Countries from around the world convened in Montreal for the 16th meeting of the scientific and yechnical body that advises the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)—formally known as the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA). Island conservation and partners launched a global campaign, Small Islands, Big Difference, at a side event held on May 1st, 2012 during the SBSTTA-16 meeting. The campaign is intended to prevent the extinction of vulnerable native species and support human livelihoods on islands by removing invasive alien vertebrates.
More than fifty participants from around the world attended the event, which was opened by Dr. Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary of the CBD—a long-time leader in invasive alien species issues both in Brazil and South America. Executive Secretary Dias said, “Islands constitute a subset of the world that deserves special attention.” Bill Waldman, Executive Director of Island Conservation, welcomed the audience and invited their active participation. Seychelle’s Ambassador for Climate Change and Small Island Developing States, Ronald Jumeau, also spoke at the event, expressing
his support for the campaign and describing achievements to address invasive alien species in his own country and in the region of the Western Indian Ocean.
Small Islands, Big Difference will continue to develop in preparation for the CBD’s 11th Conference of Parties to be held in Hyderabad, India in October 2012. There Island Conservation will join with the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) and world leaders to promote the campaign and empower on-the-ground solutions through an Island Summit.
For more information and to learn how to become involved in the Small Islands, Big Difference campaign, contact Olivier Langrand, Director of Global Affairs, Island Conservation, at Olivier.Langrand@islandconservation.org
A meeting summary, fact sheets, posters, and other documents from the SBSTTA–16 meeting are available at
http://www.islandconservation.org/tools/?id=68
www.islandconservation.org
www.twitter.com/noextinctions
www.facebook.com/preventingextinctions
