Pacific Waste & Health: SPREP’s SWAP2 project is pushing cleaner waste management across island countries, including French Polynesia, with €4.3m support from AFD to improve waste infrastructure, build capacity, and strengthen regional coordination; since 2020 it has completed 108 beach surveys and audited 106,000+ marine-litter items to pinpoint pollution hotspots. Marine Conservation & Food Security: Tahiti Marine says it has achieved a world-first by breeding two endangered sea cucumber species in captivity, using controlled spawning basins to protect CITES-listed species while supporting aquaculture and community livelihoods. Wildlife & Public Safety: A US review of shark attacks highlights how many victims can’t identify the shark species, with recent Florida incidents involving children and severe injuries occurring in shallow nearshore waters—raising awareness for safer beach and water practices. Climate-Linked Emergency Care: Greece’s wildfire crisis included a deadly midair collision of two firefighting helicopters west of Athens, killing two crew members and underscoring how extreme winds and fast-moving fires strain emergency response and health services. Invasive Species & Displacement: A new paper argues invasive plants and animals should be treated like major drivers of forced migration, citing cases where species spread has emptied farms and pushed families to leave.