IUCN - Asia News

Cleaning up India’s lakes

2013-05-23

With the support of a Rolex Award for Enterprise, a young man – Arun Krishnamurthy – is following his true passion to conserve the environment by spearheading a campaign to clean up the urban lakes of India.

Marine turtle conservation in Viet Nam – more is needed!

2013-05-23

Viet Nam’s coastal provinces used to be important nesting grounds for many species of marine turtle. But the numbers of nesting sites has declined sharply over the past 10 years as beaches have been converted to shrimp ponds, hotels, and other uses, and marine turtles have been killed as fishing by-catch or suffocated by plastic bags. For the past five years, IUCN, with funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS), has partnered with the Sub-Department of Capture Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DECAFIREF) in Binh Dinh Province to promote the conservation of marine turtles.

Biodiversity and water: two of a kind

2013-05-22

Today we celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity. Its theme, Water and Biodiversity, coincides with the designation of 2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation and highlights the indispensible role of nature in our water security and the sustainable development of our planet.

Conserving the Diversity of Life - International Day for Biological Diversity

2013-05-22

May 22nd has been declared the International Day for Biological Diversity to highlight why we need to stop the biodiversity loss if we were to sustain life on Earth

Coming soon: Guidelines to engage contributors and users in IPBES

2013-05-21

Engaging the most relevant experts in the IPBES work is one of the greatest challenges that this new platform is facing. Following the invitation from the IPBES State Members, IUCN and the International Council for Science (ICSU) are proposing a strategy to ensure appropriate stakeholder involvement in line with the IPBES purposes and principles.

New book shows the power of ecosystems to protect us

2013-05-21

Healthy and well-managed ecosystems reduce the risk of disasters and strengthen our ability to adapt to the effects of climate change, according to a new book launched by the Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR).

From risk to opportunity: reducing the risk of disasters the natural way

2013-05-19

Healthy ecosystems and sound environmental management can go a long way in protecting people from disasters. But this fact is not yet widely appreciated among the many parties responsible for reducing the risk of disasters and responding to them once they happen.

Stakeholders showed commitment in research on community forestry and agro-forestry of Nepal

2013-05-18

The inception of research project on “Enhancing livelihoods and food security from agro-forestry and community forestry in Nepal” is concluded today which included national level inceoption meeting, district consultation and field visit over the period of one week from 12th May to 17th May. This five-year research project is funded by Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR).

Food Security: making the ecosystem connections

2013-05-16

Worldwide, 870 million people go hungry every day. With the world population projected to exceed nine billion people by 2050, global agricultural output must expand by an estimated 60% to meet global food needs.

Transboundary Fish Trade Study Presented at the Mekong Environmental Symposium

2013-05-16

IUCN Lao PDR recently put together a team of researchers from Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Thailand to conduct a study on employment generation of the fish trade along one of the three major transboundary routes in the region, between Stung Treng, Cambodia; Champassak, Lao PDR; and Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.

Zoning to adapt

2013-05-16

Sustainable Coastal Management is one of the key mechanisms to ensure a better chance for Kampot and its people to cope with impacts from both climate and non-climate factors.

Ecosystems are transboundary

2013-05-15

In early 2013, two bordering provinces of Thailand and Cambodia discussed possible transboundary collaboration. A group of 34 representatives from communities, academy, local government offices in Trat, as well as a team of the Sustainable Development Foundation and IUCN, travelled to Koh Kong, Cambodia to meet with H.E. Say Socheat, Deputy Governor of Koh Kong province, and other officials, as part of the European Union funded project Building Resilience to Climate Change Impacts in Coastal Southeast Asia (BCR).

Action is needed to preserve the world’s most inspiring natural sites

2013-05-15

IUCN recommends taking action to tackle major threats to natural sites ahead of the 37th World Heritage Committee this June, including the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania.

All our cousins on display

2013-05-14

The first book to profile all species of primates, with illustrations of every species and insights into their role in nature and value to humans, has been launched today by Lynx Edicions in association with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Conservation International (CI).

Economic valuation of ecosystems take spotlight in Sri Lanka training for coastal planners

2013-05-14

Mangroves for the Future (MFF) over the past few years has been supporting financially in building capacity of member organizations of the National Coordinating Bodies (NCBs) through several overseas training programmes. In 2012, MFF introduced in-country training based on the needs of respective NCB member organizations and two such programmes were held during that year.

"Mekong Days"

2013-05-11

Robert Mather, Head of IUCN Southeast Asia Group, was in Washington, DC for the U.S. debut of the film “MEKONG”, which examines the issues of hydropower development and its impact on Mekong citizens' lives. IUCN, Institute for Global Sustainable Development (IGSD), Challenge Programme for Food and Water (CPWF), and the Goethe Institute set up the debut of the film during the DC Environmental Film Fest, and also planned related “Mekong Days” -- several days of events held over 22-27th March 2013, highlighting issues related to the Mekong, including panels at the Goethe Institute and the Woodrow Wilson Center in which Robert participated.

FATA Secretariat and IUCN Pakistan sign a Memorandum of Understanding to manage an Environmental Cell at the FATA Secretariat

2013-05-08

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between IUCN Pakistan and the Federally Administered Tribal Area Secretariat at a ceremony, here in Islamabad today.

Mai Root and Bang Chan Villagers Welcome IUCN Director General

2013-05-07

From 5-6 March 2013, the Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Julia Marton-Lefèvre, came to visit Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF) and IUCN’s joint project field sites, where coastal communities are responding to both climate and human induced change.

A billion-dollar business puts species and people at risk

2013-04-29

Gland, Switzerland, 28 April 2013 – At least 12% of groupers – globally-important food fish species that live on coral and rocky reefs – face extinction, putting the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people around the world at risk, finds a report published today by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission’s (IUCN SSC) Grouper and Wrasse Specialist Group.

A billion-dollar business puts species and people at risk

2013-04-28

At least 12% of groupers – globally-important food fish species that live on coral and rocky reefs – face extinction, putting the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people around the world at risk, finds a report published today by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission’s (IUCN SSC) Grouper and Wrasse Specialist Group.