OFFBEAT MAIL

How many species live on Earth? The answer to this question probably resides in the study of biodiversity hotspots. Six years after the Santo expedition in Vanuatu, and 2 years after the Mozambique-Madagascar expedition, scientists are once again embarking on a voyage of discovery to learn about our planet's biodiversity. Led by France's National Museum of Natural History, Pro-Natura International and the French Institut de recherche pour le developpement (IRD), the expedition team will spend 3 months exploring Papua New Guinea , beginning in October 2012. From the Bismarck Sea to the slopes of Mount Wilhelm, the Papua New Guinea expedition will see off nearly 200 researchers, students and volunteers. Land expedition: the objective is to gather new data on plant and animal species distribution in the Mount Wilhelm's forests, from sea level to the tree line (altitude of about 4,000 metres). Marine expedition: the objective is to document the specific composition o...

The Asia-Pacific region is consuming more resources than its ecosystems can sustain, threatening the future of the region’s beleaguered forests, rivers, and oceans as well as the livelihoods of those who depend on them, says a new joint report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and WWF. The joint ADB-WWF study, Ecological Footprint and Investment in Natural Capital in Asia and the Pacific, focuses on ways of preserving key large-scale regional ecosystems, including the forests of Borneo, the marine wealth of the Coral Triangle, the Mekong region’s diverse habitats, and the mountainous Eastern Himalayas. These areas contain some of the region’s most important natural resources on which millions of people depend for their sustenance and development. “Major ecosystems such as the Coral Triangle and the heart of the Borneo rainforest are vital to the future of Asia and the Pacific,” said Nessim Ahmad, ADB’s Director for Environment and Safeguards. “We need large-scale programmatic efforts...