drawing by Priya at the Plum Tree |
I wanted to open this post with imagery as it would be rather text heavy other wise. Priya is from India and at one stage studied at the Queensland College of Arts here in Brisbane. She first wrote last year to explain this....maybe I found her wonderful blog first ... I do forget ... I adore her graphic drawings often form nature and of course the seed pods stayed in my mind and I had to post them here.
from tumblr- click here. |
ON another note today Heather Pierce kindly sent an update on recent material published as the outcome of the Dresden conference 2 weeks ago... called the Dresden Declaration it is part of the work being done in preparation for the Rio + 20 conference next year in July.
Read this detailed Pdf here from the Dresden Delaration. (Full version).
Below is an excerpt.
We, the participants of the international conference "For life, for the future: Biosphere
reserves and climate change", held in Dresden on 27 and 28 June 2011, issue the
following declaration:
Climate change mitigation, adaptation to climate change and the conservation of biological
diversity are among today's key environmental challenges. Rising to these challenges requires
strong political commitment and decisive action worldwide. In many cases we already have the
knowledge and technology to change our development path. We now have to mobilise our
resources and creativity in order to further intensify action towards sustainable development -
including changes in our behaviour.
The International Coordinating Council of the UNESCO "Man and the Biosphere" (MAB)
Programme convened for the first time in 1971 and laid the foundations for a new type of
conservation area - biosphere reserves. It declared the harmonious development of man and
nature to be its key goal. The idea of biosphere reserves has met with growing approval
worldwide and over the past four decades has become a great success. Biosphere reserves
represent a global network of model regions in which sustainable forms of use and options for
adaptation to changing ecological, economic and social conditions can be tested, involving all
stakeholders.
The world network of over 560 biosphere reserves in more than 100 countries, established in the
framework of the UNESCO MAB Programme, adds the wealth of experience gathered over 40
years in and with model regions for sustainable development to climate change mitigation and
adaptation, and aims to make a substantial contribution to these processes as well as to the
conservation of biological diversity. We expect current global climate protection measures to
also satisfy the urgent necessities of biodiversity conservation and its sustainable use.
Since its establishment the MAB Programme has pursued innovative approaches in research,
monitoring, education and capacity building, management and in implementing model projects.
These approaches go far beyond nature conservation and are suitable as models for a
sustainable way of life. Biosphere reserves are thus an important element of safeguarding a
liveable earth for the future of generations to come.
UNESCO conference calls for better protection of biological diversity when mitigating climate change
On June 28 an international conference in Dresden concluded with an appeal to politicians to better use the comprehensive experience of biosphere reserves when planning and implementing measures of climate change mitigation and adaptation. The participants called for a closer link between measures addressing climate change, poverty alleviation and biological diversity, respectively.
Some 280 high-level experts from 80 countries discussed biosphere reserves and climate change during a two-day conference organized by UNESCO, the German Ministry for the Environment, the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation and the German Commission for UNESCO.
The list of demands contained in the "Dresden Declaration" includes items such as strengthening the role of land use in carbon sequestration and developing new models of financing.
Biosphere reserves are also called upon to "develop and expand partnerships with the private sector in order to identify, develop and promote local, national and international markets for sustainably produced goods and services and to advance a climate-friendly economy in the territories." In order to enable biosphere reserves to implement their duties and responsibilities, the conference participants claim sufficient financial and human resources in administrations.
Since 1971, the UNESCO programme "Man and the Biosphere" (MAB) explores sustainable forms of exploitation of the environment by humans. The central element of the MAB Programme is a global network of model regions for sustainable development: These "UNESCO biosphere reserves" work towards synergizing ecology, economy and social development. Currently there are 580 such sites in 114 countries. The intergovernmental governing board of the UNESCO MAB Programme has endorsed the Dresden Declaration.
Short link to the "Dresden Declaration": http://bit.ly/jYYenM
___________________________________________________________________________________
IISD is pleased to announce the launch of Sustainable Development Policy & Practice
A Knowledgebase of International Activities Preparing for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio +20)
http://uncsd.iisd.org/
Click here to read an excellent Biodiversity update page - 8th July, 2011.
An article form April was I thought worth posting here for more information on Biosphere reserves.
On June 28 an international conference in Dresden concluded with an appeal to politicians to better use the comprehensive experience of biosphere reserves when planning and implementing measures of climate change mitigation and adaptation. The participants called for a closer link between measures addressing climate change, poverty alleviation and biological diversity, respectively.
Some 280 high-level experts from 80 countries discussed biosphere reserves and climate change during a two-day conference organized by UNESCO, the German Ministry for the Environment, the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation and the German Commission for UNESCO.
The list of demands contained in the "Dresden Declaration" includes items such as strengthening the role of land use in carbon sequestration and developing new models of financing.
Biosphere reserves are also called upon to "develop and expand partnerships with the private sector in order to identify, develop and promote local, national and international markets for sustainably produced goods and services and to advance a climate-friendly economy in the territories." In order to enable biosphere reserves to implement their duties and responsibilities, the conference participants claim sufficient financial and human resources in administrations.
Since 1971, the UNESCO programme "Man and the Biosphere" (MAB) explores sustainable forms of exploitation of the environment by humans. The central element of the MAB Programme is a global network of model regions for sustainable development: These "UNESCO biosphere reserves" work towards synergizing ecology, economy and social development. Currently there are 580 such sites in 114 countries. The intergovernmental governing board of the UNESCO MAB Programme has endorsed the Dresden Declaration.
Short link to the "Dresden Declaration": http://bit.ly/jYYenM
___________________________________________________________________________________
IISD is pleased to announce the launch of Sustainable Development Policy & Practice
A Knowledgebase of International Activities Preparing for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio +20)
http://uncsd.iisd.org/
Click here to read an excellent Biodiversity update page - 8th July, 2011.
An article form April was I thought worth posting here for more information on Biosphere reserves.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves: An international network for sustainable development learning
This event in Italy on Saturday just caught my eye too.
4 comments:
hi sophie, i am pleased to see my photos of seeds here. unfortunately someone hacked into my tumblr pjfish69.tumblr.com where i stored all my photographs and deleted the entire blog. rather upsetting especially seeing that this picture has become so popular on tumblr.
i request you to please remove the pjfish69 link and link to my blog post instead: http://theplumtree2.blogspot.com/2011/06/sculptures.html
Priya,
that is absolutely awful... a whole blog deleted by someone? For what purpose I cant imagine?
I actually just linked the image back to my tumblr and the long line of reblogs... after finding the source mysteriously absent as you say!
So what I will do is add a a little more about your blog so people can see your fabulous seed drawings and such!
best to you,
Sophie
Thank you Sophie :-)
Its a great pleasure Priya... though I just noticed spelling mistakes when i was writing abut you... must fix those!
Sophie
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