For the first time since the establishment of IUCN, the 7 commissions came together for a 2-day session and workshop in Abu Dhabi, UAE. This opportunity was possible thanks to IUCN President, Razan Al Mubarak and the Mohamed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund who financed and hosted a space to discuss important topics which involve all the Union and identify gaps as well as potentials to strengthen the efforts and impacts of IUCN as a whole. Several SC members attended the session including Angela Andrade, Liette Vasseur, Pete Smith, Doris Mutta, Shalini Dhyani, co-lead for the RLE thematic group Emily Nicholson, and CEM executive officer, Mariana Rivera. Some of the outcomes of the workshop included the creation of a cross-Commission Taskforce to develop framework and action plan, a framework for an IUCN integrated biodiversity and climate action plan is established that expands on Resolution 114 and enhances implementation, the creation of a knowledge product evaluation and gap analysis framework and guidance on relationships between relevance knowledge products for implementation of biodiversity and climate goals, ways to lead an effective communication, dissemination and transference plan to support national and sub-regional integration efforts on biodiversity and climate-relevant national action plans, to formalize the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) in 2023 to support implementation of the IUCN Youth Strategy and deepen youth engagement in all 7 commissions, strategies to making the commissions’ knowledge products more accessible and user focused, and collaborating with regional and national committees to support communication and use of knowledge products at national level.

March was an intense month with several events including the 55^th CEM Steering Committee meeting which was held in the city of Thrissur, in the state or Kerala, India. It was a highly productive session where most of our steering committee members were able to attend, along with Stewart Maginnis, IUCN Deputy General Director, Iain Stewart, Head of Membership and Commission Support Unit a few thematic group members and members from the region, we were able to touch upon some of the most relevant achievements of the past months and decide on the direction of the upcoming months. During 3 days, several topics were addressed including the revision and approval of group and regional reports, the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets approved in Montreal in December 2022 and how CEM can contribute to the achievement of these goals, as well as CEM’s potential contributions to the COP28. For this, we will soon be hosting a series of webinars which support the establishment of the basis of the new program.

One of the main highlights of the steering committee was the introduction of the new IUCN platform, IUCN Engage. This new tool will be an interactive digital platform where all IUCN members can post information on their projects, grants, job applications, etc. as well as create discussion groups, thematic discussions, share files, host online events and engage with members from other commissions. It plans to be a much more visually-friendly and intuitive platform than the portal and serve as a hub for collaborations and communications of all members. It can be previewed here although changes are still being made and will be officially launched on April 19^th, 2023.

Following the steering committee meeting, we had a 3-day workshop in collaboration with the Kerala Forest Research Institute titled Asia Consultative Seminar on Ecosystems, RLE and Nature-based Solutions. The first day was hosted and presented by the young professional network of Asia, who shared some of their works and case studies in the region and allowed us to have an insight into the context, issues and potential solutions led by the youth. Thank you to Oindrila Basu, YPN representative in Asia for her excellent leadership in coordinating this session and to all the young professionals who shared their work with us.

As part of our webinar series, we hosted our last yearly session in December 2022 titled Implementation of habitat banking: a South American perspective featuring Mariana Sarmiento from Terrasos in Colombia, and Andréia Mello from FUNBIO in Brazil, who shared their extensive experience on Implementation of habitat banking in a South American context. The recording is available here for anyone who missed it – thank you Mariana and Andréia for leading such a compelling session!

In the midst of the worst global challenges of the century, forests are at the centre stage of these challenges. This is why out 17th CEM Dialogue touched upon the Telangana State’s (India) Flagship programme “Telangana Ku Haritha Haram” to bring its green cover to 33 % which is also a major objective of India’s Forest policy. The talk was hosted by CEM South Asia and dwelled on all these initiatives, approaches and the impact of this Flagship programme. Watch the full webinar here.

Different from the usual webinars, this session on the success story of tiger numbers in Panna, India was targeted at children to increase their enthusiasm for the conservation of species and habitats. The session provided an opportunity to learn about the success story of turnaround story of Panna, the tiger from Rangaiah Sreenivasa with Peeyush Sekhsaria, co-authors of a book “OUR TIGERS RETURN” on the return of Tigers to Panna, a book for the children but actually for readers of all ages!
You can watch it here and share with your children!

As part of the activities of the IUCN-CEM’s focal points, a webinar was held in December 2022 with the participation of three young scientists from El Salvador. The objective of the webinar was to learn about the experiences of Salvadorian young scientists within of their important conservation projects. During the event, Roberto Navarro, shared his work on the importance of molecular studies for the conservation of species in El Salvador in his talk: “The code of our forests; molecular studies for species conservation”. Gabriela Gavarrete shared her experiences in restoration projects based on community efforts: “Add a forest; Ecosystem restoration project with a forest fire prevention approach”. Finally, Rebeca Valencia shared her experiences with the implementation of the project called "Humpback Whales Song in El Salvador."

During the dialogue, participants had the opportunity to learn about the experiences of young people within their conservation efforts. Besides, the panelists draw attention to constraints and prospects of young scientists in their day to day work within the context of the great global conservation challenges and opportunities. Another issue discussed was the commitments that must be developed to create spaces for generational change in decision-making debates. In addition, during the event there was the participation of Rocío Córdoba and Oswaldo Flores, Regional Chair and Co-Chair for Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, who promoted the participation and leadership of young people within the spaces of the IUCN and called on young people to join the endeavors and work of the commission. This activity is part of the efforts of the CEM Focal Point of El Salvador to promote the participation of new young people in IUCN´s participation spaces.

CEM member, Mark Johnston represented the work of the Nature Positive working group at CoP 15. The group is now close to finalising their report on Nature Positive for business. IMEC is planning a post-CoP discussion session to examine the result of the Global Biodiversity Framework negotiations and the implications for nature positive, impact mitigation and ecological compensation – stay tuned for details soon.

A new feature on the GIZ-UNEP Sustainable Infrastructure Tool Navigator includes a database of case studies that highlight the use of some of the tools available on the site. The new case study feature is available here: https://sustainable-infrastructure-tools.org/case-studies/

The CEM Ecosystem Restoration Thematic Group is continuing to hold monthly sessions of its webinar series, Ecosystem Restoration: Global Initiatives in Science and Practice, on the 3^rd Friday every month. However, the time of the webinars has changed to one hour earlier.  Webinars for April – September will be held from 11-12 EDT time zone (UTC-4). Register Here to receive announcements and links to participate. If you have already registered for the series, the link to join remains the same each month and will be included in the reminder email. If interested, please contact cara.nelson@umontana.edu to suggest a topic or speaker.

SUME continues its work to providing valid information relating to the importance of sustainable use in sustaining and conserving ecosystems to the people who live in and utilize the services of those ecosystems. Our objective is to provide the information, in a readily comprehensible format, in the languages of all those people. The recent IPBES Assessment Report on the Sustainable Use Wild Species has shown that one in three people globally, mostly from poorer nations, rely on gathering of wild plant materials for food and fuel. With the aim to provide global information at local level (Glocal), we hope to stimulate bottom-up support for sustainable management of ecosystems.  www.natualliance.org is now available in 43 languages and with 53 national and regional sites, being managed by a regional and linguistic team of 120 using 15 linked on-line forums. We continue to build on our relationship with the International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey through our MoU to support raptor conservation. We plan a joint regional conference in Cape Town where we will discuss Management of Urban Ecosystems as well as holding workshops on conservation of the Black Harrier (an endangered regional endemic species) and the conservation of indigenous duck species through sustainable use. Later in the year, we will collaborate on a conference on “Sustainability” in Abu Dhabi. SUME is honored that implementation our Naturalliance networking strategy has earned its creator Emeritus Membership of CEM.

SERT member, Sally Hawkins and a team of colleagues led a live-streamed book launch event on World Rewilding Day, March 20^th, with several book contributors presenting lightning talks followed by a Q&A. The event had a diverse and interdisciplinary panel of speakers so should be an interesting discussion, please come along and share widely. You can watch the full session here.

Additionally, if you are interested in buying the book, Routledge have given a 30% discount code for book or e-book purchases for the event, which expires on the 7^th of April - enter the code RHR30 at checkout.

The CEM Ecosystem Restoration Thematic Group, in collaboration with the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER), the FAO-led UN Decade Task Force on Best Practices, and 18 other organizations, launched Standards of Practice to Guide Ecosystem Restoration: a Contribution to the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem at the United Nations Convention on Biology Diversity COP 15 (Montreal, Canada). The Summary Report of the Standards will be available to download on the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration’s website in April in English, Spanish, and French. To receive the link to download, when available, please register here.

On 4 February 2023 (World Wetlands Day), CEM CPEM member, Xavier Benedict and the Aarde Foundation we celebrated our 12th Pulicat Lagoon Day in Pulicat with the support of the Government of Tamil Nadu, India. The day was celebrated with various events, including a traditional catamaran race, kolam (a traditional art competition for women), a vernacular quiz on the ecology of the lagoon, and a folklore musical event.

This annual event is organized to bring attention to the fragile circumstances of the lagoon, which is the second largest water body in India, covering an area of 759 square kilometers.

The call for papers on NbS for reducing disaster risk in the Special Issue on "Scientific evidence of ecosystems in reducing disaster risk", in the Journal of NbS, has been extended to July 1^st, 2023. Authors need to select the Special Issue:  NbS for DRR in the following link.

The Colombian Network for Ecological Restoration - REDCRE, hand in hand with the Ibero-American and Caribbean Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration - SER-IAC and the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana - Bogotá, have come together to organize the V COLOMBIAN CONGRESS AND VI IBEROAMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN CONGRESS ON ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION, which will take place in the city of Bogotá - Colombia, from June 12 to 16, 2023, and which has co-organizing entities such as UNDP, the Humboldt Institute, the Botanical Garden of Bogotá, the UNEP, the SINCHI Institute, Nature, among others. For more information, go to V Colombian Congress and VI Ibero-American and Caribbean Congress on Ecological Restoration.

The Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) is organizing in cooperation with its partners the 10th World Conference that will focus on the important, and often neglected connection between culture and nature, including the role of restoration in enhancing and rebuilding that connection.
The 10th World Conference on Ecological Restoration (SER2023) will be held in person on 26-30 September 2023 in Darwin, Australia with a separate opportunity for virtual participation and content delivery in the Western Hemisphere time zone during the week of 6 November 2023.

NASA’s Applied Remote Sensing Training Program (ARSET) offers no-cost, online and in-person training to build capacity on the use of Earth Observations for adaptation and resilience to climate change and equip decision makers with the skills and knowledge needed to adapt to climate change impacts that have implications for environmental and food security. We also have an online resource guide for a detailed catalog of all our trainings with links.