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Access to UNEP-WCMC datasets is provided on the understanding that you read and consent to be bound by the Terms and Conditions set out in the policies below.
Datasets, Tools & Reports
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Global Climate Change and Biodiversity »
The Earth's climate is changing and the impacts are already being felt by biodiversity and wildlife habitats across the planet. This summary report from the international conference Global Climate Change and Biodiversity presents some of the latest scientific research into how the natural world is being affected by climate change - and also how the natural world might respond in the future.
The conference, held at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK in April 2003, was organised jointly by the RSPB, WWF-UK, English Nature, UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre and the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.
Resource Type: Reports -
Our Precious Coasts - Marine Pollution, Climate Change and the Resilience of Coastal Ecosystems »
The ability of coral reefs to survive in a globally-warming world may crucially depend on the levels of pollution to which they are exposed, new findings indicate.
Scientists studying reefs that were bleached in the late 1990s by high surface sea temperatures have found a link between recovery rates and the levels of contamination entering coastal waters from developments on the land.
Resource Type: Reports -
Cloud Forest Agenda »
Cloud forests represent a rare and fragile ecosystem that is under threat in many parts of the world. These rich mountain forests make up no more than 2.5 per cent of the world's tropical forests but contain a disproportionately large number of the world's species. The Cloud Forest Agenda report aims to stimulate new initiatives and partnerships for the conservation and restoration of tropical montane cloud forests around the world. The report provides the first global maps of cloud forests, a regional analysis of the threats facing these forests and information on their biodiversity and watershed importance.
Resource Type: Reports -
Climate Change and Marine Diseases: The Socio-Economic Impact »
Diseases in the marine environment are integral to the regulation of marine ecosystems. However, in recent decades, unprecedented disease outbreaks have brought into focus the implications of human impacts upon marine disease. Climate change acts in synergy with other anthropogenic factors, such as pollution and over-exploitation, to drive changes in disease dynamics with important socio-economic consequences.
Climate Change and Marine Diseases: The Socio-Economic Impact reviews this emerging field of research and presents case studies illustrating how the impact of climate change on marine disease has significant implications for human health, food security and business sustainability. A number of key recommendations are presented on how best to move forward in terms of unraveling the processes behind marine diseases and to integrate this knowledge into the wider policy realm.
Resource Type: Reports -
Bamboo Biodiversity: information for planning conservation and management in the Asia-Pacific region »
Bamboos are distinct and fascinating plants, with a wide range of values and uses. They play a significant role in biodiversity conservation and contribute to soil and water management. They are important for biomass production and play an increasing role in local and world economies. This study used an innovative approach to map potential current distibutions of nearly 1 000 individual bamboo species that occur naturally within remaining forests of the Asia-Pacific region. The maps were also combined to generate regional maps showing potential species and generic richness. By quantifying the area of forest cover remaining within each species' range, this study shows that more than 400 bamboo species are potentially threatened by the destruction of natural forest cover. Conservation and sustainable management of wild populations of bamboo should be high priority, especially where diversity is high or deforestation is a significant threat.
A joint project between UNEP-WCMC and INBAR (International Network for Bamboo and Rattan).
Resource Type: Reports -
The Costs and Benefits of Forest Protected Areas for Local Livelihoods: a review of the current literature »
Protected areas could play a significant role in the implementation of schemes to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) in developing countries, through either the strengthening of the existing protected area network, or designation of new areas. Many rural poor people rely on forest resources, and may experience positive or negative changes to their livelihoods as a result of REDD. This review aims to assess the livelihood implications of the existing protected area network in order to inform future REDD policy.
The costs and benefits of individual protected areas for community livelihoods have been well documented. Costs can range from displacement of local communities to crop damage by wildlife, and sometimes include restricted access to resources and changes in land tenure. Benefits can include direct revenue from environmental protection, and the maintenance of ecosystem services such as watershed protection. The nature of these costs and benefits depends largely upon the protected area’s status and governance, as well as its history of use.
Resource Type: Reports
