Month: July 2017
The lionfish has transformed into one of the biggest threats to marine life in the Atlantic Ocean, where it was accidentally introduced in the late 1980s…. Read More »
Essential Capacities for Urban Climate Adaptation, produced by the Innovation Network for Communities (INC) with support from the Summit Foundation, is based on an extensive review of climate adaptation literature, city adaptation plans, and in-depth consultation with practitioners. The report identifies seven essential capacities that leading cities have begun to develop to effectively implement climate… Read More »
The island of Cozumel has no shortage of attractions. About 20 miles from the northeastern coastline of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, Cozumel is surrounded by coral reefs, rimmed by ivory beaches, and covered with forests and wetlands that are home to endemic species. The problem is that Cozumel is visited by more than… Read More »
José Domingo Caal, a native of Izabal on Guatemala’s vibrant Caribbean coast, has dedicated his work to improving the local livelihoods and conserving the natural resources of his home region. A founding member of the Mayan Association for Rural Wellbeing in the Sarstun Region, José Domingo works to raise awareness of the link between environmental… Read More »
The Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance (CNCA), an international collaboration of cities committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050, has produced a Planning Framework is a roadmap for innovation and… Read More »
In the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) countries of Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala, agriculture is vital to the national economy. While less important in Mexico, it still accounts for 4% of the gross domestic product. Yet commercial agriculture (“agribusinesses”), located in the watersheds that drain into the Caribbean, present a dire threat to the health of the… Read More »
Central America has banned shark finning—the practice of removing a shark’s fins and discarding the animal in the sea—but the consumption of shark and ray meat continues. In Honduras, shark fishing is banned throughout most of the country, and in Belize there is limited consumption of shark meat. However, demand for shark fillet across the… Read More »
The Mesoamerican Reef Fund (MAR Fund) was established in 2004 to ensure long-term financial support for conservation of the Mesoamerican Reef. It has since become a catalyst of innovative local conservation initiatives and regional partnerships in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. The MAR Fund was created by the leaders of national conservation funds in the four MAR… Read More »
The same tropical climate and clear water that facilitated the development of the Mesoamerican Reef over the course of millennia have helped make the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula one of the world’s most popular tourism destinations in a matter of decades. Ivory beaches, turquoise sea, and multicolored marine life draw close to ten… Read More »
In Connecting to Change the World, co-authors John Cleveland, Madeleine Taylor and Peter Plastrik offer practical guidance for social entrepreneurs, community-minded leaders, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropists on how to build and manage social-impact networks… Read More »