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Biofuels in the Spotlight at Global Food Summit
A major international conference recently concluded with a call to address the complex issues underlying the current food crisis. Among the issues addressed — and left unresolved — was the contribution of biofuels production to the problem. Heads of state, ministers and other high-level officials from 181 countries attended a summit on climate change, energy and…
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High Cost of Cargo Shipping Could "Reverse Globalisation," Report Says
Rising international shipping costs driven by high oil prices could effectively wipe out decades’ worth of trade liberalisation, according to new research from CIBC World Markets. By making it substantially more expensive to ship cargo over long distances, higher freight costs are likely to change global trade and production patterns, said the Canadian investment bank. They…
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US Senate Rejects Climate Bill; Topic Still Very Much Alive
As anticipated, the Lieberman-Warner climate bill, widely lauded as the most aggressive and comprehensive climate bill introduced in the US, did not gather enough support in a 6 June vote in the Senate to pass to the next stage of consideration. The four days of deliberation on the bill were characterised more by partisan bickering than…
- In Brief
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China's Growing Ecological Footprint Linked to Exports
According to a new study, China consumes more than twice the natural resources its ecosystems can sustainably supply, having doubled its needs since the 1960s. China remains a net exporter of natural resources, with increased demand partly fuelled by exported output. The 10 June report, jointly commissioned by environment group WWF and the China Council for…
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Europe Remains Divided on GM Safety
EU environment ministers and the European Commission recently unanimously accepted a French proposal to re-evaluate the approval process for genetically modified (GM) products. In their 5 June meeting in Luxembourg, ministers recognised the need to improve the GM evaluation and authorisation system, with emphasis placed on longer-term discussion on health and environment impacts. The proposal stems…
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TRIPS: Members Differ on Whether to Include Biodiversity in Horizontal Negotiations
As negotiations in key areas of the Doha Round, such as agriculture and industrial goods, have moved into a stage where countries are looking at the overall compromises needed to clinch a deal, Members are struggling to decide how to move issues related to the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement forward.…
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Climate Negotiations Underway in Bonn
Climate change negotiations are underway in Bonn, Germany, with participants taking small steps forward towards a comprehensive global agreement set to take effects in 2012. During the negotiations from 4-13 June, over 2000 participants are convening in multiple groups, both formal and informal, focusing on the technical and political issues that have to be resolved with…
- 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, 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.…
- 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 at msell@ictsd.ch. AFRICA: ATLAS OF OUR CHANGING ENVIRONMENT. By UNEP, 2008. Increasing concern as to how human activities impact Africa’s environment has led to…