Richard Chesher

Community Environmental Research in the Pacific Islands   Richard Chesher, Ph.D  Photographer, Publisher Consultant on Sustainable Development for the Small Island States. Dr. Chesher is an independent Marine Scientist specializing in the impact of humanity on the natural systems of our ocean world. He has sailed the South Pacific aboard the Research Vessel Moira since 1976, seeking an understanding of how and why humans are systematically destroying their ocean and island environment. He has worked with island governments, regional organizations and the United Nations to identify possible ways of changing community behaviour patterns. In the progress of his adventures, Dr. Chesher has sought the fascinating social and evolutionary forces that guide the behaviour of individuals and communities. These concepts are now emerging as a whole new aspect of modern biological science. It is an idea that could never have emerged without the advances in bio-sensory te...

Creating the Rocket Cruising Guide to Vanuatu This is the story of the publication of the Nautical Rocket Guide to Vanuatu. Click here if you are looking for the cruising guide to Vanuatu itself .   Click Here if you are looking for the French version - le Guide Nautique du Vanuatu . Click Here to read about creating the Nautical Rocket Guide to New Caledonia Click Here to read about creating the Travel Rocket Guide to New Caledonia   In 2000 I realized that the new millennium marked the end of my 15 year series of experiments in how to change the behaviour of communities to improve the health of our planet. I was 60 years old and I knew that for the next 8 years the planet would be in the "dark ages of the Fossil Fuel Cartel" as far as environmental improvement was concerned (turns out the fossil fuel cartel is still going strong in 2018).  I didn't feel like doing more useless reports and studies for the UN and the experiments on getting ...

In 2000, following the collapse of the Geneva talks on carbon emissions and the "election" of the US president by the energy companies, I realized that for the next 8 years it would be useless to continue my efforts with UNESCAP to try and set up 100% renewable energy economies of the Pacific Islands . The fossil fuel cartel would continue to focus the energy issue on the controversial climate change issue.  Even today, in 2018, the fossil fuel lobby continues to manipulate the world press and on this issue and  avoid the obvious and unanswerable charges for why we need to move towards clean, renewable energy systems. Namely, the issues of oil pollution, political and military strife, and the cost of fossil fuels to all those countries who have to buy them rather than generate their own energy from renewable resources. In 1998 I recommended and helped develop a UNESCAP online virtual conference for best practices for sustainable development . One of...

South Pacific Cultural Photography Frederique and I are enthusiastic photographers of the culture, scenic beauty and wildlife of the South Pacific. Vanuatu is a treasure trove of cultural images.  Cultural Tour in Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu   New Caledonia's culture is completely different than Vanuatu. In Vanuatu 99% of the people are indigenous Melanesian people living in small rural villages.  14th of July in Noumea New Caledonia, has a blend of cultures from Melanesia (Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu), Europe, Polynesia, Indonesia, China and other parts of the world. New Caledonia and Vanuatu Wildlife and Scenic Photography New Caledonia and Vanuatu also have much different topography; the islands of Vanuatu are volcanic while New Caledonia was uplifted from the sea floor. Using high dynamic range panoramic photography we captured the feeling of the powerful forces of Vanuatu's Yasur Volcano : New Caledonia's Grande Terre is much larger tha...