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Convention concerning migratory fish stock in the Pacific Ocean : message from the President of the United States transmitting Convention on the Conservation and Management of the Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, with annexes ("WCPF Convention"), which was adopted at Honolulu on September 5, 2000, by the Multilateral High Level Conference on the Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean
This treaty governs mechanisms designed to ensure long-term conservation and sustainable use of certain species of fish, including tuna, swordfish, and marlin.
Convention for the Protection of Plants : message from the President of the United States transmitting the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants of December 2, 1961, as revised at Geneva on November 10, 1972, on October 23, 1978, and on March 19, 1991, and signed by the United States on October 25, 1991
This treaty takes action to control the introduction and spread of pests of plants and plant products. The treaty protects natural as well as cultivated plants, so it has implications for agriculture as well as biodiversity. While the IPPC's primary focus is on plants and plant products moving in international trade, the convention also covers research materials, biological control organisms, and anything else that can act as a vector for the spread of plant pests including containers, soil, vehicles, and machinery.
Coordination of Programs on Domestic Animal Genomics: The Federal Framework
This report discusses progress by Federal agencies dealing with domestic animal genomics. The work represents an increase in the understanding of domestic animals such as sheep, cattle, swine, bees, and others. Knowledge in this area is crucial for better understanding animal diseases such at bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or "mad cow disease")
A Copenhagen Climate Treat Version 1.0 : Legal text A proposal for an amended Kyoto Protocol and a new Copenhagen Protocol
This document contains a draft version of how the agreement in Copenhagen could look like – in legal form. This is very much a work in progress. The purpose of this exercise is two fold : a) to outline to Parties how the agreement could fit together substantively and b) to demonstrate that the two Protocol option is a feasible and desirable outcome for the legal form. Attempts have been made through provisions in both the proposed Copenhagen Protocol and the amendments to the Kyoto Protocol to unify the accounting, reporting and verification of as well as compliance with emission reduction targets for industrialized countries and to create a forum for these bodies (CMCP & CMKP) to jointly develop rules in the future. It is possible that not every T has been crossed or i dotted and further provisions or amendments linking the two may be required.
A Copenhagen Climate Treaty - Version 1.0: A Proposal for a Copenhagen Agreement by Members of the NGO Community
The "Copenhagen Climate Treaty - Version 1.0", which is now distributed to negotiators from 192 states, took some of the world's most experienced climate NGOs almost a year to write and contains a full legal text covering all the main elements needed to provide the world with a fair and ambitious agreement that keeps climate change impacts below the unacceptable risk levels identified by most scientists.
The Cost of Avoiding Deforestation: Update of the Report prepared for the Stern Review of the Economics of Climate Change
According to the introduction, this report provides a global estimate of the cost of reducing the rate of deforestation.
Creating an Alaska Climate Impact Assessment Commission: Legislative Resolve Number 49
This legislation establishes a commission to assess the impact of climate change on the economy, population, and landscape of Alaska.
Creating Impact - Feed-In Tariff Laws: Making clean energy a reality for all
The brochure describes evidence from fifty governments that Feed-In Tariff (FIT) policy speeds the transition to clean energy production and use.
Cultivating the Future: Food in the Age of Climate Change
The brochure promotes government incentives for farmers to lower agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and expand carbon sinks by sequestering carbon through organic farming and reduced tillage; reducing nitrous oxide emissions through minimal use of nitrogen fertilizer, capturing methane emissions from anaerobic manure handling facilities; reducing the use of fossil fuels on farms; increasing the generation of electricity from wind, solar and small-scale hydro; expanding the use of practices like hedges, shelterbelts, and forested riparian zones; expanding local food supply for local consumption; and supporting the use of sustainable biochar derived from farm and urban organic wastes.
Cultural Diversity and Biodiversity for Sustainable Development
This report contains the proceedings of a Roundtable of panelists speaking on the connection between biodiversity and cultural diversity, and on how sustainable solutions for development will benefit both types of diversity.
A Curious Pacific Wave
This brief article discusses about a massive swell of water that was buffeting South America. Kelvin waves are warm bumps in the Pacific Ocean, characterized by a gentle yet massive swell of warm water. Usually not much happens when a Kelvin wave arrives -- beach combers experience a bit of extra rain, perhaps, and slightly warmer surf. Nevertheless, scientists pay careful attention to them because these gentle waves occasionally herald something far more powerful: the next El Niño.
Cycling in Sweden
Increased use of bicycles can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution - and have positive impacts on human health. The Working Group on Transport (WGT) under OECD’s Environment Policy Committee discussed measures to promote bicycle use at a meeting (27-28 January 2010). Below are the presentations that were made on that occasion.
CYCLOCITY® A Revolutionary Public Transport System Accessible To All
Presentation to the OECD Working Group on Transport.
Dead Planet, Living Planet: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Restoration for Sustainable Development
This report discusses some vital services that natural ecosystems contribute to human health and development.
Declaration of the Earth Observation Summit
This single page document is a declaration of the participants of the Earth Observation Summit held in Washington DC, adopted on July 31, 2003. An affirmation for the need for timely, quality, long-term, global information as a basis for sound decision making. Also establishes an ad hoc Group on Earth Observations aimed at developing a global observing strategy.
Developing Dimension: State of the Voluntary Carbon Markets 2012
The 6th “State of the Voluntary Carbon Markets” report shows a significant increase in demand from buyers in the US and major changes in the mix of offsets capturing market share, such as record sales of offsets from Asian wind farms and the coming-of-age of clean development projects in Africa.
DIVERSITAS Science Plan
This Science Plan is mainly concerned with the current extinction crisis on Earth, which, unlike its predecessors, is occurring at an unprecedented rate, is the direct result of human activities and is occurring at all levels at which diversity is measured - from the genetic diversity of many natural and domesticated species to the diversity of ecosystems and landscapes, through the tremendous richness of species. Current human-induced rates of species extinction are estimated to be about 1,000 times greater than past background rates. Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth. Scientists commonly measure and describe this variety at the level of genes, species and ecosystems, but scientific interest in biodiversity goes far beyond describing and measuring it. The DIVERSITAS programme was founded to address the scientific questions that need to be answered in order to understand how biodiversity supports life on Earth, what the impacts of the present loss of biodiversity are for human and ecosystem survival and how humans can sustainably use and conserve biodiversity.
Draft Report of the 26th Session of the IPCC
The IPCC Panel at its 26th session called on partnerships and collaboration to address climate change, as well as a better understanding of social and economic dimensions of mitigation and adaptation. The Panel recalls its support for decoupling the climate modeling work from the emission scenario development work, in order to allow climate modelers a quick start with their work after the completion of the AR4. Also, the Panel now requests the Steering Committee on New Scenarios to prepare a few benchmark concentration scenarios through the IPCC Expert Meeting 19-22 September 2007 in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands. These benchmark concentration scenarios should be compatible with the full range of stabilization, mitigation and baseline emission scenarios available in the current scientific literature.
Draft Report of the 28th Session of the IPCC
The focus of this meeting was on the Future of the IPCC, including key aspects of the future IPCC work programme and the future structure of the IPCC Bureau and the TFB. The Panel was also invited to consider of the outcome of the Scoping Meeting for a possible Special Report on renewable energy and a proposal for the use of the Funds from the Nobel Peace Prize. The Chair informed the Panel about action taken by the 37th Session of the IPCC Bureau (Budapest, 7-8 April 2008) concerning the finalization of the Technical Paper on Climate Change and Water.
Draft Report of the 29th Session of the IPCC
The focus of this meeting was on the future of the IPCC, in particular the scoping of the 5th Assessment Report. The Panel was also invited to consider the outcome of the Scoping Meeting for a possible Special Report on "Extreme events and disasters: managing the risks", and of the Expert Meeting on "Alternative common metrics to calculate the CO2 equivalence of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases".
Draft Report of the 30th Session of the IPCC
This meeting focused on the future of the IPCC, in particular the scoping of the 5th Assessment Report. Among other isues, the Panel considered the outcome of the Scoping Meeting for a possible Special Report on "Extreme events and disasters: managing the risks", and of the Expert Meeting on "Alternative common metrics to calculate the CO2 equivalence of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases".
Drinking Water Management Act
This law was passed by the Republic of China (Taiwan) to safeguard public health by protecting drinking water resources from pollution by dumping, logging, industry, nuclear waste, ranching, recreation, mineral exploration and extraction, transportation, and other activities.
Dryland futures: East and Southern Africa-Three Critical Factors
The publication looks to the prospect for the East and Southern African drylands in the context of recent history and the changes that have occurred in the realms of policy, economic and social conditions and the environment. It further points out three of the biggest challenges facing East and Southern Africa in the foreseeable future— climate change, land tenure and HIV/AIDS.
Dust from Africa Leads to Large Toxic Algae Blooms in Gulf of Mexico, Study Finds. [Press release].
This press release summarizes the findings of a new study. Saharan dust clouds travel thousands of miles and fertilize the water off the West Florida coast with iron, which kicks off blooms of toxic algae. The research was partially funded by a NASA grant as part of ECOHAB: Florida (Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms), a multi-disciplinary research project designed to study harmful algae.
Earth System Governance: People, Places, and the Planet
This science plan elaborates upon the concept of Earth system governance, defined as the interrelated systems of formal and informal rules and actor-networks that are set up to steer societies towards preventing, mitigating, and adapting to environmental change within the normative context of sustainable development. The notion of governance here refers to a less hierarchical and more decentralized system than traditional governmental policy-making, inclusive of non-state actors such as non-governmental organizations, indigenous communities, and international organizations.
Ecological Forecasting: Agenda for the Future
This brochure outlines the economic importance of ecological forecasting, as well as the importance of ecosystems for sustainable development, land management, and recreation.
The Economic Effects of EU-Wide Industry-Level Emission Trading to Reduce Greenhouse Gases: Results from PRIMES Energy Systems Model
In preparation of the Green Paper on greenhouse gas emissions trading within the European Union, the cost implications of EU-wide emissions trading carbon dioxide were estimated by E3-Lab with their PRIMES energy systems model. According to the report, if each EU member States implemented its target under the Burden sharing agreement individually, the total annual cost for the EU to reach the Kyoto target would be 9.0 billion Pound.
The Economics of Climate Change in Southeast Asia: A Regional Review
The study examines climate change issues in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on Indonesia,Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.The study is intended to enrich the debate on the economics of climate change that includes the economic costs and benefits of unilateral and regional actions. It seeks to raise awareness among stakeholders of the urgency of the grave challenges facing the region, and to build consensus of the governments, business sectors, and civil society on the need for incorporating daptation and mitigation measures into national development planning processes.
Ecoregion: Caribbean
This document is part of a set of educational resources for educators to encourage climate literacy.
Ecoregion: Desert Arid
This brochure describes the effects of climate change in the desert and arid regions of the United States.
Effective Disaster Warnings - Report by the Working Group on Natural Disaster Information Systems Subcommittee on Natural Disaster Reduction
This report describes and recommends ways to improve alert systems in order to reduce loss of lives, property, and economic activity caused by natural and man-made disasters.
Effective Sea System and Case Studies
This report describes SEA (Strategic Environmental Assessment), and case studies demonstrating the merits of SEA in Europe and North America. The report is aimed at helping readers understanding and implementing SEA.
Eliasch Report: Carbon absorption and storage
This report provides details about carbon sequestration in the wood and soils of different types of forest (tropical, boreal, temperate) and states the policy implications that apply to the energy and forestry sectors. The report includes recommendations for the relationship between carbon sequestration and sustainable forestry.
Eliasch Review: Forest Management Impacts on Ecosystem Services
According the executive summary, "this report provides an overview of the different forest management models on carbon and non-carbon environmental ecosystem services, with a primary focus of tropical forest types."
Emissions Caps for Electricity
This map shows states that cap greenhouse gas emissions through performance standards or through cap and trade systems.
Endangered Species Act of 1973
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) provides a program for the conservation of threatened and endangered plants and animals and the habitats in which they are found. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) of the Department of the Interior maintains a worldwide list which, as of Feb. 20, 2008, included 1574 endangered species (599 are plants) and 351 threatened species (148 are plants). Species include birds, insects, fish, reptiles, mammals, crustaceans, flowers, grasses, and trees. Anyone can petition FWS to include a species on this list. The law requires federal agencies, in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service, to ensure that actions they authorize, fund, or carry out are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any listed species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated critical habitat of such species. The law also prohibits any action that causes a "taking" of any listed species of endangered fish or wildlife. Likewise, import, export, interstate, and foreign commerce of listed species are all generally prohibited.
Energy Efficiency Standards and Targets
This map shows states with policies to promote efficient generation, transmission, and use of energy.
Energy for a Sustainable Future
This report provides a high-level overview and specific recommendations for governments to help achieve universal energy access and reduce energy intensity. The report recommends that energy access be achieved through a combination of grid extension, mini-grid access, and off-grid access approaches. The need for government targets, access to financing, capacity building, and improved utility performance are also discussed.
Energy Policy Act
The Energy Policy Act (EPA) addresses energy production in the United States, including: (1) energy efficiency; (2) renewable energy; (3) oil and gas; (4) coal; (5) Tribal energy; (6) nuclear matters and security; (7) vehicles and motor fuels, including ethanol; (8) hydrogen; (9) electricity; (10) energy tax incentives; (11) hydropower and geothermal energy; and (12) climate change technology. For example, the Act provides loan guarantees for entities that develop or use innovative technologies that avoid the by-production of greenhouse gases. Another provision of the Act increases the amount of biofuel that must be mixed with gasoline sold in the United States.
Engrossed Substitute House Bill 0397
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Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2815
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Engrossed Substitute House Bill 6001
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Enhancing Information for Renewable Energy Technology Deployment in Brazil, China and South Africa
This report documents crucial information to support deployment of renewable energies in three key emerging markets - Brazil, China and South Africa - and provides information for policy-making aimed at supporting renewable energy markets in these countries. Specifically this study collates information on solar and wind resources and resource information, renewable energy support policies and goals, risk management and technologies integral to the increased renewable energy technology deployment.
Environmental Agents Control Act
The government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) passed this law to protect the environment and human health from harm by toxic chemicals or microbial preparations, including pesticides, fungicides, as well as certain synthetic chemicals.
Environmental Effects of Ozone Depletion: 1994 Assessment
A change in the composition of the stratosphere becomes relevant to society only if it has noticeable effects. This places the assessment of effects in a pivotal role in the problem of ozone depletion. Decreases in the quantity of total-column ozone, as now observed in many places, tend to cause increased penetration of solar UV-B radiation (290-315 nm) to the Earth's surface. UV-B radiation is the most energetic component of sunlight reaching the surface. It has profound effects on human health, animals, plants, microorganisms, materials and on air quality. Thus any perturbation which leads to an increase in UV-B radiation demands careful consideration of the possible consequences. This is the topic of the present assessment made by the Panel on Environmental Effects of Ozone Depletion.
Environmental Finance Services
This document outlines how UNDP is helping governments to attract and drive private investment towards sustainable solutions by combining and sequencing various financial instruments to effect policy change. These environmental finance services of UNDP offer an innovative and robust approach to addressing climate change, and other environmental and sustainable development concerns.
.Environmental Guidance Note for Disaster Risk Reduction: Healthy Ecosystems for Human Security and Climate Change Adaptation
This publication was developed to provide guidance on the benefits of and ways to integrate environmental concerns into disaster risk reduction strategies (DRR) at the local and national levels. As recognised and outlined within the Hyogo Framework for Action priority 4, healthy ecosystems and environmental management are considered key actions in DRR. Although the field of disaster risk management has evolved to recognize the need for addressing sustainable development issues for reducing risk, the environmental dimension has not to date received adequate attention and practical guidance.
Environmental Impact Assessment Act
This law was passed by the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to protect the natural environment from some of the negative effects of economic growth.
Environmental Impact Assessment in Japan
This document introduces the definition of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the EIA System in Japan, Japanese EIA Law and the Strategic Environmental Assessment.
Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China
This law is established for the purpose of protecting and improving public health and environmental ecology, preventing and controlling pollution and other public hazards, safeguarding human health, and facilitating the development of socialist modernization in China.
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