Island Biodiversity

Island-related resolutions adopted at the 4th IUCN Congress

A number of motions were submitted by countries and organizations to the 4th IUCN World Conservation Congress that took place in Barcelona in Oct 2008. The full list of the Resolutions and Recommendations approved by the Members' Assembly is available at: IUCN Congress.

Among the island-related resolutions are those on marine biodiversity, marine protected areas, fisheries, the Mediterranean, the Arctic, mangrove conservation and climate change adaptation.

The links to the full text of three resolutions of particular importance to GLISPA can be found below:

Resolution 4.067: Advancing island conservation and sustainable livelihoods

The World Conservation Congress, at its 4th Session in Barcelona, Spain, 5–14 October 2008, provides the following guidance concerning implementation of the IUCN Programme 2009–2012:
  1. WELCOMES the leadership provided by the Director General in:
    1. supporting the creation of an efficient Coordination Team for GLISPA; and
    2. hosting GLISPA within IUCN to ensure its continued success as an important platform for island action, leadership and collaboration and its continued role in support of the CBD Programmes of Work on Island Biodiversity and Protected Areas and related policies; and
  2. REQUESTS the Director General to:
    1. define further the objectives and expected outcomes of the IUCN Island Initiative and carry out its implementation;
    2. identify concrete examples and pilot projects that will serve as models promoting participative and local community management on islands;
    3. examine how the current efforts of IUCN on islands could be better integrated, as appropriate, at the regional level in the Western Indian Ocean; and
    4. establish a platform for exchange between concerned members and experts on issues relevant to IUCN’s work on islands, under the Island Initiative.

Resolution 4.032: Coordination of the Pacific Ocean 2020 Challenge

The World Conservation Congress at its 4th Session in Barcelona, Spain, 5–14 October 2008:
  1. ENDORSES the concept of the Pacific Ocean 2020 Challenge as an instrument for highlighting Pacific Ocean conservation and management issues throughout the Pan-Pacific region, securing strong financial commitments from new partners and donors, and developing a process to develop an integrated approach to Pacific Ocean conservation; and
  2. URGES IUCN’s members and partners, particularly those in and around the Pacific Rim, to participate in and support the Pacific Ocean 2020 Challenge as part of their ongoing marine conservation initiatives.

Resolution 4.079: The European Union and its overseas entities faced with climate change and biodiversity loss

The World Conservation Congress at its 4th Session in Barcelona, Spain, 5–14 October 2008:
  1. CALLS ON the EU and its Member States, the OR and OCT authorities and other stakeholders concerned, to provide specific responses to the Message from Reunion Island recommendations;
  2. CALLS ON the French Presidency of the EU and the future Czech, Swedish and Spanish Presidencies to pay particular attention to the monitoring of the awareness of this message, in particular in view of the 2010 targets; and
  3. ENCOURAGES IUCN to develop a new phase of the European overseas entities programme to support the implementation of the Message from Reunion Island Recommendations, in particular by setting up a working and monitoring platform involving all the stakeholders concerned: local, national and European authorities, public organizations, civil society, experts, and regional and international organizations.