Marine Litter & Plastics: Samoa is set to join a €6 million Pacific marine litter project with Fiji, the Marshall Islands and Tonga, backed by Germany’s GIZ and implemented with SPREP and the Pacific Community—aimed at cutting single-use plastics and improving waste management. Marine Life Protection: Samoa’s humpback whale migration is underway, with MNRE reminding people to keep at least 100 metres away and not interact with the protected whales, as new marine protected areas help safeguard key routes. Drought & Fire Risk: El Niño conditions are now established, with Samoa facing a 60–70% chance of below-normal rainfall and higher heat and wildfire risk, plus added stress for forests, coral reefs and other marine ecosystems. Ocean Conservation Survey: National Geographic Pristine Seas will survey Samoa’s newly protected marine areas over four weeks to build a scientific baseline for long-term monitoring under Samoa’s marine spatial plan. Illegal Fishing Crackdown: Operation Island Chief 2026 flagged 16 vessels of interest and apprehended four, with Samoa among the participating FFA members in a major regional surveillance effort to protect tuna resources. Climate Resilience Transport: A World Bank delegation met Samoa’s finance ministry to discuss development priorities and progress, including the Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project. Biodiversity Research: USP PhD candidate Umar Diarra is studying ant-plant farming in Fiji, with findings that could support sustainable agriculture across Samoa and the wider Pacific.