IUCN

The 35 independent countries and territories which make up the Caribbean region are home to a great diversity of ecological, cultural and historical features. They share a number of remarkable characteristics including high levels of biodiversity with a huge variety of endemic and unique species.

The 35 independent countries and territories which make up the Caribbean region are home to a great diversity of ecological, cultural and historical features. They share a number of remarkable characteristics including high levels of biodiversity with a huge variety of endemic and unique species.

Islands are among the richest, most diverse ecosystems on the planet. Today, in the face of growing threats such as climate change, they are also among the most vulnerable. In early 2006 IUCN launched an initiative to explore options for ecosystem management and restoration in small island developing states (SIDS).

This book provides a systematic analysis of the requirements of access law, both the CBD requirements and the basic requirements of enforceable legislation. Often key legal issues that have a significant impact on enforceability of ABS agreements are not addressed in national legislation, therefore, this book addresses these issues with the aim to recognize and understand the nature of the legal impediments that must be addressed for the drafting of functional ABS legislation.

Mangroves are among the most important ecosystems on the planet. They provide food and protection for a huge variety of marine and land-based species, sustain livelihoods of coastal populations, and provide protection from ocean swell and extreme weather events. Today, however, the world’s mangroves are under threat from several sources including coastal development and the impacts of climate change.

The grouse comprise a group of high profile species that are among the most well-known species in the countries where they occur; they are often considered the embodiment of the landscapes in which they live. Today, many of these species are under threat. The 2006–2010 Grouse Action Plan provides an overview to the distribution, status and threats to all 18 grouse species worldwide and identifies the most immediate conservation needs.

The challenge of building biodiversity business is not trivial. Biodiversity is still largely neglected by private finance. There is a need to develop new business models and market mechanisms for biodiversity conservation, and to persuade the public and policy makers that biodiversity (or component ecosystem services) can be conserved on a commercial basis.

This new series of publications on the values of Protected Landscapes and Seascapes is intended to document and spell out the various environmental, economic, social and cultural values that Category V protected areas can provide. The first volume addresses the topic of agrobiodiversity. Since they are lived-in, working landscapes, Category V protected areas would appear to provide a potential mechanism for conserving agrobiodiversity.