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Debate about what proportion of the Earth to protect often overshadows the question of how nature should be conserved and by whom. We present a systematic review and narrative synthesis of 169 publications investigating how different forms of governance influence conservation outcomes, paying particular attention to the role played by Indigenous peoples and local communities. We find a stark contrast between the outcomes produced by externally controlled conservation, and those produced by locally controlled efforts.

This study, Larger than elephants. Inputs for an EU strategic approach for African Wildlife Conservation, is the operational response of the Wildlife Crisis Window, which is an integral part of the EU flagship ‘EU Biodiversity for Life’ (B4Life). B4Life is a conceptual framework to ensure better coherence and coordination of EU actions in the area of biodiversity and ecosystems. B4Life was defined in 2014 with the purpose of highlighting the strong linkages between ecosystems and livelihoods in view of contributing to poverty eradication. It aims to tackle the drastic biodiversity loss by promoting good governance of natural resources, securing healthy ecosystems for food security, and supporting innovative ways to manage natural capital in the framework of the green economy.

One of the fundamental questions in the global climate negotiations is: what level of “ambition”, in terms of collective emission reductions, is needed to protect global climate? To help answer this question UNEP and the scientific community have published a series of reports on the “emissions gap1 ” since 2010. Of particular interest to the ambition question is the gap in 2020 between emission levels consistent with the 2o C climate target and emissions levels projected if country reduction pledges are fulfilled. If there is a gap, then there is doubt that the ambition of countries is great enough to meet the agreed-upon 2o C climate target

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are a major threat to marine, freshwater and terrestrial biodiversity of the Pacific islands and to the people there that depend on biodiversity for their livelihoods. Invasive species are implicated in the decline of hundreds of species in the region. Participating Pacific states and the executing agency SPREP (Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme) recognised the need to implement the regional IAS strategy, “Guidelines for Invasive Species Management in the Pacific. A Pacific strategy for managing pests, weeds and other invasive species” (hereafter, the Guidelines) and develop and implement national IAS plans and strategies. The Guidelines were originally identified as a product under this project, but were completed in 2009 prior to writing this proposal. As envisaged during the PIF process the proposed project contributes to the implementation of the Guidelines, each country’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and helps each to meet its responsibilities under Article 8 (h) of the CBD and several other international agreements addressing IAS. The three main components (not including components related to project management) of the proposed project are designed to capture outcomes and outputs described in the Project Identification Form but they have been reorganized to follow the structure of the Guidelines.

The biological diversity of the 72% of our planet covered by seawater is crucial to global resource security, ecosystem function and climate dynamics. We know little of the extent and the interactions of marine biological diversity but in all of the UNEP Regional Seas changes in biodiversity are the symptom of failures to manage marine ecosystems.

The UK has sovereignty over 16 Overseas Territories, which hold some of the world's great seabird colonies and collectively support more endemic and globally threatened bird species than the whole of mainland Europe. Invasive alien mammalian predators have spread throughout most of the Territories, primarily since European expansion in the 16th century. Here we review and synthesize the scale of their impacts, historical and current, actions to reduce and reverse these impacts, and priorities for conservation. Mammalian predators have caused a catastrophic wave of extinctions and reductions in seabird colony size that mark the UKOTs as a major centre of global extinction. Mammal-induced declines of threatened endemics and seabird colonies continue, with four Critically Endangered endemics on Gough Island (Tristan da Cunha), St Helena and Montserrat directly threatened by invasive alien House Mice Mus musculus, Feral Cats Felis catus and rats Rattus spp. Action to reduce these threats and restore islands has been modest in comparison with other developed countries, although some notable successes have occurred and a large number of ambitious eradication and conservation plans are in preparation. Priority islands for cosnervation action against mammalian predators include Gough (which according to one published prioritization scheme is the highest-ranked island in the world for mammal eradication), St Helena and Montserrat, but also on Tristan da Cunha, Pitcairn and the Falkland Island. Technical, financial and political will is required to push forward and fund the eradication of invasive mammalian predators on these islands, which would significantly reduce extinction risk for a number of globally threatened species.

Pacific island countries are already experiencing the impacts of climate change. The potential magnitude of the problem threatens the very existence of some Pacific island states, and the achievement of sustainable development and Millennium Development Goals. However, vulnerabilities and risks associated with climate change are not currently being addressed in any systematic way. Climate change risks and opportunities are not reflected in national and community level planning and governance processes. Individual, institutional and systemic capacity is not targeted towards strategic interventions. Demonstrations of adaptation pilots in key development sectors have not been implemented, and as a consequence few are replicated and scaled-up. The PACC Project aims to significantly improve the effectiveness of the response to climate change in the Pacific. The project will improve technical capacities to support appropriate adaptation centric policies, demonstrate cost-effective adaptation techniques in key sectors, and promote regional cooperation. It is designed to lay the framework for effective and efficient future investment on climate change adaptation in the Pacific.

Small island countries are no different from other countries in that freshwater is essential to human existence and a major requirement in agricultural and other commercial production systems. However, the ability of the island countries to effectively man-age the water sector differs in Small Island Devel-oping States (SIDS), as they are constrained by their small size, isolation, fragility, natural vulnerability, and a limited human, financial and natural resource base.