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 High Seas Bottom Trawling and Marine Protected Areas: Progress or politics?
31 March 2006
The Convention on Biological Diversity again called on Parties and States to take immediate action to protect vulnerable seamounts and cold water corals from destructive fishing practices such as high seas bottom trawling.
Full story IUCN Global Marine ProgrammeIUCN @ CBD COP8 |
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 Will we be able to measure the 2010 target?
31 March 2006
The 2010 biodiversity target is only four years away, yet we still currently lack the means to measure trends in biodiversity. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and its Species Survival Commission are therefore developing a suite of indicators to measure biodiversity trends.
Full storyIUCN @ CBD COP8IUCN Species Survival Commission |
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 IUCN pays tribute to UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer
31 March 2006
As Klaus Toepfer concludes his tenure as Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme later today, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) wishes to express its gratitude and appreciation for the commitment and leadership he has shown during the past eight years.
Full story |
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 Convention on Biological Diversity agrees to conserve highly threatened island biodiversity
31 March 2006
The World Conservation Union welcomes the adoption by the Convention on Biological Diversity of a new Programme of Work on Islands. The Programme of Work is set to slow down the loss of biodiversity on islands.
Full storyIsland Nations Commit to Protect Their Futures |
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 Environment is an investment for development
29 March 2006
Achim Steiner tells ministers at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) meeting in Brazil that the environment should not be seen any longer as a cost, but rather as an investment for development.
Full storyIUCN @ CBD COP8Agenda of Ministerial Segment [PDF] |
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 Island Nations Commit to Protect Their Futures
29 March 2006
Leaders from island nations around the world joined together last night during the Eighth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to announce significant conservation commitments to protect the future of islands. They announced the Micronesia Challenge: to protect 30 percent of near-shore marine and 20 percent of terrestrial resources on islands by 2020.
Full releaseIUCN @ CBD COP8 |
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 Austria delivers on Countdown 2010
29 March 2006
The Austrian Federal Forests Enterprise has joined the Countdown 2010 initiative by adopting an ambitious 5-year Biodiversity Programme. “This is a clear and meaningful contribution to the 2010 biodiversity target”, said Achim Steiner, Director General of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) during the launch on 28 March 2006.
Full storyCountdown 2010Austrian Federal Forests Enterprise |
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 Recognizing biodiversity as a priority in European development cooperation policies
27 March 2006
The World Conservation Union, the European Commission and the Governments of Belgium, Finland, France and Sweden, are organizing from 19 to 21 September 2006 in Paris a major conference on Biodiversity in European Development cooperation with 350 representatives of governments and the civil society both from developing countries and from the European Union.
More information [PDF]Français [PDF]Español [PDF]IUCN Regional Office for Europe |
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 Taking stock: Global Biodiversity Forum to assess progress towards 2010 target
24 March 2006
The Convention on Biological Diversity sets out what governments intend to do to slow down the loss of biodiversity by 2010. The Global Biodiversity Forum (GBF) is open to all sectors of society, including governments, civil society and the private sector to discuss challenges and opportunities in achieving the 2010 target. It opens today.
Full storyGlobal Biodiversity ForumCountdown 2010Convention on Biological Diversity |
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 Communication and Education for Biodiversity: COP8 negotiations highlight World Conservation Union’s work
24 March 2006
Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity see the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication as a key partner to implement the work programme on Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA). The Global Initiative on CEPA is perceived as an important element to achieve the objectives of the CBD.
Full storyIUCN Commission on Education and CommunicationIUCN information on CBD COP8 |
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 Wetlands and forests at the core of the water debate
23 March 2006
Government ministers and key water sector players, in Mexico
this week for the 4th World Water Forum, have stressed the
important role of forests, wetlands and soils in managing the
world’s water resources.
Full storyIUCN Water & Nature Initiative4th World Water Forum |
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 Council begins search process for new Director General
22 March 2006
IUCN Director General Achim Steiner will step down from his position on 31 May 2006 before starting at UNEP on 15 June. The search now begins for his successor.
UN General AssemblyMr Achim Steiner's BioIUCN Council |
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 IUCN promotes risk management at the 4th World Water Forum
21 March 2006
Tropical storms in 2006 are expected to be even stronger than in 2005, the year hurricane Katrina and storm Stan wreaked havoc on the Mesoamerican region. At the World Water Forum, experts from the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the Central American Regional Committee for Water Resources (CCRH) have analyzed the Central American experience with the tropical storm Stan.
Full storyNoticia completaIUCN Water & Nature Initiative4th World Water Forum |
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 UICN incide en reformas legislativas de aguas en Sudamérica
20 March 2006
Centro de Derecho Ambiental lanzó ayer nueva publicación sobre normativa del agua en América del Sur durante el 4º Foro Mundial del Agua. Gracias al trabajo de un grupo de expertos en derecho ambiental de los países sudamericanos la UICN promovió cambios en la legislación de aguas en países como Colombia y Paraguay.
Comunicado completoFull releaseIUCN Water & Nature Initiative4th World Water Forum |
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 Act now to stop wave of extinctions
20 March 2006
The world’s governments have committed themselves to slow
down the current loss of biodiversity by 2010. Now is the time to
move to action, says the World Conservation Union to the 8th
Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD COP8).
Full advisoryIUCN information on CBD COP8CBD |
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 President Fox of Mexico receives Children’s Plea for Clean and Green Water
17 March 2006
President Vicente Fox of Mexico received the photo book ‘Tales of Water’ at the opening ceremony of the 4th World Water Forum. ‘Tales of Water’ is a worldwide multimedia project of the World Conservation Union that puts the spotlight on the views of children on water.
Full releaseComunicado completoWater and Nature InitiativeWater for Schools |
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 Facing the threat of Climate Change at Natural World Heritage Sites
17 March 2006
Climate change has the potential to threaten the core values that the World Heritage Convention seeks to protect. In response to a call for action issued by a number of NGOs, experts will review the risks to both natural and cultural World Heritage properties from climate change.
Full storyIUCN World Commission on Protected Areas |
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Achim Steiner Appointed as Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme
16 March 2006
The World Conservation Union (IUCN) welcomes the appointment by the UN General Assembly of its Director General, Achim Steiner, to the position of Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Full storySecretary General's Note |
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 World Water Forum needs to find sustainable solutions to the world’s water crisis
15 March 2006
Water is becoming an ever more scarce resource: by 2025, nearly 230 million Africans will face water scarcity. To find solutions to these challenges, the 4th World Water Forum will gather governments, aid agencies and industry.
Full media advisoryIUCN Media Information Kit [PDF] |
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 Move from commitments to implementation now to achieve 2010 biodiversity target, says World Conservation Union
14 March 2006
With less than five years to meet the 2010 biodiversity target, the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) needs to move from commitments to implementation. That is the main message of a letter Achim Steiner, Director General of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) sent to Environment Ministers ahead of the CBD conference.
Full storyFull letter [PDF] Es FrIUCN @ CBD COP8Convention on Biological Diversity |
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 Most tsunami-hit coral reefs will recover if human impacts can be effectively managed, says new report
14 March 2006
Most Indian Ocean coral reefs escaped serious damage and could naturally recover within five to ten years if damage from human activities can be reduced. This is according to “Status of Coral Reefs in Tsumani Affected Countries: 2005”, the most comprehensive report to date on the impacts of the devastating December 2004 tsunami on Indian Ocean coral reefs.
Full releaseIUCN Global Marine ProgrammeGlobal Coral Reef Monitoring Network |
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 Open for nominations: the Alcan Prize for Sustainability, worth US$ 1 million
13 March 2006
The US$1 million Alcan Prize is awarded each year to any not-for-profit, civil society or non-governmental organization based anywhere in the world for their contributions to addressing and progressing economic, environmental and social sustainability. The deadline for nominations is 31 March 2006.
More informationIUCN Business and Biodiversity InitiativeAlcan Prize for Sustainability |
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 Guyana hosts national workshop on Forest Landscape Restoration, sponsored by the International Tropical Timber Organization
13 March 2006
Today, Guyana opens its national workshop on Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR). The workshop is part of a series of national FLR workshops, implemented under the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) Guidelines for the Restoration, Management and Rehabilitation of Degraded and Secondary Tropical Forests.
Full storyIntroduction to FLR [PDF]IUCN Forest Programme |
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 Illegal logging directly linked to forest governance issues, says World Conservation Union
10 March 2006
Illegal logging and related trade are directly linked to insecurity of land tenure, inappropriate logging concession systems, corruption and related broader governance problems, says the World Conservation Union (IUCN). To combat illegal logging, all sectors need to contribute to the East Asia and Pacific “Forest Law Enforcement and Governance” (FLEG) process, the Union said yesterday.
Full storyIUCN Forest Programme |
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 First Plant Red Listing Workshop lists 123 taxa of East Africa as threatened
9 March 2006
The Eastern Arc mountains and Coastal Forests of Kenya and Tanzania, one of the world’s botanical highlights, hold at least 1,800 endemic or near endemic plant species. An inaugural Plant Red Listing Workshop for the region started evaluating the conservation status of all the endemic and near endemic species in these areas.
Full storyIUCN Species Survival Commission |
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 The World Conservation Union celebrates International Women's Day
8 March 2006
On the occasion of the 95th International Women’s Day, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) highlights its commitment to promote environmental management with gender equity as a strategy for poverty reduction. Women account for 70% of the poorest populations and over 50% of those poor women depend upon a healthy biodiversity for their livelihoods, writes IUCN Director General Achim Steiner in an open letter.
Open letterCarta abiertaLettre ouverte |
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 TRAFFIC receives Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime Award
7 March 2006
The United Kingdom's Biodiversity Minister Jim Knight presented the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) Partner of the Year Award* to Steven Broad, Executive Director of TRAFFIC International. In his speech, the Minister commended TRAFFIC International for its professionalism, integrity and impartiality.
Full storyTRAFFIC |
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 Fill out a survey – win a book!
6 March 2006
A recent desk study by the Forest Conservation Programme (FCP) revealed that around 600 IUCN members have an active forest programme. In order to better engage with our members we need to increase our understanding of their forest-related work. The first ten IUCN members working in forests who answer the FCP’s more detailed survey will receive a copy of the book "Forests in landscapes – ecosystem approaches to sustainability".
Survey in EnglishEspañolFrançaisIUCN Forest Conservation Programme |
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 Tough times ahead for illegal fishers: High Seas Task Force announces global action
3 March 2006
A global database to track down illegal fishing vessels and a new set of guidelines for regional fisheries management organizations to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and sustainably manage ocean resources are amongst the key proposals of the High Seas Task Force final report launched today.
Full releaseIUCN Global Marine ProgrammeHigh Seas Task Force |
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 Protecting Nature and Developing Tourism in China’s Three Parallel Rivers World Heritage Site
1 March 2006
Located within the Three Parallel Rivers World Heritage Area in China’s Yunnan Province, Diqing Prefecture is one the world’s most biodiverse areas. International protected area experts and government officials met recently to define a roadmap for a new national park and contribute to the economic development of Diqing Prefecture.
Full storyIUCN World Commission on Protected Areas |
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