Highlights

We are pleased to announce a new UNEP/GRID-Arendal Linking Tourism and Conservation survey. This survey is aimed at collecting information on existing global Sustainable Tourism initiatives that support protected areas. With this survey we hope to identify, learn from and replicate positive examples where tourism supports the creation, management, and development of protected areas.
Contribute with information to the global Linking Tourism and Conservation Initiative

21 January 2011 - Lawrence Hislop from GRID-Arendal led a training workshop together with the ReCo project at University of Tromso.  The workshop involved PhD students who are using new communication technologies to help explain their research. 25 students were divided into five groups and each made a three-minute documentary film explaining the core findings in their research.  Some of these films will be submitted to competitions to further exposure.

A free iPhone application, named Blue and REDD Carbon, was launched today at the official opening of the One UN Pavillion at the Eye on Earth Summit in Abu Dhabi.

Launched on December 6th at a side event of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP 17, a new UNEP publication, entitled ‘Women at the frontline of climate change - Gender risks and hopes, A rapid Response Assessment’ shows that women play a stronger role than men in the management of ecosystems services and food security in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region.

John Crump is UNEP/GRID-Arendal's Senior Climate Change Advisor. He is currently covering the negotiations in Durban for the office, and promoting the work of Many Strong Voices, a programme which links the Arctic and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on climate change adaptation and mitigation. A former journalist, John is a keen blogger and will be sending regular updates on the negotiations on his blog.

Across the planet millions of animals travel with the seasons from one location to the next. Not unlike modern transport systems with interconnected airports, road and railway grids, migratory species depend on a network of habitats and corridors across the planet. Losing a single migration corridor may jeopardize entire populations.

Two reports jointly prepared by Zoi Environment and GRID-Arendal for the Environment and Security Initiative were launched at the Seventh “Environment for Europe” Ministerial Conference that took place in Astana, Kazakhstan from  21 to 23 September 2011.

These pages put a spotlight on Green Economy thinking and activities of GRID-Arendal. Features include a movie from the MAIN project (Mitigation and Adaptation Information Network), access to GRID-Arendal’s Green Economy publications, graphics, and a selection of photos from our library.

A 7-day training programme to raise awareness of the youth on the impact of climate change in the Arctic  takes place this summer in Svalbard, Norway aboard the ship M/v "Antarctic Dream".  Organized by the British Council, the training programme will be attended by twenty young people from across Europe and Canada who are active in climate change projects.   The programme will be facilitated by experts from GRID-Arendal.

The University of the Arctic celebrates its 10^th year anniversary with a special seminar on the theme of Green Growth and the Arctic.  The seminar, which was hosted by the University of Lapland on 8 June 2011.  Featured speakers included Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (President of Iceland), Hannele Pokka (Permanent Secretary of Finland’s Ministry of the Environment), Gustaf Lind (Sweden’s Arctic Ambassador), J. Okalik Eegeesiak (President of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association), Nicolas Bertrand (UNEP’s Green Economy Expert). The seminar is expected to open up new opportunities for cooperation in the Arctic.