There is growing evidence that seagrasses are experiencing declines globally due to anthropogenic threats (Short and Wyllie Echeverria 1996, Duarte 2002, Orth et al. 2006). Runoff of nutrients and sediments that affect water quality is the greatest anthropogenic threat to seagrass meadows, although other stressors include aquaculture, pollution, boating, construction, dredging and landfill activities, and destructive fishing practices. Natural disturbances such as storms and floods can also cause adverse effects.
Many societies have rules rooted in legal tradition that require the sustainable and efficient use of natural resources. The obligation of stewardship is a feature of
westernised legal systems. In nations following the common law tradition, the doctrine of waste requires owners of land to use it sustainably. Elsewhere, customary law systems
demand strict rules governing the allocation and use of resources. There is, therefore, an existing legal culture into which our generation's obligations towards the world's
resources can be set.
The Oceania region is very prone to natural disasters having experienced two Category 5 cyclones in as many years; Tropical Cyclone (TC)Pam struck Vanuatu on 13 March 2015 and TC Winston struck Fiji on 20 February 2016.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 92 p
Climate change is a major threat to global biodiversity. From the tropics to the Poles, the worlds ecosystems are all under pressure. A study published in the scientific journal Nature posited that 15 to 37% of terrestrial animal and plant species could be at risk of extinction because of human-induced impacts on climate (Thomas et al., 2004). Scattered across the four corners of the Earth, European Union overseas entities, are home to a biological diversity that is as rich as it is vulnerable.
Oceania is geographically one of IUCNs largest regional programmes, covering much of the central and south west Pacific Ocean as well as Australia and New Zealand. The Pacific Islands cover almost 15% of the worlds ocean surface. The area is characterized by a high degree of ecosystem and species diversity, as well as a high level of endemicity (often over 90% for particular groups) on many of the Pacific Islands. Increasing awareness about the importance of biodiversity and the threats to these species is critically important to the survival of all species on Earth.
This report has benefited from the inputs of hundreds of individuals, a list far too numerous to include in its entirety. These individuals volunteered their time to support this effort, and to that we are deeply indebted. We want to thank them all knowing full well that this task is not feasible..
Call Number: [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 978-2-8317-1030-3
Physical Description: 43 p. ; 29 cm
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) defines its "strategy for the integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sus-
tainable use in an equitable way" as the Ecosystem Approach to management. This use incorporates the concept of an area used by humans as well as one containing plants and animals in a recognisable configuration.
Also hold 2 hard copies|Available online
Call Number: 333.75 SHE [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 978-2-8317-0957-4
Bioenergy occupies a unique position at the nexus of energy, environment, climate change and rural development agendas. Consequently, bioenergy and biofuels in particular, have seen
record levels of support in the form of subsidies, mandates and investments as governments seek to maximize the perceived synergies between the various opportunities offered by bioenergy. Whilst it is true that well- planned bioenergy development can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from a range of sources, increase rural incomes, reduce waste, improve access
Coral reefs are vital ecosystems, providing a source of income, food arid coastal protection for millions of people; arid recent studies have shown that coral reef goods and services provide an annual net benefit of US$30 billion to economies worldwide
The evaluation of management effectiveness is generally achieved by the assessment of series of criteria (represented by carefully selected indicators) against agreed objectives or standards. The following definitions refer specifically to the context of protected area management effectiveness.
Call Number: 363.78 HOC [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 978-2-8317-0939-0
Physical Description: xv, 105 p. ; 29 cm
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is one of the global conventions on environmental conservation that came out of the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. By signing and ratifying the CBD, countries have agreed to support its goals and aims. The three main objectives of the CBD are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair
Sustainable development has been defined as balancing the fulfilment of human needs with the protection of the natural environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but indefinitely in the future. The term was first used in the World Conservation Strategy, produced by IUCN, WWF and UNEP in 1980, but the 1987 report of the Brundtland Commission popularized the term with the often-quoted definition of sustainable development: "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
In the last century, there have been three principal approaches to marine conservation. The first and oldest consisted of regulation and management of individual marine activities, such as commercial fishing, by specialist agencies, with varying degrees of co-ordination of regulation between different agencies. Usually there was little or no co-ordination with management of adjacent coastal lands.
Available online|Marine Conservation and Development Report
Call Number: 333.9516 KEL [EL],GUI,333.952 KEL
ISBN/ISSN: 2-8317-0105-8
Incentive measures have long been used by governments to manipulate the ways in which
macro and sectoral economies work. It is however only relatively recently that they have
started to be applied to biodiversity conservation. An incentive for biodiversity
conservation can be defined asi: A specific inducement designed and implemented to influence government
bodies, business, non-governmental organisations, or local people to conserve biological diversity or to use its
The dugong (Dugong dugon) is the only herbivorous mammal that is strictly marine, and is the only extant species in the Family Dugongidae. It is listed as vulnerable to extinction at a global scale by The World Conservation Union (IUCN). The dugong has a large range that spans some 37 countries and territories and includes tropical and subtropical coastal and island waters from East Africa to Vanuatu, between about 26° north and south of the Equator.
1 copy
Call Number: 599.55 MAR [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 92-807-2130-5
The Convention on Biological Diversity CBD recognises that humans are a major force in changing nature. Vast parts of the earth's surface are transformed to meet human needs and wants for agricultural production, water, energy, urbanisation, construction, tourism, transport and industry. In the process humans are causing threats to and massive extinction of
A mangrove is a woody plant or plant community which lives between the sea and the land, in areas which are flooded by tides for part of the time. Mangroves make up one of the world's most unique ecosystems because they thrive where no other trees can survive - in the transition zone between the ocean and land. They are also among the world's most productive ecosystems.
Call Number: 583.42 MIT
ISBN/ISSN: 978-955-8177-72-3
Physical Description: iii, 28 p. : col. ; 25 cm