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Sustainable development
DATABASE OF PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The
Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) recently launched an
online Database of Partnerships for Sustainable Development.
Developed in response to a request from the eleventh session of the
Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), it contains voluntary
self-reports from partnerships announced at and since the 2002 World
Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). The database allows the
user to search these partnerships by title, geographic scope and
lead partner. As of 1 February, 266 partnership initiatives were
registered with the CSD Secretariat, 209 of which were registered
during the WSSD process. The
database.
UNLEASHING ENTREPRENEURSHIP: MAKING BUSINESS WORK FOR THE POOR
(UN,
2004) This report was prepared at the request of UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan by the Commission on the Private Sector
and Development. The five-chapter report offers recommendations on how governments,
public development institutions, the private sector and civil
society can enhance the private sector’s ability to contribute to
development. Recommendations include calls for better-targeting of
subsidies and tax incentives, developing legal systems for
protecting property rights that are internationally regarded as
credible, and engaging the private sector in the policy process. In
addition, developed countries are encouraged to foster a conducive
international macroeconomic environment and trade regime, and civil
society is encouraged to help increase accountability in the system.
The
report.
DIRECTORY OF DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS 2004
The Directory of Development
Organizations has released its 2004 edition. Aimed at facilitating
international cooperation and knowledge sharing in development work,
the Directory compiles contact data of sources of assistance
available for private sector development and poverty reduction.
Listed in the Directory are entities that promote private sector
development and poverty alleviation through: finance and
microfinance, trade and business development services, rural
development and appropriate technology, small enterprise development
and policy reforms, community development and social protection,
gender and participation, environment and health, research, training
and education. Almost 30,000 such entities are included in the
directory.
The
directory.
IISD WEEKLY JOURNAL REVIEW
Subscribe to receive weekly e-updates containing descriptions of peer-reviewed
articles on sustainable development.
Water, wetlands, oceans, coasts
LISTENING
(WSSCC,
March 2004) Produced by the Water Supply and Sanitation
Collaborative Council (WSSCC), this publication highlights the
failure to achieve safe water and sanitation as the most significant
oversight of national and international development efforts over the
last 50 years. Through contributions from field workers, Listening addresses why so little
progress has been made with regards to provision of safe drinking
water and adequate sanitation, and provides a platform for the
voices of those not typically heard in international fora. The
publication will be launched on World Water Day, 22 March, in
London, Dakar, New Delhi, and Islamabad, and on 26 March in Pretoria
during South Africa’s National Water Week. Media briefings will be
held in London and Paris on Thursday, 18 March 2004. Hard copies can
be pre-ordered by contacting
Cora Cipriano, while
electronic copies will be available online on 18 March.
UNESCO IN ACTION: THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF FRESHWATER 2003
(UNESCO, 2004) UNESCO has
released a brochure summarizing its involvement in the promotion and
observance of the International Year of Freshwater 2003. UNESCO,
together with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA),
were the lead UN institutions in organizing events during the
International Year, which focused on improving awareness on the
critical state of freshwater and educating on unsustainable water
consumption. The
brochure.
IMPROVING MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT IN COASTAL CITIES
(UNEP-GPA, 2004) The United Nation Environment Programme’s
Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine
Environment from Land-based Activities (UNEP-GPA) has published this
training manual on wastewater management in coastal cities. The
manual is aimed at helping municipal wastewater managers improve
sanitary services for coastal populations. The
manual.
RAMSAR GUIDELINES ON INTEGRATING WETLAND CONSERVATION AND WISE
USE INTO RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT
(Global Environment Centre, 2004) The South East Asia version of the
Ramsar Guidelines on Integrating Wetland Conservation and Wise Use
into River Basin Management has been published
to assist practitioners locate additional
materials on wetland conservation and river basin management. The
guidelines include relevant case studies from the region on such
issues as: collaborative
management of the Red River Estuary in Vietnam; the
role of civil society in river restoration in Thailand; restoration
of the Chilika Lagoon in India; and international cooperation in
river basin management from the Mekong River Commission. The
guidelines.
OCEAN WONDERLAND TEACHER’S GUIDE
(UENP and WWF, 2004) A teacher’s guide for the recently released 3-D
movie, Ocean Wonderland, has been published to help students
understand the crucial ecological role
coral reefs play in maintaining the well being of the planet, and to
highlight and warn against the dangers that are destroying the
world’s coral reefs. It describes most of the sea creatures
that appear in the movie, and gives some of their main
characteristics, and explains how all these creatures belong to and
function in a rich but fragile ecosystem that is highly endangered.
The guide also draws attention to the main threats to coral reefs
and gives recommendations on how to protect them. The
guide.
INTERNATIONAL HYDROLOGICAL GLOSSARY
The French National Hydrology Committee has created an international
hydrological glossary for UNESCO’s International Hydrological
Programme. The
glossary – available in 12 languages.
WWAP WATER REPORTS ONLINE
The UN’s World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) has published seven
case studies that examine water resource management issues around
the world. The reports are ‘snapshots’ of global conditions,
including a selection of on-the-ground studies representing
different geographic regions, different conditions of water-related
stress, different socio-economic circumstance and different human
needs. The
reports.
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Climate, energy, and atmosphere
CRITICAL USE NOMINATIONS – 2004 SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT
(UNEP
Technology and Economic Assessment Panel, February 2004) UNEP’s
Technology and Economic Assessment Panel has produced an additional
report on the issue of methyl bromide in request to a response late
last year from Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that
Deplete the Ozone Layer. The request was made over disagreements on
the issue of exemptions to allow the use of methyl bromide – an
ozone depleting substance – for “critical uses.”
In its supplementary report, the Panel makes a variety of
recommendations, including that Parties to the Montreal Protocol
should consider allowing methyl bromide for uses nominated for 2005
and 2006 “critical use exemptions” that have not been approved by
Parties to date. However, it adds that this should only be permitted
as long as the resulting emissions are offset through the collection
and destruction of one kilogram of halon 1211 (another
ozone-depleting substance) for every five kilograms of methyl
bromide. The Panel also recommended that Parties be allowed to use
methyl bromide for “critical use nominations” approved by Parties
for 2007 and beyond, but again only if this is balanced by the
destruction of a sufficient quantity of halons or
chlorofluorocarbons to offset the ozone-depleting potential of the
methyl bromide. The Panel notes that Parties’ nominations have been
treated “liberally,” but warns that future evaluations will require
Parties to demonstrate clearly that their nomination meets all the
relevant criteria.
The methyl bromide issue has proved controversial, with further
negotiations taking place throughout March to resolve the issue,
culminating in an extraordinary Meeting of the Parties to the
Montreal Protocol scheduled for 24-26 March in Montreal, Canada.
This supplementary report proved to be no exception, with one Panel
member, Gary Taylor, disagreeing with the procedures and content of
the destruction credits section. The report notes Taylor’s view that
the report is “seriously flawed” and that the Panel has exceeded its
mandate. Taylor, who chairs the Halons Technical Options Committee,
is resigning from his position effective 30 June 2004. The
report.
EMISSIONS TRADING IN INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION
(Öko-Institut, 2004) This report by Martin Cames and Odette
Deuber of Germany’s Institute for Applied Ecology (Öko-Institut)
considers emissions trading in aviation, looking at possible design
options for a trading system, as well as their likely impacts. The
authors argue that an emissions trading system for aviation is “both
possible and sensible,” while cautioning that the “total
climatic impact of aviation [must] be covered” by such as system if
it is to have the desired effect. The report was commissioned by the
German Federal Environment Agency in response to the growing focus
on economic instruments in limiting the impact of greenhouse gases
from the aviation sector (the European Union is reported to be
considering emissions levies, while the International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO) is looking at setting up an emissions trading
system). The
report.
HIGH TIDE: NEWS FROM A WARMING WORLD
(Flamingo Press, March 2004) This new book by Mark Lynas
explores the effects of climate change, both now and in the future.
Aimed at a mainstream audience, the book is designed to raise
awareness of the significant threat posed by climate change. Lynas
considers the global impact of this phenomenon, from islands
threatened by sea level rise to huge changes taking place in the
world’s polar regions. Articles by Mark Lynas and
information on how to purchase the book are available online.
ENERGY SUBSIDIES: LESSONS LEARNED IN ASSESSING THEIR IMPACT AND
DESIGNING POLICY REFORMS
(Greenleaf Publishing, 2004) Edited by Anja von Moltke, Colin
McKee and Trevor Morgan, this book seeks to raise awareness of the
impacts of energy subsidies and provide guidance to policy makers on
how to develop and implement energy subsidy reforms. It provides
methodologies for analyzing subsidies and presents a number of case
studies from various countries and regions. It also provides advice
on how to overcome resistance to reform. The book draws on a range
of sources, particularly the UN Environment Programme and the
International Energy Agency.
More.
Human development
INNOCENTI DIGEST 11: ENSURING THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS CHILDREN
(UNICEF IRC, February 2004) Produced by UNICEF’s Innocenti Research
Centre, this report reveals that indigenous children are among the
most marginalized groups in the global community. The report states
that indigenous children face greater threats to survival, including
higher mortality rates and lower rates of school enrolment, than
other children, and greater risk of human trafficking, sexual or
labor exploitation, loss of land and lower self-esteem due to
difficulty in integrating into the dominant culture. UNICEF
estimates a global population of 300 million indigenous adults and
children, most of whom live in Asia and Latin America. The rights of
children are protected under the UN Convention on the Rights of the
Child (1989), and States are responsible for promoting and
protecting these rights. The report recommends that practical
initiatives focus on the following four areas: health and nutrition,
education, protection and support, birth registration and
participation in decision-making. The
publication is available in English and Spanish.
COMMON GROUND: WOMEN’S ACCESS TO NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE UNITED
NATIONS MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS
(WEDO, December 2003) Produced by the Women’s Environment and
Development Organization (WEDO), this booklet demonstrates how
linking the Millennium Development Goals, in particular those that
focus on poverty eradication, gender equality and environmental
sustainability (MDGs 1, 3, and 7), can increase women’s access to
natural resources. It gives an overview of women’s relationship to
natural resources, recommends strategies and actions for making
gender equality central to MDGs, and offers links to further
information on these issues. The
booklet.
Intergovernmental organizations
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 9
The
International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE)
has released the latest issue of its tri-annual newsletter. The
newsletter features reports on INECE’s recent and upcoming
activities, international enforcement news, stories from INECE’s
regional networks, and profiles of recent publications. This edition
presents the outcomes of a workshop convened by INECE and the OECD
on advancing the development and use of environmental compliance and
enforcement indicators. It also highlights plans for a new book on
environmental enforcement and compliance. The
newsletter.
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Biodiversity and wildlife
NOWHERE TO HIDE: THE TRADE IN SUMATRAN TIGERS
(TRAFFIC, March 2004) This new report, released by TRAFFIC, reveals
that at least 50 Sumatran tigers were poached per year between 1998
and 2002, while the latest available figures show that there
are between 400 and 500 tigers left in
the wild in Sumatra. The report exposes killing of the critically
endangered species by professional and semi-professional hunters, as
well as a substantial domestic Indonesian market for tiger
skins and other parts, and illegal international trade in Sumatran
tiger parts sold to other parts of Asia. The
report.
IFPRI RESEARCH AT A GLANCE SERIES: BIOTECHNOLOGY AND GENETIC
RESOURCES POLICIES
(IFPRI, December 2003) While the first set of IFPRI’s policy
briefs focused on intellectual property rights issues, this second
set focuses on ex situ genebanks and its collections. They
present syntheses and synopses of research conducted by a team from
IFPRI’s Environment and Production Technology Division and several
collaborators. The briefs address issues such as: search strategies
and the value of a large collection; strategies for timely
evaluation of genebank accessions; and the demand for crop genetic
resources from national and international collections. The
briefs.
STATE OF THE WORLD’S BIRDS
(BirdLife International, March 2004) The most comprehensive
review of the state of birds was released during the recent BirdLife
International World Conservation Conference, which was held under
the theme “Empowering People for Change” in Durban, South Africa. It
uses the IUCN Red List categories and criteria to determine that
1,211 species – 12.4 percent of species or one in eight bird species
– are globally threatened with extinction,
179 of which are critically endangered
and could disappear completely in the immediate future. It
identifies threats to birds, including agricultural activities,
fragmentation and destruction of bird habitat, overexploitation,
invasive alien species and climate change. It shows that habitat
destruction and degradation currently impact 1,045 or 86 percent of
globally threatened birds. Overexploitation and the effects of
invasive alien species, especially predators, each directly threaten
over 300 species, while climate change is identified as a rapidly
emerging threat. While the report
recognizes that 280 threatened species around the world have already
begun to benefit from protection measures, it also warns that
conservation measures are not yet in place for 400 species of
endangered birds three years after they were officially identified
as being in serious danger. The
report.
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED ORGANISMS AND THE ENVIRONMENT: CURRENT STATUS
AND RECOMMENDATIONS
(Ecological Society of America, February 2004) This position
paper states that GMOs have the potential to play a positive role in
sustainable agriculture but that their release into the environment
could have negative ecological impacts under certain circumstances.
The paper notes that risk evaluations of GMOs should focus on an
organism’s phenotype, rather than on the process of genetic
engineering itself. Noting that the long-term ecological impacts of
new types of GMOs may be difficult to predict or study prior to
commercialization, the paper strongly recommends a cautious approach
to releasing such organisms into the environment. The paper
identifies cases where GMOs may pose risk to the environment,
including where the GMO may proliferate and persist without human
intervention, where genetic exchange is possible, or where the new
trait confers an advantage to the GMO over native species in a given
environment. It also includes recommendations regarding the
development and use of GMOs in the environment. The
paper.
CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF AGRICULTURAL BIODIVERSITY
(International Potato Center, 2003) This book compiles 75 papers
of international field-based experiences by scientists, academics,
policymakers and donors looking at aspects of conservation and
sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity. It encourages action
aimed at managing agricultural biodiversity resources within
existing landscapes and ecosystems, in support of the livelihoods of
farmers, fishers and livestock keepers.
More.
BIOTECH AND WORLD HUNGER
(Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology, 2004) This paper
gives an overview of the debate on GM crops and their potential to
improve food security in developing countries. The paper argues that
poverty and the uneven distribution of food are not the fundamental
sources of global hunger. It says that distribution is only one
piece of a much more complex solution, which would have to address
the broad systemic problems that exist in many developing countries,
such as weak government institutions and civil strife. The paper
says that agricultural biotechnology does not offer a solution to
such problems, but it may provide the means to develop crop
varieties that are tailored to particular regions and that could
play an important role in addressing hunger. It further argues that
deep differences expressed in the biotechnology debate are rooted in
perspectives that are far broader than the biotechnology debate
itself and cannot be resolved solely within its confines. The
paper.
Forests
CONGO BASIN FOREST PARTNERSHIP
The
Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) recently launched a
multilingual website to facilitate communication, cooperation and
coordination among partners, as well as to respond to the public’s
interest in the Congo Basin’s forest and environment. The site
includes a description of the partnership, a calendar of events,
partnership news updates, contact information and links for partners
and to other organizations active in economic development, forest
management, and environment in the Congo Basin. The
website.
Trade, finance and investment
TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT IN THE WTO: AFTER CANCUN
(RIIA,
February 2004) This briefing paper by Duncan Brack and Thomas
Branczik for the Royal Institute for International Affairs looks at
the linkages between trade and environmental issues. The authors
consider how the ongoing growth in global trade can conflict with
and, on occasion, support environmental regulation. The report also
looks at some of the key areas where trade-environment tensions
exist, explains countries’ positions on trade-environment linkages,
and assesses how these are influencing the debate. The
report. |
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Click here for a complete listing of upcoming meetings
Upcoming meetings recently added to Linkages
website:
Sustainable development
INTER-AGENCY
MEETING ON MEASURES TO ENSURE A “SMOOTH TRANSITION” FOR COUNTRIES
GRADUATING FROM LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRY STATUS:
16 March 2004. New York, United States. This inter-agency meeting is
convened jointly by DESA’s Development Policy and Planning Office
and the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed
Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island
Developing States (OHRLLS). The goal of the meeting will be to
identify actions and measures that could be proposed for adoption by
bilateral and multilateral partners to ensure that there is no
disruption to a country’s development on its graduation from least
developed country status. For more information contact: Anatoly
Smyshlyaev, DPPO; tel: +1-212-963-4687; Internet:
http://www.un.org/esa/desa82.htm#trendsa1
SIXTH MEETING OF THE CSD-12 BUREAU: 19 March 2004. New York,
United States. The sixth meeting of the Bureau of the Commission on
Sustainable Development (CSD) will take place on 19 March. A
briefing to delegates on the organization of work for CSD-12 and a
conference call with the organizing partners of Major Groups are
expected in conjunction with this meeting. For more information
contact: Federica Pietracci, Major Groups Programme Coordinator, UN
DSD/DESA; tel: +1-212-963-2803; fax: +1-212-963-4260; e-mail:
pietracci@un.org; Internet:
http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd/csd12/csd12.htm
FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT SPRING HEARINGS WITH CIVIL SOCIETY AND
BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS: 22 March 2004 - 24 March 2004. New York,
United States. The civil society hearings will take place on 22
March and the hearings with business stakeholders will be held on 24
March. These meetings represent the civil society and business
components of the financing for development spring hearings with
non-institutional stakeholders. For more information contact:
Alexandre Trepelkov, Financing for Development Office; tel:
+1-212-963-7633; e-mail:
ffdoffice@un.org; Internet:
http://www.un.org/esa/ffd/
DISTANCE LEARNING SPECIALIZATION COURSES ON “MANAGEMENT OF LOCAL
DEVELOPMENT” AND “GENDER APPROACH TO LOCAL DEVELOPMENT”: 23
April 2004 - 1 April 2005. Internet and e-mail. Offered by the
Delnet Programme of the International Training Centre of the
International Labour Organization (ILO), the course on “Management
of local development” is available in English, Spanish and
Portuguese, and the course on “Gender approach to local development”
is available in Spanish only. Training, information and technical
advice services are provided through internet and via e-mail. Delnet
supports and assists local actors in the promotion of the
territorial development processes. The deadline for enrolment is 26
March and the programmes will begin on 23 April 2004. Forty
scholarships are available to applicants from North America, South
America, Central America and the Caribbean. The deadline for receipt
of application for a scholarship is 8 March 2004. For more
information contact: Delnet; tel: +39-11-693-6656; e-mail:
delnetenglish@delnetitcilo.net; Internet:
http://www.itcilo.it/delnet
MEETING ON GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY: DEVELOPING GUIDELINES
FOR SOUTHERN AFRICAN NGOS: 25 May 2004. Johannesburg, South
Africa. This conference will address the need for Southern African
NGOs to apply principles of best practice, and will launch the
process of developing a draft Code of Good Governance for the
non-profit sector. For more information contact: Yvonne Morgan; tel:
+44-11-726-1148; e-mail:
ymorgan@cafsouthernafrica.org; Internet:
http://www.cafonline.org/cafsouthernafrica/default.cfm?page=news_story&whichStory=2551
CONFERENCE ON SCALING UP POVERTY REDUCTION: 25 May 2004 - 27
May 2004. Shanghai, China. This conference is expected to convene
some 600 participants around a series of development success
stories, providing high visibility to approaches in poverty
reduction. For more information contact: Kim Cuenco; tel:
+1-202-458-9107; e-mail:
Ecuenco@worldbank.org; Internet:
http://www.worldbank.org/wbi/reducingpoverty/
SECOND CARIBBEAN ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM & EXHIBITION: 31 May
2004 - 4 June 2004. Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. This Forum aims to
convene key Caribbean and international stakeholders in the public
and private sectors, civil society, the media, academics,
researchers, experts, donor and development agencies, technical
agencies and institutions, among others, to discuss issues and share
experiences related to environment and development. The meeting will
also provide a regional forum for presenting and discussing issues
related to the International Meeting on the ten year review of the
sustainable development of SIDS to be held in Mauritius in August
2004. For more information contact: CEF-2, Conference Secretariat;
tel: +758-452-2501; fax: +758-453-2721; e-mail:
cef2@cehi.org.lc; Internet:
http://www.cehi.org.lc/cef2/index.htm
ISO CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: 21 June 2004 - 22
June 2004. Stockholm, Sweden. Organized by the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO), this conference will
complement the current ISO exploration of social responsibility and
help form the basis for an ISO decision on whether or not to launch
the development of International Standards or other ISO tools
addressing social responsibility. For more information contact:
Takashi Hamasaka, Secretary of the Advisory Group on Social
Responsibility; tel: +41-22-749-7253; fax: +41-22-749-7349; e-mail:
hamasaka@iso.org; Internet:
http://www.iso.ch/iso/en/commcentre/pressreleases/2004/Ref892.html
Biodiversity
THIRD MEETING OF THE AARHUS CONVENTION WORKING GROUP ON GMOS:
24 March 2004 - 26 March 2004. Geneva, Switzerland. Organized by the
UN Economic Commission for Europe, Environment and Human Settlements
Division, this meeting will continue discussions on the application
of the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public
Participation in decision-making and Access to Justice in
Environmental Matters on GMOs. For more information contact: tel:
+41-22-917-2468; fax: +41-22-917-0107; e-mail:
public.participation@unece.org; Internet:
http://www.unece.org/env/pp/gmo.htm#gmo3d
Climate, energy and atmosphere
Change of dates: The dates for the SECOND WORLD
RENEWABLE ENERGY FORUM have changed from 30-31 May to 29-31 May
2004
UNFCCC WORKSHOP ON NON-ANNEX I NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS: 26
April 2004 - 30 April 2004. Manila, the Philippines. This workshop
will consider the preparation of national communications in relation
to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The meeting will
focus on communications from non-Annex I countries (developing
countries). For more information contact: Non-Annex I Implementation
Program; tel: +49-228-815-1000; fax: +49-228-815-1999; e-mail:
secretariat@unfccc.int; Internet:
http://unfccc.int/sessions/workshops.html
MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE MULTILATERAL FUND FOR
THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL: 29 March 2004 - 2 April 2004. Montreal,
Canada. The forty-second meeting of the Executive Committee of the
Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of Montreal Protocol is
taking place from 29 March – 2 April 2004. The Fund assists many
developing countries (known under the Protocol as “Annex 5”
countries) to comply with the control measures set out for
ozone-depleting substances under the treaty. For more information
contact: Secretariat of the Multilateral Fund; tel: +1-514 282-1122;
fax: +1-514- 282-0068; e-mail:
secretariat@unmfs.org; Internet:
http://www.unmfs.org
SECOND ANNUAL BRUSSELS CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE: 11 May
2004 - 12 May 2004. Brussels, Belgium. This conference will examine
recent developments in the European Union and internationally,
particularly in the EU’s major trading partners such as the US,
Japan, Canada, Russia and Australia. The event will focus on the
emerging carbon markets, including their size, liquidity and price
levels. For more information contact: Mark Kinloch, EU Conferences
Ltd; tel: +44-1495-300-012; fax: +44-1495-309-372; e-mail:
mark.kinloch@euconferences.com; Internet:
http://www.euconferences.com/fraclimate04.htm
ENERGY AND AGRICULTURAL CARBON UTILIZATION SYMPOSIUM: 10 June
2004 - 11 June 2004. Athens, Georgia, United States. Hosted by the
University of Georgia, this meeting will bring together energy
producers, policy makers, and agricultural and environmental experts
interested in the science, technology, business and policy of
building a sustainable energy and agriculture partnership. The event
will focus on the theme of “A Sustainable Alternative to
Sequestration.” For more information contact: Ryan Adolphson,
Georgia Industrial Technology Partnership; tel: +1-706-542-4493;
fax: +1-706-583-0875; e-mail:
ryan@engr.uga.edu; Internet:
http://www.georgiaitp.org/carbon
ACIA INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM ON CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE
ARCTIC: 9 November 2004 - 12 November 2004. Reykjavik, Iceland.
This Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) event will address a
variety of issues relating to climate change in the circumpolar
Arctic region, with organizers hoping to focus on identifying
knowledge gaps and priorities for new research and monitoring. ACIA
has involved a four-year assessment of the impacts of climate
change. The event will feed into the Fourth Arctic Council
Ministerial Meeting scheduled to take place the following week. For
more information contact: Birna B.Berndsen, Congress Reykjavik (ACIA);
tel: +354-585-3900; fax: +354-585-3901; e-mail:
birna@congress.is; Internet:
http://www.amap.no/MiscTempFiles/ACIA-Symp.htm
Human development
37TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT: 22
March 2004 - 26 March 2004. New York, United States. This theme for
this session is the “Review and appraisal of the progress made in
achieving the goals and objectives of the Programme of Action of the
International Conference on Population and Development.” For more
information contact: Joseph Chamie, Director, Population Division;
tel: +1-212-963-3179; fax: +1-212-963-2147; Internet:
http://www.un.org/esa/population/cpd/comm2004.htm
GLOBAL POPULATION FORUM 2004: 13 May 2004 - 16 May 2004.
Washington, DC, United States. This forum is organized by the
Population Institute and Population 2005. For more information
contact: Population 2005; tel: +1-202-544-3300; fax:
+1-202-544-0068; e-mail:
info@population2005.org; Internet:
http://www.population2005.org
FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION SEMINAR: 24 May 2004 - 27 May 2004.
New York, United States. Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor
Relations presents this training programme on freedom of association
in the field of international labor standards monitoring and
compliance, addressing issues such as freedom of association, the
right to organize, and the right to collective bargaining. For more
information contact: Robin Remick; tel: +1-607-254-2950; e-mail:
foa_seminar@cornell.edu; Internet:
http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/international/Programs/seminars/default.html
SECOND INTERNATIONAL PARLIAMENTARIANS’ CONFERENCE FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ICPD PROGRAMME OF ACTION (IPCI/ICPD): 18
October 2004 - 19 October 2004. Strasbourg, France. Jointly
organized by the Inter-European Parliamentarian Forum on Population
and Development and UNFPA in collaboration with the Council of
Europe, this conference follows-up on the first IPCI/ICPD, which was
held in November 2002 in Ottawa, Canada. For more information
contact: Internet:
http://www.unfpa.org/icpd/10/#parliamentarian
Intergovernmental organizations
60TH ESCAP SESSION: 22 April 2004 - 28 April 2004. Shanghai,
China. The 60th session of the UN Economic and Social Commission for
Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) will be structured into two segments,
with a senior officials segment meeting from 22-24 April, and a
Ministerial segment convening from 26-28 April. Signing ceremonies
will take place on the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement and on the Asian
Highway Agreement. A high-level panel will discuss knowledge based
disaster management. For more information contact: ESCAP; tel:
+66-2-288-1234; fax: +66-2-288-1000; Internet:
http://www.unescap.org/60/index.asp
Trade, finance and investment
REGIONAL
POLICY DIALOGUE ON THE POST-CANCUN REGIONAL TRADING ENVIRONMENT:
30 March 2004 - 31 March 2004. Bangkok, Thailand. This meeting will
discuss the progress of the Doha negotiation round in order to
promote consensus building and constructive integration of regional
liberalization into multilateral talks. For more information
contact: C.M.M.Chandrasekara, Economic Affairs Officer, Trade Policy
Section, Trade and Investment; e-mail:
chandrasekara@un.org; Internet:
http://www.unescap.org/tid/mtg/postcancun_rte.asp
CONFERENCE ON VOLUNTARY CODES OF CONDUCT FOR MULTINATIONAL
CORPORATIONS: PROMISES AND CHALLENGES: 12 May 2004 - 15 May
2004. Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College, City University of
New York, United States. The conference is jointly sponsored by the
International Center for Corporate Accountability, Inc. (ICCA),
Zicklin School of Business (Baruch College, CUNY), Carol and
Lawrence Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research (The Wharton
School, University of Pennsylvania), and the World Bank Institute.
For more information contact: Olga Emelianova; tel: +1-646-312-2237;
fax: +1-646-312-2231; Internet:
http://www.ceh.uqam.ca/pdf/conferenceiccamai2004.pdf
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND ECONOMIC
GROWTH IN RUSSIA: 3 June 2004 - 4 June 2004. Moscow, Russia. The
National Council on Corporate Governance, with support from the
World Bank and the OECD, will hold this international conference on
corporate governance and economic growth in Russia. For more
information contact: National Council on Corporate Governance; tel:
+7-95-502-9485; fax: +7-95-502-9485; e-mail:
info@nccg.ru; Internet:
http://www.nccg.ru/en/site.xp/050051055124.html
Water, wetlands, oceans, coasts
UNEP WORKSHOP ON FINANCING DAMS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:
21 April 2004 - 22 April 2004. London, United Kingdom. This
workshop, organized by the UNEP-Dams and Development Project (DDP)
and co-sponsored by the British Dams Society and WWF, aims to
identify ways of minimizing risk related to the financing of dams
and their alternatives and achieving more sustainable projects.
Risks to be addressed include financial and investment risk, and
risks to reputation, livelihoods and the environment. For more
information contact: UNEP-DDP; tel: +254-20-62-3891; fax:
+254-20-62-4763; e-mail:
ddpinfo@unep.org; Internet:
http://www.unep-dams.org/document.php?doc_id=283
FOURTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON SAFE DRINKING WATER: 26 April
2004 - 27 April 2004. Toronto, Canada. This conference seeks to
provide up-to-date information and practical strategies for ensuring
drinking water safety. For more information contact: Jim Itsou, The
Canadian Institute; tel: +1-416-927-7936; fax: +1-416-927-1563;
e-mail:
j.itsou@canadianinstitute.com; Internet:
http://www.canadianinstitute.com/contentframes.cfm?ID=2521
BALTCOAST 2004 CONFERENCE: MANAGING THE BALTIC SEA: 26 April
2004 - 28 April 2004. Rostock-Warnem�nde, Germany. With a focus on
Baltic coastal management, this conference will provide an overview
of national activities, consider river basin-coast interactions, and
address Baltic water planning and management. For more information
contact: G. Schernewski, BaltCoast Secretariat; tel:
+49-381-519-7279; e-mail:
baltcoast@eucc-d.de; Internet:
http://www.eucc-d.de/baltcoast2004/
LAGOONS AND COASTAL WETLANDS CONFERENCE: 26 April 2004 - 28
April 2004. Venice, Italy. This conference will focus on the
following themes: function and value of lagoon and coastal wetlands;
climate change impacts; risk assessment, monitoring strategies and
techniques; and adaptation and mitigation strategies and sustainable
use. For more information contact: Palazzo Franchetti; tel:
+39-41-240-2511; fax: +39-41-240-2512; e-mail:
venezia@corila.it; Internet:
http://www.corila.it/CoastWetchange/HomePage.html
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: 29 April
2004 - 17 May 2004. Galillee College Study Center, Kibbutz Mizra,
Israel. Held in Galillee College in Israel, this programme will
introduce participants to the Israeli approach to the management of
water resources, including the new technologies involved and
utilized. Other subjects that will be addressed are solid waste,
wastewater, air pollution and environmental impact on health.
Tuition scholarships for eligible applicants from transitional and
developing countries are currently available. For more information
contact: Rachel Gottlieb, Program Administrator; tel:
+972-4-983-7444; fax: +972-4-983-0227; e-mail:
rgottlieb@galilcol.ac.il; Internet:
http://www.galilcol.ac.il/Environment.htm
36TH INTERNATIONAL LI�GE COLLOQUIUM ON OCEAN DYNAMICS: 3 May
2004 - 7 May 2004. Li�ge, Belgium. The purpose of this colloquium is
to bring together scientists to identify the most critical
scientific improvements to modeling and monitoring systems for
marine environmental predictions. For more information contact: J.M.
Beckers, University of Li�ge; fax: +32-4366-2355; e-mail:
JM.Beckers@ulg.ac.be; Internet:
http://modb.oce.ulg.ac.be/Colloquium/2004.html
STORAGE 2004 CONFERENCE: 12 May 2004 - 14 May 2004. Geneva,
Switzerland. The first international conference on service
reservoirs will allow professionals from the water industry,
operators of water supply systems, university researchers, decision
makers and students, the opportunity to meet, exchange experiences
and perspectives and report on the best practices and latest
technology in the field of drinking water service reservoirs. For
more information contact: Gerard Luyet, SIG Services Industriels de
Gen�ve; tel: +41-22-420-8811; fax: +41-22-420-9380; e-mail:
gerard.luyet@sig-ge.ch; Internet:
http://www.storage2004.org
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RIVER CATCHMENT DYNAMICS: 15 May
2004 - 20 May 2004. Solsona, Spain. This conference will explore
issues concerning river and catchment processes, with special
reference to the Mediterranean environment, and focus on the
linkages between human impacts, catchments and river dynamics as a
basis for environmental management. For more information contact:
Ramon Batalla, University of Lleida; tel: +34-9-7348-1752; e-mail:
rbatalla@macs.udl.es; Internet:
http://www.ctfc.es/conference2004
56TH SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION: 19 July
2004 - 22 July 2004. Sorrento, Italy. The annual meeting of the IWC
will convene to assess current trends in whale stocks and
regulations for the whaling industry. For more information contact:
IWC Secretariat; tel: +44-12-2323-3971; fax: +44-12-2323-2876;
e-mail:
secretariat@iwcoffice.org; Internet:
http://www.iwcoffice.org/
COASTAL ZONE ASIA PACIFIC CONFERENCE: 5 September 2004 - 9
September 2004. Brisbane, Australia. This conference will focus on
improving the quality of life in coastal areas, with a special
emphasis on coastal poverty and sustainable livelihoods, coastal
ecosystem management, coastal resource economics, and coastal
communities and cultures. For more information contact: Sally Brown,
Conference Connections; tel: +61-7-3201-2808; fax: +61-7-3201-2809;
e-mail:
sally.brown@uq.net.au; Internet:
http://www.coastal.crc.org.au/czap04/index.html
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY IN WATER
RESOURCES: 6 September 2004 - 9 September 2004. Katmandu, Nepal.
Sponsored by the Center for Sustainability, Environment, Equity and
Partnership (SEEP), this conference will address the following
themes: water and society; water resources system and use; water
pollution; aquatic ecosystems; water quality and extreme water
events. For more information contact: Naresh Rimal, SEEP; tel:
+977-1-424-2917; fax: +977-1-424-6028; e-mail:
seepwater@seepwater.org; Internet:
http://www.seepwater.org/conference_sswr/sswr.html
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