IUCN

Following the magnitude of the destruction that resulted from the December 2004 tsunami there was an urgent need to draw up emergency strategies and action plans, in order to contain, and wherever possible to reverse, the adverse impacts on the environment, while at the same time continuing reconstruction work to restore livelihoods and infrastructure. A situation analysis was undertaken and from this analysis the current strategy was formulated.

This paper addresses the need to factor the environment into coastal development planning. It contends that the economic calculations that underpin coastal development decisions remain flawed, and fundamentally incomplete, because they omit an important set of costs and benefits – those associated with ecosystem goods and services.

In this groundbreaking text, forest quality is discussed as a useful new concept in forest conservation and management. Three main assessment criteria are used: authenticity, environmental benefits, and social and economic benefits. A methodology and protocol for collecting and analysing data is described, and the approach needed with each indicator is outlined in detail.

This book presents the economic justification for including mangrove rehabilitation and restoration efforts in current tsunami reconstruction projects in Sri Lanka. The results provide a solid platform for the decision makers to select the best development strategies for the tsunami-affected communities by comparing the results provided by this study with the value of alternative uses of mangroves in these areas.

The Hima is a traditional system of resource tenure that has been practised for more than 1400 years in the Arabian Peninsula. It is the most widespread and longstanding indigenous/traditional conservation institution in the Middle East, and perhaps on Earth! The Arabic word “hima” literally means “a protected area”. In pre-Islamic times, access to this place was declared forbidden by the individual or group who owned it.

In the Mediterranean region alone, there are more than 4400 protected areas, of which 67% have been assigned an IUCN category. This publication analyses the use and interpretation of the different protected areas categories in the Mediterranean, gathers the ideas and proposals of agencies and other key stakeholders in the Mediterranean region, and includes the results of the IUCN International Summit in Almeria.