Biodiversity - international standards and mechanisms

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Websites/Multiple Documents

Description: Well-designed and extensive site. Links to the texts of the Convention and Protocols, 36 useful fact sheets, national reports, Programmes and much more.
Source/publisher: Secretariat of the Convention on Biologicql Diversity
Date of entry/update: 2014-06-01
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English (also Español, Francais, Русский and a little Burmese )
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Individual Documents

Description: "More species of plants and animals are at risk of extinction than ever before. Experts say that humanity is in the middle of a sixth wave of extinction. This time, human-caused extinction. The United Nations warns that people need to make transformative changes to stop the harmful trends. Al Jazeera's Natacha Butler reports from Paris..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Al Jazeera" ( Qatar)
2019-05-06
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Sub-title: IPCC Special Report on Climate Change, Desertification, Land Degradation, Sustainable Land Management, Food Security, and Greenhouse gas fluxes in Terrestrial Ecosystems
Description: "This Special Report on Climate Change and Land1 responds to the Panel decision in 2016 to prepare three Special Reports2 during the Sixth Assessment cycle, taking account of proposals from governments and observer organizations3 . This report addresses greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes in land-based ecosystems , land use and sustainable land management4 in relation to climate change adaptation and mitigation, desertification5 , land degradation6 and food security7 . This report follows the publication of other recent reports, including the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C (SR15), the thematic assessment of the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) on Land Degradation and Restoration, the IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, and the Global Land Outlook of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). This report provides an updated assessment of the current state of knowledge8 while striving for coherence and complementarity with other recent reports. This Summary for Policymakers (SPM) is structured in four parts: A) People, land and climate in a warming world; B) Adaptation and mitigation response options; C) Enabling response options; and D) Action in the near-term. Confidence in key findings is indicated using the IPCC calibrated language9 ; the underlying scientific basis of each key finding is indicated by references to the main report. The terrestrial portion of the biosphere that comprises the natural resources (soil, near-surface air, vegetation and other biota, and water), the ecological processes, topography, and human settlements and infrastructure that operate within that system. 2 The three Special reports are: “Global Warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty.”; “Climate Change and Land: an IPCC Special Report on Climate Change, Desertification, Land Degradation, Sustainable Land Management, Food Security, and Greenhouse gas fluxes in Terrestrial Ecosystems”; “The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate” 3 related proposals were: climate change and desertification; desertification with regional aspects; land degradation – an assessment of the interlinkages and integrated strategies for mitigation and adaptation; agriculture, foresty and other landuse; food and agriculture; and food security and climate change. 4 Sustainable Land Management is defined in this report as “the stewardship and use of land resources, including soils, water, animals and plants, to meet changing human needs, while simultaneously ensuring the long-term productive potential of these resources and the maintenance of their environmental functions”. 5 Desertification is defined in this report as ‘land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas resulting from many factors, including climatic variations and human activities’. 6 Land degradation is defined in this report as ‘a negative trend in land condition, caused by direct or indirect human induced processes, including anthropogenic climate change, expressed as long-term reduction and as loss of at least one of the following: biological productivity, ecological integrity, or value to humans’. 7 Food security is defined in this report as ‘a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life’..."
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Source/publisher: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
2019-08-07
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 2.25 MB
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Description: "This has been a year of results. From zero elephant rangers we now have 220 on the ground in our Central Elephant Landscape and have gone from one elephant poached per week, to one a month and now one every six months. We have achieved one of the toughest wildlife laws in Asia with a mandatory minimum three years imprisonment for poaching or trade of completely protected species and seen it implemented in the courts. Through the Voices for Momos campaign we have secured a ban on illegal wildlife sales in Yangon region. It has also been a year of challenges. The Dawei Road project has re-awoken and is pushing ahead with potential devastating impacts to a critical tiger corridor. Conversations around dams are becoming louder and more frequent and everyone is aware of the challenges Myanmar is facing in its transition to democracy. To meet these challenges we are expanding our presence with offices now in Naypyidaw, Hpa-An, Dawei and Yangon, and work focused across three landscapes –Dawna Tenasserim, Central Elephant and Ayeyarwady. Our work in natural resource protection and management is investment in the peace, stability, and prosperity of an entire nation. This is evidenced in our Dawna Tenasserim projects where we are working alongside returning Karen refugees supporting livelihoods through a sustainable, inclusive, landscape approach. Now more than ever we need to ensure Myanmar’s natural heritage remains and underpins sustainable, inclusive development for the good of all its people..."
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Source/publisher: World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
2018-11-28
Date of entry/update: 2019-07-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 2.61 MB
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Description: ADVANCE UNEDITED VERSION... "Nature embodies different concepts for different people, including biodiversity, ecosystems, Mother Earth, systems of life and other analogous concepts. Nature’s contributions to people embody different concepts such as ecosystem goods and services, and nature’s gifts. Both nature and nature’s contributions to people are vital for human existence and good quality of life (human well-being, living in harmony with nature, living well in balance and harmony with Mother Earth, and other analogous concepts).While more food, energy and materials than ever before are now being supplied to people in most places, this is increasingly at the expense of nature’s ability to provide such contributions in the future and frequently undermines nature’s many other contributions, which range from water quality regulation to sense of place. The biosphere, upon which humanity as a whole depends, is being altered to an unparalleled degree across all spatial scales. Biodiversity –the diversity within species..."
Creator/author: Multiple
Source/publisher: Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
2019-05-06
Date of entry/update: 2019-05-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "Our food and agricultural systems depend in countless ways on the plants, animals and micro-organisms that comprise and surround them. Biodiversity, at every level from genetic, through species to ecosystem, underpins the capacity of farmers, livestock keepers, forest dwellers, fishers and fish farmers to produce food and a range of other goods and services in a vast variety of different biophysical and socio-economic environments. It increases resilience to shocks and stresses, provides opportunities to adapt production systems to emerging challenges and is a key resource in efforts to increase output in a sustainable way. It is vital to efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. Over the last two decades, FAO has prepared country-driven global assessments of the genetic resources of crop plants, livestock and forest trees. An assessment covering aquatic genetic resources will shortly be published. What has been missing to date has been an assessment of how biodiversity as a whole contributes to food and agriculture, including “associated biodiversity”, the myriad components of biodiversity that support food and agricultural production by providing services such as pollination, pest control, soil formation and maintenance, carbon sequestration, purification and regulation of water supplies, reduction of disasters threats, and the provision of habitat for other beneficial species. The urgency of closing knowledge gaps in this field is underlined by the mounting evidence that the world’s biodiversity is under severe threat and by the ever-growing challenges facing food and agriculture, including particularly those related to the impacts of climate change. The publication of The State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture is therefore a significant and timely milestone. Like all the global assessments prepared under the auspices of FAO’s Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, a key characteristic of this report is its country-driven nature. Ninety-one countries prepared and submitted reports on the state of their biodiversity for food and agriculture and its management, focusing particularly on associated biodiversity and its role in the supply of supporting and regulating ecosystem services and on wild species that are sources of food. The reporting process provided an opportunity for countries to identify needs and priorities in terms of promoting the sustainable use and conservation of these resources, both at national level and internationally. Parts of the global report make sombre reading. It is deeply concerning that in so many production systems in so many countries biodiversity for food and agriculture and the ecosystem services it provides are reported to be in decline. The foundations of our food systems are being undermined, often, at least in part, because of the impact of management practices and land-use changes associated with food and agriculture. It is also abundantly clear that the state of knowledge of many components of biodiversity, including in particular invertebrates and micro-organisms, is very inadequate and that this contributes to their neglect. The good news is that many management practices and approaches that rely on the maintenance of abundant and diverse biological communities, or that can otherwise be considered biodiversity friendly, are attracting growing interest and in many cases are becoming more widely adopted. The importance of biodiversity and its roles in the food and agriculture sector is increasingly being acknowledged in international policy agendas. This recognition needs to be translated into action. Key tasks include addressing the drivers of biodiversity loss within the food and agriculture sector and beyond, strengthening in situ and ex situ conservation measures, and increasing the uptake of management practices that promote the contributions of biodiversity to sustainable production. Coordinated and collaborative action on the part of the international community is essential. This report will make a valuable contribution to these efforts and to raising awareness of the vital importance of biodiversity to food and agriculture...."
Creator/author: José Graziano da Silva
Source/publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
2019-05-01
Date of entry/update: 2019-05-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 12.82 MB
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Description: "The Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) works directly with producer organizations to help them become stronger, amplify their potential and connect with each other. Since 2012, FFF has worked in 10 countries to directly strengthen almost 1,000 groups that range in size from local coffee growers’ organizations to international alliances. Its work, which also involves governments, helps to promote sustainable development through management of farm land and forests that produce food, livelihoods, medicine, construction materials and energy. It also helps producer groups find new markets and strengthen their members’ business capabilities. FFF is a partnership between FAO, the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and AgriCord..."
Source/publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
2018-07-30
Date of entry/update: 2019-04-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Source/publisher: United Nations
1992-00-00
Date of entry/update: 2014-06-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 894.21 KB
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