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Coming up: 20- 26 November
20 November, London, UK. AFRICAN AGRICULTURE SERIES: AN AFRICAN GREEN REVOLUTION? In this inaugural meeting of the African Agriculture Series, the speakers will discuss the role of agriculture in Africa today. Across the continent, agricultural output per person has fallen 15 percent over the past 40 years. Most experts agree the lessons of Asia’s 20th-century ‘green revolution’ are applicable to much of Africa. The meeting will draw together experts in agricultural development to discuss the possibility and nature of a ‘green revolution’ in the continent. For further information, please refer to: http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/961/
20 November, Washington DC, US. TRADE REMEDIES: WHAT IS CHANGING, AND HOW? A series of events have aligned that have the potential to significantly change the trade remedy (antidumping, countervailing duties, and safeguards) landscape in the United States. The rulings against ‘zeroing’ at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) have been loud and clear. In 2009, the US will need to eliminate zeroing or face retaliation against US exports. But the Administration has been reluctant to abide by these rulings. What needs to happen, and when? Domestically, a Democratic administration and Congress will likely forge new direction in many areas of trade policy. What will this mean for remedies and enforcement actions? And last, the Supreme Court has taken a case on antidumping law for the first time in memory; what will be the fallout of the Eurodif ruling? For further information, please refer to: http://www.wita.org/index.php?tg=addon/4/form&id_app=25&trt_step=1&id_step=163.
20 November, Sao Paolo, Brazil. EXPO BRAZIL 2008 - INTERNATIONAL MULTI-SECTOR TRADE EXHIBITION. The Expo Brazil 2008-International Trade Exhibition will provide a forum for the presentation of more than 10,000 products, equipment and machinery from over 28 countries. Trade visitors from all over South and North American countries are being invited directly and in collaboration with several regional trade bodies in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and other North American countries. For further information, please click here.
20 - 21 November, Capetown, South Africa. BIOFUELS MARKETS AFRICA - THE PAN-AFRICAN MEETING PLACE FOR THE BIOFUELS INDUSTRY. The approval of the Biofuel Industrial Strategy for South Africa in December provides fresh impetus to the Biofuels market in South Africa, providing a foundation and road map to push the market forward. For further information, please refer to: http://www.sdgateway.net/events/default.asp?EventID=5600, or contact: info@greenpowerconferences.com
20-21 November, Forres, Scotland. FOOD SECURITY: A BIOREGIONAL RESPONSE. This seminar explores the benefits of bioregional food systems, which encourage the spread of healthy, diverse agriculture while helping to revitalise rural communities and providing much-needed local jobs. Given the complexity and dynamics of modern food systems, action needs to be coordinated across all levels of food governance; at the local, national, regional and international levels. To reverse current trends, a shift is needed urgently towards a greater level of bioregionally based production and consumption, and a significant reduction in food miles. For further information, please refer to: http://www.cifalfindhorn.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=69&Itemid=42.
20 - 22 November, Lille, France. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TWENTY YEARS ON: NEW THEORETICAL INTERPRETATIONS, METHODOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS, AND FIELDS OF FURTHER EXPLORATION. The issue of sustainable development has grown over the last twenty years. Indeed, it is the age we can give if we consider as a starting point the Brundtland report, presented by the United Nations in 1987. Since then, the problem creating intra-generational and intergenerational equity, and generally understood as seeking to reconcile social equity, economic efficiency and environmental conservation, has been the subject of many, especially the relevant theories proposed by various organisations. For further information, please click here.
22-23 November, Lima, Peru. 16th APEC ECONOMIC LEADERS’ MEETING. Leaders from the Asia Pacific-Economic Co-operation (APEC) will meet to discuss the global financial situation amidst a weeks worth of APEC Summit meetings. The meeting comes five days after the G20 summit in Washington. APEC member countries account for half the world’s trade and nearly 60 percent of its gross domestic product. For further information, please refer to http://www.apec.org/.
22-23 November. Nairobi, Kenya. EXPERT GROUP MEETING ON CITIES AND CLIMATE CHANGE. This expert group meeting on Cities and Climate Change, convened by the United Nations-HABITAT, will gather researchers on mitigation and adaptation to climate related issues UN agencies and other relevant organisations to develop a common understanding on issues and challenges on cities and climate change; and an approach of how to deal with the challenge of climate change focusing on human settlements; and, to contribute to the development of a draft strategy on cities and climate change. The meeting is expected to deliver a position paper on the issue for UN-HABITAT and to establish a network of experts to further support the ongoing work on the UN-HABITAT’s strategy. For more information contact: Internet: http://www.unhabitat.org
24-26 November. Marseille, France. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND MANAGEMENT OF WASTES GENERATED AT SEA. This conference is organised by the French Ministry for Ecology, Sustainable Development and Planning, in partnership with the Region Provence - Alpes-Côte d’Azur, the Autonomous Port of Marseille and the United Nations Secretariat of the Basel Convention. The conference will seek to illustrate and debate the extent of the current inadequacy of arrangements for managing wastes generated at sea, propose solutions and encourage partnerships to address the situation in different parts of the world. For more information, please refer to http://www.we2c.org/content/Anglais/conference-internationale_1008_english_0208.pdf
24 - 26 November, Geneva, Switzerland. INTERGOVERNMENTAL FORUM ON MINING, MINERALS, METALS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. The Intergovernmental Forum is the institutional framework for the global dialogue on mining, metals and sustainable development, and is a voluntary initiative by national governments with an interest in mining to work collectively to advance priorities identified for the sector in the Johannesburg Plan of Action. The Forum is the only global policy forum for the mining or metals sector with the overarching objective to enhance capacity for the overall governance in the sector. The major goals of the forum are to: enhance and promote the contribution of the mining, minerals and metals sector to sustainable development; provide governments with a framework in which to discuss the opportunities and challenges of the sector. For further information, please click here.
24-27 November. Strasbourg, France. 28TH MEETING OF THE BERN CONVENTION STANDING COMMITTEE. This meeting is organised by the Secretariat of Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention). The Bern Convention is a binding international legal instrument in the field of nature conservation, which covers the whole of the natural heritage of the European continent and extends to some States of Africa. Its aims are to conserve wild flora and fauna and their natural habitats and to promote European co-operation in that field. For more information, please contact: Carolina Lasen Diaz, Secretary of the Bern Convention; tel: +33(0)3-9021-5679; fax: +33(0)3-8841-3751; e-mail: carolina.lasen-diaz@coe.int; Internet: http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cultureheritage/conventions/Bern/default_en.asp
25 November, London, UK. CAPITALISM UNDER ATTACK. John Micklethwait, editor-in-chief of The Economist, will use this opportunity to share his thoughts on the turmoil in the financial markets. For further information, please refer to: http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/979/.
25 November, Brussels, Belgium. DOUBLE WHAMMING FOR ENERGY FINANCING: ENERGY PRICES AND CREDIT AVAILIBILITY. As part of the Ifri Energy Breakfast Roundtable, a seminar with Jan Stuart, Global Oil Economist at UBS Securities LLC and Harry Tchilinguirian, Senior Oil Market Analyst at BNP Paribas, London. For further information, please click here or contact Martine Breux at breux@ifri.org.
25 November, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. THE LOWDOWN ON THE MELTDOWN. The north is of huge economic and strategic importance-and disproportionately affected by weather and by climate. What is happening and how quickly? How will it affect development in both northern and southern Canada? What have we learned about conditions in the Arctic over the last few years-and what critical questions remain? The Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences invites you to find out. For further information, please refer to: http://www.sdgateway.net/events/default.asp?EventID=5870.
25-26 November, Amsterdam, Netherlands. ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS STRATEGIES SUMMIT 2008. Hear real-world strategies and practices from the Vice Presidents of Siemens, Volvo, Philips, senior directors from Johnson and Johnson, Bombardier, Goldman Sachs and many more. In a time of financial turbulence, learn from these experts on how you too can reap significant financial rewards from a well-formulated environmental strategy. This conference is devoted specifically to developing effective environmental strategies across the five most topical areas: energy, carbon, water, green supply chain and communications. By bringing these five topics together, this conference allows you to address the issue holistically and not on a case-by-case approach. For further information, please refer to: http://www.ethicalcorp.com/ebs/?t=GrnPub1.
25-26 November, Grieskirchen, Austria. 14TH AUSTRIAN BIOMASS CONFERENCE - BIOMASS IN THE TURNING POINT FOR ENERGY. The Biomass Conference can by all means be regarded as a kaleidoscope of everything that is possible as regards the use of biomass for energy. And, in actual fact: experts from home and abroad, representing the who-is-who of the Austrian and European biomass scene, will provide deep insights into technical, economic and legal aspects related to electricity, heat and fuel from biomass, and will present perspectives for future developments which the participants will have sufficient time to discuss. For further information, please refer to: http://www.sdgateway.net/events/default.asp?EventID=5818.
25-26 November, London, UK. THE NEED FOR PATIENT CAPITAL TO BRING BIODIVERSITY & ECOSYSTEM FINANCE INTO THE MAINSTREAM. Many companies still have trouble seeing the bottom line relationship of Biodiversity and Ecosystem services. Financiers investing in companies or projects that may have biodiversity or ecosystem impacts and businesses such as oil, gas and mining that have an impact have traditionally focused on the risk elements such as reputational risk from negative publicity but companies now need to start looking at the opportunities that can be derived from Biodiversity & Ecosystem services. For further information, please refer to: http://www.greenpowerconferences.com/carbonmarkets/biodiversity_lon08.html.
25 -29 November, Kuantan, Malaysia. THE SOUTH CHINA SEA: SUSTAINING OCEAN PRODUCTIVITIES, MARITIME COMMUNITIES AND THE CLIMATE. This conference will be held in conjunction with the International Year of Planet Earth, and is jointly organised by the Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, the University of Malaya, the National Oceanography Directorate, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Malaysia, and the Malaysian Society of Marine Sciences. For more information, please refer to http://ioes.um.edu.my/scs2008/scs2008.html
26-27 November, London, UK. WATER AND BUSINESS SUMMIT. As Starbucks has found, water is now a sustainability issue that business cannot afford to ignore. When British tabloid newspapers found that the international coffee chain ‘waste 23bn litres per day’, there was a huge effect on Starbucks’ international standing as a responsible business. The Water and Business Summit will give you real-world best practice and case studies on all aspects of good water stewardship. Our speakers include senior directors from Rio Tinto, PepsiCo, Nestlé, Unilever, Intel, Alcan and Borealis. Companies like those above have spent time and money working out how they should be dealing with issues like increasing water scarcity, water footprinting and operational efficiency. You can take a short-cut and get direct insight straight from the horse’s mouth. For further information, please refer to: http://www.ethicalcorp.com/water/?t=GLP.
26-28 November, Paris, France. INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE WATER-ENERGY NEXUS. The International Symposium on resolving the Water-Energy Nexus is held within the framework of UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme (IHP), in collaboration with UNESCO’s Renewable Energy Programme, and is organised by the non-profit association RED-Ethique. The meeting is also a preparatory event to the 5th World Water Forum, which will take place in Istanbul in March 2009. For more information contact: Symposium Secretariat; tel: +33(0)1-42-19-14-77; fax: +33(0)1-42-19-13-34; e-mail: valerie-anne.kodjovi@developpement-durable.gouv.fr; Internet: http://www.ancold.org.au/images/Pre%20registration%20paris%20november%202008.pdf
26-28 November. Tunis, Tunisia. GEO TUNIS 2008: INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE WITH GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS, SCIENCE AND SPACE TECHNOLOGIES. This symposium will consider, inter alia, the topic of water resources sustainability and/or carried on operations, particularly the collection, storage and management of rainwater and tributaries; optimisation of implantation sites for construction of dams; process hydrological modeling and spatial technologies; and sustainability of water resources in arid environments. For more information, please contact: Mohamed Ayari; tel: +216 71 341 814; fax: +216 71 341 814; e-mail: atigeo_num@yahoo.fr; Internet: http://www.geotunis.org/version_ang/index.php
26-29 November, New York, US. INTERNATIONAL NGOS’ WORKSHOP ON DEVELOPMENT FINANCING - INTERNATIONAL NGO/CBO WORKSHOP. Microfinance institutions (MFI’s), non-governmental organisations (NGO’s), associations, donor agencies, consulting firms, government agencies, central and commercial banks, socially responsible investors and private individuals are invited to attend. The workshop’s goal is to help reduce poverty and to raise the standards of living by mobilising resources inside as well as outside the countries while providing a technical and financial assistance for development projects and programs in the concerned countries. For further information, please refer to: http://www.sdgateway.net/events/default.asp?EventID=5811.
WTO Events
An updated list of forthcoming WTO meetings is posted 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.
24-26 NOVEMBER: TRADE POLICY REVIEW - DOMININCAN REPUBLIC
25 NOVEMBER: WTO INTRODUCTION DAY
25 NOVEMBER: COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
26 NOVEMBER: WORKING GROUP ON BUDGET, FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
26 NOVEMBER: WORKING PARTY ON DOMESTIC REGULATION
Other Upcoming Events
29 November - 2 December, Doha, Qatar. FOLLOW-UP INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT TO REVIEW THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MONTERREY CONSENSUS. This review conference will address progress made, reaffirm goals and commitments, and share best practices and lessons learned. It will also identify obstacles and constraints, actions and initiatives to overcome them and important measures for further implementation, as well as new challenges and emerging issues. Several meetings will also be held during the year in preparation for the Conference, including six substantive informal review sessions of the whole on the six thematic areas of the monterrey consensus, to be held during the period from January to June 2008. For more information, please contact: Finance for Development Office; tel: +1-212-963-2587; fax: +1-212-963-0443; Internet: http://www.un.org/esa/ffd/
1-5 December, Irvine, California, US. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WATER SCARCITY, GLOBAL CHANGES AND GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT RESPONSES. This Conference, convened by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the University of California Irvine, will bring together water management and climate change experts, scientists and engineers, policymakers, lawyers and economists, and executives of water services of local and regional authorities. Among other objectives, the Conference will present innovative and appropriate technologies to address water scarcity and global change effects on water availability and quality, explore the specific scientific and technical tools for groundwater studies and management, and discuss how to incorporate such technologies into short-term decision-making and long-term water management and policy-making. For more information, please contact: Jean Fried; tel: +1 714-679-6888; fax: +1 949-824-3672; Internet: http://www.waterunifies.com/.
1-12 December, Poznan, Poland. FOURTEENTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE UNFCCC AND FOURTH MEETING OF THE PARTIES TO THE KYOTO PROTOCOL. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP) 14 and Kyoto Protocol COP/MOP 4 are scheduled to take place from 1-12 December 2008 in Poznan, Poland. These meetings will coincide with the 29th meetings of the UNFCCC’s subsidiary bodies. For more information contact: UNFCCC Secretariat; tel: +49-228-815-1000; fax: +49-228-815-1999; e-mail: secretariat@unfccc.int; Internet: http://unfccc.int/meetings/unfccc_calendar/items/2655.php?year=2008
1-12 December, Poznan, Poland. ECONCERN SUSTAINABLE ENERGY EVENT. This 12-day event will take place at the same time as the Poznan Climate Change Conference, and will include presentations and panel discussions, exhibits of sustainable projects and networking events. For more information contact: Sylvia Meeks; tel: +31-(0)30-662-3961; e-mail: cop14@econcern.com; Internet: http://www.cop14poznan.com/
15-17 December, Sirte, Libya. FAO HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCE ON WATER FOR AGRICULTURE AND ENERGY IN AFRICA: THE CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE. The overall purpose of this conference will be to address the availability of water resources in Africa under the circumstances of increased demand by the agricultural and energy sectors and in the context of changing climatic conditions. The conference will analyse the present situation and needs, in terms of water for agriculture and energy, and the potential, the costs and the sources of financing, with a view to proposing to Heads of State and Government the policies, strategies and programmes for effective use and management of water resources. For more information, please contact: e-mail: Maher.Salman@fao.org; Internet: http://www.fao.org/nr/water/events.html or http://www.fao.org/nr/water/docs/sirteconceptnote.pdf
19-20 December, Paris, France. SIXTH WORLD FORUM ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: PRIORITIES, FINANCING, GOVERNANCE. Launched in 2003, the Global Sustainability Forum provides an annual meeting for decision-makers and managers from the worlds of business, politics, education and the non-profit sector in the French-speaking world, with strong links to Asia, the US and Latin America. This annual event is intended to bridge the gap between the World Economic Forum of Davos and the alter-globalisation of Porto Alegre. For more information, please contact: tel: +33-(0)1-4325-2357; fax: +33-(0)1-4325-6259; e-mail: passages@club-internet.fr; Internet: http://www.fmdd.fr/synopsis.html
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