IWC 61 Climate Change Resolution
Some of you may be wondering what this resolution agreed during the meeting says.
It was submitted by USA and Norway jointly and has as a title: Consensus Resolution on Climate Change and Cetaceans. In its preamble the resolution recognises the work done by the IWC before on environmental threats and welcomes the report of the climate change workshop held in Costa Rica in February 2009 and the IWC’s workshop on cetaceans and climate change held the same month.
Then it says:
“Concerned that, as stated by the IWC SC workshop “climate-related changes will impact negatively on at least some species and populations, especially those with small and/or restricted ranges, those already impacted by other human activities and those in environments subject to most rapid change… For these species there is a real potential for elevated risks of extinction.
The Commission therefore:
ENDORSES the outcome of the climate change workshop and associatedrecommendations of the Scientific Committee given in IWC/61/Rep1, including the need to expand the current international multi-disciplinary efforts and collaborative work with other relevant bodies;
REQUESTS Contracting Governments to incorporate climate change considerations into existing conservation and management plans;
DIRECTS the Scientific Committee to continue its work on studies of climate change and the impacts of other environmental changes on cetaceans, as appropriate;
CALLS on Contracting Governments, IGOs and NGOs to support the expansion of this important work;
REQUESTS the Secretariat to forward this resolution and the workshop report (SC/61/Rep 4) to relevant bodies and meetings including inter alia the World Climate Conference, the UNFCCC and the IPCC in time for upcoming meetings; and
APPEALS to all Contracting Governments to take urgent actions to reduce the rate and extent of climate change.
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