Canadian environmentalist, scientist and author David Suzuki will be the keynote speaker for an upcoming international environment conference to be held in Bermuda this March, The Royal Gazette has learned.

Well-known as the host of the CBC television programme 'The Nature of Things', Dr. Suzuki has written more than 28 books on science and the environment.

He is celebrated for his ability to simply explain scientific concepts to general audiences as well as his commitment to a holistic approach to science in which social costs and negative side-effects must be taken into account alongside scientific progress.

"We're really quite excited about him at the conference," Environment Ministry Permanent Secretary Brian Rowlinson told The Royal Gazette yesterday.

The conference - which will be held at the Elbow Beach hotel from March 22 to 27 - is primarily aimed at United Kingdom Overseas Territories (OTs) and will be partially funded by the UK Foreign Commonwealth Office's Environment Fund.

But Mr. Rowlinson said conference organisers have also decided to invite other small Island states, including all the Caricom nations, in order to ensure a better turnout as the some of the 15 British OTs - such as Pitcairn Island - may prohibitively far from the Island.

"We wanted to invite people who are dealing with very similar problems to those we are," said Mr. Rowlinson.

"Really that includes all other small island states but particularly those to our South."

The conference is being jointly organised by the Ministry of the Environment, the Bermuda National Trust, the Audubon Society and the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum.

The six main topics which will be discussed are: conservation issues of Bermuda with a field visit to Nonsuch Island; environmental charters and strategic planning; managing conservation organisations; implementing management plans; climate change; and dealing with invasive species.

Invitations went out over the last two weeks to key Ministries in each of the OTs and Caricom states as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in these states which focus on the environment.

Organisers hope to attract 100 participants to the conference including 20 from local NGOs and Government.

The British Government have committed roughly $100,000 to the cost of the conference, Mr. Rowlinson said, and the Ministry of Environment is expected to contribute between $80,000 and $100,000.

Local NGOs are expected to contribute close to $60,000 as well.

The funding will allow for the travel and accommodation costs to participants to be subsidised and ensure a diverse turnout.

The tentative slate of speakers for the March event includes representatives from both governments and NGOs of Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, Montserrat, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, Netherlands Antilles and British Virgin Islands.

The conference is the third Conservation Conference for UK Overseas Territories.

The first was held in London in 1999 and a second took place in Gibraltar in 2000.

Mr. Rowlinson said while lesson-sharing and networking are the primary objectives of the conference he hopes to see tangible results as well.

"We all (the OTs) signed on to an Environmental Charter last September and that means we've signed on to a variety of commitments," he said.

"There are things we have to take action on to meet those commitments, so it will be useful to talk to people in other small island states about how they are going about meeting those commitments."