Environmental management

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).

Access to justice in environmental law is a worldwide movement dedicated to assisting members of rural communities to achieve redress for environmental harms.This publication contains a review of the rural environmental justice movement in India and Nepal, illustrated with case studies.

The objective of these guidelines is to evolve a systematically designed common approach for rehabilitation of a vegetation buffer stable enough to absorb the devastating energy of natural disasters. These Guidelines provide implementers with a quick reference to the procedures. For a more thorough and technical overview of the methodology it is necessary to refer to the technical guidelines below.

The need to establish a coastal green belt following the post-tsunami scenario has led to unregulated rehabilitation work. The objective of these technical guidelines is to evolve a systematically designed common approach for rehabilitation of a vegetation buffer stable enough to absorb the devastating energy of natural disasters.

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 publication aims to contribute to planning and management approaches that minimize land degradation and desertification in arid and semi-arid zones as a result of extractive industries operations. Both operational and policy guidance are included to help those government departments responsible for the licensing, planning and monitoring of extractive industries activities to take account of environment and development issues in their decision-making.

Vulnerability to natural disasters continues to increase, severely compromising the achievement of poverty alleviation goals in many developing countries. A more effective approach is needed to reduce the impacts of these disasters. This publication proposes an approach that integrates ecosystem management, development planning and risk reduction strategies to reduce disaster impacts and improve both livelihoods and biodiversity outcomes.