IPSI Side Events at CBD SBSTTA-21 and WG8J-10

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held the Twenty-first Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-21) from 11-14 December and the Tenth Meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions of the Convention (WG8J-10) from 13-16 December 2017 in Montreal, Canada. In addition to the serious negotiations on topics related to the CBD, three side events were held related to the IPSI Secretariat.

"Integrated Landscape Management in the UN Decade of Biodiversity 2010-2020 and Beyond: Achievements and Future Direction of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI)", was held on 11 December, organized by the IPSI Secretariat with the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, the Ghana National Biodiversity Committee, the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation of Nepal, and the Ministry of Environment of Cambodia. The event provided a chance for the Secretariat and members present at the meetings to give updates on progress and future plans for the partnership, including contributions to Aichi Biodiversity Targets, IPSI's roadmap towards 2020, collaborative activities and others.

An event titled "Indicators of Resilience in Socio-ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes: Practice on the Ground and Contribution to Aichi Biodiversity Targets" was organized on 12 December by Conservation International and UNDP, with presentations on the development of the indicators and their implementation on the ground through the COMDEKS programme and the GEF-Satoyama Project.

On 14 December, UNDP along with the IPSI Secretariat and the Ministry of the Environment of Japan held "Community Action to Achieve the Aichi Targets: COMDEKS Contribution", which presented an overview of COMDEKS including an in-depth view of its Bhutan county programme.

More information on these meetings and events can be found on the CBD website here.

COMDEKS Newsletter – A quarterly update of activities – Issue 22

The Community Development and Knowledge Management for the Satoyama Initiative (COMDEKS) programme is a unique global programme implemented by the UNDP as a collaborative activity under IPSI. The twenty-second issue of the COMDEKS Newsletter was recently published, highlighting:

(1)  Community Action to Achieve the Aichi Targets: COMDEKS side event at CBD SBSTTA-21 in Montreal
(2)  New Landscape Governance publications: A guidance document and case studies from Ecuador, Ghana, and Indonesia
(3)  Further organizations from COMDEKS partner countries join IPSI membership
(4)  Biodiversity Conservation and livelihood development through a Village Savings and Loan Scheme in Ghana
(5) Portfolio Updates: Ethiopia and Turkey

(6) Video from Namibia

The COMDEKS Newsletter is available for download on the COMDEKS website here.

Apply Now for 2018 Master’s and Doctoral Programmes at UNU-IAS

IPSI Secretariat host the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) in Tokyo is now accepting applications for September 2018 admission to postgraduate degree programmes: the Master of Science in Sustainability and the PhD in Sustainability Science. Both programmes start in September 2018.

The UNU-IAS postgraduate degree programmes aim to produce the policymakers and researchers of tomorrow, who will be at the forefront of global efforts towards a more sustainable future. Students gain both academic knowledge and practical research skills by actively contributing to the institute’s policy-oriented research projects.

Both programmes are intended for recent graduates, professionals and practitioners aiming to pursue internationally focused careers, through employment in UN agencies, other international organizations, governments, civil society, or the private sector. All lectures are conducted in English.

Application deadlines are 28 February 2018 for the master’s programme, and 27 April for the doctoral programme. Please visit the UNU-IAS Degree Programmes webpage to find out more about application requirements and procedures. Please contact UNU-IAS through the online inquiry form with any questions.

Recent Case Study: Tse-Xin Organic Agriculture Foundation

The IPSI Secretariat recently received a case study from partner organization Tse-Xin Organic Agriculture Foundation in Chinese Taipei, titled "Green Conservation Program: A System for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture in Taiwan".

Founded in 1997, Tse-Xin Organic Agriculture Foundation (TOAF) is a non-profit organization committed to promoting a healthy environment while improving livelihoods and human well-being through the principles of organic agriculture. In collaboration with the Forestry Bureau, TOAF launched a Green Conservation (GC) program to train and support more farmers to adopt ecological use of land that aligns with an environment’s natural processes. The program certifies environmentally friendly farms to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods for agricultural communities. As a result of the GC program, the total area under organic farming has increased to 282 hectares (ha) with over 266 organic producers and 48 species at risk currently protected throughout 48 habitats across Taiwan since its introduction in 2009.

For more information, please see the full write-up of the case study on the IPSI website here.