World Conservation Union

Polar Bears

Polar Bears

Proceedings of the 15th Working Meeting of the IUCN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group, Copenhagen, Denmark, 29 June-3 July 2009

These 15th Proceedings provide an overview of the ongoing research and management activities on polar bears in the circumpolar Arctic. Together with the previous 14 proceedings, they provide an historic record of the international effort in protecting, studying, and managing polar bears. The document addresses more recent concerns of threats arising as a consequence of increased human activities in both the Arctic and in regions far beyond the Arctic.

The Kouprey

An Action Plan For Its Conservation

The kouprey is one of the most endangered species of mammals in the world. This Action Plan has been developed by IUCN in collaboration with the Governments of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, and a number of zoos and conservation organizations. The plan forms the basis of the collaborative Kouprey conservation program coordinated by IUCN.

Adrift

Tales of Ocean Fragility

This book is a product of the Marine Conservation Sub-Committee, an advisory body on marine species issues within IUCN. The book features twelve stories of different ocean animals that highlight the latest issues in marine conservation. The tales in this exquisitely illustrated book are testament to not only the eccentricity of life in our oceans, but also the diversity of challenges and opportunities we face to conserve these marine marvels.

Contracting for ABS

The Legal and Scientific Implications of Bioprospecting Contracts

Contracts relating to scientific/technical development are effective only where they are enforceable or valid under relevant law, can be practically implemented by the parties, and address matters arising from the relevant scientific/technical issues and practices. Negotiators are often hampered by their lack of knowledge of contract law and of the biotechnological techniques used to derive new molecules and genes or genetic or biochemical formulas from biological samples. This lack of knowledge means they may not make the best choices.

Guidelines for Establishing Marine Protected Areas

This text offers authoritative advice on the present day planning, policies and practices for marine protected areas. The Guidelines are intended primarily to help nations and states to establish national representative systems of marine protected areas as a vital component of the integrated management of their coastal and marine areas. The main text is supplemented by detailed appendices to assist in the planning of a system and of individual marine protected areas.

Vision for water and nature

A world strategy for conservation and sustainable management of water resources in the 21st century. Compilation of all project documents

This compilation contains all key documents produced during the development of the Vision for Water and Nature, the environment and ecosystems componant of the Vision for Water, Life and the Environment for the 21st Century, generally known as the World Water Vision. Included are : the Vision itself, the discussion papers which served as the basis of each workshop and the workshop reports

How is Your MPA Doing?

A Guidebook Of Natural And Social Indicators For Evaluating Marine Protected Areas Management Effectiveness

IUCN, WWF and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have developed this guidebook to assist marine protected area (MPA) managers in assessing the performance of their MPA. Based on this assessment, it shows how necessary changes can be made to improve management measures. It presents a flexible approach that can be used in many types of MPA and offers a variety of specific biological, socio-economic and governance indicators to measure the effectiveness of management actions in achieving MPA goals and objectives.

Dryland Opportunities

Drylands cover 41 percent of the earth’s terrestrial surface. The urgency of and international response to climate change have given a new place to drylands in terms both of their vulnerability to predicted climate change impacts and their potential contribution to climate change mitigation. This book aims to apply the new scientific insights on complex dryland systems to practical options for development.

Covering ABS

Addressing the Need for Sectoral, Geographical, Legal, and International Integration

The most difficult and least addressed ABS implementation issue is that of coverage. On the one hand, the CBD’s ABS provisions appear to give every country full rights over all genetic resources found in the country, even if the exact subspecies or variety is also found in other countries. On the other hand, however, even within a single country, each biome may be separately regulated, and each community or landowner may be given the right to control access to and receive benefits for the genetic resources of every specimen taken from their land or sold by them.

Ideas for groundwater management

Groundwater is the earth’s largest accessible store of fresh water. The volume is almost 100 times that of surface water. In recent decades use of groundwater has grown exponentially. Over 2 billion people depend on it for their daily supply. Not only have population increases and economic growth laid claim to an ever larger share of groundwater, but the quality of the resource is also increasingly under strain. This book provides ideas on different aspects of groundwater management, ranging from areas where there is an abundance of groundwater to areas where the resource is scarce.

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