Natural Sciences Sector Contribution to the Mauritius Strategy for the Sustainable Development

1. Natural Sciences Sector Contribution to the Mauritius Strategy for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS): Mauritius, 10 to 14 January 2005

2. Water Sciences Through its World Water Assessment Programme, the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, and the Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy (HELP) programme, aims to enhance understanding of hydrological processes to develop a sustainable approach to water resources management. UNESCO is leading the decade on Water for Life. HELP includes basins on SIDS in its portfolio. There is currently a proposal for emergency groundwater treatment for use following disasters, which contaminate surface water supplies.

3. Ecological Sciences Secretariat of the MAB programme • Provides Scientific and Technical Advice on the National Implementation of Relevant Provisions under the Convention on Biological Diversity, including Taxonomy, Alien Invasive Species, Research in Biodiversity • Promotes sustainable tourism in cooperation with CBD

4. Future Biosphere Reserves in Pacific Islands FSM-1 FSM-2 Hawaiian Islands Biosphere Reserve Samoa Atoll de Taiaro Biosphere Reserve Palau PNG Tonga

5. Potential for Dominica Nature Island Island Culture and Heritage Rich culture from its mix of English, French, African, and Carib peoples. History Dominica may become a biosphere reserve as a whole country

6. Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Adoption of the SIDS Declaration by the IOC Executive Council (June 2004) Development of GOOS Regional Alliance in SIDS regions (IOCARIBE-GOOS, Pacific-GOOS, Indian Ocean GOOS) Development of Integrated Coastal Area Management Projects in SIDS regions (Cape Verde, Caribbean) Support to the Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts and Islands, focusing on SIDS Ocean Policies

7. Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission IOC’s role in the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and in the GEF/World Bank Coral Reef Research & Capacity Building Project Reducing Risk vulnerability through Development of Tsunami Warning and Mitigation Systems (Indian Ocean, Pacific) IOC will work with SIDS Member States to support their participation in the Tsunami Early Warning System in the Indian Ocean and beyond, globally, particularly in the regions of the southwest Pacific, Caribbean, Mediterranean and the South China Sea.

8. Basic and Engineering Sciences Disaster Reduction • promote better understanding of the distribution in time and space of natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, floods and tsunamis • encourage rational land use plans • strengthen environmental protection for the prevention of natural disasters • enhance preparedness and public awareness through education and training • foster post-disaster investigation, recovery and rehabilitation UNESCO is an active partner in the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) and participated in the implementation of the outcome of Kobe Conference. Will contribute to disaster reduction in SIDS:

9. Renewable Energy BES assists Member States to identify their natural sources of renewable energy, such as mini-hydro, solar, wind power, or ocean energy, and provides capacity building through programmes such as the Global Renewable Energy Education and Training (GREET) Programme, which is expected to expand to the Caribbean soon. UNESCO is the lead within UN-Energy for renewable energy. Several publications and videos exist or are in press, “Rays of Hope: Renewable Energy in the Pacific Islands”, and “Social Factors and the Use of Renewable Energy in the Pacific”.

10. Science Policy for Sustainable Development Specific guidelines for policy formulation for small island states will be developed S&T reviews will be conducted in a number of small island states including the Maldives A regional Conference on S&T for the Caribbean will be organized end of 2005

11. KNOWLEDGE: creating, sharing, transmitting, preserving • Field projects • UNESCO Chairs - UNITWIN • Wise Coastal Practices for Sustainable Human Development Forum • Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems • Biodiversity + Cultural Diversity • Knowledge transmission CROSS-CUTTING INITIATIVE • Turning talk into action via • internet forums • traditional media

12. - Mauritius Declaration and Strategy call for holistic, integrated approaches to Sustainable Development CSI-SIV & LINKS will seek to strengthen intersectoral synergies through: Partnership in sustaining Biological and Cultural Diversity, Heritage Coupling Science with Local & Indigenous Knowledge for Sustainable Development Reinforcing Disaster Preparedness by building on local knowledge and experience SIDS University Consortium starting with UNITWIN, Sandwatch Providing Secretariat for UNESCO Working Group on SIDS and Focal Point for UN Task Force on Mauritius follow-up

13. - Consolidating ‘Island Communities in Action’ framework with focus on: Education for sustainable development based on indigenous knowledge and value Climate change – efficient energy and resource use Wise practices for managing coastal resources, wastes Young islanders involvement through Youth Visioning phase 3 Sharing experiences and knowledge between regions through: island exchanges; Small Island Voice Global and Youth internet fora; partnerships with CARICOM, Indian Ocean Commission, Pacific Community (SPC), … Planning meeting with island and field office partners scheduled for July ’05

14. شكرًا جدًّا Большое спасибо Merci Thank you for attention Thank you Gracias UNESCO National Commissions – Walter Erdelen, ADG/SC