Newsletter Archive

Dear UN Atlas Member, This month the FAO Committee on Fisheries, the only global intergovernmental forum where major international fisheries and aquaculture issues are examined, opens. 2011 welcomes the International Year of Forests and the UNESCO-sponsored International Year of Chemistry. Look out for more on these and other celebrations as the year unfolds. We remind you that the UN Atlas of the Oceans is more than a conventional Atlas: it contains collections of maps from different sources, such as the Census of Marine Life map on ocean life....

In preparation

Dear UN Atlas Member, This month's news reminds the Atlas community of the need for global, regional and national cooperation. This will assist in setting and meeting targets on climate change, help combat illegal fishing and piracy, and standardize scientific analyses and assessments. Recent climate changes talks in Cancun ended with the adoption of decisions that will keep the international process for dealing with the issue moving forward. The FAO called for climate-smart practices by addressing issues of food security and climate change together; the WMO focused on their Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), a foundation...

Dear UN Atlas Member, The recent high-level meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan ended with the adoption of a historic new protocol which sets ground rules for improving access to, and the equitable sharing of, the world's genetic resources. This month's other news items follow the tragedy of another tsunami in Indonesia, highlight marine science and management - from improvements to the Fishery Resources Monitoring System to the need for recognizing the economic and social value of ecosystems. Although the finale of the Census of Marine Life was held in...

Dear UN Atlas Member, This month the UN celebrates World Food Day. The 2010 theme, United Against Hunger, aims to recognize the efforts made in the fight against world hunger at national, regional and international levels. See news items in this month's newsletter on food security issues and the UN Millennium Development Goals. Join the online petition to end hunger -- sign the 1billionhungry campaign today and push for action to stop hunger! We also feature information on the Census of Marine Life, a foundation partner of the UN Atlas and global network of researchers...

Dear UN Atlas Member, In this month's newsletter you will find out about upcoming special events and news from around the world, from recent discoveries to information on the devastating floods and food security risks in Pakistan. The Census of Marine Life, a partner of the UN Atlas of the Oceans, is an international science research programme running from 2000-2010. The Census unites 2700 researchers from more than 80 countries to assess and explain the diversity, distribution and abundance of marine life. It will address three questions: What lived in the oceans? What lives in the oceans? What will...

Dear UN Atlas Member, This month we highlight:advances in marine science in the areas of tsunami behaviour, floating glaciers and deep-sea hydrothermal vents;new ways of managing the UK coasts, coral reefs, invasive species and fishery resources are being developed, based on the best available science;steps being taken to reduce fatigue among seafarers - one of the world's most dangerous occupations - in commercial fleets;how protein-rich algae can help curb malnutrition. If this newsletter may interest someone you know, please forward it. Contribute to and participate in the growing Atlas community by becoming an active Member of the UN...

Dear UN Atlas Member, Climate change, shrinking biodiversity, poor management, man-made disasters: the list of threats to our oceans and coasts - and to the people dependent on them - seems to keep growing. This month's news includes a round up of what can be done to face those perils: from adopting new fishing techniques to forming stronger multilateral agreements. Each month the UN Atlas provides reliable information about the oceans on which to base management decisions -- read and learn more. Find out about the 1billionhungry campaign and sign the petition today

Dear UN Atlas Member, This month we celebrate World Oceans Day on 8 June with the theme Our oceans: opportunities and challenges. There will be many observances to mark the day, including lighting of the Empire State Building in New York City from white, blue to purple to signify the entirety of the oceans from the shallows to the darker depths. See other planned World Oceans Day events. The Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the largest in the history of the United States, continues to spew oil into the Gulf waters, threatening fragile...

Dear UN Atlas Member, This month the Census of Marine Life (CoML) reminds us that the key to the Earth's food and respiratory systems lies in the microbes, zooplankton, larvae and burrowers - the hidden majority of tiny life forms that underpin the processes of the oceans. May 22 is International Day for Biological Diversity If this newsletter may interest someone you know, please forward it. Contribute to and participate in the growing Atlas community by becoming an active Member of the UN Atlas today. ...