call to further value the significant potential of blue carbon activities for supporting climate change mitigation

Brussels, 12^th January 2012: The critical role of coastal ecosystem management in curbing climate change and the need to fully integrate it in climate change and biodiversity policies were the focus of the “Blue Carbon – Managing coastal ecosystems for climate change mitigation” symposium that took place in the European Parliament today.

“Preserving and restoring coastal and marine ecosystems should be fully integrated in all climate change mitigation strategies and biodiversity policies at International and European level”, argued Struan Stevenson, Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the symposium.

ISLANDS AND overseas entities are the key for successful climate change adaptation strategies and biodiversity policies of the EU

Brussels, 21 December 2011: “Islands and Overseas Entities strategic location and unique assets offer leadership opportunities for the EU and EU Member States in biodiversity conservation, climate change adaption, green economy, renewable energy and marine conservation,” argued Dominique Benzaken, IUCN at the conference on “Islands and Overseas Entities’ contribution to biodiversity conservation and the fight against climate change”. Chaired by MEP Maurice Ponga, all participants agreed that islands and Overseas Entities’ specificities urgently need to be integrated in global, EU, national and regional biodiversity and climate change policies and programmes.