WHAT IS SOPAC?

SOPAC is the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission. It is an inter-governmental, regional organisation dedicated to providing services to promote sustainable development in the countries it serves. SOPAC’s work is carried out through its Secretariat, based in Suva. The work programme is reviewed annually by the Governing Council assisted by: Secretariat representatives, a Technical Advisory Group (TAG), and a Science, Technology and Resources Network (STAR)

WHAT DOES SOPAC DO?

At SOPAC Secretariat, SOPAC’s work focuses on providing assistance to its member countries in three key programme areas: Ocean and Islands Programme, Community Lifelines Programme and Community Risk Programme.

Ocean and Islands is an integrated programme focused on research, development and management of non-living resources in ocean and island systems addressing issues relating to seabed resources, energy, maritime boundary delimitation and monitoring of ocean processes.

Community Lifelines is a diversified programme that strengthens national capacities in energy, water and sanitation, information and communications technologies.

Community Risk is a comprehensive programme aimed at reduction of community vulnerability through improved hazard assessment and risk management.

These three key programme areas are supported by Corporate Services. To effectively provide these support services, SOPAC maintains an information technology unit, provides publication and library services, and offers technical and field services for specific project work.

WHO BENEFITS FROM SOPAC?

Member countries are Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji Islands, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. American Samoa, French Polynesia and New Caledonia are associate members. Any island member country can request assistance from SOPAC. Benefits accrue to island member countries directly through the provision of basic geological knowledge and indirectly, through improvements in land and ocean use, leading to improved health through water and sanitation provision, wealth generation through the development of mineral resources, hazard and disaster management and sustainable development by taking into account the geo-environmental impacts of development.

WHO PAYS FOR SOPAC?

SOPAC is funded by member-country contributions and supported by the following donors: Australia, Fiji Islands, Canada, France, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the European Union, and certain UN agencies.