Custom, Tradition and Science in the South Pacific: Fiji's New Environmental Management Act and Vanua

Abstract:     
Sustainable development in the South Pacific is critical to the world’s environmental sustainability. The Pacific Ocean covers 40% of the earth’s surface, and within that region, the concentration of biodiversity in proportion to each countries’ total land area exceeds that of anywhere else on earth. Given the tremendous importance of the South Pacific to the world’s biodiversity resources, Professor Sutton posits that the enactment of the Fiji Environment Management Act of 2005 has worldwide significance. This article analyzes the Fiji Environment Management Act and considers its methods of implementation, particularly in its relation to the centuries old indigenous traditions and customs of environmental management.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 21

Keywords: South Pacific, environmental sustainability, Pacific Ocean, biodiversity, Fiji Islands, Fiji Environment Management Act of 2005, Indigenous traditions, Indigenous customs, land tenure, international law

JEL Classification: K19

Accepted Paper Series