Development
- Ask
First: A guide to respecting Indigenous heritage
places and values "provides a practical
guide for land developers, land users and
managers, cultural heritage professionals
and many others who may have an impact on
Indigenous heritage. The title - Ask First
- is the message of this book; that consultation
and negotiation with Indigenous stakeholders
is the best means of addressing Indigenous
heritage issues. It is also the first, and
simplest step that people need to take, and
that is to put the subject on the agenda." In
html and downloadable PDF, as well as for
hardcopy purchase, the description sums it
up. This guide is an excellent resource,
and "must have" for any individual
or organisation dealing with Indigenous stakeholders
and heritage.
- Community
Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) Français "...
based on the premise that the people living
next to a resource are the ones best suited
to protecting the resource", the Khwai
Development Trust in Botswana, have created
a beautiful site that expresses the wish
of that community to use ecotourism as a
way to make a sustainable future for themselves,
while preserving their cultural identity
and the natural environment. You'll also
find links to other projects in Botswana
and southern Africa.
- International Development
Research Centre Sick of all the doom
and gloom? Visit the IDRC and read the reports
or join the email list for a regular dose
of good cheer and hope. "The IRDC funds
the work of scientists working in universities,
private enterprise, government, and nonprofit
organizations in developing countries and
provides some support to regional research
networks and institutions in the Third World".
- The International
Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) "For
development to be sustainable it must integrate
environmental stewardship, economic development
and the well-being of all people—not
just for today but for countless generations
to come. This is the challenge facing governments,
non-governmental organizations, private enterprises,
communities and individuals. [IISD] meets
this challenge by advancing policy recommendations
on international trade and investment, economic
policy, climate change, measurement and indicators,
and natural resource management to make development
sustainable."
- Overseas Development
Institute "ODI is Britain's leading
independent think-tank on international development
and humanitarian issues. Our mission is to
inspire and inform policy and practice which
lead to the reduction of poverty, the alleviation
of suffering and the achievement of sustainable
livelihoods in developing countries." Many
working papers and short papers are available
for download as PDFs, with major publications
for purchase, as well as a fellowship scheme,
library, advisory work, networking meetings
and email list.
- Tanzania
Online "is a gateway to information
on development issues in Tanzania. It is
a UNDP/UN, Government of Tanzania and Economic
and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) initiative
to address problems faced by Government officials,
policy makers, private sector, civil society,
donor community, researchers and academicians
accessing information on development issues
in Tanzania." Excellent resources,
inlcuding a searchable database to local
and interenational resources.
- UNEP Division of
Technology, Industry, and Economics from
agriculture to tourism and
water, the UNEPDTIE site provides technical
assistance programs to improve productivity. "Providing
an integrated response to environmental issues".
- World Bank "Founded
in 1944, the World Bank Group is one of the world's
largest sources of development assistance. The
Bank, which provided US$19.5 billion in loans to
its client countries in fiscal year 2002, is now
working in more than 100 developing economies,
bringing a mix of finance and ideas to improve
living standards and eliminate the worst forms
of poverty." The site has been extensively
updated. Fortunately the search box works well. I
entered "ecotourism"
and a raft of pages were returned. You might
be particularly interested in the Environmental,
Health and Safety Guidelines (PDF) for funded
projects in various industries and activities including
tourism & hospitality.
- World Trade Organisation Español Français.
Updated site with clean efficient design to copious
resources, reports, statistics, law and negotiations,
plus a community forum to provide feedback. Trade
and Environment covers "issues relating
to sustainable development, trade and the environment
[that] have been discussed in the GATT and in the
WTO for many years."
See also Ecologically Sustainable Development, Sustainable
Design & Management, Democracy
& Human Rights and Volunteer
and Community Tourism |
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Environment
Conventions, Charters and Ethics
- Convention on Biological
Diversity "At the 1992 Earth Summit
in Rio de Janeiro, world leaders agreed on
a comprehensive strategy for 'sustainable
development' -- meeting our needs while ensuring
that we leave a healthy and viable world
for future generations. One of the key agreements
adopted at Rio was the Convention on Biological
Diversity."
Who's signed, who said they'd sign (promises promises)
and who hasn't (pikers!*).
- United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change
 "Over
a decade ago, most countries joined
an international treaty -- the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) -- to begin to
consider what can be done to reduce
global warming and to cope with whatever
temperature increases are inevitable.
Recently, a number of nations have
approved an addition to the treaty:
the Kyoto
Protocol, which has more powerful
(and legally binding) measures. ...
This [web site] contains numerous
resources -- for beginners or experts
-- such as introductory and in-depth
publications, the official UNFCCC and
Kyoto Protocol texts
and a search engine to the UNFCCC
library." Fast loading,
easy on the eye, everything you always
wanted to know about the convention,
Kyoto and beyond.
- The Earth Charter
Initiative "In 1987 the United Nations
World Commission on Environment and Development
issued a call for creation of a new charter
that would set forth fundamental principles
for sustainable development. The drafting
of an Earth Charter was part of the unfinished
business of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit." The
charter document can be viewed 24 languages,
and the website provides plenty of educational,
community and group resources for implementing
the charter principles in your local community.
- Environmental
Ethics A comprehensive link list to the
subject.
- UNEP - World
Conservation Monitoring Centre "The
UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre
provides information for policy and action
to conserve the living world. Our programmes
concentrate on species, forests, protected
areas, marine and freshwaters; plus habitats
affected by climate change such as polar
regions."
Governments and Organisations
- Earth Council for Sustainable
Development A must visit! Zipped html docs from Rio, in
English, Français, Español, plus papers, speeches,
ongoing projects and conferences. "The Earth Council is
an international non-governmental organization (NGO) created
in September 1992 to promote and advance the implementation
of the Rio Earth Summit agreements. It is led by a body of
18 Members, drawn from the world's political, business, scientific
and non-governmental communities."
- IUCN - The World Conservation
Union "Founded in 1948, The World
Conservation Union brings together States,
government agencies and a diverse range of
non-governmental organizations in a unique
world partnership: over 980 members in all,
spread across some 140 countries." Its
mission is "To influence, encourage
and assist societies throughout the world
to conserve the integrity and diversity of
nature and to ensure that any use of natural
resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable."
- United Nations Environment
Programme - UNEP "Environment
for development ... resources for Governments, Scientists, Journalists, Business
Persons, Civil
Society, Children
and Youth". Global resources and
country reports.
- UNEP
- Regional Office Africa "The
mission of the Regional Office
for Africa is to provide leadership
and encourage partnership in
caring for the environment by
inspiring, informing, and enabling
nations and peoples in Africa
to improve their quality of life
without compromising that of
future generations."
- UNEP
- Regional of Europe "The
Regional Office for Europe (ROE)
promotes inter-governmental policy
dialogue and regional cooperation,
increases national capacity for
environmental management and
response emergencies, raises
awareness and enhances information
exchange, and translates global
policies into regional action."
- EEA - European
Environment Agency "The
European Environment Agency's core task is
to provide decision-makers with the information
needed for making sound and effective policies
to protect the environment and support sustainable
development."
- The
Green Lane - Department of Environment, Canada
 A
plethora of Canadian and world-wide environmental
and sustainable development sites. "Environment
Canada's mission is to make sustainable development a
reality in Canada by helping Canadians live and prosper
in an environment that needs to be respected, protected
and conserved."
- The Department of
the Environment and Heritage "advises
the Australian Government on policies and
programs for the protection and conservation
of the environment, including both natural
and cultural heritage places. It manages
a number of major programs ... dealing with
natural resource management ... [and] works
with Australian business organisations and
industrial sectors, the community and other
levels of government to protect Australia's
atmosphere and to improve the environmental
performance of Australian industry." My
favourite dotgov.au site and the first place
to go for legislation, codes, research and
publications relating to Commonwealth Environment
and Heritage responsibilities. You'll
also find online Approvals & Permits,
Payments & Procurement, Programs & Funding
and Taxation Concessions information. Check What's
New for info. about current call for
comments on draft POMs, environmental assessments,
threatened species recovery plans, guidelines,
new publications etc.
- Global Development
Research Center (GDRC) "is an attempt
to consolidate disparate issues, themes and
topics into one umbrella to highlight their
interconnectedness and interdisciplinary
nature. ... in the spheres of environment,
urban, community and information, and at
scales that are effective."
- The
Regional Environmental Center for Central
and Eastern Europe (REC) A
beautifully presented website, with lot's
of information, projects and publications
(all in PDF). A valuable resource. Visit
and enjoy!"... is a non-advocacy, not-for-profit
organisation with a mission to assist in
solving environmental problems in Central
and Eastern Europe (CEE). The Center fulfils
its mission through encouraging co-operation
among non-governmental organisations, governments
and businesses, supporting the free exchange
of information and promoting public participation
in environmental decision-making. ... The
REC has its head office in Szentendre, Hungary,
and country offices and field offices in
16 beneficiary countries which are:
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary,
Latvia, Lithuania, Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia and
Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey."
- World Heritage Centre Everything
you always wanted to know about World Heritage
but didn't know where to find it. English, Français "Protecting
natural and cultural properties of outstanding
universal value against the threat of damage
in a rapidly developing world"
See also Activism: Environmental Campaigns, Australian
Government Agencies, Policymaker/Stakeholder Guidelines, Ecologically Sustainable Development and Sustainable
Design & Management |
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