Event: 43rd Meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum [viewed]
The 43rd meeting of the Pacific Island Forum (PIF 43) will take place from 27-31 August 2012. The meeting will be preceded by a Smaller Island States (SIS) Leaders' Meeting and Pacific African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States Leaders' Meeting. PIF 43 will include a Formal Session, Leaders' Retreat, and post-Forum Dialogue Partners' Plenary Session. Also at this meeting the world's largest marine park, announced by the Cook Islands in December 2011, will be launched.
1 June 2012: The Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) has announced the accession of Zimbabwe as the 117th Party to the Convention. Zimbabwe also acceded to the Agreement on African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), bringing its membership to 66.
30 May 2012: The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) has announced that the US Government has designated two new Wetlands of International Importance, both effective as of World Wetlands Day, 2 February 2012.
May 2012: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has released the report of the second Meeting of Europe Overseas Roundtable on Biodiversity and Climate Change. The meeting aimed to evaluate progress on biodiversity and climate change in the EU Outermost Regions (ORs) and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) since the last meeting held in June/July 2011, plan for the work ahead in 2012, reflect on the theme of marine issues, and agree on a joint way forward to address biodiversity and climate change issues in Europe overseas.
21 May 2012: The European Commission recently marked the 20th anniversary of the Habitats Directive and LIFE, the EU financing programme for the environment. The Habitats Directive was adopted in response to loss of habitats and wildlife decline due to the problems of land-use changes, pollution and urban expansion, with the objective of conserving threatened habitats and species in Europe.
May 2012: In its latest issue, the newsletter of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Transboundary Conservation Specialist Group (IUCN TBC SG) highlights: the Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area, a transboundary bicycle expedition, and transboundary conservation in North America, Europe and Africa.
May 2012: The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has released the abstracts of posters presented during the 16th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 16) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the fourth meeting of the Working Group on the Review of Implementation (WGRI 4). The theme of the poster session was "Oceans, Coasts, Islands: Achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets."
14 May 2012: France and the Slovak Republic have signed the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)/Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MoU).
