Welcome

Hello! Welcome to the new and improved Commonwealth Human Ecology Council (CHEC) newsletter. This new newsletter is a great way to stay connected with all the latest news and events related to CHEC. The newsletter will be published quarterly throughout the year and will highlight the latest news, information, events related to CHEC, human ecology and the environment.

In this edition you can find the following:

• The latest CHEC news
• The latest ecological news
• Upcoming Commonwealth events
• Upcoming ecological events
• Getting involved

For further information about CHEC, including our detailed history and overview of current projects, please see our webpage - https://www.checinternational.org/

We can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Latest CHEC News

January 21st 2020: Clothing Waste and Fast Fashion in 2020 - A follow on from our most popular article of 2019 that looks at the topic of fast fashion and clothing waste.

December 3rd 2019: CHEC Achievements: 1969-2019 - An updated look at CHEC's successful history from the very beginning to our recent 50th year anniversary celebration.

November 28th 2019: Can We Eat Fish and Fight Climate Change - A short article that looks at the sustainability of eating fish while trying to fight climate change.

Latest Ecological News

My Home is on Fire by Professor Rob White, distinguished professor of criminology, University of Tasmania - In this honest and harrowing account read and learn about the devastation that has been caused by the recent forest fires in Australia.

Beavers to be reintroduced in Somerset and South Downs - In the UK, beavers are being reintroduced into certain areas to help local ecosystems develop and to naturally build up flood defences.

2019 Second Hottest Year on Record, Confirms UN - 2019 has officially been confirmed as the second hottest year on record by the United Nations.

Upcoming Commonwealth Events

7th March 2020, London, UK - 7th Annual Commonwealth Africa Summit

The Summit is a high level event that annually brings together government and business leaders from the Commonwealth to facilitate dialogue and action on relevant issues ranging from trade and investment, entrepreneurship and job creation, economic development, security and counterterrorism, energy and power amongst other relevant issues in Africa. Register here.

9th March 2020 - Commonwealth Day 2020 Annual Lecture

According to the Global Slavery Index a staggering 55% of those currently enslaved reside in Commonwealth countries. This means that the Commonwealth is in a unique position to help significantly reduce slavery in the world. Find out more here.

22nd-27th June 2020, Kigali, Rwanda - Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2020

This years CHOGM event takes place in Kigali, Rwanda and will be focusing on "Delivering A Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming". More information can be found on the CHEC website here.

Upcoming Ecological Events

3rd March 2020, London, UK - Can Gender Equality Help Solve Climate Change?

Is gender equality a key factor in tackling climate change? In this lecture Environment Professor Jacqueline McGlade will explain why in relation to UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 is to 'achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Find out more information here.

11th March 2020, West Sussex, UK - Ending the War on Nature

Ending the War on Nature is the next lecture in a set of talks by independent ecologist Dr Tony Whitbread. It is set to be an interesting discussion and further information can be found here.

3rd May 2020, London, UK - Shifting Landscapes

Changing social issues and literal shifts in environmental and spatial landscapes demand novel, collaborative and cross-disciplinary approaches to these challenges. The conference aims to bring together researchers on the changes we will be facing and how to best approach them. It aims to highlight the contributions of new researchers who propose ways of tackling these emerging issues, whether theoretical, experimental or applied. You can join the event here.

Recent and Forthcoming Publications

[Open Access] Massé, F., et al. 2020. Conservation and crime convergence? Situating the 2018 London Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference. Journal of Political Ecology. 27(1).

[Open Access] Soga, M and Gaston, K (2020), The Ecology of Human-Nature Interactions. Proceedings of the Royal Society of B: Biological Sciences.

Alvim, R et al., 2019. Global Social Change: Human Ecology from an Eco-Ethical Perspective. In: Valera, L and Castilla, J. Global Changes Ethics, Politics and Environment in the Contemporary Technological World (Switzerland: Springer Nature)

Support CHEC

There are many ways you can support the work that CHEC does. We appreciate all types of support so if you fancy becoming a member, donating or simply following us on social media please do by clicking on the links below.