You are viewing our old site. See the new one here

Go to IISD's website

IISD Reporting Services - Linkages
bringing you the latest news, information and analysis from
international environment and sustainable development negotiations

 

 Sustainable Development

 2005 review

 Biodiversity and Wildlife

 Chemicals Management

 Climate and Atmosphere

 Forests, Deserts, Land

 Human Development

 Intergovernmental Orgs

 Trade and Investment

 Water, Wetlands, Coasts

 

LINKAGES UPDATE


 Recent Meetings

  Media Reports

  Comings and Goings

  Upcoming Meetings

  Key publications and
online resources

  Links to other resources
 

  Return to Linkages Site

  IISD.org

 

 

KEY PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE RESOURCES

BIODIVERSITY AND WILDLIFE

This page was updated on: 01/12/10

 

 

 

MARKETS FOR ECOSYSTEM SERVICES: NEW CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

(World Business Council for Sustainable Development and IUCN-the World Conservation Union, 2007)

This briefing paper outlines the potential for mobilizing business and markets to conserve nature, arguing that market mechanisms can be a compelling complement to existing strategies for ecosystem conservation. The paper outlines three mechanisms to develop markets for ecosystem services, including: direct payments; tradable permits; and certification. The briefing paper.

CMS FAMILY GUIDE: THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF THE CONVENTION ON THE CONSERVATION OF MIGRATORY SPECIES OF WILD ANIMALS
(CMS, November 2007)
This Guide to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), to be updated periodically, comprises over 100 fact sheets explaining the history and structure of the Convention, its daughter Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding, and some of the many species CMS seeks to conserve. The guide.

CEO BRIEFING - BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES, BLOOM OR BUST?
(UNEP FI, October 2007)

This briefing paper, issued by the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Work Stream, emphasizes the increasing importance that the benefits provided by biodiversity are valued and accounted for within traditional business risk frameworks. It recommends that the financial sector should clearly define the risks and opportunities associated with biodiversity and ecosystem services. The briefing paper.

MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENT NEGOTIATOR'S HANDBOOK
(University of Joensuu, 2007)

Environment Canada, the UN Environment Programme and Joensuu University (Finland) produced the second edition of this Handbook. Is contains key technical information and common sense advice for negotiators. The Handbook.

MANDATORY DISCLOSURE OF THE SOURCE AND ORIGIN OF BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES AND ASSOCIATED TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE UNDER THE TRIPS AGREEMENT
(South Centre, October 2007)

This policy brief argues that the discussion on the relationship between the TRIPS Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity demonstrates the growing convergence on content, scope, relevance and effectiveness of an international mandatory obligation on disclosure of source and country providing biological resources and traditional knowledge. The policy brief.

E-AGRICULTURE
(FAO, September 2007)
E-agriculture is an interactive web-based platform in support of agriculture and rural development. It is a global initiative to enhance sustainable agricultural development and food security by improving the use of information, communication, and associated technologies in the sector. E-agriculture.

ACCESSING AND SHARING THE BENEFITS OF THE GENOMICS REVOLUTION
(Springer, July 2007)
Authored by Peter W.B. Phillips and Chika B. Onwuekwe, this book explores the legal, economic and political context of the debate on intellectual property rights for genetic resources and traditional knowledge, and critically analyses the theory and practice of access and benefit-sharing efforts around the world. The book.

BRIDGES TRADE BIORES REVIEW
(ICTSD, October 2007)
This new publication by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) will feature analyses, research updates, signed articles and opinion pieces at the interface of trade, environment and natural resources. The inaugural issue of the Review.  

THE GAP BETWEEN INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' DEMANDS AND WIPO'S FRAMEWORK ON TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE
(CIEL, September 2007)

Written by Palesa Tlhapi Guye, this brief outlines indigenous peoples' positions, critiques and proposals at the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore of the World Intellectual Property Organization; the Committee's draft objectives and principles on traditional knowledge; as well as some suggestions for improvement. The brief.

BANKS, PULP AND PEOPLE: A PRIMER ON UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL PULP PROJECTS
(Pulp Mill Watch, 2007)

Authored by Chris Lang, this report examines the human, environmental and financial cost of producing paper, arguing that pulp mills have severe impacts on biodiversity, water, land rights and livelihoods. The report provides country case studies on problematic pulp projects in the pipeline and makes recommendations to financiers regarding their future role in this sector. The report.

BIOFUELS: IS THE CURE WORSE THAN THE DISEASE?
(OECD, September 2007)
This paper, prepared by Richard Doornbosch and Ronald Steenblik for the Round Table on Sustainable Development organized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) from 11-12 September 2007, cites problems such as a potential conflict between biofuels and food crops, and threats to biodiversity. The report also addresses biofuel subsidies in the North, as well as sustainability certification. The paper at the Financial Times website or at the Friends of the Earth Europe website.

BIODIVERSITY REQUIRES GLOBAL MONITORING MECHANISM
(SciDev.Net, 4 September 2007)

In this article, Michel Loreau, co-chair of the international steering committee of the Consultative Process towards an International Mechanism of Scientific Expertise on Biodiversity (IMoSEB), argues that the Convention on Biological Diversity has failed to reverse the global threats to biodiversity, and that the IMoSEB consultations "provide an opportunity to fill the gap between biodiversity science and policy, as well as creating a more effective institutional environment for tackling the biodiversity crisis." The article.

RECENT TRENDS IN THE LAW AND POLICY OF BIOENERGY PRODUCTION, PROMOTION AND USE
(FAO Legal Paper Online #68, September 2007)
This paper, authored by Charlotta Jull, Patricia Carmona-Redondo, Victor Mosoti and Jessica Vapnek, seeks to provide legislators and policy-makers with a tool to assist them in identifying areas of law that may affect bioenergy regulation and in designing national bioenergy laws. The paper.

AGROFUELS IN AFRICA - THE IMPACTS ON LAND, FOOD AND FORESTS
(African Biodiversity Network, 2007)
This report looks at case studies in Benin, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, as well as trends elsewhere in Africa. The report indicates that big companies are seeking to convert large areas of Africa's best land over to biofuel production, even if this means privatising customary land, evicting farmers, raising food prices, competing for water resources, and cutting down forests and conservation areas. The report.

THE STATE OF THE WORLD'S ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, 2007)
Officially presented at the first International Technical Conference on Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture held from 3-7 September 2007, in Interlaken, Switzerland, this report is the result of a process initiated in 2001, on the basis of 169 Country Reports. It includes five parts with several sections each, on: the state of agricultural biodiversity in the livestock sector; livestock sector trends; the state of capacities in animal genetic resources management; state of the art in the management of animal genetic resources; and needs and challenges in animal genetic resources management. The report.

KEY ISSUES FOR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY ON PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(Quaker International Affairs Programme, July 2007)

Authored by Kathryn Garforth and Christine Frison, this paper uses interviews with leading individuals, as well as articles and official documents to explore its subject. The authors identify and explore five important issues: the role of the contract; the ease and cost of accessing genetic resources; the relationship between the institutions; the role of industry in International Treaty and CBD negotiations; and the relationship between Article 8(j) of the CBD and Article 9 of the Treaty. The paper.

SUPPORTING COUNTRY ACTION ON THE CBD PROGRAMME OF WORK ON PROTECTED AREAS
(UNDP/GEF/UNOPS, July 2007)
This information kit provides information for eligible countries on the application process to receive funding from the GEF to help implement the Convention on Biological Diversity's Programme of Work on protected areas. This new global initiative is backed by US$ 9.4 million in GEF funding plus co-financing to support country-driven action to establish comprehensive, ecologically-representative and effectively-managed national and regional systems of protected areas. The information kit.

REPORT OF THE BIOSAFETY PANEL TO THE CGIAR SCIENCE COUNCIL ON BIOSAFETY POLICY PRACTICES OF THE CGIAR CENTERS
(CGIAR, May 2007) 
This study was commissioned by the interim Science Council of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) as a strategic study of biosafety across the CGIAR system, in order to shed light on current policies, procedures and practices and to make recommendations on future biosafety policies and practices for the CGIAR system. It contains a discussion of the current biosafety policies and practices of the CGIAR Centers, identifies emerging issues, and makes 12 specific recommendations as to future strategy, policy and practices. The report.

EMERGING OR ILLUSORY? COMMUNITY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT IN TANZANIA

(IIED, 2007)

Dryland Issue Paper 148, authored by Fred Nelson, examines how the highly contested terrain of community wildlife management (CWM) needs to be approached as part of a broader social process of building local rights and access to resources through institutional reforms, rather than as a project-based or technical assistance strategy with short time horizons. It also provides suggestions for how practitioners in Tanzania and elsewhere might foster more effective and adaptive CWM approaches in light of these outcomes and experiences. The issue paper (available in French and English).

 

RESTORING NATURE'S CAPITAL: AN ACTION AGENDA TO SUSTAIN ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(WRI, June 2007)
Arguing that ecosystems must be viewed as huge capital assets affected by nearly all development and investment decisions, this report, issued by the World Resources Institute (WRI), proposes an action agenda for business, governments and civil society to reverse ecosystem degradation. The report.

MARKER-ASSISTED SELECTION: CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES IN CROPS, LIVESTOCK, FORESTRY AND FISH
(FAO, June 2007)
Edited by E.P. Guimarães, J. Ruane, B.D. Scherf, A. Sonnino and J.D. Dargie, this 22-chapter book includes a series of case studies giving a comprehensive technical description and assessment of the current use and future possibilities for marker-assisted selection (MAS). It concludes with five chapters devoted to non-technical issues relevant to applications of MAS in developing countries, such as national research capacities and international partnerships, economic considerations, the impacts of intellectual property rights, and policy considerations. The book.

SEEDLING SPECIAL ISSUE ON AGROFUELS
(GRAIN, July 2007)
This special issue of Seedling focuses on biofuels, or agrofuels as the authors call them. In their analysis, they argue that agrofuels cause enormous environmental and social damage, with precious ecosystems being destroyed and indigenous and peasant communities being thrown off their land. The issue.

BIOSAFETY PROTOCOL NEWS
(CBD, June 2007)
The second issue of the newsletter on biosafety focuses on national experiences in the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The newsletter.

GBIF DATA PORTAL
On the margins of CBD SBSTTA-12, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) launched a new data portal, an internet gateway
to more than 130 million data records provided by more than 200 institutions around the world. The user can locate a species on the globe, or get a list of species existing in a specific country. The portal.

EXPLORING ELEMENTS AND COMPONENTS OF SUI GENERIS SYSTEMS FOR PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN ASIA
(ICTSD, 2007)
Authored by Daniel Robinson, one of the main outcomes of this paper is the demonstration that developing countries have options with regard to plant variety protection and the legal handling of traditional knowledge. It argues that governments may wish to develop unique systems that respond to the diverse needs of the country's farmers and local communities. Drawing on the experiences of different countries throughout Asia, the paper suggests a range of potential components and elements that can be introduced into sui generis laws for plant variety protection and traditional knowledge. The paper.

KEEPERS OF GENES: THE INTERDEPENDENCE BETWEEN PASTORALISTS, BREEDS, ACCESS TO THE COMMONS, AND LIVELIHOODS
(Ilse Köhler-Rollefson and the LIFE Network, 2007)
In preparation of the International Technical Conference on animal genetic resources to be held in September 2007, this paper argues that action is needed to ensure that India's pastoralists can continue their livelihoods and conserve the valuable genetic diversity their animal breeds represent. Recommendations include: acknowledging the links between the "commons" and breeds; recognizing the value of pastoralists' breeds; providing access to common property; and educating forest and biodiversity specialists. The paper.

OPPORTUNITY OR THREAT: THE ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION IN GLOBAL WILDLIFE TRADE
(TRAFFIC Europe, June 2007)
Authored by Maylynn Engler and Rob Parry-Jones, this report concludes that the European Union, as one of the biggest global markets for wildlife trade, plays a contradictory role. While the EU advocates environmental governance and sustainable use, high demand in the EU for wildlife is a driver of illegal and unsustainable trade, which threatens the survival of wild plants, animals and their ecosystems, while also severely impacting the livelihoods of rural communities and national economies. The report

SCIDEV.NET RESOURCE: AGRI-BIOTECH IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
(SciDev.Net, 2007)
This SciDev.Net resource focuses on the current status and future prospects for agricultural biotechnology in sub-Saharan Africa. The collection includes a review of the changing attitudes to biotechnology in the region and facts and figures outlining existing initiatives. The resource.

GENOMICS AND GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(CGRFA, 2007)
Authored by Robin Fears, this background study paper provides some perspectives on a number of recent advances in the field of genomics and other new biosciences, and their potential role in achieving food security and sustainable development. The study.

A TYPOLOGY OF THE EFFECTS OF (TRANS)GENE FLOW ON THE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF GENETIC RESOURCES
(CGRFA, 2007)

Authored by Jack Heinemann, this background study paper addresses: gene flow; its possible effects on agriculture, plant and animal biodiversity, and human and animal health; its legal, social and economic effects; and management and co-existence issues. The study.

GUIDELINES FOR APPLYING THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE TO BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
(IUCN, May 2007)
The governing body of the IUCN has approved guidelines for applying the precautionary principle in conservation and natural resource management. The guidelines are based on a prior set of recommendations produced by an international initiative in 2005. The Guidelines.

OUR SEAS: WHY CLIMATE CHANGE MATTERS
(WWF, June 2007)
This brief note presents the top issues in relation to climate change and marine ecosystems. Climate change is affecting nearly every aspect of the marine ecosystems, from the very water itself to every type of biodiversity; this impact will continue and magnify over the coming decades and centuries. The note also stresses that marine wildlife is degraded by fishing, bycatch, habitat destruction, pollution and invasive species. The note.

CBD LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE
(CBD, 2007)
On the occasion of International Biodiversity Day