International Rivers and Lakes Nº 46

CONTENTS I.Environmental functions of the envisaged river basin organization for the Nile discussed.II. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Tribunal lacks jurisdiction to hear a transboundary water dispute.III.United States: historic Colorado River pact signedIV. Tanzania: victory in a dispute with water services company.V. International Joint Commission (IJC): draft new order and plan for regulation of water levels and flows. VI. Development of integrated water resources management performance indicators for African transboundary basins.VII. International Boundary and Water Commission…

Report on formulating public policies for the sustainable use of natural resources: the case of biofuels

Tourism in the Caribbean: competitiveness, upgrading, linkages and the role of public private partnerships (PPP) and public policy

The main purpose of this paper is to explore and analyze the contributions that publicprivate partnerships and public policy have made in the development of tourism in the Caribbean as tools for enhancing competitiveness in the Caribbean tourism industry. The paper explores these contributions mainly in the context of the upgrading strategies that Caribbean countries have pursued over the past 15 years or so and using the lens of the tourism value chain and tourism cluster approach. The paper also analyzes the potential roles that public-private partnerships and public policy will continue to …

Implications for the use of biofuels with special reference to the Caribbean

Addressing the impacts of climate change: focus on the Caribbean

Intellectual property rights and sustainable development: a survey of major issues

From a broad sustainable development viewpoint, intellectual property (IP) might relate to a number of aspects of a country's social and economic development. Its impact can be felt in industrial, health, education, nutrition, biodiversity and cultural policies. In exploring the issues relating to sustainable development and the important changes that have taken place in the IP landscape, we will focus on issues that are drawing particular attention in major international for and to developments that are taking place in bilateral trade negotiations.This paper will thus focus on understand…

Information on disaster risk management: case study of five countries. Summary report = Información para la gestión del riesgo de desastres: estudios de caso de cinco países. Informe resumido

Existe la opinión generalizada en América Latina y el Caribe de que una gran limitación para una efectiva gestión del riesgo de desastres es la insuficiente información de que disponen los responsables de las distintas fases del proceso de gestión para guiar sus decisiones. Para contribuir a subsanar esta deficiencia, el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) y la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL) realizaron conjuntamente un proyecto sobre Información de Gestión de Riesgo de Desastres. El proyecto se orientó a determinar qué tipo de información sobre riesgo…

Information on disaster risk management: case study of five countries. Main technical report = Información para la gestión del riesgo de desastres: estudios de caso de cinco países. Informe técnico principal

Existe la opinión generalizada en América Latina y el Caribe de que una gran limitación para una efectiva gestión del riesgo de desastres es la insuficiente información de que disponen los responsables de las distintas fases del proceso de gestión para guiar sus decisiones. Para contribuir a subsanar esta deficiencia, el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) y la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL) realizaron conjuntamente un proyecto sobre Información de Gestión de Riesgo de Desastres Naturales. El proyecto se orientó a determinar qué tipo de información…

Information on disaster risk management: case study of five countries: Jamaica

Jamaica, as a result of its location in the north-western Caribbean basin, is prone to numerous specific natural hazards. These include hurricanes, of which recent hurricanes experienced within the last few years (and in fact since 1988 with hurricane Gilbert), have reminded us of Jamaica's great vulnerability to the effects of this hazard. Next, it is also envisaged that a large earthquake could do considerable damage to sectors of the population and to infrastructure and could result in displacement and homelessness among large sections of the population, particularly in the hig…

Overview of the water profile and the capacity of national institutions to implement integrated water resources management (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada)

Socio-economic vulnerability to natural disasters in Mexico: rural poor, trade and public response

The increasing frequency and economic losses from natural disasters within the framework of decreasing agricultural prices is becoming crucial in increasing poverty in the Mexican rural economy. During the past two decades, the governmental withdrawal from supporting the agricultural sector with investments in physical, financial and logistic instruments continues to stress agricultural livelihoods, as current private mechanisms have not replaced them effectively. Natural disasters occurrence is increasingly producing severe damages to the so-called traditional agriculture, highly exposed to c…

Report on maritime transport and the environment for Latin America

This report presents information on the environmental impact of vessels during their general operation. It is shown that the emissions from vessels can substantially contribute to local air quality problems over land and also impact the climate change process. Up to now, the contribution of the maritime sector to air quality problems in Latin American and Caribbean coastal cities has received little or no attention. Studies for the United States and Europe show that the contribution of this sector may however be significant. Given the persistence of air quality problems in Latin America, it ap…

Suriname: the impact of the May 2006 floods on sustainable livelihoods

This assessment of the socio-economic impact of the May 2006 floods in Suriname was carried out at the request of the Government of Suriname, through the Ministry of Regional Development, by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The Ministry organized a team of local counterparts to work with the ECLAC team which involved stakeholders from government and non-governmental organizations. The ECLAC team visited Suriname in September and November 2006…

Anuario Estadístico de América Latina y el Caribe 2006 = Statistical Yearbook for Latin America and the Caribbean 2006

En la presente edición del Anuario estadístico de América Latina y el Caribe 2006 se mantienen los cambios de contenido y de diseño introducidos en el año 2005. El propósito es responder a las nuevas exigencias de los investigadores que analizan la situación económica y social de la región e incorporar los avances tecnológicos que modifi can la difusión y el uso de la información estadística. El Anuario cuenta con cuatro capítulos. En el primer capítulo se presentan los indicadores demográfi cos y sociales, que refl ejan el esfuerzo especial realizado para incluir la dimensión de género en la…

Sustainable bioenergy: a framework for decision makers

PrefaceIn our first paper, UN-Energy focused on The Energy Challenge for Achieving the Millennium Development Goals. We pointed out that available energy services fail to meet the needs of the world's poor, with 2.4 billion people relying on traditional biomass for their energy needs and 1.6 billion not having any access to electricity. The basic commitments to poor people cannot be met without a far more focused approach to energy services.At the same time, awareness has grown across the world of the impact of human energy consumption on our environment, and specifically on o…

Challenges in implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for further implementation of the Small Islands Developing States Programme of Action (MSI) in the Caribbean

Guyana: the impact on sustainable livelihoods caused by the December 2005 - Feburary 2006 flooding

Caribbean priorities in implementation of the Small Island Developing States Programme of Action (SIDS/POA)

Cruise ship tourism in the Caribbean: Is the tail wagging the dog?

Challenges to Caribbean Tourism