IUCN

Groundwater is the earth's largest accessible store of fresh water. The volume is almost 100 times that of surface water. In recent decades use of groundwater has grown exponentially. Over 2 billion people depend on it for their daily supply. Not only have population increases and economic growth laid claim to an ever larger share of groundwater, but the quality of the resource is also increasingly under strain.

This technical report uses the framework of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment to extend awareness on the value of coastal ecosystems, their products and services for human well-being (i.e. livelihood security and development benefits) and shows how economic valuation of coastal ecosystem services can be a valuable tool for conservation managers and development decision-makers. It presents case studies from Sri Lanka and Thailand.

This book is the very first attempt to describe the development of environmental law. In particular, those developments under the auspices of the Environmental Law Programme of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, and within the network of the International Council of Environmental Law and all concerned national and international agencies and organizations.

This book follows applications of the Ecosystem Approach over a 5-10 year period in five locations. Key findings include the vital importance of a full stakeholder analysis, of market analysis and of the promotion of institutional evolution.

This publication is a collection of selected case studies representative of the application of the Ecosystem Approach under different ecological, social, economic and cultural contexts in Latin America.

Trade and travel are the primary drivers of biological invasion both into and within the United States, and prevention measures have been identified as the most cost-effective means of minimizing the introduction and impact of invasive species. A recognized gap in the US government’s knowledge of the role that trade has played in the introduction of invasive species into the US led to a study undertaken by the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of International Affairs and IUCN.

Seagrass meadows and sand dunes are lesser known coastal ecosystems that are located landward from coral reefs and sometimes seaward from mangroves. (At other times mangroves lie between seagrasses and sand dunes.) These ecosystems are also important for coastal communities because of the services they provide and are critical components of a vital, interdependent and interconnected series of coastal ecosystems.

This toolkit explains the concept of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), especially the historical background and its evolution under the 36th chapter of Agenda. The second part provides very useful and interesting activities for teachers which could be used in training workshops for the promotion of ESD.