26 June 2009: At its 61st Annual Meeting, which took place from 22-26 June 2009, in Madeira, Portugal, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) adopted by consensus a resolution on Climate and Other Environmental Changes and Cetaceans, which had been submitted by the US and Norway.

In the resolution, the IWC: endorses the outcome of the workshop on whales and climate change, which was held in Siena, Italy, from 21-25 February 2009, and associated recommendations of the Scientific Committee; requests contracting governments to incorporate climate change considerations into existing conservation and management plans; directs the Scientific Committee to continue its work on studies of this issue and calls on contracting governments, intergovernmental organizations and NGOs to support its expansion; requests the Secretariat to forward the resolution and the Sienna workshop report (SC/61/Rep 4) to relevant bodies and meetings including, inter alia, the World Climate Conference, and the upcoming meetings of the UNFCCC and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); and appeals to all contracting governments to take urgent action to reduce the rate and extent of climate change. [The Resolution][Workshop Report]