Since the 3rd IUCN Congress in 2004, international efforts towards the conservation of the endangered dugong have been accelerated. The establishment of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and their Habitats throughout their Range (MoU) in 2007, spearheaded by the Thai and Australian governments under the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS), epitomizes these efforts. All range countries including Japan are encouraged to participate in the MoU.
Furthermore, in 2008, the US federal district court ruled that the US government has violated the US National Historical Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 402 in planning to construct a US Marine Corps facility in the northern most dugong's habitat in Okinawa, Japan. The court ordered the US government to comply with the NHPA Section 402 for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating adverse effects to the dugong. Proper environmental impact assessment (EIA) by both US and Japanese governments is required to insure the survival and conservation of the dugong.
The motion "Promotion of Dugong during the UN 2010 International Year for Biodiversity"(CGR4.MOT027) forwarded to the 4th IUCN Congress urges the Japanese government to participate in the MoU and for both the US and Japanese government to conduct together EIA before the construction of the US Marine Corps facility in the dugong's habitat with a view to environmental conservation and wild animal protection
The 4th IUCN Congress adopted the motion on October, 14 2008. The motion won overwhelming endorsement from the IUCN members.
I support the Resolution, and I urge both the Japanese and US governments to immediately implement it.
