Latest News

CBD Circulates Logo, Booklet and Messaging for International Day for Biological Diversity

International-day-for-biological-diversity-201317 May 2013: In preparation for the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB), to be celebrated on 22 May 2013, with celebrations around the globe focusing on the theme 'Water and Biodiversity,' the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has circulated the IDB's logo, booklet and messages, all of which are available for use by parties in their celebrations.

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CITES Receives National Ivory Action Plans and Recommends Suspension of Trade with Guinea

CITES16 May 2013: The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) announced that it has received National Ivory Action Plans from China, Kenya, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Uganda, Tanzania and Viet Nam, the first group of countries identified as primary source, transit and import countries affected by illegal trade in ivory.

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FAO Develops Agreement with Slow Food

FAO15 May 2013: A partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and Slow Food has been established to focus on joint advocacy campaigns strengthening local, regional and global networks and raise awareness of the International Year of Family Farming in 2014.

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CITES Highlights Cooperation with WCO in Combating Illegal Wildlife Trade

2013 WCO IT Conference and Exhibition14 May 2013: At the 2013 World Customs Organization (WCO) IT Conference & Exhibition, John Scanlon, Secretary-General, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), highlighted cooperation with the WCO on intercepting illegal wildlife trade. 

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World Migratory Bird Day 2013 Marks the Importance of Ecological Networks

world-migratory-bird-day12 May 2013: This year's celebrations for World Migratory Bird Day 2013, held 11-12 May, highlighted the importance of ecological networks for the survival of migratory birds, the important human networks dedicated to their conservation, the threats migratory birds face, and the need to strengthen international cooperation to conserve them.

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Bioversity International Supports Resilience to Coconut Diseases

Bioversity International9 May 2013: Faced with a new lethal disease, Bogia syndrome, which affects coconut palms, other palm species and some banana varieties, Bioversity International, a member of the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research (CGIAR), is working with a coconut genebank in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea, to fight the disease and to re-locate a coconut genebank.

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UNCCD Fact Sheet Highlights Relationship of Migratory Species and Drylands

UNCCD logo7 May 2013: As a contribution to the 2013 World Migratory Bird Day (11-12 May), the sixth issue of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) thematic fact sheet series focuses on migratory species and desertification. The publication notes the efforts of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) and the UNCCD to conserve migratory wildlife and to improve the conditions of ecosystems that support such species and are affected by land degradation.

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CGRFA 14 Report and Decisions Available Online

cgrfaMay 2013: The final report of the fourteenth regular session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA 14) of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), including the Commission's decisions, has been made available online.

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Romania and Bulgaria Designate Transboundary Ramsar Sites

romania-bulgaria-flag7 May 2013: The Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) has reported that the Governments of Romania and Bulgaria have requested the Ramsar Secretariat to recognize three earlier-listed Ramsar Sites, part of the Lower Danube Green Corridor, as Transboundary Ramsar Sites.

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UNESCO, CITES and UNEP Draw Spotlight on the Need to Combat Illegal Wildlife Trade

unesco-unep-cites6 May 2013: The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Chinese actress, Li Bingbing, have recently undertaken activities to address wildlife crime and highlight the gravity of its impacts.

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Conservation and Use of Plant Genetic Resources Advances in Mesoamerica

ITPGR6 May 2013: As part of the 58th annual meeting of the Central American Cooperative Programme for the Improvement of Crops and Animals (Programa Cooperativo Centroamericano para el Mejoramiento de Cultivos y Animales (PCCMCA), held from 22-26 April 2013, working groups were established to address priorities and challenges in adapting to climate change in the region.

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Turkey Designates Volcano Caldera as its 14th Ramsar Site

Turkey3 May 2013: The Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) has reported that the Government of Turkey has named the caldera of the Nemrut volcano located on the western shore of Lake Van in the eastern part of the country, and one of the most important wetlands of Bitlis province, as its 14th Wetland of International Importance.

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CIFOR Balances Great Ape Conservation and Poverty Alleviation

CIFORMarch 2013: The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) has released a report on great ape conservation and poverty alleviation. The report considers REDD+, tourism, human-wildlife conflict, and great ape biology.

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Oman Joins Ramsar, Designates Nature Reserve

= oman-flag2 May 2013: The Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) has reported that the Government of Oman has acceded to the Convention, becoming its 167th contracting party. The wetland Qurm Nature Reserve was designated as its first Ramsar site.

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Kiribati Joins Ramsar, Designates Coastal Wetland

kiribiti-flag1 May 2013: The Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) has reported that the Government of Kiribati has acceded to the Convention, becoming its 166th contracting party. The coastal wetland No'oto-North Tarawa was designated as its first Ramsar site.

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UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Adopts Draft Resolution on Wildlife Crime

UNODC26 April 2013: The UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) has adopted a revised draft resolution on 'Crime prevention and criminal justice responses to illicit trafficking in protected species of wild fauna and flora' and has recommended its adoption to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

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WIPO IGC Advances Draft on Traditional Knowledge

WIPO29 April 2013: Held from 22-26 April 2013, in Geneva, Switzerland, the 24th session of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) focused on improving a draft text of an international legal instrument on intellectual property and traditional knowledge.

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FAO Documents Wildlife Extinction Risks from Climate Change

FAOMay 2013: Highlighting the risks posed by climate change to biodiversity, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has released a study that documents climate-induced changes to ecosystems and measures to promote adaptation.

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Draft Strategic Plan for Migratory Species Released for Comments

CMS26 April 2013: The first draft of the Strategic Plan for Migratory Species 2015-2023, prepared by the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Intersessional Strategic Plan Working Group, has been released for comments, which are requested by 30 September 2013.

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UAE Designates Wetland in Abu Dhabi as Fourth Ramsar Site

UAE Flag29 April 2013: The Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) has reported that the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has designated Al Wathba Wetland Reserve as its fourth Wetland of International Importance. It is also the first Ramsar Site designated in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

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