Issue 28
September-October 2007
The Mountain Partnership Newsletter
'Peak to Peak' is an opportunity to keep you up-to-date with the latest news, activities and events related to the Mountain Partnership. This monthly newsletter, prepared by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, is sent by e-mail to all members and other interested partners and can be read on-line at www.mountainpartnership.org. Help us share news, information and features with members by sending a message to: info@mountainpartnership.org.
Membership
We wish to welcome Chile as a ‘country’ member of the Mountain Partnership. The admission of this important mountain country means that all the Andean countries are now represented in the Mountain Partnership, which adds cohesion and impetus to our on-going regional work. We are also pleased to announce two new members to the ‘Major Group’ category of the Mountain Partnership: the UNESCO Club of Serres and the Pan Himalayan Grassroots Development Foundation.
UNESCO Club of Serres is an NGO located in the northern Greek city of Serres, near the mountains of Paggaio and Belles. The organization has created a series of environmental programmes for schools, entitled 'The road of Paggaio', and is also involved in joint activities with the Prefecture of Serres to protect mountain environments and communities. Recently, the UNESCO Club of Serres has agreed to cooperate in the promotion of a Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the South East European Mountain Regions, as well as in the planning and implementation of initiatives for a mountain project for the next phase of the INTERREG programme, which fosters cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation in Europe. (Contact: Michalis Davis, Scientific Collaborator; E-mail: davism@tellas.gr; Web site: http://www.unescoserron.org/).
Pan Himalayan Grassroots Development Foundation has been involved with holistic mountain development for the past two decades in the central and western Himalaya of India. The Foundation promotes various appropriate technologies to improve the quality of life for mountain communities in cross-cutting sectors, such as drinking water, sanitation, renewable energy, rainwater harvesting and forestry. The Foundation is also involved in the promotion of mountain products: it has organized a network of 2 000 women who process some 20 products that are now available in urban markets and has also recently exported natural honey and dried pomegranate to France. (Contact: Kalyan Paul, Executive Director; E-mail: kpaul@grassrootsindia.com; Website: www.grassrootsindia.com).
Update on Partnership Activities
Decentralized cooperation
As reported previously, the Mountain Partnership Secretariat at FAO is working with members and interested partners to better understand the role that decentralized cooperation and local authorities can play in promoting sustainable mountain development worldwide by sharing experiences and providing direct support. Decentralized cooperation -- the collaborative action between local authorities in developed and developing countries through the sharing of skills and traditional practices -- has potential benefits for all. As preliminary focus, Mountain Partnership partners are exploring decentralized cooperation involving local European authorities, initiating a process to establish closer relations with mountain local authorities, and promoting twinning efforts between mountain communities, in the North and South.
In June this year, the Valle d’Aosta Autonomous Region (Italy) signed an agreement with FAO in the context of the Decentralized Cooperation Programme to jointly identify, design, implement and monitor decentralized cooperation programmes that can help improve the living conditions of the most disadvantaged populations, particularly in mountain areas. The first project in this arrangement, funded by the Region, will be a needs’ assessment of developing mountain regions to be hosted by FAO, with support from the Mountain Partnership Secretariat. This assessment will take the form of a survey, which will begin in October/November 2007 and look mainly at Francophone mountain regions. The aim is to build a profile of the most relevant issues, concerns and trends influencing the current and the future development of developing mountains regions. It is hoped that this analysis will allow the Valle d’Aosta Region -- as well as other regions in Europe and beyond -- to identify, in collaboration with the FAO some concrete projects in developing mountain regions within the context of the Mountain Partnership. For further information on these decentralized cooperation activities, please contact Rosalaura Romeo at rosalaura.romeo@fao.org and visit the Decentralized Cooperation section of the Mountain Partnership Web site.
Andes Initiative
The recent first meeting of the Andes Initiative of the Mountain Partnership (Tucumán, Argentina, 6-8 September 2007) brought together around 150 members and observers from countries, intergovernmental organizations and civil society to identify common areas of concern and map out concrete areas for collaboration in the context of the membership of this Initiative. Hosted by the Government of Argentina, and organized by the Argentina National Committee for Mountains, in collaboration with the Mountain Partnership Secretariat and the Consortium for Sustainable Development of the Andean Ecoregion (CONDESAN), the three-day meeting featured informative presentations from representatives of governments, NGOs and the Mountain Partnership Secretariat and offered opportunities for discussion on potential future joint activities in a series of breakaway sessions. Importantly, the Secretary General of the Alpine Convention, Marco Onida, participated in the meeting and expressed the strong interest of the Convention members to establish a channel of communication and cooperation with partners in the Andean region in the context of the Mountain Partnership.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of two documents -- the Tucumán Declaration and the Plan of Action for Sustainable Development of the Andes -- which provide both the political and operational basis, respectively, for taking the Andes Initiative forward. The Tucumán Declaration, signed by governments of most of the Andean countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela), underlines collective commitment towards working together within the framework of the Andes Initiative to improve conditions in the region’s mountains through specific priority areas. These include sustainable livelihoods, the conservation of ecosystems and the preservation of biodiversity and natural and cultural heritage, climate change adaptation measures, institutional strengthening and activities with a focus on crosscutting issues such as education, training, gender, youth, networking and local participation. The Declaration also states that the Andean Initiative will maintain close links with the ‘Proyecto Páramo Andino (or ‘Andean Paramo Project). This project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and coordinated by CONDESAN, is working to improve the conservation of páramo ecosystems -- wet, high-altitude tropical grasslands -- with equity to local inhabitants in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. The meeting’s Plan of Action for Sustainable Development of the Andes is an operational document that provides practical steps and measures in which to achieve the Declaration’s goals.
Read the Tucumán Declaration and the Plan of Action for Sustainable Development of the Andes (both in Spanish) here. For more information on the Andes Initiative and its members, visit the Web site.
Watershed management
One of the key challenges in attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is controlling watershed degradation and the negative impacts of socio-economic change on mountain ecosystems. Recent initiatives are improving understanding and approaches to watershed management. Earlier this year, FAO and collaborating institutions widely disseminated findings of their large-scale assessment and global review of the status and future trends of integrated and participatory watershed management, which took place during the 2002-2003 period, through case studies and the resource book, ‘The new generation of watershed management programmes and projects’. This provides a critical summary of the state-of-the-art of watershed management, and outlines a new approach based on the principles of adaptive, collaborative and result-oriented management. This new approach to watershed management is now being tested and applied in several FAO-assisted field programmes, including a major post-earthquake rehabilitation project in the mountain areas of Pakistan, a World Bank programme for strengthening watershed management in Tajikistan, and a Programme for Integrated Management of the Fouta Djallon Highlands (West Africa), supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Interest in adopting the new approach has also been expressed by the Mekong River Commission and by the governments of Ethiopia, Lesotho and Libya.
To find out more about watershed management activities, at the field and policy level, please contact Thomas Hofer, Sustainable Mountain Development Officer, FAO at: thomas.hofer@fao.org.
The Spanish-language version of the ‘The new generation of watershed management programmes and projects’ (‘La nueva generación de programas y proyectos de gestión de cuencas hidrográficas’) is now available. Should you wish to order copies, please e-mail Paolo Ceci, FAO at: paolo.ceci@fao.org.
Mountain Products
Countries on the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean draw on a rich common food heritage and there is scope to use the region’s economic, cultural and social networks to promote high-quality food products. This cooperation is set to be strengthened at the forthcoming FAO Seminar on ‘Quality Food Products Linked to Geographical Origin and Traditions in the Mediterranean’ (Casablanca, Morocco, 8–9 November 2007), which is being organized by the FAO Mountain Products Programme, part of the Sustainable Livelihoods Initiative of the Mountain Partnership, and the FAO Specific Quality Policies Programme, in collaboration with the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries. The meeting will attract representatives of government and local authorities, civil society, private sector and development organizations, as well as experts on quality products from the region, in efforts to exchange information and knowledge on current approaches and practices related to quality products at the institutional and local level. For further information on the meeting and the FAO Mountain Products Programme, contact Alexia Baldascini at: alexia.baldascini@fao.org or visit the Mountain Products Programme Web site.
Enterprise development and microfinance
The Foundation for Environment and Development (FEDEV), a Mountain Partnership member, is an NGO in Cameroon promoting sustainable development, environmental protection and respect for human rights via legal and policy instruments. FEDEV’s Executive Director Justice Nchunu recently visited Italy to hold discussions with Rome-based international organizations -- the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), FAO and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) -- in efforts to develop a project proposal for enterprise development and microfinance instruments to support the development of mountain areas in Cameroon. These discussions were partly facilitated by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat and we look forward to positive outcomes of these meetings. For further information about the proposed project and the work of FEDEV in general, contact Justice Nchunu at: fedevlaw@yahoo.co.uk.
International Mountain Day
The UN General Assembly declared 11 December from 2003 onwards as ‘International Mountain Day’. This special UN Day serves to highlight the global importance of mountain ecosystems amongst a wide audience (the public, governments, intergovernmental organizations, NGOs, UN agencies, the private sector and the media) and to promote action at all levels for meaningful change in the world's mountains and highlands.
Every International Mountain Day focuses on a specific theme that represents challenges and opportunities to mountain people and environments. Past themes have included peace (2004), tourism (2005) and biodiversity (2006).
In 2007, the theme for International Mountain Day will focus on climate change,‘Facing Change: Climate Change in Mountain Areas’.
The focus of observance of International Mountain Day is at country level, where a wide range of educational, advocacy and media activities take place. As the designated lead UN agency to coordinate observance of the Day, FAO typically develops a series of information and communication materials to highlight thematic issues, suggest ways in which countries can celebrate the Day and facilitate action. This year, FAO is working with various partners, particularly the Centre for Development and the Environment (CDE) in Switzerland (a Mountain Partnership member) to prepare communication materials, including an information note on the management of climate change. This note will draw on specific examples of practical action to reduce or mitigate negative impacts of climate change, and on cases where opportunities have arisen from the positive impacts of climate change. For further information on communication materials and preparations for International Mountain Day 2007, please contact Alemneh Dejene, Senior Officer, Environment Assessment and Management Unit (FAO) at: alemneh.dejene@fao.org.
How are UN agencies and programmes tackling climate change? The recently launched Gateway to the UN System’s Work on Climate Change provides information and links to work under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, UN Environment Programme, as well as a variety of field projects tackling climate change mitigation and adaptation in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.
Funding and Support
Global Environment Facility (GEF) Development Marketplace Grant Competition
Deadline for applications: 31 October 2007
In early September, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), in partnership with the World Bank, announced the launch of the Lighting Africa Development Marketplace Grant Competition. The initiative seeks innovative project ideas addressing the off-grid lighting needs of Sub-Saharan Africa, including alternative distribution models, new clean lighting technology, stronger production chains, and improvement of the policy environment. The development marketplace is part of the broader Lighting Africa programme, managed by the World Bank Group, which seeks to reach 250 million customers with modern, affordable lighting by 2030. Proposals are welcome from a range of development innovators -- civil society groups, social entrepreneurs, private foundations, government agencies, academia, and the private sector. Visit www.lightingafrica.org for more information and to access the online application form (in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese).
Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN).Whitley Awards
Deadline for applications: 31 October 2007
The Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) is a UK registered charity offering a range of awards and grants to outstanding nature conservationists around the world. The Fund locates and recognizes some of the world’s most dynamic conservation leaders and support projects founded on good science, community involvement and pragmatism. Conservationists working anywhere in the world are welcome to apply, although there is a strong bias towards nationals working in their own countries and for projects based outside the developed world. For further details, visit the Web site.
Wenner-Gren Foundation. The Institutional Development Grant - Deadline for applications: 1 February 2008
The Wenner-Gren Foundation has two major goals: to support significant and innovative anthropological research into humanity's biological and cultural origins, development and variation, and to foster the creation of an international community of research scholars in anthropology. The Wenner-Gren Foundation has now launched a new funding programme, the Institutional Development Grant (IDG). The Grant is intended to strengthen (or to support the development of) anthropological doctoral programmes in countries where the discipline is underrepresented. The grant provides $25,000 per year, is renewable for a maximum of five years (total support of $125,000), and may be used for any purpose to achieve the academic development goals of the applicant department.. The deadline for the mandatory preliminary inquiry is 1 February 2008. Application eligibility, application details and guidelines can be found here.
Visit the Mountain Partnership Funding Database for details on the various thematic and regional areas of mountain development supported by financial institutions, foundations, multilateral development banks and donor agencies.
News highlights from around the world
Improving mountain lives and livelihoods in Ghana
During the International Year of Mountains (IYM) in 2002, 78 national committees were set up in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Near East to create awareness of mountain issues, foster support and catalyze action at the national level. Some of these committees have since evolved into more permanent bodies and coordination mechanisms. Ghana’s national International Year of Mountains committee for example -- composed of government representatives and NGOs – has recently been tasked to draft a national strategy and action plan for sustainable mountain development with the support of the Ministry of Environment and Science. The country has also developed various alternative livelihood projects in mountain areas to create new income opportunities, minimize deforestation and deter out-migration from mountain areas. For further information on mountain development activities in the country, please contact Moses H. Duku, Coordinator of the National IYM Committee, as well Ghana Focal Point for the Mountain Partnership and Representative of the African Mountain Forum, at: mosesduku@yahoo.com.
Rebuilding mountain environments in Congo
Conflict destroys lives, opportunities and environments and represents one of the most significant barriers to sustainable development in mountain regions. The Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo DR) is striving to protect and rebuild environments after years of conflict. The country’s National Environmental Action Plan highlights specific activities related to mountain development designed to reduce pressure on rainforest on the Guinea-Congo border, and rehabilitate and manage protected rainforest areas. Priority actions include a national mountain development strategy to favour populations and strengthen institutional and administrative capacity. Find out more by contacting Gilbert Kilola Lutswamba, Head, Sustainable Development Department, Ministry of the Environment and Congo DR Focal Point for the Mountain Partnership at: gilkil_58@yahoo.fr.
Studying risk in the San Juan Mountains
Mountain Studies Institute (MSI), a Mountain Partnership member, is an NGO that enhances the understanding and sustainable use of the San Juan Mountains (Colorado, USA) through research and education. An on-going project 'Air Quality in the San Juan Mountain High Country', aims to address gaps in data and public awareness through a scientific study of mercury deposition and an outreach campaign. Data is being collected to determine the current risk posed by mercury deposition, establish a baseline with which to compare future changes, and understand sources of mercury to aquatic ecosystems. Mercury was selected as the focus of the scientific study because of concerns expressed by various stakeholders, including land managers, watershed groups, residents, elected officials, and health professionals. For further information on the project’s progress, visit the MSI Web site.
Monitoring vegetation for climate change in Everest
Dendrochronology is the dating of past events (climatic changes) through study of tree ring growth. For the entire period of a tree's life, a year-by-year record or ring pattern is formed that reflects the climatic conditions in which the tree grew. This type of study is being applied in Nepal’s high Himalaya and Alpine vegetation in hopes to discover verifiable information on climate change in the region. Dr. Dinesh Bhuju from Resources Himalaya Foundation, a Mountain Partnership member, together with Dr. Marco Carrer from the University of Padova in Italy, is currently monitoring permanent plots at Yaren (Pangboche, alt. 4 050m) and Debuche (Tengboche, alt. 3 850m) in Everest (Sagarmatha). Cores of the dominant tree Abies spectabilis have been extracted from both the plots for dendrochronological study. Scanning of tree-rings in the collected cores will help calculate their respective age as well as construct the environmental history of the site, such as anthropogenic disturbance, natural calamity and temperature fluctuation. For further information, visit the Resources Himalaya Foundation Web site.
Using water to power remote Andean villages
We congratulate Mountain Partnership member Soluciones Prácticas Peru (ITDG), whose pioneering work in sustainable energy won second prize in the ‘Light and Power’ category of the Ashden Awards.
The Eastern slopes of the Andes in North Peru are among the least developed parts of the country with the majority of people living in remote villages with little or no access to grid electricity. But Soluciones Prácticas Peru has transformed the lives of communities through the installation of micro-hydro plants providing electricity to over 30,000 people. Since 1992, its Renewable Energy Promotion Fund has been actively promoting micro hydro-power and has proven the most effective source of electricity for the region, given the high rainfall and the extensive network of rivers and streams. Since the arrival of micro-hydro the area is thriving: those who had left are returning, bringing their businesses with them, and others are also migrating to the area. Some villages have even doubled in size and for over 60 percent of villagers, their incomes have increased as a direct result of micro-hydro power. Crucial to the success of the project is the involvement of the community. The villagers themselves contribute towards installation costs and are responsible for the day-to-day running of the plants. Now, an increasing number of villages are approaching Soluciones Prácticas for installations and it hopes to extend the scheme eventually to include parts of Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia, where lack of access to essential electricity is a daily reality for many. Read a summary of this Soluciones Práticas work, and visit the Soluciones Prácticas Web site here.
The Ashden Awards reward and promote local sustainable energy solutions in the UK and the developing world. Visit the Web site for application details, as well as detailed summaries and photographs of past winners’ work.
Building transboundary cooperation in Europe
The European Green Belt Initiative is working to create the backbone of an ecological network, running from the Barents to the Black Sea, that is a global symbol for transboundary cooperation in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. The Initiative, implemented by Mountain Partnership member, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and partners, uses awareness-raising and other activities to increase connectivity between protected areas and their surrounding landscapes and is a key mechanism to help countries meet their obligations under international and European environmental agreements. One example of this cooperation is the project, ‘Raising Awareness about Biodiversity and Sustainable Community Development in the Stara Planina Area’. It aims to manage the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable development in the mountainous Stara Planina region (Serbia and Bulgaria) within the European Green Belt, as well as to enhance the economic growth for the surrounding villages and to support successful initiatives in this field. It involves all relevant stakeholder groups and specifically those that are not yet involved in conservation activities. Download the flyer on the project here. For more details about activities at the pan-European, regional and local level, visit the European Green Belt Initiative Web site.
Past Events
The first International Technical Conference on Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
(Interlaken, Switzerland, 3-7 September 2007)
At least one livestock breed a month has become extinct over the past seven years, and around 20 percent of the world’s livestock breeds are at risk of extinction. These are among the findings of the FAO report, ‘The State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources’ -- the first authoritative assessment of global livestock biodiversity -- whose launch opened the first International Technical Conference on Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The week-long series of negotiations considered the current state of the world’s animal genetic resources and reached international agreement on the best ways forward to protect these resources for long-term use. The adopted Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources, agreed by representatives from 109 countries, is the first internationally agreed framework to halt the erosion of livestock diversity and support the sustainable use, development and conservation of animal genetic resources. Read more here
UN General Assembly (UNGA), 62nd Session
(13 September 2007)
The Assembly recently adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, ending nearly 25 years of contentious negotiations over the rights of native people to protect their lands and resources, and to maintain their unique cultures and traditions. The Declaration sets out the individual and collective rights of the world’s 370 million native peoples, calls for the maintenance and strengthening of their cultural identities, and emphasizes their right to pursue development in keeping with their own needs and aspirations. A non-binding text, the Declaration states that native peoples have the right “to the recognition, observance and enforcement of treaties” concluded with States or their successors. It also prohibits discrimination against indigenous peoples and promotes their full and effective participation in all matters that concern them.
The text has the distinct feature of being the only UN Declaration to have been drafted with the involvement of the rights-holders. Read the Declaration in English, French and Spanish.
Future Events
“Launch of The International Year of the Potato 2008 (UN Headquarters, New York, 18 October 2007)
Over the next two decades, the world's population is expected to grow on average by more than 100 million people a year. More than 95 percent of that increase will occur in developing countries, where pressure on land and water is already intense. A key challenge facing the international community is therefore to ensure food security for present and future generations, while protecting the natural resource base on which we all depend. The potato, one of the world’s most important food crops, will be an important part of efforts to meet those challenges. The UN has declared 2008 as The International Year of the Potato in efforts to raise the profile of this globally important crop and commodity, emphasize its biological and nutritional attributes, and so promote its production, processing, consumption, marketing and trade. The Year, organized by a group of governments and major international organizations and led by FAO, will be offically launched at UN Headquarters on 18 October. The International Potato Center (CIP) is one of the leading partners in the preparation and implementation of the Year and will organize a major IYP international forum, ‘Potato Science for the Poor – Challenges for the New Millennium’ (Cuzco, Peru, 25-28 March 2008). For further information on IYP, including background materials and communication products, visit the official IYP Web site and the CIP on-line pressroom.
Understanding and Managing Amenity-led Migration in Mountain Regions
(Banff Centre, Banff, Canada, 15-19 May 2008)
Mountain areas worldwide are accustomed to welcoming visitors who enjoy the lifestyle amenities that such places have to offer. They enjoy the natural beauty, recreational opportunities, unique cultures, and return to their homes enriched by their mountain experiences. But what happens when the visitors and others come to stay? An international conference on this subject, ‘Understanding and Managing Amenity-led Migration in Mountain Regions’ will take place in May 2008 in the northern Rocky Mountains at The Banff Centre in Banff, Canada. The Conference, organized by the Mountain Culture Programme of the Banff Centre and the International Amenity Migration Centre (IAMC), will focus on understanding and managing contemporary in-migration into mountain regions motivated principally by the natural and cultural amenities of these places. For details about the conference objectives and the call for papers, case studies and posters, visit the Conference Web site.
For more information on on-going and future mountain-related events around the world, browse the Mountain Calendar, managed by Mountain Forum.
Web site
Rainforest Alliance. Eco-Index.
The Eco-Index, an online database of conservation projects in the Americas created by the Rainforest Alliance, now features more than 1,000 projects in English and Spanish. The site also recently started including projects in the United States and Canada, making it the premiere vehicle for the conservation community to share information about initiatives in the Americas. The projects in the database represent the work of more than 700 non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and government ministries and its project profiles contain contact information, summaries, budgets, lessons learned, methodology, links and reports. The Eco-Index also offers a variety of other resources, including a bimonthly bulletin and interviews with conservation leaders and field staff. Visit Eco-index.
Poverty Environment Net
Poverty Environment Net captures and shares knowledge on poverty-environment linkages and good practices for addressing the environmental dimensions of poverty. It encourage NGOs, international or national organizations,academic and research institutions and other agencies to share any innovative project experiences, good practices and research outputs on poverty-environment. The Web site has been established with support from the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Poverty and Environment ProgramME, which is co-financed by ADB and the governments of Norway and Sweden. Visit Poverty Environment Net here.
FAO. www.e-agriculture.org
FAO has launched a unique interactive web-based platform focusing on the role that Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can have in supporting agriculture and rural development. The online platform, ‘www.e-agriculture.org’, will enable users to exchange opinions, experiences, good practices and resources related to e-agriculture, and ensure that the knowledge created is effectively shared and used worldwide. Developed by global stakeholders in collaboration with FAO and partners, the platform is part of an e-agriculture ‘Community of Expertise’, a global initiative to enhance sustainable agricultural development and food security by improving the use of ICT in the sector. The Community includes policy makers, rural service providers, development practitioners, farmers, researchers and information and communication specialists involved in agriculture and rural development. The launch of ‘www. e-agriculture.org’ coincided with “e-agriculture Week”, a series of consultations, meetings and other events held at FAO headquarters, in Rome (including Web2for Dev) in late September. To join the e-agriculture ‘Community of Expertise’, visit www.e-agriculture.org.
Publications
Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention. First Report on the State of the Alps, ‘Transport and Mobility’
The Alpine Convention has recently published the first issue in its new series of publications on the state of the Alps. The series aims to provide the public at regular intervals with comprehensive information on the ecological, economic and social development of the Alps within the framework of the Alpine Convention. The current report provides for the first time an alpine-wide overall view on the issue of transport and mobility in the member states, namely Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, France, Monaco, Italy and Slovenia. The publication is already available in English. Translations into French, German, Italian and Slovenian will shortly be available.
International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
IDRC 2007-08 CD-Rom
The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) helps communities in the developing world find solutions to social, economic, and environmental problems through research. The two-CD Rom set, IDRC 2007-08, offers fast and easy access to the wealth of information found on IDRC's Web site and extends the reach of IDRC’s research programs and publications to regions of the world with low, unreliable, or nonexistent Internet access. Disk 1 features a collection of material from the IDRC Web site, including the Annual Report, the IDRC Bulletin, ‘Research that Matters’ fact sheets, information on how to apply for funding or an IDRC award, and new additions to the ‘In Focus’ collection. Disk 2 contains 101 full-text e-books, including new titles from 2006 and early 2007, all of the 2004 and 2005 publications, and highlights from past years. To order a free copy of the IDRC 2007-2008 CD-Rom, visit the IDRC Web site.
Call for papers
International Symposium on Interdependencies between Upland and Lowland agriculture and resource management (Stuttgart, Germany 1-4 April 2008)
The symposium will address environmental and socio-economic aspects of upland-lowland interdependencies, as well as integrated modelling issues, and aims to provide a multi- and interdisciplinary platform for both scientists and management professionals. Papers are now sought for presentation at the event. For further details, contact the organizers.