September 2010
1-3 September, Geneva, Switzerland. INFORMAL MEETING OF CLIMATE MINISTERS. This meeting, co-organized by the Governments of Switzerland and Mexico, will help prepare for the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC scheduled to take place in Cancun, Mexico, at the end of 2010. Around 30 countries from all continents and negotiating groups will be invited to Geneva. The key issue to be addressed under the heading of long-term financing is how the funds for climate change mitigation and adaptation should be mobilised, managed and allocated from 2020 onwards. For more information visit the meeting website.
2-3 September, Santiago (Region Metropolitana), Chile. SEMINAR ON THE VULNERABILITY OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE TO THE CARBON FOOTPRINT. This seminar, hosted by the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), will examine the possible impacts on Latin American and Caribbean trade of efforts to assess the “carbon footprint” of goods and services. For more information visit the ECLAC website.
5-11 September. Stockholm, Sweden. WORLD WATER WEEK. The 20th anniversary of World Water Week will be hosted by the Stockholm International Water Institute. The programme will include plenaries, workshops, seminars, side events and award ceremonies related to the theme: “The Water Quality Challenge - Prevention, Wise Use and Abatement.” Organisers say the event will help deepen the understanding of, stimulate ideas on, and engage the water community around the challenges related to water quality. For more information, view this event website.
8-9 September. Mexico City, Mexico. CARBON MARKETS & CLIMATE FINANCE IN MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA. This conference will focus on accelerating Mexico and Central America’s participation in global carbon markets. This conference is the second in a series of the Green Power Conferences focused on Mexico and Central America. This event will create a networking platform for the Mexican and Central American carbon market industry, policy makers and potential investors to examine strategies for the market as well as investment options and regional policy movements. For more information visit the conference website.
12-16 September. Montreal, Canada. WORLD ENERGY CONGRESS. This world congress, organised by the World Energy Council, provides an opportunity for participants to better understand energy issues and solutions from a global perspective. The congress will bring together more than 3,500 top world leaders in the field of energy, coming from industry, governments, and international organizations, as well as the media, universities and energy industry associations. The aim of the congress is to continue efforts to work toward responsible growth that reconciles economic development, environmental protection, and the reduction of global inequalities. For more information visit the event website.
13-15 September, Cordoba (Andalucia), Spain. INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON THE ROLE OF AGROBIODIVERSITY IN ADDRESSING HUNGER AND CLIMATE CHANGE. This seminar will focus on the role of agricultural biodiversity for food security, to fight hunger and to buffer the effects of climate changes. During the event, prestigious international experts will discuss the work being undertaken in these fields in diverse institutions. The Seminar will promote awareness raising and the dialogue among public institutions, universities, scientists, civil society and the private sector. An expert committee, which will include representatives of the participant institutions, will draft a document or declaration with specific recommendations for action. This will be presented at international fora such as the the High Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on Biodiversity to be held in September 22 in New York. For more information visit the seminar website.
14 September, Montreal, Canada. HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE ON FOSTERING INVESTMENT IN ELECTRICITY GENERATION IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA. This meeting, hosted by the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Secretariat, the World Energy Council and the e8 organisation, will discuss key issues and initial direction for the project ‘Fostering investment in advanced fossil fuel technologies for climate change mitigation and sustainable development in countries with economies in transition.’ Panel discussions will include key issues such as market, technological and cost developments, selected investment trends, evolving regulation and possible future trends. Delegates from central and eastern European and central Asian countries will discuss energy investment with CEOs from leading electricity companies. For more information on this event visit the UNECE website.
14-30 September, New York City, USA. SIXTY-FIFTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY. The 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly will open on 14 September and the General Debate will take place from 23-25 September and 27-30 September. A high-level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals will be held on 20-22 September. Included in the provisional agenda are issues related to biodiversity and the launch of the 2011 UN Decade for Deserts and the Fight against Desertification. For more information visit the UN website.
15-16 September, Paris, France. IEA WORKSHOP ON SUSTAINABLE FEEDSTOCK SUPPLY FOR BIOENERGY AND BIOFUELS. The international Energy Agency (IEA) is holding a workshop on bioenergy and biofuels feedstocks relating specifically to biomass and land availability, international biomass trade, supply costs and sustainability-related topics. The workshop’s sessions will focus, inter alia, on assessing biomass potential and identifying knowledge gaps, identifying steps necessary to ensure sustainability of supply, and furthering public-private-partnerships and international cooperation on ensuring sustainable production. For more information visit the event website.
15-17 September, Geneva, Switzerland. WTO PUBLIC FORUM. The World Trade Organization (WTO) Public Forum 2010 will address “The Forces Shaping World Trade” and feature a series of events organised by civil society organisations. Discussions will take place under the sub-themes: the WTO and the players that influence the multilateral trading system; the economic, political and technological factors shaping world trade, and the role of the rules-based multilateral trading system in contributing to the global economic recovery; coherence between the WTO and other areas of global governance; and “Looking to the future: What post-crisis agenda for the WTO in a shifting-power scenario?” For more information and a schedule of events visit the WTO website.
17-19 September, New Haven, US. UNITAR-YALE CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE GOVERNANCE. This conference is organized by the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and Yale University on the theme of “Strengthening Institutions to Address Climate Change and Advance a Green Economy.” The Conference aims to examine the role of institutional structures and decision-making procedures in fostering or impeding low carbon and climate resilient development. Anticipated outcomes of the conference include a research agenda and enhanced knowledge sharing to better understand the openness, transparency, accountability and effectiveness of institutions engaged in action to address climate change. For more information visit the conference website.
18-21 September, Montreal, Canada. INTERREGIONAL NEGOTIATING GROUP (ING) OF THE AD HOC OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP ON ACCESS AND BENEFIT-SHARING (ABS). This meeting will continue the negotiations on an international regime for access and benefit sharing under the Convention on Biological Diversity. The meeting aims to prepare a text on the international regime for presentation at the October Conference of the Parties of the CBD in Nagoya. For more information visit the CBD website.
19-24 September. Montreal, Canada. INTERNATIONAL WATER ASSOCIATION (IWA) WORLD WATER CONGRESS. The IWA World Water Congress and Exhibition is a high-profile international event attracting thousands of water professionals and organisations from across the globe. The strategic intentions for the congress are to engage with the dynamics of the water sector and its interfaces, including urbanisation, climate change and energy. This event provides delegates and trade visitors with the opportunity to meet world-leading water professionals, exchange ideas, explore the state of the art and debate the key issues underlying the science and practice of water. It is also where the entire water community congregates once every two years and where IWA specialist groups showcase their work and plan for future activities. For more information visit the event website.
20-21 September, Paris, France. TENTH ANNUAL WORKSHOP ON GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION TRADING. The international Energy Agency (IEA), the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) will host the tenth annual emissions trading workshop which provides an opportunity for government, business and various stakeholders to discuss some of the key issues relating to national and international carbon markets and climate policy. This year’s workshop will cover topics relevant to the future of global carbon markets post-COP 15, including scaled-up and new market mechanisms, regional linkages, carbon market oversight, and accounting and verification. As in previous years, the workshop will also provide an opportunity to discuss advances in various national GHG markets, as well as carbon market developments over the past year. For more information visit the event website.
20-24 September, Bergen, Norway. NORTH-EAST ATLANTIC ENVIRONMENT SUMMIT. This summit, hosted by the Norwegian Ministry of the Environment, will gather Ministers and representatives from the 16 Contracting Parties to the OSPAR Commission and delegates from other countries bordering the North Atlantic (Canada and the US) with the aim of taking collective action on pertinent issues related to the future of the North Atlantic marine environment. Specifically, the summit plans to address implementing the EC Marine Strategy Framework Directive, establishing a well-managed network of marine protected areas (MPAs) and responding to the challenges of increase carbon dioxide on the marine environment. The summit will launch the Quality Status Report 2010, which provides an assessment of the quality status of the North-East Atlantic. For more information visit the meeting website.
20-24 September, Nairobi, Kenya. GLOBAL EXPERT WORKSHOP ON BIODIVERSITY BENEFITS OF REDD IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. This workshop is being convened by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) with the generous financial support of the government of Germany and in collaboration with the UN REDD Programme (United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries). The purpose of the workshop is to support the efforts of Parties in addressing REDD in developing countries within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in a way that contributes to the implementation of the CBD programme of work on forest biodiversity. Specifically, the workshop address potential risks associated with REDD-plus that could result in activities that run counter to the objectives of the CBD, and develop recommendations how these risks can be addressed. For more information visit the workshop website.
22-25 September, Phuket, Thailand. GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON AQUACULTURE 2010: FARMING THE WATERS FOR FOOD AND PEOPLE. This conference, co-sponsored by the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia and the Pacific (NACA), and the Department of Fisheries of the Royal Thai Government, aims to tackle five key matters related to global aquaculture. Organisers hope to review the present status and trends in aquaculture development, evaluate the progress made in the implementation of the 2000 Bangkok Declaration and Strategy, address emerging issues in aquaculture development, assess opportunities and challenges for future aquaculture development, and build consensus on advancing aquaculture as a global, sustainable and competitive food production sector. The conference was originally scheduled to take place in June 2010. For further information, refer to the conference website.
23-24 September, London, UK. CLIMATE CHANGE 2010: THE WAY FORWARD IN A POST-COPENHAGEN WORLD. This conference, organised by Chatham House, will ask whether an international agreement on climate will be reached in 2010-11, and if that appears unlikely, what alternative forms of governance will emerge and what governments and the business sector can do to respond. Organisers hope to bring together political leaders, chief negotiators, experts, analysts, and heads of business from both developed and developing nations to discuss issues such as the prospects for long term finance of adaptation, mitigation, and forests, along with how national policy can create conditions to stimulate investment, among other topics. To learn more, or to register, visit the event website.
October 2010
4-8 October, Rome, Italy. TWENTIETH SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON FORESTRY - SECOND WORLD FOREST WEEK. The Committee on Forestry (COFO) and the World Forest Week will be held in conjunction at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy. World Forest Week will consist of a series of meetings and events sponsored by FAO and its partner organisations and institutions. The events will be organised around the key topics of the COFO and intend to shed more light on key issues and lead to more detailed discussions. The University of Tuscia (Italy) and FAO, with the support of the International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO) will organise a conference on “Emerging Economic Mechanisms: Implications for Forest-Related Policies and Sector Governance.” Additionally, there will be two panel discussions on forest governance and on REDD-plus with participation from heads of forestry and lead scientists. The event aims to remove traditional boundaries and foster a continued science-policy dialogue. For more information or to register for the event visit the FAO website.
5-8 October, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. SECOND INTER-AMERICAN MEETING OF MINISTERS AND HIGH AUTHORITIES ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. This meeting is a follow-up on a mandate from the Heads of State and Government of the Americas from the Fifth Summit of the Americas in January of this year. The goal of this upcoming event is to build upon the prior agenda inspired by the Declaration of Santa Cruz + 10 and the Inter-American Program on Sustainable Development, and address emerging environmental concerns. To learn more, visit the OAS website.
18-29 October 2010, Nagoya, Japan. CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY TENTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES (CBD COP 10). This event will allow all parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity to meet and discuss further implementation of the Protocol. In order to evaluate current progress, participants will develop a Revised Strategic Plan (including a biodiversity target and indicators), a Global Strategy for Planet Conservation, and a strategy for resource mobilisation. Moreover, this meeting will be used to consider in-depth issues such as inland water biodiversity, marine and coastal biodiversity, mountain diversity, protected areas, sustainable use of biodiversity, and the effects of climate change on biodiversity. Other topics that will be considered for discussion are agricultural and forest biodiversity, invasive alien species, biofuels and biodiversity, the Global Taxonomy Initiative, and incentive measures. For more information visit the conference website.
19 October, Paris, France. BUSINESS AND BIODIVERSITY SYMPOSIUM. This symposium, organised by Enterprises pour l’Environment (EpE) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, aims to demonstrate business commitment to biodiversity. The symposium will present successful business cases and address the conditions of compatibility between economic development and the preservation of biodiversity, with interventions by business leaders and international experts on the subject. Three roundtables, organised by partner organisations, will cover topics such as changes in business models, corporate philanthropy and measuring biodiversity. With the presence of European Commissioner for the Environment, Janez Potocnik and representatives of the French Minister of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and the Sea, this event aims to generate European support for the upcoming Convention on Biological Diversity COP 10 to be held in Nagoya at the end of October. For more information visit the event website.
25-27 October, Mechelen, Belgium. ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD) GLOBAL FORUM ON ENVIRONMENT: SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS MANAGEMENT. The Public Waste Agency of Flanders will be hosting a forum, organised by the OECD, to discuss new sustainable materials management (SSM) practices, policies for implementing these practices, to follow-up on reports from two prior SSM workshops that were also held by the OECD. Participation is open to OECD countries, delegates from invited non-member economies, and other invited experts. The organisers are also inviting the UN Resource panel, along with representatives from the business and NGO communities. For more information, including a preliminary agenda, refer to the event website.
November 2010
9-10 November, London, UK. CLIMATE FINANCE 2010 & THE TENTH ANNUAL CARBON FINANCE 2010 CONFERENCE. This event aims to showcase innovative tools being developed to encourage funding for global low-carbon development. Carbon markets as well as other approaches to deliver public and private sector finance on a large scale will be addressed. The proposed agenda will include topics such as leveraging public sector funding, climate change and the bond market, climate finance and green stimulus packages, voluntary carbon markets among other topics. For more information or to register visit the conference website.
8-11 November, Jakarta, Indonesia. EIGHTH ANNUAL ROUNDTBLE MEETING ON SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL (RSPO). The 8th annual meeting of RSPO - RT8 - will be held in conjunction with the 7th Annual General Assembly of RSPO members. The theme for the 2010 meeting is “RSPO is also for Smallholders” and the aim is to come out of the 2010 meeting with a certification for smallholder sustainable palm oil production. The RT8 hopes begin the process of promoting and rewarding smallholder sustainable palm oil production. The meeting will include open interactive sessions, plenary sessions by experts in the field and updates on the progress and activities in RSPO. For more information or to register visit the RSPO website.
29 November-10 December, Cancun, Mexico. 16TH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES (COP 16) / 6TH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES SERVING AS THE MEETING OF THE PARTIES TO THE KYOTO PROTOCOL (CMP 6) - UNFCCC. At this meeting, parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change will work to reach a global climate change pact. For more information, visit the COP website.
March 2011
7-11 March 2011, Bali, Indonesia. FOURTH SESSION OF THE GOVERNING BODY TO THE ITPGR. The fourth session of the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture will address, among other issues, compliance, implementation issues regarding the Treaty’s Multilateral System, and the outstanding financial rules. For more information contact the organisers.