IISD - What's new on Linkages

ONGOING AND UPCOMING MEETINGS COVERED BY IISD LINKAGES UPDATE

CBD Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing: 30 January – 3 February 2006, Granada
UNEP Governing Council/GMEF/ICCM: 4-9 February 2006, Dubai
Working Group on Marine Biodiversity: 13-17 February 2006, UN headquarters, New York
UN Forum on Forests, Sixth Session: 13-24 February 2006, UN headquarters, New York
WG on Liability and Redress under the Biosafety Protocol: 20-24 February 2006, Montreal

RECENT MEETINGS COVERED BY IISD REPORTING SERVICES

TROPICAL TIMBER TALKS PRODUCE A SUCCESSOR AGREEMENT TO THE ITTA, 1994
16-27 January 2006 | Geneva, Switzerland
The UN Conference on the Negotiation of the Successor Agreement to the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994 (ITTA, 1994), Fourth Part, has achieved consensus after two weeks of intensive negotiations. IISDRS coverage.

Carlos Antonio da Rocha Paranhos of Brazil presided over the ITTA Successor Agreement talks in Geneva

CBD WORKING GROUP DISCUSSES TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, ESTABLISHES VOLUNTARY FUND FOR INDIGENOUS PARTICIPATION
23-27 January 2006 | Granada, Spain
Participants attending a Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Working Group on Article 8(j) and related provisions have addressed issues of traditional knowledge protection and agreed on a voluntary fund for indigenous and local community participation in the process. IISDRS coverage.

OCEANS CONFERENCE CONSIDERS GLOBAL TARGETS, GOVERNANCE, CLIMATE CHANGE 24-27 January 2006 \| Paris, France The Third Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands has considered how to move the international oceans agenda forward, as well as discussing governance and climate-related matters. IISDRS coverage.
MEETING CONSIDERS HOW UNEP COULD FOSTER COMPLIANCE WITH MEAS 21-22 January 2006 \| Colombo, Sri Lanka The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has held a High-Level Meeting on Compliance with and Enforcement of Multilateral Environmental Agreements intended to contribute ideas for a UNEP action plan. IISDRS coverage.	MEDITERRANEAN PARTNERSHIP HOLDS HIGH-LEVEL ENVIRONMENTAL MEETING 19 December 2005 \| Barcelona, Spain Participants at the Euro-Med Partnership Environmental High Level Meeting – Horizon 2020, have discussed priority actions needed to de-pollute the Mediterranean by 2020. IISDRS coverage.
RECENT KEY MEETINGS AND MEDIA REPORTS
Sustainable Development Regional meetings and Bureau prepare for 2006 Commission on Sustainable Development session ECOSOC role in Summit follow up stressed African leaders adopt declaration to boost technology support and capacity building NGO Committee concludes latest meeting Meeting considers international environmental governance Carpathian convention to enter into force EU growth report spotlights sustainable energy Annan awarded prize for global environmental leadership Regional environment award deadline approaches Climate and Atmosphere Asia-Pacific climate pact adopts work plan; critics find fault China pledges renewable energy focus Lovelock predicts climate devastation; Blair’s concern deepens EU emissions trading scheme criticized Northeast U.S. agrees to cap emissions Tackling climate change “good for economy” - report Surveys reveal views on nuclear energy, climate change 2005 warmest year yet – NASA Research on plants’ warming link misreported, say authors	Biodiversity and Wildlife Working group focuses on legal and financial rules for the international treaty on plant genetic resources Range states address threats to the Asian elephant CITES bans trade in caviar Forests, Desertification and Land Issues International Year of Deserts and Desertification launched Dialogue considers ways to reduce forest conflict in Asia Human Development UN meeting endorses workers’ environmental rights Draft discussed for Convention on rights of disabled persons UN prepares for 50th session of Commission on women Trade, Finance and Investment in Sustainable Development Davos boosts TB plan and climate change agenda, sets trade deadline Growth of Global Compact highlighted South Asia trade pact enters into force Water, Wetlands, Oceans, Coasts “Oceans-L” information listserve launched Regional preparations for Fourth World Water Forum held Deep-sea fishing “unsustainable,” extinctions loom - experts

Linkages Update (LU) is our means of keeping you informed of what’s happening in the international environmental and sustainable development world. LU highlights what's new on IISD Reporting Services' Linkages website. This "what's new" page is updated on a fortnightly basis, while the website continually posts new information provided by our contributing writers.

Linkages provides updates on:
Recent meetings
Upcoming meetings
Media reports
Key publications, online resources
Comings and goings

Click here for the online version and archives of Linkages Update.

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Appointments

SPECULATION MOUNTS OVER TOP UN POSTS

SOUTH AFRICA TAKES OVER AS G-77 CHAIR; AUSTRIA ASSUMES EU PRESIDENCY

ALI HACHANI ELECTED PRESIDENT OF ECOSOC FOR 2006

PETER SUTHERLAND APPOINTED SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR MIGRATION

Click here for more information on these appointments and departures

Vacancies

IIASA recruiting for risk and vulnerability programme

Click for a full listing of job postings

Click here for complete postings on appointments, departures and vacancies.

KEY REPORTS, PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE RESOURCES

Sustainable Development Outgrowing the Earth: The Food Security Challenge in an Age of Falling Water Tables and Rising Temperatures Pilot 2006 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) International Conference on Engaging Communities Proceedings Survey on General Assembly Civil Society Hearings Trade, Finance and Investment in Sustainable Development Environment and Trade (Second Edition) Corporate Responsibility - The Connected World in 2006 Trade, Aid and Security – Six Key Objectives The Roles of the IMF, the World Bank, and the WTO in Liberalization and Privatization of the Water Services Sector Water, Wetlands, Oceans, Coasts Progress on UNEP/GPA National Programme of Action (NPA) Programme The Environment in Asia Pacific Harbors Overview of Wetlands Status in Viet Nam Following 15 Years of Ramsar Convention Implementation Managing Conflict in Watersheds of Sri Lanka	Biodiversity and Wildlife Report of the Third Session of the FAO Working Group on Plant Genetic Resources Report of the Fifth Session of the Codex Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology Learning Module: Law and Policy of Relevance to the Management of Plant Genetic Resources Chemicals Management The Songhua River Spill, China December 2005: Field Study Report Climate and Atmosphere CDM Country Guides Asian Perspectives on Climate Regime Beyond 2012: Concerns, Interests and Priorities Energy Planning, Technologies and Sustainability: A Primer Energy ï¿½Factoidsï¿½ Forests, Desertification and Land Issues Nontimber Forest Products Management on National Forests in the United States
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Click here for a complete listing of upcoming meetings KEY MEETINGS IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS: UNEP Governing Council/GMEF/ICCM: 4-9 February 2006, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Security, Development, and Forest Conflict Forum: 8-9 February 2006, Brussels, Belgium 44th Session of the Commission for Social Development: 8-17 February 2006, UN headquarters, New York UN Forum on Forests, Sixth Session: 13-24 February 2006, UN headquarters, New York
IISD Reporting Services will be reporting daily from the Fourth World Water Forum in March 2006.
Linkages is provided by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, publishers of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin. It is designed to be an electronic clearing-house for information on past and upcoming international meetings related to environment and development policy.