Friday, October 30, 2015

NEW TECHNOLOGY TO CONTROL WILDLIFE CRIME- BHUTAN

Forestry and Royal Botanical park services department has come up with a mobile application, where information on wildlife crime could be securely and easily accessible to frontline staff in Bhutan. This contains information about diverse regional species relevant to Bhutan, general description and distribution of the animals, commonly traded animal and animal’s parts in international market, photographs of the animals and its body parts, and visual clues for more accurate identification of wildlife contraband.
October 03
http://www.kuenselonline.com/mobile-app-to-help-curb-wildlife-crimes/

FOREST AND WILDLIFE CRIMES INCREASE- BHUTAN

Crimes related to forest and wildlife has increased even after the frequent patrolling and active watch during the nights. Smuggling of animal products rose from six cases to 19, poaching from 13 to 35, collection of sand and stones increased to 138 from 119 cases, illegal fishing from 123 to 138, and illegal felling of trees from 228 to 232 incidents in this year.
September 29
http://www.kuenselonline.com/forest-and-wildlife-crime-on-the-rise/

FIRST NATURAL SCIENCE MUSEUM- TIBET

There first natural science museum and the biggest museum in the southwestern autonomous region of Tibet, China has been opened. The 30,000 square-meter museum was financed by investment of more than USD 63 million. Interactive devices have been installed so visitors can experience Tibet's natural wonders. This is expected to facilitate innovative spirit among local youth and increase interest in science and technology in the wider community.
October 02
http://eng.tibet.cn/2012sy/xw/201510/t20151002_3950744.html

MONTREAL PROTOCOL MEETING OF PARTIES IN DUBAI

The 27th Meeting of Parties (MoP) to the Montreal Protocol will convene from November 1-5, 2015 to discuss pressing issues related to hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and ozone-depleting substances (ODS).
 
Prior to the MoP, a resumed two-day Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) of the Parties is expected to conclude discussions on a mandate for a contact group to discuss the HFC amendment proposals.
 
In preparation for the meeting, Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has produced the new briefing Solving the Global Climate Crisis: Taking the First Step with a Dubai Amendment on HFCs.
 
Our expert climate campaigners are available for interviews, comment and background briefings.
 

WHO:           Attending from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA):
·         Clare Perry – Climate Campaign Team Leader
·         Tim Grabiel – Senior Lawyer
·         Peter Grabiel – Senior Lawyer
·         Adela Putinelu – Climate Campaigner
 
WHEN:         October 29-30: Resumed OEWG meeting
November 1-5: Montreal Protocol Meeting of Parties
                       
WHERE:         The Conrad Hotel
Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, United Arab Emirates      
  
WHY:           The occasion is of utmost importance as Parties will discuss proposals to reduce the consumption and production of HFCs, super greenhouse gases used in refrigeration and air-conditioning. A global agreement under the Montreal Protocol to address HFCs could prevent the consumption of more than 100 billion tonnes of CO2e HFCs by 2050. This would achieve significant near-term climate change mitigation and potentially catalyse far-reaching action at the Paris Climate Conference. EIA is calling on Parties to agree an amendment at the 27th MoP in Dubai which mandates concrete, ambitious reductions in HFC production and consumption in developed countries and incentivises early action by developing countries to curtail HFC growth.
 
 
Follow the event live on Twitter via @EIAinvestigator
 

Biodiversity meeting to examine effectiveness of measures to implement global biodiversity plan

Montreal, 30 October 2015 – Some 600 delegates from around the world will gather together in Montreal, Canada, next week to examine the effectiveness of measures taken by Governments to implement the global biodiversity agenda and mainstream biodiversity into sustainable development through implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. Discussions will focus on policy coherence and the monitoring of progress in achieving the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

The nineteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 19) will be held from 2 to 5 November 2015 at the headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization in Montreal.


SBSTTA, the open-ended intergovernmental scientific body that advises the Conference of the Parties (COP), will review the main implications of the findings of the fourth edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-4), which was published in 2014. Using information contained in the fifth national reports, and seeking to identify best practices and lessons learned, SBSTTA will review options for overcoming obstacles to the implementation of the Strategic Plan and the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.


Delegates will discuss how to make the best use of available data and information, including work of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), to prepare future editions of the Global Biodiversity Outlook.


SBSTTA will also look at the report of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Indicators for the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. The Group has recommended a set of potential indicators that could be used to monitor progress at the global level towards the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Many of these indicators would also be relevant to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the goals for sustainable development recently agreed by the United Nations General Assembly.


In addition, delegates will discuss climate-related geoengineering, based on information submitted by Parties and the Update on Climate Geoengineering in Relation to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The report provides an update on the potential impacts of geoengineering techniques on biodiversity together with an account of regulatory developments since the 2012 studies on geoengineering and biodiversity presented in CBD Technical Series No. 66.


The relationship between biodiversity and human health will also be approached through a review of Connecting Global Priorities: Biodiversity and Human Health, a State of Knowledge Review, a joint report of the Secretariat of CBD and the World Health Organization (WHO).


Synergies in achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets of relevance to forests and other internationally agreed forest-related targets and objectives will be examined. This will include exploring how the Convention on Biological Diversity can better integrate its work with that of the United Nations Forum on Forests and other international organizations, in addition to looking at land use change, consumption patterns, and behaviour and institutional change.


Recommendations emanating from SBSTTA 19 will be considered by the Conference of the Parties at its thirteenth meeting, which will be held from 4 to 17 December 2016 in Cancun, Mexico.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Governments should consider the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services as strategy for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction

Montreal, 21 October 2015 – Biodiversity and the ecosystem services it underpins can be the basis for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction strategies as they can deliver benefits that will, according to the outcomes of a recent technical workshop on ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, increase the resilience of people to the impacts of climate change.

The key messages from the workshop, recently held in Johannesburg, South Africa, were delivered at a side event in Ankara, Turkey, at the 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. The focus of the messages is that governments should consider ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction to provide safety nets to communities in times of climate shocks and natural disasters. These findings come in advance of the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (“Paris 2015”).


"Biodiversity and healthy ecosystems are the building blocks that provide natural solutions which build resilience for society to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change," said Barbara Thomson, Deputy Minister, Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa.
As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather and climate events, ecosystems can provide protection from these extremes by stabilizing the movement of water, earth, rocks and snow; serving as a buffer from climate impacts and hazards. 


Ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation (EbA) use biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of an overall adaptation strategy to help people adapt to the adverse effects of climate change, while ecosystem-based approaches to disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) are defined as ‘sustainable management, conservation and restoration
of ecosystems to reduce disaster risk, with the aim to achieve sustainable and resilient development’.


“Biodiversity is a critical resource, not only for climate change adaptation and mitigation, but as a tool to make countries more resilient and help reduce the risk and damages associated with natural disasters,” said Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity.


“Taking ecosystem-based approaches to adaptation and ecosystem-based approaches to disaster risk reduction enables people to adapt to the impacts of climate change by using opportunities created by sustainably managing, conserving and restoring ecosystems to provide ecosystem goods and services. It is clear that these approaches should be integrated into broader adaptation and development strategies.”


Healthy ecosystems can also reduce socio-economic vulnerability by providing essential goods and services to people, such as supporting income generation and protecting human health.


At the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity, held in October 2014, member States requested the Executive Secretary to compile and analyze experiences on ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction and ecosystem-based adaptation. In response, the Secretariat is preparing a synthesis report that compiles experiences, planned activities and national targets of Parties, as well as other relevant information related to EbA and Eco-DRR. In addition, a technical workshop on ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction was organized in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 28 September to 2 October 2015, with the support of the European Union, the Government of South Africa, the Government of Sweden and the Government of Germany.


The purpose of the workshop was to review a draft synthesis report on experiences with implementation of EbA and Eco-DRR, identify gaps and share more information to strengthen the report. Workshop participants, which included national experts from key regions, including from small island developing States and least developed countries, representatives from indigenous peoples and local communities, as well as experts from relevant organizations, provided perspectives on implementing EbA and Eco-DRR.


The main conclusions from the synthesis report and from the workshop will be presented to the Convention’s Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice for consideration at its twentieth meeting.


For more information: www.cbd.int/climate/doc/flyer-climate-2015-10-20-en.pdf

Saturday, October 17, 2015

EMPOWERING YOUTH ON BIODIVERSITY ISSUES (OTTAWA, ONTARIO)

GRADES 5 TO 12
Today educators and students from St-Laurent Academy, Notre Dame Catholic School, Devonshire Public School, and Lady Evelyn Alternative School partnered together for our training program to accredit youth to become biodiversity leaders in their communities. 
 
This included conservation projects, outdoor classrooms, organic gardening, promoting locally sourced food, and political action.

We began with an introduction to the diversity of life that can exist in an urban setting as seen through our community-based Macoun Marsh restoration project led by St-Laurent Academy Elementary and Junior High students. 

A final piece connected these local elements to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and its international mandate to highlight global environmental activism designed to change the way people think and act.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

The first internationally recognized certificate of compliance is issued under the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing

Montreal, October 2015 – The first internationally recognized certificate of compliance was issued on 1 October 2015, following a permit made available to the Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) Clearing-House by India.

Under the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization, Parties are to issue a permit or its equivalent at the time of access as evidence that access to genetic resources was based on prior informed consent and that mutually agreed terms were established. Parties are required by the Nagoya Protocol to make information on the permit or its equivalent, available to the ABS Clearing-House for the constitution of the internationally recognized certificate of compliance.


The permit was issued by India’s National Biodiversity Authority, the competent national authority under the Nagoya Protocol. The certificate then constituted through the ABS Clearing-House serves as evidence of the decision by India to grant access to ethno-medicinal knowledge of the Siddi community from Gujarat to a researcher affiliated with the University of Kent in the United Kingdom. The researcher can now demonstrate that s/he has respected the ABS requirements of India when using this knowledge.


“Last week was an important week for the Nagoya Protocol,” said Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. “In addition to having the first internationally recognized certificate of compliance published in the ABS Clearing-House, two additional countries joined the Protocol: the Philippines and Djibouti, which brings the total number of ratifications to 68.”


“The internationally recognized certificate of compliance is one of the major innovations of the Nagoya Protocol and one of the cornerstones of the access and benefit-sharing system,” added Mr. Dias. “The constitution of the first certificate represents a major step towards making the Nagoya Protocol operational. I congratulate the Government of India, and invite others to follow this example and to publish information on their national permits in the ABS Clearing-House. The Secretariat is here to assist you and provide the necessary technical support.”


The ABS-Clearing-House is accessible at: https://absch.cbd.int/

International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

Our friends at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) are going to organize the first-ever Youth Forum People and Wildlife in Johannesburg, South Africa in September 2016 and if you're between 18 and 25 you can be part of it!

It will take place just before CITES COP17 and will provide a very unique platform for youth to get involved in the fight against illegal trade of wildlife, to discuss solutions and to network with youth delegates from all over the world!

GYBN is supporting the organization of this event and we can only warmly recommend you to apply!
To learn more and to submit your application, go to: www.ifaw.org/youthforum

Sunday, October 4, 2015

BIODIVERSITY MENTORSHIP PROGRAM- OTTAWA, CANADA

 
GRADES 5 TO 12
Biodiversity affects us all.  A global crisis is taking place now.  Scientists predict that we may lose half of all species on the planet by the end of this century.

On Saturday, October 17, 2015, educators from St-Laurent Academy, Notre Dame Catholic School, St. Patrick High School, Devonshire Public School, and Lady Evelyn Alternative School will partner together to develop a training program to accredit youth to become biodiversity leaders in their communities.  This included conservation projects, outdoor classrooms, organic gardening, promoting locally sourced food, political action (becoming politically literate) etc

We will begin with an introduction to the diversity of life that can exist in an urban setting as seen through our community-based Macoun Marsh restoration project led by St-Laurent Academy Elementary and Junior High students. Students have now identified over 1400 species here.  A parallel language arts program at Devonshire Public School uses a web of local connections to build a template for environmental stewardship based on partnerships between local farmers, grocery store managers, a local restaurant, politicians, and community associations. Youth participants will walk away with a blue print for building both community-focused science and issues-based literacy programs designed to engage them as true defenders of their biological heritage.

A final piece will connect these local elements to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and its international mandate to highlight global environmental activism designed to change the way people think and act.  The students will hear video messages and meet professionals active in biodiversity issues.

We will begin with an introduction to the diversity of life that can exist in an urban setting as seen through our community-based Macoun Marsh restoration project led by St-Laurent Academy Elementary and Junior High students. Students have now identified over 1400 species here.  A parallel language arts program at Devonshire Public School uses a web of local connections to build a template for environmental stewardship based on partnerships between local farmers, grocery store managers, a local restaurant, politicians, and community associations. Youth participants will walk away with a blue print for building both community-focused science and issues-based literacy programs designed to engage them as true defenders of their biological heritage.

A final piece will connect these local elements to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and its international mandate to highlight global environmental activism designed to change the way people think and act.  The students will hear video messages and meet professionals active in biodiversity issues.

Mike Leveille

SEAFOOD GIANT ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN LARGEST FIN WHALE HUNT SINCE COMMERCIAL WHALING BAN

LONDON: Iceland’s controversial fin whale hunt has now ended with a catch of 155 endangered fin whales, the largest slaughter since the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling.
 
New evidence obtained on the ground by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) reveals the ongoing involvement of international seafood giant HB Grandi in the whaling business, despite its claims to the contrary.
 
The two organisations also confirmed that major international shipping firm Eimskip continues to be closely involved in transporting whale products. 
 
In gathering evidence, EIA and AWI documented a truck belonging to Norðanfiskur – a seafood company wholly owned by HB Grandi since 2014 – transporting crates of whale meat and blubber from the whaling station at Hvalfjörður to Hvalur’s freezer facility in Hafnarfjörður.
 
HB Grandi is Iceland’s largest seafood company and its CEO, Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson, has repeatedly insisted that the company “is not involved in whaling and never has been.” This claim ignores the fact that multi-millionaire Icelandic whaler Kristján Loftsson is chairman of HB Grandi’s board of directors and his whaling company, Hvalur, remains its single largest shareholder (via holding company Vogun).
 
“It is deeply disappointing, but no surprise, that HB Grandi’s repeated assurances that it has nothing to do with whaling have yet again been exposed as nothing but a worthless sop to shareholders and customers who are rightly concerned about its association with the internationally condemned hunting of endangered fin whales,” said Clare Perry, Team Leader of EIA’s Oceans Campaign.
 
Another major player in the transportation of whale meat and blubber around Iceland is Eimskip, a company 25 per cent owned by Yucaipa, a private equity company based in the US. Eimskip’s central involvement in Icelandic whaling includes hauling Hvalur whale products within Iceland and shipping them overseas.
 
In January 2014, Eimskip-chartered vessel the Westerkade was used to transport fin whale meat from Iceland to Halifax, Canada. The shipment was then sent by rail to Vancouver, where it was loaded onto another vessel that sailed to Seattle before departing for Yokohama, Japan.
 
Susan Millward, executive director of Washington DC-based AWI; stated: “It’s disgraceful that a US firm is being tainted by the blood of fin whales. We implore Yucaipa, as Eimskip’s largest shareholder, to exert its influence to end Eimskip’s supporting role in Iceland’s fin whale hunt.”
 
Iceland has continued exporting whale products in defiance of an international ban on such trade; more than 7,200 tonnes of blubber and meat have been sent to Japan since Iceland resumed commercial whaling in 2006. The most recent shipment of 1,800 tonnes arrived in Osaka in late August, following passage through Russia’s Northern Sea Route.
 
EIA and AWI are calling on International Whaling Commission member states in Europe and the US to increase diplomatic pressure on Iceland to compel it to abide by the moratorium on commercial whaling and the ban on international trade in whale products under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).