The World Conservation Monitoring Centre provides information services on conservation and sustainable use of the world's living resources, and helps others to develop information systems of their own.

International Agreements

Convention on Nature Protection and Wildlife Preservation in the Western Hemisphere (1940)

Contribution of information to key conservation assessments in the Latin American and Caribbean regions, helping to set priorities for regional conservation action.

International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (1946)

Compilation of the IUCN Red Data Book: Dolphins, Porpoises and Whales of the World in collaboration with UNEP, IUCN and the International Whaling Commission.

Review of marine mammal databases for UNEP, helping them to assess the feasibility of establishing a distributed network of marine mammal databases.

The Antarctic Treaty (1959); Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980)

Compilation of an Antarctic Digital Database of geographical, geological and biological features; providing a valuable tool for scientific research and conservation management.

Review of the information management implications of Annex V of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (1991) concerning Antarctic protected areas.

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (1971)

* For ten years WCMC managed the database on Ramsar sites on behalf of the Convention, and compiled the Directories of Wetlands of International Importance published for the Conferences of the Parties in 1984, 1987 and 1990.

WCMC collaborated closely with Wetlands International, IUCN and others in the compilation of directories of wetlands covering the Neotropics, Africa, Oceania, Asia and the Middle East, and with Wetlands International and BirdLife International in preparing Important Bird Areas in Europe.

Compilation of maps of coral reef and mangrove distributions as part of collaborative projects with the International Society of Mangrove Ecologists and the International Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management. Development of a computer-mapped database of wetlands at a nominal scale of 1:1 million, based on the various wetlands inventories and directories.

* WCMC provided rapporteurs to Conferences of the Parties in 1984 and 1987 at the request of the Bureau.

Compilation of a poster map of important wetlands of the world in collaboration with Wetlands International and the Bureau.

Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972)

* WCMC is contracted to support IUCN in the evaluation of nominations of natural world heritage sites, in particular developing summary nominations, commenting on proposals based on information derived from other sources, and providing information on comparable sites.

* WCMC is also collaborating directly with the World Heritage Centre on development of the World Heritage Information Network, an Internet-based service that facilitates access to information on World Heritage sites held by a range of organisations.

* Assistance in the preparation of books and papers relating to the World Heritage Convention, development of options for review and monitoring of listed sites, and provision of comparative information to support nomination and evaluation processes.

Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (1972)

Preparation of maps of agreed dump sites, for the International Maritime Organization.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1973)

* WCMC has provided services to CITES since 1980, computerising the trade records of species listed in the CITES Appendices. The CITES Trade Database holds millions of records of trade in wildlife species and products, and some 30,000 scientific names and synonyms.

* WCMC is developing a WWW site for CITES in collaboration with the Secretariat, and providing copies of Convention documents in an associated FTP area. The Centre also manages a list server on CITES issues, CITES-L.

* WCMC staff assist the Nomenclature Committee, Animals Committee, and Plants Committee, providing taxonomic advice on individual species and on the adoption or modification of taxonomic standards. WCMC has also worked with the CITES Timber Working Group and the Ivory Panel.

* Development of a database on species listed on CITES Appendices and on the EU Wildlife Trade Regulation. The database will support EU CITES Authorities by providing data necessary for implementing the legislation, including checklists of CITES listed species and annotated CITES appendices and reservations.

* WCMC produces the EU Annual Report to CITES and an analysis showing each EU Member State's performance in implementing the Convention.

* WCMC has provided rapporteurs to several Conferences of the Parties at the request of the Secretariat.

Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Land-based Sources (1974, 1986)

Development of GIS database of sensitive sites and coastal ecosystems for use in planning response to pollution incidents.

Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution (1976); Protocol Concerning Mediterranean Specially Protected Areas (1982)

* Support to the activities of the Regional Activity Centre in Tunis in the identification of key datasets and reviews relevant to its work on specially protected areas, following earlier support in establishing the centre and implementing its initial programme of work.

Contribution to several assessments of conservation in the Mediterranean region, including preparation of maps of marine and coastal environmentally sensitive areas in the Mediterranean for BP and IPIECA to support oil spill contingency planning, and support to the World Bank in preparation of its Environmental Program for the Mediterranean.

Convention on Conservation of Nature in the South Pacific (1976)

* WCMC worked with IUCN to compile the IUCN Directory of Protected Areas in Oceania as requested in the Action Strategy for Protected Areas agreed by a regional conference, and has also contributed information to several regional assessments.

Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (1979)

* For the last two years WCMC has been collaborating with the Secretariat in the development and management of a trilingual WWW site for the Convention.

* WCMC and the IUCN Environmental Law Centre are preparing a series of national profiles on the protection, conservation status and legislation relevant to migratory species, to support extension of the Convention to cover new Contracting Parties.

Preliminary maps of feeding and nesting sites of all species of marine turtles have been produced for the world. A wide range of references has been used, and information on numbers of eggs/hatchlings, time-series and breeding season has been included.

* Assistance to the Secretariat in drafting and revising the appendices to the Convention.

* Preparation of GIS database of terrestrial migratory species in the Arctic, as a contribution to the assessment of natural resources for the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Programme.

Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (1979)

* Compilation of a new European Red Data Book on vertebrates in collaboration with the Council of Europe and The European Topic Centre/Nature Conservation, building on earlier European work with the Council of Europe and UNECE.

* Provision of support to the Secretariat in the drafting and review of species annexes. As part of this process, WCMC compiled a draft list of endangered plants, accompanied by conservation summaries for each species. WCMC also provided support to the Secretariat on extension of the species lists to cover central European countries and some countries of the former USSR.

* Preparation of a discussion paper on implementation of the habitat provisions of the Convention, and identification of recommendations for consideration by Contracting Parties.

* Review of status and conservation of various animal groups in Europe, including invertebrates in general, hymenoptera, and marine turtles, and collaboration on a review of non-marine molluscs. All these have been published in the Commission of Europe's Nature and Environment series.

Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Eastern African Region (1985); Protocol Concerning Protected Areas and Wild Fauna and Flora in the Eastern African Region (1985)

* Collaboration with IUCN and others in the development of the review Marine and Coastal Conservation in the East African Region for UNEP, which was a major contribution to the process resulting in adoption of the Convention and Protocol.

Convention of the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (1983); Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife to the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (1990)

* WCMC is developing a database for the UNEP Regional Coordinating Unit in Jamaica, which will include taxonomy, distribution, conservation status and basic ecology of species listed on the SPAW Protocol.

* Input to various studies made during development of the SPAW Protocol, including preparation of a draft list of species for the annexes.

Preparation of a review of the protected area systems in the Caribbean, which is being further reviewed and developed for publication by the UNEP Regional Coordinating Unit in Jamaica.

International Tropical Timber Agreement (1983)

* Development of a Forest Resource Accounting (FRA) process in collaboration with IIED, adopted by ITTO Member Countries in 1993. ITTO is proposing the approach to the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests as a practical methodology for undertaking the information and monitoring tasks required to achieve sustainable forest management at the national level.

* The International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME) and WCMC are preparing a concise world atlas of mangrove ecosystems, part of a wider project supported by ITTO.

* Preliminary review of the conservation status of tropical timbers in trade, for ITTO, and a recommendation on future information service needs.

Development of an information service on the distribution, conservation status and sustainable use of trees species, to assist countries in planning sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation.

Treaty of European Union (1986); Maastricht Treaty of European Union (Single European Act) (1992); Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (1979); Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora (1992)

* Advice and support to the European Environment Agency and the European Topic Centre/Nature Conservation as they plan and implement mechanisms to support implementation of the Directives.

Support to the review of species and habitats lists, and to reviews of methodologies for monitoring the status of listed species and habitats.

Support to Wetlands International and BirdLife International in drafting Important Bird Areas in Europe, and to BirdLife International and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds on a preliminary review of the potential impact of trans-European transport networks on key sites.

Treaty of European Union (1986); Maastricht Treaty of European Union (Single European Act) (1992); Lomé Convention (1975, 1980, 1986, 1990)

* Maps and biodiversity profiles for six African countries, produced to support briefing and education.

* Support to an IUCN managed project to develop strategies for protected areas in the 69 African, Caribbean and Pacific States associated with the European Union.

* Major review of financial investment in biodiversity conservation at global and national levels, in particular looking at bilateral and multilateral donor policies and commitments, investment at the national level in several countries, and resources allocated to protected areas.

Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (1991)

* Compilation of inventories of protected areas as a contribution to the Conservation of Arctic Fauna and Flora (CAFF) Programme, habitat conservation reports, and a preliminary gap analysis of protected areas to assist in planning the Circumpolar Protected Area Network.

* Preparation of a GIS database of terrestrial migratory species as a contribution to the assessment of Arctic natural resources for CAFF, and assistance with mapping wildlife habitats in the Arctic.

* Provision of support to the Russian Ministry for Protection of the Environment and Natural Resources in preparing background documents for a CAFF meeting in 1995.

Agenda 21 (1992)

Preparation of background documents for UNEP on Features of Biodiversity in Small Island Developing States, which were completed for the United Nations Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (1995).

Agenda 21 (1992); Forest Principles (1992)

* Preparation of background papers for the International Panel on Forests on "The needs of countries with Low Forest cover", and "Traditional forest-related knowledge and the convention on biological diversity".

Compilation of a GIS based library of forest and protected area maps, used to support a wide range of further activities including support to FAO and UNECE in development and implementation of the "Forest Resource Assessment" projects in 1990 and 2000, and collaboration with WWF on the development of WWW information services on certified forest sites in tropical forest countries.

Development of biodiversity indicators for assessing the conservation status of tropical forests, and assessment of who needs certain categories of forest information, and the form in which that information is required.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)

* Assistance to the Secretariat in developing preliminary drafts of papers on a range of issues, for submission to both the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and the Conference of the Parties.

* Development of a prototype WWW Clearing House Mechanism under contract to the Secretariat, and substantive input to discussion on the future format and functioning of the Clearing House Mechanism.

Collaboration with UNEP on the implementation of a programme to improve biodiversity data management at the national level in support of the Convention, including the preparation of supporting materials and including Guide to Information Management in the context of the Convention of Biological Diversity, the facilitation of needs assessment and training workshops.

Coordination of part of the Global Biodiversity Assessment dealing with data and information management and communication, and contribution to other parts of the review.

Biodiversity, and support to a number of countries in the þCountry Studiesþ carried out as a precursor to development of national strategies and action plans.

Contribution of various studies, including: Global Biodiversity: status of the earth's living resources; Biodiversity Data Sourcebook; The Biodiversity Clearing House - concept and challenges; Priorities for Conserving Global Species Richness and Endemism; Assessing Biodiversity Status and Sustainability; and The Diversity of the Seas: a regional approach.

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (1994)

Development of a prototype information service on desertification on the Internet for the EU Centre for Earth Observation, working in collaboration with partners in France and Belgium. The prototype information service includes a WWW site and a list server, DESERT-L.

Preparation of introductory material for a UNEP report summarising the global status of biodiversity in drylands.

For further information please write to: Information Office, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 1223 277314; Fax: +44 1223 277136. Email: info@wcmc.org.uk Document URL: http:// www.wcmc.org.uk /convent/projects/convent.htm Revision date: 7-January-2000 Current date: 21-January-2000
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