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 |