CONOZCA A LA NUEVA PRESIDENTA MUNDIAL DE LA COMISIÓN DE DERECHO AMBIENTAL DE LA UICN
January 31, 2005
Sheila Abed habla de su experiencia y desafíos para los próximos cuatro años. Sobre su experiencia en el campo del derecho ambiental: Mi trabajo en el campo del derecho ambiental se inicia cuando poco después de acabar mi carrera de derecho, empecé a trabajar en la Asociación Rural, un gremio que agrupa a los empresarios agroganaderos. Eran los primeros años de la democracia en el Paraguay, la década de los noventa y los problemas sociales que se habían ocultado por mucho tiempo estaban en plena efervescencia. Durante esos años la deforestación del Paraguay, era imparable y desde la Rural, un grupo de personas, empezamos a preguntarnos si podría haber una revalorización de los recursos naturales y una reconciliación con la producción , buscando un nuevo modelo más sostenible.
Entrevista completa // Oficina Regional de la UICN para América del Sur // IUCN Commission on Environmental Law - Overview

SAN MARCOS MUNICIPALITIES STRENGTHEN NATURAL RESOURCES COORDINATING BODY
January 31, 2005
Municipal environment and natural resources councillors and forestry technicians in the municipalities of San Marcos, Guatemala, were formally incorporated into the efforts of the Inter-Institutional Coordinating Body for Natural Resources this past November. They have become part of the natural resources operating committee in the region. The decision is designed to improve thematic coordination, resource investment and advisory support for municipal administration of natural resources. Held on November 19, a workshop reinforced a process begun last May to identify weaknesses in coordination among natural resource institutions, and was attended by municipal environment and natural resource councillors, municipal forestry technicians and members of both government and non-governmental organizations. Activities included a presentation on the experiences of the “Red de Recursos Naturales de Huehuetenango”. Participants worked in groups to examine problems detected by the municipalities and institutions, and decided upon concrete actions of coordination in the area of training, funding and technical support.
Full story // Noticia completa // IUCN Regional Office for Mesoamerica

DAM PROJECT MIGHT THREATEN WORLD HERITAGE SITE IN SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO
January 28, 2005
An international expert mission by IUCN and UNESCO visited the site of a proposed hydro-electric dam project, “Buk Bijela”, in Serbia and Montenegro from 16 to 21 January 2005, to evaluate its potential impacts on the spectacular Tara River Canyon. The dam project has enticed a large amount of public scrutiny and media coverage in recent months and could have important impacts on the Tara River Basin Biosphere Reserve and Durmitor National Park World Heritage site. The Tara canyon is 80 km long and reaches 1,300 meters at its deepest point, thus constituting the deepest gorge in Europe. Classified by UNESCO for its breathtaking beauty, the area is also important for its dense alpine pine forests, clear rivers and lakes and a wide range of endemic flora.
Full story // IUCN’s role in World Heritage

BANGKOK RESOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS NOW AVAILABLE
January 28, 2005
The English text of the Resolutions and Recommendations that were adopted at the 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress (Bangkok, Thailand) has been posted on the IUCN Congress website. The principle text of each motion has been finalized, however there is the possibility that minor editorial changes will be made to ensure that texts in all three official languages are fully comparable. There may also be statements from members that will be posted with Resolutions or Recommendations that are not currently available. Please note that the printed edition, which will be available soon, will be the final official version of the Resolutions and Recommendations adopted at the Congress and should serve as the basis for citations. An electronic copy of this document will be posted on the IUCN website after it has been mailed to IUCN members.
Adopted Resolutions and Recommendations // 3^rd IUCN World Conservation Congress

IUCN AND NORAD RENEW PARTNERSHIP FOR GLOBAL CONSERVATION
January 27, 2005
The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) and IUCN – The World Conservation Union, have formally renewed their long standing partnership. Meeting in Oslo, Norad Director General Tove Strand and IUCN Director General Achim Steiner signed a Joint General Framework Agreement between the two organizations. The Agreement, outlining Norad’s investment in IUCN’s 2005-2008 Programme, shows Norad’s ongoing confidence in IUCN’s work. Norad is one of six key donors with whom IUCN has signed a Joint General Framework Agreement. The partnership began in 1986 with Norwegian support for IUCN’s Project Development Fund. Since that time, IUCN’s collaboration with the Norwegian government, through Norad, has evolved into the strong and dynamic partnership that exists today. IUCN’s 2005-2008 Programme of Work was approved by the Union’s 1,000 plus members during the 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress, held last November in Bangkok, Thailand.
Full story // IUCN Framework Donors // IUCN Programme // Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation // Norwegian White Paper on Development Cooperation

LIKEMINDED MEGADIVERSE COUNTRIES MEETING IN INDIA
January 26, 2005
The government of India, which currently holds the Secretariat of the Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMC), hosted the Third Meeting of the Group with the support of IUCN and UNDP during January 17-21, 2005 in New Delhi, India. 55 participants from 14 countries were represented at the meeting. The group of LMMC was formed in 2002 under the initiative of Mexico. It includes 17 countries, namely, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, Venezuela, Madagascar and Congo. This group represents nearly 80% of the world’s biodiversity and 45% of the world’s population. The group has been a key player in international negotiations pertaining the Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing (ABS) in the context of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other related international processes.
Full story // Oficina Regional de la UICN para América del Sur // IUCN Policy, Biodiversity and International Agreements Unit // United Nations Development Programme

GOVERNANCE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA: WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
January 24, 2005
In legal terms the conservation of marine biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea requires the existence of a set of integrated rules that are effectively enforced. In the Mediterranean several international legal instruments deal with every aspect of the marine environment - most of them drafted in the past 20 years. However, the legal status of the Mediterranean Sea is relatively complex and this makes the current marine biodiversity conservation and management system uncoordinated and inadequate. The IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation (IUCN-Med) along with the IUCN Global Marine Programme and the IUCN Environmental Law Centre have been working for the last 18 months on the governance of the Mediterranean Sea, a relatively «new» issue. This IUCN initiative which draws on the experience of the Environmental law commission’s Ocean governance task force aims at establishing a dialogue between key sectors and actors in the region. To better understand this issue a CD-ROM has been launched – it includes recommendations by experts, case studies, relevant documents and describes the challenges lying ahead which can inform the international processes designing an integrated legal system for the conservation of marine biodiversity and sustainable fishing in the Mediterranean Sea.
Governance of the Mediterranean Sea: a regional challenge // IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation // IUCN Global Marine Programme // IUCN Environmental Law Centre

VERS UNE AGENCE DE BASSIN POUR LA VOLTA ?
January 24, 2005
Tamale (Ghana), 21 janvier-Réunis dans le cadre du projet d’amélioration de la gouvernance de l’eau dans le bassin de la Volta (PAGEV) et sous l’égide de l’UICN, des experts du Ghana et du Burkina Faso recommandent la création d’un organisme de bassin pour la Volta en vue de favoriser la concertation entre les six pays concernés, la résolution efficace des problèmes liés à la gestion des ressources et de rechercher la synergie avec les autres acteurs du bassin. Six pays se partagent le bassin mais le Ghana et le Burkina Faso se partagent 85% de l’espace. La population du bassin de la Volta connaît un accroissement rapide. Les projections d’experts en prévoient une augmentation de l’ordre de 55% pour le Burkina et de 57% pour le Ghana à l’horizon 2025.
Article complet // Water and Nature Initiative // Bureau régional de l'UICN pour l'Afrique de l'Ouest

REPRIEVE PLANNED FOR GARAMBA’S RHINOS: EXTRA EFFORTS PROMISED TO SAFEGUARD THEIR HOMELAND
January 21, 2005
IUCN welcomes the approval by the Congolese Government of a bold plan to save the Critically Endangered northern white rhino from extinction in the wild, and supports planned efforts to save the park and its unique suite of wildlife that is being ravaged by poaching. The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recently approved a plan for the translocation of five northern white rhino from DRC’s Garamba National Park to a wildlife sanctuary in Kenya. This is one element of a two-part plan to save the sub-species from extinction and secure the national park and its remaining wildlife. The second part commits the Government and its international partners to increased support for conservation activities in Garamba, so that the rhinos can be returned to the Park once security and the long-term viability of the Garamba ecosystem has been assured.
Full news release // IUCN Species Survival Commission

MANAGING WATER IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY
January 20, 2005
The NeWater partnership is tackling a fundamental transition in water management. Where water management traditionally aimed to command, control, and restrict nature’s whims with infrastructure and other hard-core engineering techniques, it now needs to learn by doing in an adaptive management approach. NeWater brings together nearly two hundred universities and technical institutions from Europe to develop the approaches and tools needed to make adaptive management a reality. These tools will be applied in seven river basins, including the Rhine, Nile and Amurdhaya. NeWater held its launch meeting from 17 to 19 January in Osnabrueck, Germany. “The command and control approach no longer works. The future will be all about learning, between scientists and practitioners and stakeholders to understand how to manage uncertainty and vulnerability”, says Claudia Pahl-Wost of the University of Osnabrueck and manager of the EUR 6.5 million, 4-year project.
Full story // Water and Nature Initiative

CORDIO AND IUCN REPORT ON TSUNAMI DAMAGE TO INDIAN OCEAN CORAL REEFS
January 19, 2005
The tsunami of December 26 caused great damage to lives, livelihoods and natural environments all around the Indian Ocean. CORDIO and IUCN have mobilised their network of scientists and institutions throughout the western and central Indian Ocean, in Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, Seychelles and Kenya, to assess the damage to coastal environments and coral reefs caused by the tsunami. Detailed assessments have been possible in a few areas, while in others very large quantities of suspended solids and detritus in the water and logistical problems (lack of vehicles and damaged roads) have prevented work in the field. Information from CORDIO/IUCN Sri Lanka, the National Aquatic Research and Resources Development Agency (NARA), the Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute (SDMRI) India, Marine Research Centre, SEAMARC Maldives, Seychelles Centre for Marine Research and Technology –Marine Parks Authority (SCMRT-MPA), CORDIO East Africa, National Environment Management Authority of Kenya and the Kenya Wildlife Service will be will be updated regularly in the coming months through the CORDIO/IUCN network.
Full report // IUCN Marine Programme // CORDIO

IUCN WORKING CLOSELY WITH ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT ON POST-TSUNAMI REHABILITATION
January 18, 2005
Cooperation between the Royal Thai Government and international agencies to speed the recovery of Thailand from the recent tsunami disaster intensifies. In addition to providing humanitarian assistance through the Thai Red Cross Society, IUCN – The World Conservation Union has started working with the Royal Thai Government in post-Tsunami rehabilitation of the environment in the affected provinces. It is supporting the Cabinet Committee set-up under His Excellency Chaturon Chaisong, Deputy Prime Minister, in securing technical assistance from foreign governments and multilateral agencies. IUCN is also assisting the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation of the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment (MONRE) in carrying out assessments of damage to coastal and near shore resources in the affected provinces of Thailand.
Full statement // IUCN in Asia

IUCN WELCOMES REPORT ON MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS
January 18, 2005
IUCN welcomes yesterday’s release of the Millennium Project’s report, “Investing in Development: A Practical Guide to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals.” IUCN strongly endorses the central message of the Environmental Sustainability Task Force: that “Environmental Sustainability is the foundation upon which achieving all other Millennium Development Goals must be built.” The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2000, with progress on achieving them due to be reviewed later this year, establish eight collective global targets for reducing poverty and improving human wellbeing in developing countries. The UN Millennium Project was commissioned by UN Secretary General Kofi Anan to obtain independent advice and recommendations on how to achieve the MDGs.
Full statement // UN Millenium Project // IUCN Policy, Biodiversity and International Agreements Unit // IUCN USA Multilateral Office

LE PRESIDENT BISSAU GUINEEN VISITE LA RESERVE DE BIOSPHERE DE BIJAGOS
January 17, 2005
La réserve de biosphère de l’Archipel de Bijagos a reçu récemment la visite d’une importante délégation des autorités bissau-guinéennes et de la Banque centrale des états de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (BCEAO), conduite par le Président de Guinée Bissau, M. Henrique Pereira Rosa.Cette première visite du Chef de l’Etat bissau-guinéen lui a permis de prendre toute la mesure du travail de terrain accompli par l’UICN. «Quand on arrive sur ce site, on réalise combien l’UICN entreprend un grand travail à l’échelle des communautés ici en Guinée Bissau. Ce travail mérite d’être valorisé », a-t-il indiqué.
Article complet // Bureau régional de l'UICN pour l'Afrique de l'Ouest

EARLY OBSERVATIONS OF TSUNAMI EFFECTS ON WETLANDS AND WATER RESOURCES
January 12, 2005
The recent tsunami disaster that hit countries in South and Southeast Asia, and Eastern Africa, has caused enormous damage to people, their livelihoods and their natural environments. Some of the most important coastal environments are wetlands: supporting inland and marine fisheries, agriculture and other sources of food and income for local populations. They are also among the most fragile ecosystems in the world, so accurately assessing the resulting impact of the tsunami on affected wetland areas, and planning and implementing reconstruction and rehabilitation quickly, and carefully, will be crucial to rebuilding the lives and livelihoods of the millions of survivors. This initial assessment of the impacts of the tsunami in Asia and Africa on wetlands and water resources is based on various sources who are hereby gratefully acknowledged: IUCN Sri Lanka, IUCN Thailand, IUCN Asia Regional Office, the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, and IUCN members Wetlands International and BirdLife International.
Full statement // IUCN in Asia // IUCN in Eastern Africa // IUCN Wetlands & Water Resources Programme // Water and Nature Initiative

HAVE YOUR SAY: ACCESS AND BENEFIT SHARING ELECTRONIC FORUM
January 11, 2005
The development and application of provisions for access and benefit sharing (ABS) have raised issues, priorities and challenges for discussion. There is a need to identify key aspects for the International Regime on ABS negotiation within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). In order to contribute to the discussion that will be held during the third meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Access and Benefit Sharing (Bangkok, February 14-18), the World Conservation Union would like to provide a dialogue platform to address critical issues regarding the international regime and other ABS matters.
More information in English // Foro electrónico de UICN sobre ADB // UICN Oficina Regional para América del Sur

EARLY OBSERVATIONS OF TSUNAMI EFFECTS ON MANGROVE AND COASTAL FORESTS
January 7, 2005
IUCN and its staff and field offices across the region are still actively engaged in supporting the ongoing relief and rehabilitation effort. While it is too early to provide any comprehensive assessment of the ecological impact of the tsunamis on coastal ecosystems, early evidence suggests that mangroves and other coastal forests may have played a crucial role in saving human lives by breaking the devastating impact of the incoming waves and acting as the first line of defence. Preliminary reports from IUCN field staff involved in emergency relief operations in Sri Lanka and from IUCN members and partners in the impacted region show that coastal areas which had dense mangrove forests, mature shelterbelt plantations and other substantial vegetative cover, suffered fewer human losses and less damage to inland property and built infrastructure than those areas where the coastal forest ecosystems had been degraded or converted to other land use.
Full statement // IUCN Forest Conservation Programme // IUCN in Asia // IUCN in Eastern Africa // IUCN Sri Lanka Tsunami Pages

EARLY OBSERVATIONS OF EFFECTS OF TSUNAMI ON MARINE ENVIRONMENTS
January 5, 2005
The tsunami that hit countries around the Bay of Bengal and throughout the Indian Ocean on 26 December 2004 is one of the worst natural disasters ever recorded. Its toll in terms of human lives is enormous, as are its geographic reach and financial and ecological implications. Seeing to the immediate humanitarian needs is the number one priority throughout the affected areas and IUCN, through its staff and field offices, has been supporting local humanitarian relief in many ways. However, it is important to consider the ramification of the environmental degradation this event has caused, and how it will affect the region and its people in the short as well as long term. The full statement contains early observations concerning the impact of the tsunami on the marine environment in the region and possible future implications.
Full statement // IUCN Marine Programme

IUCN MOBILIZES TO SUPPORT TSUNAMI VICTIMS; PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY TO SUPPORT REBUILDING AND REHABILITATION EFFORTS
January 5, 2005
IUCN – The World Conservation Union has been mobilizing its network around the world to support people left without water, food, homes and livelihoods following the tragic Tsunami disaster. While IUCN remains focused on supporting humanitarian efforts in many affected areas, attention is now also beginning to encompass the assessment of damage to natural environments and rebuilding efforts. IUCN is currently marshalling its global network of scientists and experts to help governments, agencies and other organizations assess, plan and rehabilitate damaged areas. The full statement contains a brief update of IUCN activities around the world.
Full statement // IUCN in Asia // IUCN Sri Lanka Tsunami Pages

MORE STORIES