For a more comprehensive list of events in trade and sustainable development, please refer to ICTSD’s web calendar, http://www.trade-environment.org/page/calendar.htm.
Coming up in the next two weeks
13-14 June, Osaka, Japan. G8 FINANCE MINISTERS MEETING. The Summit has been held annually since 1975 as a meeting for heads of state regarding economic issues among the leading developed nations. The finance minister and foreign minister of each country, as well as the head of state, have participated from the outset. The finance ministers meeting is an important preliminary to the summit proper. Subjects discussed at this meeting on previous occasions have spanned a wide range of areas, including not only international financial issues such as hedge funds, but also issues having a large impact on the global economy, such as energy, climate change and other global environmental issues, and the development of and elimination of poverty in Africa. For further information, please refer to http://www.g8finance.mof.go.jp/index.html.
16-17 June, London, UK: A NEW GLOBAL CLIMATE DEAL? ACHIEVING REAL COLLABORATION FOR A LOW CARBON FUTURE. This will be the 11th Chatham House conference on climate change. Topics will include how to balance economic growth with the need for emissions reductions in developing countries, developing low carbon technologies, carbon markets and equity, and climate strategies that can be agreed to in Copenhagen 2009. Internet: https://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/conferences/view/-/id/118/.
17 June, Washington DC, US. CLIMATE CHANGE AND TRADE. Global climate change has become a “hot” issue for policy makers inside and outside the beltway. Over the past several years, a number of proposals have been floated to reduce greenhouse gases, promote sustainable manufacturing, and encourage the development of environment friendly technologies. Many of these proposals will directly or indirectly affect international trade policies of the US and foreign governments. What are the trade implications of the global climate change debate? Which proposals create potential conflicts with international trade rules, and what is being done to resolve those conflicts? How do US proposals compare with those coming from our trading partners? How will this issue fare in the upcoming elections? To answer these and other questions, please join the Washington International Trade Association (WITA) as we hear from a distinguished panel of experts on the trade implications of the global climate change debate.
17 June, London, UK. FOOD PRICES: WHERE NEXT? The presentation, hosted by Chatham House, will be made by Alexander Evans, non-resident Fellow, Center on International Cooperation, New York University, and author of the Chatham House Briefing Paper ‘Rising Food Prices: Drivers and Implications for Development’. Recent months have seen rapidly mounting concern over global food prices, which have risen 83 per cent over the last three years. This discussion will focus on the outlook over the medium to longer term, examine whether recent price increases are likely to be sustained, and explore what policy actions are under consideration in agriculture, trade and on the demand side. For further information, please refer to http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/856/.
17 June, Geneva, Switzerland. HIGH LEVEL NORTH-SOUTH DIALOGUE ON FOOD AND ENERGY SECURITY. The purpose of the event is to assess the underlying causes and policy dilemmas related to energy security, food security and livelihood security and multilateral responses required to correct the systemic issues. The dialogue is organised by the South Centre and co-sponsored with the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Nations. For further information, please refer to http://www.southcentre.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=630&Itemid=119.
17 June, worldwide. WORLD DAY TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION. The theme for 2008 World Day to Combat Desertification, ‘Combating Land Degradation for Sustainable Agriculture’, corresponds with the thematic agenda items to be discussed during the sixteenth and seventeenth sessions of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development: agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification and Africa. For more information contact: tel: +49-228-815-2800 ; fax: +49-228-815-2898; e-mail: secretariat@unccd.int; internet: http://www.unccd.int.
17-18 June, Seoul, Korea. CHANGING LANDSCAPES: TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY IN ASIA - DIALOGUE ON SUSTAINABLE FINANCE, RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT AND CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP. This meeting is jointly hosted by Principles for Responsible Investment, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Finance Initiative and UN Global Compact. It will offer a platform for dialogue among financiers, investors and businesses on the latest issues in the field of sustainable finance, responsible investment and corporate citizenship. In addition, special joint breakout sessions will examine in greater detail environmental, social and governance factors across the business activities of financial institutions, institutional investors and corporations. For further information, please refer to http://www.changinglandscapes.org/.
23-24 June, Jaipur, India: NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON ECOLABELLING. The workshop seeks to engage relevant stakeholders by introducing the “Enabling developing countries to seize eco-label opportunities” project and discussing the procedure, criteria and related market opportunities of the European Union’s ecolabel. Organised by Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) and the Confederation of Indian Textiles Industries (CITI), in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Internet: http://www.cuts-citee.org/events.htm#event0
23-27 June, Bali, Indonesia. NINTH MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE BASEL CONVENTION. The ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention (COP-9) on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste will convene in Bali, Indonesia. COP-9 will address, inter alia, the implementation of the Strategic Plan; Basel Convention Regional and Coordinating Centres; synergies and cooperation with other chemicals conventions; e-waste and end-of-life equipment; and ship dismantling. For more information contact Secretariat of the Basel Convention; tel: +41 22-917-8218 ; fax: +41-22-797-3454; e-mail: sbc@unep.ch; internet: http://www.basel.int/meetings/meetings.html
24-26 June, Cochin, India: INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON CLEANER PRODUCTION & ENERGY CONSERVATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY. The workshop aims to bring together different stakeholders in developing countries, working in the fields of Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Industrial Productivity and Waste Minimization along with experts from the National Cleaner Production Centers (NCPC, established by UNIDO) to deliberate on various aspects of Cleaner Production. Case studies are presented to help understand the concept of cleaner production as a growing worldwide movement. Hosted by the Centre for Science and Technology of the Non-Aligned and Other Developing Countries (NAM S&T Centre). Contact: Arun P. Kulshreshtha; tel.: +91-11-24645134 ; e-mail: apknam@gmail.com; Internet: http://www.energyprofessional.in/articlepages.php?id=135&pg=&Month=&Year=&Category=3
24-28 June, Geneva, Switzerland: TWELFTH EADI GENERAL CONFERENCE: GLOBAL GOVERNANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: THE NEED FOR POLICY COHERENCE AND NEW PARTNERSHIPS. Individuals and organisations are cordially invited to submit a paper for the 12th General Conference of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI). The conference deals with the overarching theme: “Global Governance for Sustainable Development” and will be hosted by the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) in Geneva. The deadline for abstract submission is 28 November 2007. We kindly ask you to use the online submission tool for submitting your abstract. Internet: http://www.eadi.org/gc2008
29 June-4 July, Kushiro, Japan. WORKSHOP ON BIODIVERSITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE. Co-organized by the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Kushiro International Wetland Centre, in partnership with Japan-UNDP Partnership Fund and the Secretariats of the Ramsar Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity, this workshop aims to support the sharing of scientific facts and policies on biodiversity, wetlands and climate change, provide analytical knowledge to understand and practically use the scientific data and documentation, facilitate exchange of ideas and strengthen the Kushiro/UNITAR network of experts in wetlands, biodiversity and climate change. For more information contact: e-mail: hiroko.nakayama@unitar.org; Internet: http://www.unitar.org/hiroshima/programmes/kushiro08/
30 June-July 2, Paris, France: ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL ENERGY WORKSHOP. The International Energy Workshop (IEW) is a network of global energy experts who meet annually to discuss a wide range of topics, with particular emphasis on global as well as regional issues. The annual IEW meetings focus on energy assessment and try to understand the reasons for diverging views of development in the energy sector. Internet: http://www.internationalenergyworkshop.org/Pre_announcement_2008.html
30 June-4 July, Geneva, Switzerland: 31ST SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION. Internet: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/current.jsp?lang=en
Other Upcoming Meetings
24-25 July, New Delhi, India: TOWARDS A COHERENT TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY of INDIA. This National Conference to be held at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi on 24-25 July 2008 aims to provide a forum for discussion on the dynamic relationship between international trade and poverty reduction, at the national as well as international levels. It will address the need for mainstreaming India’s national development strategy to make use of the beneficial role that international trade can play in enhancing development and reducing poverty. http://www.cutscitee.org/events.htm#event01