2 February 2009: Over 150 leading marine scientists from 26 countries are calling for immediate action by government leaders worldwide to sharply reduce carbon dioxide emissions so as to avoid widespread and severe damage to marine ecosystems from ocean acidification. The call was made with the release of the Monaco Declaration on Ocean Acidification, which was developed by participants attending a UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) symposium on “The Ocean in a High-CO2 World,” from 6-9 October 2008, in Monaco.
Continue reading "Scientists at UNESCO Forum Call for Action to Halt Rising Acidity in World’s Oceans" »
29 January 2009: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released its latest Bulletin, which focuses on World Meteorological Day, to be celebrated on 23 March and focused on the theme: “Weather, climate and the air we breathe.”
Continue reading "WMO Bulletin Focuses on “Weather, Climate and the Air We Breathe”" »
29 January 2009: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer addressed a Seminar on Security Prospects in the High North, underscoring that the Arctic ice cap melting causes changes that will affect the whole international community, and suggested that NATO could contribute to addressing this problem through its participation in relief operations and utilizing the opportunities inherent to the NATO-Russia Council.
Continue reading "NATO Secretary General addresses Impacts of Climate Change on Arctic Region" »
January 2009: The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is organizing an expert meeting on “Maritime transport and the climate change challenge.” The meeting, which will convene from 16-18 February 2009, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, aims to help identify relevant policy actions for climate change mitigation and adaptation in maritime transport, while furthering other objectives such as transport efficiency, trade facilitation, trade competitiveness and sustainable development.
Continue reading "UNCTAD Organizing Expert Meeting on Maritime Transport and Climate Change " »
10 December 2008: At a side event to the UN Climate Change Conference taking place in Poznań, Poland, the UN University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) launched a new report entitled “Innovation in Responding to Climate Change: Nanotechnology, Ocean Energy and Forestry.”
Continue reading "UNU-IAS Launches Report on Innovation in Responding to Climate Change" »
4 December 2008: The 10th Global Meeting of the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans convened from 25-27 November 2008, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and addressed issues related to climate change and the Regional Seas Programmes, and adaptation to climate change vulnerability and sea-level rise.
Continue reading "Regional Seas Global Meeting Adopts Statement on Impacts of Climate Change on Coastal and Marine Ecosystems" »
6 November 2008: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
announced that a conference on Oceans Observation (OceanObs) entitled “Ocean
Information for Society: Sustaining the Benefits, Realizing the Potential,”
would take place from 21-25 September 2009, in Venice, Italy.
Continue reading "WMO to Organize 2009 Conference on Oceans Observation " »
4 November 2008: The 10th meeting of the Conference of the
Contracting Parties (COP10) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, held from 28
October-4 November 2008, in Changwon, Republic of Korea, adopted a resolution
addressing the impacts of climate change on wetlands.
Continue reading "Ramsar COP10 Adopts Resolution on Wetlands and Climate Change " »
4 November 2008: The 10th meeting of the Conference of the
Contracting Parties (COP10) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, held from 28
October-4 November 2008 in Changwon, Republic of Korea, adopted a resolution
addressing the potential impacts of biofuel production and use on the
conservation and wise use of wetlands.
Continue reading "Ramsar COP10 Adopts Resolution on Wetlands and Biofuels" »
4 November 2008: The 13th session of the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) Commission for Hydrology opened on 4 November
2008 at WMO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and will conclude on 12
November. The Commission for Hydrology shapes the water-related activities of
the WMO, and addresses issues related to the basic hydrological observation
network, water resources assessment, flood forecasting and management,
adaptabili
Continue reading "WMO Commission for Hydrology to Review Climate Change and Water Activities" »
31 October 2008: The thirtieth meeting of the contracting
parties to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of
Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention) and the third meeting of the
contracting parties to the London Protocol, which met from 27-31 October 2008,
at International Maritime Organization (IMO) headquarters in London, UK,
adopted a resolution on the regulation of ocean fertilization (LC-LP.1(2008)).
Continue reading "IMO London Convention Parties Agree on Moratorium on Ocean Fertilization" »
30 October 2008: Over 600 participants representing
governments, regions and other local authorities gathered in Saint Malo,
France, from 29-30 October 2008, for the “First World Summit of Regions,
Climate Change: Regions in Action.”
Continue reading "First World Summit of Regions Showcases Role of Regions in Tackling Climate Change" »
28 October 2008: In a video message to the tenth meeting of
the Conference of the Contracting Parties of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands,
taking place in Changwon, Republic of Korea, from 28 October-4 November 2008,
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed the appropriateness of the
conference’s theme, “Healthy wetlands, healthy people.”
Continue reading "UN Secretary-General Stresses Role of Wetlands in Tackling Climate Change" »
16 October 2008: The second symposium on “The Ocean in a
High CO2 World” convened from 6-9 October 2008, at the Oceanography Museum of
Monaco, sponsored by, inter alia, the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research,
the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Committee of the UN Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (IOC-UNESCO), and the International Atomic Energy
Agency’s (IAEA) Marine Environmental Laboratory.
Continue reading "UNESCO and IAEA Convene Symposium on Ocean Acidification" »
13 October 2008: The International Maritime Organization’s
(IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) held its 58th session from
6-10 October 2008, in London, UK. The Committee maintained momentum in limiting
or reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships, and made substantive
progress in developing technical and operational measures to address these
emissions.
Continue reading "IMO Environment Committee Makes Progress on Emissions Regulations for Ships" »
3 October 2008: The Marine Environment Protection Committee
of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is meeting in London, UK, for
its 58th session, from 6-10 October 2008. During the meeting, the Committee
will continue its work on developing a mandatory regime to control greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping.
Continue reading "IMO Continues Work on Regime to Control GHG Emissions" »
29 September 2008: This European Environment Agency (EEA)
report presents past and projected climate change and impacts in Europe, based
on approximately 40 indicators, and identifies sectors and regions that are
vulnerable and require adaptation.
Continue reading "Impacts of Europe’s Changing Climate – 2008 Indicator-Based Assessment" »
September 2008: An International Symposium on ‘Resolving the
Water-Energy Nexus’ will be held in Paris, France, from 26-28 November 2008.
The Symposium will convene within the framework of the UN Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) International Hydrological
Programme (IHP) in collaboration with UNESCO’s Renewable Energy Programme, and
will be organized by the non-profit association RED-Ethique.
Continue reading "UNESCO: International Symposium on the Water-Energy Nexus to Convene" »
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the
World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) launched a new facts and figures report
on glaciers and ice caps during a side event on 1 September 2008, in Geneva,
Switzerland, during the twenty-ninth plenary session of the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC29). “Global Glacier Changes: Facts and Figures”
presents recent fluctuations of glaciers and ice caps and underlines an overall
trend of glaciers’ retreat. Wilfried Haeberli, Director of WGMS, noted that
glaciers are unique demonstration objects of global climate change.
Continue reading "UNEP: World Glaciers Need Better Monitoring" »
August 2008: The nineteenth South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Meeting of Officials, which will be held from 4-12 September 2008, in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, will consider
a number of climate related matters, including the Action Plan for the
implementation of the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change
2006-2015. Participants are also scheduled to examine a Plan for Action on the
Pacific Year of Climate Change 2009.
Continue reading "Nineteenth SPREP Meeting to Address the Implementation of the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change 2006-2015" »
19 August 2008: In a message delivered by Noeleen Heyzer,
Executive Secretary, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific,
to the Pacific Islands Forum summit meeting, which is taking place until 21
August 2008 in Alofi, Niue, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has announced the
creation of an Inter-Agency Climate Change Centre for coordinated UN support to
Pacific Island Countries and regional organizations, in partnership with the
Government of Samoa.
Continue reading "UN to Assist in Establishment of Inter-Agency Climate Change Centre for Pacific Countries" »
August 2008: The
Second Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO2 World,
co-organized by the UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO)
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), is scheduled to take place from 6-9
October 2008 in Monaco.
Continue reading "Scientific Symposium to Examine Ocean Acidification" »
July 2008:
The Ramsar Secretariat has posted the draft resolutions (DRs) that will be
considered by parties for adoption at their tenth Conference of Parties
(COP10), which is scheduled to take place in Changwon, Republic of Korea, from 28 October
to 2008 to 4 November 2008.
Continue reading "Draft Ramsar COP10 Resolutions Highlight the Role of Wetlands in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation" »
21 July 2008: Over 700
experts from 28 nations are gathering at the eighth INTECOL International
Wetlands Conference, which is taking place from 20-25 July 2008, in Cuiaba,
Brazil, to agree on measures to better manage and slow the decline of wetlands
that are among the planet’s most threatened ecosystems.
Continue reading "Experts Gather to Prevent Destruction of Wetlands and Consequent GHG Releases" »
11
July 2008: The World Ports Climate
Conference took place from 9-11 July 2008 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and was
organized around the theme “World
Ports for a Better Climate.”The conference brought together participants representing over 50 ports from 35
countries and concluded with the adoption of the World Port Climate
Declaration, in which they committed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
and improve air quality.
Continue reading "World’s Ports Adopt Climate Declaration" »
10 July 2008: The International Symposium on Coping with Global Change in
Marine Social-Ecological Systems took place from 8-11 July 2008, in Rome, Italy. The Symposium,
organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the Global
Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics and the European Network of Excellence for Oceans Ecosystem
Analysis, brought together over 200 experts and policymakers from around
the globe to share experiences
and identify key next steps to promote resilience of marine social-ecological systems.
Continue reading "FAO Scientific Symposium: Climate Change Will Have Strong Impact on Fisheries" »
20 June 2008: During its one hundredth Session, which took
place in London, UK, from 16-20 June 2008, the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) agreed that the theme for the 2009 World
Maritime Day would be “Climate change: a challenge for IMO too!”
Continue reading "IMO: World Maritime Day for 2009 to Focus on Climate Change" »
5 July 2008: The Workshop on Biodiversity and Climate Change
took place from 29 June to 4 July 2008, in Kushiro, Japan. It was
co-organized by the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and
the Kushiro International Wetland Centre, in partnership with the Japan-UNDP
Partnership Fund and the Secretariats of the Ramsar Convention and the
Convention on Biological Diversity.
Continue reading "UNITAR Organizes Workshop on Biodiversity and Climate Change" »
10 June 2008: The
European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA) was launched on 10 June 2008.
This EU research project is a consortium of over 100 scientists from 27
organizations in nine countries to address ocean acidification. Its goal is to
document ocean acidification, investigate its impact on biological processes,
predict its consequences for the next 100 years, and advise policy-makers on
potential thresholds or tipping points that should not be exceeded.
Continue reading "European Project on Ocean Acidification Launched" »
6
June 2008: The Ramsar Standing Committee held its 37th meeting from 2-6 June 2008, in Gland,
Switzerland. The Committee was charged with making the final preparations for
the documents to be considered at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the
Parties (COP10), which will take place in Changwon, Republic of Korea, from 28 October to 4 November 2008. During the meeting, the Committee approved
for transmittal to the COP a draft Resolution (DR) on climate change and
wetlands, and one on wetlands and biofuels.
Continue reading "Ramsar Standing Committee Addresses Climate Change and Biofuels" »
5 June 2008: As
part of the UN World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) strategy to implement the
recommendations of the Davos Declaration, a project aiming to integrate the
Maldives’ tourism into its climate change adaptation activities is underway.
Continue reading "Maldives Prepares for Climate Change" »
June 2008: The 41st session of the
Intergovernmental Oceanic Commission (IOC) of the UN Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which will take place from 24 June-1 July
2008, in Paris, France, is scheduled to consider: the contribution of IOC
programmes to achieving the objectives of the UNFCCC; whether there is any need
to modify the present arrangements; and the IOC’s intention to continue its
close cooperation with the UNFCCC Secretariat.
Continue reading "41st Session of the IOC Executive Council to Consider Contribution to UNFCCC Objectives" »
May 2008: A workshop on “Climate change and the offshore industry,” co-sponsored by the WMO, Met-Ocean Committee of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission through the Joint Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology, and the World Climate Research Programme, will take place at WMO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, from 27-29 May 2008.
Continue reading "WMO co-sponsored Workshop on Climate Change and the Offshore Industry to be held in Geneva" »
May 2008: The report of the regional preparatory meeting of Oceania parties, which took place in Samoa on 10-11 April 2008, has been released. Workshop participants discussed the draft resolution on climate change prepared by the Ramsar Scientific and Technical Review Panel in advance of the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention (COP10), scheduled to take place from 28 October to 4 November 2008, in Changwon, Republic of Korea. In relation to the draft resolution on climate change, Australia called for a caucus of Pacific member States before COP10.
Continue reading "Ramsar Oceania Meeting Report Released " »

2 May 2008: Participants to the Second meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Informal Working Group to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction have addressed the issue of environmental impacts of anthropogenic activities. A number of developing countries at the 28 April-2 May 2008 meeting in New York, US, organized by the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, expressed concern with ocean-based climate change mitigation activities, highlighting uncertainties regarding their impacts.
Norway, Australia, Marshall Islands and Mexico argued that these activities should be subject to the carrying out of an environmental impact assessment (EIA).
Above - L-R: Co-Chair Ambassador Robert Hill (Australia) and Co-Chair Juan Manuel Gómez-Robledo (Mexico).
Continue reading "Working Group Considers Environmental Impacts of Anthropogenic Activities on Marine Biological Diversity" »