Science, Assessment & Monitoring

OECD Updates Rio Markers Dataset [viewed]

OECD3 April 2013: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has updated its dataset for "Aid activities targeting Global Environmental Objectives."

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FAO Working Paper Addresses Issues on Assessing Trees Outside Forests [viewed]

FAO2 April 2013: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) prepared a Working Paper, titled "Towards the Assessment of Trees Outside Forests," to assist in assessing trees outside forests as part of the Global Forest Resource Assessment (FRA) 2010. The objective of the report is to provide agencies responsible for the management and analysis of forests with tools, methodologies and case studies to better assess and monitor this resource.

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Event: Global Ocean Action Summit [viewed]

The Global Ocean Action Summit, organized by the Government of the Netherlands and the World Bank, is meant to "seal major deals for worldwide action" addressing the threats to the health and productivity of oceans. The meeting aims to mobilize financial and technical support for attaining established goals under the Global Partnership for Oceans (GPO). It will also host the first official assembly of GPO partners, and will mark the implementation phase of the GPO. In addition, a report indicating priority areas and regions for action will be launched by the GPO Blue Ribbon Panel, an independent group of ocean experts. Attendance is by invitation only.  

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Angola, Namibia and South Africa Sign Convention on Ocean Governance [viewed]

18 March 2013: Angola, Namibia and South Africa have signed the Benguela Current Convention, which establishes the first global multilateral Commission to apply the Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) approach to ocean governance. The agreement creates a permanent inter-governmental institution responsible for promoting the long-term conservation and sustainable use of the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME), an ocean area extending from Port Elizabeth in South Africa to the province of Cabinda in the north of Angola.

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SPREP Announces Partnership with Korean Institute of Ocean Science and Technology [viewed]

SPREP22 March 2013: The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has announced a partnership with the Korean Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST). The new partnership will involve research on marine pollution, biodiversity and ocean acidification.

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FAO Releases Report on the State of Mediterranean Forests [viewed]

FAO21 March 2013: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has released a report, titled “State of Mediterranean Forests 2013,” which details the social and environmental changes affecting forests in the Mediterranean region, as well as the contributions that forests make to agriculture, water, energy, tourism and other economic sectors.

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WHMSI Approves Six Migratory Marine Species Projects for Funding [viewed]

21 March 2013: The Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative (WHMSI) has approved funding for six projects under its Small Grant Fund. The decision, taken during the WHMSI Steering Committee meeting on 28-29 January 2013, follows a call for proposals issued during the fall of 2012.

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Event: 41st meeting of the CMS Standing Committee [viewed]

The 41st meeting of the CMS Standing Committee is scheduled to convene in November 2013. The Standing Committee of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) was established by Resolution 1.1 of the Conference of the Parties (COP). Its functions are to provide policy and administrative guidance between regular meetings of the COP. It consists of representatives of every global region, of the Depositary and, where applicable, of the country that plans to host the next meeting of the COP.  

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FAO, SPC Release Workshop Report on Priority Adaptations to Climate Change for Pacific Fisheries [viewed]

13 March 2013: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) have released the proceedings of a workshop held in 2012 on "Priority adaptations to climate change for Pacific fisheries and aquaculture: reducing risks and capitalizing on opportunities."

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GEF Holds Workshop on Monitoring, Capacity Building in Western Sahel [viewed]

GEF14 March 2013: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has completed a three-day Expanded Capacity Workshop (ECW) for the West African Sahel, bringing together focal points from the GEF, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

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