Coordinator

Dr. Dominique Bachelet, Director, Climate Change Science The Nature Conservancy
120 East Union, Suite 214
Olympia WA 98501
Tel: (360) 943-1146
Cell: (206) 604-5549
Fax: (360) 956-9445
http://www.fsl.orst.edu/~bachelet  (bio)
http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/ 
dbachelet@TNC.ORG

The Issue
The purpose of this working group is to review current scientific and empirical evidence on impact of climate change on biodiversity, forestry and conservation, and to recommend specific actions that can be implemented by UN agencies, governments and civil society at large.
The link between climatic phenomena is well documented. We know that rapid warming will negatively impact ecosystems and reduce biodiversity. Even regular phenomena like El Niño do this, damaging forests, increasing insects and harming many species. Normal events, when magnified by climate change and man's activities are creating a bio-diversity emergency, making it important to build on Bali, the Kyoto Protocol and the Buenos Aires Conference. This working group proposes to articulate practical actions that civil society should take now to protect our our many species It will also develop specific recommendations from civil society to the Secretary General on what we hope he will recommend to the world..

(1) Winter Ecard: Polar bear, Churchill, Canada, © Lindsey P. Martin