Bolivia

Bolivia has a proud history of environmentalism: In July 1987, the Bolivian government became the first in history to agree to protect a part of its environment. More recently, President Evo Morales announced a world conference to take place in Bolivia, in response to the 15th Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen. The “First World Conference of the People on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth” will be held in Cochabamba from April 19 to 22. A focus of the conference, according to Morales, is to “analyze the structural and systemic causes that drive climate change and propose ways to fund measures that enable the well-being of all humanity in harmony with nature.” Bolivia invests heavily in hydropower, which accounts for nearly 50 percent of the country’s power generation.

The Global Day of Conversation

In conjunction with the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA, the Global Day of Conversation will illustrate the commitment of millions to make the natural environment a priority for 2010 and beyond. Through these conversations, local officials will help bridge the gap that exists in public engagement through education and a course of action. Ultimately, this day will elevate the collective voice of local governments and communities in a national and international environmental dialogue.

The Global Day of Conversation marks the third year that mayors and local government elected officials hold conversations in their communities with their constituents to deepen understanding of the paramount environmental issues facing humanity today. The first two conversation initiatives were held in cities across the United States. In 2010, Earth Day Network is eager to work with cities and local governments around the world to advance engagement by citizens and communities to implement positive actions to mitigate environmental impacts and advance the green economy in the 21st century.

Forestry

According to USAID, the forestry sector is a cornerstone of Bolivia’s economic and social development. Conservative estimates indicate that with additional targeted and well-conceived interventions, forestry exports could more than quadruple from about $150 million annually to over $600 million annually. Bolivian President, Evo Morales, called on "the peoples of the world, social movements and Mother Earth's defenders…scientists, academics, lawyers and governments that want to work with their citizens to the Peoples' World Conference on Climate Change and Mother Earth's Rights." The conference will be held from April 20-22 in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

The Convention on Biological Diversity

The Convention on Biological Diversity was inspired by the world community's growing commitment to sustainable development. It represents a dramatic step forward in the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.

The following discusses Bolivia's plans for biodiversity nationwide:

The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan was designed with 5 areas of intervention: conservation of ecosystems, species and genetic resources of important cultural, ecological and economic value; attraction of investments in products and environmental services of biodiversity; strengthening of national capacity for management of biodiversity; and education, sensitization and social control for the management of biodiversity. These 5 areas integrate the priority themes identified in the national counsel such as institutional capacity, financial resources and species and ecosystem restoration, and include more than 22 programs and 125 work projects.

Source: Convention on Biodiversity