APN Newsletter Vol8, No.1 January 2002
Message
from the Director
Global change colleagues and myself gathered in Washington D.C.
for the START Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) meeting in October
2001. During this meeting, the APN and START reconfirmed close collaboration
between each other. In autumn/early winter, the APN Secretariat
focused its efforts in organising and hosting workshops, a training
course, and managing the APN proposals process. APN activities during
this period included a vegetation recovery workshop in Australia,
an APN awareness raising workshop in the Republic of Korea, a training
course on regional ecosystem monitoring, the Asian forum of the
Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas (EMECS 2001) conference,
and a workshop on regional climate models in Japan. In addition,
the APN participated in the scoping workshop in Nepal, on global
change impact assessment for Himalayan mountain regions for environmental
management and sustainable development. Both this workshop, and
the symposium on change and sustainability of pastoral land use
systems in East and Central Asia, are part of APN 2001/2002 networking
and capacity building efforts. Through the aforementioned activities
(which are covered in more detail in this January edition of the
APN newsletter), we expanded the network, not only in the Asia-Pacific
region, but also throughout the local scientific community here
in Hyogo prefecture, Japan. The APN Secretariat is now concentrating
it's efforts in preparation of the Seventh APN Inter-Governmental
and Scientific Planning Group meetings, which will be held in Manila
from 18 to 22 March 2002. I would also like to inform you that Dr.
Gerhard Breulmann, APN programme manager, has taken up a new post
as scientific officer in Brazil with our sister network, the IAI.
We are in the final stage of finding Gerhard's successor. Finally,
on behalf of the APN Secretariat, I would like to wish everyone
peace and prosperity in 2002.
-Ryutaro Yatsu
Back
to the contents of APN Newsletters Jan 2002
NEWS
FROM THE SECRETARIAT
Vegetation Recovery Workshop
The Vegetation Recovery
in Degraded Land Areas Capacity Building Workshop for the Asia Pacific
Region took place in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia from 27 October
to 3 November 2001. The workshop marked the twentieth anniversary
of the sister-state relationship between Hyogo Prefecture in Japan
and the State of Western Australia. In utilising the APN network,
researchers and engineers tackling desertification and land degradation
were invited to this workshop to provide information on their research,
and case studies to promote further development of vegetation recovery
technology. At the same time, the workshop highlighted vegetation
recovery technologies developed by Hyogo prefecture and the state
of Western Australia as well as by corporations.
APN Awareness Raising Workshop
An APN Awareness Raising
Workshop of APN Activities was held in Seoul, the Republic of Korea
from 15 to 16 November 2001. Session I focussed on general
information on global change research programs and networks with
presentations from APN, IGBP and WCRP. Session II highlighted examples
of past and present APN projects. Professor Congbin Fu, Institute
of Atmospheric Physics, China, presented on the Regional Climate
Model Inter-Comparison Model project for Asia. Dr. Ninh Nguyen Huu,
Centre for Environmental Research Education and Development, Vietnam,
addressed the activities of the Indochina Global Change Network
and the APN training workshop on forecasting El Nino and La Nina
in Indochina. Mr. Lam Kuok Choy, from the Earth Observation Centre,
Malaysia, outlined the Land Use and Land Cover Change for Southeast
Asia project. Dr. Tae Yong Jung from the Institute for Global Environmental
Studies, Japan, presented the project on Energy and Greenhouse Gas
Budgets in Asian Mega-Cities. Finally, Prof. Young Joon Kim from
the Kwngju Institute of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea,
addressed the Atmospheric Aerosols and their Impact on UV Radiation
over Northeast Asia project. Further details of past and present
APN projects can be obtained from the APNhomepage<http://www.apn.gr.jp/prjct00.htm>
Sessions III to V focused on global change research in Korea, and
future regional cooperation through APN activities.
EMECS 2001: Asian Forum
The Asian Forum of the 5th
International Conference on the Environmental Management of Enclosed
Coastal Seas (EMECS 2001) was held in Kobe on 20 November 2001.
This event was co-organised by the APN, the Institute for Global
Environmental Strategies (IGES Kansai Research Center), and the
EMECS center. The Asian forum's theme was the current status of
Asian enclosed coastal seas and the realization of an integrated
assessment. Professor Nobuo Mimura (project leader of APN project
2000-09) of the Center for Water Environment Studies, Ibaraki University,
Japan, was the coordinator of the forum. In the presentation session,
Dr. Jingshan Yu of the Institute of Environmental Sciences, Beijing
Normal University, China, gave an overview of large cities and the
coastal zone citing the urban ecological redevelopment plan of Guangzhou
as a case study. Professor Porfirio M. Alino of the Marine Science
Institute, University of the Philippines, focused on coastal ecosystems,
in particular the coastal ecosystems of East and Southeast Asia.
Professor Piamsak Menasveta of the Department of Marine Science,
Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, presented water pollution and
habitat degradation as a result of industrialization, community
development and mismanagement, using the Gulf of Thailand as an
example. This was followed by coastal zone management - practices
and future directions, concentrating on the prediction of the marine
environment for coastal area management. Dr. Dong-Young Lee of the
Korea-China Joint Ocean Research Centre addressed this issue. The
final presentation by Professor Sanit Aksornkoae of the Faculty
of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Thailand, focussed on the future
scenario of the coastal zone in Asia. Professor Mimura guided the
panel session. Panellists included Asian Forum presenters and Mr.
Yasushi Hosokawa of the Coastal and Marine Department, National
Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, Japan. This gave
way to an interactive discussion between members of the audience
and panellists. Conclusions and recommendations from the forum included:
- coastal zones are precious assets to the people of Asia,
as well as to the rest of the world;
- coastal zones are facing serious problems including water
pollution, degradation of ecosystems caused by land based human
activities;
- there have been good practices to address the problems placing
an importance on science and technology to support policy-makers
and raise people's awareness, systematic approach of ecological
urban planning in coastal cities, education of, and cooperation
with local communities;
- the idea of a Comprehensive Environmental Assessment for
the Asian coastal zones will act as a blueprint, and could create
positive linkage between scientists and policy-makers and other
stakeholders for actions, and could also bridge the 5th EMECS
in Kobe and the 6th EMECS conference in Thailand in 2003;
- close international research collaboration, especially the
impact of human activities on coastal zones, should be identified;
- promotion of education and training on integrated coastal
management in Asian countries is essential; and
- database information systems, including the Global Coastal
Information System (GLOCIS), should be available, particularly
in the Asian region.
Regional Training Course on Ecosystem Monitoring Technology
The Regional Training Course on Ecosystem Monitoring Technology
took place in Japan from 17 September to 16 December 2001. Participants
(selected with assistance from APN national focal points) included
mid-level officers or researchers in the Asia-Pacific region who
are in charge of monitoring activities on biodiversity conservation
in protected areas, such as national parks. The aim of this course
was to provide training in ecosystem monitoring technology on terrestrial
ecosystems, and allow participants to acquire techniques for monitoring
terrestrial ecosystems through lectures, experiments, field studies
and other methods. The APN Centre in Kobe was the training institute,
and the government of Japan, via the Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA), generously provided funding of participants.
Regional Climate Model Workshop
The Regional Climate
Model Workshop, was held in Kobe, Japan, from 11 to 13 December
2001. This workshop is a crucial part of the activities of the APN
supported project 2001-05 "A Continuation to Regional Climate
Model Inter-Comparison for Asia (RMIP)".
The main objectives
of the workshop were:
1. to summarize the first phase of RMIP
(18-month run), and
2. to prepare the following phase of RMIP
(10-year run).
Professor Fu, RMIP Project leader, will provide
a more detailed account of this project in the forthcoming edition
of the APN newsletter (Vol.8, No.2, April 2002).
Back to the contents of APN Newsletters Jan 2002
FEATURED
ORGANIZATION
National Research Laboratory for Atmospheric Environment Studies
(NRL-AES), Korea
The study of atmospheric motion and phenomena as well as air
quality is extremely interesting and challenging in terms of understanding
the complicated environmental problems of the 21st century. In particular,
the variables resulting from both natural and anthropogenic problems
are interdisciplinary, and it is thought that the unknowns outweigh
what is known concerning problems in atmospheric environment sciences.
Thus, there exists a definite need for further scientific advancements
in our research community.
In 1993, we established the Korea-China and China-Korea Centres
for Atmospheric Research (KCCAR/CKCAR) in Chongju, Korea and Beijing,
China. Their purpose is to study atmospheric environmental problems
in the Yellow Sea region, with the support of the Korea Ministry
of Science and Technology (KMOST) and the China State Commission
of Science and Technology. The Korea National University of Education
and the Beijing University also provide us with coordinated scientific
exchange, including joint research and mutual visits.
Additionally, in order to strengthen our research activities
at KCCAR, KMOST established the National Research Laboratory for
Atmospheric Environment Studies (NRL-AES) in 2000. Current research
activities at NRL-AES/KCCAR in Korea include:
- Monitoring of greenhouse gases (GHGs)
In consultation
with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA)
in the United States, weekly measurements of GHGs, such as CO2,
CH4, CO, N2O and SF6 have been routinely taken at Tae-ahn Peninsula
(ATP) since 1990. In general, the GHG values of TAP in Korea
are higher than those observed at Ulaan Uul (UUL) in Mongolia,
Qinghai Province (QPC) in China, Ryori site near Sendai (RYO)
in Japan, and Mauna Loa (MLO) site in Hawaii.
- Monitoring of regional air quality
NRL-AES is located
in Chongwon-Chongju, which is a rural area of central Korea.
Since 1993 it has been measuring regional air quality to collect
data for our joint study.
- Monitoring of reddish-brown sand (RS)
Severe sand storms
and dust storms often form in Northwest China and Mongolia every
spring. The RS (yellow sand or kosa) is a pronounced environmental
problem in East Asia. Moreover, the summit meetings of Korea-China
and Korea-Mongolia endorsed joint
research on RS. The NRL-AES
plays a pivotal role in this work with both China and Mongolia.
- Monitoring of acid precipitation
Acid rain occurs frequently
in China, Korea and Japan. KCCAR has been monitoring it since
1990. Certain background data is useful in comparison with data
obtained in central and southern China and Japan.
- Monitoring of ground-level ozone
Since 1975, Y. S. Chung
has conducted research on the formation of ozone and the transport
of precursors from the Ohio valley in USA to Ontario and Quebec
in Canada. He has applied its results to the ozone problems
in Korea. For example, the local emission of vehicles and the
Long-Range Transport of Air Pollutants (LRTAP) from elsewhere
are also found to be major reasons for the build-up of ozone
in Korea.
- Satellite measurements of atmospheric phenomena Since 1996,
NRL-AES has managed satellite measurements of large-scale air
pollution, smoke plumes and severe local storms. It has two
systems for receiving satellite data, one from NOAA in the United
States, and the other from the Geostationary Meteorological
Satellite (GMS) in Japan. This direct research on real-time
data is extremely useful in detecting large-scale air pollution
in the Yellow Sea region.
- Climate change
Useful results on climate change are
obtained. Published data includes significant changes in air
temperature and precipitation (especially, summer rain).
- Atmospheric Impact Studies (AIS)
Various studies on
the detection of
forest fires and severe local storms and
typhoons are also being conducted.
- International cooperation
We also continue short and
long-term visits for cooperation, joint studies, and scientific
data exchanges, in collaboration with the following organizations:
- Peking University (C-KCAR), China
- NOAA/CMDL, USA
- Hydrometeorological Research Institute, Mongolia
- University of East Anglia, U.K.
- Meteorological Services of Canada
- Hydrometeorological Institute, Russia
- International meetings
- May 2002. Workshop on dust storms. Chongju/Seoul, Republic
of Korea
- August 2002. China-Korea Workshop on severe local storms.
Beijing, China
- May 2003. 8th International Conference on Atmospheric Science
and Applications to Air Quality. Tsukuba, Japan
|
Figure 1: Observed concentrations of
dust (TSP and PM10) during the dust storm event in Chongwon,
Central Korea |
|
Satellite image showing a dust cloud
from Mongolia moving to Korea on 29 March 1997 |
Details of aforementioned events can be obtained by emailing
<kccar@netsgo.com> or
accessing website <www.kccar.re.kr>
Professor Y.S. Chung
National Research Laboratory
for Atmospheric Environment Studies
Korea-China Centre for Atmos.
Res.
Email: kccar@netsgo.com
Back to the contents of APN Newsletters Jan 2002
APN NETWORKING & CAPACITY
BUILDING PROJECT
SCOPING
WORKSHOP On Global Change Impact Assessment for Himalayan Mountain
Regions for Environmental Management and Sustainable Development
A scoping workshop was held in Kathmandu from 2nd to 5th October
2001 on 'Global Change Impact Assessment for Himalayan Mountain
Regions for Environmental Management and Sustainable Development'.
The Workshop was sponsored by APN and organized by the Institute
for Development and Innovation with support from the Ministry of
Science and Technology. From 3rd October onwards, the workshop was
held at a hilltop in Nagarkot, very close to the Himalayan ranges,
some 32 kilometers east of Kathmandu, in typical mountain surroundings.
The Himalayan Mountain ranges are the highest and largest on earth.
They are the youngest mountains and hence are highly fragile. People
living in these mountains are in general marginalized and are very
poor. With very sharp and steep cliffs, inaccessibility is another
feature of these mountains. The mountain ranges are home for over
100 million people living on them. They cause and control monsoons
and constitute the water tower for almost one-fifth of the world's
population living downstream in the plains. They hold very many
valuable medicinal plants and herbs and they also provide unique
and sometimes the best opportunities to detect and analyse global
change processes and phenomena. So it is befitting that the United
Nations has declared the year 2002 as the International year of
Mountains.
In the first two days of the workshop, about 20
papers were presented dealing with various aspects of global change
issues in the Himalayan mountain regions, including country presentations
from India, Nepal, and Pakistan. The presentations were followed
by lively discussions. The papers, for example, covered areas related
to growing glacial lake formations, changing mountain ecology, sediment
transports from mountains, Himalayan mountain specifics and vulnerability
assessment together with their
impacts on human society.
In the remaining two days, participants deliberated on the project
proposal submitted earlier to APN for funding on the topic of the
workshop. In the course of deliberations, the need and importance
of such a study focusing specifically on the Himalayan mountains
and the people was highlighted. Climate change and variability,
demography and land use intensification were all identified as major
driving forces causing stress to human society.
Considering the livelihood of the mountain people, it was then
decided to initially focus on two major aspects, namely agriculture
and water resource. Details were worked out covering site selection
in participating countries, i.e. India, Nepal and Pakistan, the
data requirements and their collection procedures, and the possible
synthesis exercises for deriving possible strategy options. A sketch
of the improved project proposal covering a period of two years
was drafted. The participating institutions as well as a tentative
list of the researchers from the three countries were also identified.
Over twenty participants from Nepal, India and Pakistan took
part in the workshop. Mr. Martin Rice represented APN, and Prof.
Lisa Graumlich and Dr. Mel Reasoner from the Mountain Research Initiative
of IGBP also participated in the workshop.
At the Inaugural Session, the Chief Guest, Dr. Jagadish Chandra
Pokharel, Honorable Member of the National Planning Commission,
stressed the need to carry out such studies and keep policy makers
and planners informed of the consequences of global warming particularly
in such vulnerable areas like the Himalayan mountains so that timely
measures could be undertaken for coping with or adapting to such
situations. Prof. Kedar Lal Shrestha in his welcome address indicated
the growing concern of a mountainous country like Nepal regarding
the probable impacts of global change on the fragile mountains and
their people, and the need to search for possible mitigation and
adaptation measures.
Dr. A.P.Mitra also spoke on behalf of
SASCOM activities in the region. Similarly, Prof. Graumlich and
Dr. Reasoner shed light on the activities of the Mountain Research
Initiative as well as their relevance and importance in the global
context. Mr. Rice highlighted the role of APN in global change research
in Asia and the importance it attaches to the building up of research
capacity and capability in the region. Mr. Adarsha Pokharel, the
Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, in his
concluding remarks from the Chair highlighted climate change and
some of their impacts already being observed in the Himalayas and
urged the research community to come up with suitable strategic
options to deal with the situation.
Prof. Kedar Lal Shrestha
President, Institute for
Development
and Innovation
21/85Pimbahal, Lalitpur, NEPAL
Email:<klshrestha@wlink.com.np>
|
Inaugural session speakers |
|
Workshop participants in Nagarkot |
Back to the contents of APN Newsletters Jan 2002
Change
and Sustainability of Pastoral Land Use Systems in East and Central
Asia
Togtohyn CHULUUN,
Mongolian Academy of Sciences,
Mongolia
Dennis OJIMA, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State
University, USA
Land Use in Temperate East Asia (LUTEA) network and the TEA Regional
Committee for START (co-sponsored by IGBP/ IHDP/WCRP) organized
an Open Symposium on "Change and Sustainability of Pastoral
Land Use Systems in East and Central Asia" in Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolia during June 28 - July 1, 2001. The Symposium brought together
an interdisciplinary group of
approximately 100 scientists
from 12 countries, including Australia, P.R. China, France, Japan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Russia, UK, U.S.A.,
and Uzbekistan. The Symposium was sponsored by the Asia Pacific
Network for Global Change Research (APN) in collaboration with START
and MEDIAS-France and hosted by the Mongolian Academy of Sciences
and the International Institute for the Study of Nomadic Civilization.
MEDIAS-France sponsored the symposium in order to allow scientists
from Central Asia to set up a regional network and have contacts
with their colleagues from the LUTEA project.
The objectives of the symposium were:
- synthesis of existing knowledge on pastoral land use and
cover changes (LUCC), identification of knowledge gaps and vulnerability
of the regions to global changes;
- review of integrated assessments of land use/cover change
and climate change impacts on rangeland ecosystems and pastoral
systems and potential adaptation strategies; and
- enhancing modalities for capacity building and networking
among the scientists involved in research on pastoral LUCC studies
in the region, and developing synergies for future collaboration.
In arid and semi-arid regions of east and central Asia, nomadic
pastoralism has been the dominant agronomic activity for many centuries.
Recent political, economic, social and cultural factors have caused
changes in pastoral land use systems. Integrated assessment of environmental
and political changes on ecological and pastoral systems, and quality
of life is essential for regional sustainability. The Symposium
provided a forum for regional and international scientists to share
information and develop a stronger understanding of linkages between
climate, ecosystem and human elements of the region. The Symposium
facilitated the integration of knowledge gained by different research
groups of natural and social scientists, and identified policy products,
knowledge gaps and vulnerable regions to global changes. A delivery
of this integrated knowledge not only to scientists, but also policy
makers and land users is critical for regional sustainable development.
Participants dealt with issues related to the current trends
of land productivity and land use in the region. Strategies on how
to ensure the sustainability of the steppe regions provided a lively
topic for discussion by the interdisciplinary group present. The
Symposium was organized along the following parallel sessions:
- Vulnerability of pastoral systems to climate change and
variability.
- Political and economic drivers affecting pastoral land use
systems.
- Land use impact on rangeland ecosystem and biodiversity.
- Pastoral systems in regional and rural development.
- Integrated technologies (RS, GIS and modelling) for pastoral
LUCC studies.
- Conservation and pastoral land use.
- Hydro-geomorphological impact of land use.
- Agro-pastoral and urban-rural interface: vulnerability to
climate and land use change.
The Symposium discussion on the sustainability of pastoral systems
in the Mongolian Steppe region centered on the role which nomadic
grazing systems have contributed to the degradation of the steppe
ecosystems in the region. It was acknowledged that overstocking
of the steppe is occurring and action to reduce this situation needs
to be taken, however the solution to this problem can take various
paths. The consensus view was that strategies for reversing the
degradation and development of sustainable strategies for the region
should incorporate the benefits of nomadic pastoral systems implemented
over the centuries in the Mongolian steppe. Climate variability,
which is a characteristic of the region, dictates aspects of rotational
grazing systems utilized by nomadic pastoralists are beneficial
to mitigate the effects of droughts and other extreme weather events.
The development of a grazing management system that considers
the advantages of traditional practices and incorporates appropriate
new technologies would provide the best path forward to attaining
long-term sustainability of steppe resources. Appropriate strategies
include:
- strengthening traditional pastoral institutions (resilience
networks) and communities;
- developing a disaster relief mechanism for dealing with
natural disasters, such as zud (the Mongolian term used for
severe winter conditions affecting livestock), droughts, fires
and animal disease outbreaks;
- restoring degraded pastures, especially near water sources;
- restoring and adding water points;
- enhancing hay production when and wherever possible;
- increasing security of pastoral communities;
- improving riparian ecosystem management;
- improving locally adapted and productive livestock breeding
and distribution;
- improving transportation networks linking grazing regions
in Mongolia with market areas;
- improving monitoring and forecasting technologies for environmental
conditions;
- improving accessibility and development of appropriate
veterinarian practices for pastoral systems; and
- facilitating access to social and technological goods and
services.
Future Collaboration Plan:
A research proposal on
"Vulnerability of Livestock Populations to Climate Variability
and Socio-Economic Factors in Predominantly Pastoral Temperate East
Asia" was submitted to the APN as a direct follow-up to the
LUTEA Symposium held in June 2001 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The
objective of this proposal is to investigate the vulnerability of
livestock populations to climate variability and socio-economic
factors. Livestock population data provide a long-term record of
change, a kind of pastoral chronology. Livestock population dynamics
is regulated by a complex set of drivers that varies across the
environmental gradient and political boundaries. A major driving
factor of livestock dynamics in the Temperate East Asian Steppe
appears to be climate variability, extreme events and growing seasonal
precipitation. Climatic extreme events such as drought and zud limit
livestock population increases. Alternatively, a traditional extensive
pastoral system encouraged an increase in the number of livestock
because the well being of herders is related to their number of
livestock. Livestock price and forms of livestock ownership have
great impacts on livestock dynamics, especially during the transition
to a market economy in China and Mongolia. Livestock density directly
relates to the stock rate for the particular site, which gives important
information for grazing impact assessment on rangelands. Thus, analysis
of long-term dynamics of livestock populations (pastoral chronologies)
will give very important insights for the assessment of vulnerability
of pastoral systems to climate change and socio-economic factors
in the region.
The research proposed here will further the research collaboration
among scientists working on grassland systems in the region, a major
research theme for LUTEA research. The joint efforts of Australian,
Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian, Russian, and US scientists will be
strengthened through analysis of livestock dynamics in this region
of Asian grasslands. In addition to efforts described in this proposal,
collaboration with ex-USSR Central Asian scientists is being developed.
This will involve a parallel effort being proposed through European
Union funding for obtaining similar data sets from Central Asian
countries and Russian republics with large grassland
areas.
These countries have similar steppe ecosystems and have experienced
comparable changes in social and economic conditions during the
past century. The grassland ecosystems in these countries have been
differentially impacted. Cross-country comparisons within the whole
Eurasian grassland region would be useful in a wider assessment
of the vulnerability of livestock populations to changes in climate
and socio-economic policies.
For more information, please contact:
Chuluun Togtohyn & Dennis Ojima
Natural Resource
Ecology Laboratory
Colorado State University, Fort Collins,
Colorado, 80523-1499, U.S.A.
Fax: +1-970-491-1965
Phone: +1-970-491-2162 or
+1-970491-1976
Email: <chuluun@nrel.colostate.edu>
or <dennis@nrel.colostate.edu>
Back to the contents of APN Newsletters Jan 2002
APN SUPPORTED PROJECT
APN/GLOBEC-SPACC
Workshop on the Causes and Consequences of Climate-induced Changes
in Pelagic Fish Productivity in East Asia
Hideaki Nakata, Professor,
Faculty of Fisheries, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
Background and objectives
Small pelagic fish (sardines
and anchovies, etc.) constitute a great portion of the fishery catch
in Japan, Korea, the East Coast of China and the Pacific coast of
Russia. Young fish recruit in the coastal areas of the Yellow Sea,
the Sea of Japan/East Sea and the Pacific coast of Japan, and the
adults expand to occupy the region from Sakhalin (Russia) to the
south coast of China. Dramatic and synchronic fluctuations in their
catches have occurred in the above four countries in the last few
decades. Research up to date suggests that these stock fluctuations
are caused by changes in ocean climate. Understanding how the productivity
of small pelagic fish stocks is linked to ocean climate and predicting
the productivity cycles of the ocean is essential to avoid overexploitation
when the ocean shifts to a period of low productivity. As the populations
move freely across national boundaries under the influence of a
common ocean climate, it is essential to conduct joint research
and develop a concerted synthesis of the factors controlling the
productivity of small pelagic fish stocks in the region. To initiate
this synthesis, it is considered timely to hold the first regional
workshop to overview the status in each country, and to seek for
the possibility of mutual cooperation in East Asia.
In such a context, the APN/GLOBEC-SPACC workshop on the causes
and consequences of climate-induced changes in pelagic fish productivity
in East Asia took place in Kobe, Japan, August 25-27, 2001, as a
part of Small Pelagic Fishes and Climate Change (SPACC) program
of IGBP-GLOBEC (Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics). It involved 30
participants from China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Russia
and USA.
The objectives of the meeting were:
- to review our knowledge on decadal fluctuations of small
pelagic fish populations in East Asia, and determine the existence
of regional synchronies in these fluctuations,
- to initiate regional synthesis on the factors controlling
the productivity of small pelagic fishes in East Asia, and
- to develop a strategic plan for SPACC in East Asia identifying
ongoing activities and critical gaps in our knowledge.
Workshop program
The workshop lasted for three days,
with a day and a half of presentations, and a day and a half of
working group discussions and a final plenary session. The presentation
sessions provided a forum for presentation of research activities
in East Asia primarily on climate-induced changes in pelagic fish
productivity. At the latter part of the workshop, two working groups
were assigned according to the area of study: Tsushima Warm Current
regions (East China Sea, Yellow Sea, Japan Sea/East Sea) and Kuroshio
regions (North-western Pacific). Lastly, identifying common goals,
the possibility of mutual cooperation in East Asia was discussed
in more detail, and future direction toward developing a regional
science plan to be implemented throughout East Asia was proposed.
Workshop outcomes
The present status of GLOBEC-SPACC
projects of each country was well documented. In the 1990s, there
have been several ongoing research projects on the productivity
of small pelagic fishes in relation to decadal/multi-decadal changes
in climate and ocean environment. It was confirmed that there existed
apparent regional synchronies in the time-series of productivity,
implying that it will be of great value to promote the cooperative
work and make a regional synthesis of the time-series data. Through
working group discussions, major target species and their stock
compositions were identified, and research subjects to be investigated
in the near future were recognized for each of the two aforementioned
regions.
As a follow-up activity, coordinated research cruises and future
workshops aiming to produce comparable data sets in a common format,
and to initiate the analysis of those data are proposed. Focus would
be on small pelagic fish productivity in three major ecosystems
of East Asia: East China Sea, Sea of Japan/East Sea, and Kuroshio-Oyashio
regions. Several venues are also suggested for the next workshop,
including (a) GLOBEC/ PICES meeting in Qingdao, China, in October
2002, and (b) the 40th Anniversary of the Japanese Society of Fisheries
Oceanography, Tokyo, Japan, in December 2002.
|
Participants of the East Asian Workshop |
|
Participants keep with the theme during
the workshop reception |
Back to the contents of APN Newsletters Jan 2002
REGIONAL
NEWS
OCEANIA
Regional Wastewater Meeting
A Regional Wastewater
Management Meeting was held between 10-15 October 2001 in Majuro,
Republic of Marshall Islands. The objective of the meeting was to
develop a regional approach to the problems of wastewater in the
Pacific, and to consider the effects of water pollution on people's
health, land and marine environment.
Conservation Training Course
The second session of the Pacific
Islands Community-based Conservation Training Course was run at
the University of the South Pacific from 15-26 October, attracting
key environmental management personnel from eleven Pacific nations.
The aim of the course was to enhance the skills and knowledge of
participants, in order to build their confidence and expertise in
supporting community-based conservation management. The October
course followed on from initial training held from 12 February -9
March, and a six-month project at sites in their home country. This
approach to learning, which involves extended interaction with mentors
and includes project work on-site, has been commended by Pacific
conservationists as being very appropriate in developing capacity
amongst local conservation workers.
SOPAC Annual Session
The 30th Annual Session of the
SOPAC General Council was held in Majuro, Republic of the Marshall
Islands on 17-24 October to review the activities of 2001 and finalise
the SOPAC work programme for 2002. Dr Russell Howorth, current Programme
Manager, was appointed the new Deputy Director for the organisation
commencing February 2002.
Regional Lead up to the World Summit for Sustainable Development
A Council of Regional Organisations (CROP) Working Group meeting
was held at the Forum Secretariat in Suva on 29 October. The meeting
followed the Pacific Multi-stakeholder Consultations (combining
the intergovernmental and stakeholder meetings) in Apia, 5 to 7
September to review and finalise amendments to the draft Pacific
Islands - Regional submission to the World Summit for Sustainable
Development (WSSD), to be held in September 2002. From the Apia
meetings, a report has already been submitted to the UN. In addition,
all the Pacific Island Countries are currently engaged in preparation
of their 'National Assessment' to be submitted to the WSSD process
by February/March 2002.
Sixth Pacific Islands Roundtable for Nature Conservation
The roundtable was held at the Marine Studies Programme facility,
USP and was attended by representatives from conservation organisations
and donor agencies to prepare for the Seventh Pacific Islands Conference
on Nature Conservation (Cook Islands, July 2002). The meeting also
encouraged collaboration by roundtable members on strategic projects
and programs to achieve Action Strategy objectives, improve integration
of regional and national actions, and increase participation by
donors, Council for Regional Organisations (CROP) agencies, and
Pacific island organisations with strong national links.
Pacific GIS/ RS Annual User Conference
The Pacific
GIS and Remote Sensing User Forum was held at the Annual User Conference
in Suva from 27 to 29 November. The objective of the conference
was to encourage the development of a professional and more effective
GIS and Remote Sensing User Community in the Pacific Islands Region.
Canadian International Development Assistance (CIDA) - Climate
Change
The South Pacific Regional Environment Programme
(SPREP) is to receive funding (US $1.3 million) from CIDA to assist
governments, communities, and the private sector to respond to climate
change in four Pacific Island Countries. The four countries selected
to participate in the project are the Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa
and Vanuatu. The funds will help to build capacity within the region,
facilitate partnerships between stakeholders, and design and implement
community based pilot projects. The project, to be implemented over
30 months, follows on from the Pacific Islands Climate Change Assistance
Programme (PICCAP), implemented through SPREP with financial assistance
from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Compiled from report by APN Liaison Officer
Ms. Leigh-Anne Buliruarua
SOUTH ASIA
a) The Ministry of Environment and
Forest, Government of India, initiated activities related to the
preparation of India's Initial National Communication (NATCOM) to
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
This project, supported by Global Environment Facility (GEF), will
assist India in undertaking the 'enabling activities' to prepare
initial national communication to the Conference of Parties in accordance
with UNFCCC, and to build capacity towards the fulfilment of its
commitments to the Convention. The 'enabling activities' will include
preparation of a national greenhouse gas inventory, vulnerability
assessment, an adaptation option analysis, and any other information
considered relevant for the National Communication itself.
To build capacity under 'enabling activities', the Ministry of
Environment and Forest, Government of India, has initiated a series
of workshops in India. The first in the series, Winrock International
India, was organized as an 'Inception workshop' at the India Habitat
Center in New Delhi from 22nd through 23rd November 2001. During
this workshop, different elements of national communication and
associated activities (like inventorization, uncertainty reduction,
vulnerability assessment and adaptation, integrating climate change
and sustainable development, renewable energy technologies, challenges
and opportunities before the Indian industry, etc.) were discussed.
b) The 'Inception Workshop' was followed by a 'Training Workshop
on Good Practices in Inventory Preparation' organized by the National
Physical Laboratory, New Delhi during November 27th to 30th 2001.
About 70 participants and resource persons representing government,
national laboratories, institutes, universities and non-governmental
organizations attended this workshop.
On the sidelines of this training workshop, discussions were
also held to initiate a time bound one year program in India under
the GEF supported 'enabling activities' to reduce uncertainties
in key areas and the identified institutions were asked to submit
formal proposals for funding.
c) Dr. Mitra represented SASCOM at the APN Scoping Workshop on
"Global Change Impact Assessment for Himalayan Mountain Regions
for Environmental Management and Sustainable Development",
held in Kathmandu from 2nd to 5th October 2001. More details of
this workshop, can be found on page 4 and 5 of this January edition
of the APN newsletter.
Compiled from report by APN Liaison Officer
Dr. C. Sharma
SOUTHEAST ASIA
First SARCS Regional Scientific Committee Meeting
(Contributed by Ms. Connie Chiang, SARCS Secretariat)
The Southeast Asia Regional Committee for START (SARCS) held
its First SARCS Regional Scientific Committee Meeting from 15-16
November 2001, at the National Central University, China-Taipei.
Committee members, comprised primarily of regional project leaders,
met to plan and discuss future regional projects. Important discussions
focussed on how to better integrate individual projects. Another
important new development will be the implementation of a new project,
"Sustainable Development Indicators." Committee members
revised the Call for Proposals for this new project. Discussions
were also carried out regarding effective communication methods
between and amongst project leaders and the SARCS Secretariat, the
need for and methods of advertising projects, and scientific gaps
where new projects may be initiated.
Workshop on Sustainable Development Indicators
(Contributed
by Ms. Connie Chiang, SARCS Secretariat)
Following the SARCS RSC Meeting, a workshop on sustainable development
indicators was held from 17-19 November 2001. Over seventy participants
from nine countries attended the workshop and gave presentations
on a wide variety of sustainable development indicator topics, including
Southeast Asia case studies, economic and social indicators, environmental
indicators, data support, and relevance to policy decisions. Lively
discussions were carried out on how to implement this project in
Southeast Asia. Further information and the Book of Abstracts may
be found at
<http://www.sarcs.org.>
ASEAN-SEAFDEC Conference: 'Fish for the People'
(Press
Release from SEAFDEC)
The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in
collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO) organized the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Conference on Sustainable Fisheries
for Food Security in the New Millennium: "Fish for the People",
from 19 to 24 November 2001 in Bangkok, Thailand. The Conference
was established in response to the urgent requirement within Southeast
Asia to re-evaluate current fisheries practices and exploitation
patterns, to encourage the formulation of appropriate regional policies
and strategies to reconcile the current practices, and to promote
the development of sustainable fisheries. It was envisaged that
the Conference would provide an opportunity for ASEAN and SEAFDEC
Member Countries to review the situation, analyze the problems and
formulate policy and strategies for the better management of fisheries
in the region. The technical topics discussed at the conference
included: outlook of fish supply and demand at the global level
and in the ASEAN region sustainable fisheries management; sustainable
aquaculture; sustainable utilization of fish and fishery products;
fisheries cooperation policies in the ASEAN region. In addition,
concurrently with the conference, the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Millennium Fisheries
Exhibition was held from 21 to 24 November 2001. This exhibition
was the region's major fishing industry event.
Compiled from report by APN Liaison Officer
Dr. Anond Snidvongs
TEMPERATE EAST ASIA
a) The 15th START Scientific Steering Committee was held 15-17
October 2001 in Washington D.C. The Committee reviewed START activities
in the past year and decided to produce a decade-long implementation
strategy document. The START Annual Report for the period of October
2000-September 2001 was also released. Highlights of START activities,
as well as summaries of new joint projects of the global change
programmes on Carbon, Food Systems, and Water were included in this
report. In addition to the annual report from the International
Secretariat, the START TEA Regional Center also produced an annual
regional report that describes in detail global change research
in START TEA Regions in such topics as regional climate model inter-comparison,
aridification in northern China, change and sustainability of pastoral
land use systems in East and Central Asia, and human dimension and
natural processes in global environmental change, etc. Prof. Congbin
Fu, START TEA Regional Director, attended this START SSC and gave
a report on the progress of the activities in the East Asia region,
including the project of Predictive Study of Aridification in Northern
China in Association with Life-supported Environment Changes (1999-2001).
Dr. Xiaodong Yan from START TEACOM was acclaimed as the 2001 START
Young Scientist for his paper, "Simulating the Effects of Climate
Changes on XiaoXing'an Mountain Forest." Acta Phyeoecologia
Sinica (2000) 24(3): 312-319.
b) The Fourth Open Meeting of the Human Dimensions of Global
Environmental Change Research Community was hosted by the Brazilian
Academy of Sciences and a consortium of Brazilian Universities in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 6-8 October 2001. Dr. Yinpeng Li from START
RRC was invited to attend the ISPC meeting and provided a poster
-Regional Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change and Social
Activities on the Grassland of North China. The major themes of
the meeting included Challenges of Integration in Human Dimensions
Research, Urban Sustainable Development, Vulnerability-a core human
dimensions theme, Poverty and the Environment, Trade, the State
and the Environment, Integrating Human Dimensions Research into
Climate Change Assessments. Plenary themes of the meeting addressed
the challenges of integration in human dimensions research - across
disciplines, across hemispheres, and across the science-policy interface.
They also addressed issues of central importance to both the developed
and the developing world -"urban sustainability", "vulnerability",
and "poverty and the environment". With worldwide participation
of scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds, this meeting
provided an opportunity for scientists to exchange information on
current research and teaching, and to encourage networking and community
building in this emerging field.
c) The Coordinated Enhanced Observing Period (CEOP) Asia Monsoon
Experiment (CAMP) Working Group was held in Nagoya on September
30. At this meeting, the Status of the whole CEOP and CAMP was introduced
and a working group organization was discussed. Invited by the leading
scientists of CEOP, Dr. Wenjie Dong from START RRC attended this
workshop and introduced the observation projection in the transitional
zone of northern China, FEO.
Compiled from report by APN Liaison Officer
Ms. Yang Ying
Back to the contents of APN Newsletters Jan 2002
Alles Gute, Gerhard
Dr. Gerhard Breulmann, APN Programme Manager, moved to Sao Jose
dos Campos in Brazil, as the new Scientific Officer with the Inter-American
Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). The APN Secretariat
would like to thank Gerhard for his outstanding efforts at
advancing APN scientific activities. In particular, for managing
the proposals process and coordinating the APN networking and capacity
building programme. We wish Gerhard and family the very best of
happiness and success. From a mutual perspective, we also look forward
to establishing closer ties between sister networks, APN and IAI.
Back to the contents of APN Newsletters Jan 2002
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