UN Rapporteur on Right to Food Calls for End to "Ocean Grabbing" [viewed]
30 October 2012: The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier de Schutter, has released a report for presentation to the UN General Assembly (UNGA), calling for Member States to strengthen rules on access to their waters and for greater consideration of local small-scale fisheries. The report, titled "Fisheries and the Right to Food," highlights the challenges facing global fisheries, and presents a series of recommendations to improve the situation.
2 November 2012: The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), conducted a capacity building workshop on national level implementation of synergies among the Rio Conventions (CBD, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)).
5 November 2012: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Kenya Forest Service have launched a report on the impacts of deforestation on the Kenyan economy. The report, which is titled “The Role and Contribution of Montane Forests and Related Ecosystem Services to the Kenyan Economy,” quantifies the negative effects of deforestation and formulates recommendations, including mainstreaming payment for ecosystem services.
18 October 2012: The Organization of American States (OAS) and the Government of Mexico announced joint implementation of a project aiming to improve the capacity of Caribbean countries to value and measure ecosystem services of coral reefs and to strengthen coastal zone management systems. 
19 October 2012: Side events on financing biodiversity, REDD+, ecological networks, flagship species, and other topics were held during the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Hyderabad, India, from 8-19 October 2012.
18 October 2012: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has launched a global strategy to protect biodiversity and manage ecosystems. The 2012-2020 framework represents a shift in focus to recognizing the opportunities provided by biodiversity and ecosystems as a catalyst for sustainable development, while also recognizing the value of biodiversity and ecosystems to society and promoting innovation.
