MINSK, 9 November (BelTA) – There are plans to improve the genetic status of the micro-population of the European bison in the Naliboki Nature Reserve. These plans are part of the Wetlands project financed by the Global Environmental Facility and implemented by the United Nations Development Program in Belarus in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, BelTA learned from the press service of the UNDP Office in Belarus.
A backcasting analysis of the formation of the Naliboki micro-population was conducted; population dynamics and reproduction dynamics were evaluated; a series of field studies was undertaken to assess winter-spring and summer-autumn distribution of the bison population across the territory, including in forage lands and farmland. “There are plans to develop and implement a program to exchange individuals between micro-populations in order to improve the genetic status of the Naliboki herds. DNA testing of several individuals will be conducted to identify genetic diversity and potential of the Naliboki micro-population. In order to get the material, at least five live traps for bisons will be built,” the press service informed.
The results of the DNA testing will be used to improve the genetic status of the Naliboki micro-population. The ultimate goal is to create conditions for long-term preservation of the European bison population in Belarus.
“If successful, these innovative approaches will be incorporated into a long-term strategy to prevent fragmentation of the habitat and to maintain stability of globally endangered spices,” the press service added.
In 2018, some 146 hectares of meadows were restored to be used as forage lands for bisons. Over five years of the project, 490 hectares of forage lands are to be restored. This will allow avoiding conflicts with local agricultural companies and local residents because of the damage to farmland caused by bisons.
Apart from that, the Wetlands project helped increase the tourist appeal of the nature reserve that draws many Belarusian and foreign tourists who want to see bisons in their natural habitat.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted as the post-2015 development agenda at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in 2015, is a new and ambitious plan of action. It aims to develop and sustain necessary bases for national development and environmental conservation in diverse areas including law, governance, economy, and society. Acknowledging that a successful implementation of SDGs would be an important milestone that reinforces both the international community’s commitment to creating a safer world, the theme of this year’s Korean Institute of Criminology International Forum (KICIF) is determined as Strategies for Implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals to Build Safer Societies. The Forum narrows the scope of discussion to three Goals directly relevant to the field of criminal justice in order for a precise operationalization and maximum achievement of SDGs.
Amid increasing violence and conflict-related deaths everywhere in the world, there remains an uneven development of effective, accountable and inclusive institutions by regions. This session focuses on national best practices in achieving Target 16.1 and 16.2.
The global prevalence of gender inequality that resulted from entrenched social conventions violates not only women’s right to equality, but also their human dignity and the pursuit of happiness, undermining the rule of law premised on the legal protection of individuals’ rights and interests. This session examines national best practices on achieving Target 5.1 and 5.2.
From a criminological perspective, ‘safe and inclusive cities and communities’ would protect the individuals’ economic, social, and cultural right to an adequate standard of living and guarantee their physical and psychological safety from crimes. This session specifically focuses on national best practices in achieving Target 11.1.
Anticipating or predicting terrorist attacks is of great importance for state actors increasingly at risk of global terrorism. By exploiting easy access and lack of security in soft targets, terrorists now seek to achieve quick and low-cost operational success by incurring high civilian losses. In countering the attacks of indiscriminate nature, policymakers begin to look to new opportunities generated by big data modelling. This session is focused on the collection and analysis of data on various country-specific risk factors, the potential pitfalls in use of the data and the extent to which individuals’ right to freedom can be limited in the process.
Preventing terrorists’ attacks requires proactive investigation of suspects based on comprehensively collected data on their daily activities. But, the collection of personal information of citizens including arrival and departure dates, financial transactions, call records, and locations inevitably entails the inherent danger of violating individuals’ privacy. The session seeks to find the right balance between data collection and the individuals’ right to privacy to provide for effective investigation of any terrorism case.
As international terrorist groups come to operate across national borders without being confined to a specific country or region, international cooperation among states has become more salient than ever for effective prevention and suppression of transnational terrorism. State actors have begun to recognize the importance of the international mechanism for information sharing on terrorist financing and for extradition and mutual legal assistance. This session examines realistic and effective measures for states to transcend their state sovereignties in criminal matters related to terrorism for advancing transnational justice.
Terrorism in cyberspace has emerged as one of the newly evolving threats in the era of globalization. The rapid advances in information technology have enabled the wide use and dissemination of personal computers and the internet, which creates fertile grounds for terrorists to engage in cyber-sabotage and to conspire physical violence against target states. Cyber-terrorism, at its current state, takes many forms and tactics evolving in a variegated and sophisticated way. To counter the threats, it is necessitated for states to strengthen their responsive cyber-capacities. The session will be focused on the prevention of cyber-terrorism and effective counter-measures.
/ Sessions (1) Measures to ensure efficacy of terrorism anticipation and effectiveness of terrorism investigation
The Korean society has experienced social confusion and disarray through the recent Sewol ferry disaster and MERS outbreak. Risk factors of the globalized society open up possibilities for such incidents to re-occur at any time.
It is, therefore, necessary to discuss in depth the directions of (i) preventive criminal justice policies, (ii) improving the legal system and various reporting systems for initial disaster response and management, and (iii) reactive criminal justice policies.
The danger associated with an outbreak of contagious diseases, such as MERS, is always present and requires both proactive and reactive criminal justice responses. In other words, problems of the current disaster management system under the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act of 2014 need to be identified and duties thereunder fully performed. Discussions also need to take place on the imposition of effective compulsory measures in the case of an outbreak
National security of the Republic of Korea is exposed both to the threat of North Korea and attacks of international terrorist groups.
In addition, various threats to national security are increasingly becoming highly technological, organized and global in nature. It is, therefore, required that relevant legal systems be improved and complemented. Cyber terrorism, in particular, has become an extremely important issue that may potentially affect the daily lives of all people in all countries.
Establishing new legal systems is both a preventive criminal justice measure against potential acts of terrorism and a basis for securing public safety.
The aim of the KIC Forum, therefore, is to propose preventive and proactive criminal justice policy alternatives in effectively responding to the risks posed by the modern society and building a safe society.
The Forum aims to present practical measures of criminal justice response to various forms of terrorism and secure public safety from national security threats.
Although much of “subsistence” corruption has disappeared due to economic development, corruption has become more diverse and complex in size and forms which has become deeply ingrained into our society along with technological development and advancement of social structure. Closed social networks entrenched in our society have weakened effectiveness of legal frameworks and systems. It has also provided a hotbed for rampant corruption. Corruption distorts competition, poses a threat to economic development and undermines democracy. It causes a large-scale and serious damage which puts lives of people at risk. Therefore, there is no doubt that ending corruption is an essential prerequisite in moving forward to a new era of happiness and hope for the people and to a transparent society that is wholesome and sustainable.
Ending corruption requires painstaking efforts to disconnect the structure of corruption and to expose irregularities more effectively. Reporting of corruption should be actively carried out by raising public awareness on tackling corruption. Building a transparent environment by enforcing robust laws against corruption is required to deter corruption, and zero-tolerance principle should be applied to corrupt officials by imposing strict penalty including recovery of assets. This anti-corruption forum will provide a venue to learn from corruption-free nations and anti-corruption authorities about best practices of anti-corruption. It will also serve as a forum to suggest far-reaching measures to strengthen integrity and end corruption.