Global Forest Loss

FAO and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation have published a report titled "Mountain Forests in a Changing World" bringing attention to the threats to mountain forests including increasing temperatures and wildfires, population growth and food and fuel insecurity. It also calls on national policymakers to take the protection of mountain forests into account and integrate these concerns into climate change mitigation and adaptation policies.

Basel/COP-10 Outcomes

Delegates to COP-10 of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal tackled a substantial agenda and adopted decisions on strategic issues, including the new strategic framework and the Indonesian-Swiss country-led initiative (CLI) to improve the effectiveness of the Convention. The COP also adopted 25 decisions on, inter alia: - synergies;
- the budget;
- legal matters;
- Basel Convention Regional and Coordinating Centres (BCRCs);
- capacity building;
- the Partnership Programme; and
- technical matters.

The Cartagena Declaration(draft version) on prevention and minimization of hazardous wastes was also adopted and is predicted to alter the focus of the Convention, from the movement of hazardous wastes to their minimization.

Advance report
IISD RS Coverage
COP10 Website

Award for Best Forest Policies

In support of the 2011 Year of Forests, the World Future Council's Future Policy Award will be given to the three most inspiring, innovative and influential forest policies worldwide. Bhutan, Gambia, Nepal, Rwanda, Switzerland and the USA have been shortlisted from a list of 20 policies from 16 states and the winners will be announced on 21 September at UN/HQ.

A Factsheet on the shortlisted policies is available here

OECD: Paper on Enforcement

This research paper titled “Environmental Enforcement in Decentralised Governance Systems: Toward a Nationwide Level Playing Field” focuses on methods to promote consistency in the implementation of environmental law. In particular, it analyzes approaches to managing environmental compliance monitoring and enforcement in several countries with decentralized systems of environmental governance, including Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the US.

UN/GA New President

The Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations, Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser has been elected President of the 66th session of the General Assembly. Following election, he was presented with the “PGA Handbook: A practical guide to the United Nations General Assembly”, which was prepared by the office of outgoing President Joseph Deiss (Switzerland) and the Swiss Mission in New York.

The Guide

UN/GA President-elect Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser

GEF: Nagoya Protocol Fund

The GEF Council, on 26 May, approved the role of the Secretariat as operator of a new voluntary fund to assist developing countries to ratify and implement the Nagoya Protocol under CBD. Japan reaffirmed its pioneer contribution of 1 billion Yen (approximately US$12 million) and additional declarations of support were made by France, Norway and Switzerland. See the decision on Agenda Item 16 in the “Joint Summary of the Chairs”.