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CLIMATE SCIENTISTS WARN OF INCREASED HUNGER, WATER SHORTAGES AND SPECIES EXTINCTION
CLIMATE SCIENTISTS WARN OF INCREASED HUNGER, WATER SHORTAGES AND SPECIES EXTINCTION The poorest and most vulnerable will be hardest hit by climate change, according to the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The world is set to face increased hunger, water shortages and species extinction. Providing a regional breakdown of impacts,…
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CODEX MEETING FOCUSES ON RISK ANALYSIS STANDARDS, CODE OF ETHICS FOR TRADE IN FOOD
CODEX MEETING FOCUSES ON RISK ANALYSIS STANDARDS, CODE OF ETHICS FOR TRADE IN FOOD Meeting from 2-6 April in Paris, the Codex Alimentarius Committee on General Principles (CCGP) — which deals with procedural and general matters such as the nature of Codex standards and the development of guidelines for Codex committees — decided that a…
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BIOTECH COMPANIES WANT SWITZERLAND ON IP WATCHLIST
BIOTECH COMPANIES WANT SWITZERLAND ON IP WATCHLISTIn a move some observers find surprising, the Biotechnology Industry Organisation (BIO) is requesting that Switzerland be placed on a "Watchlist" due to its new draft rules on biotechnology inventions. In a letter to the US Trade Representative’s office, BIO expressed concern that the revised Swiss Patent Act could…
- In Brief
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Civil Society Calls for Strong Environmental Provisions in US FTAs
A number of environmental organisations in the US have written to leaders in the new, Democrat-led Congress, supporting environmental provisions — and particularly a ban on trade in illegally-harvested timber — in bilateral free-trade agreements (FTAs). In late March, the Democrats, which took control of Congress after last November’s election, agreed on a “New Trade Policy…
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West Africa Biotech Meeting Adopts Action Plan
Agriculture, environment, science and technology ministers participating in an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) biotechnology conference recently adopted a plan to boost biotechnology cooperation in the region. Meanwhile, civil society representatives — concerned that industry was driving the agenda — held their own counter-summit. Around 200 experts and politicians from the…
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CTE: Canada Suggests 'Middle Ground' Approach on MEA Observer Status
WTO Members appear to remain divided on precisely what they are mandated to do in Doha Round negotiations on the relationship between multilateral environmental agreement (MEA) secretariats and the WTO. A 30 March informal meeting of the Committee on Trade and Environment-Special Session (CTE-SS) saw Canada submit a ‘non-paper’ (JOB (07)/38) in an attempt to…
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Court Ruling Confirms US Environmental Agency's Power to Regulate Greenhouse Gases
The US Supreme Court ruled on 2 April that the top US regulatory agency in environmental matters has the authority to set limits on greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming. The dispute dates back to 1999, when environmentalists filed a petition calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from motor…
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Are Bees Dying from Exposure to GE Crops?
The Sierra Club, an environmental group based in the US, recently sent a letter to Tom Harkin, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair, asking for research into a potential link between recent massive die-offs of bees and genetically modified (GM) crops. The role of honeybees is crucial to the pollination of farm crops. Over recent months, up to…
- Events
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Events
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. Coming up in the next two weeks 16-20…
- Resources
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Resources
If you have a relevant resource (books, papers, bulletins, etc.) you would like to see announced in this section, please forward a copy for review by the BRIDGES staff to Malena Sell. EXPLORING FAIR TRADE TIMBER: A REVIEW OF ISSUES IN CURRENT PRACTICE, INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES AND WAYS FORWARD. By Duncan Macqueen, Annie Dufey, Bindi Patel. International…