The Council of Europe's Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, or "Bern Convention", came into force on 1 June 1982. The aim of the Bern Convention is to conserve biodiversity through a regional pan-European framework extended to include the Mediterranean regions and Africa. This document contains the texts adopted between 2005 and 2008 by the Standing Committee of the convention, composed of representatives of the contracting parties, whose meetings are also attended by observers. The Standing Committee is responsible for following the application of the convention and can make recommendations To The contracting parties concerning measures to be taken for its implementation. The Standing Committee has also adopted several other texts.

The history of interest and practice in insect conservation is summarised and traced through contributions from many of the leaders in the discipline, to provide the first broad global account of how insects have become incorporated into considerations of conservation. The essays collectively cover the genesis and development of insect conservation, emphasising its strong foundation within the northern temperate regions and the contrasts with much of the rest of the world. Major present-day scenarios are discussed, together with possible developments and priorities in insect conservation for the future.

The effects of climate change on ecosystems are complex. The impact on the species and habitats protected by the Bern Convention may differ widely, depending on the species, their habitats and location. This publication includes seven expert reports presenting concrete measures for addressing the vulnerability of Europe's natural heritage in the face of climate change and its effects, and how this heritage must adapt in order to survive.With this publication, the Council of Europe aims to increase awareness about the links between biodiversity and climate, and emphasise the large potential for synergies when addressing biodiversity loss and climate change in an integrated manner.

"The effects of climate change on ecosystems are complex. The impact on the species and habitats protected by the Bern Convention may differ widely, depending on the species, their habitats and location. This publication includes six expert reports presenting concrete measures for addressing the vulnerability of Europe's natural heritage in the face of climate change and its effects, and how this heritage must adapt in order to survive. This publication reproduces the full text of Recommendation 135 (2008) on addressing the impacts of climate change on biodiversity, adopted by the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention in November 2008, which stresses the urgent need to tackle the impact of climate change on biological diversity and on its conservation. With this publication, the Council of Europe aims to increase awareness about the links between biodiversity and climate, and emphasise the large potential for synergies when addressing biodiversity loss and climate change in an integrated manner."--P. [4] of cover.

Human geopolitics, the competition for population rather than territory, is an essential but weakly understood dimension of world politics today. Such competition has preceded violent conflict throughout history, but has been muted since the Treaties of Westphalia laid the territorial foundations of the modern international system in the mid-seventeenth century. Today, however, human geopolitics is being resurrected in unanticipated ways, as governments are enabled and encouraged to engage their emigrant diasporas. How and why is this happening? Until now these questions have been difficult to answer. The majority of research attention has focused on questions of immigration policy in a handful of wealthy migrant destination countries, largely ignoring the emigration policies that preoccupy the worlds many migrant origin states. This book addresses that research imbalance, by focusing on the overlooked sending side of migration policy. Drawing on data covering all UN members across the post-WWII period, and fieldwork with high-level policy makers across 60 states and a dozen international organisations, the book charts the re-emergence of human geopolitics through the global spread of diaspora institutions government ministries and offices dedicated to emigrants and their descendants. It calls for the development of stronger guiding principles and evaluation frameworks to govern these new state-diaspora relations in an era of unprecedented global interdependence.