[english] Barcelona Convention - EU Ratifies Innovative Legal Instrument for Protecting the Mediterranean Coasts With one more ratification the ICZM Protocol will enter into force
Days before Coast Day 2010 (25th September), the European Union has ratified the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Protocol of the Barcelona Convention(1). The EU ratification brings the total number of ratifications to five. Since the Protocol enters into force after 6 ratifications, its entry into force is expected soon.
The ratification of the Protocol means that it becomes part of EU law and will have binding effects for all EU member states. Slovenia, France, Albania and Spain had already ratified the Protocol and a number of ratifications processes are currently on-going by other Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention.
Plus information en anglais : http://www.unepmap.org/index.php?module=news&action=detail&id=97

Nouveau Site Ramsar transfrontière déclaré par le Bélarus et la Lituanie
Les gouvernements du Bélarus et de la Lituanie ont ajouté les sites Ramsar actuels de «Kotra» (inscrit en 2002) dans l'oblast de Grodno, Bélarus et de «Cepkeliai» (inscrit en 1993) dans le comté d'Alytus, Lituanie, sur la Liste des Sites Ramsar transfrontières.
Ce vaste complexe transfrontière de zones humides boisées comprend des tourbières bombées et de transition, des lacs, des forêts humides, des fagnes et des prairies inondées essentiellement concentrés dans la plaine d'inondation du fleuve Kotra/Katra, qui trace la frontière entre les deux pays. On y trouve plusieurs espèces animales et végétales menacées et le site est extrêmement important pour la préservation de la diversité biologique régionale.
Plus information : http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-trs-lith-bel/main/ramsar/1-26%5E24758_4000_0__

[english] INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON WETLANDS (RAMSAR, 1971) - Ramsar's Senior Advisor for Europe reports on a "full size" river plan for the Loire in France
The river Loire in France is known to many for its outstanding cultural landscape of great beauty, containing historic towns and villages, great architectural monuments (the châteaux), and cultivated lands formed by many centuries of interaction between their population and the physical environment, primarily the river Loire itself. This was formally recognized through the inclusion of a part of the Loire valley in the List of the World Heritage Convention in 2000. The Loire is the longest river in France (1013 km), its catchment basin covers a fifth of the national territory, and its floodplains are among the most natural ones in Western Europe, where human activities adapted to the water flows and inundation cycles. Plans to designate the Loire river for the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance were elaborated already in the 1990s – and may be implemented soon?
Plus information en anglais : http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-loire-report/main/ramsar/1-26%5E24757_4000_0__

[english] INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON WETLANDS (RAMSAR, 1971) - ‘National Consultative Workshop on Wetlands’ in Bhutan
On 14 July 2010, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MoAF) of the Kingdom of Bhutan held a one-day ‘National Consultative Workshop on Wetlands’. The aim of the workshop was to provide updates on the progress of wetland conservation in Bhutan and to discuss the benefits of accession to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and the commitments that the government would have to abide by if the country were to become a Contracting Party.
The workshop was attended by some 40 participants from a range of government departments, research institutes, as well as international and national NGOs.
Plus information en anglais : http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-bhutan-report/main/ramsar/1-26%5E24760_4000_0__

[english] INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON WETLANDS (RAMSAR, 1971) - Muscat Action Plan for Wetlands in the Arab Countries
The ‘Muscat Action Plan for Wetlands in the Arab Countries’ was recently finalised, following the “Workshop on Wetlands and the Ramsar Convention in the Arabian Peninsula”, in Muscat, Oman from 7 - 9 June 2010 (see report here). The Plan identified 28 key issues facing wetlands in the Arab countries, particularly those in the Arabian Peninsula. These key issues were classified under five ‘Goals’, i.e. wetland wise use, Ramsar Sites, international cooperation, institutional capacity and membership (of the Ramsar Convention). The link to the meeting report as well as to the Muscat Action Plan is provided.
Plus information en anglais : http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-muscat-report/main/ramsar/1-26%5E24767_4000_0__

[english] INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON WETLANDS (RAMSAR, 1971) - Interested in exchanging news and opinions on wetland- and Ramsar-related issues?
The Ramsar Forum is the public electronic mailing list of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971), which was begun in 1997 and is maintained by the Ramsar Convention Secretariat in Gland, Switzerland. There are presently more than 1,000 Forum members.
The purpose of the Ramsar Forum mailing list is to provide an e-mail mechanism for the exchange of news, announcements, and requests for information and advice on wetland- and Ramsar-related issues between any of the Forum's subscribers and all the others.
Plus information en anglais : http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-r-forum/main/ramsar/1-26%5E24766_4000_0__

[english] CITES Trade Data Dashboards
The CITES Trade Data Dashboards were launched on the CITES website on 1 July 2010 the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention.
The CITES Trade Data Dashboards are a new, interactive and dynamic way of viewing the trade data submitted by CITES Parties in their annual reports to the Convention. The Global dashboard displays global trade trends (e.g. global trade in live reptiles), whereas the National dashboard shows information by country.

The dashboards allow the user to view data in several ways, including by:

• taxonomic group;
• type of specimens (e.g. skins or live);
• source (e.g. wild, captive-bred or artificially propagated);
• year range (in five-year intervals);
• top species or families in trade over time; and
• top importers and exporters.

The CITES Trade Data Dashboards have been developed by UNEP-WCMC on behalf of the CITES Secretariat. They are currently available in English.
Plus information en anglais : http://cites-dashboards.unep-wcmc.org/

[english] The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) - Norway to Host COP10 (Conference of Parties)
The CMS Secretariat is pleased to announce that the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties will take place in Norway in the second half of November 2011. Further details of the precise dates and venue will be circulated in due course.
After a number of other countries had made enquiries about hosting the Conference, the Government of Norway made a formal offer to hold the meeting. This offer was warmly accepted after consultations with the Standing Committee.
Plus information en anglais : http://www.cms.int/index.html

[english] The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) - UN Hosts Major Forum To Discuss Biodiversity Conservation in Latin America And The Caribbean
Latin America and the Caribbean is the region with the greatest biological diversity on Earth and host several of the world's mega-diverse countries, such as Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela with ecosystems used by numerous species during their migration. Together they host between 60 and 70 percent of all forms of life.
The regions also hold 41 percent of the world's bird species and migratory birds and aquatic species, such as marine turtles, sharks, whales and dolphins, are an important part of the biodiversity. However, they now are threatened by fisheries, habitat degradation, and the drainage of wetlands for agricultural use.
Plus information en anglais : http://www.cms.int/news/PRESS/nwPR2010/08_aug/nw_LatinAmerica_biodiversity_260810.htm

[english] The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Supports Combat Against Illegal Hunting
Following its recent success in combating illegal hunting in May this year, the Project to Apply the Law on Fauna (PALF) has provided another progress report. The initiative, aimed towards protecting endangered species from illegal hunting in the Republic of Congo, was selected and featured on the Year of the Gorilla website as a priority project.
PALF’s main objectives include identifying large-scale dealers in illegal wildlife products and providing evidence to support action against them, securing arrests and prosecution leading to appropriate sentences and time served. It also raises awareness of increased enforcement of wildlife law and risks and penalties for wildlife criminals.
Plus information en anglais : http://www.cms.int/news/PRESS/nwPR2010/07_jul/nw_160710_CMS_PALF.htm

[english] Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species : export quotas for caviar and other sturgeon products agreed by the Caspian States for 2010
The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has published today the export quotas for caviar and other sturgeon products agreed by the Caspian States for 2010.
The 2010 quotas were agreed by Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan during a meeting held in Tehran.
The quota year for export of caviar and sturgeon meat runs from 1 March 2010 to 28 February 2011, in order to reflect the fishing season. The quantities that can be exported are lower than in 2008, when export quotas were last published.
Plus information en anglais : http://www.cites.org/eng/news/press_release.shtml

CONVENTION SUR LA DIVERSITÉ BIOLOGIQUE - Message d’Ahmed Djoghlaf, Secrétaire exécutif de la Convention sur la diversité biologique, à l’occasion de la Journée internationale de la jeunesse
... Aujourd'hui est un jour de fête pour les jeunes mais c'est aussi mon espoir que ce jour serve de rappel au sujet de la place centrale des jeunes en tant que porteurs des solutions de demain. Aujourd'hui est aussi le premier jour de l'Année internationale de la Jeunesse, une année d'opportunités pour les jeunes du monde entier pour exprimer leurs opinions, ensemble, et pour prendre des mesures pour aider à faire de cette planète un endroit plus sain...
Plus information : http://www.cbd.int/doc/speech/2010/sp-2010-08-12-youth-fr.pdf

CONVENTION SUR LA DIVERSITÉ BIOLOGIQUE - Message d’Ahmed Djoghlaf, Secrétaire exécutif de la Convention sur la diversité biologique, à l’occasion de la Journée internationale des peuples autochtones du monde
... Constituant un relativement faible pourcentage des 6,3 milliards de personnes dans le monde, les communautés autochtones et locales représentent une large portion de la diversité linguistique et culturelle de la planète et leurs terres et cours d’eaux traditionnels contiennent très certainement les plus grandes réserves restantes de biodiversité. Les connaissances traditionnelles des communautés autochtones et locales peuvent jouer un rôle important pour aider à faire face aux sérieuses questions affligeant l’humanité, comme les changements climatiques et la perte de biodiversité, bien que leur potentiel ne soit toujours pas pleinement exploité...
Plus information : http://www.cbd.int/doc/speech/2010/sp-2010-08-09-indigenous-fr.pdf

CONVENTION SUR LA DIVERSITÉ BIOLOGIQUE - 500 écoles tunisiennes joignent La Vague verte pour la biodiversité
L'Assemblée générale des Nations Unies proclame, à compter du 12 août 2010, l'Année internationale de la jeunesse. Le thème de l'année choisi est « Le dialogue et la compréhension mutuelle». Cette célébration a été proposée par le Président de la République de Tunisie, Son Excellence Monsieur Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, et coïncide avec l'Année internationale de la biodiversité. À juste titre, un séminaire international pour célébrer l'Année internationale de la biodiversité et le début de l'Année internationale de la jeunesse s'est tenu à Tunis, en Tunisie, les 6 et 7 août 2010.
Plus information : http://www.cbd.int/doc/press/2010/pr-2010-08-09-greenwave-FR.pdf

CONVENTION SUR LA DIVERSITÉ BIOLOGIQUE - CNN International souligne la biodiversité
À partir du 25 août, le télédiffuseur de nouvelles CNN International se tournera vers la biodiversité, en commençant par la diffusion d’une édition spéciale de son émission environnementale mensuelle Earth’s Frontiers (Les frontières de la Terre), ciblant la biodiversité.
Directement du Royal Botanic Gardens de Kew, l’hôte Becky Anderson sera la modératrice d’un débat entre les panélistes Ahmed Djoghlaf, Secrétaire exécutif de la Convention sur la diversité biologique, l’environnementaliste Philippe Cousteau, Paul Smith, directeur de la Banque de semences du millénaire au Kew Gardens et Jon Williams, chef de la division biodiversité chez PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
Le débat sur Earth’s Frontiers se concentrera sur l’importance critique de maintenir nos écosystèmes et les raisons pour lesquelles les individus, les grandes entreprises et les gouvernements ne peuvent plus ignorer la perte de biodiversité qui menace le futur de notre planète et de notre propre existence.
Plus information : http://www.cbd.int/doc/press/2010/pr-2010-08-17-cnn-fr.pdf

CONVENTION SUR LA DIVERSITÉ BIOLOGIQUE - Président Lee de la République de Corée reçoit un Prix CDB pour sa contribution à la conservation de la biodiversité et à la croissance écologique
En guise de reconnaissance pour sa contribution sans pareil à la préservation de la vie sur Terre, M. Lee Myung-bak, Président de la République de Corée, s’est fait remettre aujourd’hui le Prix CDB par Ahmed Djoghlaf, Secrétaire exécutif de la Convention sur la diversité biologique (CDB).
La présentation du Prix CDB s’est tenue au cours de la visite du Secrétaire exécutif au Bureau présidentiel à Séoul, le 24 août 2010.
Le Prix symbolise la reconnaissance du Secrétariat de la CDB envers la contribution extraordinaire et l’engagement envers la conservation et l’utilisation durable de la diversité biologique du Président Lee, en tant qu’instrument majeur pour atteindre une économie verte et un développement durable.
Plus information : http://www.cbd.int/doc/press/2010/pr-2010-08-24-award-rok-fr.pdf

CONVENTION SUR LA DIVERSITÉ BIOLOGIQUE - Une conférence internationale discute de la valeur de la biodiversité pour la vie économique et culturelle
Les représentants du milieu des affaires, les représentants des gouvernements, de la société civile et des communautés locales et autochtones se sont réunis à Montréal cette semaine pour discuter de la valeur intrinsèque de la biodiversité pour nos économies, nos cultures et notre vie sociale.
Plus précisément, les participants au 16e Forum économique international des Amériques / Conférence de Montréal et de la Conférence internationale sur la diversité biologique et la diversité culturelle: la diversité pour le développement - le développement pour la diversité, qui s’est tenu à l'hôtel Hilton Bonaventure à Montréal du 8 au 10 juin, ont échangé sur les moyens de transformer les engagements politiques en actions concrètes en développant des recommandations en vue d'intégrer efficacement la diversité biologique et culturelle dans les stratégies de coopération et dans les programmes de développement.
Plus information : http://www.cbd.int/doc/press/2010/pr-2010-06-11-icbdc-fr.pdf

(en anglais) CONVENTION SUR LA DIVERSITÉ BIOLOGIQUE - Statement by Mr Ahmed Djoghlaf the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity on the Occasion of the High-Level International Forum on the Strategy for Biodiversity Conservation: Global Biodiversity Outlook 3
Plus information en anglais : http://www.cbd.int/doc/speech/2010/sp-2010-08-25-chengdu-gbo3-en.pdf

Exploitation minière en République du Congo : une mission consultative Ramsar visite le site Ramsar de Cayo-Loufoualeba
Sur invitation du Ministère du développement durable, de l’économie forestière et de l’environnement, une mission consultative Ramsar, menée en collaboration avec la Convention sur les espèces migratrices (CMS) et l’Accord sur les oiseaux migrateurs d’Afrique-Eurasie (AEWA) s’est rendue à Brazzaville et dans la région de Pointe Noire du 23 au 28 juin dernier.
Cette mission d’assistance technique au gouvernement du Congo, financée par le Fonds Suisse pour l’Afrique, avait pour objectif d’examiner les impacts potentiels sur le site Ramsar de Cayo–Loufoualeba du développement d’une usine d’extraction de potasse.
Plus information : http://www.ramsar.org/cda/fr/ramsar-news-archives-2010-ram-congo/main/ramsar/1-26-45-437%5E24719_4000_1

[english] Having a Ramsar site - it's your development opportunity!
In 2008, the natural floodplains along the Upper Rhine, shared between Germany and France, became the largest Transboundary Ramsar Site so far. On World Wetlands Day 2010, the managers of the site invited their colleagues from the other Transboundary Ramsar Sites for a seminar to exchange know-how and experience (cf. our report). On 6 May, the Mayors of the floodplain communes of Sasbach (Germany) and Marckolsheim (France), together with the NGO “Living Rhine”, invited the representatives of local authorities in the floodplain, communal executives, and regional administrations to discuss how best to make use of the international “Ramsar” distinction.
Plus information en anglais : http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-archives-2010-ramsarsitedevelopment/main/ramsar/1-26-45-437%5E24692_4000_0

[english] Opening of Pomorie Lake Visitor Centre on a Ramsar Site in Bulgaria
The Pomorie Lake Visitor Centre was officially opened on 10 June 2010. The event was well attended by the public, and official guests cut the ceremonial ribbon to inaugurate the centre: Valentina Fidanova, Project Manager and Green Balkans Management Board member, the Mayor of Pomorie, the Director of the Regional inspectorate for environment and waters and the official representative of the World Bank in Bulgaria – Florian Fichtl. Toma Belev – the Chairman of Green Balkans, wished success in the work of the new centre and read a congratulatory letter from the Vice-President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Angel Marin.
Plus information en anglais : http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-latest-pomorielake-centre/main/ramsar/1-26-76%5E24718_4000_0

[english] RAMSAR Technical Report on wetland inventory now available
The importance of knowing where wetlands are, and what characterstics they have, has long been recognized by the Parties to the Ramsar Convention as providing the vital basis for many aspects of implementing the Convention successfully. A Framework for a Wetland Inventory Metadatabase provides an important contribution to achieving this goal and is now available as a Ramsar Technical Report in PDF format (English only). The metadatabase standard was developed for the Ramsar Convention by the Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist (eriss, Darwin, Australia), in particular John Lowry, and Ramsar’s Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP).
Plus information en anglais : http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-rtrinventory/main/ramsar/1-26%5E24708_4000_0

[english] Ramsar's Senior Advisor for Asia/Oceania invited to join activities in Lao PDR to celebrate accession to the Ramsar Convention
In May 2010, the Ramsar Convention Secretariat announced that Lao PDR had completed the accession formalities with UNESCO and had joined the Ramsar Convention, as its 160th Contracting Party (see article here). As part of the accession process, Lao PDR designated the Xe Champhone Wetlands (Savannakhet Province) and the Beung Kiat Ngong Wetlands (Champasak Province) as their first two Wetlands of International Importance. The Convention will come into force in the country on 28 September, 2010.
Plus information en anglais : http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-lao-celebration/main/ramsar/1-26%5E24738_4000_0

[english] 10th meeting of the Mediterranean Wetlands Committee of the Ramsar Convention
After a symposium in February 1991 in Grado (Italy), the idea for a structured programme of cooperation on Mediterranean wetlands took shape. In 1999, the positive results of the first years of cooperation convinced Ramsar COP7 to formally recognize the newly established Mediterranean Wetlands Committee (MedWet/Com), as the governing body for what became the first Ramsar regional initiative.
Plus information en anglais : http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-archives-2010-medwet-corsica/main/ramsar/1-26-45-437%5E24722_4000_0