Newsletter Archive

Dear UN Atlas Member, Last month the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) met and invited two 12-year olds to tell of their concerns about marine pollution. IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos stressed that children everywhere were sentinels in a world under pressure, yet, at the same time, they provided much needed hope for the future. We should listen to them and provide encouragement and support for their endeavours and ideas. Read the full story. Other new information this month highlights the growing threats facing ocean ecosystems - from the deep sea to...

Dear UN Atlas Member As we accumulate more information about the coasts and oceans, we are increasingly aware of the growing challenges ahead as well as possible solutions. While we have taken steps to control ""point"" source pollution, we now face more problems of ""diffuse"" pollution. At the same time, although some pollution-related problems have been solved, habitat loss and degradation remains a threat. Many of the recently added content this month deals with these conservation issues.If this newsletter may interest someone you know, please forward it. Contribute to and participate in the growing Atlas community...

Dear UN Atlas Member This month we look at the vast array of biological components in marine ecosystems - from microbes to mammals. As we gain a better understanding of how highly integrated these ecosystems are, we can also shape action towards more responsible fisheries. In this vein, an international conference on Implementing the ecosystem approach to fisheries will be held in Bergen (Norway) from 26 to 28 September 2006. Conserving our marine ecosystems is vital. And during emergencies, such as the recent oil spill on the Lebanese coast, a rapid and coordinated...

Dear UN Atlas member, Just as the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System is nearing completion, the low-lying areas of southern Java were hit by another tsunami in early July. This most recent tragedy underlines the need for reliable early warning systems as parts of Indonesia are still recovering from the devastating tsunami of December 2004. On a more positive note in the region, six countries have signed a UN-backed agreement covering a vast area of the South Indian Ocean in a major move towards better conservation and sustainable fishing on the high seas. Other...

Dear UN Atlas member, This month we feature the Baltic Sea region which strives to be a model for Europe in achieving sustainable growth. The area builds on its strengths of diversity, innovation and skills with a strong history and culture. The Review Conference of the 1995 UN Fish Stocks Agreement recently wrapped up at UN headquarters in New York. The Fish Stocks Agreement aims to ensure responsible fishing of highly migratory fish stocks and other fishery resources which straddle the boundaries between national jurisdictions and the high seas. Recent years have seen...

Dear UN Atlas member, Celebrations for the recent 2006 EarthDay focused on climate change. Today the negative impacts of global warming are being recognized worldwide and action is being taken to help reverse trends. Our oceans are very vulnerable to climate change which can cause effects on aquatic life, sea levels and coral reefs but to name a few. This month's newsletter contains recent information on climate change, including new plans to help reduce gas emissions. We also feature a new topic describing the International Seabed Authority which, operating under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law...

Dear UN Atlas member, This month's newsletter features the work of many UN Atlas partners: the World Maritime Organization news on shipping and trade; the Census of Marine Life information on reefs; the International Maritime Organization call for action against piracy; and the Food and Agriculture Organization projects on global information exchange. The variety and richness of material found in the UN Atlas of the Oceans comes in part from the fact that it operates under the authority of UN-Oceans. This interagency coordination mechanism on oceans and coastal issues lies within the United Nations system....

Dear UN Atlas member, This month we highlight tropical coral reefs. A new report on the status of coral reefs in tsunami-affected countries concludes that the major threats to Indian Ocean coral reefs continue to be from human activities, such as overfishing, deforestation and climate change -- these are far more damaging than the tsunami. We also have a new topic describing the impact of catchments on coastal ecosystems. This month offers news on the unexpected effects of climate change, different research projects, and the need to step up efforts to improve ocean management, which includes the wider use of...

Dear UN Atlas member, This month's newsletter covers a variety of topics, from an invasion of giant jellyfish in Japan to moves for protecting endangered marine species to the benefits of eating fish. You will also find content on the Census of Marine Life (CoML). The CoML, one of the Atlas' foundation partners, is a growing global network of some 1700 scientists and researchers in more than 70 nations engaged in a 10-year initiative to assess and explain the diversity, distribution and abundance of marine life in the oceans - past, present and future. The Census includes...

Dear UN Atlas member, 2005 will likely be remembered as an exceptional year of disasters around the world, from the Southeast Asian tsunami to Hurricane Katrina in the United States to the earthquake which hit Pakistan. It was a year that also witnessed massive aid and solidarity to help the victims of these disasters. As reconstruction efforts continue in these places of devastation -- focussing on ""building back better"" -- let us also hope that 2006 is marked by improved and more responsible actions and decisions regarding our living oceans and coastal environments. The UN Atlas...