For a more comprehensive list of events in trade and sustainable development, please refer to ICTSD’s web calendar. Please bear in mind that dates and times of WTO meetings are often changed, and that the WTO does not always announce the important informal meetings of the different bodies.
IUCN-ICTSD
18-20 November, Bangkok, Thailand: MARKETS, BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENT. Global Synthesis Workshop as part of the 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress. As part of this workshop stream, IUCN and ICTSD are jointly organising a session on "International trade - Friend or foe of biodiversity?" which will look at a number of key challenges, including balancing the benefits of trade against environmental risk, controlling illegal trade in natural resources, ensuring equitable and efficient use of genetic resources, and reconciling the liberalisation of trade in services with sustainable use of natural resources. For further information contact Sebastian Winkler, tel: (+41 22) 999-0299; Email: sebastian.winkler@iucn.org; Internet: http://www.iucn.org/congress/wcforum/forum_themes.htm#4
21 November, Bangkok, Thailand: LINKING CONSERVATION PRACTICES AND TRADE POLICY. A Training Workshop for conservation practitioners, jointly organised by IUCN and ICTSD as part of the 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress. The course will assist practitioners in understanding how trade policy affects biodiversity-related activities on the ground and consequently try to soften or advert negative effects while enhancing potential positive effects. It aims to enable actors to implement and develop progressive ideas aimed at strengthening the mutual supportiveness between trade policy and biodiversity objectives. For further information visit Heike Baumüller, tel: (+41 22) 917 8478; email: hbaumuller@ictsd.ch; Internet: http://www.iucn.org/congress/programme/forum-programme.cfm?toi=event-list&datePass=21#point8.
Coming up in the next two weeks
22 October, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO GENERAL COUNCIL — COHERENCE. For further information contact the WTO Information and Media Relations Division, Geneva; tel: (41-22) 739- 5007; fax: (41-22) 739-5458; email: enquiries@wto.org
22 October, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO WORKING GROUP ON TRADE AND TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY. For further information contact the WTO Information and Media Relations Division, Geneva; tel: (41-22) 739- 5007; fax: (41-22) 739-5458; email: enquiries@wto.org
25-29 October, Mexico City, Mexico: CGIAR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2004. The Annual General Meeting of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) is being hosted by the Mexican government. Over 1,000 international and Mexican policy makers, agricultural research experts, scientists, and development specialists are expected to attend the week of consultations, stakeholder meetings, field visits and more. For further information contact the CGIAR Secretariat, email: cgiar@cgiar.org; Internet: http://www.cgiar.org/meetings/index.html; tel: +1 (202) 473-8110; fax: +1 (202) 473-8951.
27-28 October, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO COMMITTEE ON SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES. For further information contact the WTO Information and Media Relations Division, Geneva; tel: (41-22) 739- 5007; fax: (41-22) 739-5458; email: enquiries@wto.org
27-28 October, Moscow, Russia: INVESTING IN RUSSIA’S LONG-TERM FUTURE. This conference is being organised by the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) and Interfax in association with, among others, the Russian Ministry for Economic Development and Trade and the World Bank Group. The conference will examine the current economic climate in Russia, the fast growing and established business sectors, particularly those where foreign investment is involved, the future of Russia as a consumer market and wider economic issues. For further information, contact Dino Ribeiro, email: dribeiro@riia.org; Internet: http://www.riia.org/Russia2004
1 November, Copenhagen, Denmark: SEMINAR ON TRADE, DEVELOPMENT AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. This seminar is organised by the ‘WTO, Trade & Development’ network, an initiative based at the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS). The aim of the network is to provide an international forum for the discussion and dissemination of research and policy-relevant information on trade and development issues. The seminar is part of the ‘Trade Mondays’ series, with a seminar once a month at DIIS. For further information on the network and the ‘Trade Mondays’, contact Stefano Ponte, Seminar Coordinator, email: spo@diis.dk
1-2 November, Amsterdam, Netherlands: TRADE, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT: THE NORTH-SOUTH DIMENSIONS. Organised by CAT & E (Concerted Action on Trade and Environment). Over the past few years, the trade and environment agenda has expanded to include many of the WTO agreements as well as regional trade negotiations and investment agreements. This conference seeks to provide a forum for the presentation of recent research and consideration of its implications for policy. Priority topics for consideration include: social and environmental problems in production, trade and (sustainable) development; systemic issues; regional, national, and local case studies; trade in commodities, including genetically modified organisms; and Sustainability Impact Assessment. For further information contact Luke Brander, email: luke.brander@ivm.vu.nl; Internet: http://www.cat-e.org./
1-5 November, Geneva, Switzerland: SEVENTH SESSION OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND GENETIC RESOURCES, TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND FOLKLORE OF WIPO. This invitation-only meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization’s committee will discuss participation of indigenous communities, Traditional Cultural Expressions/Folklore, Traditional Knowledge and Genetic Resources from a policy, regulatory, and international perspective. For further information contact WIPO, email: grtkf@wipo.int; Internet: http://www.wipo.int/documents/en/meetings/2004/igc/index_7.html; tel: +41-22-338-9111; fax: +41-22-733-5428.
3-5 November, Auckland, New Zealand: CLIMATE CHANGE AND BUSINESS CONFERENCE AND EXPO 2004. This international conference will consider the linkages between business and climate change. Based on the assumption that "climate change is big business and will remain so whether or not the Kyoto Protocol enters into force," the meeting will include discussions on business opportunities and on improving companies’ bottom line performance by reducing energy costs and emissions. The conference is supported by the Australian and New Zealand governments, and is being co-organized by business and union groups, as well as the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. For further information contact the Conference Company Limited, tel: 64-9-360-1240; fax: 64-9-360-1242; email: secretariat@climateandbusiness.com; Internet: http://www.climateandbusiness.com.
Other Upcoming
8-10 November, Sydney, Australia: 2ND IWA LEADING-EDGE CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABILITY IN WATER-LIMITED ENVIRONMENTS. This conference is organised by the International Water Association. Questions to be addressed will include: Water-limited environments demand efficiency in water provision but do we achieve this through demand management, recycling, economic incentives or reuse? How do we ensure that the systems we design meet the needs of the environments in which they are located? For further information contact Noirin Casey, tel: +44 (0) 20 7654 5518; fax: + 44 (0) 20 7654 5555; email: les2004@iwahq.org.uk; Internet: http://www.les2004.iwa-conferences.org.
8-12 November, Rome, Italy: THE TENTH REGULAR SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (CGRFA). The Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture is a permanent forum where governments discuss and negotiate matters relevant to genetic resources for food and agriculture. The inter-governmental body holds Regular Sessions every two years. Relevant technical assistance agencies, intergovernmental organisations, development banks and non-governmental organisations also attend these sessions in their capacity as observers. Participants will consider international regimes for plant and animal genetic resources. For further information contact Paola Franceschelli, tel: (0039) 06-570-53554; fax: (0039) 06-570-53057; email: Paola.Franceschelli@fao.org; Internet: http://www.fao.org/ag/cgrfa/docs10.htm.
17-25 November, Bangkok, Thailand: THE 3RD IUCN WORLD CONSERVATION CONGRESS: "PEOPLE AND NATURE, MAKING THE DIFFERENCE". Organised by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The Congress will consist of a three-day World Conservation Forum and a four-day Members’ Business Assembly. During the Forum, IUCN members, partners and interested stakeholders will debate options that safeguard the ecosystems upon which future prosperity depends. During the Assembly, IUCN members - governments and NGOs - will approve the 2005-2008 Programme Framework and Financial Plan, elect officers, consider resolutions and recommendations, and set the membership dues. For further information, contact: IUCN, tel: (+41 22) 999-0232; fax: (+41 22) 999-0020; email: ursula.hiltbrunner@iucn.org; Internet: http://www.iucn.org
4-6 December, Dhaka, Bangladesh: DHAKA INTERNATIONAL BIOTECH CONFERENCE. The fifth International Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology Conference is organized by the Bangladesh Association for Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Science, Information and Community Technology, and the University of Dhaka. The conference, whose theme is "Sustainable Biotechnology for Developing Countries," is being held at the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh. For further information contact Dr. R.H. Sarker, email: bhsarker2000@yahoo.co.uk or baptcb@bd.drik.net.