CITES: Ivory Trade

CITES has issued a request for tenders in relation to a decision-making mechanism for a process of trade in ivory.According to the Terms of Reference for the mechanism, the CITES Secretariat intends to commission an independent study on the development of a decision-making mechanism and process for future trade in elephant ivory, for review by the CITES Standing Committee. The study will not determine whether there should or should not be international trade in ivory, but will examine processes and decision-making mechanisms related to ivory trade that are or have been operating under the provisions of the Convention, as well as evaluate strengths and weaknesses of international trade regimes and associated control, and look at basic principles and factors that could guide future trade in ivory.

IISD: Brief on Phasing Out Fossil Fuels

In a policy brief titled "A high-impact initiative for Rio+20: A pledge to phase out fossil-fuel subsidies," the Global Subsidies Initiative of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) has recommended that countries adopt a pledge to phase out fossil-fuel subsidies that compromise sustainable development, as well as to assist other countries with such a phase-out. Countries taking the pledge would commit to a transparent annual reporting and review, and providing technical and financial assistance for developing countries.

New Chair of UN-Water

During UN-Water's 15th meeting in Stockholm (Sweden), the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Michel Jarraud, was elected as Chair for a two year term . UN-Water coordinates the work of 28 UN agencies on issues relating to fresh water and was established in 2003 to maximize coordination and integration across the UN.
WMO Press Release

UN/S-G: Clean Energy Comments

In two addresses during a visit to Denver (USA) toward the end of August, Ban Ki-moon underlined the need for countries to move down a clean energy pathway and noted that financing universal energy access for the three billion energy poor can reduce poverty, create jobs, empower women, increase competitiveness, and achieve the target of stabilizing the climate below 2ºC above pre-industrial levels. He also highlighted the three energy targets as part of the 2012 International Year for Sustainable Energy for All, namely to: ensure universal access to modern energy services; double energy efficiency; and double the renewable energy share in the overall global energy mix.

Remarks at Roundtable on Sustainable Energy for All
Remarks at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

ITTO: Forest Management Guidelines

The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) convened the 2nd expert meeting for the review and update of its Guidelines for the Sustainable Management of Natural Tropical Forests from 22-25 August in Acre (Brazil). Experts from member countries, as well as partner research institutions completed the final draft of the Guidelines, which will be submitted for adoption by the ITTO Council at its next meeting, in November 2011 while also discussing methodologies for field testing of the Guidelines.
Meeting Website

UNESCO: Rethinking Development Conference

This conference brought together 40 participants, including 15 international experts from 17-18 August 2011 in Mexico City (Mexico) under the titled “Rethinking Development: Ethics and Social Inclusion." Participants agreed that an ethical approach to development offers a clear set of criteria for assessing the relevance of possible development alternatives, while debating the implications and the possible solutions to this assessment.
Many agreed on the importance of a more holistic understanding of human needs, and that a more sustainable society would require some profound changes - a "green" society would need to be much different in some ways. "Major disagreement" emerged, however, over whether progress and justice were possible within a State-centered, market-driven international system, or only with a radically different economic and political system.

UNESCO Press Release

New Article on CBD Legal Aspects

A new article to be published in the 2011 Yearbook of International Environmental Law explores the evolution of CBD, its current legal significance and legal issues related to its immediate future.  "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Looking Afresh at the Convention on Biological Diversity" can be downloaded at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1914378 (click on 'One-click download' on the top of the page).

Water Basin Organizations: 1st International Forum

As the first meeting of its kind, this Forum will bring together key stakeholders in the management of transboundary basins from 26-28 October in, Bangkok (Thailand) under the theme: "Freshwater Governance Beyond Rio + 20: Meeting the Sustainability Challenge". Discussions will also include a ministerial segment for Ministers of Environment and Water Resources as well as high-level civil servants especially involved in basin organizations’ ministerial commissions.

The forum is organized into four interrelated themes:1. Ecosystems and Biodiversity Conservation:
2. Adapting to Climate Change:
3. Environmental Laws and Regulations:
4. Institutional Challenges:

Announcement and background documents

Upcoming Meetings: Water Basin Management

The 9th conference of the "Europe-INBO" Group of the European Basin Organizations for the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive, as well as the 9th General Assembly of the Mediterranean Network of Basin Organizations (MENBO) will take place from 27-30 September in Oporto (Portugal).

Programme

UNEP: Forests in Green Economy an Climate Change

The fifth issue of the Policy Series on Ecosystem Management titled "Sustaining Forests: Investing in Our Common Future"  has been released. It addresses the role of forests in a green economy and opportunities for innovative solutions to forest management incorporating economic values of forests to human well-being; the importance of forests for mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration; the use of innovative market and policy mechanisms; and mechanisms that combine social, economic and environmental benefits to encourage sustained investment in forests for the success of a green economy.

UN-SG: Report on the Work of the Organization

The UN/GA has circulated the Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization (A/66/1). Coverage includes:
-  responses to disasters and the fact that the UN has begun to place a higher premium on disaster risk reduction and to forge new types of partnerships with the business community and civil society;
- responses to development needs underlining the outcome of LDC-IV, by which States committed to address the structural challenges faced by LDCs;
- a call for UNCSD (Rio+20) to agree on “an ambitious and actionable framework that complements the Millennium Development Goals” (MDGs), to follow the 2015 target date for meeting the eight MDGs;
- the needs of Africa and the worsening problems (extreme poverty, unemployment, armed conflicts, sexual and gender-based violence) masked by the region’s overall economic growth. In response, the UN is working to advance implementation of the Declaration on Enhancing UN-African Union (AU) Cooperation: Framework for the 10-Year Capacity-Building Programme for the AU, and partnering with governments to boost financing in sustainable forest management and other areas;
- climate change and its importance to global peace and prosperity; calling for “sustained global cooperation coupled with accelerated national actions to reduce emissions and strengthen climate resilience.” It praises the results of the Cancun Climate Change Conference as having provided an important set of tools that now must be put into practice;
- the Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Global Sustainability (GSP), which aims to provide a practical road map for sustainable, climate-resilient development that addresses poverty eradication, energy, food, water and other key issues, the recommendations of which are expected to provide input to UNCSD (Rio+20);
- participation of the business community and the successful integration through the “private sector track” at LDC-IV providing a model for closer engagement around UNCSD (Rio+20) and other high-level events.

Lastly, the report notes that “achieving sustainable development is imperative" and in the view of the UN-SG, a crucial part of this agenda will be forging a sustainable global energy strategy.

UNDP/UNEP: Climate Change Adaptation Guide

As part of the Poverty-Environment Initiative, this new guide entitled “Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into Development Planning: A Guide for Practitioners” provides practical, step-by-step guidance on how governments and other national actors can mainstream climate change adaptation into national development planning as part of broader mainstreaming efforts. It is aimed at public decision-makers and practitioners in developing countries dealing with climate change adaptation.


 

New Report Related to Water and Food

UNEP and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) have released a report titled “An Ecosystems Approach to Water and Food Security," which recommend that policymakers consider farmland, fisheries and other agricultural areas as "agroecosystems." UNEP and IWMI recommend closer collaboration between government authorities in agriculture, environment, forestry, fisheries and other sectors and hightlight the potential role for incentives, including paying farmers to plant and maintain trees on their land, to bolster ecosystem services and thus their contribution to water and food security.

MEA Negotiators Guide

The Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD) has produced "Help for MEA negotiators who encounter problems". It suggests practical approaches, covers some legal questions and emphasized the importance of understanding the rules of procedure of different MEAs.

CITES/SC-61

Meeting from 15-19 August, the 61st session of the CITES Standing Committee considered a complex agenda. While underlying issues of transparency, accountability, and funding came to the fore, delegates agreed to recommendations on several topics, including trade and conservation issues in great apes, elephants, tigers, rhinoceroses, sturgeons, ramin, bigleaf mahogany and other species.

Furthermore, the SC also took decisions on, inter alia:
- the relationship between CITES and UNEP;
- conducting a study on the rationale and history of the rules applying to votes by secret ballot within CITES’ COPs;
- the adoption of national laws for the implementation of the Convention;
- review of significant trade (RST);
- enforcement matters;
- other issues on interpretation and implementation of the Convention;
- the withdrawal of the recommendation to suspend trade with Nigeria, following the decision by the 61st meeting of the Standing Committee (SC 61) to lift the suspension;
- Peru's efforts to establish restrictive mahogany export quotas and reliable verification systems to ensure that harvest is sustainable and trade legal; and
- lifting a recommendation to suspend trade in Himalayan yew (Taxus wallichiana) from India, a tree with important pharmaceutical uses.
IISD-RS Coverage
CITES Press Release on Elephants
CITES Press Release on Financing
CITES Website

Examination of Environmental Law Post-Rio

A new publication has been released examining the development of environmental law in the period since the 1992 Earth Summit. It is divided into five sub-themes and includes expert legal opinion from eminent scholars in the field on develpments to date, engaging with key themes from a broad selection of jurisdictions and perspectives.

Ordering Information

GEF: Contributions to Rio+20

According to an announcement from GEF, the Facility will undertake a number of activities over the next months prior to UNCSD (Rio+20), including:
- a retrospective analysis on lessons learned from the implementation of recommendations arising from the 1992 Rio Summit, and on the impact of GEF-supported activities over the past 20 years, such as national communications and reports to the Rio Conventions;
- a book highlighting lessons learned from 20 of among the most significant GEF projects carried out since its inception;
- a book on 20 years of energy efficiency investments by GEF; and
- organizing international meetings, workshops and events to promote and foster collaboration among initiatives on UNCSD-related objectives.

Regulation of Biofuels

The Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD) has prepared a new briefing paper on next generation biofuels and synthetic biology. It explores how synthetic biology is being used to create next generation biofuels, their potential risks and harms, and the need for clear thinking on domestic and international regulation.

Earth Charter in Relation to Rio+20

A new policy-relevant paper titled “Enabling a Flourishing Earth: challenges for the green economy, opportunities for global governance” explores the relevance of the Earth Charter to the Rio+20 focus areas of the Green Economy and the Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development. Therein, the authors pose the question: “…how can we make more secure, abundant and widely shared those classes of public goods that are central to sustainable development but which cannot be satisfactorily addressed through market-based macroeconomic policy instruments?”

Tehran Convention: COP-3 Outcomes

The five Parties to the Tehran Convention on the Environmental Protection of the Caspian Region agreed to two new protocols during COP-3 in Aktau (Kazakhstan). Once ratified, the Protocol on Regional Preparedness, Response and Cooperation in Combating Oil Pollution Incidents will introduce an emergency response system for oil pollution incidents. Agreement on the text of the Protocol on Environmental Impact Assessmetn in a Transboundary Context was reached "in principle" and is intended to provide common rules for the parties to assess any planned activities that could cause significant adverse effects on the Caspian Sea's marine environment. The protocol also would require countries to notify one another of such activities.

The draft Protocol on Regional Preparedness, Response and Cooperation in Combating Oil Pollutions Incidents (Document TC/COP3/6), as conveyed in the Note of the interim Secretariat to COP-3.

The draft Protocol on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Document TC/COP3/4), as conveyed in the Note of the interim Secretariat to COP-3.

International Union of Conservation Legislators (IUCL)

In the interest of bridging the knowledge gap between elected officials and the scientific community, the International Union of Conseration Legislators (IUCL) Database seeks to facilitate collaboration by providing contact information for legislators, current and past, from around the world who are working on conservation and environmental issues.The ultimate goal is to ensure that decision-makers have access to the world’s finest research in conservation and environmental sciences and develop the partnerships needed to implement science-based solutions

Specific questions about the database can be addressed to the Honourable Dr. Keith Martin, former Member of Parliament from Canada at keithmartinmd@yahoo.ca.

Disaster-related Declaration

UN/ISDR has announced the Chengdu Declaration of Action, a five-point strategy addressing natural resource and environmental management, climate change and disaster risks,  adopted on 13 August, in Chengdu (China). Points of the Declaration include focusing on upcoming international meetings such as UNCSD (Rio+20), and working with national governments to include urban sustainable development and resilience as a national priority in the outcome of the Conference.

Japan: Preparations for Rio+20

According to an announcement on the website of the UNCSD Secretariat, Japan has launched a National Preparatory Committee for UNCSD (Rio+20). The Committee held its first meeting on 13 July 2011, and will meet again on 23 August 2011. The Committee also plans to hold two workshops, the first on 1 September 2011 to collect a wide range of stakeholders’ opinions.

Arbitral Tribunals and Sustainable Development

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) has published "International Investment Law and Sustainable Development: Key cases from 2000-2010," reviewing select decisions issued from 2000-2010 by arbitral tribunals in investor–State arbitrations. It highlights how arbitral decisions, including those by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), affect the scope of the treaties and may impact on the will and ability of governments to advance their domestic sustainable development goals and policies.

UN/S-G: Report on Sustainable Mountain Development

This report prepared in response to UN/GA Resolution 64/205 includes a number of policy recommendations, inter alia, encouraging:
- institutions to increase coordination;
- greater engagement by civil society and the private sector;
- the formulation of strategies, programmes and policies to address mountain issues;
- strategies of adaptation and mitigation of climate change that consider mountain issues; and
- integration of adaptation and mitigation into National Adaptation Plans of Action (NAPAs).

The report notes that mountain regions face many challenges, including climate change, and calls for a prominent place for sustainable mountain development in UNCSD (Rio+20)

UN-SG: Report on Coral Reefs

In fulfillment of UN/GA Resolution 65/150, an advanced unedited version of a report from the UN/S-G, titled “Protection of coral reefs for sustainable livelihoods and development,” has been circulated and will be considered at the 66th session of the UN/GA. It analyzes the economic, social and development benefits of coral reef protection in the context of the themes and objectives of UNCSD (Rio+20), and identifies potential actions needed to protect coral reefs and related ecosystems.

GEF: Engaging Indigenous Peoples

A meeting held on 9 August served to launch a consultative process between GEF and indigenous people's representatives, as mandated by the last GEF Council meeting. The aim is to facilitate the participation of indigenous peoples in GEF-funded projects and activities to conserve the global environment and improve their livelihoods.

GEF Press Release

UN/S-G: Note on Implementation

In preparation of the UN/GA's 66th session, the UN/S-G has circulated a background note on the implementation of UN environmental conventions, including the reports submitted by the Secretariats of UNFCCC, UNCCD, and CBD.

UN/S-G: Report on Agenda 21

The UN/GA has circulated an advance, unedited version of a report of the UN-SG, titled “Implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development.” The report was prepared in response to UN General Assembly resolution 65/152, adopted in December 2010 during the Assembly’s annual consideration of the item.

This year’s report also reviews progress on preparations for UNCSD (Rio+20) and notes that the study on the five options of the Nairobi-Helsinki Outcome, requested by the UNCSD Bureau, is being prepared in consultation with the Executive Committee of Economic and Social Affairs Plus (ECESA Plus). This Committee has decided to broaden the scope of the study, considering options for strengthening each of the three pillars as well as their more effective integration, which will be presented in September 2011.

The report also announces some modalities for the UNCSD (Rio+20), including the schedule of high-level plenary meetings on 4-6 June 2012, which it notes is “expected to conclude with the adoption of the focused political document and the report of the Conference.”

IPBES: Documents for First Plenary

Documents for the first session of the plenary of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) are being posted as they become available at: http://ipbes.net/plenary-sessions/first-session-of-plenary.html.

The document addressing "Legal issues relating to the establishment and operationalization of the platform" (UNEP/IPBES.MI/1/2) is yet to be released.

FAO: Extreme Weather and Forests

FAO has released a report titled "Abiotic Disturbances and their Influence on Forest Health," which highlights the increasing threat posed to the world's forests by extreme weather events. Recommendations include the use of adaptive forest management to protect forest resources against increasing abiotic disturbances, and calls for the use of strategies such as species diversification, windbreaks and mixed cropping patterns to enhance ecosystem resilience, as well as selective planting.

 

ACP Ministers Consider Agreement with EU

As fisheries remain one of the key contentious issues for Pacific states to reach an agreement on an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union; ministers from the bloc of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States met last week in Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) to finalize positions, including market access offers, and arrangements in preparation for the next round of negotiations in November 2011. As the meeting concluded, eight Pacific ACP states had finalized their offers.

The EU has been negotiating EPAs with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States since September 2002. So far, only negotiations with the Caribbean region have reached a comprehensive agreement.

PIFS Press Release

UNEP: Food and Ecological Security

The 4th issue of the UNEP Policy Series on Ecosystem Management focuses on the synergy and trade-offs in ensuring food and ecological security. While discussing the impacts of accelerated food production on ecosystems and ecosystem services, the brief stresses that policies and management approaches that aim to minimize the effects of ecosystem service trade-offs should based on a thorough understanding of the trade-offs.

Also available in French and Spanish on the UNEP at www.unep.org/policyseries.

Article Examining IEG Reform

A new article (currently in draft form) titled: "Developing Linkages to Preserve Biodiversity" finds that increasing institutional linkages of biodiversity regimes to create a more unified legal structure should not be a major focus of reforming international environmental governance. Therefore, the author proposes an approach that concentrates on incentivizing biodiversity protection in combination with achieving other environmental and human development objectives. Specifically, it recommends that programs under the biodiversity regimes and regimes with competence over the factors driving biodiversity loss incentivize and assess multiple benefits (including biodiversity protection) in targeted ecosystems and economic sectors.

Seminar Examining UN in Global Governance

A seminar organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile and the UN/ECLAC on 8 August examined the role of the UN in global governance and heard several calls for the organization to reform to meet the economic and political challenges of the 21st century.
Press Release

CBD: Improvement in Reporting

The CBD Secretariat has received 175 Fourth National Reports, amounting to 90 percent of CBD Parties having fulfilled their reporting obligations. According to the Secretariat, the improvement in submission rates reflects the higher importance and greater efforts many Parties have given to the timely preparation of the report. However, the rate of submission of national reports remains unsatisfactory, as only 14 percent of Parties met the mandatory deadline of 30 March 2009 established by the COP. 18 Parties have yet to submit their Fourth National Reports. 

Action-Oriented Recommendations for UNCSD (Rio+20)

The Brookings Institution has published an opinion piece by William Brown offering nine recommendations for UNCSD (Rio+20). Asserting that the current financial and political climate is a “bear-trap for action,” attributing this in particular to the US, and noting that the Report of the UN/S-G for the Conference offers little guidance for action, Brown lists the following nine actions to advance environmental quality:
1) commission a new, independent, credible assessment of environmental status and trends;
2) agree to develop common measures for monitoring status and trends in environmental quality;
3) establish a new organizational framework for international environmental leadership;
4) agree that national governments will take steps to redress any demonstrated degradation in environmental quality and upload a description of those measures to the UN website;
5) agree to launch a global initiative to freeze and preserve the DNA and viable tissue of all known species and new species as they are discovered;
6) agree to promote and invest in science and cultural education for environmental quality by funding educational programs of environmental agencies;
7) agree to promote and invest in education for women;
8) agree to invest in the conduct and dissemination of research and the recruitment of talent applied to environmental quality; and
9) agree to develop and invest in physical and regulatory infrastructure promoting environmental quality.

CIPRA: Climate-compatible agriculture

The Commission Internationale pour la Protection des Alps (International Alpine Protection Commission) has released its latest report titled "Agriculture in climate change", which focuses on adaptation and reduction measures while highlighting ways in which these goals can be achieved along with trends, limitations, conflicts and solutions.

UNESCO/ICSU Workshop for Latin America and the Caribbean

This Science and Technology Workshop was convened from 2-5 August to give scientists and engineers from the region the opportunity to prepare joint positions and inputs for the regional preparatory processes to UNCSD (Rio+20) and to discuss views with policy makers and other key actors. Topics included:  priority issues for Rio+20; the link between science, education and policy and how to strengthen this link in order to ensure early detection of emerging crises and quick response actions; the needs of science and technology in the region, in order to contribute best to sustainable development in the region and to international endeavours of sustainability science; and how science and engineering can contribute to a green economy.
The outcome of the workshop will be presented at the Latin America and the Caribbean Intergovernmental Regional Preparatory Meeting for Rio+20, which will take place from 7-9 September 2011, in Santiago (Chile).

UN Journal Examines Green Economy

Natural Resources Forum: A United Nations Sustainable Development Journal, has announced the publication of the Special Issue on Green Economy and Sustainable Development. Articles of interest include:
- Lessons from the history of technological change for clean energy scenarios and policies
by Charlie Wilson and Arnulf Grubler

- Building a regulatory framework for biofuels governance in China: Legislation as the starting point

by Huanhuan Wang

- The policy challenges for green economy and sustainable economic development
by Edward Barbier

UNEP: Ogoniland Oil Assessment

UNEP has released the findings of its 14-month environmental assessment of Ogoniland (Nigeria), which reports serious threats to human health due to soil and groundwater contamination by oil and issues recommendations for restoring the environment. It is estimated that countering and cleaning up the pollution and catalyzing a sustainable recovery of Ogoniland could take 25-30 years. Accordingly, sources of ongoing contamination must be addressed prior to the clean-up of the creeks, sediments and mangroves. It is recommended to establish three new institutions in Nigeria to support the environmental restoration exercise, including: an Ogoniland Environmental Restoration Authority, to implement the study's recommendations; an Integrated Contaminated Soil Management Centre, to treat contaminated soil; and a Centre of Excellence in Environmental Restoration, to promote learning and offer benefits to other communities impacted by oil contamination.

Climate Change, Deforestation and the Future of African Rainforests

The Oxford Centre for Tropical Forests (OCTF) will host an international conference from 4-6 January, 2012 at Oriel College, Oxford University to provide a multidisciplinary examination of the effects of climate change and deforestation on the fate of African tropical forests in the 21st century.

There is currently a call for abstracts and more information is available here: http://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/africa/index.php and http://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/africa/programme.php.

The Steering Committee encourages papers which explore the following issues:

 - What are the potential scenarios of climate change and land use change for African forest regions?

 - What do we know about the sensitivity of African forests and their communities to these changes, and what consequences will these changes have for the future of the region?

 - How can this knowledge influence policy decisions on development and climate change adaptation?

 - What are the gaps in our knowledge and priorities for research?

USA: Sustainability in EPA

The National Research Council has just issued a report, Sustainability and the U.S. EPA. Requested by the EPA, It presents a framework for incorporating sustainability into the US Environmental Protection Agency’s principles and decision making and thus help the agency better assess the social, environmental, and economic impacts of various options.

A prepublication PDF version of the report is available at:  http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13152.

Conference: Green Economy and Mountains

ICIMOD and UNEP are collaborating to convene the International Conference on "Green Economy and Sustainable Mountain Development – Opportunities and Challenges in View of Rio+20" from 5-7 September in Kathmandu (Nepal). The conference will gather international, regional, and national experts and policy makers to discuss the relevance and scope of the topic and seek strategies, approaches, and options for enhancing the role and prominence of mountain systems in regional and international debates and discussions. Outputs will feed into UNCSD (Rio+20)

The ICIMOD Secretariat is accepting ideas, examples, or studies related to green economy, sustainable mountain development, or mountain ecosystem services, which can be sent to Pavitra Rana, prana@icimod.org.

AEWA: New Acting Executive Secretary

The AEWA Secretariat has announced the appointment of Marco Barbieri as Acting Executive Secretary until a new Executive Secretary has been recruited. He has nearly 20 years of working experience with the UN and joined the CMS Secretariat in September 2000 as Scientific Officer. Since 2008, he has been CMS Agreements Officer, mainly in charge of negotiating new agreements and MOUs under CMS and the servicing of several MOUs already in place. He also served as ASCOBANS Senior Advisor between 2007 and 2010.

CBD/COP-11: High Level Segment

In a letter to Ministers dated 1 August, Jayanthi Natarajan, Minister of Environment and Forests of India, host of COP-11, identified five key issues for the High-level Segment:- biodiversity and livelihoods;
- integration of value of biodiversity in national planning and accounting process;
- strategic resource mobilization;
- coastal and marine biodiversity; and
- operationalization of the Nagoya Protocol.

The COP will take place from 8-19 October 2012 in Hyderabad (India), with the High-level Segment held in the last three days.

NGO Statement on Invasive Species

Science magazine has published a letter from leaders of major conservation organizations entitled “Invasives: A Major Conservation Threat.” In the letter, the leaders of IUCN, Birdlife, WWF, Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society, Fauna and Flora International, and Island Conservation argue that recent discussions on alternative strategies to the management of invasive species should not undermine ongoing efforts to prevent and mitigate the impacts of invasive species. Therein, they call on the global community to work together to control the most harmful invasive species, and to meet target 9 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, which calls for action to control invasives.

In addition, Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of CBD welcomed the letter saying, "it confirms the commitment of the conservation community to address this threat. Preventing and mitigating the negative effects of invasions is indeed a huge challenge, and the cooperation of the NGOs is of crucial importance."

EFSA: GM Post-market Monitoring

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has released an updated version of its guidance document on post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM) of genetically modified (GM) plants, which is a key element of the EU legislative policy framework on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), complementing the elements of risk assessment and risk management. Under EU legislation, applications for the cultivation of GM plants must contain a detailed PMEM plan, demonstrating how the GM plant will be monitored for possible adverse effects on human health and the environment.

Rio Conventions: JLG-11

The summary report of the 11th meeting of the Joint Liaison Group (JLG) of the Rio Conventions - CBD, UNCCD, and UNFCCC - has now been released. 

South African Priorities for UNFCCC COP-17

In a press briefing, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa and incoming President of UNFCCC/COP-17, together with South African Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa, described South Africa's preparations for the Durban Climate Change Conference.

According to IISD-RS, Minister Nkoana-Mashabane underlined that her Government has been working closely with Mexico in its capacity as current COP President. She explained that South Africa has undertaken informal consultations at all levels to "facilitate a credible outcome that is equitable, fair and inclusive," underlining the importance of the party-driven principle. She also listed the events that she will host or organize, including: with Mexico, a Leaders’ Dialogue on Climate Change on the margins of the 66th session of the UN/GA; a negotiator-level meeting and an informal ministerial meeting in September 2011, in South Africa; a stakeholder meeting on 5 September; and a “Pre-COP” Informal Ministerial Consultation on 20-21 October 2011, in South Africa. She stressed the need for ministers to focus on finance, means of implementation and the other outstanding political issues.

Minister Molewa stressed the need for COP-17 to "at least" put in place the "necessary building blocks to deliver a balanced agreement that takes historical responsibilities into account." She indicated her Government's commitment to develop a common African position in the negotiations, underlining that Africa is the continent most affected by climate change. She outlined the following priorities for Durban, as identified at the AU Summit: maintaining the integrity of the multilateral process; determining the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and a comparable emission reduction regime for non-Kyoto Parties; affording a central place to adaptation; and focusing on finance discussions, particularly the design of the Green Climate Fund.

Molewa's Remarks
Nkoana-Mashabane's Remarks

Liability and Redress Regional Workshops

The CBD Secretariat has released reports of two regional workshops on the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress, in Africa and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

Both workshops addressed: basic concepts and facts relating to liability and redress; the negotiation process and overview of the Supplementary Protocol; stakeholder perspectives; scenarios of damage and cases of liability; experiences and approaches in the region in providing rules on liability and redress; and signature and ratification.

UNCSD (Rio+20) Newsletter

Volume 2, Issue 14 of Rio+20:Making it Happen is a special issue focusing on one of the two themes of UNCSD (Rio+20), the "institutional framework for sustainable development" (IFSD)

Role of Forests in a Green Economy

The International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) has prepared a briefing for UNCSD (Rio+20), which draws on reports from UNEP, UNECE, FAO and civil society organisations regarding the role of forests in transitioning to a more sustainable economic system.

ECOSOC: 2011 Substantive Session

Delegates to the Substantive Session agreed on, inter alia, a Ministerial Declaration on education; recommendations on preparing for the 2012 Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) of the UN system's operational activities by the UN/GA; follow-up to LDC-IV; and postponing consideration of a review of UN support for SIDS.
 Website of Session

Córdoba Dialogue With Civil Society

UNEP, together with the Spanish Ministry for Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs is organizing this meeting on October 17-18 under the theme "Citizenship for a Sustainable Planet". With a special emphasis on civil society from developing countries, the event aims to ensure that the outcome of UNCSD (Rio+20) be as inclusive as possible. Individual topics on the agenda include:

- green jobs as an opportunity;

- the role of cities;

- green economy and women; and

- food security.

Further information (agenda, location, etc.) will be put on UNEP’s website as it becomes available (www.unep.org/civil-society).