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NHM Science Strategy - All
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Opinion piece in the NY Times on the historical naming of species in China by European scientists.
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The UK government Foresight programme has just published a horizon-scanning and policy advice report on Global Food and Farming Futures. A good overview of the issues and challenges, including the interface of food production and biodiversity, in particular the potential impact of food production on ecosystem services. A knowledge gap on the ecological basis for ecosystem services is identified. Essential reading in strategic planning.
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The UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has just published the latest assessment of the 26 national biodiversity indicators for England on their website. Not good news for farmland birds, some butterflies, grassland plants and invasive species impacts. /...more
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The UK House of Commons committee on Science and Technology has decided to hold an inquiry into the Forensic Science Service, which the UK government has decided to wind down. Written evidence by 14 Feburary in response to the following questions: /...
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Comment piece in Nature on sharing data, access and academic credit in the Earth Sciences in the context of the International Polar Year. Assesssment of technical and cultural barriers to access. Carlson, D (2011) A lesson in sharing. Nature 469 293 (20 January 2011) doi:10.1038/469293a
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There is current interest in rare earth and strategic metals in UK policy circles - I made a post on this in December. The UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology has just issued a briefing note for parliamentarians to tie in with the Select Committee inquiry. Covers the basics, but not much reference to other international policy initiatives.
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Interesting paper in Science in December comparing a range of models and scenarios for biodiversity in the 21st Century. General conclusion is of continuing loss, but the degree of potential loss is uncertain, with very different projections from different models. Pereira et al. 2010 Scenarios for Global Biodiversity in the 21st Century. Science 330 1496-1501. doi: 10.1126/science.1196624
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Useul exploration of the ABS protocol, including history and implications: Kamau, E C, Fedder, B and Winter, G (2010) The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing: What is New and what are the
Implications for Provider and User Countries and the Scientific Community? 6/3 Law, Environment and Development Journal (2010), p. 246 -
BBSRC and NERC have provided £250k for a new round of SynTAx grants for research in systematics and taxonomy - administered by the Linnean Society and the Systematics Association. Deadline 31 January 2010.
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New delivery plans for UK research councils are available.