December 2005 - Season's greetings to our members, partners and friends
IUCN Christmas Card
Our offices will be closed Dec. 24 to Jan. 2 inclusive.

• CLIMATE CHANGE Web Page on IUCN-Canada Web
  Final IUCN report on the conference was added.
  (The Web page includes a summary of all previous information on IUCN and members during the UN Climate Change Conference in Montreal), UNFCCC web link to official decision documents, IISD daily news (3 languages) web stories, side events, media coverage, publications
• French translations available for IUCN side events on Dec. 2 (below) for Conservation Commons and Biodiversity Offsets.
  
• IUCN BROCHURE IN CANADA (Nov. 2005);
  French version
  Subjects include Canadian action worldwide through projects with partners, Canadians on IUCN Commissions, Canadian Committee for IUCN (members), and global programming.
• UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC), summaries of side events held by IUCN and partners (below).
• DAILY NEWS during the Conference below
  and on the IUCN worldwide Web site ,
  as well as our member IISD officially responsible for the daily trilingual bulletin (of political negotiations), for UNFCCC
  and also the IISD special report on selected side events from international participants, ENB On The Side.
• Double number of visitors: 4000 visitors on the IUCN-Canada Web in the 2-week period of the Climate Change Conference (close to 7000 in November).
  We normally have close to 5000 visitors per month. Warm thanks for your interest.

December 9, 2005 - Conservation and climate change are directly linked
IUCN's speech to the UN Climate Change Conference is available on www.iucn.org (with Christine Milne's picture)
The management of ecosystems is an important component of any response to climate change – that is the main messages of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Convention. Vice President Christine Milne (also IUCN Councillor for Oceania, representing Australia) spoke on behalf of IUCN Director General (Achim Steiner) and called for adequate resources to implement the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol and commitments beyond 2012.
Speech in English; in French; in Spanish.
She was then interviewed by Nature Journal (by freelance journalist in Washington, but journal is headquartered in the UK) and a Chilian-based media. Link to current issue of Nature Journal.

December 9, 2005 - Side events information (below) from the UN Climate Change Conference, organized by Canadian members and partners and other Canadian institutions we met: (details on the UN side events web page with the contact e-mail for each event); some have related documents on-line.

The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) held a side event on Nov. 28
Transitioning to the low carbon economy: What the world (energy policy & emissions) might look like in 2050 if nations pursue a low carbon economy. Public and private sectors speakers examine the UK strategy, Canada’s long-term energy and climate change future, world energy markets and technology development and implementation. Documents available

Conservation International (IUCN-US member) side event on Nov. 29
CDM afforestation & reforestation credits: carbon, forests, and people
Shares the experience gained in the BioCarbon Fund and Climate Community and Biodiversity Alliance - value of forestry-based credits for carbon mitigation, livelihood improvements and ecosystem restoration. Demonstration of the application and use of risk management techniques in LULUCF projects. Conservation International Web; UNFCCC Web

Ouranos, based in Montreal
Adaptation strategies: multidisciplinary approaches side event on Nov. 30
Ouranos, a consortium on regional climatology and adaptation to climate change will explain how it links climate modelling to impacts assessment and adaptation. UNFCCC Web

National Resources Canada (IUCN-Canada member) side event on Nov. 30
Canada's cleaner energy technology and best practices for today and tomorrow
More emphasis is on int'l technology collaboration to support a transition from a carbon intensive global economy. Canada supports domestic and int'l initiatives from fundamental research and development, deployment and diffusion of available solutions to transformative technologies. Documents available

European Space Agency (ESA) - partner of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and IUCN-Canada - Mozambique GIS project
Supporting LULUCF from space - side event on Nov. 30
The use of Earth Observation data to derive information needed for Kyoto Protocol reporting on LULUCF activities is illustrated by UNFCCC Parties collaborating with ESA on specific projects. UNFCCC Web.

Birdlife International - (IUCN international member) side event on Nov. 30
Forests, carbon and biodiversity: building opportunities for conservation-based development
Linking forest habitat conservation, carbon sequestration and sustainable development: opportunities and obstacles under Kyoto. Examples from projects in Paraguay's Atlantic Forest and Canada's boreal forest.

Global Environment Facility (GEF) (IUCN partner) side event on Dec. 1

International Finance Corporation (IFC) (IUCN partner) side event on Dec. 1

WWF (IUCN member) side event on Dec. 1 - and many other side events organized by WWF worldwide with their partners

Energy Strategies (ES), right here in Montreal - a potential partner we discovered - side event on Dec. 1

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) (IUCN-Canada member) - side event covered in the news below (Dec. 3)

BIOCAP Canada Foundation (BIOCAP), based in Ottawa - side event on Dec. 2

Pembina Institute for Appropriate Development Canadians based in the Ottawa region), event Dec. 3

International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) (IUCN Canada member)
Canada and the post-2012 climate change regime. Documents available

Environment Canada (IUCN-Canada member) - side event Dec. 3
Arctic and Canadian vulnerability
To show Canada's shared stewardship of the Arctic with other circumpolar countries, outlining sectoral impacts of other regions. Arctic Climate Impact Assessment progress, and Canadian observation networks & modelling are highlighted, also progress on a Northern Strategy and the Int’l Polar Year

One Sky - Canadian Insitute of Sustainable Living (ONE SKY), Canadians based in B.C., side event on Dec. 3

Railway Association of Canada - The railway emissions story - side event on Dec. 3

Friends of the Earth International (FOEI) (IUCN International member) - side event on Dec. 5
Climate debt: from concept to action

Environment Canada (IUCN-Canada member) - side event Dec. 6
Moving forward on climate change: Cananda's plan for honouring their Kyoto commitment

Conseil patronal de l'environnement du Quebec (CPEQ) (IUCN-Canada) - side event on Dec. 7
International sectoral approaches (co-hosted by CPEQ and WBCSD). Documents available

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) (IUCN-Canada member)- side event on Dec. 9
Adaptive policymaking for agriculture, water resources and climate
Interim results of research conducted in India and Canada exploring the characteristics and mechanisms of public policies that are: robust across a variety of possible futures, rather than optimized for a specific future; and have the ability to adapt to circumstances as they emerge over time

December 8, 2005 - Achim Steiner, IUCN's Director General was interviewed my numerous media in Montreal during the Climate Change Conference:
Robert Guy Scully World Show (CPTV in the US). Show to air next spring.
CIBL Francophone radio station in Montreal. Details to come
Radio station in Cameroon.

December 8, 2005 - IUCN, as an international NGO, will make a speach during the high-level segment of the UN Climate Change Conference in Montreal. Mrs. Christine Milne, IUCN Councillor, will make the speech on behalf of Achim Steiner. Newsrelease will be available Friday morning.

December 8, 2005 - IUCN member, Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC), held a side event during the Conference on Dec. 7. - Inuit Petition Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to Oppose Climate Change Caused by the United States of America. Ms. Sheila Watt-Cloutier, the elected Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC), submitted a petition to the Washington DC-based Inter-American Commission on Human Rights seeking relief from violations of the human rights of Inuit resulting from global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions from the United States of America. Click here for the petition on ICC web.
The event was covered by Radio-Canada and media from the US, France, and Scandinavian countries.
Press release from US Newswire; List of Speakers.

December 7, 2005 - A High Level Dialogue with Parliamentarians day, Arriving at a post-2012 Climate Change Settlement: Technology Options & Cooperative Opportunities, was held on December 6, hosted by COM+ and GLOBE, in Montreal (as a secondary event to the UN Climate Change Conf.)
IUCN was represented by Mrs. Christine Milne, IUCN Councillor for Oceania, representing Australia (Mrs. Milne is also Tasmania Senator in Australia). Click here to see the program;
IUCN Council and Mrs. Milne's biography
Mrs. Milne, as an IUCN representative, also participated in a panel at the World Council of Churches side event yesterday (details in the Dec. 6 ENB bulletin)

December 7, 2005 - Community-based Risk Screening Tool – Adaptation & Livelihoods (CRISTAL)
Official web story of IUCN's presence at Development and Adaptation Days with Aliou Faye of IUCN-Mali and Stephen Kelleher of IUCN Headquarters. In collaboration with the representative of Intercooperation (Swiss) of Bangladesh, the IUCN delegation presented a paper on the results of the test of the Community-based Risk Screening Tool – Adaptation & Livelihoods (CRISTAL) at the Development and Adaptation Days which took place at the Complexe Guy Favreau in Montreal from 4 to 5 December 2005. CRISTAL has been tested in one of IUCN’s field projects: ‘Projet d’Appui à la Gestion des Ecosystèmes Inondables’ (Support Project for the Management of Flood-Prone Ecosystems). This project is located in the Inner Delta of Niger River in Mali, which is the widest continental wetland in West Africa. The project is also helped by IISD (IUCN-Canada member). Full Story.

December 6, 2005 - Aliou Faye of IUCN-Mali made a presentation during Adaptation Days, parallel to the UNFCCC on Dec. 3-4. Aliou Faye, IUCN Mali, presented on a tool currently under development called “community-based risk screening tool - adaptation and livelihoods” (CRISTAL), explaining that it helps to: systematically understand the links between livelihood and climate; assess project’s impacts on local adaptive capacity; and make project adjustments to improve resilience. IISD Bulletin.

December 6, 2005 - IUCN US member, WRI (World Resources Institute), launched two books during a side event at the UNFCCC. WRI Book Launch: Data and Development in Framing Future Climate Commitments (on visions for the post-2012 climate change process). Details of the side event in the ENB bulletin (Choose Dec. 5) ; WRI page on Climate Change

December 6, 2005 - IUCN representatives attended the Tides Center side event during UNFCCC on the need to expressly integrate ethics into climate change science and economics. To learn more about the Tides Center, click here.

December 6, 2005 - IUCN's participation at the Ecosystem side event on November 28 during the UNFCCC
Ecosystems services, MEAs and market-based approaches, Presented by UN University- Institute for Advanced Studies
Joshua Bishop, IUCN headquarters, noted barriers to creating markets for ecosystem services, including market failures, perverse incentives, institutional weaknesses, lack of tenure, poor governance and lack of technology. Full Story

December 5, 2005 - IUCN Director general (based in Switzerland), Achim Steiner will attend the UNFCCC December 7-9. A newsrelease of IUCN's position will be sent to the media and available on-line this Friday Dec. 9. He will also be interviewed in various media. Details to follow.

December 5, 2005 - IUCN's position paper during CBD SBSTTA-11 last week is now on line. Click here; Also, Steve Edwards' information paper on Sustainable use indicators, presented during his side event.Click here.

December 5, 2005 - Please find below (News Dec. 3) more information on the UNEP modules presented during our side event and the book launched that night.

December 3, 2005 - IUCN & UNEP side event (Dec. 2) at the UN conf. on Climate Change
Biodiversity and Climate Change multiple interlinkages
UNEP and IUCN presented the biodiversity and climate change module of UNEP's project entitled "issue-based modules for the coherent implementation of biodiversity related conventions" to demonstrate the role of biodiversity related agreements in achieving UNFCCC goals. Presenters from Finland and Malaysia gave examples of applications.

• Access the modules site
• Introduction presentation on the modules by Mrs Ines Verleye of UNEP.
• Yours comments are welcome to ines.verleye@unep.org.

Book launched Legal Aspects in the Implementation of CDM in Forestry Projects, produced by the IUCN Bonn Law Center and financed by GTZ.

December 3, 2005 - Our member ITK (Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami) has launched a book during its side event (Dec. 2) at the UN Conf. on Climate Change
Launch for Unikkaaqatigiit - Putting the Human Face on Climate Change - Perspectives from Inuit in Canada. This book is the culmination of a 4-year project, in partnership with the Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Health and Changing Environments at Laval University, the Ajunnginiq Centre at the National Aboriginal Health Organization, the Inuit land-claim organizations, and communities across the Arctic. ITK web (the book is available on line in PDF).

December 2, 2005 - IUCN - Conservation Commons side event at CBD SBSTTA-11 in Montreal (Nov. 28- Dec. 2 2005).
Creating a “Digital Earth” – a new Conservation Commons initiative to integrate taxonomic and geographic data.
Biodiversity information and data is often hard to find – ask any project manager or field practitioner. At the same time, most of the conservation data and information we have is “place-based” – that is, it is focused on protected areas, ecosystems, hotspots, and many other geographic designations on earth. Paradoxically, few attempts have been made to integrate taxonomic and geographic (or geospatial) data, and effectively put these assets to work to support conservation, sustainable development, and improved decision making. Click here for the webstory on this event (Tom Hammond) ;
click for the Conservation Commons web.

December 2, 2005 - IUCN side event on Biodiversity Offsets at CBD SBSTTA-11 (Montreal, Nov. 28- Dec. 2 2005).
Thinking the unthinkable - A roundtable discussion on biodiversity offsets
Can biodiversity offsets help reconcile conservation and development priorities? This was the question discussed at a side event on "The Role of Biodiversity Offsets in Conservation" held at the 11th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The response from some 30 government delegates, NGO representatives and scientists attending was a guarded “yes, but”.
Click here for the webstory on this event (by Mrs. Andrea Athanas of IUCN headquarters)

November 2005

30 November 2005 - from UNFCCC web: Leila Mead Montreal climate conference adopts ‘rule book’ of the Kyoto Protocol. Full story (bilingual)

November 29, 2005 - Conserving biodiversity to cope with climate change - An overview of the issues
Communiqué from IUCN, at the UN Climate Change Conf. and the CBD SBSTTA.
The CBD’s work programme on marine and coastal biological diversity calls for the development of methods to adapt marine and coastal protected areas management to changing species and habitat distribution patterns, resulting from climate change. IUCN is looking at approaches to make coral reefs more resilient to climate change and at means to bridge gaps between theoretical science and practical solutions relating to this goal. Full story - also on IUCN web (Dec. 1 news), click here

November 28, 2005 - 2° Celsius: A world of difference to life on earth
Newslease from IUCN on Climate Change
The parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change must keep global warming below 2° Celsius, says the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The consensus of international conservation organisations is that if temperatures rise above 2° Celsius from pre-industrial levels, massive species extinctions and dramatic changes in ecosystems will have severe consequences for human wellbeing, full story, or on IUCN November 28 news

November 28, 2005, Opening Speach from the Canadian minister of Environment, Mr. Dion, full story.

21 November 2005 - New framework agreement between France and IUCN; full story.

18 November 2005 - We are proud to present our new "IUCN in Canada" Brochure; PDF version; paper copies will be available during the UN Climate Change conference in Montreal, starting Nov. 28, at our exhibit space.

15 November 2005 - IUCN worldwide news, click here:
A new guide to developing GEF project proposals on land degradation
ITTO and World Conservation Union launch forest restoration manual
Forest Law Enforcement and Governance - from talk to action

IUCN - Canada and worldwide colleagues will be present at the UN Climate Change Conference in Montreal, Nov. 28-9 Dec. 2005 (and also at CBD SBSTTA). For details of side events and exhibits, our events page has been updated. Free publications will be distributed. Some events are open to the public.

Thank you for your support and interest for the IUCN Canada Web site: close to 5000 monthly visitors.

Visit our IUCN in Canada Commissions page for an update on Canadian members within the 6 commissions.

New Brochure being produced: IUCN in Canada (coming soon)

Visit the IUCN Climate Change web page.

Consult IUCN worldwide web for daily news. Recent themes:

Applying the Precautionary Principle to Biodiversity Conservation and Natural Resource Management
World Conservation Union calls for sustainable trade and development at United Nations General Assembly
The danger from Pakistan's earthquake is not over
A new vision for the UN Convention to Combat Desertification: more with less?
The World Conservation Union urges governments to tackle the root causes of shared animal-human diseases

October 2005

October 21, 2005 - IUCN - The World Conservation Union receives Sri Lanka President's Environmental Award 2004
Ten months after the tsunami, IUCN wins recognition from the President of Sri Lanka for its long-lasting environmental policy support and recent work on marine and coastal zone rehabilitation. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) today has been awarded the Excellent Environmental Service Award 2004 of Sri Lanka for the non-government sector. Full Story

September 2005

Septemgber 28, 2005 - Visit our headquarters website for interesting recent worldwide news:
Spotlight on the IUCN Commissions: What are the six IUCN Commissions up to? With the 64th IUCN Council meeting currently taking place at IUCN Headquarters, the commission chairs were asked to highlight one of their major projects in a five minute interview. Find out here what they reported back from IUCN’s 10,000 expert strong commissions.
Connecting for Biodiversity: Countdown 2010 at European Nature Conference in Apeldoorn

September 22, 2005 - Ban on fisheries at depths beyond 1000 m. came into force in the Mediterranean - Article from IUCN-Mediterranean office (Sept. 15) - The use of towed dredges and trawl nets fisheries at depths beyond 1000 m has recently come into force. This important measure was based on a comprehensive study on the status of deep sea fishing in the Mediterranean developed by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and WWF in a wide-reaching consultation process with relevant regional specialists. Details

September 21, 2005 - Bruce Amos retirement: IUCN would like to pay tribute to Bruce Amos who recently retired from Parks Canada. Bruce has also served as WCPA Vice-Chair for North America for a number of years. In this time he has energised the WCPA network, particularly through a number of meetings. He has also played an excellent and greatly valued role on the WCPA Steering Committee and the WCPA Executive Committee. His wise and clear counsel has always been greatly appreciated, and has usually turned out to be right. Through his many years on the WCPA Steering Committee, Bruce has clearly demonstrated that he is one of the worlds leading thinkers and practitioners in relation to protected areas. IUCN wishes Bruce all the best for his retirement and will do its best to encourage him to get even deeper and further involved with WCPA. Photo

September 20, 2005 - Canadian Press - interview on Sept. 16 during UN General Assembly in NYof Andrew Deutz, the lead negotiator on climate change for IUCN, the World Conservation Union, which has observer status at the UN, click here

September 16, 2005 - Make the environment the future to make poverty history - Director General Achim Steiner’s message in his address to the United Nations General Assembly today. Details

Tom Hammond of IUCN-Canada is attending Sept 20-22 a Forest meeting at our headquarters in Switzerland, re: 4-year Forest Programme initiative to operationalize the issues outlined in the recently launched IUCN book Poverty and Conservation: Landscapes, People, and Power (167 pp.)

World Conservation Union launched on Sept. 14 - US$ 300 million initiative for poverty reduction.The programme started with 20 projects throughout the world for a total of 25M$ financed by partners. Plans are to include new partners who would invest a total of 300M$. Details

2010 Target project is being developped intensively with partners. Details to follow in October.

Mrs. Tomme Young of IUCN Bonn Law Center was in our offices for three weeks last August to work on an ABS project, financed by Environment Canada. Subject: Research into the means of appropriation of genetic resources in accord with Conference of the Parties (COP) Decision VII/19 of the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity). Details later.

IUCN-Canada General Assembly of members will take place in Montreal next December. Exact place and date to be announced soon.

September 5-9, 2005 - IUCN-Canada is attending this week's CBD Implementation Meeting - Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group on Review of Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal, 5-9 September 2005. Sue Mainka from IUCN headquarters is also present.

Please visit IUCN worldwide web for interesting recent news, especially:
Adopted Resolutions and Recommendations of the 3rd World Conservation Congress online - FINAL - Aug. 25
IUCN President Valli Moosa at Global Warming Forum in Greenland - Aug. 24
IUCN participates at China’s first Forest Dialogue Forum - Aug. 18
IUCN launches new website for regional marine issues in South America - Aug. 16
Poverty and Conservation: Landscapes, People and Power - launch of new book - Aug. 11
IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management reshapes agenda with new Steering Committee - Aug. 9
IUCN goodwill ambassador Iruka dedicates concert to The World Conservation Union - Aug. 3
The World Conservation Union reports on progress of Natura 2000 - Aug. 2

August 2005

August 19, 2005 - IUCN PRESIDENT UICN, Mr. Valli Moosa, visited Mali & Senegal in July 2005 and was welcomed by the Senegalese Head of State, Mr. Abdoulaye Wade, click here.

Projects/Activities in development/expansion at IUCN-Canada for this fall and 2006, on the following themes: 2010 Target, indigenous, biosphere reserves, knowledge sharing, ABS (Access-Benefit Sharing), GIS, gender, francophonie, FLEG (Forest law enforcement and governance), participation at the UN Montreal Climate Change meeting.

IIUCN-Canada is developing GIS activities; in the meantime, visit the WCMC IMAPS site.

The Conservation Commons has partnered with Conserve On-Line for their search engine, click here.

Youth Water Network, in Morocco in September (bilingual event), see also the Events page in French.

Article last June in London International Herald Tribune from Mr. Lopoukhine. Chair, IUCN Commission on World Protected Areas, click here.

August 8, 2005 - Results from the 3rd International francophone forum on environmental education Planet'ERE (involving Mr. Litzler), available in French.

August 8, 2005 - Results from Coastal Zone 2004 available

July, 2005

July 18, 2005 – Mélanie Desrochers brings a collaboration with Nature Québec/UQCN. Mélanie Desrochers, previously intern and now contractee, will share her work time between IUCN’s Forest Conservation Programme and Nature Québec/UQCN as Protected Areas Manager. For six months, Mélanie will handle both international and provincial forest issues. With the Commission Coulombe and the Quebec Strategy on Protected Areas, it’s a good time to be active in the province and to make sure that Québec plays its conservation role on the international scene. For more information, please visit www.uqcn.qc.ca and www.auxarbrescitoyens.com

July 11, 2005 - China Visit report is now available. The Canadian delegation from IUCN and CBRA visited biosphere reserves of the MAB Unesco programme, as part of this CIDA project Capacity Building on Policy Reform of Ecotourism Sustainable Management in China’s Nature Reserves, now concluded. Project was a success for all parties. Click here.

July 8, 2005 - Latest IUCN Annual Report for 2004. "Forging Linkages: An Assessment of Progress 2004" or http://www.iucn.org/programme and choose right logo on the right column. French and Spanish versions will be available in August.

June, 2005

IUCN hosts 'The Forest Dialogue’ on Plantations and Intensive Forest Management

June 20-22, 2005 - IUCN-Canada Tom Hammond attented the event in Switzerland IUCN headquarters. Full Story.

Equator Initiative new Community Commons

June 16-18, 2005 - John Herity of IUCN-Canada attended this event in New York City. Full Story or http://www.undp.org/equatorinitiative/secondary/events/CommunityCommons/CommunityCommons.htm .

Another IUCN member wins prices - Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC)

June 15, 2005 - 1) Canadian Sheila Watt-Cloutier, elected Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, today received the 2005 Sophie Prize at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway, for her work bringing Arctic and Inuit perspectives to the global climate change debate. 2) Last April in New York City, Ms. Watt-Cloutier was awarded the UNEP Champion of the Earth Award, amongst seven other world-class leaders. Inuit Circumpolar Conference is a member of IUCN worldwide in the international NGO category. Visit ICC website (ICC Canada, media room, press releases) ; See also UNEP news release

IUCN Canada attends the Secretariat's membership planning meeting in Costa Rica

June 6, 2005 - A delegation of the IUCN National Committee in Costa Rica met with the secretariat staff on May 26, 2005 in San Jose , Costa Rica during the Secretariat's membership planning meeting of the Americas . During their meeting, the delegation discussed the Union 's activities in Costa Rica and the role and future of the Union 's Committees in responding to environmental and development challenges of today. IUCN-Canada was represented by John Herity and Micheline Legault. Full Story

IUCN member wins price in Environment - Robert Litzler, President of Association québécoise pour la promotion de l'éducation relative à l'environnement (AQPERE) and board member of the Canadian Committee for IUCN

June 6, 2005 - Mr. Robert Litzler won the prestigious price CANADIAN ENVIRONMENT AWARDS 2005, Category : Environmental Learning, for his work on the COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION & DIALOGUE COLLÈGE DE ROSEMONT in Montreal. Mr. John Herity, Director IUCN-Canada, thanked the winner for his continuing efforts in conservation education and his ongoing association with IUCN. Mr. Litzler generously shares credit for this price with all stakeholders in environmental education in Québec. Full Story on Mr. Litzler's price; Link to the Canadian Environment Awards; Link to AQPERE

News from IUCN head office: Achieving the Millennium Development Goals: The moment of truth

In the 1990s, over-fishing off the eastern Canadian coast depleted cod stocks to the point that an entire industry collapsed, putting tens of thousands of people out of work. Restoring the Diawling Delta in Mauritania, previously run dry after the construction of a dam, made fish catches rise from less than 1,000 kilogrammes to 113,800 kilogrammes, meaning an increased income per capita of US$ 500 per year. Media Advisory

May, 2005

News from WCPA, whose chair is Canadian Nik Lopoukhine.

May 2005 - FOUR CLEAR GOALS FOR WORLD COMMISSION ON PROTECTED AREAS - The strategic directions for IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) over the next four years are set: Conserving biodiversity, capacity development, improving protected area management, and governance, equity and livelihoods will be the four main priority areas of work. At the four-day WCPA Steering Committee meeting guided by WCPA Chair Nik Lopoukhine, twenty WCPA Regional and Theme Vice Chairs from around the world met at IUCN Headquarters to discuss and agree on the strategic directions for the new WCPA Strategic Plan. Full Story.

May 31, 2005 – IUCN at the UN
The 5th session of the United Nation's Forum on Forests (UNFF) began and ended with near-consensus that serious changes are needed on a future international arrangement (IAF) on forests. Despite the fact that 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods, UNFF-5 failed to produce a new IAF or strengthen the current one, which threatens to drop forests further down the international agenda. Full Story / UNFF report Mélanie Desrochers (fomer IISD intern at IUCN-HQ, now consultant based at IUCN-Canada) attended the conference.

Sustainable Wild Collection of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Development of an International Standard

Medicinal and aromatic plants are an important resource for mankind. Unsustainable wild collection threatens the survival of many of these species. An International Standard for Sustainable Wild Collection of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants is being developed by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), IUCN and WWF/TRAFFIC.The advisory group met on the Isle of Vilm, Germany, in December 2004 to revise a first draft of the standard. A second draft and other documents related to the project are available on the project download website (http://www.floraweb.de/map-pro). The standard will be tested in several field projects beginning in July 2005. The period for commenting on the 2nd draft will end on May 31st, 2005. Full Story by Dr Danna LEAMAN, Chair, IUCN/SSC Medicinal Plant Specialist Group.

A visit to China is presently being conducted by 5 Canadian experts and biosphere reserve managers (May 23 to June 1st, 2005). Reports on the Chinese delegations visits to Canada in 2004 are available.

Tsunami: IUCN Members on Canada’s Mission on Environment Rehabilitation Needs Assessment

In response to Canada’s commitment to the Royal Thai Government to provide technical assistance in environmental rehabilitation of tsunami-devastated areas, a three-person Canadian Team, comprised of representatives from Environment Canada/Coastal Zone Canada Association (IUCN Member), Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian International Development Agency (IUCN Member), was sent to Thailand from January 24-February 4. Full Story

April, 2005

A delegation from IUCN headquarters visited us in Ottawa, Canada, April 18-19, 2005 for official meetings with CIDA and other IUCN members & partners.

We were pleased to welcome Achim Steiner, Director General, William J Jackson, Director Global Programme, Sue Mainka, Senior Coordinator, Global Programme, Lucy Deram, Bilateral Relations, Conservation Finance and Donor Relations, Hans Friederich, Head, Conservation Finance and Donor Relations, Gonzalo Oviedo, Senior Advisor, Social Policy. Renewal of our agreement with CIDA is presently being negotiatied (results expected next Fall 2005).

Walia, an article written for BRAO by Monique Trudel - The WALIA family has evolved over the past 20 years involving actors in civil society.

WALIA, a symbolic name in Mali, is also the name of a newsletter "Toward a Better Understanding of our Natural Environment" conceived and published by the IUCN from 1985 to 1992. WALIA became a local NGO in 1992 and now pursues its goals supported by other contributors.Other IUCN projects in surrounding African countries have adopted the WALIA approach, giving it a local flavour by taking different priorities and environmental issues as well as socio-cultural aspects into account. These teams spawned other teams in turn, for instance YEM in Cameroon sponsored the creation of IBONGA in Gabon, of NGAMBA in the Congo and KILLIFORI north of Cameroon. Full Story

Picture from Monique Trudel: Tiori Ble Diarra group: traditional puppeteers, used within the Walia program in Mali

March, 2005

Fisheries Threatened by Fish Stock Depletion
An article translated from LE MONDE, France, March 10, 2005, www.lemonde.fr

1000 Meter Limit in the Mediterranean

Deep water fishing operations beyond the limit of 1000 meters should not be developed in the Mediterranean following a decision taken in mid February in Rome by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), an intergovernmental organization. The decision, which should take effect in four months, provided no member countries object, is based upon a study of the biodiversity and the fishery carried out by The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), both justifiably proud of this progress. Full Story

February, 2005

IUCN Reports on Tsunami Damage to Terrestrial Coastal Ecosystems in Sri Lanka

The IUCN Sri Lanka Country Office undertook a rapid environmental assessment of the inland and sub-tidal biodiversity in the Rekawa, Ussangoda and Kalametiya (RUK) coastline areas of south-eastern Sri Lanka shortly after the tsunami. Having worked in this area since October 2002, the rapid assessment team was able to use the baseline information collected over previous years to record the tsunami-related environmental and biodiversity impacts on the coastal terrestrial and wetland ecosystems in this area, including the threat faced from invasive species. The assessment also gathered scientific evidence on whether coastal natural ecosystems such as sand dunes, estuarine mangroves and lagoons contributed to reducing the damage caused to inland landscapes including human settlements and agricultural areas. The findings from this survey will help enable integration of environmental concerns into the current redevelopment activities planned in the affected coastal areas of Sri Lanka.

Farewell to our colleague Michael Veck who shall be pursuing his Ph.D. studies in Europe

Michael Veck from Montreal, will be leaving us soon for Europe to pursue his doctoral studies in International Environmental Law. He joined the IUCN-Canada office in March 04 and has since worked on Access and Benefit Sharing, carrying out research in order to assist the Secretariat to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The research work consisted in gathering and analyzing information on the following topics:
• Measures that preserve and promote legal certainty for users of genetic resources over the terms and conditions of access and use;
• Administrative and judicial remedies available in countries with users under their jurisdiction and in international agreements regarding non-compliance with the prior informed consent requirements and mutually agreed terms.


2004

Nik Lopoukhine - new chair of IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas

Nik Lopoukhine of Canada will be the next chair of IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas. IUCN members at the 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress made a clear decision in favour of Nik Lopoukhine, Director General of Parks Canada: He received 56 percent of the votes from the IUCN government members and 67 percent of the votes from NGO members. "I am very pleased with this overwhelming support," said Nik Lopoukhine upon his election. Statement from the new Chair of WCPA.

Tom Hammond joins IUCN Canada as Senior Programme Advisor

Tom Hammond, from Toronto, Canada, joined the IUCN-Canada team as Senior Programme Advisor for the Forest Programme.
Tom will be in charge as well of the development and promotion of the Conservation Commons initiative.

For previous versions of "What’s New", go to our "What's New - Archives" page