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ECOSYSTEM INSIDER The Insider brings you news from the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management

December 2018, Edition 4

Dear IUCN CEM Member, We are pleased to bring you the 4th Issue of the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM) Newsletter for 2018

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CEM HIGHLIGHT

COP 24 Katowice, Poland

Ten years ago in Poznan, IUCN together with other international organizations promoted Ecosystem based Approaches to adaptation, known as EbA. Now, ten years later we are again in Poland, now in Katowice recognizing that EbA is being applied in several climate change actions, building resilience of and vulnerable communities all over the world. This approach is the main Nature-based Solution (NBS) for adaptation and is in the position of contributing to the implementation of the Paris Agreement, as it has been demonstrated that ecosystem-based approaches contribute to more than 30% of the solutions to address climate impacts. Keeping ecosystem integrity is a mandate of the Paris Agreement, so EbA is well positioned to be the connecting approach to link mitigation and adaptation for the benefit of local communities.

10 years of EbA

The 10 years of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) was celebrated in a joint event between CEM and GEMP. The session was presided by the IUCN vice-president Malik Amin Aslam with presentations from ministers and ambassadors+ from several countries that have satisfactorily promoted EbA and that see the urgency of putting EbA as a central theme on the agenda for the following 20 years.

UN Biodiversity Conference COP 14 Sharm El Sheikh-Egypt 13-29 November

Towards living in harmony with nature by 2050 The 4th Science Forum organized by the International Union of Biological Sciences, the European Commission, with support from EKLIPSE, the EU science-policy interface mechanism on biodiversity and ecosystem services, the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity was held on 23- 24 November 2018 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, at CBD COP-14. The Science-Policy Dialogue titled “Towards living in harmony with nature by 2050” was a dialogue between science, policy and civil society to discuss the role of science and policy in identifying the transitions needed, and to inform the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. One key objective of the Sharm el-Sheikh to Beijing Action agenda for Nature and People is to “Inspire and help implement Nature Based Solutions to meet key global challenges”. Judy Fisher gave a Plenary talk to the session on Scaling up: Nature-based solutions for the restoration agenda and beyond, titled Introduction of Nature based solutions into the Convention on Biological Diversity agenda and was a member of the Panel discussion which followed. Judy was also a Panel member for the Session on Understanding the need for restoration and using nature-based solutions, including in urban settings, to reach biodiversity targets, on the example of Africa. To learn more about this event, please visit theIUCN CEM Ecosystems and Invasive Species Page

Fisheries Expert Group participation in COP14

IUCN CEM Fisheries Expert Group (FEG) was represented at the COP by Jake Rice and Despina Symons as part of the IUCN Delegation in charge of agenda items related to marine and oceans biodiversity on EBSAs (Ecologically and biological significant areas) and OECM (other effective conservation measures) in relation to AICHI Targets 11 on MPAS. FEG has been contributing to both these processes in collaboration with the CBD Secretariat and FAO.

FEG also organized two side events in collaboration with the CBD Secretariat and FAO on: “Targets and delivery for food from the sea” (see agenda here); “Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) in the blue” (see agenda here)

Jake Rice also participated in the panel of one of the themes during the Ocean Voices Day related to fisheries (see agenda here)

LEADERSHIP CORNER

2nd World Forum on Ecosystem Governance(WFEG)2018 : A New Horizon for Better Future

The 2nd WFEG 2018 was held in Hangzhou, China during 3rd – 7th November 2018 to follow up the guidelines of the 1st WFEG 2015 and formulate the best possible measures to save the Ecosystems throughout the world. The forum was jointly organized by our Ecosystem Governance TG, NFGA P.R. China and Hangzhou Municipal Government. Almost 300 participants, including 76 international experts gathered there to discuss on the key issues of Ecosystem degradation and loss, as well as the ways to restore and manage them following UN SDGs. All those were to ensure better Ecosystem Governance.

On 5th November the inaugural ceremony was held in presence of IUCN Dir. Inger Anderson, Administrator of NFGA China. Dr. Madhav Karki, CEM’s Deputy Chair hosted a session in the opening ceremony. The main event was subdivided into 3 sub-forums namely: a)Natural Capital and Ecosystem Accounting, b)Ecosystem Governance in Urban and Rural Areas, and c) Ecosystem Governance and Public Engagement. The recommendations from these 3 sub-forums were incorporated in the final outcome of the 2nd WFEG 2018: “The Hangzhou Declaration.”

Words from our Ecosystem Governance thematic group leader.

Ecosystem Governance (EG) is one of the best approaches to achieve SDGs, as we can link the social and ecological systems in a more effective way. China has been promoting its concepts of eco-civilization and “Green is Gold” as ways to improve this relation between human and nature and considers them as part of EG. The forum is demonstrating however that all these processes can take time, even generations. EG must be integrated at all international levels to achieve SDGs. About 65 international experts from 20-25 countries and a total of 290 participants discussed issues related to ecosystem governance, mainly under the theme of rural-urban linkages and Chinese concept of eco-civilization. Some of the interesting highlights includes the Youth Forum on the first night where eight students from Chinese universities presented their case studies on history of restoration or conservation in different parts of China such as conservation of the Siberian tiger, the use of beekeeping and importance of bees for the protection of the habitat of the giant panda, and Youyu’s restoration through reforestation and ecotourism. The Hangzhou Declaration emphasizes the importance to work together in embracing EG and better integrating ecosystem values into national accounting and decision making. It was clear that much more needs to be done but such discussions are important to continue defining solutions.

CEM Vice Chair for Latin America in the first Mexican IUCN’s members forum.

October 23-25, 2018, Bernal Herrera-Fernández, Vice Chair for Latin America, represented the CEM in the 1st Mexican IUCN’s members forum, which took place in Mexico City. In this event, Dr. Herrera presented the work of the Commissions, participated in a forum where the priorities of the Commission, the opportunities to expand membership as well as priority issues at the national level where CEM can develop joint initiatives, were discussed. Among the main conclusions of this event is the interest in developing a project on the identification of the collapse risk of Mexican ecosystems (Red List of Ecosystems -RLE-) and the restoration of ecosystems. The mechanisms between the CEM and some Mexican institutions interested in these issues will be established to give the respective follow-up.

THEMATIC AREAS

Informing the global standard for Nature-based Solutions

At the 2016 World Conservation Congress, IUCN's members adopted a resolution (WCC-2016-Res-069-EN) on a definitional framework for Nature-based Solutions (NbS) with a set of eight preliminary principles. The resolution defines NbS as “actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits”. The membership called on IUCN's Director General and the Commissions to finalize the principles, parameters and guidelines for applying NbS, noting that users of the NbS concept need a common definition and guidance on its application, both of which are currently still lacking and a global standard for Nature-based Solutions will do just that.To ensure the uptake of this sustainable solution to societal challenges, the development of the IUCN Global Standard for the Design and Verification of Nature based Solutions is a collaborative process, with the aim of launching it at the Conservation Congress in 2020. How can you get involved and help to inform the criteria that will direct the use of Nature-based Solutions? The next consultation will run from mid-January to mid-March. Your project (past, present and future) may also be relevant for a pilot application of the standard in mid 2019; for this and any other queries please get in touch via [email protected]

First Workshop in Africa on neonicotinoids Organized by the South African Academy of Sciences, a first African workshop on systemic (neonicotinoid) pesticides took place in Pretoria from 15-17 November, 2018. Its objectives were to bring together experts and researchers on the use and/or impact of neonicotinoid insecticides in Africa, in particular on biodiversity and the agricultural sector, to establish a network for information exchange and joint activities and develop a plan for future activities, their coordination and the dissemination of findings. A delegation of the IUCN/CEM/SSC Task Force on Systemic Pesticides (TFSP), including its Chair and Vice-Chair, had been invited to review the present state of science based on the WIA and the EASAC report. The WIA, the “Worldwide Integrated Assessment of the Impact of Systemic Pesticides on Biodiversity and Ecosystems” had been prepared by TFSP and examined all literature on neonicotinoids (and also on fipronil). Given the great dependence of African economies and societies on agriculture, there is an urgent need to identify and collate data which would allow the potential risks in Africa to be better evaluated. This was the purpose of the workshop being held in November 2018 in which 14 African nations were represented, and which may well lead to an African version of the EASAC report. Africa is diverse, with many smallholder farmers reliant on a variety of insect-pollinated crops, as well as staples such as cassava and maize, and ‘contract’ crops grown for export, such as melons and pineapples. Evidence of the widespread use of neonicotinoids in Africa is now also emerging; e.g. in “A worldwide survey of neonicotinoids in honey” (October 2017 Science), honey samples from around the world, including from African countries showed some African samples containing three different neonicotinoid compounds. To learn more about this event and the TFSP research results and publications please visit our page.

Ecosystems and Invasive Species Thematic Group

This TG has been extremely active working on its holistic focus to Invasive Species over the past few months. One very important activity it has been working on is the now advertised IPBES Thematic Assessment on Invasive Species. The call is currently open for experts to nominate for this Assessment. The TG has been working since 2012 on establishing its approaches to invasive species very much aligned with linking to the IPBES Conceptual Framework which places it now in a very good position for the upcoming IPBES Assessment. You will have received the announcement through the IUCN on nominating for the IPBES Invasive Species Assessment and the TG encourages you all -particularly those working on an holistic Ecosystem Approach- to the topic to consider nominating for this important global Assessment. Please visit the E. & Invasives TG web page to update yourselves on its approaches . If anyone would like to seek further information please contact Judy Fischer

IUCN Red List of Ecosystems in the Guianas - Training Workshop

On October 24-25, 2018, a Red List of Ecosystems Training Workshop was held in Georgetown, Guiana. The workshop was organized by Conservation International and UICN-Sur, with the collaboration of members from the RLE Thematic group (José Ferrer-Paris and Irene Zager) and the RLE Programme Officer (Nima Raghunathan), who jointly lead the training. The workshop aimed to provide an overview of the methodology, explain the set of categories and criteria, and illustrate the process of undertaking RLE assessments, all this under the vision of helping prioritize investments in mangrove ecosystem management and restoration.

Joint Training Workshop on Species and Ecosystems Red Lists – Venezuela

In a major collaboration, the IUCN's Red List of Ecosystems team, together with the Species Survival Commission (SSC), carried out a joint training course on risk assessments of species and ecosystem collapse in Venezuela. The event was organized by the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC) and Provita, in collaboration with the International Center for Tropical Ecology (CIET). This course aimed to increase the number of conservation practitioners and policy-makers that thoroughly understand the process, and was endorsed and included in the IVIC's ecology graduate program.

IUCN CEM participates at the 10th Anniversary of ACES

A Community on Ecosystem Services (ACES) represents a dynamic and growing international assembly of professionals (researchers, practitioners and decision makers) from government, NGOs, academia, indigenous groups and the private sector involved with ecosystem services. It brings together this community in partnership with Ecosystem Markets and the Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP), providing an open forum to share experiences, methods and tools, for assessing and incorporating ecosystem services into public and private decisions. The 10th Anniversary of ACES was celebrated at their recent conference in Washington DC, USA (December 3-6, 2018). The Plenaries, Presentation Sessions, Town Hall Meetings, Poster Sessions and ‘adhoc’ meetings linked state-of-the-art science, practice, and decision making in ecosystem services across this community. Leads of the Ecosystem Services Thematic Group (Simone Maynard) and Nature-based Solutions Thematic Group (Emmanuelle Cohen-Shacham) participated in ACES 2018. During the event they contributed to and learnt from different ways to advance the use of ecosystem services science and practice in natural resource management and decision making. Simone Maynard presented research she conducted with colleagues on ‘national policy up-take of nature-human wellbeing relationships in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas’. In addition, she had the privilege of moderating the Closing Plenary for ACES’s 10th Anniversary. During the Plenary Simone led the keynote speakers and the audience through a synthesis of the conferences’ activities, and lively discussion on lessons learnt - both positive and negative - including the needs and opportunities for future ACES conferences.

REGIONAL NEWS

Environmental Challenges and Sustainability

The International Conference on Environmental Challenges and Sustainability (ICECS 2018) was attended by almost 250 participants and delegates. The three days conference marked with the active participation of 53 renowned institutions, organizations, universities, colleges, and industries of India and Malaysia. The conference was multi-disciplinary, set up in a manner of open discussions for all the participants and in concord with problems, abatement, mitigations and sustainable solutions. The themes of the technical as well as poster sessions were (i) Environmental Pollution and Management (Soil, Water, and Air), (ii) Biodiversity Conservation and Nature Resource Management, (iii) Ecosystem Goods and Services, (iv) Climate Change Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction, (v) Ecofriendly and Cleaner Bioprocesses, and (vi) Geoinformatics applications for Environment Management. Total eighteen awards were given to students and scholars in six different poster sessions with cash prize, certificate and memento. To read more about this event please visit the CEM South Asia page or read the report.

CEM Regional Chair for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, presented a case study on transboundary water governance at international symposium Rocío Córdoba, Chair of CEM in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, was invited by the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Republic of Peru to participate in the "First International Symposium on Transboundary Waters for Latin America" held in Lima, Peru during the 8th and November 9, 2018. Rocío presented the case of the Binational Commission of the Sixaola River Basin between Costa Rica and Panama. The experiences of the project "Building river dialogue and governance” executed by the IUCN (Environmental Law Centre and the Global Water Programme, together with several IUCN’s regions) with the support of the SDC, were emphasized in the presentation. More than 100 people from different Latin American countries attended this symposium. During the presentation, it was also pointed out the need to have the participation of all sectors and actors in the water resources governance, as well as to build the principles of “good neighborhood” based on biodiversity and the goods and services provided by ecosystems as well as on the international law principles. Finally, emphasis was placed on the need for the involvement of actors with decision-making and in this particular case of the foreign affairs ministries of the countries in order to have support at the highest level.

Celebrating International Mountain Day: 'Himalaya Matters for Ecological and Economic Security'

The majestic Himalaya has been recognized amongst 35 global biodiversity hotspots. This region forms a discrete geographic and ecological entity endowed with overwhelming richness, representativeness and uniqueness of bio-physical diversity. The region is also recognised as a cultural landscape wherein diverse cultures and ecosystems are mutually supportive. Most importantly, the life support values of Ecosystem Services, emanating from the Himalaya are globally recognized. However, the rapid changes in the Himalaya due to diverse reasons ranging from land use to climate change, disasters to globalization, and unprecedented increase of urbanization to waste, etc., have attracted the wide attention. The consequences of these changes not only affect life in the Himalaya but much beyond its physical boundaries. This calls for actions at local, national, regional, and global levels so as to sustain this global asset and harness its services for improving quality of life in the region. Keeping this in view, and to mark the International Mountain Day 2018, G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment & Sustainable Development (GBPNIHESD) joined hands with Central Himalayan Environment Association (CHEA) and CEM South Asia to organize a daylong workshop with brainstorming 'Himalaya Matters for Ecological and Economic Security' which was held on December 11.

Ecosystem based Adaptation (EbA) and Human Well-being Webinar in Mesoamerica Facilitated by the CEM Region Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean; the Regional IUCN Office for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean (ORMACC); and the Environmental Law Centre (ELC) of IUCN, a two-hour webinar was jointly organized and held on November 29. The theme was ecosystem based adaptation (EbA) as part of natural solutions, which is a priority theme for CEM for the IUCN programme, 2017-2020. The webinar was attended by 23 people from seven countries from different institutions and government organizations. This discussion seminar was based on the experiences of the AVE project (Adaptation Vulnerability and Ecosystems) implemented by ORMACC and the ELC together with various members and partners of IUCN in Mesoamerica. The need for information, training, governance and efficiency of the EbA was discussed to face the main challenges that humanity faces: climate change, food security, water security, human health, natural disasters, loss of biodiversity, socio-economic development. The participants showed satisfaction about the presentations and they also expressed concerns about what to do so that all the stakeholders get involved in the implementation of EbA measures. They were very interested in knowing more and having access to the tools that are being prepared through this project. The political influencing and how to get on board large corporations to incorporate the EbA within their activities, was one of the biggest concerns expressed by the participants of the webinar. The webinar was also recorded and the link distributed through the participants and all members of CEM in Mesoamerica and the Caribbean and can be reached here.

IUCN CEM builds bridges across Oceania and the World

SAVE THE DATE! Learning from successful ACES conferences in the United States and those of the Ecosystem Services Partnership, in 2017 Simone Maynard (Lead, Ecosystem Services Thematic Group) initiated the Oceania Ecosystem Services Forum (OESF). Underpinning the OESF’s initiation was recognition that people and nature must function together to address sustainability issues effecting the Oceania region; and addressing these issues will require dialogue and action from all sectors (community, government, business, academia, indigenous peoples, NGOs, finance) within and outside the Oceania region.

Although stakeholder participation in global and Asia Pacific programs, assessments, networks and conferences is common for those in Australia and New Zealand (two most developed countries in Oceania), there is regular under-representation by smaller island nations and territories the majority of which are Members of the UN’s Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The first face-to-face forum of the OESF was held in Brisbane (Australia: March 2017) and attracted ~200 people. It brought some of the best ecosystem services research, practice and knowledge from around the world to the Oceania region and showcased some of the best ecosystem services research, practice and knowledge occurring in the Oceania region to the rest of the world. IUCN ran a Side Event during OESF 2017 that explored IUCN’s strategies and work on ecosystem services and nature-based solutions both in the region and globally. Participants developed the Brisbane Declaration on Ecosystem Services and Sustainability in the Oceania Region and a short Policy Brief. A Special Issue journal titled ‘Ecosystem service approaches to addressing the sustainability issues of Oceania’ is to be released in Ecosystem Services in 2019. The second face-to-face forum will be hosted by Scion in Christchurch, New Zealand from 2-6 September 2019. You can follow the OESF through the website, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

SPOTLIGHT ON ECOSYSTEMS IUCN presence at the 3rd Digital Belt and Road (DBAR) Conference

Under the auspices of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and many international sponsors, the third DBAR conference was held in Tengchong city, Yunnan, China from the 5-7 December. DBAR initiated in 2016 by Chinese scientists in cooperation with experts from 19 countries and 7 international organizations. The initiative aims to improve environmental monitoring, promote data sharing and support policymaking using big data on Earth observations. The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is investing more than200 million yuan (US$32 million) in the next 5 years to support DBAR. The programme will monitor different types of ecosystem and their evolution, including , forests, glaciers, urban areas, farmland and coastal regions. Environmental and socio-economic information will be shared through a platform for big Earth data, scheduled for roll-out between 2016 and 2026. This open-access gatewayenvisions to allow researchers, policymakers and the public to track environmental changes and trends. The initiative has established a range of Working Groups of open membership, and working groups such as Coast are welcoming new members. This year’s conference hosted several sessions examining the applications of Big Earth Data for sustainable development in fields ranging from coastal and marine ecosystems, disaster mitigation, natural and cultural heritage to High Mountains and the Artic. Prof. Graciela Metternicht -CEM- DESG co-lead and Visiting Scientist of the CAS- delivered a keynote address on Big Earth Data enabling baseline data collection in support of the SDG indicators, and a joint session on Big Earth Data for sustainable coastal development and management, organised by DBAR-COAST working group and IUCN Bangladesh Country Office (Mr Rabiqul Amin). Dr Thomas Brooks, IUCN Chief Scientist was also present at the event.

Innovations for sustainable use of agricultural resources and climate-adaption in the arid steppes of and southwest Siberia (ReKKS).

The interdisciplinary joint project “Innovations for sustainable use of agricultural resources and climate-adaption in the arid steppes of Kazakhstan and southwest Siberia (ReKKS)” is part of the BMBF-Funding Measure “CLIENT II – international partnerships for sustainable innovations“ which aims to improve the knowledge and develop practical approaches and adaptation strategies for ecologically friendly and economically profitable agriculture in arid steppe regions. It was launched in the steppe part of Kazakhstan and Russia, involving government agencies, academic institutions, private farms and associations. In the arid steppe regions of Kazakhstan and southwestern Siberia, the problems of soil degradation, climate change, and change of land use necessitates innovations for a sustainable use of agricultural resources. By a combination of research, development, and implementation, the project aims at developing innovative, sustainable, and climate-adapted agricultural concepts and to support infrastructure for an information and advisory system.

The project was presented by the speaker of ReKKS, Prof. Georg Guggenberger, at the CBD COP 14 within the side event “Innovations for sustainable land use in Central Asia: Implementing Aichi-Targets 7, 4, 8 and 19”. With respect to the Biodiversity Convention the project’s philosophy was presented that an optimized agricultural production in an ecologically and economically sustainable way can reduce pressure on native steppe ecosystems and provide opportunities for steppe rehabilitation. Important results obtained by Prof. Tatyana Bragina (Lead of CEM Holarctic Steppes SG) on the analysis of the response of the soil invertebrate communities in response to climate, soil type, and particularly land use and soil management were presented at the talk. There was a very positive feedback on the talk, particularly by representatives of Kazakhstan and other central Asian countries. The project is closely linked to the key tasks of the CEM: resilience of ecosystems and their dependent communities, specific ecosystems and biome oriented activities with attention to the management of specific ecosystems such as steppes. For more information.

Have your say! Survey on the potential contribution of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) to enhancing the well-being and livelihoods of people as well as the state of the environment

The Science-Policy Interface (SPI) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) wishes to invite you to participate in a survey on the potential contribution of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) to enhancing the well-being and livelihoods of people as well as the state of the environment. More investigation is needed for more effective implementation of LDN by: 1) learning from experiences; 2) understanding the role of enabling and reinforcing factors, including land governance; 3) identification of options to enhance the benefits of LDN for human well-being and livelihoods. The information you provide through this survey is planned to feed into deliverables of objective 1.2 of the SPI Work Programme 2018- 2019, adopted by decision 21/COP.13, and has a great potential of shaping deliberations of the fourteenth session of the UNCCD Conference of the Parties in October 2019. Responses will be stored anonymously and the results of the survey will be presented in an aggregated format without identifying individual respondents. Please access this link. It will only take 20 minutes to complete the survey and share your views on what is needed to achieve and maintain LDN in terms of policies, incentives, and support for implementation. Should you have any questions, please contact Cameron Allen. The survey will be closed on 24th December 2018. The Science-Policy Interface (SPI) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) wishes to invite you to participate in a survey on the potential contribution of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) to enhancing the well-being and livelihoods of people as well as the state of the environment. More investigation is needed for more effective implementation of LDN by: 1) learning from experiences; 2) understanding the role of enabling and reinforcing factors, including land governance; 3) identification of options to enhance the benefits of LDN for human well-being and livelihoods. All this will help refine the implementation of LDN. The information you provide through this survey is planned to feed into deliverables of objective 1.2 of the SPI Work Programme 2018-2019, adopted by decision 21/COP.13, and has a great potential of shaping deliberations of the fourteenth session of the UNCCD Conference of the Parties in October 2019. Responses will be stored anonymously and the results of the survey will be presented in an aggregated format without identifying individual respondents. Please access this link. It will only take 20 minutes to complete the survey and share your views on what is needed to achieve and maintain LDN in terms of policies, incentives, and support for implementation. Should you have any questions, please contact Cameron Allen. The survey will be closed on 24th December 2018.

Assessment of Annual Rates and Levels of Abandoned, Lost and Discarded Fishing Gear in Global Marine Capture Fisheries CEM is conducting a study to estimate annual rates and levels of derelict fishing gear that is inputted into global seas annually.There is relatively limited information available on levels of marine debris, including from abandoned, lost and discarded gear (ALDFG), also called derelict fishing gear. FAO made a back of the envelope estimate in 2009 that 6.4 million tonnes of marine debris are inputted to global seas annually, mainly from land-based sources, and that ALDFG composed less than 10% of this total by volume at a global scale. The amount, distribution and effects of ALDFG very likely have risen, substantially, over past decades with the rapid expansion of fishing effort and fishing grounds, and the transition to synthetic, more durable and more buoyant materials used for fishing gears. CEM is conducting a study to estimate annual rates and levels of derelict fishing gear that is inputted into global seas annually. There is relatively limited information available on levels of marine debris, including from abandoned, lost and discarded gear (ALDFG), also called derelict fishing gear. FAO made a back of the envelope estimate in 2009 that 6.4 million tonnes of marine debris are inputted to global seas annually, mainly from land-based sources, and that ALDFG composed less than 10% of this total by volume at a global scale. The amount, distribution and effects of ALDFG very likely have risen, substantially, over past decades with the rapid expansion of fishing effort and fishing grounds, and the transition to synthetic, more durable and more buoyant materials used for fishing gears.

Most marine debris is now made of synthetic plastics, some readily visible, some microscopic. Marine debris causes a variety of ecological and socioeconomic problems, including obstructing navigation, altering and damaging habitat, transporting and spreading species, transferring toxins into marine food webs, causing injury and mortality when ingested by marine life, and causing ghost fishing.Since no robust estimates have been made of the amount of ALDFG that is inputted to global seas annually – there is no benchmark against which to assess the efficacy of initiatives to curb this component of marine debris. This study will contribute to addressing the gap in knowledge of the amount of derelict gear that is produced annually, by gear type and region, estimating: a) the rates of annual abandonment, loss and discarding of fishing gear (ALDFG); and b) Annual raised (extrapolated) global levels of ALDFG for gear types for which data on global catch and effort are available. For more information about the project visit here , and to assist with the expert survey please write to [email protected] (Dr. Eric Gilman, Dr. Milani Chaloupka, Dr. Laurent Lebreton).

YOUTH

Members of CEM Young Professional Network (YPN) attending regional activities. Two young people from the CEM Young Professionals Network (YPN) for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean participated in activities related to CEM priority areas of the IUCN program. Lemuel Family from Dominican Republic, participated in October 2018as a speaker and member of the CEM in the XII Congreso Latinoamericano de Botánica, Quito, Ecuador where more than 600 professionals from around the world attended. Lemuel who works with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in Dominican Republic, presented the case on the: State of Conservation of the “Pantanos” of Pterocarpus officinalis Jacq. on the island Española. He provided the preliminary results of the research carried out by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of the Dominican Republic and executed by the Biodiversity Directorate and in collaboration with several of the thematic groups within the CEM. These are few studies on these marshes in the Española island. These ecosystems present serious problems of conservation. However, thanks to the work done for a national report on their situation, diverse restoration and conservation actions have been taking place on this type of ecosystems. The evaluation of RLE on these “Pantanos de Pterocarpus” categorized them as critically threatened (CR), the most serious threats are related to agriculture, livestock and infrastructure (urban, tourist). Other threats are, climate change and the effects caused by the fragmentation of habitat to biotic communities. This scenario represented the opportunity not only to make these results public, but to contribute to the knowledge of these ecosystems in the Caribbean. This is an opportunity to strengthen and establish international relations as well as to continue carrying out conservation projects in favor of this type of ecosystem that are present in almost the entire Caribbean basin.

José Luis Fournier Rodríguez from Costa Rica, as a member of the CEM, spoke about the experience of the Cahuita community in the administration and management of the Cahuita National Park in the Caribbean of Costa Rica. The presentation showed a research developed in the protected area to evaluate its shared governance model through indicators of good governance. This presentation was made by José Luis on November 7, 2018 at the request of the ORMACC, to students and professors of the University of Puerto Rico-Humacao. They were visiting Costa Rica on a tour of several weeks with the intention of knowing experiences of management and conservation of natural resources in the country. The visitors wanted to learn about citizen participation experiences. José Luis is a consultant and professor of the Academic Master's Degree in Sustainable Development at the University of Costa Rica.

WHAT'S ON THE CALENDAR?

3rd Latin American and Caribbean Congress on Protected Areas (Lima-Perú, 17-20 March 2019).

The third edition of the Latin American and Caribbean Congress on Protected Areas has the slogan “Solutions for well-being and sustainable development”. The Congress will be an exchange space for the exchange of experiences, and debate on public policies, offering the opportunity for government authorities, multilateral agencies, grassroots and indigenous community leaders, private sector and academia to expose their experiences and perspectives to promote protected areas as solutions for human well-being. CEM is part of the technical committee of the Congress, leading the 3rd strategic plan together with the Colombian and Mexican protected area authorities on systems, approaches to landscapes, broad territorial management and integration of social and economic sectors. CEM also leads the transversal axis on climate change. During the Congress, CEM will be host of a symposium on RLE where case studies and experiences will be presented from several Latin American countries. CEM will also participate on expert lectures and other events where priority areas of the commission will be promoted. For more information about the Congress website.

SUME’s to meet in Croatia, Spring 2019 (April 23-25) After holding a regional meeting for the Americas last year in Lima, Peru, the TG on Sustainable Use and Management of Ecosystems (SUME) will meet for Eurasia and Africa in Karlovac, Croatia, during April 23-25 next spring. Together with the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), and the International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey (IAF, an IUCN-member since 1996), SUME has been innovating multilingual networks of linked websites to engage local communities for conservation of ecosystems through use of their wild living resources. The portal software for the latest of these, www.perdixnet.org will be used to launch a global-with-local version of the 7-year-old Europe-based Naturalliance. The aim is that SUME’s ‘glocal’ operation should cover all continents in more than 30 national languages by WCC7. Do join our meeting, in beautiful Croatia just before IPBES Plenary in Paris, to see how this effort could aid your group activities.

Oxford Spring School in Ecological Economics

Environment Europe is pleased to announce that the deadline for the Spring School to take place 24 - 30 March 2019 at St Hilda's College, Oxford has been extended until 1 January 2019. This year the School is devoted to Green Economy for Countries, Cities and Regions: Ecosystems, Economy, Policy. The programme includes interventions from The Club of Rome, Sustainable Europe Research Institute The Open University, Imperial College London, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Institute of Sustainable Development Strategies and Environment Europe. For more details please visit here.

Remote Sensing for Conservation & Biodiversity Organization: NASA Applied Remote Sensing Training Program (ARSET) 22-24 January 2019

Course Overview The United Nations Millennium Ecosystem Assessment states: “ecosystems are critical to human well-being - to our health, our prosperity, our security, and to our social and cultural identity.” Conservation and biodiversity management play important roles in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Earth observations can help with these efforts. This online webinar series introduces participants to the use of satellite data for conservation and biodiversity applications. The series will highlight specific projects that have successfully used satellite data. Examples include monitoring chimpanzee habitat loss, decreasing whale mortality, detecting penguins, monitoring wildfires, and biodiversity observation networks.

Learning Objectives: By the end of this training, attendees will: • be able to outline uses of remote sensing for habitat suitability, species population dynamics, and monitoring wildfires • learn about the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEOBON), Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON), and essential biodiversity variables Training URL

PUBLICATIONS The first issue of Harnessing Nature Magazine is now available online. The digital magazine is an annual compendium of selected articles from the Harnessing Nature blog. Launched in June this year, Harnessing Nature has received contributions on nature based solutions, ecosystem restoration, ecosystem management and Red List of species & ecosystems. The magazine is currently under consideration for being published and distributed from the IUCN headquarters (Gland, Switzerland) to strengthen South Asia voices at the global level. To contribute an article please do not hesitate to contact Amartya Deb sharing your initial thoughts using the Submit an Article form. Amartya is Commission Member with CEM and is Managing Editor of Harnessing Nature.

The first IUCN-RLE continental assessment of “Forests of the Americas” has been accepted for publication! Focusing on the forests of the Americas, a group of scientists from the RLE TG conducted the first IUCN Red List of Ecosystems continental assessment. The manuscript "An ecosystem risk assessment of temperate and tropical forests of the Americas with an outlook on future conservation strategies" was recently accepted for publication in Conservation Letters. The continental assessment includes 136 types of tropical and temperate forest ecosystems and is the first systematic ecosystem risk assessment to couple risk assessment with a scenario analysis to identify cost-effective options for conservation action to reduce the risks.

Assessing vulnerability of forest ecosystem in the Indian Western Himalayan region using trends of net primary productivity. Manoj Kumar1 · Savita2 · Hukum Singh3 · Rajiv Pandey4 · M. P. Singh5 · N. H. Ravindranath6 · Naveen Kalra7 Biodiversity and Conservation Read the Paper

Predicting impacts of climate variability on habitats of Hippophae salicifolia T (D. Don) (Seabuckthorn) in Central Himalayas: Future challenges. Shalini Dhyania,⁎, Rakesh Kadaverugub,⁎, Deepak Dhyanic, Parikshit Vermad, Paras Pujaria Ecological Informatics 48 (2018) 135–146

Localizing SDGs in India using Nature based Solutions (NbS) Current Science, Vol. 115, No. 8, 25 October 2018

IUCN WCPA Best Practice Guidelines No. 28: Tools for measuring, modelling, and valuing ecosystem services Increasing interest in measuring, modelling and valuing ecosystem services has resulted in the development of an array of assessment tools and selecting one can be challenging. This document provides guidance for practitioners, with an explicit focus on assessing ecosystem services provided by Key Biodiversity Areas, natural World Heritage sites and protected areas. Read more

Crossing boundaries: Legal and policy arrangements for cross-border pastoralism Pastoralism has been broadly defined as “extensive livestock production in the rangelands” and it is practiced throughout the world in response to certain ecological conditions. While there is considerable diversity in pastoralism worldwide, there are also a number of common features, such as herd mobility and herd diversity, and these commonalities point to a common logic underlying this unique system of land use. In its various forms, pastoralism occupies about one-third of all land on earth, providing high-value livestock products while simultaneously protecting a vast area of natural heritage.

In many countries, pastoralism has historically been practiced in areas that are now partitioned by international boundaries. This is a major barrier to sustainable resource management and to pastoral development. There is, however, a growing recognition of the rationale of mobility for sustainable pastoralism and there are examples from around the world of efforts to facilitate transboundary movements and transboundary ecosystem management by pastoralists. This publication provides a review of various legal and policy arrangements, and offers successful examples of pastoral mobility from across the world. It aims to inspire and inform action by governments and civil society actors to develop legislation and other forms of legal instruments and cooperative agreements for transboundary pastoralism. Download PDF

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