Increasing recognition of the changes in the natural environment as a result of human interference has lead to the international community agreeing on a number of multi-lateral environmental agreements (MEAs). At the 1992 Earth Summit, world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for "sustainable development" â meeting our needs while ensuring that we leave a healthy and viable world for future generations. Three key agreements from the Summit are the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. These three are known as the Rio Conventions. Each of these Conventions deals with the conservation and management of the natural environment with a view to ensuring resource protection within sustainable frameworks. As such they share common elements between the three that can overlap, requiring an integrated approach to the implementation of the three conventions. Lack of capacity at different levels has been identified by the international community, as well as various national initiatives, to be one of the key challenges that constrain implementation of these Conventions. Small countries like the Cook Islands already have strained resources and limited capacity, therefore it is important that international obligations are aligned with national priorities to ensure ongoing support for these initiatives. As a party to these Conventions, the Cook Islands Government is committed to promoting cooperation between government agencies and other institutions and organizations, to develop synergies for implementation at the local and national level. The NCSA continues the selfassessment process and should help address some of our issues as well as support the development of new opportunities for funding.