East Africa Social Science Translation Collaborative (EASST) is currently seeking national, regional, and international institutions in East Africa to participate in the 2012 Policy Fellowship Program.

Request for Host Institutions

To achieve EASST’s objectives, the Fellowship will sponsor two qualified social scientists this year from EASST participating countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda) to provide technical support to public, nonprofit, and private sector organizations that are engaged in large-scale policy and program design and implementation. These policies and programs may relate to health, education, agriculture, female empowerment, and other development areas. The Fellowship will last for 2-3 months between October 2012 and May 2013.

Specifically, the Fellowship seeks to assist selected institutions in building capacity to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and scale-up of social and economic policies and programs that seek to alleviate poverty through the use of robust evidence. Simultaneously, the Fellow develops skills to identify critical policy questions for which institutions need answers and is thus better able to advocate for future research in this direction.

Once selected, Fellows will work together with the matched institution and EASST Collaborative staff to set specific goals for the fellowship and develop a detailed workplan with a clear set of deliverables and deadlines. Examples of fellowship outputs may include:

• Concise, evidence-based policy memos for decision-makers on issues of practical importance to the institution and/or government;

• Research-based talking points, press releases, and policy speeches for public figures;

• Guidance documents on efficient and effective budget allocation;

• Program evaluation design strategies and tools; and

• Design of new policies and programs, through an inclusive process that includes consultation with a broad array of stakeholders.

Host Institution Eligibility

•Must be a public, nonprofit, or private sector institution in EASST participating countries; and

• Focus on an EASST-approved development challenge, such as health, education, agriculture, and female empowerment.

How To Apply

If you are interested in participating as an EASST Policy Fellowship Host Institution, please visit: www.easst-collaborative.org/pfp/hosts.

Application Deadline: Midnight U.S. Pacific Time, Monday, 23 July 2012

To learn more about EASST, please visit: www.easst-collaborative.org.

Research headed by a Swansea University marine biologist has offered potential solution to endangered coral reefs around the world’s oceans.

Dr Richard Unsworth’s team included scientists from Oxford University and James Cook University in Australia.

They found varieties of seagrass which may reduce the acidity of water around reefs, protecting them from erosion.

Corals are worm-like creatures of around a centimetre length which live in colonies numbering millions.

Calcium carbonate released by the corals forms a protective reef around the entire group.

The survival of these corals has been threatened by carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over the last 40 years, as it has raised the acidity of the oceans, rotting the reefs in the same way as fruit and fizzy drinks can erode tooth enamel.

Read the full article from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-18558155

The Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation hosted every year by the International Sea Turtle Society (ISTS) is a unique event that draws participants from around the world, from across disciplines and cultures to a common interest and objective: sea turtle conservation. The Symposium encourages discussion, debate, and the sharing of knowledge, research techniques and lessons in conservation to address questions on the biology and conservation of sea turtles and their habitats.

The 33rd Annual Symposium will be held in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, which is within the National Capital Region- a hub for important scientific research, policy and decision-making by the nation’s government and many leading conservation organizations. The pioneering 1st World Conference on Sea Turtle Conservation was held in Washington, D.C., 26-30 November 1979 and now, just over 33 years later, a major sea turtle meeting will revisit the National Capital Region.

Baltimore is located in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic States, where nearly one-third of the U.S. population resides. The city is well-situated for visitors arriving by car (just off I-95), it is only 15 minutes from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and it is a main train station along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor. Baltimore offers visitors many great activities in the city and the opportunity to explore its rich cultural history; you can tour the home of the American National Anthem at Fort McHenry, eat world-famous Maryland crabs and seafood, explore the National Aquarium and the Maryland Science Center, or spend time in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

Although most things you will want to do and see will be within easy walking distance, Baltimore also has a fast, free, and green Charm City Circulator (shuttle buses that travel 3 routes daily in the city, www.charmcitycirculator.com).  You can also venture out to explore the natural beauty of the Chesapeake Bay Area, or take an inexpensive train ride to Washington, D.C. to lose yourself in the museums of the Smithsonian Institution.

For the 2013 Symposium we expect over 1000 participants from more than 75 countries around the world. The Symposium’s venue will be the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront (https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome_gi_new&groupID=9575293), located in the Inner Harbor, about 12 miles from BWI airport, 52 miles from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), 3 miles from Greyhound Bus Lines, and 1 mile from Penn Station-Baltimore (train) and the Baltimore Metro Subway.

The Baltimore Marriott Waterfront has luxury guest rooms and suites with great views of the city and the Inner Harbor, and is conveniently located downtown near the National Aquarium, Oriole Park, and many restaurants, shops, and nightclubs. The well-appointed conference facilities and meeting halls, as well as proximity to urban recreation, will promote interaction with other delegates, networking and catching up with old friends.

This year the Symposium will focus on Connections in sea turtle biology, research and conservation: marine turtle ecological interactions, linkages among scientists, coastal communities, turtles, humans, consumptive and non-consumptive use, collaborative research, community-based conservation, policy-makers, and managers, and any that YOU may care to share. From February 2nd to 4th, we will convene and host several regional meetings and special workshops that will enrich our knowledge and complement our capacities for reaching our conservation goals, and have some unique opportunities to interact with the local community. On February 5th through 8th we will have the themed oral and poster sessions, an outstanding group of returning and new Exhibitors and Vendors, traditional Symposium activities, and a few new things as well!
Sea turtles have been an integral part of ecosystems for over 60 million years, and have been linked with humans throughout recorded history. In 2013 we hope to explore, discuss, and expand upon these connections. Stay tuned for the Symposium Registration and Reservations website to go live next month, AND, with the meeting coming in early February next year, start preparing for an October 1st, 2012 deadline for poster and presentation abstracts!

Last night, sustainability legend Gro Harlem Brundtland, media guru and philanthropist Ted Turner, EU Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard, and 150 VIP guests celebrated the first concrete outcome at Rio+20: The launch of Sustainia100.

Chumbe Island Coral Park (CHICOP) is proud to announce that CHICOP has been chosen for this prestigious list of solutions.

Since 1991, Chumbe Island Coral Park (CHICOP) has developed Chumbe Island into a fully managed nature reserve. Building designs and operations use zero-emission technologies to protect the sensitive terrestrial and marine ecosystems of the island.

All buildings are self-sufficient units that generate their own water and energy and recycle waste, with rainwater catchment, solar water heating and photovoltaic electricity. Composting toilets avoid sewage and save precious water, grey-water is recycled in plant filters, while wind-channeling makes air-conditioning unnecessary.

Cooking energy is low-emission, plastic and packaging waste is avoided, drinking water is provided in recycled glass bottles. Guests use solar-powered torches for walkways that are not illuminated to protect nocturnal wildlife.

“Coral reefs provide important ecosystem services, food, income and leisure to millions of people, but are among the most endangered ecosystems on earth.  Marine parks created for their protection often suffer from poor management, as their economic potential is not fully realised.

Our Visitor centre and Eco-bungalows help to sustainably fund park management, and provide employment, income and environmental education to local people, schools and park visitors,

We are very excited about this immensely forward looking recognition, and we also thank Jochen Zeitz, Founder of the Zeitz Foundation, Chairman of PUMA and worldwide champion for sustainability, who kindly accepted to represent us in the award ceremony”, says Sibylle Riedmiller, CHICOP’s intiator and main investor.

Gathered from 56 countries spread over six continents, Sustainia100 is a complete guide to innovative and scalable solutions instrumental in creating sustainable societies. Building on ready and available solutions only, Sustainia100 is as a tangible tool for sustainability professionals – from politicians to CEOs- dedicated to create desirable and sustainable societies.

“I am very excited and inspired by this as it makes it absolutely clear that our mission is possible. That we do have the ammunition we need to tackle this challenge. That we have what it takes to create fun and attractive societies without destroying our planet “ says Arnold Schwarzenegger, Honorary Chair of Sustainia.

Individually, the solutions represent sustainable innovation in areas such as city planning, energy, fashion, water and waste management, high-tech and transportation. Collectively, they provide a guide of the building blocks available for transforming our societies.

Sustainia100 is a cornerstone in Sustainia. A construction site for the desirable society we could live in if we implemented ready and available solutions. Developed by world-leading companies, organizations and experts in close collaboration with UN Global Compact and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s initiative Regions20, Sustainia is the first holistic introduction to the attractive sustainable future.

Sustainia100 solutions are nominees for the Sustainia Award, which honors outstanding performance within sustainability. The winner will be announced at a ceremony later this year in Copenhagen.

__________________________________________________________________

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chair of Regions20, Honorary Chair of Sustainia

“Sustainia is my kind of world: A desirable place where we live life to the fullest. Without damaging the only planet we have.”

Gro Harlem Brundtland, Former Prime Minister, Member of The Elders Team

“Securing the planet for future generations is a global collaborative task. Sustainia100 demonstrates that since the first Earth Summit in 1992 solutions and innovations to tackle this challenge have been developed all over the world. We need to make more people aware of these solutions and inspire more to act. With the Sustainia100 there is no excuse for not choosing a sustainable path to the future. The solutions are there. Ready for use.”

Connie Hedegaard, Commissioner for Climate Action
“By 2030, the world will need at least 50 per cent more food, 45 per cent more energy and 30 per cent more water. These figures show that continuing with business as usual is clearly not an option. It would be very costly in economic, environmental and human terms. This is why we need a more sustainable growth model that captures the value of a country’s natural wealth, of a clean environment, of social cohesion. Sustainia shows that many of the solutions are already there.”

 Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change:

“Science has long provided a body of knowledge that covers the huge and vast potential of sustainable solutions. With Sustainia, we now have a platform that communicates this potential in a clear and comprehensive manner to a broad audience of politicians and corporations as well as civil society. Sustainia makes science easier to understand for a larger group of people, which is just what we need to meet the challenges ahead.”

Resources

Download / read “Sustainia100” http://www.sustainia.me/sustainia100/

Visit Sustainia’s website at www.sustainia.me or www.facebook.com/sustainia or www.Twitter.com/sustainia_me

IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges. IUCN works on biodiversity, climate change, energy, human livelihoods and greening the world economy by supporting scientific research, managing field projects all over the world, and bringing governments, NGOs, the UN and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice. IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization, with more than 1,200 government and NGO members and almost 11,000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by over 1,000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world.

IUCN ESARO engages directly in biodiversity conservation in the region through its innovative thematic programme, Conservation Areas and Species Diversity (CASD). The CASD programme was established in late 2010 and draws on science and best practice to enhance the conservation and management of biodiversity and ecosystem functions. It engages in enhancing management effectiveness of conservation areas – ranging from Community Managed Areas to World Heritage sites and national parks. The programme works at multiple levels – influencing policy and other institutional frameworks as well as carrying out direct field actions. IUCN is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from qualified women and men for the following vacancy.

Position: Senior Programme Officer

Reporting to: IUCN ESARO Technical Coordinator, Conservation Areas & Species Diversity with functional reporting lines to the IUCN Pan African Protected Areas Programme Coordinator

Duty station: IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office, Nairobi, Kenya

Start date: Immediate

Duration: Two years, possibility of renewal

Responsibilities and required competencies:-

These are available at: http://www.iucn.org/involved/jobs/

Applicants are asked to submit their CV in English and a supporting letter of motivation along with the names and contact details of three referees, one of whom should be a recent employer by e-mail before 6th July, 2012 to: IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office Email: earohr@iucn.org

ONLY SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED.

This is to inform you that the period for applications for the following Training Course is open between 18 June and 20 July 2012: Marine and Coastal Atlas Development, which will be held in Ostend, Belgium, between 5-9 November 2012.

The courses’ description, topics covered, learning outcomes and prerequisites are available on the leaflet attached and also at www.oceanteacher.org and www.iode.org.

Interested candidates can register for the course by following the instructions described at OceanTeacher Academy website, under Registration.

Registration implies the submission of the following documents:

- Application form

- CV

- Endorsement letter (in case of asking for sponsorship)

Both full- and co-sponsoring are available for a limited number of participants. Sponsored participants will receive one or a combination of the following cost items: 1) air ticket, 2) living and accommodation support, 3) tuition fee and 4) medical insurance.

The selection of participants who will be sponsored will take into consideration:

- Applicant country’s development status (preference will be given to LIFDCs)

- Endorsement of the candidate’s application by his/her employer and any co-sponsoring

- Expected impact of the training for the applicant’s institution

- Possibility of any co-sponsorship

Co-sponsorship is an asset for selection.

The 2011 Annual Report is out! Every year WIOMSA publishes an annual report with articles highlighting the Association’s key projects and achievements, presenting its financial statements and results and profiling selected work from WIOMSA and its partners over the previous year. This year, the Annual Report has adapted a new reader friendly format. Some of the changes include:

i) The Highlights from the Secretariat that reviews and summarizes the Association operations over the year

ii) The grouping of articles into thematic areas that illustrate WIOMSA’s programmatic areas: Planning for the Future, Marine Science for Management; Capacity Building; Information Dissemination and Communication; Resource Mobilization and Partnerships; Recognizing the best; and Member’s Corner.

Download the report

Hope you enjoy reading it. Comments are welcome.

Australia says it will create the world’s largest network of marine parks ahead of the Rio+20 summit.

The reserves will cover 3.1 million sq km of ocean, including the Coral Sea.

Restrictions will be placed on fishing and oil and gas exploration in the protected zone covering more than a third of Australia’s waters.

Environment Minister Tony Burke, who made the announcement, will attend the earth summit in Brazil next week with Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

“It’s time for the world to turn a corner on protection of our oceans,” Mr Burke said. “And Australia today is leading that next step.”

Read the full article from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18437040

As part of a new project to improve biodiversity and agriculture science reporting within the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), a group of 11 press officers were trained from 24–25 May 2012 in Mauritius.

The press officers come from the agriculture ministries of the IOC islands — Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion and the Seychelles — as well as Zanzibar.

The training programme is just one component of a wider initiative — launched in 2010 — to highlight environmentally-friendly agricultural practices in this biodiversity-rich region. Other activities include the launch of the online Indian Ocean Biodiversity & Agriculture portal, in December 2011.

Read the full article from http://www.scidev.net/en/science-communication/news/indian-ocean-islands-link-up-via-agriculture-web-portal.html

Safe and Inclusive Cities: Research to Reduce Urban Violence, Poverty, and Inequalities

Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is launching a call for proposals as part of the Safe and Inclusive Cities research initiative. In partnership with the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, this jointly-funded initiative aims to build an evidence base on the connections between urban violence, poverty, and inequalities. It also seeks to identify the most effective strategies for addressing these challenges.

Grants of up to CA$500,000 will be awarded to carry out cutting-edge research in cities across Latin America and the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia.

For more information, please visit www.idrc.ca/cities or email us at cities@idrc.ca.

Deadline for applications: August 26, 2012