HOME >> BIOLOGY >> NEWS
Biodiversity conservation may help reduce the impacts of natural disasters UNU

As ministers meet at the Eighth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP-8), the United Nations University (UNU) urges governments to incorporate the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) findings in national planning processes and poverty reduction strategies to promote ecosystem services that may help reduce the extreme effects of natural disasters.

In a special address delivered at the high level ministerial meeting this week, MA Co-Chair and United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) Director Prof. AH Zakri called on governments to recognize the role of ecosystem services in planning and policy decisions related to such core concerns as economics, health, and even security. He also highlighted the importance of biodiversity for poverty eradication based on the findings of the MA a five-year research effort by the world's leading scientists, with contributions from UNU experts, which gives compelling evidence of our dependence on healthy and diverse ecosystems for basic needs such as clean water, food, and air.

"The MA findings show that the increasing pressures on biodiversity and ecosystem services pose a major barrier to achieving the Millennium Development Goals of poverty reduction, food security, health, and environmental sustainability," said Prof. Zakri. "But it also shows that mainstreaming the sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystems into central governmental planning and decision-making processes may reverse the trends of degradation in ecosystem services."

The MA shows that short-term economic and other benefits derived from exploiting forests, wetlands, oceans, and other resources are significantly overweighed by the greater long-term damage to human livelihoods and health. It also shows that healthy "ecosystem services" can mitigate the impacts of natural disasters, and biodiversity is the fundamental basis for the health of those services
'"/>

Contact: Mitzi Borromeo
borromeo@ias.unu.edu
81-452-212-300
United Nations University
29-Mar-2006


Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Biodiversity loss linked to economic inequality worldwide
2. Biodiversity research and education highlighted at April 16 conference
3. Biodiversity of altered landscapes conference in Panama
4. Biodiversity controls ecological services, report scientists in comprehenisive analysis
5. First Biodiversity Census of coral reef ecosystems in the NW Hawaiian Islands
6. Census of Marine Life US National Committee hosts 2006 Marine Biodiversity Workshop
7. Biodiversity, Ecosystem Processes and Human Health
8. Wildlife Conservation Society joins Climate, Community & Biodiversity Alliance
9. New phase for Global Biodiversity Information Facility
10. Biodiversity key to sustainable biofuel according to University of Minn. researchers findings
11. Virginia Tech to host Biodiversity Conservation in Agriculture Symposium

Post Your Comments:
(Date:6/18/2013)... at the University of Calgary,s Faculty of Medicine have ... body from harmful bacteria. Platelets, a component of blood ... for specific bacteria, and upon detection, seal it off ... were published in Nature Immunology this week, ... immunity. , "The science community has known that platelets ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... awarded a $394,300 grant from the Tarrant Regional ... in the new facilities of the 150-mile Integrated ... professor of civil engineering, will investigate the best ... water in an effort to eliminate biological growths ... monochloramine is widely practiced throughout the United States. ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... Scientists are expecting a very large "dead zone" in ... hypoxic level in the Chesapeake Bay this year, based ... the University of Michigan, Louisiana State University, and the ... year,s Gulf of Mexico hypoxic "dead" zone will be ... it among the ten largest recorded. That would range ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Immunity mechanism discovered 2UT Arlington research to benefit quality, flow in 150-mile Integrated Pipeline 2NOAA, partners predict possible record-setting deadzone for Gulf of Mexico 2NOAA, partners predict possible record-setting deadzone for Gulf of Mexico 3NOAA, partners predict possible record-setting deadzone for Gulf of Mexico 4
(Date:6/18/2013)... 18, 2013 In support of Swiss ... Consulate General of Switzerland in New York is pleased ... MS Tûranor PlanetSolar , to Manhattan. PlanetSolar is ... Expedition 2013 tour with scientists on board from the ... d’Aboville, runs exclusively on energy from the sun and ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... Demanding industrial and environmental conditions are no ... and Glass Ball Lenses, now available in an extensive ... , of Philadelphia , PA. , Optical Ball Lenses ... beams without the need for direct physical contact. That’s ... mohs) make it the ideal choice for fiber-optic applications ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... June 18, 2013 Nasseo, Inc. today ... Challenge Winner out of hundreds of applicants by the ... Arizona Innovation Challenge . The Arizona Innovation Challenge ... a technology commercialization challenge, granting a financial award to ... technology ventures. Nasseo’s state of the art dental and ...
(Date:6/18/2013)...  regulated information — Global biopharmaceutical company UCB, Inc. ... the launch of a new Pledge campaign for people ... Pledge empowers the millions of Americans living ... personal commitment to demand more: greater understanding of the ... additional partial-onset seizure control.  More information is available at ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Switzerland’s MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, the World’s Largest Solar Boat, Arrives in New York City 2Switzerland’s MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, the World’s Largest Solar Boat, Arrives in New York City 3Switzerland’s MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, the World’s Largest Solar Boat, Arrives in New York City 4Swiss Jewel Introduces the Crown Jewels of Fiber-Optic Connectors 2Nasseo Named 2013 Innovation Challenge Winner by Arizona Commerce Authority 2Professional Golfer Jeff Klauk Tees Off New Pledge Campaign for People Living with Epilepsy 2Professional Golfer Jeff Klauk Tees Off New Pledge Campaign for People Living with Epilepsy 3Professional Golfer Jeff Klauk Tees Off New Pledge Campaign for People Living with Epilepsy 4Professional Golfer Jeff Klauk Tees Off New Pledge Campaign for People Living with Epilepsy 5Professional Golfer Jeff Klauk Tees Off New Pledge Campaign for People Living with Epilepsy 6
Cached News: