KOLONIA, Pohnpei – On June 17-18, 2019, the FSM Department of Environment, Climate Change, and Emergency Management (DECEM) had a two-day training in Pohnpei State regarding the Inform & iCLIM Data Portals Projects and the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) National Implementation Plan (NIP) Project. DECEM representatives conducted the Pohnpei State trainings are Mr. Snyther Biza, GIS and Data Officer; Mr. Skiis Dewey, IT Officer, and Ms. Caroline Werthog, POPs NIP Project Coordinator. Representatives from Pohnpei EPA, Pohnpei Department of Land, Department of Public Safety, Department of Resources and Development, Conservation Society of Pohnpei (CSP), and Microneisa Conservation Trust (MCT) participated in the trainings.
The Inform Data Portal Project is a 4-year project, beginning in 2017, supported by the Global Environment Facility, implemented by UN Environment and executed by the Secretariat of the Pacific Environment Programme (SPREP). It involves 14 Pacific Island Countries including the FSM. It aims to establish a Pacific island network of national and regional data repositories and reporting tools to support the monitoring, evaluation, and analysis of environmental information, which supports environmental planning, forecasting, and reporting requirements. The Project aims to help Pacific islands have reliable access to their own national datasets for environmental information, as well as a process and guide for information use standards.
Additionally, the capacity of content users will be enhanced with regards to the best ways to share the information they have so it is well used by their decision makers and different communities.
The second part of trainings held is in regards to the POPs NIP Project, which is implemented by DECEM and seeks to take stock of the progress and inventory of POPs across the FSM. The POPs NIP Project seeks to update the FSM National Implementation Plan and to identify POPs in the State, which are a classification of harmful chemicals directly or indirectly released into our environment that are difficult to biodegrade. The Project Coordinator plans to visit various sites in Pohnpei that may have POPs stored, disposal means, and other information gathering relevant to the stock take.
For more information on the Inform Project, you can contact Mr Snyther Biza at email [email protected], or Ms. Caroline Werthog regarding the POPs NIP Project at email address, [email protected].