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

KEY PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE RESOURCES

FORESTS, DESERTS, LAND

This page was updated on: 01/13/10

DOWN TO EARTH: GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA
(US National Research Council (NRC), 2002) This report reviews the applicability and importance of geographic data for sustainable development. As the executive summary notes, geographic data describe spatial variations across the landscape at a variety of levels (local, national and global) and include elements such as climate, elevation, soil, land use and population. The report draws on experiences in African countries and examines how future sources and applications of geographic data could provide reliable support to decision-makers as they work toward sustainable development. The entire text can be downloaded, chapter-by-chapter, at: http://www.nap.edu/books/0309084784/html/.

CONTROLLING IMPORTS OF ILLEGAL TIMBER: OPTIONS FOR EUROPE (Royal Institute of International Affairs and FERN (Forests and the European Union Resource Network), December 2002) Written by Duncan Brack, Chantal Marijnissen and Saskia Ozinga, this report presents recommendations for the institutions of the European Union (EU) and for the governments of the EU member states on means to control the import of illegally sourced timber and wood products into the territory of the EU. Using a series of country studies – from France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK – that covered the relevant legislation and current measures dealing with illegal logging and imports of illegally sourced timber in each country, the report identifies existing legislation that may be applicable in controlling imports; looks at ways of promoting legal products in the market and of controlling flows of investment to potentially illegal forestry activities; examines existing global frameworks that may be applicable; analyzes new approaches that are currently being discussed, in particular the option of new EU legislation, including a licensing scheme for legal timber enabling member states to control the entry of illegally sourced timber; and considers practical issues, including identification systems, that must be addressed. The PDF file for this report can be accessed through: http://www.fern.org/pubs/reports/options.pdf.

LAND-USE AND LAND-COVER CHANGE

(CIESIN Thematic Guide, Palisades, NY: Center for International Earth Science Information Network of Columbia University 2002) This guide by A. de Sherbinin introduces the reader to changes in land use and land cover and reviews important topics in land use and land cover change research: deforestation, desertification, biodiversity loss, land cover and the water cycle, land cover and the carbon cycle, and urbanization. Available on-line at http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/tg/guide_frame.jsp?g=47

GLOBAL ALARM: DUST AND SANDSTORMS FROM THE WORLD'S DRYLANDS

(UNCCD 2002) The UNCCD Secretariat and the Secretariat of the China National Committee for Implementation of the UNCCD (CCICCD) commissioned this monograph, which examines the dust storms that swept across Northern China in 2000. A group of Chinese and international experts with experience in the field of dryland rehabilitation and ecological restoration of desertified lands prepared the articles in this book, which can be accessed at: http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/duststorms/menu.php

If you would like to submit details of
recently published documents and online resources,
send a message to
Diego Noguera, IISD

up to top