Antigua, June 20th, 2019: The German and French governments and The Nature Conservancy intend to provide financial resources for the environment through the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund.
GLISPA Friend UNEP-WCMC on the critical role of gender equality for healthy oceans and how to use science for the improvement of ocean governance…
Turning the tide through gender equality
On Saturday 8 June UNEP-WCMC joined the rest of the world in celebrating World Oceans Day with a twitter campaign dedicated to the critical role of gender equality in creating a healthy ocean. Check the Twitter feed to see the stories: https://twitter.com/unepwcmc
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has opened the IUCN Congress 2020 Call for Proposals (by 17 July 2019)!
GLISPA Member, IUCN, is inviting you to submit your proposals for next year’s World Conservation Congress (WCC) in Marseille, France. The event will take place from 12th to 15th June 2020 and it will be hosted by the Government of France.
Proclaimed by the United Nations, The International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) is celebrated on May 22 to raise awareness of biodiversity issues.
The Centre of Excellence (COE) for Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on Aruba kindly asks to spread the word on two events.
In April 2019, Solar Head of State (SHOS) and the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) launched the Guyana Solar Challenge: a national competition which aims to engage and educate youth nationwide about the benefits of renewable energy following the launch of last year’s Jamaica Solar Challenge.
NAIROBI, Kenya — On 13th March 2019, the UN Environment Programme released the first Waste Management Outlook for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) at the 4th session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-4).
The SIDS Waste Management Outlook provides an analysis on the current state of waste management in SIDS regions and proposes solutions to improve waste management.
Our oceans are connected
UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) has released a technical brief on the topic of connectivity within the oceans, titled ‘Connectivity: A critical biodiversity consideration in global ocean sustainability’.
FAIAL, Azores — On 28th February 2019, the Waitt Institute launched the Blue Azores Program — a partnership between the Regional Government of the Azores, Waitt Institute and Oceano Azul Foundation to protect 150,000 sq.km. in new no-take marine areas.
To download the press release on BLUE AZORES, click here.
ABU DHABI, UAE — As part of the World Ocean Summit, the Waitt Institute launched the Blue Prosperity Coalition on March 6, 2019. The Coalition is a network of global experts joining together to increase marine protection and to grow Blue Economies. Members of the Coalition include GLISPA, National Geographic Pristine Seas, Waitt Institute, Oceans 5 and more.
To download the press release on BLUE PROSPERITY, click here.
HGG Local2030 Islands Hub Represented at UN Events in Seville
The Hawai'i Green Growth Local2030 Islands Hub participated in a Localizing the SDGs High-Level Event in Seville, where HGG Global Outreach Associate Kiara Kealoha served as a panelist for Mobilizing Youth for Local SDG Implementation and highlighted island solutions, sustainability youth initiatives, and Hawaiʻi's implementation of the SDGs through the Aloha+ Challenge and Dashboard.
1st OECD Roundtable on Cities & Regions for the SDGs
The HGG Local2030 Islands Hub joined the 1st OECD Roundtable on Cities and Regions for the SDGs in Paris, the first in a series of roundtable seminars organized by the OECD within the scope of its program on A Territorial Approach to the SDGs. HGG Global Outreach Associate Kiara Kealoha spoke during a discussion on the role of multi-stakeholder networks in localizing the SDGs to uplift the contributions of islands and share several Hawaiʻi initiatives driving action on the 2030 agenda including the Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard, the Ala Wai Watershed Collaboration, and the Sustainability Business Forum.
What is the Micronesia Challenge and the Terrestrial Monitoring Programme?The Micronesia Challenge is “a commitment by the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands to preserve the natural resources that are crucial to the survival of Pacific traditions, cultures and livelihoods.
The overall goal of the Challenge is to effectively conserve at least 30% of the near-shore marine resources and 20% of the terrestrial resources across Micronesia by 2020.” Since the commitment was signed in 2006, the MC has inspired other challenges around the world, such as the Caribbean Challenge Initiative and Hawaii’s Aloha+Challenge. To learn more about the Micronesia Challenge, please visit the site here.
Friends of Puerto Rico (GLISPA Friend) launched Café Ama, a social impact coffee.
Café Ama aims to uplift communities in need in Puerto Rico through entrepreneurship programs that will empower the María Generation. 100% of proceeds from the sale of Café Ama will go to the support of children in Puerto Rico.
Threatened Galápagos Land Iguanas Return to Santiago Island En-Masse After 180-Year Absence
Galápagos Land Iguanas once roamed Santiago Island and fed on native cactus and other vegetation. In 1835, Charles Darwin visited the island and described iguanas so abundant that he had trouble finding a place to pitch a tent. Three years later, Abel du Petit-Thouars became the last person to record iguanas on the island. Since then, the only signs of these iguanas have been skeletal remains.
PHOTO: local community fishermen in Tobago/ Fabien Barthelat
IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, will launch in the coming months a 20 million Euro grant-making facility in the frame of the BIOPAMA (Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management) Programme. BIOPAMA is an initiative of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States financed by the European Union’s 11th European Development Fund.
*** Special Congrats to GLISPA Co-Founder and former President of Seychelles, James Michel who along with current GLISPA Leader President Danny Faure, President of Seychelles have won National Geographic's 2019 Planetary Leadership Award***
The National Geographic Planetary Leadership Award recognizes a world leader who has successfully established globally significant protected areas, such as national parks, wilderness areas, or marine reserves, that are fully shielded from exploitation.
The James Michel Foundation has been active in supporting two major beach clean-up operations in the outer islands of Seychelles.
Coral Vita's Grand Bahama coral farm is nearing its end of construction: the Grand Opening ceremony will take place in Freeport on Friday May 31st, 2019.
With the launch of this world’s first land-based commercial coral farm for reef restoration, Coral Vita contributes to the global effort to preserve coral reefs.
On Tuesday, February 12th 2019, the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Conservation Fund (SVGCF) was officially launched.
PHOTO: Board and Staff Members of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Conservation Fund
were joined by Ministers of Government and the CEO of the Caribbean Biodiversity
Fund (CBF) for the official launch of the fund.
GLISPA Friend SMILO - Sustainable Islands is holding its annual event CELEBRATE ISLANDS from 20th to 26th May 2019. This year’s event marks the sixth year and the event dates are aligned with the World Biodiversity Day (22nd May).
BEST – a voluntary scheme for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Territories of European overseas – aims to support the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use of ecosystem services including ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation in the EU Outermost Regions (ORs) and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs). Since 2011, the BEST Initiative has already supported 90 projects enabling conservation stakeholders to tackle biodiversity and sustainable use of ecosystem services challenge in the EU Overseas. This represents to date an investment of EUR 18 millions.
Thanks to the continued support of the European Commission and its Directorates General in charge of environment (DG ENV) and Development (DG DEVCO), EU Overseas islands stakeholders of the 9 Outermost Regions (ORs) and the 25 Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) will have soon new funding opportunities to implement actions on the ground. New calls will be indeed launched the coming months by the BEST 2.0 and the LIFE4BEST Programmes, making the BEST Bright Spot keep on glittering!
For more information, refer to the BEST website as well as to the dedicated portals BEST 2.0 and BEST RUP.
Download here, the BEST Brochure.
The Pacific Community held the Inaugural Pacific Resilience Meeting (PRM) at the University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji from 1 to 3 May 2019.
PHOTO CREDITS: The Pacific Community (SPC)
The three-day event brought together over 300 stakeholders working in partnership for Pacific Resilience under the new ‘Framework of Resilient Development in the Pacific’ (FRDP).
Palau Press Advisory, May 10, 2019 — Palau President H.E. Tommy E. Remengesau to meet the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres and other Pacific Leaders on Guterres’s first visit to the Pacific.
President Remengesau travelled this week to Fiji for the third Climate Action Pacific Partnership Conference (CAPP III) which was held on 13 and 14 May 2019 at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, Fiji.
He welcomed and met the United Nations Secretary General, Mr. António Guterres on his first tour to the Pacific.
CANNES, France — On 18th May 2019, GLISPA Member GREEN CROSS was in Cannes to launch jointly with the Monaco Better World Forum “OCEAN IMPACT & ME”: a workshop to train and nominate 40 new Ocean Goodwill Ambassadors during the International Film Festival. This initiative is part of the Ocean Impact Day which has been put onto the agenda by Monaco Better World Forum in collaboration with GREEN CROSS FRANCE & TERRITOIRES (GLISPA Member).
At the core of this initiative, there is a competition for creatives who submitted their design proposals which “do something impactful for the Ocean.”
The winner was nominated on 18th May 2019 and the selected creation will be promoted and sold by GREEN CROSS and SOSLO.
MOMBASA, Kenya — In February 2019, the Nature Conservancy (GLISPA Member) and the SMART Seas Africa Network hosted a group of global and regional marine and management experts (Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, Australia, UK, and USA) including the CEO of the Seychelles National Parks Authority (Mr. Selby Remy).
Question 1: On coooperation between the Italian Ministry of the Environment islands including GLISPA?
The Italian Ministry for the Environment is currently involved in almost 40 programs on climate change, adaptation and mitigation, with the world’s most vulnerable countries, predominantly represented by SIDS.
With the Pacific Island States, we have created a Partnership that is considered as a model you can learn from as it is structured with the capacities of the SIDS in mind - according to what the beneficiary countries said at the G7 in Halifax to the last 73 UNGA.
In ten years, we have approved 40 projects for a total amount of US$17 million. This has yielded concrete results: Solar systems installed in 20 schools and over 100 homes, 12 fish processing and conservation centers and another 11 are being implemented, and almost 200 water storage tanks.
On 30th November 2018, Hawaii Green Growth (GLISPA Member), “a public-private partnership committed to achieving economic, social and environmental goals, formally accepted the United Nation’s invitation to become a Local 2030 Hub at its annual partnership retreat,” Maui Now reports.
St. Lucian Hotelier Karolin Troubetzkoy has joined the Caribbean's efforts to address the crisis of marine and coastal resources degradation with her appointment as Envoy of the Caribbean Challenge Initiative (CCI) in the week of 21st January 2018
From left: Eleanor Phillips, Director of External Affairs for the Caribbean for The Nature Conservancy; German Ambassador to CARICOM and Chairman of the CCI Steering Committee Holger Michael; Karolin Troubetzkoy, new Envoy for the Caribbean Challenge Initiative; and Yabanex Batista, CEO of the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund
GLISPA Friend Torsten Thiele from the GLOBAL OCEAN TRUST has been part in the development of, and continuously advises the BLUE NATURAL CAPITAL FINANCING FACILITY (BNCFF) — an IUCN run initiative seeking nature-based projects that need help on their way to become investable. If your business idea can show clear ecosystem service benefits and is based on multiple income streams (from blue carbon to sales of sustainable products), and you need additional help solving remaining investment hurdles, please visit and submit your project here: https://bluenaturalcapital.org/
GLISPA LEADER the Republic of Palau along with GridMarket and ENGIE Eps launch ARMONIA, the largest Microgrid in the world to pioneer access to affordable, reliable and clean energy…
In October 2018, the Republic of Palau signed a Power Purchase Agreement with ENGIE EPS, the worldwide technology pioneer in microgrids and energy storage (EPS:PA). This announcement marks a crucial milestone in support of Palau’s achievement of its climate mitigation and adaptation goals.
CANNES, France — On Monday, 10th December 2018 GLISPA Friend SMILO – SMALL ISLANDS ORGANISATION kicked of the week with its 2nd Annual Meeting.
GLISPA is a member of the board of SMILO, an organisation formed two years ago to focus globally on small islands (<150sq km). SMILO is carrying out projects that actively contribute to a better balance between human development and the management of resources on islands using various methods (promoting good practices and innovative solutions, networking and cooperation between peers, technical and institutional support, investments and certification).
Cole Bay, SINT MAARTEN —On 6th November 2018, GLISPA Friend REEF LIFE announced the installment of IntelliReefs: "Smart Substrates for Super Corals" at three sites in St. Maarten in a continuing effort to restore marine biodiversity habitats devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The three sites include the Bridge, the Manowar Shoal Marine Protected Area and just off the landing of the Pelican Peak Zipline in Point Blanche, currently under construction by Sea to Sky Ventures.
MASTER NAVIGATOR LEADS TRAINING PROGRAM FOR WAKA SAILORS
Traditional navigator Peia Patai has trained Pacific Islanders from more than seven countries to become open ocean sailors since the Auckland-based Okeanos Maritime Training Program first began in February 2018. Captain Peia’s work is core to Okeanos Foundation for the Sea’s mission to empower islanders to regain control of their ocean transportation and create a network of fossil fuel-free sailing canoes operated by Pacific people servicing their remote island communities.
JANUARY 9, 2019: Former Prime Minister of Aruba Mike Eman joins the Advisory Council of SOLAR HEAD OF STATE (GLISPA Friend).
Read the full press release: https://solarheadofstate.org/press-releases/richenda-l4zc9
The Centre of Excellence for the Sustainable Development of SIDS (GLISPA Member) cordially invites you to:
GES2019 CARIBBEAN
The Road to GES2019 Caribbean
The Road to GES events are a series of signature events in anticipation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2019
Dates: 14-15 MARCH 2019
Location: Curaçao
For more information, visit: https://www.ges2019caribbean.org/
ISLAND STATES / ISLAND TERRITORIES CONFERENCE
Sharing Stories of Island Life, Governance and Global Engagement
The 1st International Conference on Small Island States (SIS) and Subnational Island Jurisdictions (SNIJs)
Dates: 26-29 MARCH 2019
Location (Venue): Oranjestadt, Aruba (University of Aruba)
For more information, click here.
BE.Hive: Climate Change Needs Behavior Change
An Interactive Summit
Presented by Rare
in collaboration with National Geographic Society
March 19, 2019, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
National Geographic, Washington DC
Register today and join us for BE.Hive: Climate Change Needs Behavior Change, a one-day summit to explore global climate change through the lens of human behavior.
GLISPA Friend UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) hosted two webinars on the topics of planning and management tools, and the importance of data and metadata in area-based planning of areas beyond national jurisdiction.
These webinars are part of the 4-year ‘Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction’ project and are generally applicable although they include some specific information of relevance to the two pilot regions of the project: The Western and Central Pacific Ocean and the Western Indian Ocean.
The recordings of the webinars hosted in English can be found via the project website soon. Webinars will take place at the end of January in Spanish on the 22nd and 31st.
Programme website: http://www.fao.org/in-action/commonoceans/en/ (click on the ‘Sustainable use of deep sea living marine resources & biodiversity’ for project related outputs)
Save the Date: FEBRUARY 6TH, 2019 @11AM EST
On February 6th at 11am EST, CONSERVATION FINANCE ALLIANCE (CFA) is excited to host a webinar on the Caribbean-Pacific Alliance presented by María José Gonzalez, Yabanex Batista, and Zdenka Piskulich.
The Samoa Partnership Dialogue will take place on 29 October 2018 in Apia, Samoa, as part of the inter-regional preparatory meeting for the SAMOA Pathway mid-term review on 29 to 30 October 2018.
This marks the culmination of three regional SIDS partnership dialogues, held this year in Mauritius (AIMS), Tonga (Pacific), and Belize (Caribbean) in the margins of the preparatory meetings of the SAMOA Pathway mid-term review. Summary of outcomes can be found here. For info contact Ola Goransson, UN-DESA, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Okeanos Marianas voyages to Satawal, the island home of Papa Mau
On July 5th 2018, Vaka Motu Okeanos Marianas sailed from Saipan to the small Micronesian island of Satawal, home of Papa Mau Piailug, at the invitation of the Chief of Satawal Leo Rcheilug.
GLISPA Member the Centre of Excellence (COE) for the Sustainable Development for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) developed a practical guideline for islands to implement the global goals – the SIDSxSDGs Toolkit.
The toolkit is targeted at SIDS policymakers who want practical information about the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Therefore, the Centre of Excellence (COE) for the Sustainable Development of SIDS decided to collect practical information about SIDS implementing the SDGs. All this information can be found in this toolkit, and you can search by SIDS, Phase or SDG.
How can marine and coastal area-based management approaches contribute to SDGs and Targets?
UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) has released a technical report on how area-based management approaches can support SDG achievement.
The report titled, ‘The Contributions of Marine and Coastal Area-Based Management Approaches to SDGs and Targets,’ analyzes a selection of area-based management approaches to support the conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal resources using 25 case studies from around the world. The technical report can be found here: https://wcmc.io/oceansdgs_technicalreport
Exploring the World’s Marine Protected Areas
Over 70% of the surface of Earth is ocean, comprised of highly diverse ecosystems, and providing a wide range of marine ecosystem services that support human society, health and the economy.
UN Secretary General: Climate Change Needs Action Now – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for greater leadership and action on “the defining issue of our time” in an address at the UN Headquarters yesterday. He announced the UN 2019 Climate Summit intended to bring climate action to the top of international agenda, and demonstrate the ambition required to change course by 2020 and achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century. Summit leaders call the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals the foundations for international climate efforts; Hawai‘i is tracking local progress on global sustainability and climate priorities through the Aloha+ Dashboard.
On Saturday, September 01, 2018, William Kostka, Executive Director, Tamara Alefaio, Conservation Program Manager, of the Micronesia Conservation Trust (MCT), and Ricky Carl, Director of External Affairs for The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Micronesia Program, met with the owners of the Yela Conservation Easement at Bulley’s restaurant in Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia.
Solar Head of State (SHOS) has been confirmed as a member of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Lighthouse Initiative by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
The SIDS Lighthouse Initiative brings together 36 SIDS and 21 development partners to accelerate the renewable energy transition in SIDS by facilitating coordinated support for islands to scale-up renewable energy through partnerships with public and private organisations.
European Commission and France launch the PACIFIC INITIATIVE ON BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE CHANGE & RESILIENCE in the margins of the One Planet Summit 2.0 in New York in September 2018.
European Commissioner for International Cooperation & Development from the European Commission (GLISPA Supporter), Neven MIMICA launched together with partners from France, Australia, New Zealand and regional organizations from the Pacific region, the joint "Pacific Initiative on Biodiversity, Climate Change & Resilience" (EUR 20.1 million), in the margins of the "One Planet Summit 2.0", in New York in September 2018.
Tuesday, 14th August 2018 – The Government of New Caledonia (GLISPA Member) adopted three decrees for the protection Natural park of the Coral sea, a New Caledonian Maritime Space that was created by its government in 2014.
These enactments mark a new phase for the future of the park, as they enable:
· the classification of the Park’s most pristine reefs protecting 7,000km2 of wilderness areas and 21,000km2 of nature reserves,
· the regulation of tourism, and
· the implementation of the Entrecasteaux plan over five years.