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The UN Atlas of the Oceans Editors
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- Whales and Ship Strikes. Global database : Describes the issue with whales and ship strikes and provides an electronic form to add information to the global database, maintained by the International Whaling Commission (IWC). (Website)
- Human rights must figure prominently in tackling financial crisis, UN summit told : The top United Nations rights official has joined several of the world body’s independent experts in calling on delegates attending a high-level General Assembly summit to prioritize human rights -- including the right to food -- in formulating a response to the global financial slowdown. (News)
- Why Ocean Colour? The Societal Benefits of Ocean-Colour Technology : The International Ocean-Colour Coordinating Group (IOCCG) is an international group of experts in the field of satellite ocean colour. (Document)
- International Seabed Authority Handbook 2009 : Describes the International Seabed Authority, its functions, members, governance, contracts for seabed exploration, protocols and useful list of publications. Also available in French and Spanish. (Document)
- The Coast of Australia : Provides the first comprehensive account of the Australian coast, revealing why it formed and how it continues to change. (Book)
- ‘Green’ economy vital to promoting development in midst of crises – UN agencies : Nearly two dozen agencies of the United Nations system have banded together to issue an urgent call for nations to ‘green’ their economies to address the multiple crises that are dampening progress towards reaching development targets. (News)
- Free trade can help combat global warming, finds UN report : Contrary to conventional wisdom, further liberalization of international trade can help combat climate change and support a low carbon economy, said a joint United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and World Trade Organization (WTO) report. (News)
- Pioneering insurance policy greatly benefits poor farmers, finds UN-backed report : The fragile livelihoods of millions of poor farmers in developing countries, often devastated by adverse weather conditions, have been fortified by an innovative insurance scheme, according to a United Nations-backed report released today. (News)
- Africa weather information network launched by UN, public-private partnership : About 5,000 new automatic weather stations are set to be deployed across Africa, under a climate change initiative. (News)
- The Food Economy. Global issues and challenges. : The Food Economy explores a variety of trends and topics: scarcity goes together with abundance, public and private initiatives co-evolve, slow food is connected with fast food, global brands and local products exist simultaneously. Preface by Gerard Viatte. (Book)
- Container Market to Shrink More Than 10% : A.P. Moeller-Maersk A/S, owner of the world’s largest container shipper, said cargo volumes may drop more than 10 percent this year and show no growth in 2010 as the industry suffers a “completely unprecedented” decline. The container industry, which transports manufactured goods by sea, is in its first year of contraction as consumers in Western economies rein in spending. The market has expanded by more than 10 percent most years since containerization went global in the 1970s. (News)
- International Whaling Commission Outcomes 2009 : Daily updates on The International Whaling Commission's (IWC) 61st Annual Meeting in Madeira, Portugal held from 22-26 June 2009. Dr William Hogarth, the Chair of the Commission, said that he looked forward to the same level of co-operation and desire for consensus that had characterised recent meetings including on the highest priority item, the future of the IWC. (News)
- Nature's Great Events : Editor's Award to this 6 part BBC television series featuring the Arctic summer (polar bears), the salmon migration, gannet colonies and humpback whale migration. (Multimedia)
- Two new marine protected areas decreed by Brazil's President : On World Environment Day the President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Environment Minister Carlos Minc decreed that two more marine protected areas be created in Cassurubá and Prainha do Canto Verde. Marine extractivist reserves, a form of marine protected area with defined user rights, are contracted out to the communities that live in the surrounding area. They are an adaptation of the “Reservas Extrativistas” or RESEX, a novel and unique partnership in natural resource extraction and conservation that Brazil has been experimenting with since 1989. The two new marine protected areas decreed by President Lula are marine RESEX. (News)
- Social, human dimensions of sustainable fisheries development should be recognized, UN meet told : At the Tenth Meeting of the United Nations' Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea at New York, 17-19 June 2009, the interest of small-scale artisanal fishworkers for a better recognition of the social and human dimension of sustainable development of the oceans and seas was articulated in a presentation by Sebastian Mathew, on behalf of the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF). (News)
- IMO: Revised guidance on combating piracy agreed by IMO Maritime Safety Committee : Revised guidance on combating piracy and armed robbery against ships was agreed by IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) when it met at the Organization's London Headquarters for its 86th session from 27 May to 5 June. Specific guidance relating to the continued attacks on ships off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden was also agreed. The packed agenda also covered the adoption of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), including a new regulation to make the carriage of electronic charts mandatory, and the approval of goal-based standards for new oil tankers and bulk carriers, for future adoption. (News)
- The State of the Oceans : The head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration gives an update on the state of the oceans. (Multimedia)
- Overfishing, Climate Change Leading to Proliferation of Giant Jellyfish : Giant jellyfish are taking over parts of the world's oceans as overfishing and other human activities open windows of opportunity for them to prosper, say researchers. (News)
- Smithsonian at the Poles. Contributions to International Polar Year Science. Proceedings of the International Polar Year Symposium (2008) : The proceedings highlights contributions to polar research in International Polar Year history, astrophysics, biology, and cultural studies. (Book)
- Ban warns of untold damage inflicted on seas, marking first World Oceans Day : Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today marked the first United Nations World Oceans Day with a warning of the “terrible toll” human activity exacts on the world’s oceans and seas, with a new report highlighting the threat of the rising tide of marine garbage. (News)
- Maldives' disappearing coast prompts appeal to UN space agency : The Maldives, one of the nations most threatened by global warming, is appealing to the United Nations space agency to help the island country plan its defenses against rising sea levels. (News)
- Need for Better Ocean Management Key Focus of World Oceans Day, 8 June : The United Nations will officially observe World Oceans Day for the first time on 8 June, with the theme “Our Oceans, Our Responsibility”. To commemorate the observance, the Empire State Building will be lit in an ocean of blue. (News)
- Extending responsible fisheries management to the ocean depths: On World Oceans Day, FAO releases technical guidelines on deep sea fishing : On the first-ever UN World Oceans Day FAO has published a set of technical guidelines aimed at helping the fisheries sector reduce its impacts on fragile deep-sea fish species and ecosystems. (News)
- A Fishery Manager's Guidebook (Second edition) : Overview covering main elements to proper fisheries management, which is essential for the future of hundreds of millions of people worldwide, and involves a complex and wide-ranging set of tasks. (Book)
- French Voyager Named UNESCO Spokesperson for the Oceans : The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has named the renowned French seafarer, Maud Fontenoy, as its Spokesperson for the Oceans. Ms. Fontenoy, 31, famed for single-handedly rowing across the Atlantic in 2003 and the Pacific two years later, is tasked with raising awareness of the need to protect the ocean environment against major threats such as climate change, pollution and unchecked urban development of the world’s coastal areas. (News)
- Review of the current state of world capture fisheries insurance : Review of the current state of world capture fisheries insurance (Document)
- UN teams up with cartoon show to teach kids about underwater heritage : The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has teamed up with a popular animated television show about submarines – “Dive Olly Dive!” – to teach children about the world’s underwater cultural heritage. (News)
- Action on climate change also good for business, says Ban : Doing the right thing for the climate is also the smart thing for business, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, as he congratulated the International Chamber of Commerce on its 90th anniversary. (News)
- African environment ministers reach significant climate change accord – UN : The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced a landmark agreement reached by over 30 African ministers to mainstream climate change adaptation measures into national and regional development plans, policies and strategies. (News)
- Discussions on negotiating texts on pact to combat global warming kick off – UN : 1 June 2009 – Delegates from 182 nations are gathering in Bonn, Germany, today to initiate discussions on negotiating texts which could form the basis of an ambitious United Nations-backed climate change deal, to slash greenhouse gas emissions, expected to be clinched in December. (News)
- Fisheries and aquaculture in a changing climate : Climate change impacts such as more frequent and severe floods and droughts will affect the food and water security of many people. The impact and consequences of climate change on aquatic ecosystems, fisheries and aquaculture -- and on the people that depend on them -- remain uncertain and less well-known. FAO, in partnership with several agencies, highlights the issues of climate change in relation to aquatic ecosystems, fisheries and aquaculture in a new Policy Brief Fisheries and Aquaculture in a Changing Climate. (News)
- Finland gives 1.76 million euro for FAO fishery programme in Kyrgyzstan : Finland and FAO have signed a 1.76 million euro Trust Fund Project to improve fisheries and aquaculture management in the Kyrgyz Republic during the period 2009 – 2012. (News)
- Climate change talks mustn't forget fisheries : Responses to climate change must protect aquatic ecosystems, fisheries and aquaculture — and make the most of them (News)