2026 or early 2027. Regional Governance & Conservation: A Pacific Inclusive Conservation Learning Exchange in Rarotonga brings Indigenous leaders, youth, and conservation groups together to back community-led conservation, customary sea and land governance (including Rāhui), and climate resilience financing across the Pacific, including New Caledonia. Innovation for the Environment: Vanuatu’s Wave Makers Pacific Innovation Forum crowned eco-concrete and grass-based soil stabilisation solutions, highlighting Pacific waste-to-material approaches and private-sector climate action. Fisheries Cooperation: Pacific fisheries ministers wrapped up the Forum Fisheries Committee ministerial meeting in Wellington, setting priorities for regional cooperation, with New Caledonia represented as an observer. Local Education & Sustainability: Aircalin unveiled a new brand identity ahead of its first A350 arrival, while separate coverage highlights energy-saving school delivery and community-focused learning spaces.

Climate & Oceans in the Southwest Pacific: The WMO reports 2025 as the South-West Pacific’s second-warmest year on record, with hotter, more acidic seas, marine heatwaves disrupting ecosystems and fisheries, and sea-level rise threatening low-lying islands. Marine Life Under Pressure: The same WMO update warns that the region’s remaining tropical glacier ice is down to about 2% of its 1988 size, with disappearance expected by late 2026 or early 2027. Pacific Climate Diplomacy Pushback: Pacific Elders Voice says the U.S-Pacific Partnership Declaration falls short by not treating climate change as the region’s top security threat and by offering inadequate funding. Regional Fisheries Governance: The 25th Forum Fisheries Committee Ministerial Meeting wrapped up in Wellington, with New Caledonia represented as an observer and ministers setting priorities for future Pacific fisheries cooperation. Local Nature Education (New Caledonia-linked): Scout Island Nature Centre in Williams Lake continues its hands-on “teacher naturalist” summer program, including a student studying at the College of New Caledonia, plus ongoing stream-to-sea salmon education. Aircalin Rebrand: Aircalin unveiled a refreshed identity ahead of its first A350-900 arrival, keeping New Caledonia’s hibiscus and lagoon-inspired colours.

Ocean & Climate Watch: The WMO reports the Southwest Pacific hit its second-warmest year on record in 2025, with hotter, more acidic seas, more intense marine heatwaves, sea-level rise risks, and the near-collapse of tropical glacier ice (down to ~2% of 1988 levels in Papua), warning of growing damage to marine ecosystems and fisheries. Marine Life Impacts: The same WMO findings link ocean heat to coral bleaching and fish deaths, stressing that early warnings help but coordination and capacity gaps remain. Local Education & Nature Learning: Scout Island Nature Centre in Williams Lake is hiring three summer “teacher naturalists” and running hands-on programs like Life in the Marsh and Stream to Sea, raising salmon from egg to fry before release. Regional Fisheries Governance: Pacific fisheries ministers wrapped up the 25th Forum Fisheries Committee meeting in Wellington, with New Caledonia represented as an observer and priorities set for regional cooperation. Biodiversity Deep Time: New research revisits Australasia’s lost crocodile relatives, highlighting how New Caledonia’s ancient mekosuchines fit into a wider extinction-and-survival story.

Climate & Oceans Watch: The World Meteorological Organization warns the Southwest Pacific is getting hotter and more acidic, with rising sea levels and marine heatwaves already disrupting ecosystems and fisheries; it flags 2025 as the region’s second-warmest year on record and notes Indonesia’s last tropical glacier is down to about 2% of its 1988 size, with disappearance expected by late 2026 or early 2027. Marine Life & Resilience: The same WMO report links ocean warming to coral bleaching, fish deaths, and wider economic harm, stressing that early warnings help but coordination and capacity gaps remain. Local Education & Nature Learning: Scout Island Nature Centre in Williams Lake is hiring three summer “teacher naturalists,” including a New Caledonia College student, to run hands-on programs like marsh life, pollination, and “Stream to Sea” salmon raising and release. Indigenous-Led Conservation: A Pacific Inclusive Conservation Learning Exchange is bringing traditional leaders and youth together across the region, including participants from New Caledonia, to share Indigenous governance approaches for climate resilience and environmental protection. Regional Fisheries Governance: Pacific fisheries ministers wrapped up the 25th Forum Fisheries Committee Ministerial Meeting in Wellington, with New Caledonia’s minister and officials attending as observers.

Aviation & Identity: Aircalin has unveiled a new visual identity, keeping the hibiscus but sharpening the logo and fully integrating New Caledonia across its fleet, uniforms, offices and digital platforms—starting with its first A350-900 arriving in December. Climate & Oceans: A new WMO report says 2025 was the South-West Pacific’s second-warmest year on record, with marine heatwaves disrupting ecosystems and fisheries, rising sea levels threatening low-lying communities, and ocean acidification worsening impacts. Marine Heat Risk: The same report highlights longer, more intense marine heatwaves and record ocean heat content, even when La Niña temporarily cools parts of the region. Indigenous-Led Conservation: Pacific leaders and traditional governance advocates are meeting for an IUCN-led learning exchange on Indigenous stewardship, climate resilience and customary environmental management, with participation including New Caledonia. Regional Fisheries: The 25th Forum Fisheries Committee ministerial meeting wrapped up in Wellington, with New Caledonia attending as an observer and ministers setting priorities for cooperation on Pacific fisheries. Biodiversity & Extinction: New research revisits Australasia’s “lost” crocodile relatives, showing how a once-diverse group was whittled down to today’s survivors.

Indigenous-led conservation: Pacific leaders and traditional governance representatives are meeting for an IUCN-backed learning exchange on Indigenous-led conservation, climate adaptation and sustainable financing, with participants including New Caledonia. Pacific climate outlook: SPREP and partner projects say El Niño is declared and outline what communities across the Pacific may expect in coming months, including rainfall and ocean impacts. Fisheries cooperation: The 25th Forum Fisheries Committee ministerial meeting wrapped up in Wellington, with New Caledonia attending as an observer as ministers set priorities for regional fisheries management. Biodiversity research: New research revisits Australasia’s lost crocodile relatives, including how extinctions and human encounters shaped what survives today—relevant to the wider biodiversity story for the region. Geology & risk: A New Caledonia field study is helping explain slow earthquakes by tracking how water becomes available in rocks, improving preparedness for disaster-prone areas. Governance and legitimacy: A Pacific Islands Forum mission report raises concerns about the credibility of New Caledonia’s recent referendum process, even as it notes the voting itself was conducted well.

Pacific Governance & Referendums: A Pacific Islands Forum ministerial mission report is raising fresh questions about the credibility of New Caledonia’s third self-determination referendum, even while noting the voting was conducted properly. Indigenous-Led Conservation: Traditional leaders and conservation practitioners from across the Pacific—including New Caledonia—are meeting to strengthen Indigenous-led conservation and climate resilience, with IUCN and Conservation International backing the learning exchange. Fisheries Cooperation: The 25th Forum Fisheries Committee ministerial meeting wrapped up in Wellington, with New Caledonia represented as an observer and ministers setting priorities for regional fisheries cooperation. Climate Outlook for the Pacific: SPREP highlights that El Niño can bring both risks and opportunities for Pacific communities, with guidance on what to expect in coming months. Natural Hydrogen Research: A UK–Philippines study is probing how natural hydrogen forms at the atomic level, pointing to “white hydrogen” potential in places including ultramafic springs in New Caledonia. Slow Earthquakes & Risk: New research using New Caledonia rock samples is exploring what triggers slow earthquakes, aiming to improve preparedness in earthquake-prone regions.

New Caledonia Governance Watch: A Pacific Islands Forum mission report, obtained by Islands Business, sharply questions the credibility of New Caledonia’s December referendum process, even while noting the voting conduct—adding fresh pressure as President Louis Mapou seeks regional backing in Suva. Provincial Elections: New Caledonians voted to renew the assemblies of the territory’s three provinces, a key step that will shape the Congress of New Caledonia and the political balance for years ahead, with the Southern Province (Nouméa) likely to be decisive. Pacific Fisheries: Forum Fisheries Committee talks in Wellington wrapped up with a new chair for 2026–2027 and a communiqué setting priorities for regional cooperation—New Caledonia’s minister attended as an observer. Indigenous-Led Conservation: A Pacific Inclusive Conservation Learning Exchange is bringing traditional leaders, youth and conservation groups together on Indigenous governance, climate resilience and sustainable financing, with participation including New Caledonia. Climate Outlook: SPREP highlights that El Niño can bring both risks and opportunities for Pacific communities, as regional projects outline what to expect in coming months.

Pacific Governance & Environment: A Pacific Islands Forum ministerial mission report on New Caledonia’s third self-determination referendum raises serious questions about the vote’s legitimacy and credibility, even while noting the conduct of the voting—an issue that could shape how environmental and conservation priorities are governed regionally. Indigenous-Led Conservation: Traditional leaders, conservation practitioners, and youth groups are meeting in the Pacific Inclusive Conservation Learning Exchange, focused on Indigenous-led stewardship, customary governance, climate resilience, and sustainable financing, with New Caledonia among participants. Fisheries & Marine Stewardship: Pacific fisheries ministers wrapped up the 25th Forum Fisheries Committee Ministerial Meeting in Wellington, with New Caledonia attending as observers, as leaders set priorities for regional cooperation on sustainable fisheries. Climate Outlook: SPREP highlights that El Niño can bring both risks and opportunities for Pacific communities, with projects sharing what to expect and how to prepare. Geology & Risk for Nature: New research on slow earthquakes points to how water availability in rocks can trigger repeated seismic activity, with field work in New Caledonia aimed at better disaster preparedness.

Decolonisation Under Scrutiny: Pacific Islands Forum foreign ministers in Suva received a sharply critical report on the credibility of New Caledonia’s December self-determination referendum, even while noting the voting itself was well run. Elections and Security: New Caledonia held provincial elections with heavy policing, drones and armoured vehicles, as 192,500 voters renewed the three provincial assemblies that shape the Congress and the territory’s political balance. Indigenous-Led Conservation: Pacific traditional leaders, conservation practitioners and youth gathered for an Indigenous-led conservation learning exchange, spotlighting customary governance, climate resilience and sustainable financing across the region, including New Caledonia. Water and Climate Context: SPREP highlighted that El Niño can bring both risks and opportunities for Pacific communities, while separate mapping work underscores how far many places still are from safely managed drinking water. Geology and Risk Research: New research using New Caledonia rock samples points to how slow earthquakes can be triggered by water released from minerals, improving disaster preparedness.

Pacific Islands Forum Scrutiny: A Pacific Islands Forum ministerial mission report obtained by Islands Business raises serious questions about the legitimacy and credibility of New Caledonia’s December self-determination referendum, even while noting the conduct of the vote and French authorities’ role. Local Elections & Security: New Caledonia’s provincial elections opened under heavy security, with about 2,500 officers deployed, drones and armoured vehicles on standby, and alcohol sales banned to help keep polling calm. Governance Stakes: With 192,500 registered voters, the Southern Province is the key battleground for shaping the Congress of New Caledonia and the territory’s political balance for years ahead. Indigenous-Led Conservation: Pacific leaders and Indigenous representatives are meeting to strengthen Indigenous-led conservation and climate resilience, with New Caledonia among participants. Research & Environment: New research on “slow earthquakes” points to water released from minerals, with field work in New Caledonia helping improve risk understanding for disaster-prone coastal communities. Regional Fisheries: Fisheries ministers wrapped up a Wellington meeting setting priorities for Pacific fisheries cooperation, with New Caledonia’s minister attending as an observer.

Elections & Governance: New Caledonia’s provincial elections are underway with heavy security: about 2,500 officers, drones, and armoured vehicles, as voters renew the three provincial assemblies that shape the Congress and the territory’s political balance. Decolonisation Pressure: Pacific church leaders urged the UN to treat the elections as part of a genuine decolonisation pathway, warning the poll can’t replace a political settlement after the 2024 unrest. Fisheries Cooperation: Pacific fisheries ministers wrapped up the 25th Forum Fisheries Committee ministerial meeting in Wellington, with New Caledonia’s minister attending as an observer and priorities set for regional cooperation. Indigenous-led Conservation: A Pacific learning exchange is bringing together traditional leaders, conservation practitioners, youth, and Indigenous advocates to strengthen Indigenous governance for environmental protection and climate resilience, including participation from New Caledonia. Climate Outlook: SPREP highlights what an El Niño declaration could mean for Pacific communities, noting it can bring both risks and opportunities depending on the location. Research & Nature: New research revisits Australasia’s “lost” crocodile relatives, while a separate study explores triggers behind slow earthquakes using New Caledonia rock samples.

Elections & Security in New Caledonia: Heavy security is in place for Sunday’s provincial elections, with about 2,500 officers, drones, and armoured vehicles deployed to polling areas as a ban on alcohol sales stays in force; the vote will shape the Congress and the political balance, with 192,500 registered voters choosing the three provincial assemblies. Decolonisation Pressure: Pacific church leaders urged the UN to treat New Caledonia’s elections as part of a real decolonisation pathway, warning the polls can’t replace a political settlement after the 2024 unrest. Regional Fisheries Governance: Pacific fisheries ministers wrapped up the 25th Forum Fisheries Committee ministerial meeting in Wellington, with New Caledonia’s minister attending as an observer and priorities set for regional cooperation. Indigenous-led Conservation: Traditional leaders and conservation practitioners met for a Pacific learning exchange on Indigenous governance, climate resilience, and sustainable financing, with participation including New Caledonia. Climate Outlook (El Niño): SPREP highlighted that El Niño can bring both risks and opportunities for Pacific communities, outlining what to expect in coming months.