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  Mapping potential biodiversity benefits from REDD+. The Democratic Republic of the Congo »

  REDD+, as discussed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, is a mechanism to incentivise Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, as well as the conservation of forest carbon stocks, sustainable management of forests and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks. Actions under REDD+ can potentially provide biodiversity benefits, but there is also a need to avoid any risks of environmental harms from REDD+. A new report, launched in Kinshasa on 5 July 2012, presents selected results of spatial analyses to explore potential biodiversity benefits and risks from REDD+ in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The report is the output of a collaboration between the DRC’s Direction des Inventaires et Aménagement Forestiers (DIAF) of the Ministère de l'Environnement, Conservation de la Nature et Tourisme, the Observatoire Satellital des Forêts d’Afrique Centrale (OSFAC) and the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), with support from the UN-REDD Programme.

  Resource Type: Reports
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  Potential impact of climate change and reindeer density on tundra indicator species in the Barents Sea region »

  Climate change is expected to alter the distribution of habitats and thus the distribution of species connected with these habitats in the terrestrial Barents Sea region. It was hypothesised that wild species connected with the tundra and open-land biome may be particularly at risk as forest area expands. Fourteen species of birds were identified as useful indicators for the biodiversity dependent upon this biome.

  Resource Type: Journal Papers
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  Global Environment Outlook (GEO) Reports »

  Since 1997, UNEP has produced Global Environment Outlook (GEO) reports providing assessments of the interactions between environment and society. With its core mandate of “keeping the global environment under review,” UNEP coordinated a series of scientific assessments that included extensive consultations and participatory processes, resulting in the production of GEO reports in 1997, 1999 and 2002.

  GEO-4 provides an overview of global social and economic trends, and the state-and-trends of the global and regional environments over the past two decades, as well as the human dimensions of these changes. It highlights the interlinkages as well as the challenges of environmental change and opportunities that the environment provides for human wellbeing. It provides an outlook for the future, and policy options to address present and emerging environmental issues.

  It places sustainable development at the core of the assessment, particularly on issues dealing with intra- and intergenerational equity. The analyses include the need and usefulness of valuation of environmental goods and services, and the role of such services in enhancing development and human well-being, and minimizing human vulnerability to environmental change
   

  Resource Type: Reports
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  The impact of global climate change on tropical forest biodiversity in Amazonia »

  To maintain the greatest resilience of Amazonian biodiversity to climate change as modelled by HADCM2GSa1, highest priority should be given to strengthening and extending protected areas in western Amazonia that encompass lowland and montane forests.

  Resource Type: Journal Papers
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  Extinction risk from climate change »

  Climate change over the past ~30 years has produced numerous shifts in the distributions and abundances of species1,2 and has been implicated in one species-level extinction3. Using projections of species' distributions for future climate scenarios, we assess extinction risks for sample regions that cover some 20 of the Earth's terrestrial surface. Exploring three approaches in which the estimated probability of extinction shows a powerlaw relationship with geographical range size, we predict, on the basis of mid-range climate-warming scenarios for 2050, that 15-37% of species in our sample of regions and taxa will be 'committed to extinction'. When the average of the three methods and two dispersal scenarios is taken, minimal climate-warming scenarios produce lower projections of species committed to extinction (~18) than mid-range (~24) and maximumchange (~35) scenarios. These estimates show the importance of rapid implementation of technologies to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and strategies for carbon sequestration.

  Resource Type: Journal Papers
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  Declining Ruff Philomachus pugnax populations: a response to global warming? »

  Ruff breeding populations have declined widely and in all habitats across temperate Eurasia. Of an estimated population of 2.2-2.8 million birds, 98% are now confined to habitats in the Arctic tundra. 

  The emerging picture is that the population has shifted northwards and eastwards and has retreated from the wet grassland habitats formerly occupied along the southern edges of its range. It is suggested that the causes are probably of a global nature and may be linked with climate change. It is unclear whether the total population has declined or only shifted north and east. More co-ordinated and systematic monitoring of breeding and wintering populations will be necessary before a full understanding of these changes can be reached.

  Resource Type: Journal Papers
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  Non-timber forest products in Uganda. Spatial tools supporting sustainable development »

  This report describes a new map-based approach to defining areas best suited for NTFP commercialization. Uganda is used as a case study. As one of the most rapidly growing economies in Africa, its rich natural heritage highlights the conflict between national development efforts and the need for a globally responsible approach to biodiversity conservation.

  Resource Type: Reports
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  The Fall of the Water: Emerging Threats to the Water Resources and Biodiversity at the Roof of the World To Asia's Lowland From Land-Use Changes Associated With Large Scale Settlement And Piecemeal Development »

  This report illustrates several of the cumulative environmental impacts of piecemeal infrastructure development, population growth, water shortage and climate change in the Greater Asian Mountain region. The scope of this report is the broad, regional scale land use change.

  Resource Type: Reports
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  Translating Scientific Results into Conservation Actions:New Roles, Challenges and Solutions for 21st Century Scientists »

  In recognizing the challenge of producing relevant scientific solutions to current environmental problems, Earthwatch-sponsored scientists were invited to submit papers that contribute to this topic: Translating Scientific Results into Conservation Actions.
  Six contributors were invited to participate in the 2007 Earthwatch Annual Principal Investigator Conference. The following compendium includes all submitted papers and summarizes the workshop discussion.

  Resource Type: Reports
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  Bamboo Biodiversity: Africa, Madagascar and the Americas »

  The Bamboo Diversity Report represents the first step towards planning and implementing conservation and sustainable management of bamboos in the wild, in addition to making a significant contribution to the implementation of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, which aims to halt the current and continuing loss of plant diversity. This study is the result of a collaboration between INBAR and UNEP-WCMC.

  Resource Type: Reports