NBII International Program Participates at the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) Annual Meeting in Brazil
The IABIN Invasives Information Network (I3N) and the Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN), in which the NBII International Program plays central roles, were prominently featured in several activities at the Annual Society for Conservation Biology meeting held at the University of Brasilia, Brazil, in July.
The I3N tools for organizing and exchanging information on invasive species, created with NBII support, were the focus of two training workshops. The two sessions, conducted in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, generated strong interest at the meeting and were attended by 31 participants. I3N-Argentina (Universidad Nacional del Sur), I3N-Brasil (Horus Institute for Environmental Conservation and Development), and the NBII jointly sponsored the workshops.
I3N also co-sponsored a symposium, “Biological Invasions: Lessons from the Southern Hemisphere,” where Andrea Grosse of the NBII International Program and Program Manager for I3N, presented on the value of databases and international cooperation in information exchange. The NBII also sponsored a booth and posters highlighting their international activities, including the Gap Analysis Program, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System, and work on invasive species.
As a result of the participation, USGS-NBII reached an agreement with the Alexander von Humboldt Institute to lead I3N efforts in Colombia and began a dialogue to establish a partnership that will bring images of southern Brazilian species to the NBII Digital Image Library.
Information on IABIN and I3N can be found at <http://www.iabin-us.org>. Information on the NBII International Program can be found at <http://international.nbii.gov>.
United States–Australia Climate Action Partnership
Officials from the United States and Australia met July 25-26 in Canberra, Australia, to review progress and discuss future directions under the United States-Australia Climate Action Partnership (CAP). The U.S. delegation included senior representatives from the Departments of State, Energy, and Agriculture, the USGS-NBII, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The U.S. delegation met with a wide range of Australian scientists and officials.
Projects being implemented through the Partnership cover technology development, climate science, biological informatics, adaptation, agriculture, energy, and emissions measurement and accounting.
The talks focused on progress and achievements to date, and canvassed options for future cooperative action. These recent discussions represent an important step in advancing the Partnership and reinforce the commitment of both Governments to practical action on climate change science and technology and capacity building on biological information sharing and infrastructure development in the Pacific.
Joint Action Between New Zealand and United States on Climate Change
The United States and New Zealand have committed to enhanced bilateral dialogue and practical cooperation under the U.S.–New Zealand Climate Change Partnership, which focuses on enhancing and accelerating collaboration and practical ways to address climate change. Senior officials from New Zealand and the United States met in New Zealand in July to create more opportunities for the two countries to work together under the Partnership.
Three new projects announced under the Partnership will focus on the exchange of scientific data, information, and tools that can assist decision-making and enable the efficient management of ecosystems in the context of climate variability and change. The projects include collaboration in the biological informatics area and specifically focus on the Pacific Biodiversity Information Forum; integration of data systems and sharing of biodiversity expertise in the development of regional Ocean Biogeographic Information Systems; and joint work on databases and information on invasive species and their management.
For further information on the bilateral and other international initiatives, please contact Dr. Toral Patel-Weynand at 703/648-4217.