Organizational Linkages and Parnerships

Biodiversity resources in small island situations figure prominently in the programmes and projects of a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other bodies with links with UNESCO. Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands. Founded in 1959, under the auspices of UNESCO and IUCN (World Conservation Union). Among recent partnership projects is that with the World Heritage Centre and the United Nations Foundation, focused on the control and eradication of introduced species, the most significant threat to biodiversity in the islands. DIVERSITAS. International programme of biodiversity science, with three core projects: Discovering biodiversity and predicting its changes; Assessing impacts of biodiversity changes; Developing the science of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Jointly sponsored by five international organizations : International Council for Science (ICSU), International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), International Union of Microbiological Sciences (IUMS), Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) and UNESCO. Among the cross-cutting networks of special relevance to small islands is that on invasive species. >ETI (Expert Center for Taxonomic Identification) Bioinfomatics. University of Amsterdam based body set-up with the support of UNESCO. Mission is to develop and produce scientific and educational computer-aided information systems to improve the general access to and promote the broad use of taxonomic and biodiversity knowledge worldwide. Among tools available is a CD-ROM guide to Reef Corals of the Indo-Malayan Seas. General interest titles include an Interactive Guide to Caribbean Diving Global Island Partnership. This partnership brings together a growing network of political leaders, international and regional organizations and donor agencies, with a view to supporting the implementation of the Island Biodiversity Programme of Work of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other relevant global policy processes. The partnership was launched by the President of Palau at the eighth Conference of Parties (COP-8) of the CBD (Curitiba, Brazil, 20-31 March 2006).