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Current Articles
22-Mar-2016, views: 1454
1.2 billion people live in areas where water is physically scarce and 2.7 billion people - 40% of the world's population - suffer water shortages for at least one month each year. 22 March is World Water Day, an international day to inspire action to tackle these issues. We're calling on civil society, governments and the private sector to take action for wetlands to help secure water for all.
16-Mar-2016, views: 2037
The programme in Northern Java to stop coastal erosion through Building with Nature has won the annual award yesterday for innovative engineering solutions in the Netherlands. The programme was submitted by Witteveen+Bos, because the programme uses low cost techniques with high impact for people and nature. On behalf of the project, dr. ir. Rob Nieuwkamer from Witteveen+Bos, received the award, in the presence of Princess Beatrix and Princess Mabel and many prominent people from the engineering world.
01-Mar-2016, views: 2533
Semarang, March 1, 2016 - Today, it is a year ago that Dutch and Indonesian partners began the restoration of the severely eroding coast in Demak and Semarang in Northern Java through Building with Nature methods, an approach that is rapidly gaining in popularity. The first results show that some areas are starting to recover as a result of the placement of sediment-permeable dams in October and November 2015.
29-Feb-2016, views: 1850
Dutch Magazine De Ingenieur published an article about our Mangrove Restoration project in Indonesia. In Indonesia, the Northern Java- Coast erodes rapidly amongst others because mangrove forests have been logged to make place for fish farms.
26-Feb-2016, views: 1527
European River Symposium 2016: Best Practices in River Basin Management - Building sustainable partnerships, 2-4 March, Vienna, Austria
17-Feb-2016, views: 1592
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development, together with UNEP, and in collaboration with Wetlands International, Arcadis and Shell, has developed a 1-day Training Course on Natural Infrastructure for Business.
16-Feb-2016, views: 1620
Our 'Building with Nature project to stop coastal erosion in North Java' is nominated for the Dutch annual prize called 'De Vernufteling', which is awarded to the consultancy or engineering company that submits the most innovative project.
15-Feb-2016, views: 1859
As part of our campaign to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Waterbird Census, we asked our partners to share their favourite images of wetlands and waterbirds. For February, Nicky Petkov kindly shared some of the fantastic pictures he has taken from his fieldwork in Bulgaria.
08-Feb-2016, views: 1550
Barr al Hikman is one of the most important sites for waterbirds migrating through the Middle East. As part of our IWC50 campaign, our colleague Ward Hagemeijer led an expert team to survey this key site and to provide information that will help lead to the protection of the site in the future. Ward shares his experiences of this amazing site here.
04-Feb-2016, views: 2860
Bregje van Wesenbeeck, Deltares, reporting from Demak, Indonesia
"She must be really good at writing" the villagers are whispering behind my back. I am sitting on a small bamboo platform, used for fishing, with my notebook on my lap to write down the sedimentation rates behind our permeable dams. The four guys of the team are wrestling through the mud and shout the values to me: "5 centimetres of sedimentation behind our dam", "45 centimetres here", "erosion in the control plot".
03-Feb-2016, views: 1878
Wetlands International is happy to announce that Applications are now open for the 'Second training course on mangrove ecosystems of the Western Indian Ocean region'. The 10-day training is held at the Centre of Marine Sciences, Moana, University of Nairobi Diani, Kenya, from 17 – 28th May 2016. Deadline for applications: 6 March 2016.
02-Feb-2016, views: 3311
The precipitous loss of wetlands and freshwater biodiversity over the last decades has been widely reported – and alongside this, many organisations, including Wetlands International, point to the urgent need to give greater emphasis to protecting and better managing wetlands and especially freshwater ecosystems. What will it take to turn the trends for wetlands around?
29-Jan-2016, views: 1762
By Ward Hagemeijer
24 January 2016, Barr al Hikman - This day's #IWC50 count of Barr al Hikman in Oman covers the land north of the Shannah harbour. The result was good and interesting sightings were made including a Barbary Falcon Falco pelegrinoides hunting for waterbirds. However, the highlight of today was a finding on the mudflats adjacent to our campsite, at low tide. Leon found a nice group of Great Knots Calidris tenuirostris and amongst them a bird with colour rings on its leg, probably marked by researchers all the way from Sakhalin in Eastern Russia! This very exciting record reinforces the global importance of Barr al Hikman, including it being a home to the Great Knot, a species with populations under threat.
28-Jan-2016, views: 1435
How to stay posted about the emerging trends for ecosystems and biological diversity that are currently on the margins of mainstream discussion?
26-Jan-2016, views: 1828
Barr Al Hikman, 26 January 2016 – This past Saturday we counted 70,000 roosting birds along the shoreline of Bar Al Hikman, and another 120,000 on the sebkha (the Arabic word for salt plains), and the mangroves nearby.
23-Jan-2016, views: 1580
Barr al Hikman, 21 January 2016 - After weeks of preparation and anticipation, the big day arrived: the 2016 counts in Oman!
14-Jan-2016, views: 1693
A group of local and international NGOs have send a letter to the pulp-for-paper giant APRIL regarding the management of its concessions on tropical peatlands in the Kampar Peninsula. APRIL recently announced a peatland restoration project. However, at the same time, the company is continuing to drain peatlands in the same region, for pulp plantations which jeopardizes the peatland conservation and restoration ambitions.
12-Jan-2016, views: 1917
As part of our campaign to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Waterbird Census, we asked our partners to share their favourite images of wetlands and waterbirds. For January, David Li kindly shared some of the beautiful photos he has taken of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Singapore.
08-Jan-2016, views: 2523
January 2016. To mark the 50th count of the International Waterbird Census (IWC), Wetlands International has launched a year-long campaign "Let's make it count" in partnership with its national and international IWC partners, volunteers and governments. With this campaign Wetlands International wants to raise the bar and increase the number of important wetland sites covered by the annual count, and ensure the latest and most up-to-date information about waterbirds is available to support conservation action worldwide. The IWC was launched 50 years ago and has become one of the most valuable biodiversity monitoring programmes in the world. This programme supports conservation and management of wetlands and waterbirds in all the world's flyways. We need your help to make this special year count for waterbirds and their conservation!
14-Dec-2015, views: 2547
By Femke Tonneijck, Wetlands International and Eelco Leemans, Clean Shipping Coalition
One of the greatest challenges in coastal engineering is reducing the carbon footprint, according to Sander Dekker and Hedwig Thorborg – who are working with the two largest dredging companies globally (Van Oord and Boskalis respectively). Generally, emission reductions in the dredging sector are achieved by employing more energy efficient vessels, using cleaner fuel and minimising transport distance during construction, which may enable a CO2 reduction of around 10-20 per cent. But recent exploratory research by Deltares and RoyalhaskoningDHV shows that the carbon footprint of coastal infrastructure projects may be more significant and complex than previously thought.
11-Dec-2015, views: 3619
A new Deltares report, commissioned by Wetlands International, reconfirms that pulp wood and oil palm plantations in peatlands cannot be managed sustainably. Such drained plantations will inevitably suffer from severe land subsidence, increasing flooding and eventually production loss. The report also provides evidence that fires only occurred in drained peatlands and therefore inside or near plantations.
08-Dec-2015, views: 1740
With the UNFCCC COP21 going on in Paris, on the other side of the world in Bogor, Indonesia, Wetlands International and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) are taking action to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by co-organising a workshop on for palm oil growers on "How to implement RSPO's Principles and Criteria in relation to peat". The workshop took place on 1st and 2nd December.
02-Dec-2015, views: 2440
UNFCCC COP21 Paris, 2 December – Minister Ploumen of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation signed an agreement for a new five-year 'strategic partnership' with five Dutch agencies working to build community resilience in disaster-prone developing countries.
01-Dec-2015, views: 3746
01 December 2015, Paris - The Conventions on Biological Diversity (CBD), Wetlands (Ramsar), and Desertification (UNCCD) launched a global map of peatland hotspots at the climate summit in Paris which opened yesterday. The map shows where the most urgent action is needed to reduce the alarmingly high rate of carbon emissions that result from drained and degraded peatlands.
27-Nov-2015, views: 2033
Bogor, Indonesia (27 November 2015). Civil society in Indonesia today presents a Roadmap towards sustainable peatland management for the Indonesian pulpwood plantation industry. The roadmap aims to stop further expansion and new developments of plantations in peatlands and promote alternative sustainable peatland management practices. This is to ensure long-term productivity in peatland landscapes that assures economic, ecological and social sustainability.
25-Nov-2015, views: 2280
What do you do when mangroves fail to naturally recolonise abandoned rice fields in one of the most precious mangrove deltas of the world? Pieter van Eijk reports on a recent mission to Western Africa that paves the way for large-scale mangrove recovery through a so-called 'ecological restoration' approach.
25-Nov-2015, views: 2070
Governments from over 190 countries are preparing to deliver a historic new global climate
agreement in Paris this December during COP21. During this high level event, Wetlands International kickstarts a global initiative to reverse peatland degradation on a global scale to reduce CO2 emissions. We also present how the important role of ecosystems can be factored-in disaster risk reduction. We warmly invite you to our events.
25-Nov-2015, views: 2240
Examining effective and innovative approaches to build resilience in a changing climate
Date: 2 December 2015, 10am – 10.45am (CET)
Venue: COP21, blue zone, The Netherlands Climate Pavilion
24-Nov-2015, views: 1734
Wetlands International strongly welcomes the Indonesian government for announcing that Indonesia will ban new developments in its carbon rich peatlands, including ban of land clearing in existing concession areas across the country. Of similar importance is the instruction to rewet drained areas in compliance with the countries' laws, by blocking drainage canals as this is the only way to reduce ongoing CO2 emissions and make the land less susceptible to fire.
24-Nov-2015, views: 2737
Wetlands International invites you to join an afternoon reception in which we will reveal a new Global Overview of Hotspots of Peatland Emissions. Then, through a high-level panel debate, we will discuss how to kick-start and upscale initiatives to reverse peatland degradation on a global scale. The panel will include representatives of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and the Mongolian Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Trade. The panel and audience will explore the needs and options for triggering large-scale strategic interventions for peatland conservation, re-wetting and rehabilitation. Please find the full invitation here.
16-Nov-2015, views: 1428
The Critical Sites Network tool was launched in 2010 to provide access to information about waterbird populations and their most important habitat sites. The importance of this tool is well recognised, so we are happy to announce that a new version is being developed.
13-Nov-2015, views: 1735
Bonn, Germany – A new initiative to identify and restore critical wetlands for waterbirds flying between Europe and Africa that are vulnerable to climate change was launched by Wetlands International at the occasion of the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) conference. The four-year initiative will demonstrate community-based restoration in Mali and Ethiopia. These examples will be used to further increase the resilience of waterbird populations and people at the local, national and international levels. An animated video featuring the goals and approach of the initiative premiered.
13-Nov-2015, views: 1523
Fires continue to ravage Indonesia's peatlands, yet the government is permitting PT PEAK, a palm oil company, to destroy a valuable peat dome currently under restoration. Tell the Indonesian government to revoke PT PEAK's license and ensure that this won't happen again!
09-Nov-2015, views: 1652
The Association Inter-Villageoise (AIV Ndiaël) of northern Senegal was awarded the prestigious 2015 Conservation Award by the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) today. Vogelbescherming Nederland (BirdLife in The Netherlands) and Wetlands International have supported the work of AIV Ndiaël and were present at the award ceremony.
06-Nov-2015, views: 1545
Abdoulaye Ndiaye of Senegal is being awarded the 2015 individual Conservation Award by the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA). Abdoulaye was a long-time staff member of Wetlands International and currently acts as an Associate Expert. The award will be presented at the AEWA Meeting of the Parties taking place in Bonn, Germany from 9 to 14 November.
05-Nov-2015, views: 1734
Dutch experts will help the Philippines with the development of a sustainable coastal protection strategy to reduce flood risks for the cities of Tacloban and adjacent Palo in the Philippines.This should make the country more resilient to hurricanes.
22-Oct-2015, views: 1722
We are delighted to announce the recent appointment of our new Supervisory Council Chair, Prof. André van der Zande. The Supervisory Council is in charge of the overall supervision of the course of affairs within Wetlands International and oversees the implementation of its policies and Strategy.
21-Oct-2015, views: 4845
Jakarta, 21-10-2015. Indonesia can only curb the annual fires and haze disasters if it develops a National Peatland Conservation and Restoration Strategy, according to Wetlands International, which presented its recommendations to press today.
20-Oct-2015, views: 2086
Wetlands International is managing a consultancy project for the development of a Strategic Plan for peatland restoration and sustainable management in Mongolia, funded by the Asian Development Bank. Mongolia's peatlands preserve permafrost and other water reserves in its riverine and highland landscapes which prevents desertification and supports livelihoods and biodiversity downstream. They are also the most productive pastures and important carbon stores. Their current rapid loss leads to disasters for people and their cattle during long periods of droughts.
16-Oct-2015, views: 2341
This new video report from Al Jazeera (8-10-2015) shows how peat fires caused by palm oil plantations are threatening adjacent rainforests and their carbon-rich peatsoils in Katingan in Central Kalimantan. But it gets worse because of more canals built nearby the areas to fight the fires...! As peatland drainage is the root cause to Indonesia's peat fires, the ONLY long-term answer to the haze disaster is to stop drainage, block existing canals, restore the peatlands and sustainably use them.
15-Oct-2015, views: 1588
Wetlands International organises a workshop for oil palm growers on "How to implement RSPO's Principles and Criteria in relation to peat?" The workshop is jointly coordinated and supported by Wetlands International and RSPO.
13-Oct-2015, views: 1749
At today's International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, Wetlands International celebrates its five-year collaboration with Netherlands Red Cross, Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre, Cordaid, and CARE NL to build community resilience in developing countries. We are thrilled that the Partnership will continue for another five years in a strategic partnership with the Dutch government, focusing on civil society capacity building for lobbying and advocacy in five disaster prone regional zones such as the Horn of Africa.
08-Oct-2015, views: 1633
By the Climate Centre, www.climatecentre.org
"We want to continue with you, we want to learn from you, we can also help you." That was the message to the Partners for Resilience (PfR) today from the Netherlands Ambassador for Sustainable Development, Kees Rade, addressing the closing session of their global conference in The Hague.
01-Oct-2015, views: 2135
Tackling the biggest coastal resilience challenge in West Africa
The Senegal River is the second largest river in West Africa and forms the natural border between Senegal and Mauritania for much of its course as it flows west towards the Atlantic Ocean. At the coastal delta it flows past the low river banks of the city of Saint-Louis. From there it turns south, running alongside a thin strip of sand dunes separating it from the ocean for the last 30 km until it reaches the river mouth.
01-Oct-2015, views: 1666
A new article in Science Direct discussing the short term and long term solutions to counter large-scale erosion and subsidence of tropical muddy coastlines.
01-Oct-2015, views: 1717
Wetlands International welcomes the decision of Royal Dutch Shell to stop Arctic oil and gas exploration in the Chukchi Sea off the coast of Alaska. The position of Wetlands International is that the risks of exploration and production of oil and gas in the Arctic region, especially offshore, are too high for nature, people and the climate and that these risks cannot be managed down towards levels that are acceptable to society.
29-Sep-2015, views: 2170
Over 100 civil society organizations from Argentina, led by the Argentina office of Wetlands International, addressed the Parliament last week to get the full approval of the Minimum Standards Law for Wetlands Conservation. The call comes after the latest flooding incidence in the Buenos Aires province, which caused five deaths and affected 30,000 people of which 6,000 were forced to leave their homes.
28-Sep-2015, views: 1676
From Saturday 26 till Tuesday 29 September the 2015 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting is taking place in New York. On Monday, September 28 Jane Madgwick, CEO of Wetlands International, a CGI member, spoke about one of the central themes 'Water Scarcity'. With 20 percent of the world's GDP and 36 percent of the global population located in severely water stressed areas, the growing demand and competition for freshwater will be one of the biggest global challenges we face. She emphasized that wetland ecosystems are essential for storing and regulating water and the continuing loss and degradation of wetlands is a strong driver of increasing water risks.
28-Sep-2015, views: 1963
On Friday 25 September the UN member states formally adopted the new development goals, which will set the world's development agenda for the next 15 years. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to tackle poverty, climate change and inequality around the world. We believe that wetlands will make a valuable contribution to these goals and are an indispensable link between the SDGs.
24-Sep-2015, views: 1720
Wetlands International will be speaking about this issue at the upcoming Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting. The Clinton Global Initiative was established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton to convene global leaders to create and implement solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. This year's Annual Meeting will take place on 26-29 September in New York.
23-Sep-2015, views: 1529
From www.waddensea-secretariat.org: The Wadden Sea is proving to be a weak link in the East Atlantic Flyway, a migratory bird route from the Arctic region down the coasts of Europe and Africa to South Africa. Bird counts have revealed that the more dependent a migratory bird population is on the Wadden Sea, the less successful conservation of the species tends to be. Migratory birds breeding in the Wadden Sea are particularly vulnerable, although some fish-eating species are actually faring better in recent years.
21-Sep-2015, views: 1695
On November 11, 2015 Ecoshape is organizing the conference 'Building the Future'. Wetlands International is co-organising workshop 2 on mangrove restoration. Be inspired by the latest developments on Building with Nature and register now!
20-Aug-2015, views: 2326
Wageningen and Bogor. A new report commissioned by Wetlands International for the first time quantified the provision of mangrove ecosystem services according to different management regimes. The study concludes that ecosystem service provision depends strongly on the type of management and that mangrove-rich management regimes generally outscore aquaculture regimes. Decision-makers can make management choices depending on the desired outcome in terms of ecosystem services.
13-Aug-2015, views: 3003
Jakarta. Wetlands International welcomes today's announcement by Asia Pulp and Paper that it will retire 7000 ha of active Acacia plantations to protect carbon-rich peatlands. While this is an encouraging first step, significant additional efforts will be needed to prevent irreversible flooding and secure sustainable management of peatland landscapes in APP's areas of operation.
27-Jul-2015, views: 3325
Wetlands International expresses its extreme concern today over the continued and increasing exploration for and production of oil and gas in the Arctic. Activities like these could jeopardise Arctic marine and coastal wetlands, which are critical for nature and people as well as the global climate.
16-Jul-2015, views: 2387
Wetlands International is very saddened to learn of the passing of Jean-Paul Taris who was a legendary wetland champion. Our thoughts are especially with his wife Christine, their two boys and of course with Dr Luc Hoffmann, his great friend.
06-Jul-2015, views: 4148
Agricultural production in vast regions of South East Asia will be lost in the coming decades as a result of flooding of extensive lowland landscapes due to unsustainable development and management of peat soils. About 82% of the Rajang Delta in Sarawak (East Malaysia) will be irreversibly flooded within 100 years and substantial areas are already experiencing drainage problems. This will increasingly impact local communities, the economy and biodiversity and will develop over time into disastrous proportions unless land-use on the region's peatlands is radically changed. Therefore Wetlands International calls for conservation and sustainable management of peatlands in South East Asia.
30-Jun-2015, views: 2719
Djoudj National Park is a waterbird oasis located in the delta of the Senegal River separating Mauritania and Senegal. But invasive species are threatening to crowd out the birds. We recently witnessed how our small investment in restoration made a big difference for the birds and tourism. The question now is how can we sustain this progress by strengthening the funding model for the park?
29-Jun-2015, views: 2337
Wetlands International takes the 17th spot on the International Centre for Climate Governance top 100 list for climate think tanks in 2014. Read more here.
19-Jun-2015, views: 2639
The Hague. The Energy Cooperative Anneville from Ulvenhout (the Netherlands) won 10.000 EUR to make their neighbourhood school more sustainable by installing solar panels and educating students on renewable energy. The competition was organised as part of the "Proud of my Purok" initiative to improve the resilience to disasters of neighbourhoods in the Philippines.
10-Jun-2015, views: 2767
By Jane Madgwick, CEO Wetlands International
As I leave behind the vast and wild beauty of Uruguay's coasts, I have some mixed feelings about the progress made at the 12th Ramsar Convention on Wetlands Conference of Parties (COP), held in Punta del Este. "What was it for?", the uninitiated may ask. Actually I'm asking myself the same question, even though I have 25 years of experience engaging with this Convention and the COPs.
01-Jun-2015, views: 3084
1 June 2015 - Wetlands International advocates a focus on a key role for wetlands in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and for strengthening resolutions on peatlands and on disaster risk reduction; and an increased budget at the 12th global wetland conference (Ramsar COP12) in Punta del Este, Uruguay (1-9 June 2015).
27-May-2015, views: 2597
Bonn. At the upcoming round of climate negotiations, Wetlands International, together with IUCN and the Union of Concerned Scientists, will organise a side event to discuss the role of nature-based solutions within Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). The side event will take place on Tuesday the 2nd of June, from 15:00 to 16:30.
12-May-2015, views: 2697
10-year Strategy to Safeguard and Restore Wetlands Released
We are releasing Wetland Solutions for People and Nature, our Strategic Intent for 2015 – 2025. Around the world, wetlands are under growing pressure. Implementing this strategy will help prevent and reverse the loss of wetlands and make a significant contribution to sustainable development.
07-May-2015, views: 2575
World Migratory Bird Day takes place 9-10 May. The theme of this year's annual awareness-raising day is "Energy – make it bird-friendly!" Energy development is a critical issue for birds across their migratory routes. From the Arctic to Africa, there are increasing threats to migratory birds and their habitats from energy developments.
10-Apr-2015, views: 3620
The UNFCCC conference of Paris ("COP 21"), which will take place during the first two weeks of December this year, will need to square many circles in order to become a success. One of the more vicious ones concerns the level and quality of climate change mitigation commitments from Parties.
09-Apr-2015, views: 3081
On Tuesday 14 April 17:00 - 19:00 we are co-hosting an event with WBCSD on scaling-up investments in natural infrastructure at the 7th World Water Forum in South Korea. Come explore the benefits of natural infrastructure-based solutions with business, government and civil society. Our aim is to get the importance of wetlands for natural infrastructure and sustainable development higher on the agenda's of decision makers.
02-Apr-2015, views: 3768
By Jane Madgwick, CEO Wetlands International - Wetlands occur wherever water meets land. These deltas, marshes, rivers, lakes and watersheds are the water systems that link the natural world and human societies, and make it possible to clean, store and provide water to grow food and run businesses. As we prepare to participate in the 7th World Water Forum in South Korea, I want to bring attention to the need to scale up investments in wetlands as natural infrastructure.
31-Mar-2015, views: 3120
The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) has approved a comprehensive carbon accounting methodology for REDD+ projects in tropical peatswamp forests. This methodology for the first time provides a practical and scientifically robust framework for quantifying emission reductions from peatland conservation and restoration efforts, an essential prerequisite to catalyzing climate finance for these highly threatened ecosystems.
31-Mar-2015, views: 2555
An international group of scientists from Vrije Universiteit and Wageningen University has calculated and modeled the potential effects of the exploitation of peatsoils on the greenhouse gas balance for Northern peatlands. In the new scientific publication in PNAS 'The uncertain climate footprint of wetlands under human pressure', they conclude that rewetting of drained peatsoils not only rapidly reduces emissions from drained peatlands but also on the longer term turns them into effective net greenhouse gas sinks. The wise use of peatsoils is essential in combating climate change.
26-Mar-2015, views: 3500
By Marie-Jose Vervest - What is the best approach to restore and protect a coastline that was hit by a Tsunami? Driven by my own involvement in mangrove restoration after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and 'Building with Nature' approaches with Wetlands International, I attended the event 'Global approaches to coastal resilience' organized by READY Asia-Pacific at the WCDRR in Sendai. In this session coastal protection measures after the March 11th 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan were discussed.
19-Mar-2015, views: 3358
The Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction 205-2030 has been agreed at 10pm in Japan with a central role for ecosystem degradation as a root cause of increased risk and for ecosystem based approaches as key solutions for reduced risk; overview of statements from global leaders and practitioners in Sendai pointing to the important role environment and healthy ecosystems can play in reducing disaster risk.
19-Mar-2015, views: 3222
By Julio Montes de Oca Lugo, Wetlands International Panama - What are some of the "ingredients" that would make a "recipe for resilience"? Wetlands International and its programme partners in the coalition Partners for Resilience (CARE, Cordaid, Netherlands Red Cross and Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre) explored this very question during a side event entitled "Sharing experiences for an integrated DRR approach", at the Sendai World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) last Sunday.
19-Mar-2015, views: 2983
By Ritesh Kumar, Wetlands International South Asia - At the session on 'Economic aspects of Disaster Risk Reduction'at the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) in Sendai on 16 March, the JICA Vice President, Mr. Kiyushi Kodera indicated that over 85% of ODI related to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) was still ex-post, for relief and reconstruction. This is taking place despite the proven effectiveness of investment in DRR and community resilience.
17-Mar-2015, views: 3741
As HFA2 negotiations continue, governments, private sector and practitioners commit to advance ecosystem disaster risk reduction at the Third World Conference on DRR.
Sendai, Japan - As negotiations for the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction (Hyogo Framework for Action 2 - HFA2) continue, global leaders and practitioners are pointing to the important role environment and healthy ecosystems can play in reducing disaster risk.
16-Mar-2015, views: 2497
About 80% of the text for a post-2015 framework on Disaster Risk Reduction is agreed, we are making progress; The Netherlands, France, Philippines, Vietnam, Colombia and Japan explore the idea to form an Alliance of Delta countries for more cooperation between countries on prevention and reduction of water related disasters in deltas.
15-Mar-2015, views: 2763
Little progress on HFAII – 6 targets agreed and now starting with the difficult issues; Focus on the role of addressing mismanagement of water resources as 95% of disasters are water-related; Invite to tomorrow's event: Preventive action in water-related DRR, building an international coalition for integrated delta management and resilience.
14-Mar-2015, views: 3716
By Fred Pearce - In October 2013, one of the fiercest cyclones to hit the Bay of Bengal for many years made landfall on the low-lying delta coast of the Indian state of Odisha. With winds battering the coastline at more than 200 kilometres per hour, the structural damage from cyclone Phailin was intense. Thousands of straw, timber and bamboo homes were destroyed across the delta of the River Mahanadi, one of India's largest deltas. Trees were uprooted, cars upturned and power lines broken across the delta as high winds were accompanied by a three-metre storm surge.
14-Mar-2015, views: 2701
Strong calls today for wise investments in disaster prevention and preparedness and for nature-based-solutions as alternatives to hard infrastructure. Invite to tomorrow's events: 'Practical experiences from an integrated approach towards DRR' by the Partners for Resilience and the Plenary session 'Ecosystems Management & Resilience'
14-Mar-2015, views: 3696
By Fred Pearce - The Inner Niger Delta in central Mali is a giant green oasis on the edge of the Sahara desert. It is one of the country's most productive areas, but also among its poorest. At the height of the wet season, when the River Niger is swollen by heavy rainfall in Guinea, an area the size of Belgium, from Mopti to Tombouctou, turns into a landscape of lakes.
14-Mar-2015, views: 2370
Wetlands International submitted three voluntary commitments to reducing disaster risk for the next 5-10 years to UNISDR. Voluntary commitments from organisations like Wetlands International and individuals are seen as an essential compliment to legal obligations for protecting lives, livelihoods, assets and the environment and will be one cornerstone of implementation of the post 2015 framework for disaster risk reduction.
13-Mar-2015, views: 2906
Today: Negotiations for post-2015 framework for Disaster Risk Reduction started (PREPCOMIII); Wetlands International calls for Focus on better water management and ecosystem restoration urgent at UN summit on Disasters; invite to tomorrow's event Mainstreaming Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction.
13-Mar-2015, views: 2333
Sendai, Japan - De aanpak van rampen zoals overstromingen en droogtes moet zich veel meer richten op het duurzamer gebruik en herstel van ecosystemen zoals wetlands. Dit stelt Stichting Wetlands International in de aanloop van de VN wereldtop voor rampenbestrijding waar overheden van 14-18 maart een nieuw verdrag zullen sluiten voor de komende 20 tot 30 jaar in Sendai, Japan.
13-Mar-2015, views: 2723
Sendai, Japan - Tackling disasters such as floods and droughts should focus much more on the sustainable use and restoration of ecosystems such as wetlands, states NGO Wetlands International in the run-up to the UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction where governments will conclude a new treaty for the next 20 to 30 years from 14-18 March in Sendai, Japan.
12-Mar-2015, views: 2218
10 tips developed by Wetlands International for policy makers and practitioners to better integrate the management of ecosystems and natural resources in their DRR work.
12-Mar-2015, views: 2561
By Fred Pearce - As demand for water grows in river basins, downstream users often suffer. This is especially true when those users depend on rivers and natural wetlands, which many still regard as "wasted" water. That is the case on the river Ewaso Ngiro in Kenya, which drains from the glaciers of Mount Kenya through the heavily populated agricultural region of Laikipia in central Kenya, to the Lorian Swamp in the arid northeast.
11-Mar-2015, views: 2825
By Fred Pearce - Deforestation on the uplands of Philippine islands has been causing soil loss, landslides and flooding downstream for decades. On Mindanao, the country's second largest island, Wetlands International and its partners are attempting to help communities in harm's way to revitalise their ecosystems and their safety. The focus of attention is the River Agusan, the Philippines' third longest river, which drains the island's northeast highlands.
10-Mar-2015, views: 2218
By Marisol Estrella, UNEP - Starting this week at the Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, the international community is expected to approve the next ten year plan to strengthen the resilience of countries and communities against disasters. The task at hand is a critically important one, particularly as the number of people affected by disasters has already doubled over the past decade and is expected to further increase.
09-Mar-2015, views: 3355
Environmental degradation in coastal, river basin and mountain areas increases the risk of disaster. Wetlands International will be represented at the Third UN World Conference on Reducing Disaster Risk (WCDRR) in Sendai and will keep you posted through a series of posts on developments in Sendai and on the urgent need to safeguard and restore wetland ecosystems as a key strategy to address water security challenges.
08-Mar-2015, views: 1707
03-Mar-2015, views: 2182
3 maart, Jakarta – De Indonesische en Nederlandse overheid lanceren vandaag een omvangrijk publiek-private samenwerking om de veiligheid van de noordkust van Java te verbeteren. Het doel is om de snelle erosie van deze kust tegen te gaan en een stabiele delta te realiseren door unieke integratie van mangrove restauratie, kleinschalige infrastructuur en duurzaam landgebruik.
03-Mar-2015, views: 4860
3 March, Jakarta - The Indonesian and Dutch government today launch a comprehensive five-year multi million public-private partnership initiative for enhancing coastal safety at the North Coast of Java. It aims to build stable coastlines with reduced erosion risk through a unique integration of mangrove restoration, small scale hard-engineering and sustainable land use.
06-Feb-2015, views: 2495
Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), the biggest pulp and paper company in Indonesia, celebrates its 2-year anniversary of its Forest Conservation Plan today. APP has eliminated the use of natural forest fiber in its entire supply chain and halted new activities on peatlands. However, analysis shows that the company struggles with its commitment to adopt Best Management Practices in its existing plantations and in peat swamp forests to avoid GHG emissions.
05-Feb-2015, views: 2712
02-Feb-2015, views: 5726
By Kate Pearson and Alizia Kamani
Throughout history wetlands have been integral to human survival and development. How? Simple: Wetlands[i] are life – food, water, fibre. We depend on them – people, business and nature. Yet they are highly threatened. Globally the world has lost more than 54%[ii] of its wetlands and this loss has accelerated by four times in the last 70 years[iii]. People and businesses impact wetlands, creating problems of water scarcity, excessive floods and pollution. So what does this mean for our future?
31-Jan-2015, views: 2045
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Ramar Convention and Wetlands International invite government-nominated representatives and all interested participants in the African region to participate in a webinar on biodiversity and soil carbon on 12 February 2015. With this capacity building workshop we aim to build knowledge and expand the understanding of policy and scientific issues related to reducing carbon emissions from wet and dry soils.
21-Jan-2015, views: 2329
The free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Disasters and Ecosystems: Resilience in a Changing Climate went live on 12 January. More than 7,500 people have enrolled from 183 countries to learn more about this hot topic in disaster resilience! Wetlands International will be Expert of the Week between 9 and 11 February, sharing our expertise on putting ecosystem based disaster risk reduction into practice. People can still enroll at no costs.
06-Jan-2015, views: 3217
Wetlands International is deeply saddened by the loss of Alan Johnson, one of our Associate Experts. Alan passed away on 25 December 2014, at the age of 73.
05-Jan-2015, views: 1929
This paper presents the results of our sixth annual horizon scan, which aims to identify phenomena that may have substantial effects on the global environment, but are not widely known or well understood. A group of professional horizon scanners, researchers, practitioners, and a journalist identified 15 topics via an iterative, Delphi-like process.
Wetlands International was part of the horizon scanning team.
23-Dec-2014, views: 2642
Coastal belts of mangroves contribute to security by reducing the impacts of severe storms and cyclones, provide food and building materials, and are essential habitats for a large number of animal species, in particular several commercially important fish species. Listen to a radio interview with Wetlands International in French on mangroves, fisheries, coastal defence and aquaculture on La Voix de l'Amérique
23-Dec-2014, views: 2328
By Fred Pearce. Timing is everything. And Michael Hobbes, an old aid hand and human rights consultant, got the timing spot on with his recent blog at The New Republic on how "big ideas are destroying international development".
23-Dec-2014, views: 3497
By Susanna Tol - Also in the world of climate change, organic is the way to go. I am not writing about organic food here, despite my personal interest in the topic, but about peatlands, which are soils with a substantial layer of organic matter at or near the surface. Well, they are the way to go for the climate as long as you treat them well. If not, they become a vigorous source of greenhouse gas emissions.
22-Dec-2014, views: 3251
By Telly Kurniasari & Reza Lubis, Wetlands International Indonesia
Back in 2002, Wetlands International together with local partners and communities in Jambi, South Sumatra and Central Kalimantan, brought international attention to the disproportionally high Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from peatlands in Indonesia. We have shown that emissions cease when blocking the drainage canals so peatlands become wet again. We did not think that it would take more than ten years for Indonesian Government to actually replicate what we did back then but are very happy this seems to change.
20-Dec-2014, views: 2004
Mumtadar called from the pond where he was setting nets. Life was good since they planted the mangroves along the dyke, he said. He caught more fish in his pond, and they grew bigger and quicker.
by Fred Pearce
19-Dec-2014, views: 3849
"The wave was higher than the trees. The sea came right over the village. Every building was destroyed, including all 300 houses. About 180 people were killed, more than half the population. The only people who survived were those who ran for the hills." That's how they tell it in the cafe at the entrance to Keude Unga on Aceh's west coast, which took the full brunt of the tsunami.
by Fred Pearce
18-Dec-2014, views: 3845
Layeun is famous among the tsunami villages of Aceh. Bill Clinton came here earlier this year and brought the media. He called for new help to rebuild the lives of the fishing community whose homes disappeared beneath the waves during the tsunami.
By Fred Pearce
17-Dec-2014, views: 3680
Precisely 256 people were living in Gampong Baro on the day the tsunami hit. Just under half of them died. Just 24 bodies were found, while 97 are registered forever "missing". Their names and ages are all listed on a stone memorial in the heart of the village.
by Fred Pearce
16-Dec-2014, views: 3874
Azhar, leader of Lham Ujong, is a proud man. Proud of the pictures in his album of him shaking hands with dignitaries bringing aid money to the village. Proud of his Olympic torch, which he helped take round Jakarta in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics of 2008 – a privilege he was nominated for by Wetlands International. And proud especially of the trees planted in huge numbers round his village in the aftermath of the tsunami.
15-Dec-2014, views: 4004
[This article originally appeared at Yale Environment 360, a publication of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.]
The tsunami that struck Indonesia in 2004 obliterated vast areas of Aceh province. But villagers there are using an innovative microcredit scheme to restore mangrove forests and other coastal ecosystems that will serve as a natural barrier against future killer waves and storms.
By Fred Pearce
11-Dec-2014, views: 2358
11 December 2014, Manila - Only one year after the deadly Typhoon Haiyan, which left behind over 6,000 casualties, Typhoon Hagupit has taken at least 20 lives before being downgraded to a tropical depression.
11-Dec-2014, views: 2949
Lima, Peru – IUCN, Conservation International and Wetlands International presented a new guidebook to financing wetland carbon programs and projects during the climate conference in Lima last weekend. It will help project and program developers through the maze of financing mechanisms and options out there.
04-Dec-2014, views: 3302
In response to the recent H5N8 outbreaks and speculation about the role of wild birds, the UN Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds (of which Wetlands International is a member) released a statement to inform stakeholders about the potential interaction between wild birds and H5N8 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus and appropriate ways of taking action. The statement highlights the need to protect wild birds and wetland areas as part of disease control measures. View the statement.
28-Nov-2014, views: 2749
Much more attention is needed for greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands at the climate negotiations, according to Wetlands International. We will therefore put the spotlights on these carbon rich ecosystems at the Climate Conference in Lima, Peru next week, with the aim to get strong incentives for peatland conservation and restoration in a new climate agreement to be adopted in Paris next year.
25-Nov-2014, views: 2019
Wetlands International is pleased to invite you for an evening reception in the European Parliament on 10 December 2014, hosted by Mr Ricardo Serrão Santos, Member of the European Parliament. The event will bring together Members of the European Parliament, the European Commission and practitioners in Disaster Risk Reduction and development.
21-Nov-2014, views: 3580
Ede, World Fisheries Day, 21st of November
Some 210 million people live in low elevation areas within 10 km of mangroves and many of these directly benefit from mangrove-associated fisheries. Yet, these people are often unaware of the key role mangroves may play, especially if the associated fisheries are offshore.
20-Nov-2014, views: 2643
Joint Press Statement - 20th November 2014
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Five of the world's leading consumer goods manufacturers and retailers today announce their support to drive the transformation of their sector towards responsible palm oil production and sourcing.
14-Nov-2014, views: 3430
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
What are the next steps for RSPO and its members in relation to palm oil and peatlands? 2013 was an important year with new Principles & Criteria (P&C ) adopted to address 'peatsoil subsidence' and 'greenhouse gases', both resulting from peatland drainage for palm oil plantations. Now the challenge is to get these P&C's applied and monitored successfully, and to even go some steps further and turn the RSPO into the frontrunner for the entire sector. Wetlands International participates in the 12th roundtable to raise further awareness on peatlands, particularly on 'peat soils subsidence' and to provide input and guidance for next steps for the RSPO and its members.
10-Nov-2014, views: 2290
Het Nederlandse Rode Kruis, CARE Nederland en Wetlands International lanceren vandaag samen met Nudge de 'Dijk van een Wijk'-competitie. Dat maakte Sander de Kramer maandag namens de organisaties bekend in het programma Koffietijd op RTL4. De competitie wordt georganiseerd om mensen in Nederland op een leuke manier bewust te maken van hoe zij samen met anderen hun directe leefomgeving op een duurzame manier leefbaarder en veiliger kunnen maken. Mensen met een idee ter verbetering van hun wijk rond de thema's energie, groen, water of veiligheid, kunnen zich aanmelden op www.dijkvaneenwijk.org. Het winnende wijkteam ontvangt een geldbedrag van €10.000,- voor de uitvoering van hun idee.
06-Nov-2014, views: 4028
Study Offers Practical Guidance for Coastal Decision-Makers
Zoological Society of London, United Kingdom, 6 November, 2014: A new guidebook on mangroves as a coastal defence finds that mangroves can reduce risk from a large number of coastal hazards. The role of mangroves in coastal defence has been widely promoted since the tsunami that struck South-East Asia in 2004. Yet, the level of protection provided by mangroves has been subject to debate.
30-Oct-2014, views: 3179
The Dutch Soy Coalition (formed by eight development and environmental organisations*) finds that in 2013, only a quarter of the 2.4 metric tons of soy used in the Netherlands is responsibly produced. The social or environmental consequences of the production of the other three quarters of the imported soy, are not at all clear or accounted for. The target of the Netherlands is to purchase 100 percent responsible soy by 2015. This will be almost impossible to achieve now.
27-Oct-2014, views: 3076
Date: 30 October, Venue: Glazen Zaal in The Hague. IUCN Netherlands, Wetlands International and Both Ends, allied in the Ecosystems Alliance, invite you to meet on 30 October with civil society representatives from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Indonesia and the Netherlands. Through their knowledge and experience, civil society organizations in soy and palm oil exporting countries have an important contribution to make to Dutch and EU sustainability goals, including the recent commitment to reach zero-deforestation in 2030.
30-Sep-2014, views: 2947
At the recent Wetland Solutions Stakeholder Forum in Rotterdam held on 22 September 2014, we interviewed some of our stakeholders on why wetlands are important to them. Here is what they said:
30-Sep-2014, views: 4411
Or can we dream of a new world where ecology, economy and society are re-connected?
By Jane Madgwick, Chief Executive Officer
29-Sep-2014, views: 2892
Great article in Dutch newspaper 'De Volkskrant' about our pilot project in Northern Java where we are using a 'Building with Nature' approach to restore the severely eroded shoreline. This is a problem that occurs along most of the coastline in Java threatening over 30 million people in the long term. The pilot has very promising results as the title also suggests; translated 'mushy porridge turns into solid coast'.
29-Sep-2014, views: 2951
An unprecedented large group of governments, companies, NGOs and indigenous peoples groups called for action to protect and restore the world's forests. In a declaration launched at this week's UN climate talks in New York, targets are set to stop deforestation, support sustainable alternatives and restore forests. This should lead to a cut in carbon emissions to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. Wetlands International endorses the Forest Declaration to send a message to world leaders to support a climate agreement in Paris in 2016 and take forests and land use into account.
29-Sep-2014, views: 4189
By Jaap van Thiel de Vries, Ecoshape
Last week, I visited Indonesia together with Femke Tonneijck from Wetlands International to meet our partners that are involved in the development of a Building with Nature approach to solve the severe erosion along the muddy Northern coast of Central Java (Demak district).
25-Sep-2014, views: 2242
Rotterdam, the Netherlands – To commemorate 60 years of Wetlands International and its predecessors on Monday 22 September Wetlands International co-hosted a global stakeholder forum at the World Trade Center Rotterdam, together with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment of the Netherlands. This was followed by an awards reception and a meeting of the Member Delegates and Board of Association.
23-Sep-2014, views: 2615
Wetlands International awarded the Staff Medal of Excellence to two individuals on Monday. Daniel Blanco of Argentina and Ritesh Kumar of India are recognised for special achievement amongst Wetlands International's global staff.
22-Sep-2014, views: 2924
Wetlands International awarded the Luc Hoffmann Medal for Excellence in Wetland Science and Conservation to two individuals on Monday. Dr. W.J. Wolff of the Netherlands won the medal in the category of Scientific Research. Ms. Ikal Angelei of Kenya won the medal in the category of Communication, Education and Public Awareness.
22-Sep-2014, views: 4095
In the new book "Downstream Voices" commissioned by Wetlands International, Fred Pearce takes you along his journey to three large river basins in India, Mali and Senegal where Wetlands International improves water resource management and the condition of wetlands to make communities more resilient to extreme weather events and impacts from climate change.
20-Sep-2014, views: 2460
As part of Wetlands International's 60 year anniversary celebration, we will award our highest honour at an evening reception Monday 22 September in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
19-Sep-2014, views: 2984
On 21 – 23 September 2014, Wetlands International will celebrate its work and achievements over the past 60 years in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. A 'Wetland Solutions for water, people and nature' event will exchange ideas on how to increase the impact of wetland solutions. This will be followed by a meeting of the Member Delegates and Board of Association.
17-Sep-2014, views: 2437
Wetlands International invites you to three inspiring workshops on improving water resource and wetland management for more resilient deltas at the conference Deltas in Times of Climate Change II, which will take place in Rotterdam in the Netherlands from 24-26 September.
16-Sep-2014, views: 2681
By Marta Andelman, Wetlands International Argentina -
"The natural flow of water in the Parana Delta is altering," tells a local farmer. "We know this is caused by the increasing amount of infrastructure for the conversion of the Parana Delta wetlands into soy plantations. There is evidence that as a result, communities are no longer protected during the regular floods that occur in the Delta." He is eager to find solutions for this problem affecting the region as well as adjacent territories.
11-Sep-2014, views: 2037
Wetlands International welcomes new commitments by the Indonesia government to strengthen law enforcement of the moratorium on new permits to develop peatlands and primary forests.
05-Sep-2014, views: 2903
We deeply regret to announce that our dear friend and colleague, Andres Kuresoo passed away at his home on 2nd September. Andres was a pivotal figure in waterbird and wetland conservation. He was the Estonian national coordinator of the International Waterbird Census for many years and also a Member Delegate of his country to Wetlands International.
02-Sep-2014, views: 3637
By Susanna Tol
"Yes, we are illiterate sir, but we are engineers as far as our experience with water and rivers is concerned", says Phushi Mahato, a villager in the Gosi Kandak floodplains in North-Bihar in India.
25-Aug-2014, views: 2423
Currently, drained peatlands for agriculture and forestry are the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gas (GHG) in the Agriculture, Forestry and Land Use sector. Join over 120 colleagues working on peatlands and climate change mitigation from all over the world, and enrol now for the webinar 'Challenges and Solutions for Responsible Peatlands Management', organised by FAO, through the web form.
23-Aug-2014, views: 3428
Thanks to an active and laborious fire-fighting operation the recent peat and forest fires in Tver Province were localised and the region was saved from events becoming as dramatic as in 2010 when dense smoke haze covered the city of Moscow for weeks. Still, the region's economy and ecology again suffered severely from the fires, as well as the climate.
Wetlands International argues that restoration of degraded and abandoned peatlands, is one of the key solutions to avoid often reoccurring dry weather related fire events, and to reduce the release of huge amounts of peat-related carbon emissions.
04-Aug-2014, views: 3730
RSPO members are responsible for 60% of global palm oil production. With such a large and growing responsibility, the RSPO must push on to create a level playing field for sustainable palm oil, argues Marcel Silvius.
29-Jul-2014, views: 4311
On invitation of the Philippine government, the Dutch Risk Reduction (DRR)-team visited Manilla and Tacloban early July to assess the possibilities to protect the coastline in and around Tacloban by creating hard engineering works, planting mangrove trees and reclaiming land. The coordinator of Wetlands International in Philippines was part of this team.
News from http://www.dutchwatersector.com/.
23-Jul-2014, views: 3672
By Paul Brotherton
Despite the long history of abuse, Senegal's Ndiaël Avifauna Special Reserve remains important, with a huge potential for restoration to benefit both people and nature, and that's why Wetlands International and our partners have committed to the rewetting of the Reserve for the past five years.
21-Jul-2014, views: 3267
Ten years after the major tsunami hit Aceh, Indonesia in 2004, President Clinton visited the village of Layeun to find out what more can be done to support their recovery. While some areas are recovering, other communities are still on the edge of poverty. During the visit Wetlands International announced a new commitment to support and empower the villagers by restoring the local environment and working with the community to diversify their livelihoods for sustainable income generation. This initiative will build on our Green Coast project that restored coastal ecosystems after the tsunami.
17-Jul-2014, views: 4044
June is the end of the hot and dry season in Senegal. More auspiciously, it is peak mango season. As I drove north from the capital of Dakar with a team from the Wetlands International Africa office, mango sellers blanketed the roadside selling the best mangoes I'd ever tasted.
11-Jul-2014, views: 5999
Mbarara – On Friday 11 July 2014, Uganda's Ministry of Water and Environment made a commitment to work towards the provision of safe and adequate drinking water. The High Level Event, consisting of Uganda's Ministry of Water and Environment, local organisations, international NGOs and donors, focused on the creation of an action plan to scale-up efforts to provide safe and clean drinking water across the country.
09-Jul-2014, views: 5888
By Telly Kurniasari, Wetlands International Indonesia
The world's increasing demand for palm oil and pulp wood for paper production attracts the private sector to invest more and more in these businesses in Indonesia and Malaysia. But are banks, the creditors of these businesses, aware of the risks of their investments in palm oil and pulp wood plantations when these are developed on peatlands?
18-Jun-2014, views: 6460
By Sandro Calmanti, ENEA.
Global warming may imply large fluctuations of the impact of droughts in rural areas. Adaptation strategies will likely have to cope with such variable conditions rather than with constant trends.
17-Jun-2014, views: 3045
Today, an international network of more than one hundred twenty organizations on five continents is unveiling a powerful new Global Paper Vision that will unite the myriad of voices currently challenging the paper industry to adopt more sustainable practices.
13-Jun-2014, views: 3271
Brussels. European Union energy ministers decided not to account for the real greenhouse gas emissions caused by biofuels used for transport in the EU. In a political agreement reached today, ministers refused to reflect indirect land-use change (ILUC) in GHG accounting and subsidy schemes for biofuels.
12-Jun-2014, views: 4196
Park Directors from Mauritania, Senegal and Russia signed an agreement committing them to work together for the sustainable management of migratory waterbirds in critical wetlands within the three countries that are connected by the East-Atlantic Flyway. The agreement was the result of Wetlands International's 'From the Arctic to Africa' initiative to protect waterbirds flying between Africa and the Arctic. The signing took place at a flyway exchange programme that brought representatives from Mauritania and Senegal to the Arctic.
04-Jun-2014, views: 4823
By Jan Heinrich, Wetlands International and Hernán de Arriba, ProYungas.
- With the theme 'Thinking Outside the Box', the Ninth Annual Meeting of the Round Table (RT9) on Responsible Soy (RTRS) in Brazil from 7-8 May, aimed to capture ideas on how to introduce innovation to the world of responsible soy. Supporting this vibe, ProYungas and Wetlands International presented the Socio-Environmental Observatory on Soy (OSAS), the first database that systematically monitors the expansion and social and environmental impacts of soy in Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil.[1]
03-Jun-2014, views: 2663
26-May-2014, views: 3720
Wetlands should be better managed and restored for their ability to reduce disaster risk, says Wetlands International. To stimulate this, the post-2015 framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (the Hyogo Framework for Action, to be adopted in 2015 in Japan), should pay increased attention to the key role of wetlands to reduce disaster risk and the need for integrated water resources and wetlands management. Wetlands International delivers this call at the Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction of the Americas in Guayaquil, Ecuador from 26-29 May.
17-May-2014, views: 3881
Zaragoza. Experts from Spain and Portugal discussed how to restore rivers and manage landscapes to reduce flooding risks and impacts. At the same event prizes were awarded to the best short stories, poems and pictures about rivers.
16-May-2014, views: 6370
Wetlands are vital storehouses of biodiversity and important bulwarks against the effects of climate change, while also providing livelihoods for millions of people, but they're being lost at an increasing rate. Geographical Magazine's Mark Rowe reports.
12-May-2014, views: 4179
The giant Majnoon Oil field in Southern Iraq overlaps with the country's most important wetland area, the Mesopotamian Marshlands. Decreasing water availability is a constraint here for both the marshes and the oil industry in this dry country. Despite years of warfare and large-scale drainage, there is suddenly new hope for the marshes thanks to the collaboration of Shell and Wetlands International.
09-May-2014, views: 3543
This weekend, people and organisations all over the world will celebrate World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD). The theme this year is "Destination Flyways : Migratory Birds and Tourism". WMBD was initiated in 2006 and is an annual awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the protection of migratory birds and their habitats. Wetlands International is a founding partner in this celebration and we are happy to be joined by an increasing number of partners.
06-May-2014, views: 5405
Those consuming tofu and soy milk, but especially meat eaters and those driving a car should keep a critical eye on the impacts of soy cultivation. About 70 percent of soy cultivated is used for animal feed fulfilling the growing meat demands in the world, while the second largest driver of soy expansion is for the use of biodiesel. Whilst recognising these values of soy, its expansion has adverse impacts on important wetlands and forests in South America, and violates land rights. We therefore join many other NGO's in their efforts to green the soy industry.
28-Apr-2014, views: 3802
A group of experts met in Roosta, Estonia, between the 23rd and the 25th of April 2014 to develop an action plan for the recovery of the Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis).
16-Apr-2014, views: 4373
Strasbourg. Wetlands International and the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust welcome today's adoption by the European Parliament of a new Regulation to address the impacts of invasive alien species on EU biodiversity.
31-Mar-2014, views: 3797
Wetlands International, CARE Nederland, Cordaid, the Netherlands Red Cross, and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, said today they were deeply concerned about the increasing risks climate change poses to people, reflected in the latest report by scientists on climate impacts. The agencies welcome the reference to the value of ecosystem-based adaptation.
24-Mar-2014, views: 5562
By Susanne Boom - The grassy hillsides and vast forests around Rwambu wetland in south-western Uganda are not only a beautiful sight to see - it is fertile land which sustains agricultural based livelihoods, such as coffee, tea, bananas and beans. The Rwambu wetland is also a success story of integrated nature-based solutions.
24-Mar-2014, views: 7409
Indonesia plans to restore the eroding areas of its coastline in Java and Bali with nature based approaches inspired on Dutch methods. Also other vulnerable coasts in Indonesia will be looked at. The Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), environmental organisation Wetlands International and research institute Deltares last week Friday formally agreed to collaborate in the effort to tackle the erosion problems of Indonesian coasts.
21-Mar-2014, views: 5364
In Southeast Asia about 25% of plantations are currently on peat and some companies have more than 75% of their plantations on these carbon rich soils. But an increasing number of palm oil and pulp wood producing giants are announcing their commitments to no deforestation and no peatland conversion. What are their real intentions for peatlands?
19-Mar-2014, views: 6218
Yesterday, a week-long exchange visit about integrated coastal management by the government of Indonesia to the Netherlands was formally opened by Wim Kuijken, Deltacommissioner of the Netherlands. Both Wim Kuijken and Mr. Eko Rudianto, Director of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia highlighted 'Building with Nature' as an effective approach to sustainable coastal management.
17-Mar-2014, views: 5785
In September 2013, seven European organisations joined forces to create Wetlands International – European Association. This new element of the global Wetlands International network will focus on the development and implementation of EU policy, and on its effects and impacts on global wetlands.
14-Mar-2014, views: 4263
- 14 March - A high-level delegation from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia (MMAF) will visit the Netherlands from 17 to 21 March to learn how the Dutch have applied 'Building with Nature' techniques for flood prevention. The Director General of Marine, Coast and Small Islands, Dr Sudirman Saad, M.Hum, and the advisor of the Minister, Mr Ukay Karyadi joined by five executives, are interested in meeting with Dutch coastal and delta experts, who specialize in the integration of infrastructure, nature and society.
27-Feb-2014, views: 5648
By Femke Tonneijck -
It was an early Saturday morning in Timbul Sloko, at the North Coast of central Java, Indonesia, and not just any Saturday. It was a day of hope. The community gathered together to discuss the rehabilitation of their lost land.
25-Feb-2014, views: 5080
By Taej Mundkur -
I recently got the chance to experience the natural beauty of Djoudj National Park in Senegal for the first time and see its conservation needs. The Djoudj is a paradise for over a million waterbirds and a lot of other biodiversity. It provides an ideal setting for developing sustainable solutions such as tourism that should allow the surrounding villages, visitors and nature to benefit from this natural wonder.
19-Feb-2014, views: 4917
By Szabolcs Nagy and Stephan Flink -
Wetlands International's team is currently working on the 6th edition of the AEWA Conservation Status Report, which summarises the available knowledge about the size and trends of migratory waterbird populations.
06-Feb-2014, views: 4303
By Szabolcs Nagy
The second stage of the Grand West Asian Wintering Waterbird Survey in Saudi Arabia has covered the Red Sea coast between Jeddah and Jizan. During our survey, we have visited the Southern Cornish of Jeddah, the Shoaybah Al-Mudaylif Coast, the coast near to Al Qunfodah, the Al-Shoqaiq Cost, Ras Altarfa and the southern and northern cornishes of Jizan.
05-Feb-2014, views: 4826
To celebrate World Wetlands Day 2014, Kenya's Tana River Delta Ramsar Site was officially launched with a public celebration attended by over 500 people.
04-Feb-2014, views: 3550
Nieuw project in de Filippijnen Rode Kruis, Care Nederland en Wetlands International.
De Postcode Loterij stelt een extra bijdrage van meer dan 2 miljoen euro beschikbaar om inwoners van de Filipijnen beter voor te bereiden op natuurrampen. Dat werd gisteravond tijdens het Goed Geld Gala bekend gemaakt. Door tyfoon Haiyan, die eind vorig jaar over de eilandengroep heen raasde, werd opnieuw pijnlijk duidelijk hoe belangrijk dit soort hulp is. Duizenden Filipijnen kwamen om het leven en miljoenen raakten in een klap alles kwijt, hun huis en bron van inkomsten.
04-Feb-2014, views: 11294
04-Feb-2014, views: 7222
By Han Winterwerp
In my previous blogs, we discussed that a healthy mangrove-mud coast is dynamic, and how these dynamics are controlled by the tide and the waves. In a healthy coastal system, these processes, which bring sediment towards the coast and take the sediments away, are more or less balanced.
04-Feb-2014, views: 5527
Jane Madgwick, CEO Wetlands International
When you think of the Sahel in Africa, what picture does it conjure up? Dry sandy areas with scattered trees and perhaps hungry-looking children looking after cattle and goats? Maybe fewer of you imagine big river systems, heaving with fish, and lined with flooded forests? The magic of this zone, which stretches across Africa and borders the Sahara, is that it is both very dry and very wet. And that nature and people depend on both the drylands and wetlands and move in-between according to the seasons.
04-Feb-2014, views: 2289
Today, people and organisations all over the world celebrate World Wetlands Day. The theme this year is "Wetlands & Agriculture: Partners for Growth". This day was created by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands to raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits.
03-Feb-2014, views: 3278
The Global Freshwater Fish BioBlitz kicked off on World Wetlands Day to engage nature lovers in freshwater fish conservation. The Freshwater Fish Specialist Group (FFSG), of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Wetlands International, has joined forces with other international groups to introduce this new global initiative.
29-Jan-2014, views: 3081
The recent outbreak of the H5N8 strain of Avian Influenza is causing many victims amongst poultry and wild birds in the Republic of Korea. The Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds has issued a statement on this outbreak saying that there is currently no evidence that wild birds are the source of this virus. Instead the focus of disease control actions must be on the domestic poultry sector.
29-Jan-2014, views: 4264
A new online Atlas of freshwater biodiversity presenting spatial information and species distribution patterns was launched today. The Atlas is an output of BioFresh, an EU-funded project supported by Wetlands International that is putting together the widely dispersed information about life in our rivers and lakes, to better understand, manage and protect our freshwaters for generations to come.
27-Jan-2014, views: 3955
In the Malaysia Chronicle of 17 January 2014, Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (Soppoa) mentions that there is no credible scientific basis for companies to divest from palm oil plantations on peat soils. The article refers to the announcement of Wilmar about a month ago to undertake "no deforestation, no peat, no exploitation" in their palm oil trades. Wetlands International welcomes Wilmar's decision and gives a brief recap in this article of the science base.
23-Jan-2014, views: 3185
Brussels. The European Commission's proposal for a climate and energy package for the period between 2020 and 2030 may throw the door wide open to imports of dirty fuels from tar sands and endanger sustainability criteria for biofuels.
20-Jan-2014, views: 6129
The 5th Conservation Status Report produced by Wetlands International for the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) highlighted that our understanding of the status of wintering waterbirds is the weakest in the West Asian / East African flyway. This is partially a consequence of insufficient capacity in the region. To help tackle the problem we are supporting the development of strategies for countries in the region with the help of the MAVA Foundation.
13-Jan-2014, views: 6362
Ede/Bogor. Wetlands International applauds the Indonesian court ruling which fined palm oil company PT Kallista Alam 114 billion Rupiah (approximately 7 million Euros) for illegally burning peat swamp forests in Tripa/Aceh.
13-Jan-2014, views: 4946
"Migratory waterbirds connecting wetlands and people" is the motto of the Flyway Programme of Wetlands International. This was put into practice during a workshop organised for site managers and local NGO leaders along the East Atlantic Flyway in Africa, held between 14-18 December in the Djoudj National Park, Senegal.
17-Dec-2013, views: 8619
By Bas Tinhout
In the tropics, peat swamp forests are often logged and converted to oil palm and pulp wood plantations. This results in adverse effects on the natural resource base of local communities and impacts the biodiversity, water regulation and carbon storage functions of peatlands. As an alternative, paludiculture is a sustainable form of agriculture which enables the productive use of rewetted peatlands. It will prevent the oxidation of the peat carbon, thus preventing the massive natural organic carbon store from turning into the greenhouse gas CO2.
09-Dec-2013, views: 7566
By Han Winterwerp and Thorsten Balke
If you ever visit a mangrove-mud coast, you will see that the mangroves grow more or less between the waterlines at mean high water and the waterline at the highest tidal level occurring in a year. Understanding the relation between tides and mangroves is therefore essential to rehabilitation efforts.
03-Dec-2013, views: 7095
By Bakary Kone, Wetlands International Mali
The 38 floodplain forests of Mali's Inner Niger Delta are very important to the economy and livelihoods of the 1.5 million people who live there. They contain much of the natural wealth of the delta and are therefore referred to locally as 'banks'.
19-Nov-2013, views: 5494
Ministers Meeting at global climate talks in Warsaw should heed the lessons of past disasters.
The following joint statement on the need for increased public adaptation financing was released today by The Nature Conservancy, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), BirdLife International and Wetlands International, at the United Nations global climate change conference now underway in Warsaw, Poland.
18-Nov-2013, views: 4687
Outsiders and newcomers to the United Nations climate negotiations are easily overwhelmed by the complexity of discussions around land use and forestry. But this might change in 2015.
18-Nov-2013, views: 6231
Author: Yus Rusila Noor, Wetlands International, Indonesia
Often conservation work starts with individual initiatives. The stories of Haji Madsahi and Babah Akong emphasize the value of local knowledge and initiative for the restoration of coastal ecosystems. They have both received awards for their work and Wetlands International now works with them, so that their efforts can be further scaled up.
14-Nov-2013, views: 7670
A controversial report from a technical committee of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is under-estimating the amount of greenhouse gas emitted by palm oil grown on tropical peatlands by nearly 50%, according to NGOs.
13-Nov-2013, views: 14092
Authors: Femke Tonneijck, Wetlands International; Bregje van Wesenbeeck, Deltares; and Mark Spalding, The Nature Conservancy
Inhabitants of low lying delta areas are particularly exposed to flooding and erosion caused by storms and hurricanes. These pressures increase with climate change and sea level rise. Coastal wetlands, such as mangroves, can play a key role in damage mitigation during disasters, as well as in stabilising coastlines. They also contribute to aquaculture and fisheries. Integration of ecosystem-based coastal protection in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction policies and resulting measures to conserve these landscapes are essential if mangroves are to keep protecting us. Full article featured in Outreach Magazine.
12-Nov-2013, views: 6023
Author: Marcel Silvius
Oil palm cultivation on peatlands is seen as an attractive option for many plantation developers in Southeast Asia. Not only is the land extensively available, the soils – despite the poor soil fertility – are somehow "working" for oil palm cultivation. Peatlands can therefore be perceived as lucrative and attractive for expansion of oil palm plantations.
So why then is oil palm on peat a path to disaster? We highlight two major impacts in this article. Firstly, peatland drainage for oil palm results in substantial carbon emissions. Secondly it results in flooding and land loss as a result of soil subsidence. We also offer some solutions.
Full article featured in sustainable Palm Oil: Conversation and Debate
11-Nov-2013, views: 5005
Medan, Indonesia – 11th Annual Roundtable Meeting on Sustainable Palm Oil
Oil palm growers, the food, cosmetics and oil industry, governments, scientists and environmental and social groups from all over the world participate this week in the 11th Annual Roundtable Meeting on Sustainable Palm Oil (RT11 RSPO). The main theme of this year's meeting is "RSPO Standard 2013. Understand. Apply. Embrace". Wetlands International has been involved in the review process of the RSPO Principles and Criteria (P&C) and will actively participate in the Roundtable meeting.
05-Nov-2013, views: 5333
By Denise Cheah
In order to better understand the Badas peat dome in Brunei, we needed to clear a path through the peat forest, stick monitoring pipes into the ground at several intervals and take measurements. Sounds simple doesn't it? Well, I've never been so wrong in my entire life.
18-Oct-2013, views: 7304
Cambridge, UK. A new study maps out the amount of carbon stored by mangrove ecosystems in various parts of the world.
17-Oct-2013, views: 8843
By Mark Spalding
My colleagues and I have just worked out how much carbon there is in the world's mangrove forests, give or take a bit. And we mapped it. And here's why these findings are tremendously important.
14-Oct-2013, views: 4384
India's disaster preparedness has succeeded in dramatically reducing the loss of lives of cyclone Phailin last weekend. While the power of Phailin was a category stronger than the 1999 Odisha cyclone, India timely evacuated nearly a million people from the coastline.
13-Oct-2013, views: 2386
International Day for Disaster Reduction
Today is the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2013, a UN event to promote a global culture of disaster risk reduction, including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness. Wetlands International celebrates this day and highlights the critical role wise use and restoration of wetland ecosystems such as mangroves, river basins, marshes, and lakes can play in reducing the impacts of natural hazards like floods, droughts, storm surges and wind waves
13-Oct-2013, views: 5646
Sobé and other villages in the Mali Inner Niger Delta are threatened by the desert's sand. Communities are forced to rebuild their homes every two years to avoid burial by sand dunes, which are moving as a result of degradation of the Savannah.
13-Oct-2013, views: 6928
By Etwin Kuslati, Wetlands International Indonesia
What do you do when your house is slowly being swallowed by the sea???
This is the question that Wetlands International was asked to advise on by the community of Timbul Sloko Village, on the North coast of Central Java, Indonesia.
13-Oct-2013, views: 5866
How to get the attention from the government, private sector, communities and press at the same time for water availability problems downstream the river? In Kenya local indigenous peoples organizations managed to come up with an eye-catching initiative. They organized a Camel Caravan.
04-Oct-2013, views: 8050
01-Oct-2013, views: 3684
The Niger and Nile basins are areas with high water stress and increasing competition for water resources. For that reason these regions are in focus under a large EU-funded project called IMPACT2C which seeks to systematically quantify climate impacts, vulnerabilities, risks and economic costs as well as potential adaptive responses under a global average surface temperature change of 2°C. Wetlands International is one of the partners in this effort and has its focus in the Niger basin.
24-Sep-2013, views: 6825
Vienna, Austria – As part of the European River Restoration Conference, five European river basins committed themselves to working together. The river basins include: the Arpa in Armenia, Irpen in Ukraine, Irwell in England, Orbigo in Spain, and Rhone in France. Under the facilitation of the European Centre for River Restoration, the five parties will develop and share their best practices and knowledge in order to stimulate larger scale river restoration.
23-Sep-2013, views: 9705
In my previous blogs, I have tried to convince you that the erosion of mangrove-mud coasts is directly related to thoughtless land-use. Though the observations are self-evident, we need to understand the underlying physical processes before we can think of mitigating measures. And that is only possible if we understand the behavior of a healthy mangrove-mud coast.
16-Sep-2013, views: 5531
Vienna, Austria - Over 300 delegates gathered last week for the European River Restoration Conference. Leading policy makers, scientists and restoration practitioners shared experiences, identified the key future challenges and celebrated successes in improving the state of Europe's rivers. The Rhine River was recognised with the 1st European Riverprize while finalists from more recent river initiatives in central and southern Europe were highly acclaimed. Distinguished keynote speakers including EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik were impressed by the growing body of knowledge and good practice examples that the European Centre of River Restoration and its partners brought together that is essential to support the implementation of many EU policy objectives.
09-Sep-2013, views: 7564
Demak district, Indonesia. This week will see the start of the construction of 2 permeable structures to protect the severely eroding coastline of Timbul Sloko village in Northern Java.
02-Sep-2013, views: 6749
Stockholm – WASH (drinking water supply, sanitation and hygiene) relies on and impacts water. Therefore, environmental sustainability needs to be at the core of WASH practice. Wetlands International featured our experiences reaching nature-based solutions and sought out additional partners to help transform the WASH sector at an event during Stockholm World Water Week.
29-Aug-2013, views: 4972
Bonn 29 August 2013 – The Waterbird Harvest Specialist Group (WHSG) affiliated to Wetlands International was re-launched on the 28th of August 2013 at a special session on waterbird management at the 31st Congress of the International Union of Game Biologists which took place in Brussels, Belgium on the 27 – 29 August 2013.
22-Aug-2013, views: 5336
by Jane Madgwick, CEO Wetlands International
It's thanks to Tajikistan that it's the UN International Year of Water Cooperation. Through a string of events, the world's attention is focused on the water crisis and the urgent need for humanity to tackle it through improved cooperation – between nation states, across and between sectors, industry, government and civil society.
19-Aug-2013, views: 5235
Wetlands International CEO Jane Madgwick is participating in a high-level panel on water cooperation for ecosystems at the International Conference on Water Cooperation in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. As part of the International Year of Water Cooperation, we are attending to highlight the urgent need to safeguard and restore wetland ecosystems as a key strategy to address water security challenges.
15-Aug-2013, views: 9245
- By Stefan Verschure
I spent 4 months doing fieldwork in Timbul Sloko, a small village in Demak District, on the North coast of Central Java (Indonesia). I was there as part of a Wetlands International project to restore the eroding mud coast of the village through hybrid engineering.
13-Aug-2013, views: 4289
30-Jul-2013, views: 13932
A new report by The Nature Conservancy and Wetlands International shows that mangroves can adapt to rising sea levels by building up soils in some locations, allaying fears that mangroves may be lost as sea levels rise. This is important because mangroves provide risk reduction services against coastal hazards such as waves and storm surges.
15-Jul-2013, views: 7758
02-Jul-2013, views: 16475
In my previous blogs, I described the large losses of our mangrove heritage, in spite of the great value of these ecosystems. Today, I argue that these losses are caused by thoughtless land-use.
01-Jul-2013, views: 7083
Sumatra, Indonesia. The health and climate impacts of large peatland and forest fires in Sumatra provide yet another harrowing reminder of the unsustainability of palm oil and pulp wood plantations on peat.
27-Jun-2013, views: 7666
Saint Louis, Senegal - Wetlands International is joining forces with the Senegal River Basin Authority to identify the many important services that wetlands provide to people and nature in the Senegal River Basin. In order to meet the growing water needs in the increasingly arid Sahel of West Africa, this partnership will identify how natural 'green' infrastructure wetlands including seasonal floodplains, swamps and lakes can be used to support more sustainable livelihoods for people in the four countries of the basin (Guinea, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal) while adapting to climate change and protecting nature.
23-Jun-2013, views: 8337
A week before US President Obama descends on Senegal to encourage the tracking down of terrorists in the region, I joined our Africa team and my international Supervisory Council there to investigate issues related to a more fundamental security challenge – relating to increasingly scarce water resources. As we witnessed in Mali last year, water security, human conflicts and mass migrations are closely intertwined in this fragile Sahelian zone.
14-Jun-2013, views: 6848
By Vera Coelho
The round of applause at the end of the REDD+ negotiations in Bonn reflected the relief of the Parties at having concluded work on several difficult issues. But their efforts will not stop deforestation and forest degradation.
08-Jun-2013, views: 6339
Opportunities for climate change mitigation through peatland rehabilitation and lessons learned for future agreements under the UNFCCC were discussed at a side event during the Bonn climate negotiations.
24-May-2013, views: 6562
At the 4th session of the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction, a green elephant seemed to be standing at the back of the plenary room.
16-May-2013, views: 6378
Wetlands International warmly welcomes the extension of Indonesia's moratorium on new forest concessions signed on the 13th May by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The extension, however, does not address the shortcomings of the previous moratorium.
15-May-2013, views: 11210
By Han Winterwerp and Bregje van Wesenbeeck
In my first blog, I introduced the term "ecosystem services", which has become a popular way to refer to the value of ecosystems. This is an important concept as it provides a counter-argument to the often narrow-minded and short-eyed approach of economics.
14-May-2013, views: 5459
A newly published study shows that three species of waterbirds (tufted duck, goosander and goldeneye) are shifting their wintering grounds northwards along the North-West Europe flyway in response to rising temperatures. Rising temperatures due to climate change and shifting ranges for wintering waterbirds have profound implications for the conservation of site networks along the flyways and highlights the importance of adaptive management approaches.
11-Apr-2013, views: 10086
By Han Winterwerp -
In my previous blog, I have tried to explain the importance of mangrove mud coasts. Of course, these coasts are beautiful, exotic environments, with rare species, such as the mud skipper and numerous crabs, as well as rare birds.
27-Mar-2013, views: 17874
By Han Winterwerp -
I am an engineer. I am a civil engineer and I work with "cohesive sediment", which is a fancy term for mud. Mud is all over the place, in lakes and rivers, in river mouths (estuaries) and inlets, along the coast and in the deep ocean.
22-Mar-2013, views: 7503
March 22, 2013: On World Water Day 2013, water issues are more critical than ever, and affect everyone around the globe. The UN has proclaimed 2013 the International Year of Water Cooperation, and Wetlands International is doing its part to promote the role of wetland ecosystems as natural water infrastructure.
21-Mar-2013, views: 6733
This article, originally entitled "The Story of Lake Chilika" is published in the book "The Ecosystem Promise" by Meindert Brouwer.
12-Mar-2013, views: 7188
Last week delegates to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Conference of Parties (COP16) in Bangkok, Thailand, agreed to stronger conservation measures for the West African manatee. The proposal was led by Benin, Sierra Leone and Senegal with support from Wetlands International.
12-Mar-2013, views: 5980
Wetlands International welcomes the European Parliament's vote on rules for accounting for greenhouse gas emissions and removals resulting from agriculture and forestry. Emissions and removals from cropland and grazing land management will have to be accounted for, but accounting for wetland drainage and rewetting remains voluntary.
11-Mar-2013, views: 6344
By Azucena Luna Ordóñez
For those who have all the basic services, it may be hard to conceive of the extreme poverty faced by the indigenous K'iche communities. My first experience in the Bio-rights initiative was to visit Chicorral, the most remote and difficult to access community, and smallest with only 20 families.
19-Feb-2013, views: 7486
This article, originally entitled "Many millions of people will benefit from the restoration of the Ruoergai Plateau wetlands" is published in the book "The Ecosystem Promise" by Meindert Brouwer.
06-Feb-2013, views: 8650
Rotterdam, The Netherlands - Growing recognition that solving the looming water crisis will require innovative thinking and new partnerships brought experts from several sectors to Rotterdam last week. On the eve of World Wetlands Day and with the UN International Year of Water Cooperation as a backdrop, Wetlands International, WBCSD and the City of Rotterdam co-hosted international leaders from business, government and the NGO sector to launch the "Get the solutions flowing" campaign. The campaign will run through 2013 and aims to catalyse an Agenda for Action that turns talk into action on behalf of natural water infrastructure.
04-Feb-2013, views: 8667
Geneva, Switzerland – A new report on The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB), co-authored by Wetlands International, emphasises the enormous economic value of wetlands. TEEB For Water and Wetlands highlights the key role played by wetlands as natural infrastructure and the multitude of enormously productive services they provide around the world. The continued loss of wetlands illustrates the need for improved policy making and business decision making that accounts for their true value.
28-Jan-2013, views: 7022
Ede, The Netherlands – Wetlands International owes great respect to the Counsellor of Honour of our organisation, Professor Geoffrey V. T. Matthews, who passed away on 22 January 2013 at the age of 89 years. Professor Mathews served as Honorary Director of the International Wildfowl Research Bureau (one of the predecessor organisations of Wetlands International), succeeding Dr Luc Hoffmann in that role in 1969.
21-Jan-2013, views: 7261
By Audrie J. Siahainenia
Mangrove ecosystems are by definition muddy. Land and sea animals happily live and reproduce in these coastal forests, but such muddy conditions can present a bit of challenge for researchers.
18-Jan-2013, views: 5894
Ede, The Netherlands - Wetlands International is deeply saddened by the loss of Prof. Tatsuichi Tsujii, he was a much loved member of the international wetland community and an inspiration to so many. He was a former Supervisory Council member of Wetlands International and the president of Wetlands International Japan. Prof. Tatsuichi Tsujii passed away on the 15th of January at the age of 81.
18-Dec-2012, views: 7215
Ede, the Netherlands - Policy makers, river restoration practitioners and other stakeholders now have a new online tool at their disposal, providing them with hundreds of river restoration case studies. Created by Wetlands International and partners for the promotion of ecological river restoration in Europe, this River WIKI database holds over 300 river restoration case studies from 24 countries in Europe and is found on http://riverwiki.restorerivers.eu.
14-Dec-2012, views: 13655
Ede, the Netherlands - Mangroves can help protect coastal communities by reducing the height and power of waves generated by storms, and by reducing coastal flooding during tropical cyclones, a new report by The Nature Conservancy and Wetlands International reveals. Added to other roles in erosion protection and diminishing the power of waves, mangroves can therefore play an important role in coastal defence and disaster risk reduction.
13-Dec-2012, views: 7425
Ede, the Netherlands - Wetlands International and partners in European river restoration are inviting submissions for the European River Restoration Conference 2013. Join us as we share and learn about the successes, challenges and opportunities for river restoration in Europe. The conference, organised by the European Centre for River Restoration (ECRR) and the RESTORE partners in European river restoration, will feature the 1st European River Prize for excellence in river management, awarded by the International River Foundation.
11-Dec-2012, views: 9351
Dakar (SEN) / Ede (NL) / Naryan-Mar (RU) – A new initiative to protect migratory waterbirds flying between the Arctic and Africa has been launched by Wetlands International. Funded by the Arcadia Fund, the three-year initiative will engage local people and governments to develop a coherent approach to the management of the wetland sites used by the birds along the flyway.
08-Dec-2012, views: 7657
- By Vera Coelho -
The United Nations' climate summit in Doha has come to an end after two weeks of heated and protracted negotiations. Amongst limited progress, the general trend has been to delay decisions and refer further discussions to next year.
05-Dec-2012, views: 6193
Ede, the Netherlands - Wetlands International congratulates Jan van der Winden on his Herman Klomp prize for his long-term commitment to the protection of birds. In collaboration with Wetlands International, Jan was instrumental in the success of the Follow the Bird! initiative.
03-Dec-2012, views: 7435
- By Vera Coelho -
29-Nov-2012, views: 7029
By Vera Coelho -
The first few days in Doha at the Climate Conference have been relatively quiet. After a full day of opening ceremonies, delegates sat down for real business on Tuesday and Wednesday. Discussions focused on organisation of work and future ways forward but now that the first half of the first week has passed, one can definitely feel a change in pace.
27-Nov-2012, views: 7748
Brussels, Belgium – Wetlands International is deeply concerned about the European Commission's announced approval of a biofuel sustainability scheme for palm oil certified by the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). This development will open the EU doors to palm oil under the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) without any guarantees that this will contribute to climate change mitigation or safeguard forests and tropical peatlands.
25-Nov-2012, views: 4780
Doha, Qatar – Wetlands International urges action to mitigate CO2 emissions from peatlands, as thousands of delegates flock to the Middle East to negotiate global policies on climate change. Peatland restoration and conservation action, stimulated by UNFCCC incentives, could significantly contribute to closing the so-called "emissions gap".
22-Nov-2012, views: 6719
By Vera Coelho.
I admit it: before joining Wetlands International I had never even seen a mangrove. I knew about these funny trees with their roots in brackish water, but I also admit that I had no idea of the amazing ecosystems they are. All of that changed recently, when I had the opportunity to join colleagues from seven of our Wetlands International offices at a meeting in our Indonesia office, in Bogor.
22-Nov-2012, views: 6925
By Marie-Jose Vervest
Along with Yus Rusila Noor of our Indonesia office, I recently participated in the 5th Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from 22 – 25 October 2012 as part of the Partners for Resilience consortium. Our participation was a unique opportunity to highlight the importance of healthy ecosystems for resilient livelihoods and the use of 'natural infrastructure' as a buffer against extreme events.
15-Nov-2012, views: 6001
Brussels, Belgium – Wetlands International welcomes the European Commission's Blueprint to Safeguard Europe's Water Resources. The Communication to the Parliament and European Council recognises the benefits of river restoration and green infrastructure to improve the ecological status of Europe's waters. However, bolder steps are needed to address the increasing threats to Europe's waters.
25-Oct-2012, views: 6797
By Ritesh Kumar
As the Conservation Programme Manager for South Asia, I represented Wetlands International at the 11th Conference of Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Hyderabad, India that concluded on October 20, 2012. Going from one side event to the other, either presenting or joining discussion panels, this conference in my home country was a very satisfying experience for me. With you, I'd like to share several positive outcomes and actions:
18-Oct-2012, views: 7694
Brussels, Belgium – The European Commission announced yesterday that it will not consider indirect land use change (ILUC) in sustainability requirements for biofuels. Wetlands International is deeply disappointed. This proposal undermines the objective of EU biofuels policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While the additional decision to limit the use of food crops as fuel is welcome, the omission of ILUC factors has direct detrimental consequences for both wetlands and climate.
17-Oct-2012, views: 6745
Ede, the Netherlands - Wetlands International welcomes the approval of the new carbon trading category "Wetlands Restoration and Conservation" (WRC) by the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). The new category provides a strong incentive for private investment in conservation and restoration of carbon rich wetlands.
08-Oct-2012, views: 9733
Hyderabad, India – The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) conference in Hyderabad, India 8 - 19 October is an important opportunity to improve the linkages between wetlands and water management. On 9 October (13:15 in Room 1.02, Level 1) Wetlands International is hosting an event 'Wetlands, Water and Aichi Targets' which will identify mechanisms for the water and wetlands management sectors to cooperate in order to effectively achieve the Aichi Target outcomes, which have high significance for wetlands and water management.
08-Oct-2012, views: 5350
Edinburgh, October 5th 2012. Wetlands International supports the IUCN UK Peatland Programme's request to the government of the United Kingdom to include Wetland Drainage and Rewetting in their national accounting of greenhouse gas emissions.
26-Sep-2012, views: 8541
By Aprianto Masjhur
Peatlands have been recognised for their high carbon storage and their potential to emit a huge amount of carbon emissions once they are drained. Their annual carbon emissions of 2 billion tonnes are a paramount issue in the global effort to mitigate climate change. However, the perilous and far-reaching consequences from peat drainage activities are not limited to carbon loss only. Another key concern that so far has been given insufficient attention is the issue of 'subsidence'.
23-Sep-2012, views: 8892
New York - In September 2011 Wetlands International announced its Commitment to Action under the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), which is 'Securing Wetland Carbon Stores for Climate'. The aim of this global NGO is to achieve emission reductions in the order of at least 100 megatons by 2015 through the conservation and rehabilitation of carbon-rich wetlands. Now, one year later, they are well on the way to achieving their commitment.
10-Sep-2012, views: 8492
This article "Issues in the Inner Niger Delta: Interview with Bakary Kone, Director of Wetlands International Mali Office" is published in the book 'The Ecosystem Promise' by Meindert Brouwer.
08-Sep-2012, views: 9216
The three main negotiation tracks under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have held informal sessions in Bangkok, Thailand between 30 August and 5 September 2012. The sessions were not mandated to produce negotiating text, but were seen as a necessary forum for discussion before the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP18), which will take place in Doha, Qatar at the end of November.
07-Sep-2012, views: 10450
Ede, the Netherlands - A new report by The Nature Conservancy and Wetlands International proves that mangrove forests protect coastal populations and infrastructure against wind and swell waves. Preventing damage to coastal infrastructure and flooding, mangroves reduce wave height by as much as 66% over 100 metres of forest. With coastal populations vulnerable to the impacts of extreme events such as storms and hurricanes, these organisations say mangrove management needs to be included in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction efforts in coastal areas worldwide.
28-Aug-2012, views: 5455
Stockholm, Sweden - Wetlands International calls for action to address urgent water security issues that are undermining the health and livelihoods of millions of people through our participation at World Water Week, which features the theme "Water and Food Security." As part of high level discussions on the Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus, and in order to draw attention to the emerging phenomenon of 'water grabbing', we are showcasing our work in Mali where the wetlands of the Inner Niger Delta are critical for the food and water security of over one million people.
19-Jul-2012, views: 7021
Bucharest, Romania - At the recently concluded 11th Ramsar Conference of the Parties in Bucharest, Romania, the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) signed Resolutions of Cooperation with both the Ramsar Secretariat and African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) to work together in order to better promote Arctic wetlands and bring greater attention to their importance. As a close partner of Ramsar, CAFF and AEWA, Wetlands International welcomes these agreements.
19-Jul-2012, views: 10670
By Maria Nuutinen, FAO
19-Jul-2012, views: 8473
Bucharest, Romania - The 11th meeting of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands concluded last week in Bucharest with the adoption of 22 resolutions on issues addressing the wise use of wetlands in 162 signatory countries. Wetlands International welcomes several decisions including the recognition of the overuse of pesticides and growing impacts of foreign-based land investment on wetlands. While many of the resolutions provide needed guidance to address threats facing wetlands, resolutions needed to address cross-sectoral challenges such as climate change and energy remain weak.
17-Jul-2012, views: 8769
What would you do if your community was hit by a tsunami? When confronted with disaster, human responses vary: despair, anger, disbelief, sorrow. Planting trees might not be the first thing that comes to mind.
11-Jul-2012, views: 8102
By Paul Brotherton, from the Ramsar Convention in Bucharest
The overuse of pesticides in rice paddies in Southeast Asia is currently fueling a devastating pest outbreak epidemic. Due to the urgent need for the Ramsar Convention to address these issues, we felt it important to present the facts supporting it. Therefore, Wetlands International's team from its India, Argentina and the Netherlands offices held an informational event together with partners FAO, IRRI and IWMI.
09-Jul-2012, views: 6244
Delegates and observers filled the beautiful Rosetti Hall of Romania's Palace of the Parliament for the opening ceremony of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
09-Jul-2012, views: 6883
05-Jul-2012, views: 8966
11th meeting of the Ramsar Convention (COP11) 6-13 July 2012 in Bucharest, Romania
Bucharest, Romania - Wetlands International will press for adoption of resolutions at the Ramsar Conference of Parties that call upon countries to take action on some of the most pressing challenges facing wetlands, such as energy production and pesticide use in rice fields. As an International Organisation Partner (IOP) we will also urge for a climate change resolution that commits Contracting Parties to take up the newly available incentives to invest in the protection, restoration and sustainable use of their peatlands, as part of their strategies to address climate change.
13-Jun-2012, views: 6440
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - During Rio+20 in Brazil, the 'Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for Water and Wetlands Initiative' will be launched in a side event on 15 June. This initiative utilises the TEEB approach to generate a better understanding of the ecosystem service values of water and wetlands to encourage additional policy momentum and business commitment for their conservation, investment and wise use.
25-May-2012, views: 6220
Bogor, Indonesia - Wetlands International welcomes the decision by the Indonesian government to protect the Kallista Alam peat swamp forest area (1650Ha) in Tripa, Aceh. We also recognise the issue identified by Dr Kuntoro Mangkusubroto (head of Indonesia's climate team) who mentioned that "The case of Kallista Alam in Aceh is the typical problem we are facing." Wetlands International fears for the many similar cases in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
22-May-2012, views: 6109
Buenos Aires, Argentina - Wetlands International in Argentina has become a member of the Round Table on Responsible Soy to help addressing the loss of wetlands and their values in the guidelines for responsible soy. Wetland areas are severely threatened by the expansion of soy cultivation due to water extraction, pollution and reclamation, with considerable costs for society.
21-May-2012, views: 6346
La Rochelle, France - At the 5th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (14-18 May in La Rochelle, France), the Contracting Parties adopted 27 resolutions of which one third of all resolutions have included relevance to the Critical Site Network Tool, to the Flyway Training Kit or in general to the Wings Over Wetlands Project. All these products were produced under Wetlands International's leadership and set a solid base for migratory waterbird conservation in the region.
17-May-2012, views: 6659
Bonn, 17 May 2012 - Today, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the non-governmental organisation Wetlands International launch 'The Organic Soils and Peatlands Climate Change Mitigation Initiative'. The Initiative has been established to increase awareness about how the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of peatlands can reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, and to facilitate strategic actions that can lead to measurable progress in this area. The Initiative will be launched during the intersessional climate session of the United Nations in Bonn (13–25 May).
14-May-2012, views: 6121
Bonn, Germany - At the intersessional climate session of the United Nations in Bonn (13-25 May) Wetlands International will in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations organise a side event to launch the global 'Organic Soils and Peatlands Climate Change Mitigation Initiative'. The presentations of the side event can now be downloaded here.
11-May-2012, views: 6202
La Rochelle, France - The 5th Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA), 14-18 May 2012, La Rochelle, France, organised by AEWA Secretariat, will kick off shortly in La Rochelle in France. The five-day meeting carries the theme "Migratory waterbirds and people – sharing wetlands". Wetlands International will contribute to this theme by three publication releases and two key events.
20-Apr-2012, views: 6260
Wetlands International expressed its deep concern about the proposed 53km Danube regulation project in Croatia in a letter to Croatia's Minister for Environment and Nature Protection Mirela Holy. The NGO understands that this regulation would have a severe impact upon the unique river landscape and the most highly valued floodplain area and forests of the entire Danube.
19-Apr-2012, views: 7371
Brussels, Belgium - CEO Jane Madgwick of Wetlands International spoke on The Future of Europe's Waters at a European Parliament Interactive Seminar chaired by MEP Giancarlo Scotta earlier this month. Other speakers included Nicola Natoro (Directorate General Environment, European Commission), Martin Scheele, (Directorate General Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission) and Antoine Poupard of the French Farmer's Association. The seminar was sponsored by Wetlands International member organization FACE, the Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU.
13-Apr-2012, views: 5513
By Ward Hagemeijer, Corporate Relations Manager
First impressions from the NGO science partnership workshop with Shell, 4-5 April 2012, Texel.
12-Apr-2012, views: 5104
Palembang, Indonesia - The meeting of the East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) on waterbirds has designated the Sembilang National Park in South Sumatra as 'network site' for waterbird conservation. The Indonesia office of Wetlands International will from now on host the national secretariat for migratory bird management.
02-Apr-2012, views: 7834
A firestorm is sweeping across Tripa's protected peatswamp forests, endangering the last few hunderd Orangutans remaining in this threatened area. The fires seem a direct result from draining for illegal palm oil expansion into the area. Wetlands International is saddened by the devastation of this forest; the organisation has called for many years for a better conservation of the precious old growth forest.
15-Mar-2012, views: 7884
Wetlands International is co-hosting an international conference to promote sustainable management of Brunei's peat forests and mangrove forests on 22-23 March at Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. The event is organised in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources of Brunei Darussalam through the Forestry Department and is organised in conjunction with this year's World Forestry Day celebrations on 21 March 2012.
13-Mar-2012, views: 10893
07-Mar-2012, views: 5346
Presentation of the new facts and forecasts about the impacts of planned dams as well as climate change on the Niger River marshes and the people and nature depending on these.
15-Feb-2012, views: 6720
Ede, The Netherlands, February 16, 2012
Wetlands International is calling on the Netherlands to commit to its international obligations for the depoldering of the Hedwigepolder, part of an important delta in the country. Dutch Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation, Mr. Bleker, meets Euro commissioner of Environment Janez Potocnik today to discuss this. The delta concerns a vital and unique nature area of international importance that we should safeguard, says the non-profit organization. The depoldering was agreed to compensate environmental damage caused by the deepening of the estuary the Western Scheldt.
See also the Dutch release.
15-Feb-2012, views: 8806
Ede, 15 februari 2012
Wetlands International roept Nederland op haar internationale verplichtingen na te komen voor ontpoldering van de Hedwigepolder. Over dit onderwerp spreekt Staatssecretaris Bleker van Economische Zaken, Landbouw en Innovatie morgen met Eurocommisaris Janez Potocnik van Milieu. De Zeeuwse Delta is een vitaal en uniek natuurgebied van internationaal belang waar we zeer zuinig op moeten zijn, aldus de non-profit organisatie. De ontpoldering is afgesproken ter compensatie van natuurschade veroorzaakt door de verdieping van de Westerschelde.
08-Feb-2012, views: 7834
My name is Mamadou. I am a journalist working for 'What If We Change', an interactive video platform which gives insights in the daily lives of people that depend on ecosystems such as wetlands. I am your eyes and ears in Mali where I work together with Wetlands International to improve water management and support ecosystem restoration in the Inner Niger Delta. By sharing my films and stories I hope to draw your attention for the millions of people that rely on the sustainable use of this beautiful wetland.
02-Feb-2012, views: 6608
Netherlands, 2 Feb. 2012. With a well attended event in The Hague, the Netherlands, Wetlands International presented its plans for the coming years. Different speakers showed the effective approach of the organisation as a broker between science, policy and practice; between field level challenges and global trends and solutions and between different sectors and interests.
02-Feb-2012, views: 8060
Welcome on World Wetlands Day! A day to celebrate the role of wetlands in contributing to biodiversity and human well-being. Wetlands International was instrumental in campaigning for and creating the Ramsar Convention and was present in this event in 1971 in Iran when it was formed. The vision and emphasised the crucial role of wetlands in contributing to sustainable development. This is still our message today…but more urgent!
22-Dec-2011, views: 6764
11-Dec-2011, views: 9603
Durban, South Africa, 11 Dec-2011. The Durban Climate Summit has delivered an overall rather meager agreement. A positive outcome has though come forward to reduce emissions from peatlands, both in REDD+ from developing as under the Kyoto Protocol for developed countries. Wetlands International celebrates this result. Peatlands represent 6% of global emissions and until now, no incentive existed under the UNFCCC for reduce these.
08-Dec-2011, views: 4166
Today, we have put the website in its new format live. See our global site as well as the sites for Africa and for Latin America and our site showing the Ramsar wetland database.
08-Dec-2011, views: 9362
By Susanna Tol, from the UN Climate Summit in Durban. For two weeks, I am at the climate summit in Durban, meeting governmental delegations from all over the world to get the emissions from wetland degradation addressed.
01-Dec-2011, views: 6758
Slimbridge (UK) - Widespread declines in birds that spend most of their lives at sea are alarming conservationists. Seven species of seaduck that spend the northern winter in the Baltic – a key non-breeding area – have dropped in number by up to 65% in 15 years, without any clear explanation.
30-Nov-2011, views: 5315
Durban, South Africa - Peatlands must be given much stronger attention at the UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) in Durban, South Africa, calls NGO Wetlands International. Peatlands are the world's most concentrated and important reservoirs of terrestrial organic carbon and a fast growing source of emissions. They should become 'no-go zones'.
25-Nov-2011, views: 4949
Mopti, Mali - Communities in Mali's Inner Niger Delta are facing an emerging drought. At this time of the year the Niger River in West Africa is normally reaching its peak, delivering water for millions of people including the 1.4 million living in Mali's Inner Niger Delta. This year, water levels are drastically low compared to previous years. Low rainfall may not be the only cause.
24-Nov-2011, views: 5490
Wetlands International is deeply saddened by the loss of Mark Barter, one of its Associate Experts. The world of waterbird and wetland conservation along the East Asian - Australasian Flyway has lost a pioneering figure and a role model with his passing away on 21 November 2011. Mark always held a passion for shorebirds throughout his life, helping to guide the development of the "National Plan for Shorebird Conservation in Australia" (1987), before becoming the second Chairman of the Australasian Wader Studies Group (AWSG) from 1987 to 1997.
24-Nov-2011, views: 5639
Durban, South Africa - Wetlands International will be present at the upcoming climate talks in Durban (28 November – 9 December). This global NGO will show the important role that wetlands can play to adapt to climate change, with specific attention for wetlands in the dry and vulnerable parts of Africa. Wetlands International also continues its call for incentives to conserve and restore carbon-rich wetlands peat soils under a new climate treaty.
16-Nov-2011, views: 4801
Ede, The Netherlands - Wetlands International is very proud to see that all four of its projects are listed among the 20 most successful Global Environmental Facility (GEF) funded projects. With more than 460 GEF-funded projects competing, this is a great honour.
09-Nov-2011, views: 4196
Wetlands International is proud to have been awarded the seal of approval of the Central Bureau on Fundraising (CBF) for trustworthy fundraising and expenditures.
26-Oct-2011, views: 4787
Amsterdam - IUCN Dutch committee launches an interactive platform for video stories about the power of nature restoration, called What if we change. Wetlands International is one of the partners in this platform with an innovative nature restoration project in the Inner Niger Delta in Mali.
24-Oct-2011, views: 3258
Wuxi, China - The Asian Wetland Symposium on Human Well-being and Wetlands, co-organised by Wetlands International China, brought together 800 participants from 19 countries, including many officials from local governments in China. The event concluded with the adoption of the Wuxi Declaration, in which participants call for a series of actions to be taken for wetland conservation and wise use.
21-Sep-2011, views: 3251
New York - At the Global Clinton Initiative in New York, Jane Madgwick, CEO of Wetlands International has presented our commitment to work with communities on saving worldwide two million acres of carbon dense peatswamps.
16-Sep-2011, views: 9923
Enormous logs float by while we navigate the Agusan river on Mindanao, the second largest island of the Philippines. A silent testimony of decades of ravaging sawmills and chainsaws that denuded most of the archipelago's once virgin hill slopes. The noisy motor of our boat stirs up a deeply brown-coloured mixture of water and sediment. Two decades ago, local fishermen tell me, the water was clear and readily drinkable.
02-Sep-2011, views: 6446
Wetlands International is very concerned about the permission for Exxon and Rosneft for oil exploration in the Russian Arctic Sea. The area designated overlaps with two protected natural areas. Officially oil exploration is banned in these areas.
23-Aug-2011, views: 4925
We proudly present our new 10-year Strategic Intent (2011-2020). While our organisation remains grounded within both the conservation and humanitarian sectors, we are broadening our focus on wetland and climate change issues. Also new is our emphasis on the economic sectors driving wetland loss and the potential to utilize some of these for conservation and restoration.
03-Aug-2011, views: 5354
The Annual Review 2010 is out now! Despite the global economic crisis, our Annual Review 2010 shows a healthy and growing organisation. Due to our efforts together with many partners, we achieved a lot in terms of wetland restoration and conservation worldwide.
29-Jul-2011, views: 7334
Wetlands International proudly presents the new chair of the Supervisory council of Wetlands International: Jan Ernst de Groot, who was formerly the Managing Director of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. We welcome him to the Wetlands International family and global network.
27-Jul-2011, views: 7191
Wetlands International is deeply saddened to report the loss of one of flamingo conservation's champions. Dr. Brooks Childress, former Chair of the IUCN/SSC Wetlands International Flamingo Specialist Group from November 2004 to July 2010, passed away in the early hours of 22 July 2011.
21-Jun-2011, views: 4924
Wetlands International is proud to announce that the Critical Site Network (CSN) Tool developed jointly with BirdLife International, UNEP-WCMC, AEWA Secretariat and Ramsar Convention Secretariat, has won the first prize of the ESRI/SCGIS International Conservation Mapping Competition in the category "Best Interactive Web Map".
09-Jun-2011, views: 6297
Gland, Switzerland (IUCN) – Africa is being given a unique opportunity to conserve its tremendous diversity of freshwater species – a critical resource for many of Africa's poorest people. African countries can now decide to use their water resources sustainably, and avoid paying millions of dollars, as is the case in Europe, to rectify poorly planned wetland development.
06-Jun-2011, views: 6051
Bonn, Germany - A team of Wetlands International is present at the UN Climate meeting in Bonn (SBSTA), advocating for wetland conservation in the light of climate change. There we participate in two Side Events and bring our points across in the subsequent Adaptation Fund Board meeting as well.
20-May-2011, views: 13198
Friday, 20 May 2011. Today, a two year moratorium between Norway and Indonesia to freeze Indonesia's forest and peatland clearing has been agreed. The moratorium blocks new concessions in Indonesia's peatlands and remaining forests; but also leaves many exemptions.
20-May-2011, views: 4648
Geneva – Wetlands International has renewed its cooperation with the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands on May 19th through the signing of a new Memorandum of Cooperation for the period 2011-2017. The organisation sees an important future for the convention, with increased focus on the services such as water security that wetlands provide to people.
19-May-2011, views: 4751
Washington, D.C. - Representatives from the Convention on Migratory Species, Ramsar Convention, UNEP, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Birdlife International, the GEF Secretariat, International Crane Foundation, and Wetlands International met to discuss several Global projects on Migratory Species. Specific to the Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative (WHMSI) a project entitled: Conservation of globally important migratory species and the critical habitats needed to complete their lifecycles within the Americas is under design.
13-May-2011, views: 7258
Rapid land use change for intensive agriculture and urban functions has a devastating impact, particularly on wetlands. In the light of World Migratory Bird Day 2011 on 14-15 May, Wetlands International calls for attention on the implications of land use change for waterbirds.
11-May-2011, views: 7887
Wetlands International is very concerned about the renewed plans by the Tanzanian government to mine for soda ash in Lake Natron. The plan to mine at this very precious but vulnerable lake conflicts with the government's international commitments and could cause the loss one of Africa's most important Wetlands of International Importance, being the only breeding site of the East-African population of Lesser Flamingo.
11-Apr-2011, views: 5792
Washington DC – Drainage and degradation of coastal wetlands emit significant amounts of carbon dioxide directly to the atmosphere and lead to decreased carbon sequestration, a new World Bank report has found.
25-Feb-2011, views: 5942
Wetlands International organised a global symposium, connected to the launch of the 2011-2020 strategic intent. This international symposium offered a unique opportunity to consider a range of national and regional experiences in the management and restoration of wetlands; and to define global priorities in relation to the science, policies and practices of wetland management.
24-Feb-2011, views: 8655
Edinburgh, Scotland. Representatives of governments, civil society and research centres of learning gathered in Edinburgh to consider the growing evidence base regarding the role of wetlands in addressing climate change. The global NGO Wetlands International has made climate change a prominent element in its new strategy for the coming decade.
21-Feb-2011, views: 8622
Wetlands International in collaboration with the Scottish Government, Scottish Natural Heritage and Scottish Environment Protection Agency is holding an international symposium to discuss the importance of wetlands in a changing climate in Edinburgh on the 24th of February 2011.
01-Feb-2011, views: 11371
February 2, 2011. World Wetlands Day is this year celebrated with the theme "Forests for Water and Wetlands". Wetlands International marks this day by launching its new initiatives to reverse the loss of the world's wetland forests such as forested peatlands and mangroves.
01-Feb-2011, views: 29977
An increasing part of Malaysia's palm oil is produced at the account of huge areas of tropical peatswamp forests. Especially in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, expansion of oil palm plantations may lead to the complete loss of these vast, unique forests by the end of this decade. This is shown by new figures from Wetlands International and Sarvision.
12-Dec-2010, views: 11034
Cancún, Mexico. Climate negotiators at the climate summit in Cancún agreed that in a future climate agreement it should be possible for countries to reduce their emissions by rewetting drained peatlands. Wetlands International is very pleased with this agreement because it means a strong incentive will be created to stop the loss of wetlands. Under the current Kyoto Protocol, these emissions were not included and therefore not addressed.
10-Dec-2010, views: 9239
Cancún, Mexico 10 Dec 2010. Wetlands International strongly welcomes the decision of climate negotiators to enable developed countries to reduce their emissions by rewetting drained peatlands. Thanks to this decision, a climate deal following the Kyoto Protocol will provide strong incentives to halt and reverse the loss of wetlands. Under the current Kyoto Protocol, these emissions remained unaccounted and thus unaddressed.
09-Dec-2010, views: 8012
Cancún, Mexico. During a celebrity side event at the climate change conference in Cancún private investor George Soros said he stands ready to invest in the rehabilitation of drained peatlands in Indonesia. He announced this in an event which discussed international partnerships under REDD+; a new UNFCCC mechanism to reduce emission from deforestation and degradation in developing countries.
04-Dec-2010, views: 3895
One billion tonnes of forest and peatland emissions may go unaccounted
CANCUN – Countries at climate change talks in Cancun, Mexico this week are in closed door meetings on a deal to evade accounting for up to one billion tonnes of greenhouse gas pollution from the destruction of native forests and peatlands. The Ecosystems Climate Alliance (of which Wetlands International is one of the core members) today launched a colourful Truth in Targets campaign highlighting the imminent decision to entrench loopholes in proposed new international emissions rules for land and forests in developed countries.
30-Nov-2010, views: 13086
Cancún, Mexico. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), science now allows to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from wetlands. This breakthrough was presented yesterday by the IPCC at the UN climate conference (UNFCCC) in Cancun (Mexico). This conclusion is crucial for allowing countries to reduce their emissions through rewetting drained wetlands. A decision on that will possibly be taken in Cancun.
25-Nov-2010, views: 8022
The major UN climate conference takes place in Cancún, Mexico, where in the coming two weeks (29 November – 11 December) country delegations will negotiate next steps towards a new climate agreement. This may become an important meeting as countries could agree on reducing emissions from deforestation. One other key element on this agenda is to reduce the annual emissions from drained peatlands, in order to address this so far ignored part of the global greenhouse gas emissions.
08-Nov-2010, views: 16003
New research warns of massive increase in carbon emissions and land conversion
Brussels, Belgium – Plans to increase the use of biofuels in Europe over the next ten years will require up to 69,000 square kilometres of new land worldwide and make climate change worse, a new study reveals today [1].
29-Oct-2010, views: 8421
29 October 2010. Wetlands International is relieved by the successful outcome of the Conference of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Japan. The approved 20 targets for 2020 are an important step to save our global biodiversity, including wetland areas.
25-Oct-2010, views: 6061
Nagoya, Japan - Today, the UN Biological Diversity Convention in Japan has started on its second and last week. The aim to agree on ambitious global targets for the coming decade will be challenging; success is uncertain. The pace of the negotiations is slow.
21-Oct-2010, views: 10156
The rate of decline of waterbird populations has slightly decreased over the last three decades. However, 47% of the waterbird populations are still declining and only 16% are increasing. The status of waterbirds is improving mainly in North America and Europe, while it is least favourable in Asia. Especially long distance migrants appear to be vulnerable.
20-Oct-2010, views: 5114
Nagoya, Japan (CBD) - Wetlands International will present the State of the World's Waterbirds 2010 on Thursday 21 October at the Convention on Biological Diversity in Japan. Through this publication, the organisation will show how different groups of waterbird populations are doing in different parts of our world.
20-Oct-2010, views: 7496
Nagoya, Japan (CBD) - Wetlands International will hold two press conferences at the conference of the UN Biological Diversity Convention (CBD) in Nagoya, Japan in the morning of Thursday 21st of October, 2010.
20-Oct-2010, views: 9080
Nagoya, Japan (CBD) - The Niger River is a lifeline for the Sahelian countries of Mali and Niger. Depending on the rainwater in Tropical West African Country of Guinea, the river fills the large Inner Niger Delta; a seasonal flooded area for one million people and millions of migratory waterbirds. A combination of upstream dams and expected climate change impacts may mean a disaster for these biodiversity and human values.
13-Oct-2010, views: 8077
While global biodiversity loss increases at alarming rates, ministers are gathering in Japan for the most important biodiversity meeting of the decade. During this CBD meeting, a clear picture will be presented on the worsening state of the world's biodiversity. Yet little in the way of additional action or commitment is expected from the governments in attendance.
05-Oct-2010, views: 8659
TIANJIN, CHINA (UNFCCC) – Greenhouse gas emissions from bioenergy1 – the development and burning of biofuels and the combustion of biomass to generate electricity – must be accounted for in national emission reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol, say forest and climate experts from the Ecosystems Climate Alliance (ECA), of which Wetlands International is a member.
23-Sep-2010, views: 7828
New visitors centre displays migratory bird flyways from the Arctic to Africa
Wetlands International and Dutch nature organisation Staatsbosbeheer demand attention on the international importance of the Dutch Oostvaardersplassen as key link in migratory birds' networks of wetlands (flyway). The future visitors centre built by Staatsbosbeheer in Oostvaardersplassen will play an exemplary role in displaying intercontinental bird migration to its public. Wetlands International and Staatsbosbeheer formalised their cooperation by signing an agreement on Thursday 23 September in Lelystad, The Netherlands.
18-Sep-2010, views: 12492
Plantations on peatsoils will no longer be supported by The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). This is a decision by the CDM Board as a result of concerns expressed by Wetlands International, Greifswald University and CDM-Watch, who alarmed the Board that these CDM projects directly result in very high greenhouse gas emissions from the drainage of peat soils for palm oil plantations.
02-Sep-2010, views: 10670
One in five species of plants and animals that live in fresh water in Africa is threatened with extinction. This is the conclusion of a comprehensive assessment of 5,167 freshwater species by 200 scientists over the past 5 years.
11-Aug-2010, views: 12158
The thick smog in Moscow is for 80 to 90 percent caused by fires in drained peatlands near Moscow. Despite the relatively small areas where the peat fires occur, these are the fires that cause the massive air pollution in Moscow involving major risks for the health of residents of the region, as well as enormous CO2 emissions. Peat fires are difficult to extinguish and may continue to burn underground for months, even after rainfall like last night.
04-Aug-2010, views: 10363
August 4, 2010. The disastrous forest fires that are currently raging in Russia have led to significant fires in the drained and degraded peatlands. These occur close to Moscow and densely populated areas in Central European Russia. They are causing huge air pollution problems as well as direct risks for the people in the region.
26-Jul-2010, views: 6619
IUCN the Netherlands, Wetlands International and Both Ends can still submit their detailed proposal in order to compete for the Dutch Co-financing System for development grant (MFS II) with their program "The Ecosystem Alliance: Empowering People and Nature 'development."
18-Jun-2010, views: 14586
Bonn, Germany. New conservation plans for the Siberian Crane Grus leucogeranus covering its entire range and migration routes that span continents have now been endorsed to save the species from extinction. During its annual migration, the Siberian Crane travels 5,000 kilometers from its breeding grounds in Yakutia and western Siberia, intermediate resting and feeding places, to its wintering sites in southern China and Iran respectively.
14-Jun-2010, views: 5202
The Hague, The Netherlands - Key organisations from the Wings Over Wetlands project partnership, representing the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA), Wetlands International and BirdLife International signed a historic collaborative agreement to redouble their efforts to conserve migratory waterbird species and their critical habitats in Africa and Eurasia.
14-Jun-2010, views: 9377
The Hague, the Netherlands. A new website providing information on thousands of wetlands and hunderds of waterbird populations shows the difficult situation for the migratory waterbirds of Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Central Asia.
12-Jun-2010, views: 11638
After a long process since the adoption of the Renewable Energy Directive, the European Commission has now made clear that biofuels produced or imported to the EU cannot be produced at the cost of wetlands, peatlands or forests.
10-Jun-2010, views: 4944
Bonn, Germany. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will explore further guidance for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions from wetlands. This is a crucial step towards a decision by the UN Climate Summit in December in Mexico to allow countries to reduce emissions through rewetting drained wetlands.
03-Jun-2010, views: 6083
The large emissions from degrading peatsoils are currently not addressed at the climate conference. Wetlands International is present at the new session of the UN climate summit in Bonn to advocate for steps towards incentives for countries to protect and restore wetlands in order to reduce carbon emissions.
01-Jun-2010, views: 3993
BONN, Germany – As the UN climate talks resume here today toward a new global deal to prevent catastrophic climate change, negotiators will be seeking a way forward on the challenge of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD). Stemming the tide of forest loss is a key link in the global effort against climate change.
28-May-2010, views: 6281
Wetlands International welcomes the support from Norway for Indonesia to curb emissions from deforestation and the loss of carbon rich peatswamps. We also welcome the announcement that under the partnership, Indonesia is prepared to suspend for two years new concessions for the conversion of peat and natural forest lands. However, we are very concerned that this moratorium will take effect only somewhere during the second phase of the partnership. This will create for some sectors during a period of at least 7 months a perverse incentive of enhanced effort for expanding palm oil and pulp concessions in Indonesian forest and peatland areas. We call for the moratorium to enter into immediate effect.
27-May-2010, views: 5624
Wetlands International strongly welcomes the suspension by President Obama of oil drilling in the offshore USA territories in the Arctic. The period of suspension is needed for a proper analysis and discussion about the risks of offshore drilling.
20-May-2010, views: 10309
The International Day of Biodiversity is Saturday 22 May. 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and the year that the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will conclude that the aims to reduce biodiversity loss have not been achieved. According to Wetlands International, this crisis for biodiversity is directly connected to the global water crisis that is threatening our planet.
14-May-2010, views: 17157
The world's wetlands such as rivers, mangroves, deltas and lakes are degrading faster than any other ecosystem type. Increasingly many are reaching the critical stage where damage will be irreversible which has serious repercussions for the water and food security of poor people. This is revealed in the in-depth review on inland waters (wetlands) which is being discussed at the technical meeting of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which kicked off Monday in Nairobi.
07-May-2010, views: 6658
"Save migratory birds in crisis – every species counts!" - is this year's central WMBD theme and aims to raise awareness about globally threatened migratory birds, with a particular focus on those birds on the very edge of extinction - the Critically Endangered. On 8-9 May 2010 thousands of people around the world will be attending World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) events which will celebrate bird migration and highlight migratory birds in crisis.
03-May-2010, views: 6535
Wetlands International is very concerned about the devastating threats of the BP oil spill on the south coast of the US. This disaster shows the permanent threat of offshore oil winning on very precious natural areas. The precautionary principle should be applied when considering oil winning activities in similarly highly vulnerable coastal areas.
30-Mar-2010, views: 5117
Wetlands International regrets the loss of one of its greatest supporters, Heribert (Herby) Kalchreuter. Herby was the Woodcock and Snipe Specialist Group Chair some years ago. He passed away the 14th of March. Wetlands International will very much miss his sense of humour, enthusiasm and dedication to waterbird conservation.
12-Mar-2010, views: 10366
Waterbirds in Asia are in trouble. Rapid and poorly-planned human development leading to a lack of adequate official conservation of their important wetland sites are key reasons for their declining numbers. These are the conclusions of the newly published report by Wetlands International, covering over 6,700 wetland sites in 27 Asian countries.
05-Mar-2010, views: 5274
Wetlands International welcomes the bilateral agreement between the Dutch government and Indonesia to restore Indonesia's the degraded peatlands, with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions. Wetlands International has been the leading organisation in advocating and piloting peatland restoration in Indonesia as one of the most effective means for climate change mitigation.
04-Mar-2010, views: 12831
The EU Parliament has formulated sustainability criteria to prevent forest loss for biofuel production. Now, a leaked draft document shows how the Commission intends to allow and support conversion of for instance rainforest areas into palm oil plantations to produce biodiesel.
25-Feb-2010, views: 8016
The book An Atlas of Wader Populations in Africa and Western Eurasia published by Wetlands International was awarded third prize in the 2009 Best British Bird Book of the Year Competition. This book - also known as the Wader Atlas - was produced jointly with the International Wader Study Group.
02-Feb-2010, views: 13869
Celebrating World Wetlands Day, today's spotlight is on the importance of wetlands for reducing impacts of climate change. Globally, there is a growing recognition of the key role that the protection and restoration of wetlands like marshes, peatlands, mangroves and coral reefs can play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to its impacts. Now, this recognition has to be turned into action.
15-Jan-2010, views: 13473
Mansoa, Guinea Bissau. Government officials have launched a new mangrove project in Guinea Bissau, which will demonstrate how better management of mangrove forests can help in reducing coastal climate change impacts. The project aims to deliver the knowledge base for the development of national policies in the fight against climate change impacts. NGO Wetlands International, which is leading the project, emphasizes that this project is an example for many coastal areas in Africa and in the rest of the world.
19-Dec-2009, views: 7359
December 19, 2009, 11.00. The COP just agreed on one sentence with a weak text as just an Annex. National short term interests have blocked any step towards solving one of the biggest challenges mankind faces. The momentum is now missing to move towards a low carbon economy and to reduce the loss of carbon rich ecosystems like forests and wetlands.
17-Dec-2009, views: 4146
Copenhagen, Thursday 17 December 2009. If there will be a final and successful climate deal this weak remains unclear; many key issues are still under discussion. The current drafts do provide hope for the wetlands issue, although key elements need to be solved.
16-Dec-2009, views: 7407
The satellite transmitter equipped Black-tailed Godwit called 'Gaast' has been found in the Inner Niger Delta of Mali, Africa after flying south from Friesian pastures in northern Netherlands in June. 'Gaast' is part of 15 individuals satellite marked in a project of the Groningen University under the Global Shorebird Network programme to study the precise migratory movements of the Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa that migrates between the Netherlands and western Africa.
15-Dec-2009, views: 6439
Despite slow developments on decisions for appropriate financing for protecting the most vulnerable countries against the impacts of climate change, some positive news can be reported by the Wetlands International team working on Adaptation in Copenhagen. The value of ecosystems for climate change adaptation is now explicitely recognised in the draft text for a new climate deal.
14-Dec-2009, views: 8900
The Indonesian government acknowledges in Copenhagen that forestry and agriculture in peatswamp areas causes extreme carbon emissions, with just very limited economical revenues. Only a rapid development of a financial incentive such as REDD is able to protect and restore the remaining peatswamp forests.
12-Dec-2009, views: 5312
This morning and yesterday; new steps are agreed regarding the texts on the Land Use part of the Kyoto Protocol (LULUCF) and on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation in Developing countries (REDD). Not all these new steps are positive, but they do allow addressing emissions from the loss of wetlands.
06-Dec-2009, views: 5728
Wetlands International is present at the UN Cilmate Summit in Copenhagen. The outcomes of this summit may have a great impact on the future protection and restoration of wetland areas. We offer you direct updates via our website and via Twitter.
01-Dec-2009, views: 7370
Maputo, Mozambique. A national group to carry out wetland biodiversity monitoring and other biodiversity conservation work has been created in Mozambique. This is the most important outcome of a national wetland and waterbird training course held at the Natural History Museum of Mozambique (Museu da Historia Natural) in Maputo, Mozambique from 9 - 17 November 2009.
26-Nov-2009, views: 6507
Three dead manatees were found last week in the waters of the Navel River, a northern tributary to the Senegal River near the bridge-dam erected by SAED. According to witness accounts, the manatees carried by atypical strong currents violently slammed into the structure's gates. This tragedy just one year after the rescue of five manatees in similar conditions re-launches the debate around the need for better integration of species' migration, particularly the manatee, in the Senegal River valley.
11-Nov-2009, views: 5532
Seven countries in West Africa, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Mauritania, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde have agreed to collaborate in the conservation of important sites for migratory birds along their coasts that receive little or no attention from ongoing conservation initiatives in the region. The decision was reached after a 4-day workshop (November 16-19, 2009) in Dakar Senegal, organized by BirdLife International in collaboration with Wetlands International.
11-Nov-2009, views: 5439
An initiative from Wetlands International Indonesia Programme (WIIP) and IUCN Netherlands has brought all stakeholders of the shrimp value chain together to improve the sustainability of shrimp production in coastal areas in Indonesia. Under the Sustainable Shrimp & Coastal Restoration and Conservation Program (SSCRC) efforts to improve systems in order to meet certification requirements are being combined with restoration of coastal mangrove ecosystems.
06-Nov-2009, views: 4615
Barcelona – Prospects for a robust agreement to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation in developing countries (REDD) are on a knife-edge. This state forest and climate experts from the Ecosystems Climate Alliance - of which Wetlands International is part - as the United Nations climate change negotiations in Barcelona draw to a close today.
05-Nov-2009, views: 4629
Limbe, Cameroon. For the first time in Africa the Flyway Training Kit was put into practice at the first regional Training of Trainers (ToT) course in Limbe, Cameroon. Receiving strong positive feedback, this training kit, developed in the framework of the Wings Over Wetlands (WOW) project will be an important tool to build capacity towards the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats.
05-Nov-2009, views: 5922
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) meeting this week in Kuala Lumpur has been unable to develop any clear criteria on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This means that there are no credible criteria for sustainable palm oil at this moment. Some hope does exist for the future thanks to the approval of a process to develop better GHG criteria catalysed by the adoption of the resolution from Wetlands International.
04-Nov-2009, views: 13484
Wetlands International in cooperation with Greifswald University has presented the first ever overview of peatland emissions and peat stocks per country. The overview presented today turns the official emission figures of many countries upside down.
30-Oct-2009, views: 6680
Wetlands International and Greifswald University will present the first ever overview of peat carbon stocks and drainage related carbon dioxide emissions of all 170 peat-containing countries world wide at the UN climate talks (UN-FCCC) Barcelona on Wednesday 4 November. Splitting the global 550 Gigaton carbon storage and alarming 2 Gton annual CO2 emissions from peatlands to national levels, these new figures turn the official total emission figures of many countries upside down.
30-Sep-2009, views: 8275
While fires rage through the drained and logged peatswamp forests of Indonesia emitting huge amounts of CO2, the UN Climate Talks take place in Bangkok. The coming two weeks country negotiators will work towards a framework for a new climate treaty. This issue of greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands is now explicitly on the agenda of these crucial last negotiation rounds before the Copenhagen Summit.
21-Sep-2009, views: 9177
Monday, 21 September 2009 - The Indonesian government has come forward with figures that confirm that the country is the third largest emitter of greenhouse gasses; for 80% due to deforestation and peatland loss. Wetlands International, the NGO that has been advocating the need to address peatland degradation strongly welcomes the acknowledgement by the Indonesian government of the issue.
17-Sep-2009, views: 13240
Climate change is now named as the cause of the severe drought in eastern Africa. While this may be true, poor wetland management, especially unsustainable use of water resources, is the root cause of the totally drying up of normally wet areas. This situation currently threatens millions of people in the region and has already caused mass starvation of cattle and wildlife.
08-Sep-2009, views: 8963
Wetlands International is concerned about the plans of the Russian government to support and allow large scale peat mining for energy. Using peat causes much larger carbon dioxide emissions than fossil fuels, will ruin precious nature and disrupt the hydrology of large areas.
23-Jul-2009, views: 10215
Global NGO Wetlands International has further expanded its reach and impact on conservation, restoration and sustainable use of wetlands. For the fifth consecutive year it has grown in both financial and operational size. This concludes the newly published Annual Review 2008.
21-Jul-2009, views: 10826
All over the world, conflicts between groups of people are arising due to poor planning of wetlands and their water resources. This concludes the global NGO Wetlands International in its report 'Planting trees to eat fish' after investigating many wetland sites in Africa, Latin America and Asia.
08-Jul-2009, views: 13449
Wetlands International and a coalition of NGOs have joined forces to demand palm oil company AAL to immediately halt the conversion of the Tripa peat forest in Aceh province, Indonesia into a palm oil plantation. The Tripa rainforest is home to the critically endangered Sumatran Orangutan.
23-Jun-2009, views: 8970
Wetlands International in a coalition of environmental groups (see below) has accused a British company of funding the imminent destruction of a critical area of Indonesian rainforest for palm oil production.
17-Jun-2009, views: 7096
Over thirty civil society organisations join together to avert the effects of biofuel development on food security and sovereignty in African countries. The civil society coalition on biofuels supported by Wetlands International Africa and Action Aid will be officially launched on Thursday, June 18, 2009 at Senegal's USE's Centre de Bopp in Dakar.
12-Jun-2009, views: 5743
Leading NGO Experts Explain Climate Convention development on REDD and LULUCF:
Where Are We and Where Are We Going? See the webcast.
02-Jun-2009, views: 4798
Experts from the Ecosystem Climate Alliance (ECA), a coalition of leading environmental groups around the world, have established a twitter feed to monitor the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) negotiations in real time at the Bonn climate talks from June 1 – 12, 2009.
22-May-2009, views: 9914
The invasive fish species of Tilapia and Mosquitofish coming from badly constructed fish farms are diminishing native fish species in Fiji. This is the result of a six-year study to 20 catchments on the Pacific islands. 'Invasive Alien Species' is today's International Day for Biological Diversity theme.
20-May-2009, views: 11604
More than half the populations of waders in Europe, West Asia and Africa are declining at an accelerating rate. There is a need for better protection of the key wetlands along their flyways, especially in Africa and the Middle East. This is the conclusion of the Wetlands International's Wader Atlas, the first comprehensive overview of key site networks for waders in Europe, West-Asia and Africa, launched in London today.
08-May-2009, views: 9325
In their long journeys each year millions of migratory birds must cross many frontiers and obstacles. Therefore, 'Barriers to Migration' is the theme of this year's World Migratory Bird Day (9-10 May 2009). The Follow the Bird! initiative of Wetlands International has shown that many birds do not make it back home; decreasing stopover wetland sites, hunters, power lines, and even airplanes cross their paths of thousands of kilometers.
08-May-2009, views: 11015
Bonn/Nairobi. In the weekend of 9-10 May 2009), thousands of people around the world take part in World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) events to draw attention to the many man-made obstacles birds face during their migration. The central theme for this year's World Migratory Bird Day - "Barriers ot Migration" – aims to highlight the effects man-made structures such as wind turbines, communication masts, tall buildings and windows, power lines and fences have on migratory birds.
24-Apr-2009, views: 8142
The Wader Atlas is a milestone publication presenting the current knowledge of the numbers, distribution and movements of waders in the Africa-Western Eurasia region. Built on ten years of study, the Wader Atlas is a beautifully illustrated book, providing maps, trends, and a wealth of detailed information on this remarkable group of birds.
07-Apr-2009, views: 6042
Bonn, Germany. The enormous carbon dioxide emissions from degraded peatlands have finally become an integral part of the UNFCCC agenda. An impressive list of countries have pleaded for inclusion of these so far ignored emissions in national emission accounting in developed countries (Annex I).
23-Mar-2009, views: 6510
A new 3-year project on "Strengthening waterbird and wetland conservation capacities in North Africa (WetCap)" is embarking on its first year of implementation as of this month. Within the framework of this project capacity building activities will take place in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Mauritania.
06-Mar-2009, views: 6448
The government of Indonesia took a promising step this week by asking World Bank for support in reducing carbon emissions from forest and peatland loss. However, last month, the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture issued a decree (Indonesian / English translation) to open up peatswamp areas for the development of palm oil plantations.
19-Feb-2009, views: 8608
While in the EU and the RSPO policies are being developed to exclude palmoil from carbon rich soils like peatlands and to prevent the loss of their precious forests, the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture issued a decree to open up peatswamp areas for the development of palmoil plantations.
19-Feb-2009, views: 8020
The largest waterbird congregation site in the Indian subcontinent is the site of a new international study of migratory birds and their role in the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1. The study, launched by the United Nation's Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and its partners, is the first of its kind in India.
18-Feb-2009, views: 5754
Wetlands International Africa has launched the Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Network (BIOMAC) in Guinea Bissau at the 4th Forum of the Regional Coastal and Marine Conservation Programme for West Africa (PRCM). BIOMAC addresses the many challenges facing the West African coast through information sharing, environmental monitoring, rapid reaction systems and capacity building. The mission of BIOMAC is 'building strategic partnerships to protect our marine and coastal heritage'.
02-Feb-2009, views: 12098
2 February, World Wetlands Day. This year's theme 'Upstream-Downstream' highlights how the world's wetlands are connected to millions of people whose livelihoods, safety and security depend on them for water supply and their capacity to help regulate floods. Climate change will considerably magnify the problems that ongoing degradation of these river basins will bring to nature and people. Increasing the resilience of these wetlands is therefore a fundamental issue that must be part of climate change adaptation strategies.
29-Jan-2009, views: 6282
Wetlands International signed today the agreement to offset all emissions of flights booked by its headquarters, according to the Gold Standard. The Climate Neutral Group will organise the offsetting programme by investing in alternative energies (wind energy) of an amount equal to the emissions of flying. The ambition of Wetlands International is to expand the compensation to other emissions and other parts of the global organisation as soon as administratively feasible.
26-Jan-2009, views: 5486
The EU Renewable Energy Directive that promotes the use of biofuels, will not recognise feedstocks from carbon rich wetlands as 'renewables'. It also excludes peat under the 'renewable energy' label. This is a significant success, despite the fact that many other precious wetlands and ecosystems are still at risk due to very weak criteria for limiting the impacts of biofuel production on land-use.
14-Jan-2009, views: 4725
Five Manatees have been saved from a near death in the Senegal River by a joined Wetlands International Africa operation. The large mammals – also known as Seacows, although they live in fresh water rivers – were stuck in one of the River Senegal's arms in Navel in the Matam Region of Senegal.
18-Dec-2008, views: 6628
Wetlands International Headquarters is moving! From 19th of December 2008, the Headquarters will be located at Horapark 9 in Ede, Gelderland Province in The Netherlands. The phone numbers also change. Nevertheless, the P.O. Box address remains the same.
10-Dec-2008, views: 6930
The UN climate summit (UN-FCCC) currently taking place in Poznan is crucial for the question whether the huge emissions from degraded peatlands will finally be addressed. Today however, the working group on the methodologies for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) has decided to only deal with above ground biomass, ignoring carbon rich soils. This decision will therewith so far ignore or even worsen the emissions of 2000 Mt/CO2/yr from peatland loss in developing countries.
09-Dec-2008, views: 7219
Huge areas of the world's peatlands will be opened up for biofuel production if Finland and Sweden succeed in opening up a new loophole in EU legislation.
05-Dec-2008, views: 11987
Peat is formed over thousands of years. Recovery of peat exploitation is usually irreversible or if it can be reversed, it will take hundreds or even thousands of years to be replenished. Given this evidence, Wetlands International is astonished by the proposal by Finland to consider peat as renewable energy source at the Permanent Representatives Committee of the European Union.
01-Dec-2008, views: 5932
The UN climate summit in Poznan , Poland (1-12 December) is a key opportunity for addressing the huge greenhouse gas emissions from peatland degradation. A team of Wetlands International attends the summit to advocate policies that will address the loss of the worlds peatlands.
10-Nov-2008, views: 7839
This Tuesday (11th Nov.), the world's first certified palm oil under the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) arrives on European shores. This certified palm oil originates from a plantation which has palm oil grown on peatlands. Wetlands International strongly cautions that palm oil cannot be certified "sustainable" as long as the sector refuses to include a criterion on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from land use change, in particular degradation of tropical peatlands.
07-Nov-2008, views: 10113
A new and stunning book was published by Wetlands International on intertidal mudflats of the Yellow Sea, which are under critical threat by unsustainable development. The book offers a wonderful photographic journey that follows the migration of shorebirds flying from their breeding grounds in the Arctic through East Asia to Australia.
06-Nov-2008, views: 5445
Green Coast partners in Aceh (Wetlands International and WWF) have submitted an official request to Aceh Provincial Government to endorse, support and protect the 11 Green Coast demonstration sites after the partners will be phased out Mid 2009.
04-Nov-2008, views: 7379
In the speech on behalf of the International Organising Partners of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP 10) in Korea, Jane Madgwick, CEO of Wetlands International welcomes the steps to increase the status of Ramsar Sites, especially with regard to Lake Natron in Tanzania, the Tana Delta and Lake Naivasha in Kenya. At the same time, there is disappointment about the little progress in addressing water, climate and development policies with a link to wetlands.
04-Nov-2008, views: 5127
A new resolution has been agreed which recognises the importance of promoting international cooperation for the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats. The resolution was passed today (3 November 2008) in South Korea at the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
31-Oct-2008, views: 7861
The theme Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People is a central topic at the intergovernmental Ramsar Convention on Wetlands COP 10 (Oct. 28 - Nov. 4) at Changwon, Korea. The publication Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People made by Wetlands International is downloadable right now.
27-Oct-2008, views: 7416
Wetlands International advocates chances for the proposed resolutions of this week's Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Many proposed changes demand attention for the link between wetland loss and climate change and for biofuels.
01-Oct-2008, views: 6263
This is the Wetlands International Global Newsletter of Oct./Nov. 2008. It is filled with news on wetlands and climate change, migratory birds, international conferences, research, videos and publications.
24-Sep-2008, views: 6007
Wetlands International supports the call of the global company Unilever for a moratorium on deforestation for palm oil. With the call, companies and NGOs dealing with palm oil urge companies to respect this moratorium. The call will also be translated into a resolution for the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (meeting in November 2008).
15-Sep-2008, views: 6461
A study showing declines of 41 per cent of migratory waterbird populations along their main migration routes in Africa and Eurasia is presented to the Fourth Meeting of the Parties to AEWA (MOP4) in Antananarivo, Madagascar this week (15-19 September 2008).
10-Sep-2008, views: 6730
10 September 2008. Tomorrow, the Industry, Research and EnergyCommittee (ITRE) of the European Parliament will vote about the Renewable Energy Directive. Wetlands International calls for a rejection of the 10% target for biofuel use in 2020.
04-Sep-2008, views: 7511
Ten Purple Herons can be monitored from today onwards in their trek to Africa. These herons are equipped with a satellite transmitter, which allows their position to be determined with a ten metre accuracy. The flyway of the Purple Heron can be observed online at: www.vogelbescherming.nl/purperreiger.
01-Sep-2008, views: 11055
September 1, 2008.
The UK think tank Policy Exchange has presented the costs of the most important climate measures. Reducing emissions from tropical peatlands is by far the cheapest way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions; using biofuels is by far the most expensive measure.
11-Aug-2008, views: 6723
Surveys by scientists of Wetlands International Oceania, IUCN Oceania and Paris Museum of Natural History in France confirmed that Samoa has a unique and highly threatened freshwater fauna. At least three new records of fish were recorded for Samoa including one (perhaps 2) potential new species to science.
06-Aug-2008, views: 6480
6 August 2008
A delegation of three Korean NGOs visited Wetlands International's Headquarters in Wageningen at the end of July. Objective of their visit was to highlight the potential impacts of the Grand Canal Project to be built in Korea.
22-Jul-2008, views: 5928
Green Coast, a post-tsunami coastal restoration program led by Wetlands International, has been assessed independently as a highly cost-effective and successful approach to disaster risk reduction.
08-Jul-2008, views: 5629
Influenced by a powerful joint NGO lobby, the Members of the Environmental Committee of European Parliament yesterday voted in favour of stronger sustainability criteria and a lower target for biofuels. The proposed 10% biofuel target for 2020 was reduced to a significant lower 4% in 2015 with criteria for ambitious greenhouse gas savings and exclusion of areas like wetlands with high carbon stocks and/or biodiversity values.
08-Jul-2008, views: 5194
In CNN's show 'Business Traveller' the focus is this month on carbon offsetting initiatives worldwide. Wetlands International CEO Jane Madgwick tells about the NGO's recently launched Global Peatland Fund. Click here to watch the show which aired July 12, 13, 17 2008
03-Jul-2008, views: 6421
The planned Bujagali Dam in Uganda violates key social and environmental policies of its major funders: the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Bank. These new and devastating conclusions have just been presented by a AfDB research panel.
25-Jun-2008, views: 7045
25-06-2008 Press release
Wetlands International is shocked by the decision of the Kenyan government to convert large tracts of the Tana wetlands in Kenya into sugarcane-for-ethanol plantations. This dramatic development confirms the NGO's recent outlook 'Biofuels in Africa', which shows that biofuel production in Africa will lead to loss of wetlands and rainforest.
02-Jun-2008, views: 2302
Wetlands International has followed the Convention for the full two weeks and organised several side events (click here for our activities).
20-May-2008, views: 5135
The conservation and restoration of ecosystems, in particular wetlands, could be one of the most cost-effective strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Wetlands can reduce the negative effects of sea level rise, extreme weather like heavy rainfall, increased temperatures, severe storms and related phenomena such as melting glaciers, prolonged droughts and increased floods. Today Wetlands International will present facts and its views on adaptation at the CBD in Bonn.
10-Apr-2008, views: 2426
The year 2007 experienced a period with lots of rainfall due to the La Nina weather phenomenon.
01-Apr-2008, views: 2358
The project is working to enhance the conservation of waterbirds and the wetlands they depend on in the African Eurasian region. For this we train people, conduct demonstration projects, develop webb...
25-Feb-2008, views: 2361
Virgin Atlantic yesterday said their pioneering flight was a historic step towards using biofuels on commercial flights, with the aim of reducing carbon emissions.
13-Feb-2008, views: 2328
Wetlands International on behalf of the WPRP African Training Board announces the call for applications for the 2008 training courses focusing on a modular system of training. These training courses are part of a series of training courses being supported by the WPRP. The main modules were developed in collaboration with various partners such as Wageningen International, UNESCO-IHE, Oxfam America, Kenya Wildlife Service Institute, Foundation for Sustainable Development, Ghana Environmental Protection Agency, Uganda Wetlands Inspection Division and Uganda Wildlife Education Centre through a series of stakeholder consultations and have further undergone processes to ensure their relevance to local contexts.
01-Feb-2008, views: 4201
Furthermore this service to people is often over-exploited, resulting in degradation.Wetlands International calls for wider attention of the role wetlands ecosystems play for water and sanitation. A world facing extreme rainfall followed by droughts from climate change cannot survive without healthy wetlands.
15-Dec-2007, views: 2297
Wetlands International played a very active role in trying to influence the outcomes of the Bali Climate Conference (UN-FCCC COP 13). Our organisation was present with a professional team from various offices. This has led to some successes.
13-Dec-2007, views: 2415
A report of UNDP showed that Malaysia's carbon emissions grew by 221 percent from 1990 to 2004, the largest growth in emissions among the top 30 emitters. Malaysia is ranked 26th on a global league table of emitters. Studies by Wetlands International and its partners have indicated that emissions from degraded peatlands alone in Malaysia are remarkably high, around 100 million tonnes annually.
11-Dec-2007, views: 2706
Click here for the presentation about the Global Peatland Fund with background information.
10-Dec-2007, views: 1989
Results from the first comprehensive global assessment on the links between peatland degradation and climate change presented today show that clearance, drainage and fires in peatlands emit more than 3 billion tones of carbon dioxide every year, equivalent to 10% of global emissions from fossil fuels. Protection and restoration of peatlands are among the most cost- effective options for climate change mitigation.
07-Dec-2007, views: 2273
Indonesia takes, with 2000 million tonnes CO2 emissions per year from degraded peat, the largest share of the global peat emissions; it is a huge problem, but also very concentrated, involving around 13 million hectares. The cost-effectiveness of restoring these degraded areas is very high. Emissions in many of these peatlands are around hundred tonnes per hectare per year.
05-Dec-2007, views: 2064
The Kyoto rules for accounting emissions make a rigid distinction between fossil and non-fossil fuels. Non-fossil fuels are assumed to have by definition zero greenhouse gas emissions. This assumption ignores that there are other emissions than fossil fuel emissions that add to the greenhouse gas balance in the atmosphere. Thus, these Kyoto accounting rules provide a huge incentive for the use of biomass in Annex 1 countries.
04-Dec-2007, views: 2068
In his role as the Honorary President of Wetlands International, Raymond C. Offenheiser will support the organisation as a whole by representing them and providing advice and guidance on key policy and strategic issues. In particular, he will guide the organisation's partnership approach with the development sector in its work connecting wetlands and livelihoods in developing countries. Mr. Offenheiser will participate as an observer in the organisations' governance structures and play a role in representing the wider Wetlands international family of staff, members and partners.
29-Nov-2007, views: 2217
Wednesday 5 December (10.00-10:30)
Presentation to the press:
NGO press room 'wind' in the Grand Hyatt, Nusa Dua, Bali
New figures about the total greenhouse gas emissions caused by palm oil production in South-east Asia. Presentation of the need to change the Kyoto greenhouse gas accounting rules to include these emissions.
26-Nov-2007, views: 2128
Adopted at the recent 5th Roundtable on Sustainable Development (RT5), the RSPO P&C is a significant milestone for the multi-national and multi-stakeholder group. Established in 2003 to develop certified sustainable palm oil, the recently adopted RSPO P&C has established clear guidelines on best management practices for the industry that minimizes negative impact to the environment. In addition the RSPO P&C ensures protection of high conservation value forests, and rights to land tenure are protected.
20-Nov-2007, views: 2177
The Symposium was opened by Shaoxing Party Secretary Wang Yongchang, Deputy Administrator of the State Forestry Administration of China, the Chief Planner of the Ministry of Construction of China, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Sanitation in Mali Abdoulaye Berthe, the Mayor of Shaoxing Municipal People's Government Zhang Jinru and Wetlands International's CEO Jane Madgwick.
Participants at the Symposium urged governments, development, health and conservation agencies involved in wetland management, to take action to improve the health of all people, in harmony with wetland conservation objectives; and committed themselves to the same aim.
14-Nov-2007, views: 3298
The current disaster took place in an area not far from Ramsar Convention Wetlands of International Importance in the Kuban Delta (Russia) and Eastern Sivash (Ukraine). Nearby there are 5 more Ramsar sites along the Ukrainian Sea of Azov coast all of which are very important for wintering, migratory and breeding waterbirds.
13-Nov-2007, views: 1909
The first such workshop was held in Kenya in January 2007, the third is planned for Mali in October 2008. These workshops enable people working on the balance between wetland conservation and livelihood development all over the world to build partnerships and share experiences.
31-Oct-2007, views: 2170
22 October 2007. he Dutch minister Ms. J. Cramer has decided to exclude palm oil for two years from all subsidies that other green energies will receive. The reasons for this exclusion are the doubts and questions regarding the sustainability of palm oil. The devastating impact of palm oil plantations on the valuable peatswamp forests of Indonesia was highlighted.
26-Oct-2007, views: 4918
The Luc Hoffmann Medal has been awarded to Prof.dr. Anthony (Tony) D. Fox and Prof. Richard Kingsford. Both are awarded this Medal for excellence in wetland research and for outstanding communications, team work and collaboration worldwide for the active promotion of wetland conservation and wise use.
25-Sep-2007, views: 2438
Tomorrow, on the 26th of September, the members of the European Parliament will vote on the Thomsen Report - roadmap on renewable energy. This report pushes for a 10% mandatory target for biofuels for transport without any viable certification mechanisms in place. The ambitious target of 10% will leave no room to exclude large production of unsustainable biofuels. The mandatory biofuel target is not linked to a target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
05-Sep-2007, views: 2443
Wetlands International presents today its publication about South-east Asian shorebirds, based on years of field monitoring in Malaysia. Shorebird numbers showed an overall decline of 22% in Malaysia between 1983–1986 and 2004–2006. The reclamation and conversion of mangrove forest and mudflats for aquaculture, agriculture, industry, housing and recreational purposes has been identified as the major threat to waterbird areas.
16-Jul-2007, views: 2310
The development is being proposed by Lake Natron Resources Ltd., a company jointly owned by Tata Chemicals Ltd. and the Tanzania National Development Corporation, a state-owned entity established to coordinate commercial development in Tanzania. The proposal has the support of the President.
11-Jul-2007, views: 2283
More and more governments and corporates recognise the importance of safeguarding the world's remaining peatswamp forests. Their huge carbon stocks, equivalent to around 100 years of fossil fuel emissions are a precious global asset.
10-Jul-2007, views: 3840
No less than 12 countries of the global intergovernmental Convention on Biodiversity (CBD SBSTTA) have yesterday made their recommendations to the Executive Secretary with regard to safeguarding the world's remaining peatswamp forests. They urged the Executive Secretary to recognize the importance of peatlands, specifically tropical peatlands, in the global carbon cycle and the potential of peatland conservation and sustainable use as a cost-effective tool for the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change.
10-Jul-2007, views: 4844
At this moment, the global governmental Convention on Biodiversity (CBD - SBSTTA) holds their meeting in Paris. The protection and restoration of peatlands in order to conserve their carbon stocks is an important item on the agenda. Peatlands all over the world store enormous amounts of carbon. Their degradation is causing CO2 emissions equivalent to 8% of all global fossil fuel emissions. These huge emissions are not addressed under the Kyoto Protocol at all. There is now a major opportunity for the CBD to take leadership over this issue.
05-Jul-2007, views: 1732
Such a high level of support on a particular topic is highly unusual and reflects the support for the urgent need to protect this type of habitat.
04-Jul-2007, views: 1932
The Millennium Development Goals are 8 concrete goals to tackle the biggest global problems before 2015 and were agreed upon by the world leaders at the turn of the millennium.
04-Jul-2007, views: 1997
At this moment, government representatives of almost all countries gather in Paris to prepare the Convention on Biodiversity meeting in Bonn next year in a technical meeting (CBD-SBSTTA). This meeting in Paris is crucial as it in fact decides about the agenda and issues for resolutions for COP 9 – the high level governmental Convention meeting in Bonn, May 2008.
17-May-2007, views: 2081
At the 26th UNFCCC Subsidiary Body meetings in Bonn this week, Working Group III of The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlighted the inclusion of the impact of peatlands on climate change in their report 'Mitigation of Climate Change'.
11-May-2007, views: 2107
Wetlands International sets the global standard for research into waterbird numbers and distribution at continental scales, and the role of waterbirds as indicators of climate change is an increasingly important element of this work.
08-May-2007, views: 2043
This week, the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) is meeting in Bonn to prepare the agenda for the UN-FCCC summit in Bali, December 2007. Wetlands International demands the SBSTA to put the problem of peatland loss on the agenda. Our organisation will present the facts and solutions in an official side-event.
27-Apr-2007, views: 4611
More than 50% of the new palm oil plantations in Indonesia are planned on peatlands. With these criteria, many Indonesian and Malaysian producers will lose the markets of the 4th largest palm oil importer. Wetlands International calls for the EU, individual countries to take action to stop the rapid expansion of palm oil from peatlands and the adverse environmental targets and subsidies promoting this expansion.
05-Apr-2007, views: 1990
Green Coast is a tsunami response project, aiming at rehabilitating livelihoods of affected communities by restoring coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forest and marine resources.
12-Mar-2007, views: 1972
Today, (Monday 12 March) in The Hague, the UK Minister of the Environment, Barry Gardiner MP, the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Mrs Gerda Verburg, Secretary Generals from the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the UN Convention on Migratory Species, the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement and experts worldwide met to launch a new global guide to conservation: 'Waterbirds around the world.' They discussed the need for greater global action for the future protection of waterbirds and their habitats.
02-Mar-2007, views: 1879
In 2004 the Conference 'Waterbirds around the World' was held in Edinburgh. The aim of the presentations and discussions was to review the protection, management and study of the world's waterbird species and the migration routes That they use.
09-Feb-2007, views: 2301
Directly after the outbreak; many pointed at wild birds as the likely cause. Despite intensive monitoring programmes, no infected wild birds have been found in Europe since the summer of 2006. At this time of year, birds hardly migrate and this reduces the chances of wild birds spreading the disease. Birds at the farmwere kept indoors at all times and contact with wild birds in the area was therefore always unlikely.
02-Feb-2007, views: 1804
Wetlands are crucial for fighting climate change. This relation is still quite unknown and not acknowledged yet by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); the UN organisation that presented today's report.
23-Jan-2007, views: 2026
In Asia, 62% of the populations are now decreasing or have become extinct, and only 10% show an increasing trend. In Oceania one in six species have already become extinct.
10-Jan-2007, views: 2025
Most observers are members of enthusiastic voluntary networks, with professional coordination at the national level. Altogether they spend about 50,000 hours on this fieldwork. Wetlands international organizes a standard method for the count, which makes it easy to compare yearly census data. Each year, between 30 million and 40 million waterbirds are counted in every continent except Antartica.
14-Dec-2006, views: 2018
08-Dec-2006, views: 2750
These conclusions were drawn from new research by the NGO Wetlands International, amongst others. About a quarter of palm oil originates from drained peatlands, which were tropical peat swamps until recently.
20-Nov-2006, views: 1761
National Director for The Peregrine Fund's Madagascar Project, Lily-Arison Rene de Roland, and field biologist, Thé Seing Sam, discovered the rare bird while conducting avian surveys in a remote part of northern Madagascar. They observed nine adults and four young that appeared to be nearly two weeks of age.
10-Nov-2006, views: 2024
02-Nov-2006, views: 2892
These figures that change the global picture on greenhouse gas emissions will be presented at the UN-climate Conference in Nairobi, Tuesday the 7th of November 2006.
01-Nov-2006, views: 1744
Subscribing to our 'new and improved' digital newsletter is easy and for free, just click here.
09-Oct-2006, views: 2097
Now the dry season has started, wildfires are occurring in several places in Sumatra and Kalimantan. They are already so large that parts of peninsular Malaysia are becoming covered with smoke. The fires are not just caused by farmers who burn their fields; they are the result of extensive drainage by companies of the naturally wet peat forest areas.
27-Sep-2006, views: 1943
Among the victims were many people with whom we worked in collaboration, both in WWF and the Nepalese government. They shall be missed and we send our condolences to their relatives.
28-Aug-2006, views: 1943
The Project Coordination Unit (PCU) has now been established through United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and will operate under the umbrella of UNEP within The Netherlands.
Click here for more details about the Project. or go to www.wetlands.org/wow.
02-Aug-2006, views: 1814
The projects will show how better management of wetland areas can help sustain livelihoods of the local people, while safeguarding the important values of wetlands such as fresh water supply and rich areas of biodiversity. Financial support for the projects comes from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
21-Jul-2006, views: 2141
Now the dry season has started in South East Asia, wildfires are beginning to occur in several places in Sumatra and Kalimantan. They are already so large that parts of peninsular Malaysia are becoming covered with smoke. The fires are mostly caused by farmers who burn fields and newly cleared forest areas. Unfortunately these set light to the underlying peat soil which has been dried out as a result of extensive drainage of these naturally wet peat areas.
20-Jul-2006, views: 1934
The Wetland and Poverty Reduction Project has established a Seed Funding Facility for supporting partnerships to prepare project proposals that address poverty and improve wetland management.
07-Jul-2006, views: 2002
In the Nature issue of 6 July, Ducatez et al revealed the detection of three very different strains of Avian Influenza (HPAI) in poultry farms in two different parts in Nigeria. These strains of Avian Influenza were sequenced at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
30-May-2006, views: 2178
This is an important outcome as many feared that through the sequence of Autumn and Spring migration, HP H5N1 would be carried by wild birds from the outbreak areas into Africa and then back up into Europe.
11-May-2006, views: 2064
Wetlands International argued earlier that a strong link of wild birds to the outbreaks in Africa was unlikely. Attention to the role of wild birds is needed, but the biggest threats for a global spread remain the transport of live birds- poultry and caged birds, as well as their products.
20-Apr-2006, views: 2220
Current Danube Agreements and developing European initiatives offer hope that this will happen but are taking place too slowly to prevent further significant damage in the coming years.
29-Mar-2006, views: 1861
An active campaign in providing information about the investigation and the risks of H5N1 has led to active support from African governments. International scale research is essential to provide reliable information on the incidence of H5N1 and on the degree of risk of transmission from wild birds.
22-Mar-2006, views: 1880
Although most governments are represented on a high level, they failed to agree on anything that will enforce any action on the global problems of droughts, floods and pollution caused at least partly by wetland destruction. Many government delegations appeared mainly to be present to support their national industries.
19-Mar-2006, views: 1820
The world water forum in Mexico could have been the place to agree about the global challenges of wetland destruction, floods and droughts. It is not. Companies are overwhelmingly attending to sell their water-related products, not to contribute to sustainable solutions. Government leaders and representatives are present to support these national industries, not to decide about global approaches and solutions.
07-Mar-2006, views: 1944
Kathmandu, Nepal; 7th March 2006:
This initiative was decided at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development ( ICIMOD ) , in Kathmandu , Nepal from 27th February to 7th March 2006.
28-Feb-2006, views: 1714
Sundari is a well loved office Director and a prominent member of Wetlands International's global team. Apart from her practical and intelligent approach to life and work, Sundari has always kept a sense of fun and has been cheerful, optimistic and constructive when approaching the challenges facing Wetlands International in Malaysia, the region and globally.
20-Feb-2006, views: 1894
This weekend, there were several infections in 'new' wild birds confirmed in Europe. In Germany, infected seagulls and a goshawk were found. In France the 'dangerous' birdflu virus H5N1 has been reported in a wild duck, apparently a Pochard (Aythya ferina). The Pochard was confirmed as having died near Lyon on 19 February.
13-Feb-2006, views: 1781
The outbreak of avian influenza among Mute Swans in Southern Europe is most likely to have been caused by swans coming from Eastern Europe. Infected swans from the same south-east European population (see attached chart) were already detected in the Caspian and Black Sea region in November and December.
08-Feb-2006, views: 2016
On 8 February, an outbreak of the deadly form of Avian Influenza (H5N1) was confirmed in poultry farms in Nigeria: the first country in Africa to be affected.
03-Feb-2006, views: 1834
The workshop on Wetlands, Water and Livelihoods brought together a range of experience from 30 countries and included representatives from national and regional governments, non-governmental organizations, aid organizations, and research institutions. It follows the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands Conference of Parties in November 2005, in which over 150 countries committed to take action on wetlands and poverty reduction according to Resolution 14.
02-Feb-2006, views: 1777
This is the conclusion drawn by Wetlands International after an international workshop in South Africa. The organisation presented today an agenda for poverty reduction.
27-Jan-2006, views: 2017
23-Jan-2006, views: 2038
The United Nations state that the recent spread of avian flu to Turkey is caused by wild birds. Millions of these wild birds have now reached their winter destination. No serious outbreak due to these migrations has occurred yet. However, several outbreaks in the poultry sector did occur.
12-Jan-2006, views: 1910
An international delegation of field-level practitioners, policy and decision-makers, university and private agencies will gather in the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Press is invited to join a field trip on the first of February.
27-Dec-2005, views: 1628
The government of the Netherlands will be investing 5 million Euros in the coming two years on basis of the "Peat Forest Amendment" which was passed in the Dutch parliament on November 14, 2004.
14-Dec-2005, views: 1878
In places where mangroves, coastal forests and coral reefs were still intact, the effects were less disastrous. Through this project, the organisations want to work with governments and the local population to achieve sound coastal development.
16-Nov-2005, views: 1876
The President named the threats for the protection of wetlands: frozen social structures, agriculture, siltation, but surprisingly also the international environmental NGO's. After an earlier cancellation and a long delay, the President finally spoke to the Convention hosted by his country.
15-Nov-2005, views: 1940
The Contracting Parties of the Ramsar Convention in Kampala, ending today, have made remarkably ambitious agreements on major issues, according to the NGO's. The Convention underlined that culling of wild birds or destroying wetlands should not be considered as a method to stop the spread of the avian flu, as these measures might even exacerbate the spread of the disease.
14-Nov-2005, views: 1869
In the last year, we witnessed a large number of natural disasters. In many of them, wetlands played a role in preventing and mitigating their impacts. In some situations, the loss and degradation of wetlands led to greater losses of human life and increased poverty amongst local communities.
01-Sep-2005, views: 1663
Downloadable from the publications section
01-Jul-2005, views: 1769
WETLANDS, WATER AND LIVELIHOODS WORKSHOP An international workshop exploring best practices and lessons learned in integrating poverty and environment issues September 26th – 28th, 2005 Seasands Lodge & Conference Centre St. Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal, SOUTH AFRICA FIRST ANNOUCEMENT AND CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
01-Jul-2005, views: 1680
The fourth edition of Waterbird Population Estimates has now been available for comment for several weeks. An updated version, including all amendments made to date is now available.
24-Jun-2005, views: 1880
The 5th Conference of the Working Group on Aquatic Birds of the International Society of Limnology (SIL) "Limnology and Waterbirds 2006" will be held in Eger, Hungary, August 26-30, 2006. If you wish to receive the First Announcement and further notices, please complete and return the Expression of Interest form to the address below.
24-Jun-2005, views: 1752
Area of investigations: wetlands of the Mediterranean (freshwater and brackish) region My main interest is conservation biology with studies on threatened species (bird, fish and amphibians) within the Mediterranean region. I have expertise in colonial waterbirds, freshwater and brackish fish and ecosystem management.
24-Jun-2005, views: 1636
The Goose Specialist Group of Wetlands International seeks to strengthen contacts between all researchers on migratory goose populations in the northern hemisphere. A database with goose censuses from the western palearctic is supported by a network of national coordinators.
24-Jun-2005, views: 1832
Mega support for peatlands of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia We are pleased to report that the Global Peatland Initiative (GPI) has received an official invitation from the Dutch DGIS/Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lead the development of a proposal for the implementation of the Central Kalimantan Peat Swamp Rehabilitation and Management Programme.
24-Jun-2005, views: 1676
Wetlands International is pleased to present the Wetlands International Specialist Groups Report (1999-2004). This report covers the period 1999–2004 inclusive, of activities by the respective specialist groups and it is aimed to inform people of the role the groups play in 'wetlands science and conservation'.
24-Jun-2005, views: 1714
Postponement: the International workshop on Sustaining Peatland Resources - Setting a Course for Wise Use, scheduled for 5-7 July 2005, Bogor, Indonesia will be postponed. The Workshop Steering Committee is re-programming the event and will release further information as soon as possible.
17-Jun-2005, views: 1967
The Second Central Asian Flyway Meeting of Range States to develop a common international framework to promote the conservation of migratory waterbirds and wetlands was held at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, India, from 10-12 June 2005. For the report and pictures, click here.
01-Jun-2005, views: 1702
Postponement: The coastal wetlands conference How Do We Achieve Successful Management and Restoration of Mangrove Forests, Tidal Marshes, Seagrass Meadows and Coral Reefs? planned from 24-28 July 2005 in Thammarin Thana, Trang province, Thailand will be postponed.
24-May-2005, views: 1854
Link to the electronic version is available on the right
24-May-2005, views: 1863
A link to the electronic version is available on the right.
24-May-2005, views: 1666
24-May-2005, views: 1943
On the 31st of May 2005 the Wetlands International Strategic Intent 2005-2014 was formally launched in The Hague, The Netherlands, where invited guests, staff and friends gathered at the festive ceremony.
12-Apr-2005, views: 2255
In Bamako, Mali on 27 March, a new book, The Niger, a lifeline, was presented by the Netherlands Ambassador Harry Bukema to Hamed Diane Semega, the Mali Minister for Mines, Energy and Water. The book, written by Wetlands International and partners is a crucial product on measuring the impacts of various dams in economic values. This enables decisions as net costs or benefits are visible.
18-Mar-2005, views: 1969
Following the approval by the Wetlands International Board of Directors for the development of a core group of Associate Experts, experts who have had a long standing relationship with Wetlands International, and subsequent appointment of the first set of these experts.
24-Feb-2005, views: 2470
Asian Wetland Symposium 2005 The Asian Wetland Symposium 2005 - innovative approaches to sustainable livelihood, held between 6-9 February 2005, in Bhubaneswar and Chilika, Orissa state, India, has successfully concluded.
24-Feb-2005, views: 1914
Final Statement Arising from the Wetlands International and Partners side event "Unseen Role of Wetlands" held at the FAO/Netherlands Conference on Water for Food and Ecosystems "Make it Happen" on 1 February 2005 delivered by Prof Tekalign Mamo, State Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ethiopia.
24-Feb-2005, views: 1834
Nong Bong Khai Non-Hunting Area Celebrated its 2nd World Wetlands Day Thailand became a Contracting Party to the Ramsar Convention on 13 May1997. Thailand's first Wetland of International Importance is Khuan Kee Sian, a swamp forest site adjacent to Thale Noi Non-Hunting Area, Pathhalung Province in the south of Thailand.
01-Feb-2005, views: 1674
The second meeting of the Wetlands and Livelihoods Working Group is to be held on the 7th February 2005 with the kind cooperation of Novib in The Hague.
30-Jan-2005, views: 1824
The keynote technical presentations at the recent Board of Members meeting were grouped into four priority goal areas of our work, namely Wetlands and Global Water Agenda, Wetlands and Ecological Networks, Wetlands and Livelihoods, and Wetlands Knowledgebase.
30-Jan-2005, views: 1866
Manuals have been prepared for Coordinators and Counters of the International Waterbird Census.
24-Jan-2005, views: 1953
Integrated Water Resources Management in Urmia Lake Basin, Iran Lake Urmia (5000 km2) is one of the most important and valuable aquatic ecosystems in Iran, and because of its unique natural features it has been declared a National Park, Ramsar site and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
24-Jan-2005, views: 1840
The first workshop of the Wetlands and Poverty Reduction Group was held on August 27th 2004 at the Wetlands International Wageningen Office in the Netherlands. The workshop was well attended by representatives from the development assistance and the environmental sector.
20-Jan-2005, views: 1642
For example, the recovery and re-habilitation of mangroves and linked coastal and marine habitats will be vital to increase coastal protection and support coastal fisheries.
01-Jan-2005, views: 1895
30-Dec-2004, views: 1721
On 29-30 October, 2004, in Anchorage, Alaska, the United States was pleased to host a delegation from Japan for a consultative meeting under the auspices of the U.S.-Japan migratory bird conventio
15-Dec-2004, views: 1902
07-Dec-2004, views: 1749
On December 7, 2004 in Beijing, the first Wetlands International Global Recognition for Wetlands Conservation and Wise Use award was presented by CEO Jane Madgwick to Minister Zhou Shengxian, on behalf of the China State Forestry Administration (SFA).
30-Nov-2004, views: 1846
The Specialist Group Coordinator for November is Christine Prietto of the Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) SG
30-Nov-2004, views: 1825
On 2 November 2004 the Minister of Development Cooperation of the Netherlands, Mrs van Ardenne, has adopted for 2005 an amendment to the Dutch budget for development cooperation, which will enable financing in the order of Euro 5 million in 2005 and 10 million of structural funding each following year for the conservation and restoration of the peatswamp forests of Central Kalimantan, integrated with poverty reduction.
30-Nov-2004, views: 1636
WWF-China has published the results of a comprehensive waterbird survey entitled: Waterbird Survey of the Lower Yangtze River Floodplain in Late January and Early February 2004
25-Nov-2004, views: 3007
On 25 November, 75 Members, staff and special guests gathered to celebrate Wetlands International's 50th anniversary. Master of Ceremony Tunde Ojei guided the guests back through 50 years of wetland conservation history and several guests shared their vision of the future.
17-Nov-2004, views: 1669
The Ramsar Secretariat is very pleased to announce that Myanmar has deposited its instrument of accession with the Director-General of UNESCO as of 17 November 2004, and thus the Convention, as amended in 1982 and 987, will enter into force for Myanmar on 17 March 2005.
30-Oct-2004, views: 1812
An updated version of the Strategy in Russian has been produced by the Wetlands International - Russia Office to promote awareness about waterbirds and international conservation initiatives in the northern breeding grounds of most migratory waterbirds.
30-Oct-2004, views: 1704
Join the first migratory shorebird celebration in Malaysia! On 10 October the return of Migratory Shorebirds to Malaysia is celebrated
30-Oct-2004, views: 1702
The final workshop of the Small Grants Programme of the Ukrainian Rivers Network has taken place.
10-Oct-2004, views: 1749
Between 14-19 November 2004 a series of international meetings were held in Korea to promote waterbird and wetland conservation in the Asia-Pacific under the framework of the Asia-Pacific Migratory Waterbird Conservation Strategy.
30-Sep-2004, views: 1983
From 22 August to 4 September, the Myanmar Bird & Nature Society undertook an Education Program for Waterbird and Wetland Conservation in and around Inle Wetland Bird Sanctuary in East Myanmar. This project is mainly aimed towards school children and their teachers with the purpose of motivating them to cooperate in the conservation of waterbirds and wetlands.
30-Sep-2004, views: 1784
Shorebird ecologists and conservationists from Sweden, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the United States gathered on the Yukon Delta refuge's Bering Sea coastline from 2-13 September 2004.
21-Sep-2004, views: 1930
As of 21 September 2004, the North East Asian Crane Site Network jumped to 28 sites with the addition of two sites from the Republic of Korea: Gumi-Haepyung Wetland and Suncheon Bay. This brings the number of crane network sites in the Republic to four.
30-Aug-2004, views: 1873
The RIZA Wetland Advisory and Training Centre (WATC) and the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education have jointly launched the Wetland Professionals Platform. The platform will provide space for wetland professionals worldwide to interact, exchange information, announce events and training opportunities. Visit, use and bookmark www.wetlandprofessionals.org.
30-Aug-2004, views: 1860
Presented in honour of Luc Hoffmann, one of the founders of Wetlands International, the award has been established in recognition of his outstanding legacy and achievements in wetlands science and conservation.
30-Aug-2004, views: 1921
The Wetlands International Black Sea Programme and the Institute of Ecology (INECO) of the National Ecological Centre of Ukraine organised a training course for NGO representatives. This course on Public Participation in Conservation of Small Rivers took place in Kyiv from 12-18 July 2004. Click here for the report and pictures.
30-Aug-2004, views: 2005
The Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute is organising the International Course on African Wetland Management (ICAWM). The ICAWM, formerly known as The East African Wetland Management Course, is designed for those actively involved in either inland or coastal wetland management. It will be held in Naivasha, Kenya from 13 October - 23 November.
27-Aug-2004, views: 1792
Wetlands International is establishing a Working Group on Wetlands and Poverty Reduction. The first workshop of the Working Group was held in Wageningen, the Netherlands on 27 August 2004
20-Aug-2004, views: 1753
04-Aug-2004, views: 1831
On 4 August the International Seminar on Jiuduansha Wetlands Nature Reserve was held in Shanghai, China. Wetlands International President Dr. Max Finlayson presented the opening speech, which you can read here.
30-Jul-2004, views: 1862
Wetlands International hosted the Mid-Term workshops of the Ramsar Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP). A brief report is available on the Ramsar website.
30-Jul-2004, views: 1708
Specialist Group Coordinators for July/August: Co-chairs Malcom Coulter and Wim Van den Bossche of the Stork, Ibis and Spoonbill Specialist Group.
30-Jul-2004, views: 1792
The review shows the project highlights of our Species, Inventory, Wise Use and Capacity Building programmes over the past year. It includes a "spotlight" on the cross-cutting African/Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Flyways Project that was approved last year and will start implementation in 2005.
29-Jul-2004, views: 1797
Wetlands International is delighted to congratulate Luc Hoffmann on the occasion of his receiving the International Association for Ecology (INTECOL) award, which was announced at the INTECOL dinner on 29th July (7th INTECOL International Wetlands Conference, Utrecht, The Netherlands).
30-Jun-2004, views: 1829
23-Jun-2004, views: 1666
The Fourth Working Meeting of the Ukrainian Rivers Network (URN) took place in Sevastopol city, Crimean Autonomous Republic from 23-27 June 2004. It was jointly organised by the "Dobry Svit" Environmental Nature-Conserving Organisation, "Skyphya" Environmental Regional Club, the Wetlands International Black Sea Programme and the National Ecological Centre of Ukraine.
15-Jun-2004, views: 1786
Hilary Chiew explores the world of waterbirds and wetlands and waterbird monitoring through the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) and the latest outcomes as reported in a new regional report (1997-2001).
05-Jun-2004, views: 1730
Wetlands International is pleased to report that the Wetlands International office in Senegal has been awarded by the Senegalese Ministry of Environment. The award is an important recognition of the office's efforts that have been undertaken not only in Senegal but also in other African countries and regions.
01-Jun-2004, views: 1697
From 1-5 June 2004 the International Symposium for Conservation of the Black-faced Spoonbill was held in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The symposium was organised by the Korean Federation for Environment Movement and was attended by over 50 participants.
29-May-2004, views: 1813
On 29 May 2004 the Symposium on the Conservation of Nakdong Esturary was held in Busan City. It was jointly organised by Green Korean United -Busan, Wetlands and Birds Korea and the Korean Federation for Environment Movement to make a joint effort for the conservation of the estuary.
01-May-2004, views: 1700
25-Apr-2004, views: 2039
Waterbirds, especially shorebirds are an important part of the environment, and of extremely important value to science, culture, recreation and economic development for many communities. Tidal flats around the Yellow Sea in north-east Asia are crucial feeding areas during northward and southward flights for over 5 million shorebirds that migrate every year between the Arctic and Australasia.
04-Apr-2004, views: 1788
A report that analyses data on waterbirds and wetlands in Asia provides vital insights into major concentrations of wild waterbirds, has just been released. This report will inform national and international conservation programmes of priority sites for waterbirds and is valuable for agencies developing plans to minimize transmission of diseases, such as bird flu between farmed birds and wild birds.
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Coalition launches EUR 30 million Strategy to protect West Africa's coasts and seas: Six West-African countries and fifty conservation, research and development organisations have agreed to work together on marine and coastal conservation at a high-level conference in Dakar, Senegal on 13 June.
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After nine months intensive work by Wetlands International, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has recently approved 350,000 USD (matched by a further ca. 300,000 USD) towards the preparation of
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