SPREP Country Report - French Polynesia

French Polynesia comprises approximately 130 islands, including one hundred of which are atolls and thirty high islands somewhat larger. In fact, all these islands are very small and many of the mountainous islands are so rugged that a large part of their surface area remains inaccessible. Under such conditions, natural terrestrial resources are scarce, and require protection and appropriate environmental management. Despite this need, no \"overall environmental policy\" exists in French Polynesia for the time being, which, strictly speaking, would imply the definition of priorities concerning the protection of natural resources and their distribution in space, the enactment of comprehensive legislation, and the application of enforcement procedures by a Territorial department especially empowered for this purpose. However, protection does exist for a certain number of ad hoc problems and only with the passing of years and acquisition of more experience in this field can all actions be integrated to form the core of a general environmental protection policy in the Territory.