See more coverage of this event on the main IISD ENB website
We have launched a new website to better share our reports of global environmental negotiations.
As well as current coverage of new negotiations, you can find our original reports from this event by clicking here.
m
|
t
|
w
|
t
|
f
|
s
|
s
|
ITTC-42 Highlights: Friday, 11 May 2007 On Friday, May 11, the government of Papua New Guinea generously offered four different field trips to ITTC-42 participants, who were flown to four corners of the country. Delegates returned from their field trips just in time to reconvene at 21:00 for continued discussions on the ED selection process. In the evening, the debate over the selection of the new Executive Director reached its boiling point. Brazil tabled a motion to hold a special vote on the matter. Following this, the Producer caucus met and then announced to Council that they had reached consensus, and that they would support Emmanuel Ze Meka and withdraw other producer country candidates. However, they said that the consensus was contingent on the Consumer caucus also reaching agreement on only one candidate. In response, New Zealand, for Consumers, reiterated their strong preference to vote on all six candidates. General debate ensued on whether reaching consensus amongst the caucuses was possible, and if a vote for ED would be necessary. As no consensus was reached, the Secretariat noted that in accordance with ITTA, 1994 the Council should vote on whether to vote. New Zealand, on a point of order, noted that since ITTA, 1994 was a legally binding agreement the Council should go directly to a special vote. Nevertheless, the Council went ahead with the vote on the special vote. The Secretariat, after voting had finished, stated that a majority had been attained for a special vote to go ahead. At this announcement Malaysia, Indonesia, PNG, Philippines and Thailand announced that they were withdrawing from the meeting and left the room. Subsequently, a number of members expressed tremendous disappointment at the situation, and hoped that it could be resolved. At 12:40a.m Saturday the meeting was adjourned until 9:00 a.m.
|
||
Evening Plenary
The
After the results of the vote indicated that there would be a Special Vote, a large number of Producer members, following
Field Trip
The field trips that preceded the evening plenary were a bit more pleasant. One group flew to Panakawa, in the Southern Region to visit veneer and plywood factories as well as a timber mill. Another group went to Mount Hagen in the Highlands Region to visit tea and coffee factories as well as a forestry plantation. A third group went to Lae in the Momase Region to visit botanical gardens, University of Technology of Papua New Guinea as well as a forestry college. The last group flew to Rabaul in the New Guinea Islands Region to visit a balsa plantation project, a volcano monitoring center and World War II relics.
During the field trip to Lae, delegates were able to experience a microcosm of the challenges and potential for forestry in PNG. Lae Builders and Construction exemplified secondary processed products, using a range of skills being taught at the Timber and Forestry Training College. The Forestry Research Institute has started restoration relevant research on artificially establishing indigenous species. Exotic birds predominated at the Rainforest Habitat educational resource centre (pictures and text by guest contributor Patrick Hardcastle).
Related links
|
|||
Links to IISD RS coverage
|
|||
Seventh Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests, New York, 16-27 April 2007
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|