Blogs

Filtered on Taxonomy term (Science policy newsletter), Date (Jul 2014).

Biodiversity and Climate policy: WCMC report and policy brief on biodiversity and climate change

UNEP-WCMC has announced (June 2014) publication of a report on Using criteria to strengthen biodiversity considerations: Recommendations for the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and an accompanying policy brief Addressing climate change: Why biodiversity matters. The key messages of the policy brief are:

Climate change mitigation and adaptation can be supported by biodiversity conservation actions, enabling the permanence of mitigation and adaptation efforts.
Biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation undermines the supply of ecosystem services vital for mitigation and adaptation.
Adaptation and mitigation actions that do not consider the role of, and potential impacts on, biodiversity can have adverse consequences; therefore, such impacts must be assessed, and measures put in place to address them.
Application of biodiversity criteria and safeguards to climate change interventions can enhance the benefits and minimise the risks for biodiversity without jeopardising mitigation or adaptation objectives.
Multiple international agreements and national processes relevant to climate change and biodiversity should be implemented in ways that are coordinated, mutually supportive and enhance synergies.

Biodiversity Policy: FAO State of the World's Forest Genetic Resources and Global Plan of Action

FAO has announced publication of the first State of the World's Forest Genetic Resources, linked to the Global Plan of Action for Forest Genetic Resources. Key messages of the State report are:

Access to information and knowledge on FGR needs to be improved
Economic value is the main factor in setting management priorities
Half of the forest species reported by countries are threatened
8,000 forest species are used and one-third of them actively managed
Species distribution maps are vital, but rarely available
Most species are conserved in situ, in naturally regenerated and planted forests
Effective ex situ conservation programmes are restricted to limited species and populations
Tree improvement greatly enhances productivity and offers potential for adaptation to changing climate
Emerging technology opens new avenues in FGR management and conservation
Policies and institutional frameworks are insufficient

And what needs to be done:

Improve the availability of, and access to, information on FGR
Enhance in situ and ex situ conservation of FGR
Improve sustainable use and management of FGR
Strengthen policies and institutional capacity

Environment Policy: OECD pollinators and pesticide risks

OECD has launched (April 2014) a website giving information on Managing Pesticide Risk to Pollinators, covering the nature of risks, mitigation by various means, and information on the range of law and regulation employed in different OECD countries.

Education policy UK: Royal Society Vision for Science and Mathematics Education

The Royal Society has produced a Vision for Science and Mathematics Education (June 2014), laying out a future for the UK. Key aspects of the vision are:

All young people study mathematics and science up to the age of 18 - it is recommended that a broad curriculum for all studying to 18 should include science and maths.
Curricula and their assessment are stabilised and support excellent teaching and learning - curriculum and assessment in the UK should be stabilised to provide quality and coherence.
Teachers have high professional status and there is a strong supply of science and mathematics specialists - widen access to teaching and expand the role of STEM professionals in recognising professionalism in teaching
Students understand the significance of STEM through better careers awareness and guidance - investment in large-scale, national programmes for engagement.
The success of students, teachers and education systems is judged through appropriate and broadly based assessment and accountability measures - increased role of teacher assessment of students in qualifications, broader school assessment measures that reflect high quality STEM education.
Education policy and practice are better informed by evidence - better collaboration and communication between education researchers, scientists and mathematicians, teaching professionals, policy-makers and the public.

Marine policy: Global Ocean Commission produces a rescue package for the global ocean

The Global Ocean Commission is an independent organization that was initiated by the Pew Charitable Trust, with membership comprising influential policy-makers, business people and lawyers.

It has published a final report (June 2014) From Decline to Recovery: a Rescue Package for the Global Ocean on its website Mission Ocean. This briefly reviews current ocean governance and priority issues, together with drivers of ocean decline. The main body of the report is eight proposals for recovery:

UN Sustainable Development Goal for the ocean - putting a healthy living ocean at the heart of development
Governing the high seas - promoting care and recovery
No more overfishing - ending harmful high seas subsidies
Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing - closing seas, ports and markets
Plastics - keeping them out of the ocean
Offshore oil and gas - establishing binding international safety standards and liability
Global ocean accountability board - monitoring progress toward a healthy ocean
Creating a high seas regeneration zone

Environment Policy UK: UK National Ecosystem Assessment Follow-on 2014

The UK National Ecosystem Assessment was published in 2011 and now a Follow-on report has been produced. The main emphasis is on tools to aid decision makers in developing policy tools and strategy: natural capital; an updated land use change model that included biodiversity; valuation of cultural ecosystem services; forward scenarios; embedding knowledge for policy; and adaptive management principles.

Food Policy UK: Food Security inquiry reports July 14

The UK House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has reported on its inquiry on Food Security. The Inquiry makes a range of recommendations relating to better planning for crises as a result of weather or other events; planning for increasing global food demand; climate change impacts; organic food; genetically modified crops and other issues. The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is seen as having a key role.

Government response was published in October 2014 - gives breakdown figures for research expenditure on food science.

Environment Policy: State of the World's Forests 2014

FAO has published State of the World's Forests 2014 with a particular emphasis on socioeconomic issues - sustainable development, forest economy, ecosystem services and so on.

Science, Biodiversity and Museums

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Filtered on Taxonomy term (Science policy newsletter), Date (Jul 2014).

Biodiversity and Climate policy: WCMC report and policy brief on biodiversity and climate change

Biodiversity Policy: FAO State of the World's Forest Genetic Resources and Global Plan of Action

Environment Policy: OECD pollinators and pesticide risks

Education policy UK: Royal Society Vision for Science and Mathematics Education

Marine policy: Global Ocean Commission produces a rescue package for the global ocean

Environment Policy UK: UK National Ecosystem Assessment Follow-on 2014

Food Policy UK: Food Security inquiry reports July 14

Environment Policy: State of the World's Forests 2014

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Filtered on Taxonomy term (Science policy newsletter), Date (Jul 2014).