Paper short abstract:

This paper highlights the role of regional governance in Pacific islands countries, focusing specifically on the treatment of matters related to climate change and health.

Paper long abstract:

"..a region of peace, harmony, security, social inclusion, and prosperity, so that all Pacific people can lead free, healthy, and productive lives".

Vision Statement, Framework for Pacific Regionalism

The Framework for Pacific Regionalism is the master strategy for strengthening cooperation and integration between the states and territories of the Pacific region. It articulates the vision, values and objectives of an enhanced Pacific regionalism, and sets out a process for identifying regional public policy priorities.

The Framework rests on beliefs that deeper regionalism will help increase socio-economic and development prospects, expand market opportunities, improve service delivery, and contribute to security and good governance for Pacific people and for the region as a whole. It aims to streamline the Pacific regional agenda and ensure that Pacific Islands leaders have high level, political conversations on the Pacific's regional priorities.

The Framework presents four high-level strategic objectives for regionalism: sustainable development; equitable and inclusive economic growth; strengthened governance; and security. It specifies a robust process for setting regional priorities and for measuring progress in pursuing regionalism.

This paper will consider Pacific climate change and health policies and the relationship between the two. It will then make a preliminary assessment of the added value of treating these two issues at the regional level in the Pacific, within the context of the Framework for Pacific Regionalism.