Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS)
PiPP continues to work in close collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) on areas of shared interest.
In 2012, PiPP communications director, Ben Bohane, delivered a presentation on the security implications of climate change to the APCSS workshop on Environment, Security in the Pacific Islands Region. More than 45 government and non-government organisation officials attended the five-day workshop in Honolulu, which identified a number of key challenges, including: land degradation, pollution, resource extraction, reef destruction, loss of bio-diversity, cultural degradation, and more. Participants recommended a shift in thinking or viewing the Pacific islands region through a climate change lens and to shift from terms like vulnerability to value. Other recommendations coming out of the workshop included:
- Improving cooperation, collaboration and coordination by improving the effectiveness of regional institutions;
- Improving access to resources to improve research, education and awareness;
- Promoting investment in sustainable developments and green economies; and
- Engaging other countries on the Pacific Rim on common issues.
Following the workshop, PiPP consolidated the issues into its discussion paper CLIMATE SECURITY which presents a holisitc approach to climate change, security and development.
In 2014, PiPP again partnered with APCSS to co-host a conference Advancing Pacific Islands Regional Security Cooperation, which brought together over 48 security practitioners and subject matter experts from 21 nations and territories and six regional international organisations in Port Vila to examine the effectiveness of regional security cooperation and the broader regional security architectures that exist in the Pacific Islands region. The conference was opened by Hon. Joe Natuman, Vanuatu Prime Minister and, via video, U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, H.E. Walter North.
PiPP executive director, Derek Brien and communications director, Ben Bohane are members of the APCSS alumni.
