It had been a while since I had really crawled around in a mangrove wetland. Once you have climbed over the roots of a red mangrove, seen the pneumatophores (the roots that stick out of the ground like breathing tubes) of white mangrove, spotted blue crabs in abundance scurrying back into their holes to avoid capture, or taken in the “sweet” aroma of decaying organic … [Read more...] about Back to the Mangroves – Wetlands and climate change
Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Infrastructure and Biodiversity in the Guiana Shield
"Aerial view from rain forest" - © COPYRIGHT: Pete Oxford Photography How can we promote sustainable infrastructure? Infrastructure it’s just not a matter of building more, it’s a matter of enhancing competitiveness for economic growth and delivering much needed energy, water and sanitation, transport and communication services to growing cities. How that infrastructure … [Read more...] about Infrastructure and Biodiversity in the Guiana Shield
Delivering on the Paradigm of Evidence-based Policy Advice
In a previous post on understanding natural capital accounting, we presented the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) Central Framework as an important advance in support of evidence-based policy and analysis. The SEEA is a framework, consistent with the United Nations System of National Accounts, for organizing data describing the interactions between the … [Read more...] about Delivering on the Paradigm of Evidence-based Policy Advice
Water Management: an Urgent Agenda Following the Canal Expansion
The excitement raised by the launch of the Panama Canal’s expansion and the astonishment of some 40 thousand individuals that were moved as they watched a gigantic Cosco Shipping Panama sail by are still palpable. However, as the celebrations die down, we must focus on the challenges Panama faces in the wake of this new era. Without question, one of its main challenges is water … [Read more...] about Water Management: an Urgent Agenda Following the Canal Expansion
Why Do Coastal Communities Invest in Nature? It’s Not Science.
The science is clear: natural habitat can help protect coastal communities against erosion, sea-level rise and storms. But what does it take for communities to invest in these natural solutions? A recent paper in the journal Coastal and Ocean Management offers answers to that question. For years, mitigating coastal hazards in the United States has meant building … [Read more...] about Why Do Coastal Communities Invest in Nature? It’s Not Science.