Nairobi Convention Marine and Coastal News Round-up (17 May 2021)

Welcome, Nairobi Convention Member States, partners, and friends, to this issue of the Weekly News Round-up!

Do you have any events, research, or scientific publications on the Western Indian Ocean that you would like to be included in the round-up? Write to [email protected]!

Having trouble viewing this email? View this email in your browser.

Ecosystem restoration playbook: a practical guide to healing the planet

This year starts the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and UNEP has published a guide to ecosystem restoration: the Ecosystem Restoration Playbook, that provides an introduction of actions that can slow and halt the degradation of ecosystems and foster their recovery.

To save coral reefs, we´ll need to cut global emissions fast

A new research warns that if emissions continue to rise, 94% of global coral reefs will be eroding by 2050. The study says that even under an intermediate emissions scenario, coral reefs on average will no longer be able to grow vertically by 2100 and alerts on the dramatic consequences for marine biodiversity and the millions of people who depends on them.

Ethical and inclusive communication on small-scale fisheries

On 19 May, a virtual event hosted by Society for Conservation Biology Marine Section will gather research experts, fisheries leads and civil society heads from across the globe to discuss insights from the ‘Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication.

Call for concept notes launched by the CMS Dugong MOU Secretariat

The Conservation and Management of Dugongs promotes internationally coordinated actions to ensure the long-term survival of dugongs and their seagrass habitats throughout their extensive range. The institution is calling for applicants to develop and fund projects of up to USD 25,000 that aim to improve community-led dugong and seagrass conservation activities.

Citizen science driven big data collection requires improved and inclusive societal engagement

Citizen Science (CS) is a tool for monitoring and conserving marine ecosystems, particularly in the case of shallow nearshore habitats. Limited understanding exists as to the effectiveness of CS programmes in engaging the general public or their capacity to collect marine big data. A new study aims to understand and identify pathways for improved engagement of citizen scientists.

Coral reef restorations can be optimized to reduce flood risk

New guidelines for coral reef restoration aiming to reduce the risk of flooding in tropical coastal communities have been set out in a new study that simulated the behavior of ocean waves travelling over and beyond a range of coral reef structures. Published in Frontiers in Marine Science, these guidelines hope to optimize restoration efforts not only for the benefit of the ecosystem, but also to protect the coast and people.

New MARG I call for proposals

WIOMSA is inviting submission of proposals for its Marine Research Grant (MARG I) programme, which provides young and upcoming scientists with a reliable and flexible mechanism to turn their ideas into research projects. The deadline for submission proposals is 30^th May 2021. See more details in the following link.

apply here >>