Oceans Forum: Preparation for UNCSD (Rio+20)

The Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts and Islands has released a newsletter on its preparations for UNCSD (Rio+20). It concludes with a description of Global Forum consultations on the Rio+20 process. 

GGGI: Opening of Regional Office

The UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has announced the opening of a regional office of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in Copenhagen (Denmark). According to UNEP, the opening of the regional office located next door to the UNEP Risoe Centre is expected to support and increase collaboration on global efforts to transition to a more resource-efficient, low-carbon green economy.

REDD+: Initiative to Prepare National Laws

Senior legislators from Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia and Mexico met to launch the GLOBE Legislator Forest Initiative to develop complementary legislation to prepare the way for efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD). During the meeting each group of legislators outlined the current status of their legislation that is relevant to forestry and the drivers of deforestation. Over the next year, GLOBE will work with legislators to identify how legislation could be amended or advanced to provide REDD+ with a stable foundation for success. The legislators involved in this new initiative will report back on their progress at the World Summit of Legislators prior to UNCSD (Rio+20).

UNEP: REDD and Financial Insitutions

The UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has released the first part of a report titled “REDDy-Set-Grow: Opportunities and roles of financial institutions in forest carbon markets,” which stresses that the financial sector must step up its engagement in the emerging green market, and proposes improved regulation to this end. Part I provides a briefing to the financial world on current and emerging avenues for business activity in forest-carbon, and highlights roles and barriers for financial institutions to become involved. Part II of the study will provide an assessment of current international regulation and recommendations to national and international policy makers on what the international regime under the UNFCCC needs to deliver to effectively mobilize private finance and investment for forest-based climate change mitigation.

UNECE: Compendium of Legal Instruments

UNECE has published the “Compendium of Legal Instruments, Norms and Standards 2011,” which contains a list of conventions, norms and standards that have been negotiated under its auspices.These legal instruments cover: environment, transport, timber, energy, trade, housing and land management.

CIC General Assembly

Under the theme "Hunting - a part of cultural heritage", the 58th General Assembly of the International Council of Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) convened from 12-15 May in St. Petersburg (Russian Federation).  

A highlight of the annual meeting was a keynote address by John Scanlon, Secretary General of CITES who welcomed the active and constructive participation of the CIC in CITES meetings and discussions and CIC’s ongoing contribution to the dialogue on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and recognized the role that hunting can play and its inter-relationship with CITES.

UNEP: Report on Decoupling

UNEP's International Resource Panel has released a report titled “Decoupling natural resource use and environmental impacts from economic growth.” analyzing the concept of improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate. The report stresses the need for massive investment in technological, financial and social innovation, to freeze per capita consumption in wealthy countries and assist developing countries to identify a sustainable path.

Publication: Decoupling Natural Resource Use and Environmental Impacts from Economic Growth

UNEP: Results of Sustainable Lifestyles Survey

UNEP's Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Branch has released the results of its Global Survey for Sustainable Lifestyles included in the report titled “Visions for Change: Recommendations for Effective Policies on Sustainable Lifestyles.”

Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol: Signatures

15 countries and the European Union (EU) signed the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety at a signing ceremony held during the High-level Segment of CSD-19.

The total number of signatures received to date is now 22. The countries that signed during the ceremony are: Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Romania, Slovenia, Switzerland, Tunisia and the EU.

The Supplementary Protocol will remain open for signature at UN/HQ until 6 March 2012. During this time, States can sign the Supplementary Protocol on any day. Another special signing event will be organized on 20 September 2011in conjunction with the High Level Event on Desertification of the UN/GA's 66th session.

EU-Liberia: Forest Agreement

The EU and Liberia have concluded a bilateral agreement to certify the legal origin of imported wood products into the EU. According to the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), all shipments of wood products to the EU from Liberia will be required to carry a license certifying their legal origin by early 2014. Liberia has thus committed to establish a national system to ensure legal compliance in timber production, covering all wood products destined for the EU, as well as those sold on the domestic market and to non-EU markets. The EU committed to guarantee unrestricted access to its market for all wood products coming from Liberia.

Press Release

Conference: Sustainable Chemicals Management in Europe

The European Sustainable Chemicals Management Conference 2011 - Finding the Regulatory Balance takes place from May 31-June 1 in Brussels (Belgium). Participants will address several key aspects of chemical policy, in particular REACH and CLP, providing an analysis of how the registration system has functioned to date and how it could be improved. Discussions will also focus on how REACH compares to global methods of chemical management and various research on a variety of areas of concern.


Website

Montreal Protocol: Proposals for Amendment

Two proposals to amend the Montreal Protocol have been  posted on the Ozone Secretariat website under the following links:
http://ozone.unep.org/highlights.shtml and http://www.unep.ch/ozone/highlights.shtml

The Ozone Secretariat received a proposal from the Federated States of Micronesia on 7 May 2011 and a joint proposal by Canada, Mexico and the USA on 9 May 2011.

The proposals are being circulated as received and have not been formally edited by the Secretariat. They  will be made available as pre-session meeting documents in all UN languages and posted on the portal for the 31st meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on the Ozone Secretariat website in due course.  

UNDP/GEF: Transboundary Waters Review

UNDP has published a global review of legal and institutional frameworks for 28 transboundary surface water, groundwater and marine water systems covering the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. The report also considers climate change adaptation knowledge in the various water basins analyzed.

Stockholm Convention: COP-5 Results

COP-5 to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) convened from 25-29 April in Geneva (Switzerland) concluding with an agreement to add endosulfan to Annex A of the Convention and phase out its use. This decision brings the total number of chemicals listed by the Stockholm Convention to 22. Delegates also considered several reports on activities within the Convention’s mandate and adopted over 30 decisions.

IISD reported that a decision on synergies among the Stockholm, Basel and Rotterdam Conventions welcomes the establishment of the Executive Secretary of the three conventions, but regrets that the position was not appointed with urgency. It authorizes the Executive Secretary to determine the staffing levels, numbers and structure of the secretariats in a flexible manner within a budget ceiling, and requests him to propose, in consultation with the Bureau, the organization of the secretariats by 31 December 2011, to be implemented by 31 December 2012. It further decides that the COPs of the three conventions should be held in a coordinated manner, approves the proposed cross-cutting and joint activities for inclusion in the programmes of work of the three secretariats for 2012-13, and decides to convene in 2013 an extraordinary joint meeting of the COPs.

COP-Website

CBD: Local Communities Meeting

The Secretariat of CBD will convene an ad hoc expert group meeting for local community representatives in Montreal (Canada) from 13-15 July 2011 in regards to paragraph 21 of Decision X/43 and the revised programme of work for Article 8(j) and related provisions of the Convention. Through this process CBD is seeking to identify common characteristics of local communities and to gather advice on how local communities can more effectively participate in Convention processes, including at the national level, as well as how to develop targeted outreach, in order to assist in the implementation the Convention and achievement of its goals.

Notification

LDCs and Green Economy

A jont report, issued by UNEP, UNCTAD and UN-OHRLLS was released at the start of the 4th UN Conference on LDCs in Istanbul (Turkey). Why a Green Economy Matters for the Least Developed Countries points to the economic and human development opportunities of a green economy transition for LDCs.

USA: Defining Water Under Clean Water Act

On April 27, President Obama and the White House Council on Environmental Quality announced their plans and efforts to clean up streams, rivers, bays and their tributaries. Part of the strategy is defining exactly what "water" means under the CWA and the new 39-page definition lays out in detail exactly what counts as "water." The draft guidance is open for public comment for 60 days.

UNESCO: Preparations for Rio+20

During her opening statement to the 186th session of the Executive Board, Irina Bokova outlined UNESCO’s preparations for UNCSD (Rio+20) including the broadened concept of “green societies” and the potential role of the organization in the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

Statement in French and English

IUCN: Natural Disasters and Environmental Assessments

As more than 2,000 policy-makers and practitioners from governments, international organizations and the private sector met in Geneva (Switzerland) for the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, IUCN urged delegates to consider the value of environmental solutions in planning for disasters and to recognize and restore nature’s role in reducing the risks.

New Publication on Liability

Julio Barboza has recently published a new  book titled: The Environment, Risk and Liability in International Law, which illustrates the pivotal role that liability plays in risk management and environmental protection. With significant experience dealing with the subject, Dr. Barboza is former Special Rapporteur for the UN International Law Commission where he submitted eleven reports on the topic of International Liability for the Injurious Consequences of Acts not Prohibited by International Law. 

CBD-CITES: Bushmeat Meeting

The joint meeting of the CBD’s Bushmeat Liaison Group, and the Central Africa Bushmeat Working Group of CITES will take place from 6-10 June in Nairobi, (Kenya). The purpose of the workshop is to: encourage and enable parties and relevant intergovernmental organizations and NGOs to take effective action to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife resources in tropical and sub-tropical forests; develop options for small-scale food and income alternatives in tropical and sub-tropical countries based on the sustainable use of biodiversity; and revise the recommendations of the Liaison Group on Bushmeat. The CBD Secretariat has now circulated the agenda and list of sponsored experts.

CBD Notification
Meeting Documents

Ocean Industries to Convene

The World Ocean Council (WOC) will convene ocean industries on 13-14 July in Washington, D.C. to foster and facilitate business involvement in the coastal and marine spatial planning (CMSP) process underway in the U.S.

Website

CSD-19

As the second year of the CSD-18/19 implementation cycle, CSD-19 is currently in session to produce policy decisions on the following thematic areas: Transport, Chemicals, Waste Management (hazardous and solid waste), Mining, and a 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns.

Website

IISD Reporting

EU: 2020 Biodiversity Strategy

The European Commission has published a strategy for the EU to protect and improve the state of Europe's biodiversity and contribute to the 2020 global biodiversity targets.
The strategy, contained in the Commission Communication titled “Our life insurance, our natural capital: an EU biodiversity strategy to 2020,” is aimed at reversing biodiversity loss and speeding up the EU's transition towards a resource-efficient and green economy. It builds on the commitments made by EU leaders in March 2010 on halting the loss of biodiversity in the EU by 2020 and protecting, valuing and restoring EU biodiversity and ecosystem services by 2050. It also is a response to the global commitments made CBD COP-10.

Conference: "Maritime Border Diplomacy"

The Center for Oceans Law and Policy will hold its 35th annual Conference on the Law of the Sea and Ocean policy in Bali (Indonesia) on June 22-14.

The primary panel themes will be:

-Context for Maritime Border diplomacy

-Provisional Arrangements of a Practical Nature

-Archipelagic Resources in South East Asia region

-Marine Environment and Boundaries

-Disputed [Unresolved] Boundaries in the Region

-Dispute Settlement Mechanisms

Participants include three judges from the International Tribunal for the law of the Sea as well as veteran negotiators of the 1982 LOS Convention Satya Nandan of Fiji and Hasjim Djalal of Indonesia.

Conference Programme

Rio+20: Making it Happen Volume 2, Issue 8

This issue highlights the 3rd workshop co-organized by the UN/GA on "Green Economy Pathways" and points to the linkages between CSD-19 and Rio+20. It also reports on the outcomes of the Interactive Dialogue of the UN/GA on Harmony with Nature, announces a 6 May 2011 seminar to be organized by UN University in New York, titled "Vision for RIO+20: System Change for Green Economy and Poverty Reduction", as well as the 3rd meeting of the High-level Panel on Global Sustainability to be held on 11-12 May 2011 in Helsinki (Finland).

NGO Guide to UNCSD (Rio+20)

The NGO Major Group has issued a document to guide stakeholders in contributing to the outcome of the UNCSD (Rio+20). "The Rio 2012 Conference - The Explanatory Roadmap to Rio+20," interprets the decisions of the UNCSD Bureau to inform civil society and encourage their contributions to the structure and content of the UNCSD outcome document.

UNEP and Sochi 2014

UNEP has announced that, as part of its collaboration with the 2014 Winter Olympic Games Sochi organizing committee, it has submitted environmental action plans that cover key areas including Zero Waste and Climate Neutrality.

Press Release

European Environmental Law Conference 2011

The Academy of European Law will host this conference on 6-7 June in Trier (Germany). Its objective is to meet the requirements of environmental law specialists to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in legislation, jurisprudence and best practice in this field.

Key topics this year include:

§  Experience with the IPPC Directive

§  Directive 2010/75/EU on industrial emissions

§  Analysis of the EU pesticide provisions

§  Experience with REACH

§  The river basin management plans

§  Access to environmental information

§  The most recent case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union

Programme

FAO: Upcoming Director-General Elections

Six candidates have been presented by FAO Member Nations for the post of FAO Director-General to be elected in June 2011. The election will take place in a secret ballot to be held at the beginning of the 37th FAO Conference (Rome, 25 June to 2 July 2011) by the organization's 191 member nations.

The six candidates, each nominated by his government, are : Franz Fischler (Austria), José Graziano da Silva (Brazil), Indroyono Soesilo (Indonesia), Mohammad Saeid Noori Naeini (Iran, Islamic Republic of), Abdul Latif Rashid (Iraq) and Miguel Ángel Moratinos Cuyaubé (Spain).

The next Director-General will be appointed for the period 1 January 2012 to 31 July 2015 and will be eligible for only one additional mandate of four years.

FAO Conference Website

OECD: Green Growth Website

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has created a website outlining its work on green growth and development.

U.S. and Peru: Environmental Cooperation

The US and Peru convened the 3^rd meeting of the Sub-Committee on Forest Sector Governance, the 2nd meeting of the Environmental Affairs Council (EAC), and the first meeting of the Environmental Cooperation Commission (ECC) from 27-28 April in Washington, DC. The Sub-Committee discussed progress in implementing the Annex on Forest Sector Governance of the Environment Chapter of the US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA), focusing on Peru’s efforts to pass a new forestry and wildlife law, including its consultation process with local communities. 

Africa: TICAD Ministerial Follow-up

The 3rd Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) Ministerial Follow-up Meeting convened in Dakar (Senegal) from 1-2 May 2011 and addressed economic development, climate change and low-carbon growth, and sustainable development in Africa. Participants adopted a communique at the conclusion of the meeting that has not yet been posted online.

TICAD Website

UNECE: Final Preparations for Astana

UNECE's Committee on Environmental Policy concluded, on 27 May, its special session devoted to the final preparatory activities for the 7th "Environment for Europe" Ministerial Conference from 21-23 September and approved the draft ministerial declaration outlining the pan-European agenda for the upcoming years.

UNECE press release
Documents of the special session

Water and Conflict

Water International has just published a special issue on, “Water and post-conflict peacebuilding."  This issue includes sections from the Water volume of the upcoming six-volume series on “Strengthening Post-Conflict Peacebuilding through Natural Resource Management”  put together by ELI and UNEP. 

OECD/NEPAD: Ministerial Conference

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development concluded a ministerial conference in Dakar (Senegal) from 26-27 April on mobilizing investment in, and aid for, infrastructure and agriculture. Conclusions detailed the importance of: accelerating reform to spur investment; enhancing investment in Africa’s infrastructure and creating an enabling environment for this to take place; increasing investment in Africa’s agriculture; and mobilizing green investment for growth and employment. 

Webpage of Conference

NEPAD-OECD Africa Investment Initiative: Fifth Ministerial Conference: Co-Chairs' Conclusions

Business Statement to Ministers

ECOSOC: AMR Schedule

ECOSOC, as part of its 2011 Organizational Session, met on 26 April and adopted a decision on the themes of its Annual Ministerial Reviews (AMR) for the next three years, 2012-2014 as follows:
- 2012: “Promoting productive capacity, employment and decent work to eradicate poverty in the context of inclusive, sustainable and equitable economic growth at all levels for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.” 
- 2013: “Science, technology and innovation, and the potential of culture, for promoting sustainable development and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.”
- 2014:  “Addressing ongoing and emerging challenges for meeting the Millennium Development Goals in 2015 and for sustaining development gains in the future.”

For more information go to: http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/newfunct/amr.shtml

POPS: COP-5

COP-5 of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) convened from 25-29 April in Geneva (Switzerland). Among the 29 decisions, delegates adopted a decision on synergies among the Stockholm, Basel and Rotterdam Conventions and concluded with an agreement to add endosulfan to Annex A of the Convention and phase out its use. 

Conference website with link to advance meeting report inlcluding COP Decisions

Basel/Stockholm/Rotterdam: Joint Secretary appointed

It was recently reported that UNEP has appointed Jim Willis (US) as the Joint Executive Secretary of the Basel, Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions. He took office on 18 April 2011.Willis has served as Director of the Chemical Control Division with the US/EPA, and previously as Director of the UNEP Chemicals Branch, including as Executive Secretary of the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariats.

Technical Assistance Newsletter

IUCN Red List: Status of Mediterranean Sea

In a study released by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species program, titled “Overview of the conservation status of the marine fishes of the Mediterranean Sea,” IUCN has warned that more than 40 species of marine fish currently found in the Mediterranean could disappear in the next few years.

Sierra Leone: Natural Resource Management

UNEP, FAO and UNDP have announced their efforts to work together to provide capacity building and technical assistance in natural resource management to the Government of Sierra Leone. 

Alpine Convention: Study on Environmental Law

The Secretariat of the Alpine Convention has published a legal study titled “Environmental Protection and Mountains: Is environmental law adapted to the challenges faced by mountain areas? Lessons from European ranges.”

UNECE Annual Report

UNECE has published its 2011 Annual Report, in which achievements in 2010 and opportunities in 2011 are summarized. The report includes sections that describe the work done by UNECE during 2010 on: advancing the pan-European environmental agenda; sustainable energy; timber and forestry; and fostering sustainable transport development.

UNECE Report 2011

Call for Stakeholder Input to UNCSD

The UNCSD (Rio+20) Secretariat has invited input and contributions to the Conference.

1) The Secretariat notes the invitation, on 8 March 2011, by the Preparatory Committee for the UNCSD to all member States, relevant UN system organizations and relevant stakeholders to provide inputs and contributions in writing for inclusion in a draft Conference outcome document. 

2) The UNCSD Bureau requests contributions from stakeholders covering the objective and the two themes of the Conference, as specified in UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution A/64/236.

Contributions should be submitted by 1 November 2011, either by e-mail (uncsd2012@un.org) or by fax (+1 212-963-1267).

Canada: Green Economy

The Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy (CIELAP) published a report, titled "Green Economy for Canada: Consulting with Canadians." The report sought the perspectives of diverse governments, NGOs, and thought leaders across Canada on what a green economy could mean for Canada in the lead-up to UNCSD (Rio+20).