Whole issue of the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society on the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society July 2011 Volume 166 Issue 3 pages 213-330.
CBD has announced that the EU and twelve member states have signed the Nagoya Protocol on ABS, bringing the number of signatories up to 37. Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden and the UK have signed. Entry into force comes with 50 signatories.
The CBD Scientific body SBSTTA is meeting in November 2011. Documents are available for review by July 15 on the CBD website. So far on: ecosystem restoration; invasive alien species; biodiversity of inland waters and resource management. IISD suggest that papers will also go up shortly on: capacity building for the Global Taxonomy Initiative; ecosystem restoration; and SBSTTA effectiveness. Watch that space.
Chris L has pointed to the UN Information Portal on Multilateral Environmental Agreements - good resources. And a reminder of the value of the IISD reporting services - a range of feeds on different environmental issues.
The first meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee on the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ICNP-1) has finished - an unofficial report is available and some resources on the CBD site including a more formal report. Discussions on the ABS clearing house, capacity building, compliance and awareness-raising. Most of the discussions are about developing next steps, clarifying interpretation and making proposals for development: a lot of work still to come.
IUCN species magazine mentions Paul Williams as chair of the specialist bumblebee group. Also out is the IUCN Science Bulletin with a review of relevant publications.
Two new briefing notes from the UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology - the first on Evidence-based Conservation and the second on Landscapes of the Future - a view of the demands on land resources and options for policy response
A whole range of reports and a key policy vision from the UK Government on environment - a new White Paper The Natural Choice: this will determine strategic directions for a whole range of policy and funding in the next few years and is the first since 1990. The White Paper is the next phase from the earlier Green Paper consulting on views for environmental policy. A key evidence element in the development of the White Paper has been the UK National Ecosystem Assessment, and other background evidence is available. Also just released:
The UK National Ecosystem Assessment reporting has been launched with a Synthesis report - links to the 27 more detailed reports available also, but these are currently in a range of states of completion.
Preparations for the first major meetings of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) in late 2011 and early 2012 are underway. Expert meeting on IPBES and capacity building in Norway at the end of May - report is available in rough outline.
