Barcelona Convention - EU Ratifies Innovative Legal Instrument for Protecting the Mediterranean Coasts With one more ratification the ICZM Protocol will enter into force
Days before Coast Day 2010 (25th September), the European Union has ratified the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Protocol of the Barcelona Convention(1). The EU ratification brings the total number of ratifications to five. Since the Protocol enters into force after 6 ratifications, its entry into force is expected soon.
The ratification of the Protocol means that it becomes part of EU law and will have binding effects for all EU member states. Slovenia, France, Albania and Spain had already ratified the Protocol and a number of ratifications processes are currently on-going by other Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention.
More information: http://www.unepmap.org/index.php?module=news&action=detail&id=97

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON WETLANDS (RAMSAR, 1971) - New Transboundary Ramsar Site declared by Belarus and Lithuania
The Secretariat is very pleased to announce that the governments of Belarus and Lithuania have added the existing Ramsar Sites “Kotra” (designated in 2002) in Grodno Oblast, Belarus, and “Cepkeliai” (designated in 1993) in Alytus county, Lithuania, to the List of Transboundary Ramsar Sites.
This vast transboundary wooded wetland complex comprises raised and transition bogs, lakes, wet forests, fen mires and inundated meadows mostly concentrated in the floodplain of the River Kotra/ Katra forming the national border; it harbours a number of threatened plant and animal species and is of high importance for maintaining biological diversity in the region.
More information: http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-trs-lith-bel/main/ramsar/1-26%5E24758_4000_0__

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON WETLANDS (RAMSAR, 1971) - Ramsar's Senior Advisor for Europe reports on a "full size" river plan for the Loire in France
The river Loire in France is known to many for its outstanding cultural landscape of great beauty, containing historic towns and villages, great architectural monuments (the châteaux), and cultivated lands formed by many centuries of interaction between their population and the physical environment, primarily the river Loire itself. This was formally recognized through the inclusion of a part of the Loire valley in the List of the World Heritage Convention in 2000. The Loire is the longest river in France (1013 km), its catchment basin covers a fifth of the national territory, and its floodplains are among the most natural ones in Western Europe, where human activities adapted to the water flows and inundation cycles. Plans to designate the Loire river for the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance were elaborated already in the 1990s – and may be implemented soon?
More information: http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-loire-report/main/ramsar/1-26%5E24757_4000_0__

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON WETLANDS (RAMSAR, 1971) - ‘National Consultative Workshop on Wetlands’ in Bhutan
On 14 July 2010, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MoAF) of the Kingdom of Bhutan held a one-day ‘National Consultative Workshop on Wetlands’. The aim of the workshop was to provide updates on the progress of wetland conservation in Bhutan and to discuss the benefits of accession to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and the commitments that the government would have to abide by if the country were to become a Contracting Party.
The workshop was attended by some 40 participants from a range of government departments, research institutes, as well as international and national NGOs.
More information: http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-bhutan-report/main/ramsar/1-26%5E24760_4000_0__

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON WETLANDS (RAMSAR, 1971) - Muscat Action Plan for Wetlands in the Arab Countries
The ‘Muscat Action Plan for Wetlands in the Arab Countries’ was recently finalised, following the “Workshop on Wetlands and the Ramsar Convention in the Arabian Peninsula”, in Muscat, Oman from 7 - 9 June 2010 (see report here). The Plan identified 28 key issues facing wetlands in the Arab countries, particularly those in the Arabian Peninsula. These key issues were classified under five ‘Goals’, i.e. wetland wise use, Ramsar Sites, international cooperation, institutional capacity and membership (of the Ramsar Convention). The link to the meeting report as well as to the Muscat Action Plan is provided.
More information: http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-muscat-report/main/ramsar/1-26%5E24767_4000_0__

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON WETLANDS (RAMSAR, 1971) - Interested in exchanging news and opinions on wetland- and Ramsar-related issues?
The Ramsar Forum is the public electronic mailing list of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971), which was begun in 1997 and is maintained by the Ramsar Convention Secretariat in Gland, Switzerland. There are presently more than 1,000 Forum members.
The purpose of the Ramsar Forum mailing list is to provide an e-mail mechanism for the exchange of news, announcements, and requests for information and advice on wetland- and Ramsar-related issues between any of the Forum's subscribers and all the others.
More information: http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-r-forum/main/ramsar/1-26%5E24766_4000_0__

CITES Trade Data Dashboards
The CITES Trade Data Dashboards were launched on the CITES website on 1 July 2010 the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention.
The CITES Trade Data Dashboards are a new, interactive and dynamic way of viewing the trade data submitted by CITES Parties in their annual reports to the Convention. The Global dashboard displays global trade trends (e.g. global trade in live reptiles), whereas the National dashboard shows information by country.

The dashboards allow the user to view data in several ways, including by:

• taxonomic group;
• type of specimens (e.g. skins or live);
• source (e.g. wild, captive-bred or artificially propagated);
• year range (in five-year intervals);
• top species or families in trade over time; and
• top importers and exporters.

The CITES Trade Data Dashboards have been developed by UNEP-WCMC on behalf of the CITES Secretariat. They are currently available in English.
More information: http://cites-dashboards.unep-wcmc.org/

The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) - Norway to Host COP10 (Conference of Parties)
The CMS Secretariat is pleased to announce that the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties will take place in Norway in the second half of November 2011. Further details of the precise dates and venue will be circulated in due course.
After a number of other countries had made enquiries about hosting the Conference, the Government of Norway made a formal offer to hold the meeting. This offer was warmly accepted after consultations with the Standing Committee.
More information: http://www.cms.int/index.html

The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) - UN Hosts Major Forum To Discuss Biodiversity Conservation in Latin America And The Caribbean
Latin America and the Caribbean is the region with the greatest biological diversity on Earth and host several of the world's mega-diverse countries, such as Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela with ecosystems used by numerous species during their migration. Together they host between 60 and 70 percent of all forms of life.
The regions also hold 41 percent of the world's bird species and migratory birds and aquatic species, such as marine turtles, sharks, whales and dolphins, are an important part of the biodiversity. However, they now are threatened by fisheries, habitat degradation, and the drainage of wetlands for agricultural use.
More information: http://www.cms.int/news/PRESS/nwPR2010/08_aug/nw_LatinAmerica_biodiversity_260810.htm

The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) - Supports Combat Against Illegal Hunting
Following its recent success in combating illegal hunting in May this year, the Project to Apply the Law on Fauna (PALF) has provided another progress report. The initiative, aimed towards protecting endangered species from illegal hunting in the Republic of Congo, was selected and featured on the Year of the Gorilla website as a priority project.
PALF’s main objectives include identifying large-scale dealers in illegal wildlife products and providing evidence to support action against them, securing arrests and prosecution leading to appropriate sentences and time served. It also raises awareness of increased enforcement of wildlife law and risks and penalties for wildlife criminals.
More information: http://www.cms.int/news/PRESS/nwPR2010/07_jul/nw_160710_CMS_PALF.htm

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species : export quotas for caviar and other sturgeon products agreed by the Caspian States for 2010
The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has published today the export quotas for caviar and other sturgeon products agreed by the Caspian States for 2010.
The 2010 quotas were agreed by Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan during a meeting held in Tehran.
The quota year for export of caviar and sturgeon meat runs from 1 March 2010 to 28 February 2011, in order to reflect the fishing season. The quantities that can be exported are lower than in 2008, when export quotas were last published.
More information: http://www.cites.org/eng/news/press_release.shtml

CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY - Message from Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, on the Occasion of the International Youth Day
...Today is a day of celebration for youth, but it is also my hope that it will be a reminder of the central place of young people as bearers of tomorrow?s solutions. Today is also the first day of the International Year of Youth, a year of opportunity for the young people of the world to speak their mind, together, and take action to help make the planet a healthier place...
More information: http://www.cbd.int/doc/speech/2010/sp-2010-08-12-youth-en.pdf

CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY - Message from Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, on the occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
... Constituting a relatively small portion of the world’s 6.3 billion people, indigenous and local communities represent the largest portion of linguistic and cultural diversity on Earth and their traditional lands and waters overwhelmingly contain the greatest remaining reserves of biodiversity. The traditional knowledge of indigenous and local communities can play an important role in addressing some of the grave issues currently facing humanity, such as climate change and biodiversity loss, although its potential has yet to be fully explored...
More information: http://www.cbd.int/doc/speech/2010/sp-2010-08-09-indigenous-en.pdf

CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY - 500 Tunisian schools to join The Green Wave for biodiversity
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the year commencing 12 August 2010 the International Year of Youth. The theme of the Year is “Dialogue and Mutual Understanding”. The observance was proposed by the President of the Republic of Tunisia, H.E. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and it coincides with the International Year of Biodiversity. Fittingly, an international seminar to celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity and the commencement of the International Year of Youth was held in Tunis, Tunisia on 6-7 August 2010.
More information: http://www.cbd.int/doc/press/2010/pr-2010-08-09-greenwave-en.pdf

CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY - CNN International spotlights biodiversity
Starting on 25 August, all-news television broadcaster CNN International will turn its attention to biodiversity, beginning with the broadcast of a special edition of its monthly environmental programme Earth’s Frontiers, focusing on biodiversity.
Direct from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, host Becky Anderson will moderate a debate between panellists Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, environmentalist Philippe Cousteau, Paul Smith, Director of the Millennium Seed Bank at Kew Gardens and Jon Williams, Head of Biodiversity for PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
The debate on Earth’s Frontiers will focus on the critical importance of maintaining our ecosystems and why individuals, big businesses and governments can no longer ignore the loss of biodiversity that threatens the future of our planet and our very existence.
More information: http://www.cbd.int/doc/press/2010/pr-2010-08-17-cnn-en.pdf

CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY - President Lee of the Republic of Korea receives CBD Award for his contribution to biodiversity conservation and green growth
In recognition of his unique contribution to the preservation of life on Earth, Mr. Lee Myung-bak, the President of the Republic of Korea, was today presented with the CBD Award by Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
The presentation of the CBD Award took place during the visit of the Executive Secretary to the Presidential Office in Seoul on 24 August 2010.
The Award represents the CBD Secretariat’s recognition of President Lee's outstanding contribution and commitment to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity as a major instrument for achieving a green economy and sustainable development.
More information: http://www.cbd.int/doc/press/2010/pr-2010-08-24-award-rok-en.pdf

CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY - International conference discusses the value of biodiversity for economic and cultural life
Representatives of business, government, civil society and indigenous and local communities gathered in Montreal this week to discuss the intrinsic value of biodiversity to our economies, our cultures and our social lives.
Specifically, participants in the 16th International Economic Forum of the Americas/Conference of Montreal and the International Conference on Biodiversity and Cultural Diversity: Diversity for Development – Development for Diversity, being held at the Hilton Bonaventure hotel in Montreal from 8 to 10 June, discussed ways to transform political commitments into concrete actions by developing recommendations towards effectively integrating biological and cultural diversity into development cooperation strategies and programmes...
More information: http://www.cbd.int/doc/press/2010/pr-2010-06-11-icbdc-en.pdf

CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY - Statement by Mr Ahmed Djoghlaf the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity on the Occasion of the High-Level International Forum on the Strategy for Biodiversity Conservation: Global Biodiversity Outlook 3
More information: http://www.cbd.int/doc/speech/2010/sp-2010-08-25-chengdu-gbo3-en.pdf

Extractive industry in Republic of Congo: a Ramsar Advisory Mission visits the Ramsar site Cayo-Loufoualeba
At the invitation of the Ministry of sustainable development, forest economy and environment, Republic of Congo, a Ramsar Advisory Mission was undertaken jointly with the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the Agreement on African-Eurasian Waterbirds (AEWA) in Brazzaville and the area of Pointe Noire from 23 to 28 June 2010.
This mission, providing technical assistance to the Government of the Republic of Congo and funded by the Swiss Grant for Africa programme, examined the possible impacts of the development of potash extraction facilities on the Ramsar site Cayo-Loufoualeba.
More information: http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-archives-2010-ram-congo/main/ramsar/1-26-45-437%5E24719_4000_0

Having a Ramsar site - it's your development opportunity!
In 2008, the natural floodplains along the Upper Rhine, shared between Germany and France, became the largest Transboundary Ramsar Site so far. On World Wetlands Day 2010, the managers of the site invited their colleagues from the other Transboundary Ramsar Sites for a seminar to exchange know-how and experience (cf. our report). On 6 May, the Mayors of the floodplain communes of Sasbach (Germany) and Marckolsheim (France), together with the NGO “Living Rhine”, invited the representatives of local authorities in the floodplain, communal executives, and regional administrations to discuss how best to make use of the international “Ramsar” distinction.
More information: http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-archives-2010-ramsarsitedevelopment/main/ramsar/1-26-45-437%5E24692_4000_0

Opening of Pomorie Lake Visitor Centre on a Ramsar Site in Bulgaria
The Pomorie Lake Visitor Centre was officially opened on 10 June 2010. The event was well attended by the public, and official guests cut the ceremonial ribbon to inaugurate the centre: Valentina Fidanova, Project Manager and Green Balkans Management Board member, the Mayor of Pomorie, the Director of the Regional inspectorate for environment and waters and the official representative of the World Bank in Bulgaria – Florian Fichtl. Toma Belev – the Chairman of Green Balkans, wished success in the work of the new centre and read a congratulatory letter from the Vice-President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Angel Marin.
More information: http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-latest-pomorielake-centre/main/ramsar/1-26-76%5E24718_4000_0

RAMSAR Technical Report on wetland inventory now available
The importance of knowing where wetlands are, and what characterstics they have, has long been recognized by the Parties to the Ramsar Convention as providing the vital basis for many aspects of implementing the Convention successfully. A Framework for a Wetland Inventory Metadatabase provides an important contribution to achieving this goal and is now available as a Ramsar Technical Report in PDF format (English only). The metadatabase standard was developed for the Ramsar Convention by the Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist (eriss, Darwin, Australia), in particular John Lowry, and Ramsar’s Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP).
More information: http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-rtrinventory/main/ramsar/1-26%5E24708_4000_0

Ramsar's Senior Advisor for Asia/Oceania invited to join activities in Lao PDR to celebrate accession to the Ramsar Convention
In May 2010, the Ramsar Convention Secretariat announced that Lao PDR had completed the accession formalities with UNESCO and had joined the Ramsar Convention, as its 160th Contracting Party (see article here). As part of the accession process, Lao PDR designated the Xe Champhone Wetlands (Savannakhet Province) and the Beung Kiat Ngong Wetlands (Champasak Province) as their first two Wetlands of International Importance. The Convention will come into force in the country on 28 September, 2010.
More information: http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-lao-celebration/main/ramsar/1-26%5E24738_4000_0

10th meeting of the Mediterranean Wetlands Committee of the Ramsar Convention
After a symposium in February 1991 in Grado (Italy), the idea for a structured programme of cooperation on Mediterranean wetlands took shape. In 1999, the positive results of the first years of cooperation convinced Ramsar COP7 to formally recognize the newly established Mediterranean Wetlands Committee (MedWet/Com), as the governing body for what became the first Ramsar regional initiative.
More information: http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-archives-2010-medwet-corsica/main/ramsar/1-26-45-437%5E24722_4000_0