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KEY PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE
RESOURCES
WATER, OCEANS AND WETLANDS
This page was updated
on: 01/12/10
BLUEFIN WITNESS - THE BLUEFIN TUNA
DOSSIER
(WWF, November 2007)
This dossier draws on testimonies and other sources of information –
ranging from fishermen to restaurateurs, media to field contacts,
scientists to tuna farmers – on the state of the Mediterranean bluefin
tuna fisheries. The
Dossier.
OVERVIEW
OF THE CONSERVATION STATUS OF CARTILAGINOUS FISHES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
SEA
(IUCN-The World Conservation Union, 2007)
This report, released by the IUCN Shark Specialist Group and the IUCN
Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, shows that the Mediterranean has
the highest percentage of threatened sharks and rays in the world. The
report also identifies habitat degradation, recreational fisheries, and
other human disturbances as significant threats to the sharks and rays
of the region. The
report.
2007 WORLD WATER WEEK SYNTHESIS REPORT
(SIWI, 2007)
This resource is the synthesis report of 2007 World Water Week, which
took place in Stockholm, Sweden, from 12-18 August 2007, around the
theme "Striving for Sustainability in a Changing World." The report
synthesizes the issues, ideas and viewpoints addressed during the week
and is intended to contribute to the 2008 UN Commission on Sustainable
Development (CSD) review of the first implementation cycle (2004/2005)
of the CSD multi-year programme of work, focused on the themes of water,
sanitation, and human settlements, which resulted from CSD 13. The
report.
FAIR DEALS
FOR WATER SHED SERVICES IN INDIA
(IIED, 2007)
This report shares field experience and lessons in developing
incentive-based mechanisms for watershed protection services and
improved livelihoods at micro- and macro-scales at three locations in
Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Process, progress and problems in
the sites and the initial findings are presented. The
report.
HALF FULL OR
HALF EMPTY?
(UNEP FI, October 2007)
This study, compiled by the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative
(UNEP FI) Water and Finance Work Stream, aims to provide lenders and
investors with practical guidance on how to identify, assess and
integrate water-related risks into existing due-diligence procedures
within different industries. The study also gives an overview of
emerging opportunities in the water/sanitation sector for financial
institutions. The
study.
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.
CLEANER, GREENER COTTON: IMPACTS
AND BETTER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES(WWF, 2007)
This report shows how WWF is working to address the key environmental
and social issues associated with cotton farming, focusing on making
cotton more sustainable, which in turn, helps keep the environment it
depends on healthy. The
report.
OUR WATERS: JOINING HANDS ACROSS
BORDERS - FIRST ASSESSMENT OF TRANSBOUNDARY RIVERS, LAKES AND
GROUNDWATERS IN THE UNECE REGION
(UNECE, 2007)
This publication offers in-depth information on all major
surface water bodies in the European and Asian parts of the UNECE region
and transboundary aquifers located in South-Eastern Europe, Caucasus and
Central Asia. It describes the hydrological regime of these water
bodies, pressure factors in their basins, their status and transboundary
impact, as well as trends, future developments and envisaged management
measures. The
assessment.
REPORT OF THE
SECRETARY-GENERAL ON OCEANS AND THE LAW OF THE SEA
(UN, 2007)
This report provides an overview of developments relating to the
implementation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the work
of the Organization, its specialized agencies and other institutions in
the field of ocean affairs and the law of the sea since the preparation
of the main report in February 2007. The
report (A/62/66/Add.1).
REPORT OF THE
SECRETARY-GENERAL ON SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES
(UN, 2007)
This report of the Secretary-General on sustainable fisheries, including
through the 1995 Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of
the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to
the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly
Migratory Fish Stocks, and related instruments, contains information on
steps and initiatives taken or recommended by the international
community to improve the conservation and management of fishery
resources and other marine living resources with a view to achieving
sustainable fisheries and protecting marine ecosystems and biodiversity.
The
report (A/62/260).
EU WATER SAVING POTENTIAL
(Ecologic, 2007)
This study analyzes Europe's water saving potential to 2030 and seeks to
support the impact assessment of the EU's Communication on Water
Scarcity and Droughts (July 2007). The study addresses the savings that
can be achieved via technical measures without major changes in human
behaviour or production patterns. Depending on the sector analyzed,
including agriculture, tourism, households, energy and industry, the
study identifies potential water savings up to 90%. The
study.
GUIDELINES FOR THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATURA 2000 NETWORK IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT
(EC, 2007)
These European Commission (EC) guidelines deal with the implementation
of its goal of establishing a Europe-wide network of conservation areas
(the Natura 2000 network) in inshore and offshore marine environments.
The guidelines include best practices on site selection and management
issues, as well as case examples of implementation. The
Guidelines.
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS AS A TOOL
FOR FISHERIES MANAGEMENT WEBSITE
(FAO, 2007)
This UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) website offers guidance
on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as a fisheries management tool and is
part of the organization's project to increase knowledge on the
contribution of MPAs to fisheries management. One section of the website
presents guidelines being prepared by FAO on the design, implementation,
and testing of MPAs as a fisheries management tool. The
Website.
CONCLUSIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRAINING WORKSHOP ON GROUNDWATER
MODELLING IN ARID AND SEMI ARID AREAS
(UNESCO, 2007)
This publication comprises course materials from the G-WADI Training
Workshop on Groundwater Modelling, held from 11-15 June 2007, in Lanzhou,
China. The
Conclusions.
TREATED AS TRASH
(Oceana, 2007)
This report was developed following Oceana's year-long investigation
into EU shark fisheries and trade around the world. Oceana is an
international organization dedicated to marine conservation and
protection. The report highlights the levels of shark by-catches and
discards in EU fisheries, and stresses the need to eliminate shark
discards and reduce shark by-catches through effective management
measures. The
Report.
IMPROVING PENAEUS MONODON HATCHERY PRACTICES
(FAO Fisheries Technical Paper. No. 446, 2007)
This document reviews the current state of the Indian shrimp hatchery
industry and provides detailed guidance and protocols for improving the
productivity, health management, biosecurity and sustainability of the
sector. Following a brief review of shrimp hatchery development in
India, the major requirements for hatchery production are discussed
under the headings: infrastructure, facility maintenance, inlet water
quality and treatment, wastewater treatment, biosecurity, standard
operating procedures (SOPS), the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
(HACCP) approach, chemical use during the hatchery production process,
and health assessment. The
Technical Paper.
MORE RICE WITH LESS WATER – SYSTEM OF RICE
INTENSIFICATION
(WWF, 2007)
This report highlights the relationship between rice, food security and
water scarcity, and examines the contribution that the System of Rice
Intensification (SRI) can make to address various challenges. According
to this study, this new method to grow rice could save hundreds of
billions of cubic meters of water while increasing food security. The
report.
ESTABLISHING
MARINE PROTECTED AREA NETWORKS
(World Commission on Protected Areas/IUCN, 2007)
This report seeks to improve the understanding of the
requirements for building successful MPA networks and to guide the
entities involved in building the capacity they need to deliver such
networks. The
report.
REGIONAL
DECLINE OF CORAL COVER IN THE INDO-PACIFIC: TIMING, EXTENT AND
SUBREGIONAL COMPARISONS
(PLoS ONE, August 2007)
This article, authored by John Bruno and Elizabeth Selig, presents the
results of the authors' compilation of more than 6,000 independent
surveys spanning four decades. The authors found that more than 3,000
square kilometers of living coral reef have been lost each year since
1997. The annual rate of coral cover loss across the region is 2%, or
nearly five times the pace of rainforest loss worldwide. The
Article.
A QUICK GUIDE
TO CONDUCTING MARINE ECOLOGICAL GAP ASSESSMENTS
(The Nature Conservancy, 2007)
This report offers advice on analyzing gaps in conservation coverage for
use in planning marine protected area (MPA) networks. Featuring brief
case studies from four nations (Ecuador, Grenada, Jamaica, and Palau)
and best practices learned to date, the guide serves as an introduction
and overview to ecological gap analyses. The
report.
REPORT OF THE
SECRETARY-GENERAL ON SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES
(UN, 2007)
The UN has published the "Advanced and Unedited Report of the
Secretary-General on Sustainable Fisheries, including Through the 1995
Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the UN Convention
on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 Relating to the Conservation
and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish
Stocks, and Related Instruments (A/62/50). This report contains
information on steps and initiatives taken or recommended by the
international community to improve the conservation and management of
fishery resources and other marine living resources with a view to
achieving sustainable fisheries and protecting marine ecosystems and
biodiversity. It is based on information provided by, inter alia:
status; relevant specialized agencies; subregional and regional
organizations and arrangements for the conservation and management of
straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks; and relevant
intergovernmental bodies and non-governmental organizations. The report
emphasizes the importance of the full implementation by States of
international fisheries conservation instruments as well as cooperation
among States. The report also contains information on the status and
activities of the UN Fish Stocks Agreement Assistance Fund. The
Report.
ADVANCE AND
UNEDITED ADDENDUM TO THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ON OCEANS AND
THE LAW OF THE SEA
(UN, 2007, Document # A/62/66/Add.1)
This addendum to the report of the Secretary-General provides an updated
overview of developments relating to the implementation of the UN
Convention on the Law of the Sea and the work of the Organization, its
specialized agencies and other institutions in the field of ocean
affairs and the law of the sea since the preparation of the main report
in February 2007. The report contains information on, inter alia: the
developments relating to international shipping activities; maritime
security and science; the conservation and management of marine living
resources; marine biological diversity; the protection and preservation
of the marine environment and sustainable development; climate change;
international cooperation and coordination; and the capacity-building
activities of the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea. The
Report.
PLANNING FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION IN PERI-URBAN AREAS
(Swedish Water House, Report nº21, 2007)
In this report, the Swedish Water House addresses the human health and
development crisis by creating a framework for the sustainable planning
of water and sanitation infrastructure in the developing world. The
Report.
AGRICULTURE, WATER AND ECOSYSTEMS
(Swedish Water House Policy Brief Nr. 6.
SIWI, 2007) In this Policy Brief, the Swedish Water House, the Stockholm
Resilience Centre and the International Water Management Institute
suggest concrete management plans to stretch water resources in order to
nourish both the world's ecosystems and food supplies. By 2050, it
suggests that double the current amount of food will be needed to feed
the global population. In the future, the water required for food and
water needed to keep ecosystems healthy must be balanced carefully. The
Policy Brief.
ON THE VERGE OF A
NEW WATER SCARCITY: A CALL FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN INGENUITY
(Swedish Water House Policy Brief. SIWI, 2007)
This Policy Brief updates the global water scarcity debate. According to
the UN, 20% of the world's population in 30 countries faces water
shortages and by 2025 the numbers will be 30% and 50 countries. The SIWI
policy brief says a clear distinction must be made between "apparent"
scarcity, where there is plenty of water, albeit inefficiently and
wastefully used, and "real" scarcity due to lack of rain. The
distinctions are important because they imply different responses by
government. The authors of the Brief offer a set of distinctions and
conclude with structured policy suggestions. The
Policy Brief.
FAIR DEALS FOR
WATERSHED SERVICES IN THE CARIBBEAN
(IIED, 2007)
This report, by Sarah McIntosh and Nicole Leotaud, describes an
action-learning project led by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute
(CANARI) that strengthened the capacity of national and regional
institutions to assess the potential of economic instruments to improve
the quality and delivery of watershed services in the Caribbean. It
focuses on projects and cases in Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Trinidad
and Tobago, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, while drawing on wider
regional and international lessons. The
report.
FAIR DEALS FOR
WATERSHED SERVICES IN INDONESIA
(IIED, 2007)
This report, by Munawir and Sonja Vermeulen, describes action research
in Indonesia to take forward local environmental service payment
initiatives at two sites, Brantas and Cidanau, and to spread learning
more widely among interested people across the country. Indonesia faces
growing problems with water, including floods, low dry-season flows,
sedimentation, contamination from run-off, and rising demand among
competing end-users. The
report.
GLOBAL WATER TOOL
(WBCSD, 2007)
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) launched
this tool during World Water Week. This free tool permits companies and
organizations to map their water use and assess risks relative to their
global operations and supply chains. The
tool.
CLIMATIC
AND ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACTS ON THE VARIABILITY OF WATER RESOURCES
(UNESCO-IHP, Technical Documents in Hydrology No. 80. 2007)
This publication comprises the proceedings of the international seminar
on "Climatic and anthropogenic impacts on the variability of water
resources" held on 22-24 November 2005, in Montpellier, France. The
seminar was organized in the framework of the UNESCO-IHP FRIEND (Flow
Regimes from International Experimental and Network Data) programme. The
FRIEND programme is an international collaborative study intended to
develop, through the mutual exchange of data, knowledge and techniques
at a regional level, a better understanding of hydrological variability
and similarity across time and space. The
publication.
WETLANDS,
POVERTY REDUCTION AND SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
(Wetland International, 2007)
Tourism is a principal source of income for 83% of developing countries;
wetlands like coasts, rivers and lakes play a vital part in this
success. The development of tourism is increasingly considered as a
solution to poverty in wetland areas, but there are threats as well as
opportunities. This brochure, launched by Wetlands International in
cooperation with IUCN Netherlands Committee (IUCN NL), the Dutch
development organization Cordaid, the travel organization TUI Nederland,
the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention, and the Tourism & Environment
Group of the Wageningen University and Research Centre, addresses these
issues. The
Brochure.
PIPEDREAMS: RIVER BASIN
TRANSFERS THREATEN WORLD'S MOST VITAL RESOURCE
(WWF, June
2007)
This
report shows that massive engineering schemes to divert and even reverse
the flow of rivers undermine entire ecosystems and can damage the
livelihoods of the very poor. It explores schemes completed in
Australia, South Africa and Spain and others proposed in Brazil, China,
Greece and Peru. Almost all cases share common flaws: cost overruns;
insufficient transparency; irreversible damage to rivers; lack of
stakeholder consultation; displacement of communities; planned benefits
falling short; and a lack of exploration of alternative sustainable
options. The
report.
MAKING WATER: DESALINATION – OPTION
OR DISTRACTION FOR A THIRSTY WORLD?
(WWF, June 2007)
This review shows that some of the driest and thirstiest places are
turning to desalination. These include regions where water problems
affect large, populous areas - Australia, the Middle East, Spain, the UK
and US, with India and China following suit. Impacts of desalination
include brine build-up, increased greenhouse gas emissions, destruction
of prized coastal areas and reduced emphasis on conservation of rivers
and wetlands. The review argues that sustainable sources of water start
with protecting natural assets such as rivers, floodplains and wetlands,
which purify and provide water as well as protect against extreme
events. The
Review.
SMART INVESTMENTS IN THE FISHING SECTOR
(WWF, June 2007)
This guide illustrates how the newly adopted European Fisheries Fund (EFF)
could be used to protect the marine environment and promote sustainable
fisheries. With concrete project examples, it aims to inspire
stakeholders eligible for EFF funding as well as officials who design
programmes for EFF support. The
guide.
HUNTED FOR
FINS
(Oceana, 2007)
This scientific report documents the little-known European shark
fisheries. It reveals that sharks are targeted species hunted by
European pelagic longline vessels for their valuable fins. The report
concludes that these species, targeted in directed fisheries, must be
managed under a European fisheries management plan that would allow for
their sustainable exploitation and stop the current depletion of pelagic
sharks in the world's oceans. The
report
FAIR
DEALS FOR WATERSHED SERVICES IN BOLIVIA
(IIED, 2007)
This report, authored by Maria Teresa Vargas and Nigel Asquith, focuses
on Bolivia, one of the countries with the most water per capita in the
world and where demand is about 1% of supply, but localized water
scarcity continues to breed conflicts. This report assesses whether
market tools can improve watershed management and the livelihoods of
watershed residents. It describes the studies commissioned as part of
the analysis, what they were intended to assess, and their
findings. This is the first in a series on watershed services in
different countries. The
report..
UNDP-GEF INTERNATIONAL WATERS PROGRAMME – DELIVERING RESULTS
(UNDP-GEF, June 2007)
This publication highlights the results delivered to date by the UN
Development Programme-Global Environment Facility's (UNDP-GEF)
International Waters programme, which for 15 years has assisted over 100
countries to identify, prioritize and address key transboundary
environmental and water resources issues. The publication includes cases
on development and implementation of river and lake action plans and
water management projects. The
publication.
PACIFIC
ISLANDS MARINE PROTECTED AREAS COMMUNITY WEBSITE
(PIMPAC, 2007)
The Pacific Islands Marine Protected Areas Community (PIMPAC) is a
programme designed to help participants bridge that geographic gap,
including through regional workshops, staff exchanges and a forthcoming
newsletter and listserv. Coordinated by the Micronesia Conservation
Trust and the (US) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
PIMPAC serves the Freely Associated States of the Pacific, US Pacific
Islands, and Fiji.
Project website.
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.
WCPA –
MARINE PLAN OF ACTION
(IUCN, WCPA, 2007)
This plan of action for building representative networks of MPAs in
waters outside national jurisdictions has been released by the High Seas
MPA Task Force of the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA). The
plan outlines key issues and establishes targets, including designation
of five pilot MPAs on the high seas by 2008 and MPAs in five ocean
basins by 2010. The
plan of action.
BALANCING DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION OF
THE WATER RESOURCE BASE – THE "GREENING" OF WATER LAWS
(FAO Legal Paper Online #66; June 2007)
This Legal Paper, authored by Stefano Burchi, explores and illustrates
mechanisms used in contemporary water resource laws to balance the goals
of development with those of environmental protection and conservation.
The author compares the legislation of selected countries to illustrate
the "greening" of water laws. The
Legal Paper.
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.
WHALES IN HOT WATER – THE IMPACT OF
A CHANGING CLIMATE ON WHALES, DOLPHINS AND PORPOISES
(WWF and Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, May 2007)
This report highlights the growing impacts of climate change on
cetaceans, currently greatest in the Arctic and the Antarctic. Climate
change impacts range from changes in sea temperature and the freshening
of the seawater because of melting ice and increased rainfalls, to sea
level rise, loss of icy polar habitats and the decline of krill
populations – the main source of food for many of the great whales - in
key areas. According to the report, cetaceans that rely on polar, icy
waters for their habitat and food resources, such as belugas, narwhals
and bowhead whales, are likely to be dramatically affected by the
reduction of sea ice cover. The
report.
REEF RESTORATION CONCEPTS AND
GUIDELINES: MAKING SENSIBLE MANAGEMENT CHOICES IN THE FACE OF
UNCERTAINTY
(Coral Reef Targeted Research and Capacity Building for Management
Program at the University of Queensland, 2007)
This report offers guidance for managers on the restoration of degraded
coral reefs, drawing lessons from successes and failures in active
restoration projects worldwide. Reef restoration includes indirect
measures to remove obstacles to natural recovery, such as reducing human
impacts on an affected site, as well as direct interventions like the
transplantation of corals. The report offers the caveat that, although
restoration can enhance conservation efforts, it is "a poor second" to
the preservation of original habitats, highlighting the importance of
improved reef area management. The
report.
THE WETLANDS
FOR THE FUTURE FUND: A PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF THE FIRST TEN YEARS
(Ramsar, 2007)
Since 1996, the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands ("Ramsar"
Convention), the US Department of State, and the US Fish and Wildlife
Service have operated the Wetlands for the Future Fund, which was
created to build capacities in the areas of conservation and wise use of
wetlands in Latin America and the Caribbean. Ten years after its
inception and 225 projects later, the Ramsar Secretariat and the Fund's
sponsors have conducted an assessment of the initiative to better
understand its performance and general effectiveness in the achievement
of its objectives. The
assessment.
ADVANCING ECOSYSTEM-BASED
MANAGEMENT: A DECISION SUPPORT TOOLKIT FOR MARINE MANAGERS
(The Nature Conservancy, 2007)
The Nature Conservancy and partners at NOAA, the Sea Around Us Project,
and the University of Queensland have released this new toolkit, which
provides guidance to managers and ecosystem-based management (EBM)
practitioners for jointly addressing multiple objectives in biodiversity
conservation, fishery production, and coastal hazard mitigation. It uses
a number of EBM tools, including Ecoregional Assessments, MARXAN,
Ecopath with Ecosim, and the Community Vulnerability and Assessment
Tool. The
toolkit.
WILLINGNESS-TO-PAY AND DESIGN
OF WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION PROJECTS: A CASE STUDY
(Asian Development Bank, 2007)
In water supply and sanitation projects (WSS), Willingness-To-Pay (WTP)
surveys are often used to assess demand and estimate project benefits.
This paper demonstrates the usefulness of WTP studies in designing WSS
projects by drawing from a case study on designing a public–private
partnership for WSS in two service areas in Sri Lanka. The
case study.
CLOSING THE GENDER GAP: PUNJAB
WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION PROJECT
(Asian Development Bank, 2007)
This good practice paper looks at how the Asian Development Bank's
Punjab Water Supply and Sanitation Sector project developed female
beneficiaries into change agents. It summarizes the planning, design,
and implementation of the project's gender-specific components that not
only improved water access for Punjabi women, but also improved their
quality of life. The
paper.
SUSTAINABLE USE
OF WATER RESOURCES IN COASTAL AREAS
(European Commission DG ENV, April 2007)
A recent paper by Spanish researchers illustrates how an inappropriately
planned coastal development can increase water consumption to
unsustainable levels. The results highlight the importance of focusing
on the environmental impacts of resource use to achieve sustainable
development.
Summary and link to the paper.
ESTABLISHING NETWORKS OF
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS: MAKING IT HAPPEN
(IUCN, 2007)
This guide is published by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in collaboration with the IUCN World
Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Authority, the World Wildlife Fund – Australia, and The Nature
Conservancy. Inspired by discussions from a several international
forums, this publication captures current international best practices
in developing Marine Protected Areas networks. The World Summit on
Sustainable Development, the IUCN WCPA, the Convention on Biological
Diversity, and the G8 have called for establishing a global system of
MPA networks by the year 2012. The
publication.
ON THE BRINK - MEDITERRANEAN BLUEFIN
TUNA: THE CONSEQUENCES OF COLLAPSE
(WWF, 2007)
WWF's new briefing shows that the International Commission for the
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, the body charged with managing the
fishery, has allowed the quota for 2007 to increase in defiance of its
own scientists. It also warns of the danger of removing a top predator
from the ocean with unknown and potentially catastrophic impacts and
outlines the financial incentives driving the additional illegal catch.
The
briefing.
PAY – ESTABLISHING PAYMENTS FOR WATERSHED SERVICES
(IUCN-The World Conservation
Union, 2006)
IUCN launched this report on World
Water Day, 22 March 2007. It sets out how water market and incentive
schemes should be designed to maintain water resources, providing
examples of systems already in place. The
report.
WATER QUALITY OUTLOOK
(Global Environment Monitoring System/Water
Programme of the UN Environment Programme, 2007)
This report was launched on World Water Day 2007. It provides a snapshot
of key water quality issues as they relate to achieving the Millennium
Development Goals on water, sanitation and biodiversity. It notes that
there are significant emerging threats to water quality, ranging from
climate change to invasive species, and from waterborne pathogens to
chemical contaminants. Targeted at decision-makers and water
practitioners, the report also calls on governments to share the
responsibility for keeping the global and regional water environment
under review. The
report.
WORLD'S TOP 10 RIVERS AT RISK
(WWF, March
2007)
This report lists the top ten rivers that are dying as a
result of climate change, pollution and dams. The rivers are: the
Yangtze, Mekong, Salween, Ganges and Indus in Asia; Europe's Danube; the
Americas' La Plata and Rio Grande-Rio Bravo; Africa's Nile-Lake
Victoria; and Australia's Murray-Darling. The report summarizes the
findings of eight global assessments and identifies the threats
mentioned with the greatest frequency, namely: water infrastructure such
as dams; over-extraction of water; climate change; invasive species;
over-fishing; and pollution. The
report.
THE STATE OF WORLD FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE 2006
(FAO, 2007)
In this
report, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns that,
although the percentage of fish stocks that are depleted or on the verge
of depletion has remained steady over the past 15 years, several species
fished on the high seas outside the reach of national jurisdictions are
in danger of overexploitation. Twenty-five per cent of all fish stocks
monitored by the agency are either overexploited, depleted or recovering
from depletion. According to the report, more than half of highly
migratory oceanic sharks and two-thirds of high-seas fish stocks are
either depleted or at high risk of collapse. Of particular concern are
"straddling stocks," or species that frequently navigate between
national maritime boundaries and the high seas. The report calls for
bolstering the world's regional fisheries management organizations.
The
report.
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE EUROPEAN MARINE
AND COASTAL ENVIRONMENT
(European
Science Foundation, March 2007)
This report is
based on a two-year study led by marine ecologist Katja Philippart from
the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, who chairs the
European working group on Climate Change Impacts on the European Marine
and Coastal Environment. This position paper reveals that European
marine species are feeling the effects of global warming. The study
provides details about the impact of climate change at a European Seas
level – in the Arctic, the Barents Sea, the Nordic Seas, the Baltic, the
North Sea, the Northeast Atlantic, in the Celtic-Biscay Shelf, the
Iberia upwelling margin, the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. It
finds that the decline in sea ice cover in the northern Arctic and
Barents Seas has triggered the most obvious temperature changes for
marine life. The open systems structure of these seas demonstrates how
climate changes are causing further northward movement of marine
organisms. The
position paper.
TRANSBOUNDARY WATER MANAGEMENT AS A REGIONAL PUBLIC GOOD: FINANCING
DEVELOPMENT – AN EXAMPLE FROM THE NILE BASIN
(SIWI, 2007)
This report, published by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)
with financial support from the Swedish International Development
Cooperation Agency (Sida), focuses on public goods in the context of the
Nile Basin. It explores public goods as one justification for soft
financing, such as grant financing that complements other sources of
public and private financing, thus enhancing the financial
sustainability of cooperative river-basin management and development
projects that provide important public goods. The report finds evidence
that investment in water resources management and development holds
significant opportunities for economic development in the Nile Basin.
The
report.
GROUNDWATER RESOURCES SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS
(UNESCO, 2007, IHP Series on Groundwater No. 14)
The set of groundwater indicators presented in this report is a short
list derived from over one hundred conceptual water-related indicators.
It is expected that the third United Nations World Water Development
Report (WWDR) will use the set of groundwater indicators for comparing
and contrasting the groundwater situation around the world. The
IHP Series.
HOW IWRM WILL CONTRIBUTE TO ACHIEVING THE MDGS
(Global Water
Partnership, Policy Brief 4, 2007)
This brief is
part of a series of policy and technical briefs designed to help
countries accelerate their efforts to achieve the action target for the
preparation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and water
efficiency strategies and plans set by the 2002 World Summit on
Sustainable Development and reinforced by the 2005 World Summit. The
series tackles key issues and potential stumbling blocks and attempts to
give countries at the beginning of the process the benefit of lessons
learned from those further down the path. The series complements
Catalyzing Change: A Handbook for Developing Integrated Water Resources
Management and Water Efficiency Strategies. The
policy brief.
COPING WITH WATER SCARCITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES:
WHAT ROLE FOR AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGIES?
(FAO, 2007)
This background document serves as
preparation for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) e-mail
conference entitled "Coping with water scarcity in developing countries:
What role for agricultural biotechnologies?" which runs from 5 March
until 1 April 2007. The 16-page document gives an overview of the
current status and future perspectives regarding water availability and
use on Earth as well as a discussion of some major strategies that can
be employed to deal with water scarcity. It then looks at the issue of
water use in agriculture in more detail and some of the ways in which
biotechnology could contribute to this area. The
background document.
FROM FLOOD
CONTROL TO INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
(RAND Gulf States Policy Institute, 2006)
This paper presents a historical analysis intended to seek insights that
might guide current reconstruction efforts in the Gulf of Mexico coastal
region of the United States in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It
examines four mid- to late-20th-century cases of severe flooding
(including the Dutch province of Zeeland in 1953) to observe whether and
how lessons were incorporated into water management, both before and
after the disaster. In each of the four cases, the areas involved were
subject to record rainfall or storms that overwhelmed the systems that
had been designed to cope with these events. The
paper.
OUR PRECIOUS COASTS: MARINE POLLUTION, CLIMATE CHANGE
AND RESILIENCE OF COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS
(UNEP, 2007)
This report highlights links between sustainability of coastal
ecosystems and levels of pollution in a changing climate. The report
cites recent research in the Seychelles, where coral reefs that were
bleached in the late 1990s by high sea-surface temperatures have
generally recovered faster when facing lower levels of pollution,
dredging and other human-induced disturbance. The
report.
WORLD WATER
DAY 2007 BROCHURE
"Coping with Water Scarcity" is the theme for World Water Day 2007
(WWD2007), which will be celebrated on 22 March under the leadership of
the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This year's theme
highlights the increasing significance of water scarcity worldwide and
the need for increased integration and cooperation to ensure
sustainable, efficient and equitable management of scarce water
resources, both at international and local levels. The
brochure.
SPECIAL EDITION OF THE GPA OUTREACH
(GPA/Stakeholder Forum, February 2007)
The
Global Programme
of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based
Activities (GPA)
Coordination Office released a special edition of the newsletter GPA
Outreach, produced for GC-24/GMEF with the Stakeholder Forum. The
Special Issue includes information on: the Beijing Declaration; the
implementation of the GPA in the global environment context; keys to
success with the partnership approach; submissions from stakeholders;
and the techniques used at the Second Intergovernmental Review Meeting
of the GPA, which took place in Beijing, China, in October 2006, to
maximize the focus on concrete action outcomes and meaningful
involvement of policy-level officials in discussions with their
counterparts. The
publication.
THE RAMSAR CONVENTION ON WETLANDS: ASSESSMENT OF
INTERNATIONAL DESIGNATIONS WITHIN THE UNITED STATES
(Environmental Law Institute, February 2007)
This article, authored by Royal Gardner and Kim Diana Connolly, presents
background on the Ramsar Convention followed by analysis of the results
of a thorough survey of the site managers and related people at all of
the US's Ramsar sites, and concludes with recommendations for
strengthening Ramsar within the US. The
article.
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE WATER
SECTOR
(Stockholm Water Prize, 2007)
At the 2006 World
Water Week in Stockholm, the Stockholm Water Foundation hosted the first-ever
Stockholm Water Prize Laureates Seminar. The proceedings, entitled:
"Challenges and Opportunities within the Water Sector," are now
available online.
The
proceedings.
TRADING AWAY OUR OCEANS, WHY TRADE
LIBERALIZATION OF FISHERIES MUST BE ABANDONED
(Greenpeace, January 2007)
This paper aims to show the real and negative conservation and
development impacts of trade liberalization in fish and fishery
products, which were included in the catch-all scope of the Doha Round's
Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) negotiations. The
paper.
ARSENIC IN GROUNDWATER - A WORLD PROBLEM
(The Netherlands' National Committee IHP-HWRP; 2007)
The Netherlands Chapter of the International Association of
Hydrogeologists and the Netherlands Hydrological Society organized a
one-day symposium with UNESCO's support on 29 November 2006 in Utrecht,
The Netherlands, on the global dimension of arsenic in groundwater and
drinking water. The Dutch IHP National Committee just published a report
of the symposium and IHP will contribute to the publication of the full
proceedings.
Symposium report.
WATER QUALITY FOR ECOSYSTEMS AND HUMAN HEALTH
(2006, UNEP Global Environment
Monitoring System/Water Programme)
This report
assesses current status and trends in water quality, and offers an
introduction to a range of issues of concern in global water quality and
approaches to their detection, analysis, and resolution. The report
highlights five key messages: human-driven processes often have the
greatest negative impact on water quality, even in remote environments;
impaired aquatic ecosystems can lead to impaired human health and
socio-economic decline; new threats threaten the health of aquatic
ecosystems, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products;
successful procedures have been developed for the restoration of aquatic
ecosystems, including damage caused by acidification and eutrophication;
and baseline monitoring data for aquatic ecosystems is a priority. The
report.
FISHING CAPACITY MANAGEMENT IN
THE EU POST 2002 COMMON FISHERIES POLICY REFORM
(Institute for European Environmental Policy, December
2006)
This paper, authored by James Brown, analyzes the new EU
fleet management system and the European Fisheries Fund, and how they
relate to each other. Performance is measured against the International
Plan of Action (POA) for the management of fishing capacity. The paper
finds that the EU has made the most progress in: establishing a legally
binding EU wide capacity management system; assessing its fleets; and
taking a phased and prioritized approach. The absence of an EU POA and
national POAs is one of the main areas in which the paper suggests the
EU falls short. The
paper.
SCALING UP MARINE MANAGEMENT:
THE ROLE OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
(World Bank, 2006)
In this report, the World Bank assesses factors likely to determine
marine protected areas' (MPA) success and identifies opportunities for
the Bank and its partners to scale up MPA implementation to meet global
conservation targets, such as those set at the World Summit on
Sustainable Development. The report focuses on how best to capture the
potential benefits of MPAs for helping the world's poor, while
addressing the sociocultural and political realities of restricting
access to the sea and regulating what has traditionally been considered
common property. The
report.
THE RAMSAR
CONVENTION MANUAL: A GUIDE TO THE CONVENTION ON WETLANDS (RAMSAR, IRAN,
1971), 4th EDITION
(Ramsar, December 2006)
The Ramsar Manual was first prepared in 1994 and has been revised
several times to account for subsequent developments. This fourth
edition provides a 116-page overview of the Ramsar Convention and
describes its history and present structures, the services it provides,
the workings of the Conference of the Parties (COP), the Standing
Committee, the Scientific and Technical Review Panel, the Secretariat,
and relations with other environmental institutions. The Manual also
includes: brief descriptions to the guidance documents adopted by the
Parties through COP-9 in 2005; a list of all the COP's Resolutions and
Recommendations; and the text of the Convention.
The
manual.
URBAN WATER CONFLICTS: AN ANALYSIS OF
THE ORIGINS AND NATURE OF WATER-RELATED UNREST AND CONFLICTS IN THE
URBAN CONTEXT
(UNESCO/IHP, 2006)
This collection of essays offers a new and systematic effort to survey
the controversial aspect of the management and mismanagement of
freshwater resources in an urban setting. It addresses and characterizes
the conflicts that arise within large human settlements, due to the
economic and social implications of access to and the use of basic water
services. It also presents case studies from cities on various
continents. The
publication.
If you
would like to submit details of
recently published documents and online resources,
send a message to
Diego Noguera, IISD
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