News
August 28, 2003
WWF PROTECTED AREAS POSITION PAPER

Protected areas are the cornerstones of national and international conservation strategies. They act as refuges for species and ecological processes that cannot survive in intensely managed landscapes and seascapes. They provide space for natural evolution and future ecological restoration. People - nearby and further afield - benefit from the genetic potential of wild species, the environmental services of natural ecosystems, recreational opportunities and the refuge given to traditional and vulnerable societies. Most people believe that we have an ethical obligation to prevent species loss due to our own actions. Flagship protected areas are as important to a nation's heritage as, say, Notre Dam cathedral or the Taj Mahal.

Full Position Paper

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Press Release
August 28, 2003
SHELL’S COMMITMENT TO BIODIVERSITY

World Heritage sites announced as “no go” areas for its oil and gas exploration and development
Following an announcement made today at a roundtable discussion at the IUCN Headquarters, the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies (Shell) became the first group in the oil and gas sector to declare natural World Heritage sites ‘no go’ areas. Speaking at a roundtable discussion hosted by IUCN and UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Sir Philip Watts, Chairman and CEO of Shell, presented initiatives and commitments the company has undertaken to incorporate biodiversity into its business processes. In particular, Sir Philip said Shell will not explore or develop oil and gas resources within natural World Heritage sites, such as the Galapagos Islands or the Victoria Falls.

Full Press Release // Shell // UNESCO World Heritage Centre //
IUCN and World Heritage // IUCN Mining and Biodiversity

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REMINDER
August 27, 2003
DELEGATES REMINDER FOR THE WPC

With just about 3 weeks to go before you arrive in Durban, South Africa we would like to make you aware of the following:
- Registration and accreditation
- Malaria // yellow Fever
- Collection of luggage during transit
- Confirmation of registration
- Visas...etc

Full reminder // WPC FAQs-Hotline

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News Story
August 26, 2003
GLOBALIZATION AND DECENTRALISATION: WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR PROTECTED AREAS?

We are all experiencing the impacts of globalization, no matter where we are. At the same time there is an increasing push for greater decentralization of authority. How are these trends and tensions manifesting themselves in the context of protected areas? How have different countries attempted to manage these trends and tensions through legal frameworks - or failed to do so - in the context of protected areas? On the morning of 12th September highly regarded speakers from six countries will gather in Durban to present their own perceptions on these critical questions and share their ideas on where we are headed over the next ten years. The views of the speakers will not be allowed to stand unchallenged - they will be put to the test by an expert panel together with all session participants in a lively interactive session that will follow the presentations.

Full Programme // IUCN-ELC

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News Story
August 11, 2003
12% OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE UNDER DEBATE

One Month Countdown to the Global Forum to Tackle the Future of Protected Areas - “Protected areas are essential for safeguarding our future,” – say Nelson R. Mandela and Her Majesty Queen Noor, Patrons of the Vth IUCN World Parks Congress, who will open this major forum in the South African city of Durban on 8 September 2003. The Congress is a once in a decade opportunity to take stock of the global protected area estate and define priorities for future action. The theme of the Vth IUCN World Parks Congress – “Benefits Beyond Boundaries” – reinforces the meeting’s focus on addressing people’s needs and providing a stream of economic, political, and environmental benefits to societies worldwide. Without an effective network of protected areas all these benefits – clean air and water, fertile soils, inspiring landscapes and unique wildlife – will be lost. In one month, 2500 protected area specialists and representatives from governments, local and indigenous communities, and the private sector will assemble in Durban. The fate of parks will be decided upon as these people will bring with them their hopes and aspirations, but also the deciding power of their backing organizations.

Full Press Release

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News Story
August 11, 2003
SUDAMÉRICA SE PREPARA PARA EL CONGRESO MUNDIAL DE PARQUES

Luego de dos días de intenso trabajo en la ciudad de Quito, concluyó el taller sudamericano “Ampliación de la Iniciativa Mejorando Nuestra Herencia a todos los Sitios de Patrimonio Mundial Natural de Latinoamérica”, organizado por UICN-Sur.
Al evento asistieron 20 personas, destacándose la presencia de los puntos focales gubernamentales de la Convención de Patrimonio Mundial de países como: Brasil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Perú, Venezuela y Ecuador. También participaron representantes de ORMA, oficina regional de UICN para Mesoamérica, en Costa Rica. Sin duda, el taller cumplió con sus objetivos de analizar el estado actual de los Sitios de Patrimonio Mundial Natural en América del Sur y discutir y validar la propuesta de ampliación de la iniciativa Mejorando Nuestra Herencia (MNH) a los Sitios de Patrimonio Mundial Natural de Latinoamérica.

Más información // UICN SUR

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News Story
August 05, 2003
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE. AN INTERNATIONAL LEGAL REGIME FOR PROTECTED AREAS?

Is there an international legal regime for protected areas, and if so what is it? How are emerging issues such as: management effectiveness and standards, certification, new financial mechanisms, and new ways of creating and supporting partnerships, being addressed at the international level? These questions and more are addressed in the paper prepared by IUCN Environmental Law Programme (ELP) on 'International Environmental Governance' for the Vth IUCN World Parks Congress. Experts from across the globe will address this insightful paper as they gather in Durban to debate 'International Designations and Global Governance' on 11th September. IUCN ELP leads the Secretariat's contribution to the Congress Governance Workshop Stream and is most grateful to Parks Canada for funding this paper.

IUCN ELP // ELP at WPC // 'An International Legal Regime For Protected Areas'

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News Story
August 05, 2003
SE AFINAN DETALLES PARA LA PRESENTACIÓN DE LA PROPUESTA REGIONAL SOBRE LA CONSERVACIÓN DEL CAPAQ ÑAN

Conservación Internacional, UICN – Sur, el Grupo Nacional de la Comisión Mundial de Áreas Protegidas y el equipo de trabajo de Valores no Materiales de la Unión, en una propuesta participativa e incluyente, llevan a cabo talleres de identificación de sitios prioritarios asociados a la conservación del Capaq Ñan (camino principal construido por los Incas en los Andes de América del Sur), en los seis países involucrados en el proyecto.
El objetivo de estos talleres es definir el marco conceptual de los diferentes componentes en el ámbito del programa regional, recurriendo al conocimiento y experiencia de grupos multidisciplinarios de especialistas. Del mismo modo, ampliar las alianzas con organizaciones gubernamentales y no gubernamentales en Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Perú y Bolivia.

Más información // UICN SUR // Más noticias sobre el Caq Ñan

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News Story
August 04, 2003
MAINSTREAMING POVERTY REDUCTION AT IUCN

"It is not an option to pursue the conservation of forest biological diversity in those parts of the world that suffer from widespread endemic poverty without tackling the spectre of poverty head on and ensuring benefits go to the people who need it most” says IUCN Director General, Achim Steiner. Recognising this, IUCN is conducting a workshop in Kenya between 4-7 August under the umbrella of its Poverty and Conservation project to discuss the linkages between poverty and environment, and seek out ways by which IUCN can make a meaningful contribution to the Millennium Development Goal of halving extreme poverty in the world by 2015. The aim of this workshop is to help IUCN develop a strategy to integrate poverty reduction into its work, and focus on poverty-related results for its 2005-08 Intersessional Programme, Vth IUCN World Parks Congress, and 3rd World Conservation Congress.

Workshop concept note // Beyond Rhetoric paper // IUCN 3IC projects // IUCN Forest Conservation Programme

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Feature Story
August 01, 2003
THE GREAT BARRIER REEF POISED TO RESPOND TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Paul Marshall reveals plans to address growing threats to the world’s coral cornucopia The first signs of the catastrophe to come were already evident in January 2002. In northern Queensland the unusually hot and still Australian summer caused the sea to warm to 1.5-2°C above the long-term seasonal average at several locations. By April of the same year, aerial surveys confirmed what many had feared: almost 60% of the Great Barrier coral reefs were affected by bleaching. At some of the inshore reefs surveyed, up to 90% of the corals were dead. The Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981, experienced the worst ever recorded mass bleaching event – only four years after the previous massive bleaching.

Full feature story // IUCN Global Marine Programme // IUCN Climate Change // Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority // WWF Great Barrier Reef Campaign

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