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Climate Change Policy & Practice
Published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in cooperation with the
United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) Secretariat
Wednesday, 8 October 2008 - Issue No. 7
Latest News - Wednesday, 8 October 2008
SPECIAL FOCUS: INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR DISASTER REDUCTION
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Underlines Climate Change’s Exacerbating Effects on the Food Crisis
1 October 2008: In an editorial column published on 30 September 2008 in the Washington Times, John Holmes, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, stressed the urgent need for a Green Revolution in Africa to deal, inter alia, with the challenges of climate change and the food and oil crises. More information.
Climate Change Hinders Fight Against Poverty: UN Deputy Secretary-General Calls for New and Urgent Responses
29 September 2008: Speaking at a Ministerial Meeting of Least Developing Countries (LDCs), taking place in New York, US, UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro underlined that climate change and the food and oil crises add new pitfalls to achieving the 10-year Brussels Programme of Action. More information.
Secretary-General Urges Better Disaster Risk Reduction to Adapt to Climate Change
29 September 2008: Addressing the Ministerial Meeting on Reducing Disaster risks in a Changing Climate, which took place in New York, US, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged enhanced efforts to reduce the fall-out from natural disasters, noting that climate change leads to harsher weather extremes. More information.
UNDESA Policy Brief Highlights Role for a Global Disaster Mechanism
September 2008: The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs has prepared a policy brief on “An integrated approach needed for the growing threat of climate-related insecurity.” More information.
UN/ISDR: International Day for Disaster Reduction to Focus on Making Hospitals Safe from Disasters
September 2008: The 2008 International Day for Disaster Reduction, celebrated on 8 October, will focus on making hospitals and health facilities safe from disaster. The Day will be part of the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction’s (UN/ISDR) new World Disaster Reduction Campaign 2008-2009: Hospitals Safe from Disasters. More information.
Guest Article
Climate Change Adaptation Starts with Disaster Reduction
By Sálvano Briceño, Director of the Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR)
Sálvano Briceño
Last week, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon held a special meeting with Member State Ministers in New York, urging them to prioritize disaster risk reduction as the first tool out of the box for climate change adaptation. This week, as we commemorate the International Day for Disaster Reduction on 8 October, this call must be repeated to the wider climate change community. ... article continues.
By Richard Sherman, IISD Reporting Services
As the international community celebrates International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDRR), three striking challenges can be posed for the climate and development communities. The first challenge is how to transform the ‘global development budget’ so that it positively impacts the lives of the world’s poor as it takes disaster risk reduction into account. UNDP concludes that during the period 2000-2004, an average of 326 climate disasters were reported each year, with some 262 million people being affected annually. ... article continues.
MULTILATERAL TREATY BODIES
AEWA MOP-4 Adopts Resolution on Climate Change and Migratory Waterbirds, Conservation Guidelines
CBD Launches Online Discussion on Biodiversity and Climate Change
CBD Secretariat Calls for Information on Agricultural Biodiversity with regard to Climate Change
CDM Executive Board Report Published
CDM Executive Board Calls for Comments on “Elaboration of CDM Accreditation Requirements”
Report of Twelfth Meeting of the JI Supervisory Committee Available
UN SECRETARTY-GENERAL
UN Secretary-General Launches UN REDD Programme
UN Secretary-General Calls for Global Leadership to Tackle Current Crises
UN Partners with Global Advertising Community to Combat Climate Change
UN AGENCIES, PROGRAMMES AND FUNDS
FAO Electronic Forum to Address Biotechnology for Bioenergy
Germany Increases Support to UNEP’s Clean Energy and Climate Change Adaptation Efforts
ILO/UNEP Release Green Jobs: Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World
IMO Continues Work on Regime to Control GHG Emissions
ITU Global Standards Symposium to Address Climate Change
UNWTO: World Tourism Day Focuses on Climate Change
UN Officials Mark World Habitat Day Urging that Urbanization Should Not Come at Expense of Environment
UNEP and UNESCO Release Youth Training Kit to Keep the Planet “Cool”
UNESCO’s Executive Board to Consider Refined Strategy for Action on Climate Change
World Bank Climate Investment Funds Receive Pledges for US$ 6.1 Billion
World Bank Highlights Increased Funding for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects
INTERGOVERNMENTAL PROCESSES
G-77 Chair: Climate Change Negotiations will be “a Tough Battle”
IEA Study Compares Renewable Energy Promotion Policies
Joint Indo-EU Working Programme on Energy, Clean Development and Climate Change Launched
OECD Convenes Conference on Competitive Cities and Climate Change
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Climate Change Policy & Practice is a knowledge management project for international negotiations and related activities on climate change run by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), which is fully responsible for the content posted on Climate Change Policy & Practice. Information on United Nations activities is provided in cooperation with the UN system agencies, funds and programmes through the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) Secretariat. More information.