Marine Debris: 5th International Conference

Meeting from March 20-25 in Honolulu, Hawai’i (USA) international marine debris researchers, natural resource managers, policy makers, industry representatives, and the nongovernmental community will highlight research advances, allow sharing of strategies and best practices to assess, reduce, and prevent the impacts of marine debris, and provide an opportunity for the development of specific bilateral or multi-country strategies. Homepage

SWIOF: 5th Session

The 5th session of the South West Indian Fisheries Commission (SWIOF) took place from 13-16 March 2011, in Male (Maldives). The session included delegates from the region as well as observers from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the World Bank.

GEF Press Release

SPREP: Pacific Climate Change

Programme convened the 3rd biannual Pacific Climate Change Roundtable Meeting (PCCR) from 14–17 March in Niue. All presentations, papers and the outcome document are available at: http://www.sprep.org/climate_change/PCCR/.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment

UNCCD News

The Secretariat of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has published the latest issue of its UNCCD News publication. Issue 2.6 focuses on the issues of agroforestry and UNCCD activities related to assessing the economics of desertification, land degradation and drought. UNCCD News, Issue 2.6]

Basel Convention: Non-Paper on Wastes to Resources

Titled “Shifting paradigms: from waste to resources" this paper is intended to initiate discussions amongst parties and other stakeholders in relation to the Basel Convention’s role in strengthening the waste to resource linkage. Full Text

MEA Project: African, Caribbean and Pacific

The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs) Project has launched a dedicated project website that features links to regional hubs, updates on project activities, information on upcoming events and related publications in the interest of enhancing the capacity of ACP countries to implement MEAs and honor related commitments.[ACP MEAs Website]

Transforming African Union

Following the decision by the AU Assembly in July 2009 to transform the AU Commission into an AU Authority, the 4th meeting of African legal experts is convening from 14-22 March 2011, in Addis Ababa, (Ethiopia) to consider the necessary process. The meeting is expected to finalize the legal instruments on the transformation for submission to the 17th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, to be held in June 2011, in Malabo (Equatorial Guinea). [AU Press Release] [Expert Meeting Agenda]

UNDP and UNITAR: Strengthening African Participation in Multilateral Negotiations

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) have launched a joint initiative to train over 1,100 African negotiators and decision makers on four priority areas related to economic and social development of Africa: financing for development; regional investment and integration; climate change; and peace and security. Under this initiative, 35 training and networking events are expected to be organized over a 12-month period. [UNITAR Press Release] [UNDP Africa Office Website]

Rio+20: Making it Happen Volume 2, Issue 5

The newest newsletter of UNCSD highlights the momentum building up towards the Rio+20 processes at both the international and national levels and the celebration of World Water Day on 22 March 2011, which will be observed in Cape Town, South Africa. Here

Stockholm Convention: DDT meeting

The Interim Steering Committee of the Global Alliance for alternatives to DDT convened its 3rd meeting from 15-16 March. It reviewed progress on the establishment of five thematic groups proposed for the implementation of its activities and finalized arrangements for the first meeting of the Global Alliance Assembly scheduled to convene in Geneva, (Switzerland) on 26 April 2011, during the COP-5 to the Stockholm Convention. Details

 

María Aguinda and others v. ChevronTexaco Corporation: Landmark Judgement

On 14 February 2011 a Court in Ecuador found ChevronTexaco guilty of causing environmental destruction and violating human rights in the country’s Amazonian rainforest. This is the first time an American company has been held accountable in foreign court for environmental crimes abroad and the plaintiffs were awarded $8.6 billion in damages (the second largest amount ever, though well behind the $20 billion Gulf Coast Claims Facility in connection with BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill).

The case María Aguinda and others v. ChevronTexaco Corporation began 3 November 1993 when 30,000 people from Ecuador filed a class action suit against Texaco in US Federal Court alleging massive oil contamination of the rainforest. The suit accused Chevron of responsibility for the dumping (allegedly conducted by Texaco and purchased by Chevron in 2001) of billions of gallons of toxic oil wastes into the region's rivers and streams. The case was then transferred to Ecuador at Chevron's request claiming Ecuador's courts fair and adequate.

The decision of Superior Court Judge Nicolás Zambrano levies fines for the company's deliberate dumping of 18.5 billion gallons of highly toxic waste into Amazonian ecosystems and contaminating the soil, rivers, and groundwater for over three decades. In addition to the financial award, which includes a legally mandated 10% for the Amazon Defense Coalition who brought the case, the judge added an additional $8.6 billion in punitive damages if Chevron fails to publicly apologize for its wrongdoing within 15 days.

In addition to Chevron violating its operating agreement requiring it to “employ modern and efficient machinery” and to “avoid contamination of water, air, and land”, Ecuadorian laws infringed by ChevronTexaco are as follows:

-      1921 Ley de Yacimientos (Mineral Deposits Law) prohibiting water contamination during exploration and production activities by companies exploiting natural resources

-      1971 Hydrocarbons Law requiring oil companies to “adopt all necessary measures to protect the flora, fauna, and natural resources” and to “avoid contamination of water, air, and land.”

-      1972 Ley de Agua (Water Law) which “prohibits all contamination of waters that affect human health or impact the development of flora and fauna;”

-      1976 Ley de Prevención y Control de Contaminación Ambiental (Law of Prevention and Control of Environmental Contamination) which “prohibits the discharge … of any type of contamination that could alter the quality of the soil and affect human health, the flora, the fauna, natural resources, and other natural capital.”

-      Article 23.6 of the Constitution recognizing the right “to live in an environment free of contamination”.

Having originally demanded $27 billion, the plaintiffs now say they will appeal the ruling, as they do not think the award is sufficient to repair the environmental damage. Chevron is set to appeal and issued the following statement ins response to the ruling:

"The Ecuadorian court's judgment is illegitimate and unenforceable.  It is the product of fraud and is contrary to the legitimate scientific evidence.  Chevron will appeal this decision in Ecuador and intends to see that justice prevails."

"United States and international tribunals already have taken steps to bar enforcement of the Ecuadorian ruling.  Chevron does not believe that today's judgment is enforceable in any court that observes the rule of law."

"Chevron intends to see that the perpetrators of this fraud are held accountable for their misconduct."

Chevron no longer holds assets in Ecuador and thus any judgement will have to be enforced in other courts, including the United States.

By Arianna Broggiato

Note by the Administrator:
In a Letter to the Editor of The Economist dated March 5, Linda Menghetti (Emergency Committee for American Trade); Frank Vargo (National Association of Manufacturers); Stephen Canner (US Council for International Business); and John Murphy (US Chamber of Commerce) commented on an earlier article ("Monster or victim?", February 19th) regarding the recent fine imposed on Chevron by the court in Ecuador as follows:

    "A quick review of the case shows that Chevron has been subjected to a flawed process that has been condemned by multiple courts. Consider the following: Texaco Petroleum Company (TexPet), which Chevron later bought, was a minority owner, holding 37.5% of the oil consortium being sued in the case; the largest shareholder was Petroecuador, Ecuador's state-run oil company.
    In the 1990s the Ecuadorean government approved the environmental remediation actually performed by TexPet, and released TexPet from any further liability when it left the consortium after its contract expired. The State Department and the World Bank have raised serious concerns about the rule of law and corruption in the Ecuadorean government and judicial system. Federal judges in New York, North Carolina, New Mexico, New Jersey and California have found the evidence in this case to be rife with fabrications, fraud and misconduct.
    Facts and the basic rule of law demonstrate that Chevron is the victim."

Marine Life: Science for Sustainable Use and Conservation

The Census of Marine Life has published a new document entitled Scientific Results to Support the Sustainable Use and Conservation of Marine Life. The report is available for download in Chinese, English, French, Indonesian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish at: http://www.coml.org/policy-report.

UN Water Database

The UN-Water Activity Information System (UNW-AIS) is an online tool for managing, analyzing, querying, and disseminating information on existing water-related programmes, projects and activities carried out by UN-Water members, partners and associated programmes. www.ais.unwater.org/ais

CMS/COP-10

The 10^th Conference of the Parties to CMS will be held in Bergen (Norway) from 20-25 November, 2011. Several additional events and sessions, including four meetings of regional instruments, such as the 2^nd MOP of the Gorilla Agreement, will be held directly before and after the COP. See: http://www.cms.int/bodies/COP/cop10/documents_overview.htm

CIEL News

The Center for International Environmental Law has posted the following news on its website: 

• The Second Annual Conference on Developments in International Environmental Law.
• Getting the International Finance Corporation to respect and protect human rights.
• Amicus Brief Highlights the Environmental and Human Rights Impacts of Mining in $77 Million Investment Arbitration Case (available in Spanish).
• The right to development is necessary to effectively address climate change.
• CIEL joins others in calling for an open and participatory process to design the Green Climate Fund under the UNFCCC.  

IUCN Academy of Environmental Law: 2011 Colloquium

The 9^th Colloquium on Environmental Law is scheduled to take place from 3-7 July, 2011 at Mpekweni Beach Resort, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Information and a Call for Papers has been posted at: http://www.iucnael-watercolloquium-2011.com/home/default.asp.

Australia: Shark MOU

Australia has signed the CMS MOU on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks, raising the number of signatories to 14.

Australian Government Fact Sheet

IUCN: Formulating input to Rio+20

IUCN held a gathering on 18 March to inform IUCN's recommendations to the UN S-G's High-level Panel on Global Sustainability (GSP) and thus form the basis for recommendations on implementing sustainable development in the 21st century. The document also will be distributed to IUCN’s members, in particular to governments, to help them prepare their own input to Rio+20. [IUCN News Release]

ABS and ITPGRFA

This study assesses the state of implementation of the ITPGRFA Multilateral System for Access and Benefit-sharing (MLS), seven years after the Treaty came into force. The study finds that overall implementation of the MLS has been slow and identifies a need for several measures to allow for an implementation of the MLS in a way that achieves the objectives of the Treaty. Full paper

OECD: Report of Ministerial Roundtable on Green Growth

Rather than providing a direct account of the meeting's discussions, the 10-page document takes the form of an analysis of the state of affairs, providing insights into the Ministers' views on needed steps to re-shift political and social goals. It discusses Green Growth as a method to achieve desired ecological and economic objectives concurrently. The report closes with a list of elements required to deliver on the imagined policy shifts, such as: strong institutions; strong leadership that understands that voters do not tend to punish reform; and ensuring implementation at all levels. Publication: Strategies for Green Growth: Framing the Issues

UN/GA Input to S-G's High Level Panel on Global Sustainability

An Interactive Dialogue between the UN/GA and the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Global Sustainability (GSP) took place on 16 March 2011 at UN/HQ. UN/GA President Joseph Deiss moderated the meeting, during which member States and NGOs said the problems were known and many solutions existed, and asked the Panel to provide concrete recommendations for putting the solutions into action.

The GSP will hold its third meeting (GSP 3) in mid-May in Helsinki, Finland, followed by GSP 4 in September in New York, US and GSP 5 at the end of 2011. [UN Summary of Dialogue] [Webcast of Dialogue] [Statement of UNGA President] [Statement of UN Deputy Secretary-General] [UN News Center]

IUCN: Protected Areas and Economic Gains in West Africa

In a new report, a survey carried out by IUCN in 2010 shows that local populations living close to protected areas in West Africa earn an additional 40% of their income from activities related to these areas. The findings highlight protected areas' potential for reinforcing sustainable development as well as conservation, according to IUCN. The study examined how protected areas affect jobs and revenues, and compared the benefits with the average agricultural income.

Available in French at: http://www.papaco.org/publication/etude%20Ecowhat.pdf

CBD: ABS notifications

The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) circulated a number of notifications relating to the Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit-sharing (ABS), including the announcement that Timothy Hodges (Canada) is no longer in a position to serve as Co-Chair of the intergovernmental process. 

[CBD Notification on Co-Chair Nomination] [CBD Notification on Intergovernmental Committee Meeting] [CBD Notification on Expert Meeting on ABS Clearing-House]

GGGI and UAE sign MOU

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs to establish a Middle East and North Africa regional office in Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City and to develop joint capacity-building programs.

The regional GGGI office will seek to: develop and execute low-emission green growth projects for a green growth master plan, tailored to UAE’s conditions; conduct training and capacity building programs on green growth initiatives at the regional, national and local levels; and provide financial support for joint projects, collaborative research and joint programs.

For its part, the UAE will work to create a tri-party collaboration involving GGGI, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to promote renewable energy solutions, new green technologies and carbon-neutral measures to advance economic growth and quality of life in Masdar City, the UAE and worldwide.

Press Release

Mountain Clearing House

Mountain.TRIP works to disseminate comprehensive yet user-friendly research findings to promote sustainable development in mountain regions. Their website acts as the hub of information collection, reporting, and networking. The group starts where other EU projects ended to encourage further sustainability measures.

Greening Household Behaviour

This OECD report presents the results of a 10,000 household survey carried out in ten countries, and offers insights into what policy measures really work, where and why, by exploring factors affecting people’s behavior in

five areas: water use, energy use, personal transport choices, organi cfood consumption, and waste generation and recycling.

Global Sustainability Panel: Overall Goal and Guiding Principles

The Secretariat of the UN S-G's High-level Panel on Global Sustainability (GSP) has issued the report of the 2nd meeting of the Panel (GSP-2), which took place from 24-25 February 2011, in Cape Town (South Africa).

The Panel reached consensus on its overall goal: “To eradicate poverty and reduce inequality, make growth inclusive, and production and consumption more sustainable while combating climate change and respecting the range of other planetary boundaries.” Key sub-goals could include: food security and agriculture; decent jobs; small and medium enterprises (SMEs); access to energy; green growth; disaster risk reduction (DRR) and resilience; health; education; payment of environmental services; and ensuring sustainability in fragile contexts.

UN/DOALOS: ICP-12

The 12th meeting of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (ICP-12) will be held at UN/HQ from 20-24 June 2011 and discussions will focus on “Contributing to the assessment, in the context of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, of progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development and addressing new and emerging challenges”.

An informal preparatory meeting was held on 9 March at UN/HQ where participants considered the draft format and draft agenda, as well as draft areas of concentration for the discussion panel. In particular, it is proposed that the panel segment on the overview of progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development concentrate its discussions on progress in specific relevant sectors such as sustainable fisheries, shipping, conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity, control of marine pollution, and marine science and transfer of marine technology.

Website and Background Information

UNCSD (Rio+20) Bureau

The UNCSD (Rio+20) Bureau met on 7 and 9 March. On the 7th, Bureau members discussed the draft decision text that would be presented to the concurrent PrepCom II, to secure a mandate on the process for the preparation of the draft outcome document for UNCSD. Minutes 

At the Bureau meeting after PrepCom II, on the 9th, some Bureau members highlighted the concern during the adoption of this decision regarding the text indicating that the preparation process would take place “within existing resources,” noting that this could take away resources from other processes or activities. They noted that both the 2nd and 5th Committees of the 66th session of the UN/GA might revisit this point, and Bureau Members were advised to discuss this matter within their constituencies, to help avoid disruptions to the preparatory process. The Bureau also discussed the UNEP-GC decision to invite the PrepCom to initiate a full analysis of the financial, structural and legal implications and comparative advantages of the options identified in the Nairobi-Helsinki Outcome, and considered options for moving forward with this proposal. The representative of Brazil indicated that her country preferred calling the event “Rio+20” rather than “Rio 2012,” as the UN had recently proposed to do. Minutes

Report: Future Governance for a Green Economy

The Boston University Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future has published a report titled “Beyond Rio+20: Governance for a Green Economy.” The report summarizes the ideas shared by a task force of experts convened to discuss the role of institutions in actualizing a green economy in the context of sustainable development.

Tuna Management Tool

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) has developed a new software package called TUMAS (TUna MAnagement Simulator), which aims to assist in managing the world's largest tuna fisheries, namely those of the western and central Pacific Ocean. [TUMAS Project Website] [SPC Press Release]

US-Indian Relations: Climate Change and Energy

This report from NRDC reviews the progress made between India and the US through their Green Partnership, which was launched jointly in November 2009.

UNECA: Workshop in Preparation for Rio 2012

The UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) convened a three-day workshop on Institutional and Strategic Frameworks for Sustainable Development, from 7-9 March 2011, in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). The objective of the workshop was to enable the African region to reach a consensus on its key sustainable development concerns and priorities, effectively articulate them and ensure that they are reflected in the UNCSD outcomes. 

The workshop's outcome will feed into the African Regional Preparatory Conference, which is aimed at adopting a consensus statement for the UNCSD, which will be presented for endorsement to the African Union (AU) Heads of State Summit in January 2012. [UNECA Press Release 14] [UNECA Press Release 15]

UNCSD (Rio+20): PrepCom II

Delegates at PrepCom II adopted a decision outlining the process for preparing the draft outcome document for the conference. The Government of Brazil also announced that the conference will formally take place from 4-6 June 2012, and PrepCom III will take place from 28-30 May 2012. Website

An in-depth report on the outcomes will appear in Environmental Policy and Law: The journal for decision-makers

Arctic: Expansion of World-Wide Navigational Warning System

The World-Wide Navigational Warning System has been expanded to the Arctic regions through the joint efforts of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), The IMO delineated five new Arctic navigational areas, and the WMO delineated five new meteorological areas in June 2010. The responsibility for the navigational and meteorological areas will be divided between Canada, Norway and the Russian Federation. Press Release

ICJ: Costa Rica v. Nicaragua

An Order has been handed down by justices of the ICJ in the proceedings instituted by Costa Rica against the Republic of Nicaragua with regard to an alleged “incursion into, occupation of and use of Nicaragua's Army of Costa Rican Territory”. Costa Rica claimed that Nicaragua not only breached the established boundary regime between the two states, but also the principle of territorial integrity and the prohibition of the threat or use of force against any state. Two separate incidents were cited in connection with the construction of a canal across Costa Rican territory from the San Juan River to Laguna los Portillos, and certain related works of dredging on the San Juan River. The text of the Order, as well as seperate opinions and declarations of the justices are online at: http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?p1=3&p2=3&k=ec&case=150&code=crn&p3=3

Nagoay-Kuala Lumpur Protocol Opens for Signature

Colombia, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden signed the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety as it opened for signature at UN/HQ on 7 March. Press Release

UNDP: Evaluation of Contribution to Environmental Management for Poverty Reduction

The UNDP Evaluation Office has conducted an assessment of UNDP policies, strategies and programmes at the global, regional and country levels, and implementation of related projects focusing on poverty reduction and environmental degradation.

Inuit: Common Position on Natural Resources

Inuit leaders from Greenland, Alaska, Russia, and Canada concluded a two-day Summit held in compliance with article 20 of the 2010 Nuuk Declaration. The Declaration is expected to set out a number of Inuit principles that must guide resource development in the Arctic. The Summit demonstrated the unity among Inuit leaders, who are committed to work to make resource development benefit their people. The Inuit have been discussing resource development processes in the Arctic with Shell Oil

CSD-19: IPM

The Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting (IPM) for CSD-19 resulted in a Chair’s draft negotiating text that will serve as a starting point for negotiations on transport, chemicals, waste management, mining and sustainable consumption and production patterns.

1st CITES and CMS Virtual Meeting

The Secretariats of CITES and CMS met via video conference, on 2 March 2011, to review joint achievements and map out their future collaboration.The Secretariats agreed to present a revised list of joint activities to the 61st meeting of the CITES/SC in August 2011, the 38th meeting of the CMS/SC and the 10th CMS/COP in November 2011. [CITES Press Release] [CMS Press Release]

Turtle Conservation: Action needed

A new report from the Turtle Conservation Coalition, highlights that, without concerted conservation action, many of the planet’s turtles and tortoises will become extinct within the next few decades. It emphasizes that, in many parts of the world, anti-poaching laws are poorly enforced, and international conventions such as CITES are only partially effective in decreasing the trade. [Publication: Turtles in Trouble] [IUCN News Release]

WIPO: Text on Traditional Knowledge

Experts meeting at the 2nd Intersessional Working Group of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) focused on the consolidation and streamlining of text on the protection of traditional knowledge.

The meeting's outcome - a consolidated, streamlined text on the protection of traditional knowledge - will be submitted to the 18th session of the WIPO IGC, to be held from 9-13 May 2011, in Geneva. [WIPO Press Release] [Meeting Documents]

WTO: TRIPS and ABS

The World Trade Organization Council on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) discussed the relationship between intellectual property rights and certain provisions of the Nagoya Protocol recently adopted under the auspices of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). In this first exchange of views after the adoption of the Protocol positions on this issue remained essentially unchanged. The TRIPS Council also could not agree to invite the CBD Secretariat to brief the TRIPS Council on the outcomes of COP-10. [WTO News on the TRIPS Council]

ICCWC: Programme of Work

The Senior Experts Group of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (launched during the International Tiger Conservation Forum in November 2010) recently met to agree its programme of work for 2011. [UNODC Press Release] [CITES Press Release]