IUCN - EU Outermost Regions and Overseas Countries and Territories Programme

New funds for Europe overseas’ BEST!

2013-02-22

The Director General of IUCN and the Director of the French Aid Agency (AFD) signed a financial agreement of 800,000 Euros last December. The grant aims at supporting the BEST initiative for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in the EU Outermost Regions and Overseas Countries and Territories, as well as IUCN’s work on the establishment of a dedicate tool for Europe overseas’ biodiversity.

Building a vision for Pacific Islands

2012-12-10

The Pacific Oceanscape, proposed in 2009 by the Hon. Anote Tong, Prime Minister of Kiribati, and endorsed by Pacific Island leaders in 2010, fosters cooperation on ocean conservation. It provides a strong vision for conservation and sustainable management of the Pacific’s wealth of marine resources.

INTERVIEW: IUCN’s efforts to protect Europe overseas

2012-12-10

Carole Martinez joined IUCN Europe in October 2012 after working previously on protected areas and ecosystem management issues with IUCN's National Committee in France and on regional cooperation challenges at the French Marine Protected Areas Agency. Carole is Coordinator of the IUCN EU Outermost Regions (ORs) and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) Programme.

Marine biodiversity conservation in Europe overseas

2012-12-10

Many of the 30+ overseas territories of the European Union are islands and much of their biodiversity occurs in the seas and the oceans surrounding them. A recent workshop under the European Parliament Intergroup on “Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development” organized jointly with IUCN addressed the challenges of Europe overseas in protecting their marine biodiversity.

Good news from the Caribbean

2012-12-04

Nine protected areas in the European overseas territories in the Caribbean have been listed since 2010 under the SPAW (Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife) Protocol of the Cartegena Convention. The SPAW Protocol is the only legally-binding international agreement on biodiversity in the Wider Caribbean, and a key mechanism for strengthening cooperation and increasing consideration of ecological connectivity within the Wider Caribbean.

Beyond mainland: UK Overseas Territories

2012-11-06

The UK Biodiversity Framework which is designed to give a common frame to the UK countries’ strategies applies also to the UK Overseas Territories (OTs).

Grand Cayman Blue Iguana takes step back from extinction

2012-10-20

The Grand Cayman Blue Iguana (Cyclura lewisi) has taken a formal step back from extinction this year. The announcement comes with the latest update to The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, which was released in India this week by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Atlas digital mundial de zonas marinas importantes para las aves

2012-10-18

BirdLife International presenta un Atlas digital mundial de Áreas Importantes para la Conservación de las Aves (IBA) marinas. SEO/BirdLife, miembro de UICN, fue el primer socio de BirdLife, junto con la Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves (SPEA) en Portugal, que abordó formalmente la identificación de IBA marinas. El e-Atlas de IBA marinas marca un gran avance en la disponibilidad de datos para gestionar los océanos del mundo.

Islands show the way to conserve nature

2012-10-18

A range of new and significant commitments to conserve nature in Europe’s overseas islands and regions were announced at Island Innovations, a dynamic high level event held during the UN Conference on Biodiversity (CBD COP11), in Hyderabad, India. Those include the continuous support of the European Parliament to the EU's BEST Preparatory Action and the British Virgin Islands’ involvement in the Caribbean Challenge Initiative.

Species from the Pacific added to IUCN Red List

2012-10-18

New information for Pacific Island freshwater fishes, land snails and reptiles is part of the latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ released today by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These data indicate that 32% of these species are threatened with extinction.

Big Plan for nature needs Big Action now

2012-10-08

Governments must take action and invest in nature to secure the diversity of life on earth and address today’s development challenges – urges IUCN at the 11th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP11), which starts today in Hyderabad, India.

Ocean acidity - new Google Earth tour

2012-10-01

A new guide on ocean acidification and a new tour on Google Earth, showing the speed and scale of impact CO₂ emissions will have on the ocean, is being launched today at The Ocean in a High CO2 World Symposium in Monterey, California.

Conserving the coral reefs and rainforests of Europe

2012-09-28

"Seen from the urban environment of Brussels, the direct link between biodiversity and human well-being might seem like a vague concept. But for the people of French Polynesia, it is an obvious reality," writes Jean-Philippe Palasi, EU Policy Director at Conservation International (CI), an IUCN Member.

Green gets gold at Nature’s Olympics

2012-09-15

Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, 15 September 2012 (IUCN) – As economic difficulties continue to dominate international debate, IUCN’s World Conservation Congress has put nature back centre stage in the quest to recover our natural assets and use nature to solve a growing list of economic and social issues.

The wonders of New Caledonia

2012-09-11

New Caledonia is a global biodiversity hotspot – the smallest single hotspot in the world. It is home to extremely rich terrestrial and marine biodiversity, and has one of the highest observed rates of endemism in the world for terrestrial flora. New Caledonia, a French overseas territory in the Pacific, is in the spotlight in this month’s European Country Focus.

Sea turtle conservation in French Guiana

2012-07-16

Located within the unique Amazon ecosystems of French Guiana is Awala-Yalimapo beach, the most important nesting site for endangered Leatherback turtles and an essential habitat for Green and Olive Ridley turtles. An evaluation of the recovery plan for these turtles has recently been conducted to assess its effectiveness and to account for the progress that has been made since its implementation over the last five years.

EU overseas islands - green growth generators in their regions

2012-07-11

“The legal framework of cooperation between the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) and the European Union (EU) is currently being reviewed. It is now the appropriate time to think about how the environment, research, innovation and green growth can be included in this partnership,” said Mr Maurice Ponga, Member of the European Parliament, during the seminar “From the Arctic to the Tropics: Green Growth in the OCTs”.

Protecting endangered sharks

2012-06-25

Endangered sharks in the waters of the United Kingdom (UK) and its overseas territories will be given greater protection following the signing of an international agreement on the conservation of sharks, UK Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon announced last week.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: France ranks fifth worldwide

2012-06-22

In the latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ published on 19 June, France ranks 5th in the world for hosting the largest number of endangered plant and animal species. Most of these species are located in the French overseas territories. With 983 globally threatened species, France has a major responsibility at global and European level to fight against biodiversity loss.

Dutch Caribbean Whale Sanctuary this year

2012-06-21

Before the end of 2012, the Netherlands will set up a marine mammal sanctuary for whales and dolphins in the Dutch Caribbean waters, recently announced the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. This is one of the outcomes of a meeting with the neighboring countries of the Dutch Islands in the Caribbean, the French Islands, the USA, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, about the cooperation between whale sanctuaries.