Report on the Cities Task Force at the Third IUCN World Conservation Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, November 2004

[Home page of the WCPA Cities Task Force]

The Third IUCN World Conservation Congress was held in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2004. Held every four years, WCCs are the premier international gatherings of conservation leaders and experts. For details, visit www.iucn.org/congress.

Eighteen members of the Task Force on Cities and Protected Areas participated in the Congress. The Task Force contributed to the event in several ways:

Tuesday, 16 November: A report to a members' meeting of IUCN's Commission on Ecosystem Management

Wednesday, 17 November: A report to a members' meeting of IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas

Thursday, 18 November: A Sponsored Workshop on Conservation of Mediterranean-type Ecosystems. Agenda:

-- Overview of the world's five Mediterranean-type regions and conservation challenges: Presented by Monty Hempel, University of Redlands, on behalf of Philip Rundel, University of California, Los Angeles

-- Introduction to the IUCN initiative on Mediterranean-type regions: Ted Trzyna

-- The Nature Conservancy's initiative on Mediterranean-type ecosystems: Rebecca Shaw, TNC, California

-- Questions and comments

Thursday, 18 November: One of the keynote speakers at the opening of the World Conservation Forum plenary on Ecosystem Management: Bridging Sustainability and Productivity was task force member Judy Ling Wong, head of the UK's Black Environment Network.

Thursday, 18 November: A Conservation Platform: Book launch: The Urban Imperative.

-- Inroduction and welcome: Ted Trzyna, Task Force on Cities and Protected Areas, WCPA; editor, The Urban Imperative (selected papers)

-- Cities and IUCN in perspective: Jeff McNeely, IUCN Secretariat

-- The imperative writ large: Pete Frost, Countryside Council for Wales; Joe Leitmann, World Bank

Friday, 19 November: A breakout session of the Global Synthesis Workshop on Ecosystem Management: Bridging Sustainability and Productivity: Links between Coastal Cities and Larger Ecosystems. 

-- Introduction: Ted Trzyna, Task Force on Cities and Protected Areas, WCPA

-- Situation analysis: David F. Hales, Worldwatch Institute; Gary Geller, NASA; Monty Hempel, University of Redlands, California

-- Bringing together urban and conservation actors in a metropolitan region: The Chicago Wilderness coalition; Elizabeth McCance, Chicago Wilderness

-- Coastal cities and marine ecosystems:

     -- Urban ecosystem management: A tale from two cities: Chua Thia-Eng,

Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia

     -- Smaller cities and the potential of local governments as conservation actors: Marianne Kleiberg, The Nature Conservancy, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Strategies for integration:

Strategies for integration: Panel discussion

     -- Moderator: David F. Hales, Worldwatch Institute

     -- José Goldemberg, State Secretary for the Environment, State of São Paulo, Brazil

     -- Warren Evans, Environment Division, World Bank

     -- Pedro da Cunha e Menezes, Brazilian Ministry of External Relations

     -- John Davidson, Global Dimension Trust and Development Education Association, UK

     -- Elizabeth McCance

     -- Ted Trzyna

Integrative leadership: Linking conservation and people's needs in an urbanizing world: John Davidson

Friday, 19 November: Informal meeting to discuss IUCN initiative on cities and conservation.

Resolutions and Recommendations: The Congress overwhelmingly approved two motions related to cities that originated in the Task Force's work. These were sponsored by a number of IUCN member organizations. They are posted in their final form at www.interenvironment.org/pa/wccmotions.htm. They are:

     CGR.3RES049: Cities and conservation

     CGR.3.REC022: Conservation of Mediterranean-type ecosystems

The Congress also approved an important French motion calling for greater involvement by subnational, including local, authorities in IUCN's work. The final version of this document, which will be posted on the IUCN Web site, was strengthened by an amendment moved by the Task Force Leader during floor debate. It is:

     CGR.3RES004: The engagement by IUCN with local and regional and local government authorities    

For further information about the activities described above, contact Ted Trzyna.

.