Biodiversity news
IIED publishes updated guide to social assessment for protected areas
14 November 2018The new, expanded second edition incorporates practical learning from sites in five countries and strengthens focus on governance and equity
IIED's pro-poor gorilla tourism project shortlisted for major award
29 October 2018An initiative promoting local economic development near Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park has been shortlisted for the World Responsible Tourism Awards
IIED webinar: Gender and biodiversity conservation – progress and future directions
25 October 2018Join our webinar on 13 November 2018 to discuss promoting gender in the context of conservation policy and practice
New “People not poaching” platform supports communities as the first line of defence against IWT
11 October 2018Ahead of the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in London (11-12 October) a unique interactive website is being launched today to foster learning and share experiences on community engagement in combating poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. “People Not Poaching: the Communities and IWT Learning Platform” will enable organisations and communities to share IWT successes and lessons
Women are advancing the march to protect biodiversity
9 October 2018Ahead of the Convention on Biological Diversity, IIED has launched a series of blogs and interviews illustrating the role, influence and impact of women working to safeguard the world’s biodiversity
Call for interest in participating: community voices on illegal wildlife trade
5 July 2018We’re inviting community representatives to express their interest in participating in a London workshop on how to effectively engage with the illegal wildlife trade at the local level. Closing date: 31 July, 2018
Nature-based solutions policy platform
14 June 2018IIED partners with Oxford University to launch an interactive online policy platform on nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation
Global spotlight on biodiversity as agreement of post-2020 deal for nature nears
21 May 2018In the run-up to a crucial meeting of the Parties to the UN Biodiversity Convention later this year, IIED looks at what needs to happen ahead of a new post-2020 agenda
New collection of publications on community engagement to tackle illegal wildlife trade
9 May 2018IIED and IUCN have published case studies, a policy briefing and a toolkit to help practitioners and stakeholders build community engagement in combatting illegal wildlife trade.
Biocultural heritage landscape to be established in Eastern Himalayas
30 November 2017New biocultural heritage landscape will protect rich biodiversity and indigenous identities
New film shows Chinese mountain communities protecting biocultural heritage
14 March 2017A new film tells stories from inhabitants of the Stone Village in China, home to 220 Naxi ethnic families and a living example of the value of conserving biocultural heritage
Call for feedback: inventory of tools to support ecosystem-based adaptation
19 December 2016IIED, IUCN, UNEP-WCMC and GIZ are seeking feedback on an inventory of ecosystem-based adaptation tools, designed to help practitioners and policymakers incorporate EbA into climate adaptation planning
Indigenous people use own knowledge to boost food yields despite climate change, research finds
22 November 2016New research shows how indigenous communities are fine-tuning traditional knowledge to mitigate the risks of climate change
Sharing lessons for mainstreaming biodiversity at Cancun COP
16 November 2016 IIED will co-host a workshop at the Convention on Biological Diversity conference in Cancun, Mexico, to share solutions for mainstreaming biodiversity in line with the SDGsIUCN seeks proposals for involving indigenous communities in combating the illegal wildlife trade
23 September 2016 Call for proposals for a regional workshop to be held in Vietnam on how to engage Indigenous Peoples and local communities as active partners in protecting wildlife against the illegal wildlife tradeSubmissions sought for new online wildlife crime resource
1 September 2016 Engaging communities in tackling wildlife crime – IIED is inviting submissions of case studies following the launch of a new online databaseNew report: local people are crucial to combating illegal wildlife trade
3 August 2016A new report on combating the illegal trade in wildlife highlights the vital importance – and complexities – of involving indigenous people and local communities in conservation efforts. The report, entitled 'Beyond enforcement: involving indigenous peoples and local communities in combating illegal wildlife trade', documents a workshop in Limbe, Cameroon, in February 2016 which brought together practitioners, government officials and researchers from 12 countries to discuss how to combat illegal wildlife trade
Mountain peoples call for support to protect traditional knowledge
4 July 2016More than 50 indigenous mountain peoples representing mountain communities in China, Nepal, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Peru gathered in the Stone Village, in Yunnan, Southwest China in May 2016, to discuss the impact of climate change on their communities. At the end of their meeting they issued the Stone Village Declaration, calling for urgent support for their traditional ways of managing natural resources, and setting out eight actions for the international community
Putting biodiversity centre stage in government policy
20 May 2016 The focus of International Biodiversity Day on May 22 is 'mainstreaming biodiversity'. IIED is partnering with the United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) on a project that aims to include development issues in key biodiversity strategies and influence development policy to improve outcomes for biodiversity and poverty reduction.Regional workshop: exploring community-based efforts to tackle illegal wildlife trade in West/Central Africa
23 February 2016 IIED and partners are this week hosting a workshop in Cameroon on how to combat illegal wildlife trade (IWT)Uganda urged to use biodiversity for sustainable development
22 May 2015 A new Biodiversity Conservation Trust for Uganda will be launched in Kampala on the International Day for Biological Diversity (22 May)New film highlights mountain communities' climate workshop
18 May 2015The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) has released a film showcasing an event where mountain communities discussed the impacts of climate change and how to respond using their biocultural heritage
'Imagine Bwindi' music video launched on World Wildlife Day
3 March 2015 A music video, 'Imagine Bwindi', celebrates the wildlife of Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and highlights the links between the park and local communitiesCommunity-led solutions: key force in tackling wildlife crime
2 March 2015Researchers, community representatives, UN and government officials and NGOs have issued a set of recommendations on engaging communities in combating the illegal wildlife trade