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Coming up: September 3-9
3 - 5 September. Koli, Finland. FORESTS IN THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT. Organized by the Finnish Government and the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe, this workshop will provide an opportunity for experts in forestry, natural resources management, biodiversity, climate change, land-use and economic development to exchange their views on the theme “Forests in the changing environment,” which will also be the overall theme at the eighth session of the UN Forum on Forests. For more information contact: Heikki Granholm, Counsellor of Forestry; tel: +358916052431; e-mail: heikki.granholm@mmm.fi; Internet: http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/frontpage/forests/koli2008.html
3 - 5 September. Kampala, Uganda. WORLD AGRICULTURAL FORUM: 2008 AFRICAN CONGRESS This meeting will discuss “Creating Prosperity by Investing in Agriculture.” For more information contact: World Agricultural Forum; tel: +1-314-206-3208; fax: +1-314-206-3222; e-mail: wafstl@stlrcga.org; Internet: http://www.worldagforum.org/index.php?section=1
4 September. Geneva, Switzerland. LAUNCH OF THE TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2008. The 2008 Report is subtitled “Commodity prices, capital flows and the financing of investment” It will present the outlook for the world economy and the economic prospects for developing countries in view of the situation in international financial, currency and commodity markets and doubts about the direction of macroeconomic policy in major economies. The Report will question the traditional theoretical framework of development financing and make suggestions to improve the financing of investment with a focus on profit reinvestment and credit creation through the domestic banking system. It will also look at the need to increase official development assistance for the achievement of the MDGs as well as to increase productive capacities. For further information refer to website: http://www.unctad.org/tdr
4 - 5 September. Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. GLOBAL ECONOMIC SYNOPSISM. This annual event constitutes an international forum for leading policy makers, business executives, academics and other representatives of civil communities to formulate innovative, global practical solutions for the world’s most important economic problems. It aims to formulate research-based action plans to address global problems. These action plans can take the form of business strategies, government policies, or civil society initiatives. Its sessions are all supported by state-of-the-art research and are divided into themes: Environment- Dealing with Climate Change, Social Insurance - Promoting Health and Welfare, Security- Creating a Safer World, Inequality -Tackling Poverty and Social Fragmentation and Growth -Benefiting from Globalization. For further information please refer to website:
http://www.ifw-kiel.de/konfer/global-economic-symposium
4 - 5 September. Budapest, Hungary. THE INTERNATIONAL WATER ASSOCIATION 11TH INTERNATIONAL SPECIALIZED CONFERENCE ON WATERSHED AND RIVER BASIN CONFERENCE The objective of this conference is to provide a multidisciplinary forum for scientists, practicing engineers, regulators and stakeholders in the area of watershed and river basin management. The competition is growing among water users for water resources while the available resources are increasingly constrained both quantitatively and/or qualitatively in most river basins. The conference intends to focus on the following themes: the latest results and experiences achieved in the field of river basin management techniques; assessment methods; modeling conflicting water demands and climate change; stakeholders and public involvement; and the economics of river basin management. For more information contact: Organizing Secretary; e-mail: trivent@trivent.hu; Internet: http://www.iwa2008budapest.org/
7 - 10 September. Dallas, Texas, US. 23RD ANNUAL WATEREUSE SYMPOSIUM. The symposium is organized by the WateReuse Association, the American Water Works Association, and the Water Environment Federation and focuses on water reuse and desalination. For more information contact: WateReuse Association; tel: +1 703.548.0880; fax: +1 703.548.5085; Internet: http://www.watereuse.org/conferences/symposium/23
8 September. Manila, Philippines. ADB URBAN DAY 2008. The ADB Urban Community for the first time presents their annual urban forum highlighting the “Environment and Livable Cities”. The forum will aim at tackling issues on solid waste management, climate change, and city cluster development; and their impacts on promoting livable cities. Participants will range from national and local governments, international community of practice to the private sector, civil society and academia to discuss pressing urban issues on urban environment and sanitation, urban transport, city region development, and municipal finance and governance, in relation to operational themes of sustainable urban development and sound environmental management promoting livable cities. For more information please contact Ma. Virginita A. Capulon the Senior Programs Officer: tel: +632 632-6679; email: mvcapulong@adb.org; Internet: http://www.shimbun.denki.or.jp/english/g8summit/aomori.shtml
8 - 9 September. Geneva, Switzerland. THE INTERNATIONALWORKSHOP ON POST-2012 CLIMATE AND TRADE POLICIES. In December 2007 at the Bali UNFCCC conference, parties to the UN climate regime launched a two-year negotiation process aimed at forging a post-2012 agreement. Prior to the Bali conference, WTO parties began discussing trade liberalisation for a number of climate-friendly goods and services. Moreover, during the conference in Bali, an Informal Trade Ministers’ Dialogue on Climate Change was held, where 32 Trade Ministers emphasised the need for increased high-level engagement for improving the mutual supportiveness of the climate and trade regimes. This workshop aims at building on previous UNEP trade and climate change dialogues by bringing together a range of leading experts to actively discuss trade and economic strategies in a post-2012 world and on the future interplay between the UN climate regime and the World Trade Organization For further information, please refer to website:
http://www.unep.ch/etb/events/2008_Post-2012ClimateTradePoliciesSept08_09.php or contact benjamin.simmons@unep.ch
8 - 9 September. Paris, France. WORKSHOP ON ADAPTING TO THE IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CHANGES ON RIVER BASINS AND AQUIFER SYSTEMS This workshop, organized by UNESCO, will bring together scientists from different networks such as HELP, GWSP, G-WADI, GRAPHIC, ISARM, FRIEND, IFI, ISI, IRI, IWMI, and WMO, Universities, research organizations and centre’s in order to: identify key research topics related to global change issues; identify common topics for synergy and coordination of research agendas for different IHP projects and networking partners focusing on the major drivers related to global change and their impacts on hydrology and water resources; develop a background paper on global change issues; and develop a global change network. For more information please refer to website: http://www.unesco.org/water/news/newsletter/202.shtml#news_1
8 - 12 September. Paramaribo, Suriname. INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUE ON FINANCING SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT This Country-Led Initiative in support of the UN Forum on Forests is organized by the governments of Suriname, the Netherlands and the United States. For more information contact: Henry Mac; tel: +1-212-980-7029; e-mail: suriname@un.int; Internet: http://www.un.org/esa/forests/2008.html
9 - 10 September. Buenos Aires, Argentina. BIOFUELS MARKETS AMERICAS - EXPANDING BIOFUELS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE AMERICAS. The fifth edition of Biofuels Markets Americas, and the second annual biofuel event in Argentina, organised by Green Power Conferences in cooperation with the Argentine Association for Biofuels and Hydrogen, will provide an excellent platform for the global industry to learn the region’s opportunities in biofuels, address the key issues and do business. For further information please refer to website: www.greenpowerconferences.com
WTO Events
An updated list of forthcoming WTO meetings is posted at: http:/www.wto.org/meets_public/meets_e.pdf. 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. Unless otherwise indicated, all WTO meetings are held at the WTO, Centre William Rappard, rue de Lausanne 154, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland, and are open to WTO Members and accredited observers only.
The next WTO Event is the WTO Public Forum, scheduled for 24-25 September. For more information, see http://www.wto.org/english/forums_e/ngo_e/forum08_background_e.htm.
Other Upcoming Events
10 - 11 September. Kigali, Rwanda. AFRICA CLIMATE CHANGE FORUM. The conference will bring together academic experts, business leaders, non-governmental organisations and policy makers with an interest in applied innovation and sustainable development in Africa. There will be a strong emphasis on constructive participation from all delegates, with the aim of developing national and regional solutions to a global challenge. For more information contact Niamh McClean tel: +44 7984 199113; fax: +44 20 7955 6934; email: africa.forum@lse.ac.uk; Internet: http://www.lse.ac.uk
15 - 19 September 2008. Dakar, Senegal. SIXTH SESSION OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL FORUM ON CHEMICAL SAFETY. The Sixth Session of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) will be hosted by the government of Senegal. The session will consider: the future of the IFCS; nanotechnology and nanomaterials; substitution and alternatives; the need for international action on lead and cadmium; and ecologically sound and integrated pest and vector management. Preparatory meetings will take place prior to the session, on 13-14 September. For more information contact: tel: +41 22 791 3873; fax: +41 22 791 4875; e-mail: ifcs@who.int; Internet: http://www.who.int/ifcs/forums/six/en/index.html
15- 20 September 2008. Orvieto, Italy. EUROPEAN FOREST INSTITUTE ANNUAL CONFERENCE: ADAPTATION OF FOREST LANDSCAPE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES. This year, the scientific seminar of the EFI Annual Conference focuses on sharing knowledge on trees and forests for conservation, ecological restoration, energy and raw material sustainability. It will also seek answers to how to use forestry in managing environmental changes. For more information contact: Anu Ruusila, EFI; e-mail: anu.ruusila@efi.int; Internet: http://www.efi.int/portal/news___events/events/extra/2008/efi_2008_annual_conference_and_scientific_seminar/
17- 20 September 2008. Crans-Montana, Switzerland. GENEVA TRADE & DEVELOPMENT FORUM (GTDF): TRADE AS A DEVELOPMENT TOOL - PARTNERSHIPS AND POLICIES. The 1st conference of the GTDF will connect about 250 top thinkers, practitioners and decision makers from the trade and development fields from more than 40 developing, transition and OECD countries with the goal to foster a more inclusive globalisation by addressing some of the specific challenges and opportunities of developing countries in their quest to liberalise trade and integrate into the world economy to the benefit of all. The conference is expected to develop country-specific action plans/policy recommendations as well as policy principles on trade governance and new ideas and approaches to promote trade as a development tool. Participants will probe how entrepreneurship, food security, service development, labour mobility, intellectual property rights, commodities, climate change, livelihoods, export development, trade built on decent work, trade rules and governance can contribute to reducing poverty and enhancing integration into the world trading system. The focus will be on what each stakeholder can do to contribute to solutions. A group of key stakeholders will form a “constituency for change” to work to advance the Forum’s agenda. IDEAS Centre is organising the GTDF, backed by Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. For more information, visit www.gtdforum.org.
18 - 20 September 2008. Cracow, Poland. 12TH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE OF EUROMEDITERRANEAN NETWORK OF EXPERIMENTAL AND REPRESENTATIVE BASINS. The conference will be organized around the theme “hydrological extremes in small basins.” For more information contact: Jagiellonian University; tel: +48-12-664-5276; fax: +48-12-664-5385; e-mail: erb2008@geo.uj.edu.pl; Internet: http://www.geo.uj.edu.pl/konferencja/erb2008/
20-24 October 2008. EUROPEAN FOREST WEEK. The European Forest Week will be marked by events in Brussels, Rome and throughout Europe. The week highlights the contribution of European forests in mitigating the effects of climate change, providing wood and renewable energy, promoting fresh water supply and protecting the environment. The European Forest Week, declared by ministers responsible for forests in 46 European countries, is jointly organized by the European Commission, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, in close collaboration with the Presidency of the Council of the European Union at the time of the event, France. For more information, visit http://www.europeanforestweek.org.
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