As each year
draws to a close, activities in the international sustainable
development policy realm seem to reach a frantic pace. Many of these
events seek to influence the annual Climate Change Conference, which
traditionally takes place at the end of the calendar year. Others
respond to the cycles of other processes and events, such as the
September-December UN General Assembly session, or seek to prepare
inputs for events in following year. …
article continues
Lynn Wagner, Ph.D.
Editor, Linkages Update and
MEA Bulletin |
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RAMSAR COP10 UNDERWAY |
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 Changwon,
30 October—The
tenth meeting of the Conference of the
Contracting Parties (COP) to the Convention
on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971) opened on
28 October 2008, in Changwon, Republic of
Korea, under the theme “Healthy Wetlands,
Healthy People.” The meeting, which will
conclude on 4 November 2008, will consider
over 20 agenda items, including the
Convention’s Strategic Plan 2009-2014 and
its budget for the triennium 2009-2011, as
well as reports and recommendations
submitted by parties and by the Convention’s
Standing Committee.
More.
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Photo: Children from
the 10 countries which have hosted Ramsar COPs
presented the message of COP 10. |
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ROTTERDAM COP4 CONVENES |
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 Rome,
30 October—The
fourth meeting of the Conference of the
Parties (COP4) to the Rotterdam Convention
on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for
Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides
in International Trade (PIC) is convening
from 27-31 October 2008, in Rome, Italy.
COP4 is considering, inter alia: a programme
of work for technical assistance for
2009–2010; procedures and institutional
mechanisms on non-compliance; the inclusion
of chrysotile asbestos, tributyltin
compounds and endosulfan in Annex III of the
Convention and adoption of the associated
decision guidance documents; and the
recommendations of the Ad Hoc Joint Working
Group on Enhancing Cooperation and
Coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and
Stockholm conventions.
More.
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Photo: Dais during the
opening plenary of Rotterdam COP4. |
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SAICM OELTWG DISCUSSES RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR ICCM |
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Rome,
25 October—The
first meeting of the Open-ended Legal and
Technical Working Group (OELTWG) of the
International Conference on Chemicals
Management (ICCM) and informal discussions
on preparations for the second meeting of
the ICCM (ICCM2), convened from 21-24
October 2008, in Rome, Italy. The OELTWG
discussed the rules of procedure for the
ICCM, using the rules of procedure for the
preparatory committee for the Strategic
Approach to International Chemicals
Management (SAICM) as a guide. Although some
progress was made on the composition of the
Bureau, delegates were unable to reach
agreement on the entire text. Negotiations
will continue at ICCM2 in May 2009.
More. |
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EUROPEAN FOREST WEEK FOCUSES ON CLIMATE CHANGE, WATER AND
ENERGY |
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Rome,
25 October—Delegates
from 45 countries met in Rome, Italy, from
20-24 October 2008, to discuss collaboration
on sustainable forest management issues
during the first European Forest Week (EFW),
held in conjunction with the joint meeting
of the Sixty-sixth session of the UN
Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Timber Council and Thirty-fourth session of
the FAO European Forestry Commission.
European Forest Week was held in fulfillment
of a Ministerial Statement adopted by the
fifth Ministerial Conference on the
Protection of Forests in Europe in Warsaw in
November 2007, which declared 20-24 October
2008 the Pan-European Forest Week 2008.
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CBD Expert Workshop on Integrating Protected Areas into
Wider Land- and Seascapes:
1-4 November 2008. Isle of Vilm, Germany. |
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Forty-fourth Session of the International Tropical Timber
Council (ITTC):
3-8 November 2008. Yokohama, Japan. |
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Seventh Session of the Committee for the Review of the
Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 7) of the UN
Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and First
Special Session of the Committee on Science and Technology
(CST):
3-14 November 2008. Istanbul, Turkey. |
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CBD Expert Meeting on South-South Cooperation on
Biodiversity for Development:
6-7 November 2008. Montreal, Canada. |
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International Conference: The European Forest-Based Sector:
Bio-Responses to Address New Climate and Energy Challenges?:
6-8 November 2008. Nancy, France. |
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Second Meeting of Signatory States to the Great Bustard MOU:
9-12 November 2008. Feodosia, Ukraine. |
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Intergovernmental and Multi-Stakeholder Meeting on an
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity
and Ecosystem Services:
10-12 November 2008. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. |
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GEF Council Meeting and NGO Consultation:
10-13 November 2008. Washington DC, US. |
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Ad Hoc Expert Group to Develop Proposals for the Development
of a Voluntary Global Financial Mechanism/Portfolio
Approach/Forest Financing Framework:
10-14 November 2008. Vienna, Austria. |
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Global Indigenous Peoples Consultation on REDD:
12-14 November 2008. Baguio, Philippines. |
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Better Air Quality 2008:
12-14 November 2008. Bangkok, Thailand. |
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