The Sittaung is one of Myanmar’s four largest river systems, flowing from central Myanmar to the Gulf of Mottama. The gulf’s dynamic ecosystems support important fish populations, particularly diadromous fish species such as Hilsa shad and Pama croaker that migrate between freshwater and seawater.
The Rufford Foundation provides funding for nature conservation projects in developing countries. Grants start at £6,000 and increase to £15,000 for projects that successfully complete each stage. To be eligible, species must be considered threatened. Applicants
should be in the early stages of their conservation career.
The IFC Performance Standards (PS) provide standardised guidance on identifying risks and impacts of major infrastructure and development projects. The standards are designed to help avoid, mitigate, and manage the risks and impacts of such projects in a sustainable way, including stakeholder engagement and disclosure obligations. Application of the IFC Performance Standards is required by many multilateral donors, such as the World Bank, for projects they are financing.
PS 6 covers Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources, PS 1 Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts, and PS 7 Indigenous Peoples.
The IFC Performance Standards are available in several languages.
This publication, produced by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, provides conservation managers with advice on working effectively on transboundary conservation and promotes the case for transboundary cooperation. It contains a typology, guidance, and 333 case studies.
The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity. is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity. It is a transparent legal framework for the effective implementation of the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The Nagoya Protocol sets out core obligations for its contracting Parties to take measures in relation to access to genetic resources, benefit-sharing and compliance. The Nagoya Protocol addresses traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources with provisions on access, benefit-sharing, and compliance. It also addresses genetic resources where indigenous and local communities have the established right to grant access to them. Contracting Parties should take measures to ensure these communities’ free, prior, informed consent, keeping in mind community laws and procedures as well as customary use and exchange. The Nagoya Protocol entered into force on 12 October 2014.
How to use
The Nagoya Protocol is available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and Russian at: https://www.cbd.int/abs
Nagoya Protocol Factsheets on access and benefit sharing can be downloaded at: https://www.cbd.int/abs/factsheet
The IPBES Thematic Assessment of Invasive Alien Species and their Control was adopted in September 2023 and synthesizes information from over 13,000 references on IAS into a comprehensive scientific assessment and a concise summary document for policy makers. The assessment assesses the current status and trends of invasive alien species, their impacts, drivers, management, and policy options to address the challenges they pose. It results from four years of work by experts from 49 countries.
Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) are defined as discrete portions of habitat important to marine mammal species that have the potential to be delineated and managed for conservation. IMMAs consist of areas that may merit place-based protection and/or monitoring. IMMAs are identified through an independent, expert process.
The IUCN Green Status of Species provides a standardised framework to (i) measure species recovery; (ii) recognise conservation achievements; (iii) highlight species which depend on continued conservation actions to maintain their current conservation status; (iv) forecast the expected impact of planned conservation action; and (v) to elevate the level of ambition for species recovery in th3e long-term. GSS is formally part of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and Green Status assessments are published in the species accounts on the Red List website.
Currently the GSS operates only at global level. Guidelines for application at National level are under development.
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IPAs are key sites for exceptional botanical richness. They are identified using three criteria: threatened species, botanical richness (including socially, economically, and culturally valuable plants), and threatened habitats. IPAs contribute to implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework and are a component of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans.
The Species+ website was developed jointly by UNEP-WCMC and the CITES Secretariat to assist Parties to implement CITES, CMS and other multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). Species+ contains information on all species listed in the Appendices of CITES and CMS, other CMS Family listings, and in the Annexes to the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations. The species pages contain information on legal, species names and distribution, Appendix listings, references, and other documentation.
The data can be searched by species, location, or Convention. The “Locations” filter allows a search for a species or group of species occurring in a particular country, territory, or region.
Key species lists can be downloaded in an Excel-ready format as a csv file. The terms of use should be reviewed prior to downloading.
An AZE site must contain 95% of the population of an ‘Endangered’ or ‘Critically Endangered’ species and have a definable boundary. These criteria are the equivalent of Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) criterion A1e.
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The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) produced Mainstreaming Biodiversity for Sustainable Development for biodiversity policymakers and practitioners in developed and developing countries, as well as development co-operation agencies and other national ministries. The report highlights examples of good practice and remaining challenges in four key areas: mainstreaming biodiversity at national level; mainstreaming biodiversity in the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors; development co-operation and biodiversity mainstreaming; and monitoring and evaluating biodiversity mainstreaming. Examples and insights are included from 16 predominantly megadiverse countries which span the full range from high-income to lower-income economies. The national level entry point for biodiversity mainstreaming is important and elements to encourage mainstreaming and its implementation in practice across relevant national plans and strategies.
How to use
The policy highlights report can be downloaded at: https://www.oecd.org/environment/resources/Policy-Highlights-Mainstreaming-Biodiversity-for-Sustainable-Development.pdf
Further information on the OECD is available at: https://www.oecd.org/
The Rufford Foundation provides funding for nature conservation projects in developing countries. Grants start at £6,000 and increase to £15,000 for projects that successfully complete each stage. To be eligible, species must be considered threatened. Applicants
should be in the early stages of their conservation career.
The IFC Performance Standards (PS) provide standardised guidance on identifying risks and impacts of major infrastructure and development projects. The standards are designed to help avoid, mitigate, and manage the risks and impacts of such projects in a sustainable way, including stakeholder engagement and disclosure obligations. Application of the IFC Performance Standards is required by many multilateral donors, such as the World Bank, for projects they are financing.
PS 6 covers Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources, PS 1 Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts, and PS 7 Indigenous Peoples.
The IFC Performance Standards are available in several languages.
This paper, produced in 2023, provides recommendations on implementing Target 15(a), especially the way governments can take legal, administrative, or policy measures to:
1) Encourage and enable businesses to regularly monitor, assess, and transparently disclose their risks, dependencies and impacts on biodiversity; and
2) Require all large, and transnational companies and financial institutions do so, including along their operations, supply and value chains, and portfolios. The paper also contains information, resources and capacity-building opportunities, recommendations for businesses to act now on assessment and disclosure, and case studies of government policies and business action on disclosure. The paper focuses on paragraph 15(a) as the most urgent starting point to ensure business and financial institutions are assessing and disclosing nature-related risks, dependencies, and impacts, and that this information is included in all decision-making by the private sector, finance, and governments.
The Encyclopedia of Life (EoL) aims to provide global access to knowledge about life on Earth by collecting and sharing knowledge in an open, freely accessible digital resource. EoL identifies sources of biodiversity knowledge that are legally and practically shareable and enriches their structure with modern data tools to integrate them with other data.
EoL works with open access biodiversity knowledge providers around the world, including museums and libraries, universities and research centers, individual scientists, graduate students and citizen science communities, and a suite of international open data hubs. EOL receive information from many sources, and format and annotate it so that search tools can find similar content from different sources.
These guidelines are produced by the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds. The revised version includes Multi-Species Action as well as making AEWA Plans more implementable, accessible, and practical for implementing agencies. The guidelines also recognise the need for activities to be more targeted and aligned with the set objectives and goals.
Small-scale fisheries provide food security, livelihoods and income to millions of people but their management still presents a challenge to managers and other stakeholders due to problems in gathering suitable information and its incorporation in fisheries policy. Fishers are a key source of knowledge for assessment of both extractive capacity and value in small-scale fisheries, in addition to providing a broad array of cultural knowledge. The increasing recognition of the value of incorporating traditional fishing knowledge in freshwater, riverine, lacustrine and coastal and marine fisheries management is now evident in international conventions and published literature. The purpose of these guidelines is to make it easier for users to recognise and include fishers’ knowledge as an important data stream in resource management. The report includes details on the breadth of knowledge that can be gathered, how it can be gathered, and how this information can be applied to support sustainable fisheries policy and broader applications in society. It contains case studies from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the Pacific.
The ISSG is a network of global species on IAS. It facilitates the exchange of information and knowledge on IAS across the world and promotes linkages between knowledge, practice and policy to inform decision-making. The two core activity areas of the ISSG are policy and technical advice, and information exchange through online resources and tools and networking. ISSG is currently working with partners on a global initiative, the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS) (site is under development), which is aimed at developing national-level validated, and annotated inventories of IAS. ISSG is also working with partners on to develop a prototype online resource IAS pathway management – the Invasive Alien Species Pathway Management Resource. It will include information on IAS pathways and legal information related to the management of specific pathways.
Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) is a fundraising and grant-giving nature conservation charity.
Three types of WFN grant enable grassroots conservationists to scale up their work and make a global impact. Whitley Awards provide £40,000 in project funding over one year as well as profile and training. Follow-on grants enable previous winners to expand effective projects, respond to changing needs, and collaborate with other conservationists, with grants worth up to £100,000 over two years. In 2020 WFN introduced a new strand of Continuation Funding for nature-based solutions that will help secure a sustainable future for wildlife, ecosystems and people. The Whitley Gold Award is worth £100,000.
The Convention on Biological Diversity’s Ecosystem Approach is a strategy for the integrated management of land, water, and living resources to promote conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way. It is the primary framework for such action under the CBD and it contains 12 core principles. The Ecosystem Approach Sourcebook contains a Beginner’s Guide, Advanced Guide, Tools and resources, a Case Study Database, and Operational guidance for applying the 12 principles of the Ecosystem Approach.
How to use
To access the EA Sourcebook and operational guides: https://www.cbd.int/ecosystem/
To download and subscribe to the CBD Ecosystem Newsletter: https://www.cbd.int/ecosystem/ea-newsletters/
The Disease Risk Analysis (DRA) process has been adopted by IUCN and other organisations to analyse and manage the possible outcomes of situations involving disease. These guidelines were developed by IUCN and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OIE) to highlight the importance of DRA for wildlife. The guidelines promote the use of the more detailed Manual of Procedures for Wildlife Disease Risk Analysis. The IUCN CSSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group runs an online training course on Disease Risk Analysis.
How to use
This publication, produced by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, provides conservation managers with advice on working effectively on transboundary conservation and promotes the case for transboundary cooperation. It contains a typology, guidance, and 333 case studies.
ICCAs are territories and areas that are conserved by indigenous peoples and local communities. They have three main characteristics: (i) the community has a close connection with the territory or area; (ii) the community makes and enforces management rules; (iii) the management of the area results in positive conservation outcomes. The ICCA Registry is an online platform for territories and areas conserved by indigenous peoples and local communities (ICCAs), where communities themselves provide data, case studies, maps, photos and stories. There are currently over 1,500 protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) reported to Protected Planet under the governance of indigenous peoples and local communities.
How to use
To access the ICCA Registry: https://doi.org/10.34892/an6v-a590
To explore sites, visit the WDPA OECM search page and filter by governance type: https://www.protectedplanet.net/en/thematic-areas/oecms?tab=OECMs
