The Mediterranean-rim countries hold around 400 million people and 135 million of them live on the coast. A steady migration towards coastal areas, specifically in the south and east of the Mediterranean, is causing pressure on the coastal environment and, more importantly, on its biodiversity. In this second Mediterranean regional assessment, all the reptile and amphibian species existing within the region of study have been evaluated for their global conservation status.
This book consists of 28 papers selected from among those presented at the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas 5th Conference on Protected Areas of East Asia, held on 21-25 June 2005 in Hong Kong. The title of the book repeats the theme of the Conference: "Sustainable Management of Protected Areas for Future Generations". All the selected papers relate to the management of protected areas, but in other aspects they are very diverse.
Coral reefs are one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world. Teeming with life, they are also one of the world's most productive natural communities. Yet they are under increasing threat. This reference work catalogues the significant coral reefs of the world, their geographical context and ecology, their current condition and status in legislation, and prescriptions for their conservation and sustainable use. Each volume contains detailed maps for each country covered.