Our challenge
is to move sustainable development from the margins to the core of
our activities. I first heard this charge from Nitan Desai, then UN
Under-Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Development, at
an early session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. I
was reminded of it while reading the stories for this Linkages
Update issue.
…
article continues
Lynn Wagner, Ph.D.
Editor, Linkages Update and
MEA Bulletin |
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BANGKOK CLIMATE TALKS ESTABLISH 2008 WORK PROGRAMME |
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 Bangkok,
5 April—The
first session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on
Long-term Cooperative Action (AWGLCA 1) and
the fifth session of the Ad Hoc Working
Group on Further Commitments for Annex I
Parties under the Kyoto Protocol to the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (AWG
5) attracted over 1000 participants,
including more than 100 media
representatives, to their “Bangkok Climate
Change Talks” in Bangkok, Thailand, from 31
March to 4 April 2008. The AWGLCA developed
a 2008 work programme that aims to further
discussions on all elements of the Bali
Action Plan at every session of the AWGLCA
in a coherent, integrated and transparent
manner. It establishes a timetable and
elements to be addressed, as well as eight
in-session workshops to be held during 2008.
The AWG convened an in-session workshop on
analyzing the means for Annex I parties to
reach their emission reduction targets. In
its conclusions, AWG 5 indicated that
emissions trading and the project-based
mechanisms under the Protocol should
continue in the post-2012 period, and be
supplemental to domestic actions in Annex I
countries. The next round of discussions
will convene in Bonn, Germany, beginning on
2 June 2008.
More. |
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Photo: Luiz Machado
(Brazil) chaired AWGLCA 1 |
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FIRST AFRICAN WATER WEEK ADDRESSES ACCELERATING
WATER SECURITY |
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 Tunis,
29 March—The
First African Water Week (AWW-1), convened
under the theme “Accelerating Water Security
for the Socio-Economic Development of
Africa,” took place from 26-28 March 2008,
in Tunis, Tunisia. The meeting’s three
objectives were to provide a forum for key
actors in Africa’s water sector to discuss
the opportunities and challenges of
achieving water security for Africa’s
socio-economic development, take stock of
the status of the achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals and related
targets on water in Africa, and make
recommendations for consideration by the
2008 African Union and G8 summits, and the
2009 Fifth World Water Forum (WWF-5).
Participants agreed on two key outputs. The
“Summary of Proceedings and Outcomes”
highlights the issues and recommendations
made in plenary and working groups, and the
“Ministerial Declaration on Accelerating
Water Security for Africa’s Socio-economic
Development” reflects the specific
commitments that ministers agreed to act on.
WWF-5 launched its regional preparatory
process during the meeting.
More.
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Photo: L-R: His Royal
Highness Prince Willem-Alexander; B.
Ahmadu, African Union Commission; and Mandla
Gantsho, Vice President, AfDB and Co-Chairman of
the Water Week Steering Committee |
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Spring Meeting of ECOSOC with BWIs, WTO and UNCTAD:
14 April 2008, New York, US |
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CITES Plants and Animals Committees:
15-24 April 2007, Geneva, Switzerland |
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International Conference on Renewable Energy in Africa:
16-18 April 2008, Dakar, Senegal |
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Twelfth Session of the UN Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD XII):
20-25 April 2008, Accra, Ghana |
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First Meeting of the Task Force on Extreme Weather Events
under the Protocol on Water and Health to the UNECE Water
Convention:
21-22 April 2008, Rome, Italy |
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GEF Council Meeting and NGO Consultation:
21-25 April 2008, Washington DC, US |
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Seventh Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues:
21 April-2 May 2008, New York, US |
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OECD-UNEP Conference on Resource Efficiency:
23-25 April 2008, Paris, France |
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Forest Day: Shaping the Debate on Forests and Climate Change
in Central Africa:
24 April 2008, Yaound�, Cameroon |
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Second Meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Informal
Working Group on Marine Biodiversity beyond National
Jurisdiction:
28 April-2 May 2008, New York, US |
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ITTO Expert Meeting Addressing Climate Change through
Sustainable Forest Management:
30 April-2 May 2008, Yokohama, Japan |
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