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The Climate Change Conference 2011 kicked off this week in Durban, South Africa. Working Together: Saving Tomorrow Today is the theme of the gathering, bringing together thousands of representatives from countries, international organizations, NGOs and civil society.
Oceans-related issues to be covered range from looking at climate change effects in the Arctic to adaptation and mitigation in coastal communities:
You will find information on these important matters and many others in this month's newsletter.
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Thank you,
The UN Atlas of the Oceans Editors
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- Ocean Acidification : Overview of chemical and historical aspects of the acidification of the oceans. (Topic)
- Global green economy has become a reality, UN official says : The global green economy has become a reality but world governments must do more to ensure its success, the head of the United Nations agency responsible for poverty reduction and environmental sustainability declared. (News)
- UN launches global conversation on sustainable development : The United Nations launched a campaign ahead of its major conference on sustainable development (Rio+20) in June 2012, inviting governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and people everywhere to engage in a global conversation about the communities they want to see in the future and on issues from oceans to urban development. (News)
- UN climate change conference kicks off in Durban with call to action : Thousands of representatives from governments, international organizations and civil society gathered today in Durban, South Africa for the start of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which seeks to advance ways to cut global carbon emissions and pollution. (News)
- This year will be world’s tenth warmest on record, UN report finds : Temperatures this year are the tenth highest on record since 1850, and the highest ever in a year which experienced a La Niña event, a meteorological phenomenon which is supposed to have a cooling influence on Earth’s atmosphere. (News)
- Register now for the Second International Symposium on "Effects of climate change on the world's oceans" : The Second International Symposium on "Effects of climate change on the world's oceans" will be among the official events related to Expo 2012 in Yeosu Korea - deadline to register and submit an abstract is 15 December. (News)
- FAO Fact Sheet on Fisheries and Aquaculture : Overview of fisheries and aquaculture 2011 (Document)
- Corals' Environmental Premonition : As Earth's climate has warmed, one group of species that has not fared well has been corals, the sedentary marine species which lives symbiotically with algae. (News)
- Fisheries feel costs of ignoring planet's health : Keeping the status quo and delaying management decisions as ocean fish populations flux with climate can lead to unsustainable fisheries as well as lost opportunities to harvest the fish that are flourishing, according to a study published in the journal Ecological Applications. (News)
- Babies Who Eat Fish Before Nine Months Are Less Likely to Suffer Pre-School Wheeze, Study Suggests : Children who started eating fish before nine months of age are less likely to suffer from pre-school wheeze. (News)
- Research Increases Algae Biomass by More Than 50 Percent : Research has led to discovery of a genetic method that can increase biomass in algae by 50 to 80 percent. (News)
- Eating Fish Can Reduce the Risk of Diabetes, Study Suggests : A study shows that the consumption of fish is linked to lower glucose concentrations and a smaller risk of developing diabetes. (News)
- Global Warming’s Impact May Be Detected in Genes, Suggests Study of How Seagrasses React to Heat Waves : Researchers believe that climate change plays an important role as the increase in extreme events such as heat waves is a major challenge for the seagrass. (News)
- 'Fishy Lawnmowers' Help Save Pacific Corals : Can fish save coral reefs from dying? UC Santa Barbara researchers have found one case where fish have helped coral reefs to recover from cyclones and predators. (News)
- Mid-Ocean Creatures Control Light to Avoid Becoming Snacks : If you're a snack-sized squid or octopus living in the ocean zone where the last bit of daylight gives way, having some control over your reflection could be a matter of life and death. (News)
- IMO: IMO Assembly elects new 40-Member Council : The Assembly of the International Maritime Organization has elected the following States to be Members of its Council for the 2012-2013 biennium: (News)
- Overfishing 'tipping point' identified for coral reefs : Coral reefs on which fish stocks have dropped below 300 kilograms per hectare are likely to collapse and lose their productivity, according to researchers. (News)
- Australia setting up world's largest marine preserve : Australia moved to set up the world's biggest marine park to protect vast areas of the Coral Sea off the country's northeast coast and the site of fierce naval battles during World War II. (News)
- Quarter century on, ICSF continues to support small-scale fisheries : A quarter century ago, on 25 November 1986, 40 people of 18 nationalities gathered at the Centre for Development Studies in India for a meeting meant to review and share ideas on action and trends in small-scale fisheries, leading to the formation of the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers. (News)
- Bathtub-sized marine sponge rediscovered after a century of extinction : Not found alive for over a century the evocatively named Neptune's cup sponge (Cliona patera) has been rediscovered off the shores of Singapore. (News)
- The World Carbon Cycle in the Last Ice Age : The carbon cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of the Earth. It is one of the most important cycles of the earth and allows for carbon to be recycled and reused throughout the biosphere and all of its organisms. Has it always been the same? (News)
- Weather disasters increasing from climate change, says UN : A definitive UN science report confirms the link between climate change and extreme weather events, including punishing heat waves, droughts, and torrential rains and resulting floods. (News)
- Vulnerability analyses: getting back to basics : If vulnerability analyses are to be truly useful in assessing the impacts of climate change and supporting decisions on adaptation, methods must become standardised, replicable and founded on concepts that can be adapted to different contexts, according to the Institute of Social and Environmental Transition. (News)
- Preserving the global marine commons : A new programme approved by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), to be coordinated by FAO, aims to promote efficient and sustainable management of fisheries resources and biodiversity conservation in Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ). (News)
- IMO: IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea 2011 goes to hijacked ship Master Captain Seog Hae-gyun of the Republic of Korea : Captain Seog Hae-gyun of the Republic of Korea, Master of the chemical tanker Samho Jewelry, has been presented with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea 2011, for his decisive, brave and courageous actions to protect his ship and crew during a vicious pirate attack in the Indian Ocean, which left him with serious and long-lasting injuries. (News)
- Seychelles. The Brandt Travel Guide : An authorative guide to the Seychelles featuring chapters on biodiversity and each island group. Maps and illustrations. (Book)
- Loss of Sea Ice Unprecedented : The loss of sea ice in the Arctic at the end of the 20th Century is “unprecedented” in the past 1,450 years in its duration and magnitude, an indication of human-influenced climate change, a study published today in the journal Nature said. (News)
- Master of Antarctic Science, University of Tasmania : The Master of Antarctic Science is a specialised masters degree in polar marine biology. (Document)
- Northwest Oyster Die-offs Show Ocean Acidification Has Arrived : The acidification of the world’s oceans from an excess of CO2 emissions has already begun, as evidenced recently by the widespread mortality of oyster larvae in the Pacific Northwest. (News)
- IMO: Study shows significant reductions in CO2 emissions from ships from IMO measures : An IMO-commissioned study into the impact of mandatory energy efficiency measures for international shipping shows that implementation of the measures will lead to significant reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships, specifically reductions of carbon dioxide (CO2), resulting from enhanced fuel efficiency. (News)
- IMO: IMO Assembly to meet for 27th session : The 27th Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will meet in London at IMO Headquarters from 21 to 30 November 2011. All 170 Member States and three Associate Members are entitled to attend the Assembly, which is IMO’s highest governing body. The intergovernmental organizations with which agreements of co-operation have been concluded and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with IMO are also invited to attend. (News)
- IMO: IMO body authorizes EMSA to operate LRIT data exchange : Operation of the International Data Exchange (IDE) for the Long Range Identification and Tracking of Ships (LRIT) has been successfully transferred to the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in Lisbon, Portugal.At the 10th session of the Ad Hoc LRIT Group established by IMO (31 October to 3 November 2011), the LRIT Operational governance body, composed of the chairman of the Ad Hoc LRIT Group, an IDE representative and a representative of the IMO Secretariat, authorized the operation of the IDE by EMSA in the LRIT system. (News)
- IMO: Piracy centres expand information network : The piracy information-sharing infrastructure covering Asia and the Indian Ocean has been significantly enhanced with the signing today (11 November 2011) of an important agreement in Singapore. The agreement, signed by the three Information Sharing Centres (ISCs) set up under the IMO-led Djibouti Code of Conduct and the Singapore-based ReCAAP ISC, establishes a set of standard operating procedures for communicating and exchanging piracy-related information and will result in a major expansion of the reporting area of such incidents. (News)
- Ocean Temperatures Can Predict Amazon Fire Season Severity : By analyzing nearly a decade of satellite data, a team of scientists has created a model that can successfully predict the severity and geographic distribution of fires in the Amazon rain forest and the rest of South America months in advance. (News)
- The Importance of Riverbed Carbon Storage Capacity : The soils and sediments at the bottom of rivers are rich in organic material and can store carbon for thousands of years. (News)
- Fisheries Programme Helps Support 68,000 Jobs : The fisheries programme of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, in association with state agencies and other conservation organisations, contributes $3.6 billion to the nation’s economy and supports 68,000 jobs across the country. (News)
- New fisheries regulations, a path towards sustainable fishing : The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries of Ecuador signed four agreements that define the management measures for the fisheries sector encouraging a fisheries policy of sustainable and intergenerational development. (News)
- New Zealand Salvagers Prepare for Worst as Stricken Vessel Deteriorates : Salvagers trying to recover oil from a stricken container ship off the northeastern coast of New Zealand say they are “preparing for the worst” after the vessel sustained further damage in rough seas. (News)
- French Coastlines : This English language DVD explores ten regions of the French coastline. (Multimedia)
- Great Barrier Grief : Major port developments compromise the World Heritage listing of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. A 45 min video and transcript available online. (Multimedia)
- FAO: Aquaculture farmer organizations and cluster management - Concepts and experiences : Small-scale aquaculture producers in developing countries are facing new opportunities and challenges related to market liberalization, globalization and increasingly tight quality and safety requirements for their products - making it harder to access markets. (News)
- FAO: Global interactive map on aquaculture production of aquatic animals for human consumption : The first global interactive map on aquaculture production of aquatic animals for human consumption is now available. (News)
- Scientists alert fishery policy-makers in the Caribbean : Policy-makers should be aware of the declining trend in fisheries production in the Caribbean region. (News)
- Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) : Overview of the WECAFC Regional Fishery Body (Website)
- FAO: Aquaculture to provide more than half of world consumption : Aquaculture is the world's fastest-growing source of animal protein and currently provides nearly half of all fish consumed globally, according to the "World Aquaculture 2010" report. (News)
- UN Agencies call on States and the international community for renewed commitment : UN agencies launched a plan to improve the management of oceans and coastal areas in a new paper, "The Blueprint for Ocean and Coastal Sustainability". (News)
- Air pollution causing stronger cyclones, study finds : Air pollution from soot and aerosol emissions is making cyclones over the Middle East and South Asia more destructive, according to a study. (News)
- Sea Life 'Must Swim Faster to Survive' to Survive Climate Change : Fish and other sea creatures will have to travel large distances to survive climate change, international marine scientists have warned. (News)
- Climate Shift Could Leave Some Marine Species Homeless : Rising temperatures will force many species of animals and plants to move to other regions and could leave some marine species with nowhere to go, according to new research just published in the journal Science. (News)
- One If by Land, Two If by Sea? Climate Change 'Escape Routes' : Results of a study published this week in the journal Science show how fast animal and plant populations would need to move to keep up with recent climate change effects in the ocean and on land. (News)
- New study on environmental impacts of MSC programme published : Fisheries engaged in the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification programme show progressive improvement in environmental performance from pre-assessment through assessment, certification and post-certification, an independent analysis shows. (News)