SciDev.Net

Voluntary collaboration between governments and international organisations can be an effective way to address global scientific issues, says Michael Williams.

Thousands of traditional crop species could help break dependence on a few global food crops, and offer valuable environmental services, says Monty Jones.

Sustainable governance in the Gulf of Mexico calls for joint action by Cuba, Mexico and the United States, argues Jorge Brenner.

Dredging India's Sethusamundram ship channel poses environmental risks, and could even magnify future tsunami damage, says C.P. Rajendran.

With global diversity increasingly at risk, a mechanism like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is required, argues Michel Loreau.

Environmental groups should buy palm oil plantations to fund biodiversity-saving nature reserves, say Lian Pin Koh and David S. Wilcove.

Africa must not let multinational corporations and international donors dictate its biotechnology agenda, says David Fig.

Biodiversity is a complex issue, says Camilla Toulmin, and the G8 report on its economic value faces many challenges.

Guaranteed funding for the world's genebanks is essential to preserve biodiversity and secure food supplies, says Jan Valkoun.

A Malaysian conservation project could help preserve biodiversity alongside the South-East Asian timber industry, says an editorial in Nature.

S. Bala Ravi argues that deficiencies in India's seed and biodiversity policies promote biopiracy.

Tewolde Egziabher and other SciDev.Net readers join the debate on the relevance of the UN biodiversity convention's Cartagena Protocol on genetically modified organisms.

Suman Sahai argues that India's new agricultural biotechnology deal with the United States will take power away from farmers and endanger a rich genetic heritage.

SciDev.Net readers respond to a recent claim that the UN biodiversity convention's Cartagena Protocol on genetically modified organisms is irrelevant and a waste of resources.

Ehsan Masood argues that saving rare languages could help efforts to protect and sustainably use biological resources.

SciDev.Net readers debate ways for Africa to benefit from research that makes use of its natural resources.

Donat Agosti argues that publications describing new species should be made freely available so scientists in the South can access them.

Better communication would ensure that conservation policies are based on scientific evidence, says this Nature editorial.

An editorial in Nature says support should be given to the Global Crop Diversity Trust's efforts to protect crop diversity and global food security by building seed banks.

Harold Mooney, Angela Cropper and Walter Reid say that a periodic audit of the state of the world's ecosystems is essential to guide policies for sustainable development.