Highlights for Tuesday, 30 October 2007

On Tuesday morning, participants discussed “Biodiversity and poverty: obstacles and opportunities” during a session chaired by Charles McNeill, UNDP.

Balakrishna Pisupati, UNEP, presented on ecosystem services for rural poverty reduction. Maria Berlekom, Swedish International Biodiversity Programme, discussed the North's perspective on the importance of biodiversity in the development agenda, while Adriana Ramos, Instituto Socioambiental, Brazil, provided the view from the South. Walter Lusigi, Global Environment Facility (GEF) / World Bank, addressed dryland management for poverty alleviation. Peter Furu, World Health Organization (WHO) and University of Copenhagen, Denmark, presented on biodiversity, traditional medicine and health. Anil Gupta, Indian Institute of Management, addressed biodiversity, grassroots innovations and poverty alleviation.

“Local governance in biodiversity management” was the theme of the first afternoon session, chaired by Maria Berlekom. Participants heard an address by Lucy Mulenkei, African Indigenous Women’s Network, Kenya, on culture, rights and biodiversity. James Murombedzi, IUCN Regional Office for Southern Africa, presented on policies to support local management. Hazell Shokellu Thompson, BirdLife International, discussed local communities and biodiversity management in Africa.

The second afternoon session, chaired by Reidar Andersen, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, addressed climate change, energy and biodiversity. Thomas Elmqvist, Stockholm University, looked into climate change, biodiversity and the resilience of socio-ecological systems. Juliane Zeidler, Natuye – Institute for the Environment, Namibia, presented on climate change, land degradation and biodiversity in Africa. Per Ove Eikeland, Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Norway, discussed opportunities and challenges in relation to biofuels.

In closing, Peter Prokosch, UNEP/Global Resource Information Database (GRID) Arendal, and Ahmed Djoghlaf, CBD, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between their organizations (photo below).