Egg-laying leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) at Grand Béréby beach. Photo: Wolf Wichmann

One week of a “linking”-mission to Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) made obvious that the country in West-Africa has both challenges but the potential to create a series of marine protected areas (MPAs). The vision of former Minister of Environment, Rémi Allah-Kouadio, once formulated, could become reality and would be an important contribution to the global goal  (CBD-Aichi target 11) to get 10% of the world’s marine ecosystems and habitats protected. 5 new MPAs are in planning and the Secretariat of the UN Abidjan Convention (ABC) has the mandate of the Government to facilitate the implementation of that plan. When LT&C met last week with ABC, Grand Béréby, where LT&C- and CEM- member Olaf Grell and his team have for several years studied and assessed the marine biodiversity and worked closely together with the local people for protecting the turtle coast, came out as the pioneering case and candidate for the first MPA to be established likely already in 2019. Continue reading →

Foto ©Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia

When last Thursday the Conference President Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt, gaveled the two-weeks UN Biodiversity Summit (COP14) in Sharm e-Sheikh, she was sure “marvelous work was done”. According to IISD, also CBD Executive Secretary Cristiana Paşca Palmer outlined the successes of the meeting, including, among others: committing to an inclusive and flexible preparatory process for the post-2020 framework; calling for a UN decade on ecosystem restoration; and committing to the final “two-year sprint towards the Aichi finish line.” The new goals of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) for the next decade will be decided on the 2020 Conference, to be held in Beijing, China. A summary of the UN Biodiversity Summit has been made available by IISD in their Earth Negotiations Bulletin. Continue reading →

At the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 14), which will be held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt from 17 to 29 November 2018, LT&C is organising a side event, where Island-States will present their examples of tourism supporting conservation of nature: Invitation Side Event COP14 Continue reading →

Read the November edition of the SEVENSEAS marine conservation and travel magazine, and you find many good stories where tourism is linked to marine conservation. E.g. about the 6 things you can do to protect coral reefs. SEVENSEAS is a partner of LT&C. They work – as LT&C – with minimal operating costs to produce this highly relevant and valuable marine conservation and travel communication channel. You can help by subscribing and supporting them to make sure this resource does not go away.

LT&C has just started its planning for its 2019 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and workshop. It will be Friday, May 31 in Ramberg on the Lofoten, very close to the new Lofotodden national park. The meetings will provide an opportunity to learn more about the new park, which was established on June 22 this year Tand to discuss plans or visions for protecting the wider marine surrounding of the Lofoten. Continue reading →

LT&C as a partner in an EU-Erasmus+ project will participate these days in a workshop Best Practices for an ethical and sustainable future through rural tourism. Young, tourism-engaged people from Spain, Portugal and Norway will develop in a 2-weeks workshop in Portugal good ideas rural tourism in their home areas. Continue reading →