IUCN Receives Sri Lanka President's Environmental Award 2004

23 October 2005

Colombo, Sri Lanka, 21 October 2005 (IUCN) – The World Conservation Union (IUCN) has been awarded today the Sri Lanka Excellent Environmental Service Award 2004 under the non-government sector. The recompense was granted by Her Excellency Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, President of Sri Lanka, to Ms. Aban Kabraji, IUCN Asia Regional Director in a ceremony held at the President’s House. Two IUCN member organisations, The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society and Environmental Foundation Limited have also received awards, as well as the Chairman of Central Environmental Authority of Sri Lanka.

Conserving Asian Elephants in Bangladesh: A National Workshop

19 October 2005

A half-day long national workshop on ‘Asian Elephant Conservation in Bangladesh’ under the project ‘Action Research for Conservation of Asian Elephants in Bangladesh - Phase II’ was organized on 17 October 2005 morning, at Ban Bhaban Conference Room, Mohakhali, Dhaka. IUCN-The World Conservation Union, Bangladesh Country Office and Bangladesh Forest Department jointly organized the workshop supported by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Mr. Md. Osman Gani, Chief Conservator of Forest, Bangladesh Forest Department chaired the workshop, which was graced by the Hon’ble State Minister for the Ministry of Environment and Forest Mr. Jafrul Islam Chowdhury as the Chief Guest.

Workshop on Asian Elephant Conservation in Bangladesh

04 October 2005

A half-day long national workshop on ‘Asian Elephant Conservation in Bangladesh’ under the project ‘Action Research for Conservation of Asian Elephants in Bangladesh - Phase II’ will be held on 17 October 2005, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Ban Bhaban Conference Room, Mohakhali, Dhaka. Mr. Md. Osman Gani, Chief Conservator of Forest, Bangladesh Forest Department will chair the workshop. The Honorable State Minister for the Ministry of Environment and Forest Mr. Jafrul Islam Chowdhury has consented to be the Chief Guest and Mr. Jafar Ahmed Chowdhury, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forest is expected to be the Special Guest of the programme.

Field Testing of Climate Change Risk Assessment Toolkit
04 October, 2005

IPCC impacts assessments identify Bangladesh as one of the most susceptible countries to the negative impacts of climate change. These impacts range from increase in sea-level rise, atmospheric temperature and rainfall etc. Initiatives are taken both nationally and internationally to combat these impacts. IUCN-The World Conservation Union, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), Stockholm Environment Institute-Boston center (SEI-B) and Inter Cooperation (IC) have developed a tool that will enable project planners and managers to assess and enhance a project’s impact on community level adaptive capacity. In this regard, IUCN and Inter Cooperation have jointly organized a field visit for the testing of the toolkit. For the field-testing, a team comprising members from the organizations mentioned are now in Bangladesh. For testing the toolkit the Gorai River Restoration Project, Southwestern Regional Water Development Project and Sustainable Land-use Programme in Rajshahi (Project of IC). Will be visited The field visit is scheduled for 3rd -5th October 2005. Ainun Nishat, Country Representative, IUCN Bangladesh will accompany the team on the field visit.

Action Research for the conservation of Asian Elephant: Phase-II
29 March, 2005

To ensure the participation of the people in conservation and to involve them more efficiently in the activities for the conservation of Asian elephants in Bangladesh a workshop was organized titled ‘Capacity Enhancement for Elephant Conservation in Bangladesh’ at Dulahazra Safari Park, Cox’s Bazar on 29th March 2005. The workshop was organized jointly by Bangladesh Forest Department and IUCN Bangladesh.

Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan (ICZMP) project is being implemented under the aegis of the Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO), Ministry of Water Resources to address the development challenges in the 19 coastal districts of Bangladesh. Two of the major outputs of the ICZMP project were the Coastal Development Policy and Coastal Development Strategy, that are aimed at the creation of an enabling environment for capacity and livelihoods enhancement of the coastal community.