/linkages/journal/ Volume 6 Number 2 1 February 2001 Published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) The PDF (formatted and printable with wall calendar) version is available at http://enb.iisd.org/journal/link0602e.pdf (The following is the ASCII version of Vol. 6 No. 2 of /linkages/journal/ - a monthly snapshot of the Linkages WWW site, available at http://enb.iisd.org. /linkages/journal/ may not be reproduced, reprinted or posted to any system or service without specific permission from the International Institute for Sustainable Development info@iisd.ca. This limitation includes distribution via Usenet News, bulletin board systems, mailing lists, print media and broadcast. For more information, send a message to chris@iisd.org Linkages Journal offers the latest news, information and analysis from international environment and development negotiations. The February 2001 issue of Linkages Journal includes: * briefings on key meetings in January 2001, including the World Economic Forum in Davos, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Working Group 1 meeting; * media reports and news; * details of new journal articles and online reports; and * a comprehensive list of upcoming meetings for the year 2001.) EDITOR'S NOTE A message from Linkages Journal's Editor READING THE SIGNS FROM WASHINGTON World watches, waits as new U.S. Administration takes office One of the major talking points in recent weeks has been the new US Administration and its implications for environment and development negotiations. Some observers have expressed concern at pre-election statements and policies that might indicate a less positive engagement by the US on these issues. In one of the Administration's first actions, US Department of State spokesperson Richard Boucher indicated that the US would be seeking a postponement in the resumption of formal talks on climate change (see page 5). However, some commentators note that a cautious approach is only to be expected in the initial "settling down" period, and that it is far too early to draw any conclusions on President Bush and his team. The hot news on climate Meanwhile, January also witnessed the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's release of its latest scientific report at a meeting in Shanghai (page 3). The report revised upwards previous projections on surface temperatures, which it now estimates could increase by 1.4 - 5.8°C between 1990 and 2100. That announcement coincided with the European Commission's release of its new proposed environment strategy, which calls for global emissions reductions of 20-40% by 2020 (page 4). In other news, the meeting on financing sustainable forest management, held in Oslo in late January, resumed work in support of the recently started United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) process (page 4). This work will continue in February, when an organizational session and informal consultations are held in New York (page 13). Other major meetings scheduled for the next few weeks include UNEP's Governing Council gathering in Nairobi (page 14) and the first of the Commission on Sustainable Development's intersessional meetings (page 9). Chris Spence Editor, Linkages Journal RECENT MEETINGS Information on recent conferences, workshops and symposia in the field of environment and development negotiations SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ANNUAL MEETING: The Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum was held from 25-30 January 2001 in Davos, Switzerland. The meeting, which was attended by approximately 2000 high-level representatives of business, government, the media, academia, and non-governmental organizations, addressed a broad agenda covering key economic, political and societal issues of global relevance. The theme of the meeting was "Sustaining Growth and Bridging the Divides: A Framework for Our Global Future." Specific issues addressed included the positive and negative impacts of globalization, the digital divide, international trade, and the problems facing Africa. On trade, participants discussed the possibility of a new round of talks later this year, with the World Trade Organization's fourth ministerial meeting in Qatar in November being seen by some as an appropriate time for this to begin. Some speakers highlighted the importance of taking into account the needs of developing countries. On poverty reduction, panelists called for measures that go beyond simply promoting economic growth through trade if the UN goal of halving world poverty by 2015 is to be met. Participants also discussed a recovery plan for Africa presented by the heads of state of Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania. In addition, the Forum witnessed the release of a new Environmental Sustainability Index, marking the culmination of a two-year project of the Environment Task Force of the Forum's Global Leaders with the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and the Center for Earth Science Information at Columbia University. The Index measures and ranks the capacity of societies to facilitate economic growth without causing unacceptable resources depletion or environmental degradation. In terms of environmental performance, Finland, Norway and Canada were awarded the highest rankings. Amid tight security, the meeting witnessed a number of protests, including anti-globalization demonstrations against the world trade system. More information is available online at: http://www.weforum.org/ and from the BBC website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1144000/1144140.stm WORKSHOP ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - EXPLORING THE LINKS: The workshop on Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development: Exploring the Links, was held on 23 January 2001 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. This one-day workshop was organized by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and was attended by 50 high-level participants representing government agencies, academic institutions, United Nations bodies, the World Bank, business and industry, and international and non-governmental organizations. The workshop aimed to address strategies and approaches to deal with the ongoing problem of widespread poverty, within the context of sustainable development. During the morning session, participants heard keynote speeches and engaged in discussions on three issues: social capital and sustainable development – the role of market and non-market institutions in a developing country; poverty alleviation and sustainable development – the implications for the management of natural capital; and the World Bank/International Monetary Fund Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) and sustainable development. During the afternoon sessions, workshop participants considered an overview of a sustainable development framework elaborated by IISD and engaged in plenary and panel discussions on key issues raised during the meeting. Discussions and conclusions from this meeting are expected to contribute to ongoing efforts to address poverty alleviation and sustainable development issues in relevant organizations and agencies both in Canada and internationally, as well as international processes such as the Financing for Development initiative and the Ten Year Review of the UN Conference on Environment and Development in 2002 ("Rio+10"). The Sustainable Developments report outlining these discussions in detail can be found at: http://enb.iisd.org/crs/poverty/ Sustainability at the Millennium - Globalization, Competitiveness and the Public Trust: This conference, held from 21-24 January 2001 in Bangkok, Thailand, was organized by the Greening of Industry Network and sponsored by the Asian Development Bank. It drew over 300 policy makers, academics and industrial leaders from different parts of the world, who explored the relationship between economic development and environmental protection. Speakers at the conference included Supachai Panitchpakdi, Deputy Premier of Thailand and the next WTO Director-General, and Jan Pronk, Environment Minister of the Netherlands and President of COP-6 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. For more information visit: http://www.eric.chula.ac.th/GIN-Asia/annual2001.html and Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest (Volume 5 Number 2): http://www.ictsd.org/html/newsdigest.htm UN/ECE Regional Conference on Financing for Development: This meeting took place on 6-7 December 2000 in Geneva. The conference was convened by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. The outcome of the conference will feed into a high-level intergovernmental event on financing for development that will be convened in 2002 by the United Nations General Assembly. The conference led to a call for, inter alia: continued official development assistance as a stabilizing and catalyzing agent for economic progress; regional mechanisms to cope with financial crises that could swamp individual countries; and more effective sharing of the social burdens and costs of economic restructuring. For more information visit: http://www.unece.org/press/01gen01e.htm CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT Contaminated Site Remediation Conference: The Contaminated Site Remediation Conference was held from 4-8 December 2000 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The Australian Centre for Groundwater Studies organized the conference, which was attended by approximately 300 participants from 20 countries. Focusing on current practice and the future direction of contaminated site remediation in Australia and internationally, the conference theme was "From Source Zones to Ecosystems," with four sub-themes: (i) remediation to reduce impacts to ecosystems - how do we set targets?; (ii) investigation and monitoring of remediation and ecosystems - beyond national protocols; (iii) levels of intervention to manage environmental risk - does monitored natural attenuation have a role in the remediation tool kit?; and (iv) remediating complex source zones - what's really achievable? Brian Robinson, Chair of the Victorian EPA, opened the conference and Glenn Suter II of the US EPA gave the conference keynote speech on the logic of ecological risk assessment for contaminated sites. Six keynote speakers addressed the theme topics. The conference also features 43 platform presentations, 72 poster presentations and a Trade Exhibition. Based on the sharing of research results and information at the workshop, the participants concluded, inter alia, that a greater variety of reliable investigation and monitoring strategies are required for the assessment of trends, contaminants' impacts and remediation effectiveness. For more information, and to obtain the 800-page conference proceedings containing 108 papers, contact Greg Davis, Contamination Assessment and Remediation, CSIRO Land and Water, Centre for Groundwater Studies, tel: +61-8-9333-6386; fax: +61-8-9333-6211; e-mail: Greg.Davis@per.clw.csiro.au; internet: http://www.clw.csiro.au/research/remediation/organic/ CLIMATE AND ATMOSPHERE Workshop on Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS): A training session on Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) was held in Manama, Bahrain from 20–22 January 2001. Targeted at customs officers, the workshop was organized by the OzonAction Programme of the Division of Technology, Industry and Economics of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP DTIE) in co-operation with the World Customs Organization. The workshop was the first of its kind for the West Asia region, and had 22 participants that will be able to train remaining customs officers and stakeholders on monitoring and control of imports and exports of ODS and ODS-containing products. For more information on the workshop please contact: Rajendra Shende, Energy and OzonAction Programme, UNEP; tel: +33- 1-4437-1450; fax: +33-1-4437-1474; e-mail: ozonaction@unep.fr, Internet: http://www.unep.org/Documents/Default.asp?DocumentID=191&ArticleID =2751 ipcc WORKING GROUP i - meeting on the third assessment report: Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – which focuses on the science of climate change – met from 17-20 January 2001 in Shanghai, China, to finalize and adopt its part of the IPCC's Third Assessment Report (TAR). One hundred and fifty delegates from 100 countries adopted the report, "Climate Change 2001:The Scientific Basis" as well as the summary for policymakers. The report, which is based on three years of work by 123 Lead Authors and more than 500 contributors, notes that "an increasing body of observation gives a collective picture of a warming world" and that the climate is changing more rapidly than predicted in the Second Assessment Report (SAR) of 1995. Other key findings of the report include that: most of the warming experienced over the past 50 years is due to human activities; climate change models have improved; the 1990s were the warmest decade, and 1998 the warmest year on record and the increase in temperature in the 20th century is likely to have been the greatest of any century during the past 1000 years; carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere has increased by 31% since the mid-eighteenth century to 367 ppm, which is higher than any concentration over the past 420,000 years and possibly much longer; global surface temperature is projected to increase by 1.4 - 5.8°C from 1990 to 2100, which is higher than projected in the SAR because projections of future sulfur dioxide emissions are now lower; water vapor concentration and precipitation are projected to increase, and more intense precipitation events are likely over many land areas in the mid- to high-latitudes in the northern hemisphere; sea-levels are projected to rise by 0.09 - 0.88 meters from 1990 to 2100, which is slightly lower than projected in the SAR. Meetings of the IPCC Working Groups II and III as well as an IPCC Plenary meeting will take place during the next three months. (see the upcoming meetings section). For more information on the IPCC Working Group I meeting contact Michael Williams, UNEP; tel: +41- 22-9178-242; e-mail: michael.williams@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.ipcc.ch/press/pr16-01.htm http://www.ipcc.ch/press/pressreleasedraft.htm http://www.unep.org/Documents/Default.asp?DocumentID=189&ArticleID =2747 http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1126000/1126669.s tm FORESTS INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP OF EXPERTS ON FINANCING SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT: The International Workshop of Experts on Financing Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) convened in Oslo, Norway, from 22-25 January 2001. This Workshop was a government-led initiative in support of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), co-sponsored by Brazil, Denmark, Malaysia, Norway, South Africa and the United Kingdom and organized by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). It brought together 70 participants from over 40 countries representing governments, financing institutions, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, academia and UN agencies to consider the advantages of alternatives for financing sustainable forest management (SFM). Among the approaches to financing SFM discussed by participants discussed were greater private sector involvement, an investment promotion entity, a global forest fund, a consortium approach and better use of existing resources. The goals of the Workshop were to: identify ways to implement decisions on financial resources resulting from the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF) and Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF); identify and better understand the broader issues that constrain or promote new and additional flows of finance in the forest sector from all sources; and contribute to the proposed UNFF by advising on its programme of work on finance. The Workshop did not seek to reach consensus options, but rather resulted in a record of highlights that captures the breadth of views expressed at the Workshop. This record of highlights will be submitted to the UNFF to contribute to ongoing debates on this topic. The Sustainable Developments report outlining these discussions in detail can be found at: http://enb.iisd.org/crs/fsfm/sdvol47num1.html MEDIA REPORTS The latest news from the field of international environment and development negotiations, with links to relevant media coverage and press releases SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT EUROPEAN COMMISSION PROPOSES NEW ENVIRONMENT STRATEGY The European Commission has adopted a new environment strategy outlining priorities for the next five to ten years. Environment 2010: Our Future, Our Choice, focuses on four key areas – climate change, health and the environment, nature and biodiversity, and natural resource management. If adopted by the European Council and European Parliament, it will become the EU's Sixth Environment Programme. The fifth was adopted in 1992 and reviewed in 1998. On climate change, the new strategy focuses on achieving greenhouse gas emissions cuts agreed under the Kyoto Protocol for the period 2008-2012. However, it also calls for greater global emissions reductions of 20-40% by 2020, given scientific estimates that a 70% cut will be needed long-term. Specific measures to cut emissions include stronger energy efficiency and energy saving efforts and an EU-wide emissions trading scheme. Under the environment and health topic, one area of focus will be a "fundamental overhaul of the Community's system for managing risks from chemicals." A thematic strategy for reducing risks from pesticides will also receive attention. Under the sustainable resource management topic, the new strategy includes calls for a "decoupling of waste generation from economic growth." Links to further information European Commission information page, January 2001 http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/newprg/index.htm CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT URANIUM 236 FOUND IN KOSOVO Ammunition used by NATO troops in Kosovo has been found to contain Uranium 236. According to preliminary laboratory results, ammunition tips, or penetrators, made of depleted uranium (DU) and used by NATO in Kosovo in 1999 contain Uranium 236, a radioactive isotope. At this stage it is uncertain how significant a risk the Uranium poses to human health and the environment. Further results and a full assessment are expected in early March based on laboratory tests currently underway in five European laboratories. Links to further information UNEP press release, 16 January 2000 http://balkans.unep.ch/press/press010116.html UNEP-Balkans homepage http://balkans.unep.ch CLIMATE AND ATMOSPHERE U.S. SEEKS DELAY IN CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS The United States has requested that key negotiations on climate change, which seemed likely to resume in May, be postponed until July. In a press briefing on 24 January, US Department of State spokesperson Richard Boucher indicated that, given the failure to reach agreement at talks held in November 2000 in The Hague, "all parties would benefit from some additional time to review their policies and consult with others," particularly in the light of the importance and complexity of the issues under discussion. He added that during the next few months, the incoming US administration "would be undertaking a thorough look at the US policy on climate change." A decision on the timing of formal negotiations will be taken by Jan Pronk, the Dutch Minister of the Environment, who is the current President of the climate talks. In a written statement made public on 26 January, Pronk indicated that since the suspension of talks in The Hague, he has been in contact with a number of delegations and groups of countries to consider possible ways to move forward. He further stated that given the signals received so far, he had asked the climate convention's Executive Secretary "to proceed with contingency planning" for formal talks to resume in late May, while also asking him to "explore the possibilities for a somewhat later resumption, in case this should prove politically desirable." An announcement on timing is widely expected in February. Prior to the resumption of formal talks, informal preparatory discussions between various groups of countries are expected. Links to further information US State Department briefing, 24 January 2001 http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/index.cfm?docid=17 Jan Pronk's public statement, 26 January 2001 http://www.unfccc.int/wnew/presletter.pdf New York Times, 24 January 2001 http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Climate- Conference.html INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS WORLD BANK TO BROADCAST WORKSHOPS ON WEB The World Bank has established an internet-based "web-casting" station that will broadcast many of its seminars, presentations and conferences on sustainable development and poverty reduction. The station, called B-SPAN, will provide public access to issues under debate in the World Bank. The events will be broadcast in real time and also archived for subsequent viewing. Links to further information World Bank B-SPAN information, January 2001 http://www.worldbank.org/wbi/B-SPAN POPULATION INSTITUTE SOUNDS ALARM OVER RAPID URBAN GROWTH Rapid growth in urban populations in developing countries is creating huge problems in terms of resource pressure and poverty, according to the Population Institute, a non-profit education organization. In a recent report, the Institute warns that the rapid growth in urban populations is causing a variety of problems, including lack of access to adequate housing, jobs, health services, clean water and waste disposal infrastructure. Currently, approximately 25-30 percent of the world's urban population lives in inadequate housing or squatter settlements. With the populations of many cities in developing countries set to rise by over 50 percent between now and 2020, the report cautions that pressure on infrastructure will increase dramatically. Given these trends, the Institute has called for world attention to focus on urbanization in poorer countries, particularly how to address questions of sustainability. Links to further information Population Institute statement, January 2001 http://www.populationinstitute.org/ ("Publications" section) TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT NAFTA TRIBUNAL RULES TO INVOLVE CIVIL SOCIETY IN CONTROVERSIAL CASE An arbitration panel of the North American Free Trade Agreement has ruled that it can accept amicus curiae ("friends of the court") briefs, setting a precedent for civil society involvement in cases under NAFTA's Chapter 11 investment provisions. These provisions allow individual investors to initiate international arbitration proceedings against a NAFTA country if the investor considers that the NAFTA country has acted in a discriminatory or protectionist manner. In recent years, there have been a number of cases brought by investors/companies involving actions by NAFTA countries to prevent trade where those countries have cited environmental/public health reasons. The panel's decision relates to a controversial case in which Methanex, a Canadian company, is bringing a complaint against the US government over its ban on a suspected carcinogenic substance. As a result of the ruling, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) will be able to submit a "friends of the court" brief to the NAFTA Tribunal. IISD has praised the panel's decision as an "essential first step in opening the previously closed Chapter 11 proceedings to non- parties, clearing the way for possible substantive roles for civil society." Links to further information IISD press release, 19 January 2001 http://www.iisd.org/about/announce/011901.htm WETLANDS WETLANDS CONVENTION CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an intergovernmental treaty on the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources, is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary. The Convention was signed on 2 February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, and the anniversary date - which is celebrated annually as World Wetlands Day - will be marked by activities and events in many of the 123 countries that are Parties to the Convention. Sounding a warning ahead of World Wetlands Day, the Ramsar Convention Secretariat and conservation organization WWF issued a statement urging more action to protect vital wetlands, noting that failure to act would result in water shortages becoming more severe in at least 60 countries by 2050, and that flooding-related disasters could increase substantially. Wetlands play a key role in the supply of freshwater, absorbing rainfall and slowly releasing it, while helping to purify water and control floods. More than half the world's wetlands have been destroyed in the past 100 years. Links to further information Ramsar Secretariat notice, 27 January 2001 http://www.ramsar.org/wwd2001_reports.htm WWF press release, 29 January 2001 http://www.panda.org/news/press/news.cfm?id=2190 WILDLIFE NORWAY ENDS WHALE MEAT EXPORT BAN The Government of Norway has removed its ban on the export of whale blubber and meat, with likely markets including Japan and Iceland. However, the lifting of the ban has been criticized by environmental groups such as Greenpeace. Norway resumed commercial whaling in 1993, but had previously restricted sales to its own domestic market. Links to further information BBC news report, 17 January 2001 http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_1121000/11216 54.stm Greenpeace press release, 17 January 2001 http://www.greenpeace.org/pressreleases/oceans/2001jan17.html COMINGS AND GOINGS Information on key appointments, departures and vacancies at United Nations agencies, international organizations, government departments and non-governmental organizations active in the field of international environment and development negotiations APPOINTMENTS DIRECTOR OF UNEP'S AFRICA OFFICE APPOINTED Sekou Toure of Côte d'Ivoire has been appointed as Director of the United Nations Environment Programme's Regional Office for Africa. In addition to high-level environment-related experience with the Government of Côte d'Ivoire, Sekou Toure has also worked with the World Bank and African Development Bank, and has research and teaching experience at universities in the United States and Côte d'Ivoire. He takes up his new position on 1 February. More information is available online at: http://www.unep.org/Documents/Default.asp?DocumentID=191&ArticleID =2752 UNESCO ADDS TO NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has announced several new members to his senior management team. The latest additions include Pierre Sané, the present Secretary General of Amnesty International, and Sir John Daniel, head of Britain's Open University. Both will become Assistant Directors-General. Pierre Sané will be responsible for human and social sciences, while Sir John Daniel will take on the education portfolio. Their appointments add to a newly assembled management team recruited recently by Koïchiro Matsuura. More information is available online at: http://www.unesco.org/opi/eng/unescopress/2001/01-04e.shtml GREENPEACE NAMES INTERIM DIRECTOR Greenpeace International has appointed Gerd Leipold as its interim Executive Director from 1 February. He replaces Thilo Bode, who was Executive Director for five years. Gerd Leipold has many years of involvement with Greenpeace, most recently as Board Chair of Greenpeace Nordic. During the past few years he has run a consultancy advising non-governmental organizations. The process to appoint a permanent Executive Director is currently being undertaken by Greenpeace International's Board. More information is available online at: http://www.greenpeace.org/interimed.pdf VACANCIES DEPUTY DIRECTOR VACANCY AT UN HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS OFFICE The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is seeking an Assistant Emergency Relief Coordinator and Director, a D-2 post based in Geneva. The deadline for applications is 18 February 2001. More information is available online at: http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/cha1500.htm BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISES FOR PROJECTS MANAGER Birdlife International - a coalition of non-governmental organizations concerned with protecting bird species - is seeking a manager for conservation projects in developing countries. The post will be based in Cambridge, UK. The deadline for applications is 18 February 2001. More information is available online at: http://www.ramsar.org/w.n.vacancy_birdlife.htm UN DESA'S ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE SEEKS EXECUTIVE OFFICER The Executive and Administrative Office of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) is seeking an Executive Officer. This is a D-1 UN position and is based in New York. Applications must be received by 22 March. More information is available online at: http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/eesa1640.htm POSITIONS AVAILABLE AT FAO The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has a variety of professional positions available, mostly designated as P-3, P-4 and P-5 level UN positions. Many of these positions are based in Rome. More information is available online at: http://www.fao.org/VA/Employ.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------ Information Request If you would like an upcoming meeting, news report, recent event or staff appointment, departure or vacancy to be included in Linkages Journal, please contact our Editor Chris Spence at: chris@iisd.org or our Assistant Editor Malena Sell at: malena@iisd.org ------------------------------------------------------------------- READINGS New and recent book titles, articles and other literature on environment and development JOURNALS /Biodiversity "UK consumer attitudes concerning environmental issues impacting the agrifood industry." Business Strategy and the Environment 9 (6, 2000), pp. 355-366. Written by Keith Walley, Paul Custance and Stephen Parsons, this article considers the findings of a consumer attitude survey regarding environmental issues relevant to the agrifood industry. They find that resistance among consumers is highest to genetic modification, and suggest that due to this farmers are likely to continue with traditional farming practices. /Climate Change "How Earth's ice is changing." Environment 42 (10, 2000), pp. 8- 18. James McCarthy and Malcolm McKenna highlight new evidence of rapid climate change based on a recent expedition to the North Pole, and consider whether climate change is accelerating in the Arctic and whether it is human-induced. "Mitigation, adaptation, and climate change: results from recent research on US timber markets." Environmental Science & Policy 3 (5, 2000), pp. 235-48. This article by Brent Sohngen and Ralph Alig considers recent studies addressing how US timber markets may adapt to climate change, and how US forests could be used to mitigate climate change. "The impacts of weather variations on energy demand and carbon emissions." Resource and Energy Economics 22 (4, 2000), pp. 295- 314. In this paper Timothy Considine presents model simulations of the impacts of climate fluctuations on carbon emissions using monthly models of US energy demand. According to the simulations warmer weather in the US slightly reduces energy demand relating to heating, and Considine suggests that climate change policies should allow some variance in carbon emissions due to short-term weather variations. "Changing consumption patterns and CO2 reduction." International Journal of Environment and Pollution 15 (2, 2001), pp. 146-158. In this article Jesper Munksgaard, Klaus Alsted Pedersen and Mette Wier examine the impact on CO2 emissions of household consumption in Denmark. They analyze energy use and consumption of different commodities and services, and examine the impact of changes in the mix of products consumed from 1966 to 1992. /Environmental Justice "The campaign for environmental justice in Scotland." Local Environment 5 (4, 2000), pp. 467-474. Eurig Scandrett, Kevin Dunion and Gavin McBride consider the concept of environmental justice and its implications for environmental campaigning, highlighting the Friends of the Earth Scotland environmental justice campaign launch in the year 2000. /Forests "Forest certification: stakeholders, constraints and effects." Local Environment 5 (4, 2000), pp. 475-481. Naka, Hammet and Stuart present a policy-based assessment of approaches to forest certification by analyzing stakeholders, information resources and effects on people and communities dependent on the forests. /Local Agenda 21 "Joint working within local government: air quality as a case- study." Local Environment 5 (4, 2000), pp. 401-414. This article by Beattie and Longhurst focuses on air quality management (AQM) and examines the involvement of a variety of professionals within the AQM process. Based on a study in England, they conclude that co-operation between the necessary professions is still at an early stage and suggest that local Agenda 21 officers have an important role in facilitating inter-professional working to support the AQM process. "Municipal environmental policy in Norway: from 'mainstream' policy to 'real' Agenda 21?" Local Environment 5 (4, 2000), pp. 451-465. In this article Carlo Aall considers Local Agenda 21 developments in Norway, and notes that as national environmental policy in Norway does not have a strong focus on global problems municipalities may play a role in this context. /Multilateral Development Banks Global Governance 6 (4, 2000, pp. 399-517) is a special issue focusing on civil society and multilateral development banks (MDBs), based on a two-year joint US/Latin American project. The issue contains six articles on the topic, including three case studies from Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. Diana Tussia and Gabriel Casaburi give an overview of the project, highlighting the scope, nature and impact of changes in MDBs relevant to civil society and local and global governance. They examine opportunities and limits for participation and possible influences on policy-making resulting from new participatory practices in the MDBs. /Trade and Environment "Biological adversity: the hidden costs of trade and economic globalization." Harvard International Review 22 (4, 2001), pp. 24- 27. This article by Christopher Bright considers the thousands of invasions of non-native species - bioinvasions - brought about by human activities and occurring in most major landmasses, rivers, lakes, and probably along most stretches of tropical and temperate ocean coastline. "National sovereignty in the world trading system: labor, environment, and the WTO." Harvard International Review 22 (4, 2001), pp. 54-59. Kyle Bagwell and Robert Staiger highlight the continuing "war" between supporters of national sovereignty and those in support of globalization and the WTO, making the case that the December 1999 WTO meeting in Seattle collapsed due to this difference in views. /Trade and Development "Does exchange-rate stability increase trade and welfare?" American Economic Review 90 (5, 2000), pp. 1093-1109. Philippe Bacchetta and Eric van Wincoop develop a simple general- equilibrium framework to study the effect of the exchange-rate system on trade and welfare, and conclude that there is no one-to- one relationship between the levels of trade and welfare across exchange-rate systems. "UN body warns of conflicts between TRIPS and human rights." Third World Resurgence (122, 2000), pp. 37-39. This article includes the full text of a resolution adopted by the UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, which calls into question the compatibility of the World Trade Organization's Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights with international human rights law, as well as a press release by the International NGO Committee on Human Rights in Trade and Investment on the resolution. "A grand trade bargain." Foreign Affairs 80 (1, 2001), pp. 65-75. David Sanger highlights the need for a US "grand bargain" with developing countries in the formation of US economic policy. He argues that in order to preserve US economic power while overcoming resentment from other countries, a bargain could involve the US abolishing trade barriers on agriculture and textiles in return for a global accord on intellectual property rights. /Urban Sustainable Development "The need for a new look at cities." Environmental Science & Policy 3 (5, 2000), pp. 231-34. In this article Greg Valentine and Grant Heiken stress the need for changes in the underlying thinking of governments and the scientific community in order to understand and better manage cities. They call for more collaborative involvement of the federal government in cities as well as efforts to integrate across various federal agencies. WHAT'S NEW ONLINE /Climate Change "Can China Afford to Commit itself an Emissions Cap? - An Economic and Political Analysis." ZhongXiang Zhang examines the potential role of China in combating global climate change from an economic and political perspective. Analyzing possible efforts and commitments China could make between the first commitment period and 2020, as well as beyond 2020, he argues these would be unlikely to hinder China's economic development, would give China more leverage at climate change negotiations, and would support a more sustainable path of development of the Chinese economy and the global climate. The paper is online at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=253760 UPCOMING MEETINGS Information on upcoming conferences, workshops and symposia in the field of international environment and development negotiations SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Delhi Sustainable Development Summit on Poverty - the global challenge for governments, industry, scientists, and civil society: This meeting will take place in New Delhi, India from 7-9 February 2001. For more information contact: Sangeeta Singh tel: +91-1l-4682100; fax: +91-11-4682144; e-mail: ssingh@teri.res.in; Internet: http://www.teriin.org GLOBAL CHANGE & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA: This regional conference will be held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from 17- 19 February 2001. For more information contact: Connie Chiang, SARCS Secretariat, Bangkok, Thailand; tel: +662-218-8126; fax: +662-255-4967; Internet: http://www.icsea.or.id/sarcs2001/ FINAL MEETING OF THE WORLD COMMISSION ON DAMS FORUM: The third and final meeting of the 68-member World Commission on Dams Forum will be held from 25-27 February 2001 in Cape Town, South Africa. Forum members will discuss feedback on the Commission's final report, published in November 2000, and consider what follow-up activities, if any, are required. Attendance at the meeting is by invitation only. For more information contact: e-mail: info@dams.org; Internet: http://www.dams.org/press/pressrelease_80.htm CONFERENCE ON Taking Nature Seriously - Citizens, Science, and Environment: This conference will be held from 25-27 February 2001 in Eugene, Oregon, USA. The conference explores interdisciplinary and inter-community collaboration and ways in which scientists and environmental activists work together on environmental issues. For more information contact: University of Oregon, tel: +1-541-346- 5399; fax: +1-541-346-5096; e-mail: tns@darkwing.uoregon.edu; Internet: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~tns/ WORKSHOP ON INTERLINKAGES, SYNERGIES AND COORDINATION AMONG MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS: This workshop will meet from 26-27 February 2001, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. For more information contact: Motoyuki Suzuki, United Nations University; tel: +81-3-3499-2811; fax: +81-3-3499-2828; Internet: http://www.unu.edu/capacitybuilding/index.htm WORLD SUSTAINABLE ENERGY DAY 2001: This meeting will be held from 28 February – 2 March 2001 in Wels, Austria. For more information contact: Christine Oehlinger, O.Oe. Energiesparverband; tel: +43- 732-6584-4861; fax: +43-732-6584-4383; e-mail: christine.oehlinger@esv.or.at; Internet: http://www.esv.or.at Workshop On Energy Subsidy Reform And Sustainable Development: The fourth and final in a series of regional workshops on energy subsidy reform and sustainable development will be held in Santiago, Chile in March 2001. Sponsored by the United Nations Environment Programme and the International Energy Agency, the workshop aims at enhancing domestic capacity to identify sustainable energy strategies and policies to support them. For more information contact Hussein Abaza; tel: +41-22-917-8298; e- mail: hussein.abaza@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.unep.ch/etu/econ/energy/enind.htm and http://www.unep.org/Documents/Default.asp?DocumentID=191&ArticleID =2743 Second Annual Global Conference on Environmental Taxation Issues, Experience and Potential: This conference will take place from 1- 3 April 2001 in Vancouver, Canada. The objective of the conference is the exchange of ideas, information and research findings among scholars, executives, tax professionals, non-governmental organizations and policy makers focused on environmental taxation issues. For more information contact: Aida Burgos; tel: +1-604- 453-4018; fax: +1 604 436-0286; e-mail: Aida_Burgos@bcit.ca; Internet: http://www.pembina.org/pubs/2001envirotax_conference/conference_in fo.pdf SECOnd International Conference - "Business & Municipality: New Partnerships for the 21st Century": This meeting will take place from April 4-7 2001 in Bremen, Germany. The conference will draw on experiences from regional meetings and focus on business and municipalities partnering in urban management processes. For more information contact: tel: +49-421-230011-0; fax: +49-421-230011- 18; Internet: http://www.bremen- initiative.de/conferences/index.html International Sustainable Development Research Conference 2001: This conference will take place from 5-6 April 2001 in Manchester, UK. Issues to be covered include development, policy perspectives, environmental and social aspects of sustainable development, instruments, country/regional profiles, Agenda 21 initiatives, NGOs and local action. For more information contact: Elaine White, tel: +44-1-274-530408; fax: +44-1-274-530409; e-mail: elaine@erpenv.demon.co.uk; Internet: http://www.erpenvironment.org/cfrence/sd.htm CSD-9: The Ninth Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development will be held in New York from 16-27 April 2001. This session will focus on: atmosphere; energy/transport; information for decision making and participation; and international cooperation for an enabling environment. The topic of the multi- stakeholder dialogue segment will be energy and transport. Prior to CSD-9, intersessional meetings will be held from 26 February – 2 March (Energy Expert Group), 6-9 March (Working Group on transport and atmosphere) and 12-16 March (Working Group on information for decision-making and participation and on international cooperation for an enabling environment). For more information contact: Zehra Aydin-Sipos, Major Groups Focal Point, Division for Sustainable Development; tel: +1-212-963-8811; e- mail: aydin@un.org; Internet: http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd9/csd9_2001.htm# GLOBAL AGRICULTURE 2020: WHICH WAY FORWARD?: This conference will be held from 18-20 April 2001, in Norwich, UK. For more information contact: Agric 2020 Conference Secretariat, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK; tel: +44-1603-450-581; e-mail: agric.2020@bbsrc.ac.uk; Internet: http://www.jic.bbsrc.ac.uk/events/agric2020 CSD-10 (PREPCOM): The Tenth Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development is expected to convene for a meeting in New York from 30 April – 2 May 2001 to serve as the Preparatory Committee for the Ten-year Review of UNCED ("Rio+10"). For more information contact: Zehra Aydin-Sipos, Major Groups Focal Point, Division for Sustainable Development; tel: +1-212-963-8811; e- mail: aydin@un.org ECO-INFORMA 2001: ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS & THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY - STRATEGIES FOR MEETING THE CHALLENGES: This meeting will take place from 14-18 May 2001, in Argonne, Illinois, USA. For more information contact: Alvin Young, US Department of Energy, Center for Risk Excellence, Argonne, Illinois, USA; tel: +1-630-252-2503; fax: +1-630-252-2654; Internet: http://eco-informa.ead.anl.gov/ THIRD UN CONFERENCE ON LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES: This meeting will be held from 14-20 May 2001 in Brussels, Belgium. An Intergovernmental PrepCom for the event will be held from 5-9 February 2001. For more information contact: Office of the Special Coordinator for Least Developed, Landlocked and Island Developing Countries, UNCTAD, Geneva, Switzerland; tel: +41-22-907-5893; fax: +41-22-907-0046; Internet: http://www.unctad.org/en/subsites/ldcs/document.htm and http://www.un.org/events/ldc3/conference/ Europe's 21ST century policies for sustainable technological innovation - The role of higher education in science, technology and society: This conference will be held in Oslo, Norway from 20- 21 May 2001. It is the fourth and final international conference organized as part of the European POSTI project "Policies for Sustainable Technological Innovation in the 21st Century." For more information contact: Grazyna K. Normandbo, Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture, University of Oslo; tel: +47- 22-840-600; e-mail: g.k.normandbo@tik.uio.no Internet: http://www.esst.uio.no/posti/cfp.html YOUTH CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: This meeting will be held in Borgholm, Sweden, from 23-27 May 2001. An official part of the Swedish EU Presidency, the conference will contribute to youth preparations for the Ten-year Review of UNCED ("Rio+10") in 2002. For more information contact: Conference Secretariat, Swedish Ministry for the Environment, tel: +46-8-440- 8670; e-mail: camilla.funke@lsu.se Internet: http://www.eu2001.se/eu2001/calendar/ FIRST UNEP/GEF GLOBAL INTERNATIONAL WATERS ASSESSMENT (GIWA) GENERAL ASSEMBLY: This General Assembly of the GIWA project will take place in June 2001. It will be preceded by meetings of the GIWA Methods Peer Review Board on 2 March, and the GIWA Steering Group, from 3-5 March. All meetings will take place in Kalmar, Sweden. For more information contact: GIWA Coordination Office, Kalmar; tel: +46-480-447350; fax: +46-480-447355; Internet: http://www.giwa.net SPECIAL SESSION OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON HIV/AIDS: This Special Session to review and address the problem of HIV/AIDS will be held from 25-27 June 2001 at UN Headquarters in New York. The aim of the meeting is to secure a global commitment to enhancing coordination and the intensification of efforts at all levels to combat the epidemic in a comprehensive manner. For more information contact: The Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Geneva, tel: +41-22-791-3666; fax: +41-22-791-4187; Internet: http://www.unaids.org/whatsnew/others/un_special/index.html PARTNERSHIPS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE NEW ECONOMY: This conference will meet in Copenhagen, Denmark from 27-29 June 2001. It will bring together government officials, businesses, NGOs, academics and other parties engaged in the field of partnerships and social cohesion. For more information contact: Niels Hojensgard, The Copenhagen Centre; tel: +45-3392-9245; e-mail: dpnih@sm.dk INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GRASSLAND SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY: This conference will be held from 17-20 July 2001 in Inner Mongolia, China. It is being sponsored by the China Association of Agriculture Science Societies (CAASS) and the Chinese Grassland Society. For more information contact: Yan Dongquan, CAASS, Beijing, China; tel: +86-10-6419-4487; fax: +86-10-6419-4449; e- mail: gouhq@cav.net.cn International Seminar on Protected Area Management: This US Department of Agriculture Forest Service seminar, which is being hosted by the University of Montana, will take place from 9-25 August 2001. For more information contact: James Burchfield, e- mail: jburch@forestry.umt.edu; Internet: http://www.fs.fed.us/global/is/ispam/welcome.htm SPECIAL SESSION OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON CHILDREN: The Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Children will take place from 19-21 September 2001 at UN Headquarters in New York. This meeting will be held ten years after the World Summit for Children. For more information contact: Secretariat for the Special Session on Children, UNICEF House, 3 UN Plaza, New York NY 10017, USA; Internet: http://www.unicef.org/specialsession/ world Congress on conservation agriculture – a worldwide challenge: This congress will take place on 1-5 October 2001 in Madrid, Spain. It is being organized by the Food and Agricultural Organization and the European Conservation Agriculture Federation. For more information contact: Armando Martinez, Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Córdoba, Spain; tel: +34-957-760797; fax: +34-957-760797; e-mail: conservation.agriculture@ecaf.org; Internet: http://www.ecaf.org/English/englis.htm INTELEC 2001 INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS ENERGY CONFERENCE: This conference will be held on 14-18 October 2001 at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, UK. For more information contact: Simon Edwards, tel: +44-20-2709-2000; e-mail: intelec@iee.org.uk 18TH WORLD ENERGY CONGRESS: This meeting will take place from 21- 25 October 2001 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. For more information contact: World Energy Council, United Kingdom; tel: +44-20-7734- 5996; fax: +44-20-7734-5926; Internet: http://www.mbendi.co.za/wec/contact.htm Sustainable Services & Systems - Transition towards Sustainability: This meeting will be held on 29-30 October 2001 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. For more information see: http://www.cfsd.org.uk/events/tspd6/index.html International conference on freshwater: This conference, hosted by the German Federal Environment Ministry and the German Federal Ministry for Development Cooperation, will be held from 3-7 December 2001 in Bonn, Germany. It will serves as preparation for the Ten-year Review of UNCED ("Rio+10"), and will review Chapter 18 of Agenda 21 focusing on freshwater issues. For more information, please contact: Angelika Wilcke, Conference Secretariat; tel: +49-228-28046-57; e-mail: info@water-2001.de; Internet: http://www.water-2001.de INTERNATIONAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL EVENT ON FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT: This high-level international meeting on Financing for Development will be held in February/March 2002. It will bring together senior representatives from governments, the United Nations, and other leading international trade, finance and development-related organizations. The Preparatory Committee is scheduled to meet in New York from 12-23 February and 30 April - 11 May in 2001, and from 14-25 January 2002. For more information contact: Financing for Development Coordinating Secretariat, United Nations Headquarters, New York, Harris Gleckman, tel: +1- 212-963-4690; e-mail: gleckman@un.org or Federica Pietracci, tel: +1-212-963-8497; e-mail: pietracci@un.org; Internet: http://www.un.org/esa/ffd EURO-SUSTAIN CONFERENCE/BROKERAGE EVENT: This event will take place from 2-5 April 2002 on the island of Rhodos, Greece. The EURO-SUSTAIN initiative focuses on technologies and actions that lead toward sustainability. For more information contact: Nicolas Moussiopoulos, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Greece; tel: +30-31-996011; Internet: http://aix.meng.auth.gr/lhtee/ and http://www3.eureka.be/Home WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (RIO+10): The UN Summit for the ten-year review of progress in implementing the outcome of the UN Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio in 1992, will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002. The exact dates are yet to be determined. The Summit will aim to reinvigorate the global commitment to sustainable development at the highest level. More information is available online at: http://www.un.org/rio%2b10/ BIODIVERSITY FIFTH INTER-SESSIONAL MEETING OF THE CONTACT GROUP OF THE COMMISSION ON GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE: This meeting will take place from 5-10 February 2001, in Rome. Additional meetings of the contact group during 2001may be necessary, depending on how negotiations proceed. If required, further meetings are most likely to take place in April and/or May. For more information, contact: FAO; tel: +39-6-5705-2287; Internet: http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/AGRICULT/cgrfa/docscg5.htm ERADICATION OF ISLAND INVASIVES - PRACTICAL ACTIONS AND RESULTS ACHIEVED: This international conference will be held from 19-23 February 2001 in Auckland, New Zealand, and is being organized by the Invasive Species Specialist Group of IUCN. For more information contact: Dick Veitch, 48 Manse Road, Papakura, Auckland, New Zealand; tel/fax: +64-9-298-5775; Internet: http://www.issg.org/index.html#Conference INTRODUCTION TO BIOSAFETY AND RISK ASSESSMENT FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL RELEASE OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS: This meeting will be held from 5-9 March 2001, in Trieste, Italy. For more information contact: Giovanni Ferraiolo, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology; tel: +39-40-3757364; fax: +39-40-226555; e-mail: ferraiol@icgeb.trieste.it INFORMAL CONSULTATION ON THE PROPOSED GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR PLANT CONSERVATION: This consultation will be held on 11 March 2001, in Montreal, Canada. For more information contact: the CBD Secretariat; tel: +1-514-288-2220; fax: +1-514-288-6588; e-mail: secretariat@biodiv.org; Internet: http://www.biodiv.org SIXTH MEETING OF THE CBD'S SUBSIDIARY BODY FOR SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVICE: SBSTTA-6 will meet from 12-16 March 2001, in Montreal, Canada. For more information contact: the CBD Secretariat; tel: +1-514-288-2220; fax: +1-514-288-6588; e- mail: secretariat@biodiv.org; Internet: http://www.biodiv.org/sbstta6/ PANEL OF EXPERTS ON ACCESS AND BENEFIT SHARING: This panel will meet from 19-22 March 2001, in Montreal, Canada. For more information contact: the CBD Secretariat; tel: +1-514-288-2220; fax: +1-514-288-6588; e-mail: secretariat@biodiv.org; Internet: http://www.biodiv.org 16TH SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE: The COAG will hold its 16th Session from 26-30 March 2001, in Rome, Italy. For more information contact: FAO; tel: +39-6-5705-2287; fax: +39-6-5705- 3369; Internet: http://www.fao.org ADVANCED RESEARCH AND RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL RELEASE OF GMOS: This meeting will be held from 2-6 April 2001, in Florence, Italy. For more information contact: Giovanni Ferraiolo, Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology; tel: +39-40-3757364; fax: +39-40-226555; e-mail: ferraiol@icgeb.trieste.it NINTH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE: CGRFA-9 will meet later in 2001 in Rome at a date yet to be determined. For more information, contact: FAO; tel: +39-6- 5705-2287; Internet: http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/AGRICULT/cgrfa/meetings.htm INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON BIODIVERSITY AS A SOURCE OF NEW MEDICINES: This symposium will be held from 16-19 August 2001 in Cali, Colombia. For more information contact: Ligia Pabon de Majid; tel/fax: +57-2-330-2461; Internet: http://www.biofarmacongress.com SECOND MEETING OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE FOR THE CARTAGENA PROTOCOL: This meeting will take place in Montreal, Canada, from 1-5 October 2001. For more information contact: CBD Secretariat, Montreal, Canada: tel: +1-514-288-2220; fax: +1-514- 288-6588; e-mail: secretariat@biodiv.org CBD SBSTTA-7: The Subsidiary Body for Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice of the Convention on Biological Diversity will meet from 12-16 November 2001 in Montreal, Canada. For more information contact: CBD Secretariat, Montreal, Canada; tel: +1- 514-288-2220; Internet: http://www.biodiv.org/ MEETING OF THE AD HOC INTERSESSIONAL WORKING GROUP ON ARTICLE 8(J) OF THE CONVENTION ON BIODIVERSITY: This meeting is scheduled to take place from 4-8 February 2002 in Montreal, Canada. For more information about this and other upcoming CBD meetings contact: CBD Secretariat, Montreal, Canada; tel: +1-514-288-2220; Internet: http://www.biodiv.org/ SIXTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON BIODIVERSITY/CARTAGENA PROTOCOL MOP-1: CBD COP-6 will take place in The Hague, the Netherlands, from 8-26 April 2002. This gathering is also expected to serve as the First Meeting of the Parties (MOP-1) to the Cartagena Protocol. For more information contact: CBD Secretariat, Montreal, Canada; tel: +1-514-288-2220; Internet: http://www.biodiv.org/ CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT MEETING OF THE INTERIM CHEMICAL REVIEW COMMITTEE (ICRC) OF THE ROTTERDAM CONVENTION: ICRC-2 will meet from 19-23 March 2001, in Rome. For more information contact: Gerold Wyrwal, FAO; tel: +39- 6-5705-2753; e-mail: gerold.wyrwal@fao.org; or Jim Willis, UNEP Chemicals, Geneva; tel: +41-22-917-8111; e-mail: chemicals@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.pic.int/ DIPLOMATIC CONFERENCE ON PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS (DIPCON): The diplomatic conference for the signing of the POPs convention is scheduled to take place from 21-23 May 2001, in Stockholm, Sweden. For more information contact: Jim Willis, UNEP; tel: +41- 22-917-8111; fax: +41-22-797-3460; e-mail: chemicals@unep.ch; Internet: http://irptc.unep.ch/pops/ PANEL OF EXPERTS ON PESTICIDE SPECIFICATIONS, REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS, APPLICATION STANDARDS AND PRIOR INFORMED CONSENT: The 18th Session of the Panel is expected to meet in Bangkok, Thailand from 17-19 June 2001. Participants will consider new provisions of the Code of Conduct and update various guidelines in support of the Code. The 19th Session is scheduled to be held from 27-29 October 2002 in Rome. The 20th session is tentatively planned for May 2003 in Rome. For more information contact: Gero Vaagt, FAO; tel: +39-6-5705-5757; e-mail: Gero.Vaagt@fao.org; Internet: http://www.fao.org/waicent/FaoInfo/Agricult/AGP/AGPP/Pesticid/Even ts/c.htm FIFTH CONSULTATION ON THE PREVENTION AND DISPOSAL OF OBSOLETE AND UNWANTED STOCKS OF PESTICIDES: This meeting is scheduled for 2001 in Rome, Italy. Participants will consider new provisions for the prevention and disposal of obsolete stocks and update/prepare various technical guidelines in support of the FAO Code of Conduct. For more information contact: Ale Wodageneh, FAO; tel: +39-6-5705-5192; fax: +39-6-5705-6347; e-mail: A.Wodageneh@fao.org; Internet: http://www.fao.org/waicent/FaoInfo/Agricult/AGP/AGPP/Pesticid/Even ts/c.htm JOINT FAO-WHO MEETING ON PESTICIDE RESIDUES: The 26th Session of the Joint Meeting of the FAO Panel of Experts on Pesticide Residues in Food and the Environment and the WHO Expert Group on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) will take place from 10-28 September 2001, in Geneva. The 27th Session is scheduled for 20-29 September 2002 in Rome. These meetings are expected to produce reports and monographs summarizing the assessments of certain pesticides. For more information contact: Amelia Tejada, FAO; tel: +39-6-5705- 4010; fax: +39-6-5705-6347; Internet: http://www.fao.org/waicent/FaoInfo/Agricult/AGP/AGPP/Pesticid/even ts/c.htm EIGHTH PIC-INC MEETING: The eighth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) for the Preparation of the Conference of Parties of the Rotterdam Convention for the Application of the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (INC-8) will be held from 8-12 October 2001, in Rome. For more information contact: Niek van der Graaff, FAO; tel: +39-6-5705- 3441; e-mail: Niek.VanderGraaff@fao.org; or Jim Willis, UNEP Chemicals; tel: +41-22-917-8111; e-mail: chemicals@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.pic.int/ GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION ON UPDATING THE FAO CODE OF CONDUCT ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF PESTICIDES: This consultation is tentatively scheduled for October 2001 in Rome, and will consider the draft revised FAO International Code of Conduct on Distribution and Use of Pesticides. For more information contact: Niek Van der Graaff, FAO; tel: +39-6-5705-3441; e-mail: Niek.VanderGraaff@fao.org; Internet: http://www.fao.org/waicent/FaoInfo/Agricult/AGP/AGPP/Pesticid/Even ts/c.htm FOURTH SESSION OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL FORUM ON CHEMICAL SAFETY (IFCS): FORUM IV is scheduled to be held in Thailand in 2003, with FORUM V taking place in Hungary in late 2005 or 2006. For more information contact: the IFCS Executive Secretary; tel: +41-22- 791-3650; e-mail: ifcs@who.ch; Internet: http://www.who.int/ifcs CLIMATE AND ATMOSPHERE HARVESTED WOOD PRODUCTS WORKSHOP: This workshop will be held in Rotorua, New Zealand from 12-16 February 2001. The purpose of the workshop is to facilitate discussion and evaluation of the methods for accounting for harvested wood products and associated policies, in order to assist and inform the preparation of country submissions due by 15 March 2001 to the UNFCCC Secretariat, and to facilitate the SBSTA process. For more information contact: Jhonna Dunlop; tel: +64-7-347-2751; fax: +64-7-347-2816; e-mail: hwpworkshop@maf.govt.nz IPCC meetings on the Third Assessment Report (TAR): Following the approval of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group I report on climate change science on 22 January 2001, meetings will be held in Geneva from 14–16 February 2001 to finalize and approve the Working Group II report on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability to climate change, and in Accra from 28 February – 3 March to finalize and approve the Working Group III report on the mitigation of climate change. The full IPCC plenary will meet in Nairobi from 4 – 6 April to approve all three reports. For more information contact: Michael Williams, UNEP Geneva; tel: +41-22-9178-242/244/196; e-mail: michael.williams@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.ipcc.ch/activity/master-sch.html CIRCUMPOLAR CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT AND EXPOSITION: This event will take place from 19-21 March 2001 in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. For more information contact: Wanda Leaf, Summit Logistics Coordinator, tel: +1-867-633-5269; e-mail: leaf@yknet.yk.ca; Internet: http://www.taiga.net/nce INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON CARBON ACCOUNTING, EMISSIONS TRADING AND COP-6 NEGOTIATIONS RELATED TO BIOENERGY, WOOD PRODUCTS AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION: This workshop will take place from 26-30 March 2001 in Canberra, Australia, and is being organized by IEA Bioenergy. For more information contact: http://www.joanneum.ac.at/iea-bioenergy-task25/announcement.doc SIXTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOLAR ENERGY AND APPLIED PHOTOCHEMISTRY: This meeting will be held from 3-8 April 2001 in Cairo, Egypt. Lectures and workshops will help scientists to communicate and share experiences on solar energy issues. For more information contact: Sabry Ab-del-Mottaleb, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt; e-mail: solar@photoenergy.org; Internet: http://www.photoenergy.org/solar2001.html 12TH GLOBAL WARMING INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE & EXPO - KYOTO COMPLIANCE REVIEW: This meeting will be held in Cambridge, UK, from 8-11 April 2001. For more information contact: Sinyan Shen, The Global Warming International Center Headquarters, Naperville, Illinois, USA; tel: +1-630-910-1551; fax: +1-630-910-1561; Internet: http://www2.msstate.edu/~krreddy/glowar/gw12c.html SECOND International Combined Heat and Power Symposium: This meeting will take place from 9-10 May 2001 in Amsterdam. For more information contact: Quirine Boellaard, tel: +31-20-549-1212; e- mail: q.heerkens@rai.nl; Internet: http://www.2ndCHPsymposium.com 14TH SESSIONS OF THE UNFCCC SUBSIDIARY BODIES/RESUMED COP-6: The 14th sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change will take place from 21 May – 1 June 2001, in Bonn, Germany. This meeting may also serve as the resumed COP-6 (as outlined under COP-6 decision FCCC/CP/2000/L.3). For more information, contact: the UNFCCC Secretariat; tel: +49-228- 815-1000; fax: +49-228-815-1999; e-mail: secretariat@unfccc.int; Internet: http://www.unfccc.int INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND VARIABILITY IN NORTHERN EUROPE: This meeting will be held in Turku, Finland, from 6-8 June 2001. For more information contact: Mia Rönkä, University of Turku, Finland; tel: +358-2-333-6009; fax: +358-2-333-5730; Internet: http://figare.utu.fi/notice.html 21ST SESSION OF THE OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP OF THE PARTIES TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL: This meeting is provisionally scheduled to be held from 25-29 June 2001, in Montreal, Canada. For more information contact: Ozone Secretariat; tel: +254-2-62-1234 or 62- 3851; fax: +254-2-62-3601 or 62-3913; e-mail: ozoneinfo@unep.org; Internet: http://www.unep.org/ozone 13TH MEETING OF THE PARTIES TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL: MOP-13 will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 15-19 October 2001. For more information contact: Ozone Secretariat; tel: +254-2-62-1234 or 62- 3851; fax: +254-2-62-3601 or 62-3913; Internet: http://www.unep.org/ozone UNFCCC COP-7: This meeting is scheduled to take place from 29 October - 9 November 2001, in Marrakech, Morocco. For more information contact: the UNFCCC Secretariat; tel: +49-228-815- 1000; e-mail: secretariat@unfccc.int; Internet: http://www.unfccc.int/ DESERTIFICATION INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE ROLE OF DROUGHT IN AQUATIC SYSTEMS: This symposium will be held in Albury, Australia, from 12-14 February 2001. For more information contact: Rhonda Sinclair, Scientific Liaison Officer, tel: +61-2-6058-2300; fax: +61-2-6043- 1626; Internet: http://enterprise.canberra.edu.au/WWW/www-crcfe.nsf WORKSHOP ON INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT OF THE ECOLOGICAL, METEOROLOGICAL, AND HUMAN DIMENSIONS OF GLOBAL DESERTIFICATION: This Dahlem Workshop will take place from 10-15 June 2001, in Berlin, Germany. For more information, e-mail: james.f.reynolds@duke.edu; Internet: http://www.fu-berlin.de/dahlem/Future20Meetings.htm FIFTH SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE UN CONFERENCE TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION: COP-5 is scheduled to meet from 17-28 September 2001 in Bonn, Germany. For more information contact: UNCCD Secretariat; tel: +49-228-815-2800; fax: +49-228- 815-2898/99; e-mail: secretariat@unccd.int; Internet: http://www.unccd.int ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION: This traveling event will be held 8-20 April 2002, in Cape Town, South Africa, various rural communities, and Gobabeb, Namibia. The aim of this combined international symposium, rural community interaction and workshop is to connect community action with science and common sense. For more information, contact: Mary Seely, Desert Research Foundation of Namibia, P.O. Box 20232, Windhoek, Namibia; tel: +264-61-229- 855; fax: +264-61-230-172; e-mail: mseely@drfn.org.na INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE FOR DRY AREAS FOR THE SECOND MILLENNIUM: This conference will be held from 15-19 September 2002, in Shijiazhuang, China. For more information, contact: Catherine Vachon, Lethbridge Research Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; tel: +1-403-317-2257; fax: +1-403-382-3156; Internet: http://res2.agr.ca/lethbridge/hebei/confindex.htm FORESTS UN FORUM ON FORESTS - ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION: This meeting will be held on 12 February 2001 in New York. It will be followed by informal consultations on 13-16 February 2001, also in New York. For more information contact: Secretariat, Intergovernmental Forum on Forests, Division of Sustainable Development, UN DESA, New York; tel: +1-212-963-6208; e-mail: vahanen@un.org INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE APPLICATION OF REDUCED IMPACT LOGGING TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT: CONSTRAINTS, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES: This meeting will convene from 26 February-1 March 2001 in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Contact: Thomas Enters, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand; tel: +66-2-2817844; e-mail: thomas.enters@fao.org FOURTH SOUTH AND EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS NETWORK (SEANN) WORKSHOP: This workshop will be held from 18-21 March 2001 in Manila, the Philippines. For more information contact: Ramon A. Razal, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, UP Los Banos, College, Laguna, Philippines; fax: +63- 49-536-3340; e-mail: trees@laguna.net INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF SMALL-SCALE FORESTRY: This symposium will convene from 20-26 March 2001 in Joensuu, Finland. For more information contact: Anssi Niskanen, European Forest Institute, Torikatu 34, 80100 Joensuu, Finland; tel: +358-13-252-020; e-mail: anssi.niskanen@efi.fi; Internet: http://www.efi.fi/events/2001/iufro3.08.00/Info.htm. GLOBAL INITIATIVES AND PUBLIC POLICIES: FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PRIVATE FORESTRY IN THE 21ST CENTURY: This conference will convene in Atlanta, Georgia, US, from 25-27 March 2001. For more information visit: http://www.forestry.auburn.edu/forestpolicycenter/news.htm MEETING ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE PAN-EUROPEAN INDICATORS FOR SUSTAINABLE FORESTS MANAGEMENT (MCPFE): This meeting will be held from 26-27 March 2001 in Liechtenstein. The meeting is being convened by the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE). For more information contact: Peter Mayer, Liaison Unit Vienna, Austria; tel: +43-1-710-7702; fax: +43-1-710-77-02-13; Internet: http://www.minconf-forests.net 16TH COMMONWEALTH FORESTRY CONFERENCE - FORESTS IN A CHANGING LANDSCAPE: This Conference will meet from 18-25 April 2001 in Fremantle, Western Australia. For more information contact: Libby Jones, Standing Committee on Commonwealth Forestry, Edinburgh, UK; tel: +44-131-314-6137; fax: +44-131-334-0442; e-mail: libby.jones@forestry.gov.uk TECHNICAL EXPERTS GROUP ON FORESTS: This meeting will convene in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 23-27 April 2001 (tentative). For more information contact: Frida Velarde, Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat; tel: +1-514-287-7001; fax: +1-514-288-6588; e-mail: frida.velarde@biodiv.org; Internet: http://www.biodiv.org/conv/events/events.asp?cbd MCPFE ROUND TABLE MEETING: This meeting will be held from 14-15 May 2001 in Brussels, Belgium. The meeting is convened by the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE). For more information contact: Peter Mayer, Liaison Unit Vienna, tel: +43-1-710-7702; Internet: http://www.minconf-forests.net FORESTRY IMPACTS OF CHINA'S REFORMS - LESSONS FOR CHINA AND THE WORLD: This symposium on the forestry impacts of China's rural, industrial, and financial reforms since 1978 will meet in Beijing in May 2001. For more information contact: L.Dachang@cgiar.org or T.Suhartini@cgiar.org 30TH SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER COUNCIL: The 30th Session of the International Tropical Timber Council is scheduled from 28 May - 2 June 2001 in Yaounde, Cameroon. For more information contact: the International Tropical Timber Organization, Yokohama, Japan; tel: +81-45-223-1110; Internet: http://www.itto.or.jp/ FIRST SUBSTANTIVE SESSION OF THE UN FORUM ON FORESTS: This meeting is expected to be held from 26 June – 6 July 2001 in New York, USA. For more information contact: Secretariat, Intergovernmental Forum on Forests, Division of Sustainable Development, UN DESA, New York; tel: +1-212-963-6208; e-mail: vahanen@un.org INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIETAL ASPECTS OF TRANSGENIC FOREST PLANTATIONS: This symposium will be held from 22-24 July 2001 in Stevenson, Washington State, USA. For more information contact: http://www.fsl.orst.edu/tgerc/iufro2001/eco_symp_iufro.htm 17th International Seminar on Forest and Natural Resources Administration and Management: This US Department of Agriculture Forest Service seminar will be held on 26 August – 13 September 2001 at Colorado State University's College of Natural Resources, USA. The focus will be on strategies and methods to develop, manage, and conserve natural resources for the sustained delivery of goods and services to meet the full range of human needs. For more information contact: Ann Keith, tel: +1-970-490-2449; e-mail: IFS@cnr.colostate.edu; Internet: http://www.fs.fed.us/global/is/isfam/welcome.htm THIRD INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON REMOTE SENSING AND FOREST FIRES: This workshop will convene in Paris, France, from 17-18 September 2001. Contact: Emilio Chuvieco, Dept. of Geography, University of Alcalá, Coegios 2 - 28801 Alcalá de Hernares, Spain; e-mail: emilio.chuvieco@uah.es; Internet: http://www.geogra.alcala.es/EARSeL/EARSeL.htm XII WORLD FORESTRY CONGRESS: This meeting will take place from 21- 28 September 2003 in Québec City, Québec, Canada. For more information visit: http://www.wfc2003.org/ HABITAT COMMISSION ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: The Commission's 18th Session will take place from 12-16 February 2001 in Nairobi, Kenya. For more information contact: UNCHS, Nairobi, Kenya; tel: +254-2-62- 1234; Internet: http://www.unchs.org/ "ISTANBUL+5" - SPECIAL SESSION OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR AN OVERALL REVIEW AND APPRAISAL OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HABITAT AGENDA: This Special Session of the UN General Assembly will be held in June 2001. It will review and appraise progress made on the implementation of the outcome of the second UN Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), which was held in Istanbul, Turkey in 1996. The 18th Session of the Commission on Human Settlements will meet in Nairobi, Kenya from 12-16 February 2001. The 2nd Session of the PrepCom for Istanbul+5 will follow this meeting, from 19-23 February 2001. For more information contact: Axumite Gebre-Egziabher, Coordinator, Istanbul+ 5, UN Centre for Human Settlements, Nairobi, Kenya; tel: +254-2-623-831; e-mail: Axumite.Gebre-Egziabher@unchs.org; Internet: http://www.istanbul5.org/meetings/ SIXTH SYMPOSIUM ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN URBAN PLANNING: This Symposium will take place from 14-16 February 2001 in Vienna. Conference languages are German and English. For more information contact: Manfred Schrenk; e-mail: schrenk@multimediaplan.at; Internet: http://www.corp.at/ INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS 21ST SESSION OF THE UNEP GOVERNING COUNCIL: This meeting will be held from 5-9 February 2001, in Nairobi, Kenya. For more information contact: B.A. Miller, UNEP, Nairobi, Kenya; tel: +254- 2-62-3411; fax: +254-2-62-3748; Internet: http://www.unep.org OECD ENVIRONMENT MINISTERS MEETING AND ANNUAL OECD COUNCIL MEETING AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL: These meetings will take place from 16-18 May 2001 in Paris, France. For more information contact: Media Relations, OECD, Paris, France; tel: +33-1-4524-8200; fax: +33-1- 4524-1950; Internet: http://www.oecd.org/media/upcoming.htm FAO GOVERNING BODIES: Sessions of the FAO Council are scheduled for 18-23 June, 30 October – 1 November and 14 November 2001. The 31st FAO Conference is tentatively scheduled for 2-13 November 2001. For more information on specific meetings, visit: http://www.fao.org/events/index.asp OCEANS AND COASTS Fisheries Subsidies Reform Workshop: This workshop will be held on 12 February 2001 in Geneva. It is being organized by UNEP's Economics and Trade Unit and the WTO. For more information contact: Hussein Abaza, UNEP, tel: +41-22-917-8179; e-mail: hussein.abaza@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.unep.ch/etu/trade/fishery/fishsub.htm. SIXTH INDO-PACIFIC FISH CONFERENCE: This conference will be held from 20-25 May 2001 in Durban, South Africa. It will address various aspects of the ichthyology of Indo-Pacific fishes, including evolution, genetics, systematics, ecology, biology, behavior and biogeography. For more information contact: IPFC 2001, Oceanographic Research Institute, P O Box 10712, Marine Parade, Durban 4056, South Africa; tel: +27-31-337-3536; fax: +27- 31-337-2132; Internet: http://www.seaworld.org.za INTERGOVERNMENTAL MEETING ON PROTECTION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT FROM LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES: The First Intergovernmental Review Meeting on the Implementation of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA) will take place in Montreal, Canada from 19-23 November 2001. For more information visit: http://www.gpa.unep.org POPULATION UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT: The Commission's 34th Session will take place from 2-6 April 2001 in New York. The theme for the meeting will be "Population, environment and development." The special theme for the 35th Session, to be held in 2002, will be "Reproductive rights and reproductive health, with special reference to HIV/AIDS," while the 36th Session in 2003 will focus on "Population education and development." For more information contact: Population Division; fax: +1-212-963-2147; Internet: http://www.undp.org/popin/unpopcom.htm SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 39TH SESSION OF THE UN COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: This meeting will take place from 13-23 February 2001 in New York. More information is available online at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/csd/2001.htm WORLD CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, XENOPHOBIA AND RELATED INTOLERANCE: This conference will be held from 31 August - 7 September 2001 in South Africa. A preparatory meeting is scheduled for May 2001 in Geneva. For more information contact: Conference Secretariat, tel: +41-22-917-9290; Internet: http://www.unhchr.ch/html/racism/racism.htm TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT WTO GENERAL COUNCIL: The WTO's General Council will meet several times in 2001: 8-9 February, 7-8 May, 18-19 July, 10-11 October, and 12-14 December. For more information contact: WTO, tel: +41- 22-739-5111; e-mail: enquiries@wto.org; Internet: http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/meets.doc International Conference on Trade, Environment AND Sustainable Development - Perspectives from Latin America and the Caribbean: This meeting will take place in Mexico City, Mexico, from 19-21 February 2001. For more information contact: Mindahi Bastida, tel: +52 5202-6394; fax: +52 5202-0950; Internet: http://www.iisd.org/trade/webag2.htm WTO COUNCIL FOR TRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS: During 2001, the TRIPS Council will meet from 2-6 April, 18-22 June, 20-21 September and 26-29 November, in Geneva. Meeting dates are subject to change. For more information contact: Peter Ungphakorn, WTO, tel: +41-22-739-5412; e-mail: peter.ungphakorn@wto.org; Internet: http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/trips_e.htm WTO SUB-COMMITTEE ON LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES: During 2001, this sub-committee will meet from 12-13 February, 17-18 April, and 27- 28 November. Meeting dates are subject to change. For more information on these and other WTO meetings contact: WTO; e-mail: enquiries@wto.org; Internet: http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/meets.doc WTO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT: During 2001, this committee is scheduled to meet from 13-14 February, 27-28 June, and 30-31 October. Meeting dates are subject to change. For more information on these and other WTO meetings contact: WTO; e-mail: enquiries@wto.org; Internet: http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/sps_e/sps_e.htm CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT – BRIDGING GAPS AND MOVING FORWARD: This conference will take place from 8-9 March 2001 in Geneva, Switzerland. It is being organized by the Global Environment and Trade Study (GETS) and the World Trade Institute (WTI). For more information contact: e-mail: monica.araya@yale.edu; Internet: http://www.gets.org/Geneva2001.htm Ministerial Meeting On Environment, Sustainable Development And Trade: This meeting will be held on 20-22 March 2001 in Berlin, Germany, and will be hosted by the German Ministry for the Environment and UNEP. For more information contact: Sophie Forster Carbonnier; tel: +41-22-917-8620; e-mail: sophie.forster@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.unep.ch/etu/etp/events/upcming/berlin.htm WTO COMMITTEE ON SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES: During 2001, this committee is scheduled to meet from 14-15 March, 10-11 July, and 31 October – 1 November. For more information contact: WTO; e- mail: enquiries@wto.org; Internet: http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/sps_e/sps_e.htm FAO INTERIM COMMISSION ON PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES: The Commission's Third Session will be held from 2-6 April 2001 in Rome. For more information contact: R. Griffin, FAO, Rome; tel: +39-065-7051; fax: +39-065705-3152; Internet: http://www.fao.org/events/index.asp (search under "April 2001"). WTO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT: During 2001, this committee is scheduled to meet on 22 May and 19 October. Meeting dates are subject to change. For more information contact: WTO; e- mail: enquiries@wto.org; Internet: http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/meets.doc WTO fourth ministerial meeting: The World Trade Organization fourth ministerial meeting will be held in Qatar from 5-9 November 2001. For more information contact: WTO; e-mail: enquiries@wto.org; Internet: http://www.wto.org WETLANDS ASIAN WETLAND SYMPOSIUM 2001: This meeting will be held in Penang, Malaysia, from 27-29 August 2001. For more information contact: Symposium Secretariat: Reiko Nakamua, Ramsar Center Japan; tel: +81-3-3758-7926; e-mail: ramsarcj.nakamura@nifty.ne.jp SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WETLANDS AND REMEDIATION: This conference will take place from 5-6 September 2001 in Burlington, Vermont, USA. For more information contact: Carol Young, Conference Coordinator; tel: +1-614-424-7604; e-mail: youngc@battelle.org; Internet: http://www.battelle.org/environment/er/wetlandsconf/wetlandsconf/h tml RAMSAR CONVENTION ON WETLANDS COP8: COP8 is scheduled to convene in Valencia, Spain, from 18-26 November 2002. For more information contact: Ramsar Secretariat, Gland, Switzerland; tel: +41-22-999- 0170; e-mail: ramsar@ramsar.org; Internet: http://www.ramsar.org WILDLIFE SIXTH INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE LAW CONFERENCE: The Sixth International Wildlife Law Conference will take place at the end of March 2001 in Washington DC. For more information, contact: Wil Burns, American Society of International Law; tel: +1-650-703- 3280; Internet: http://www.eelink.net/~asilwildlife CITES STANDING COMMITTEE: The Standing Committee will meet in Paris in June 2001. For more information contact: CITES Secretariat, tel: +41-22-917-8139; fax: +41-22-797-3417; e-mail: cites@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.cites.org SEVENTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON MIGRATORY SPECIES: CMS COP-7 is scheduled to take place from 1-15 September 2002 in Bonn, Germany. The Second Meeting of the Parties to the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA MOP-2) will also be held at this time. For more information on this meeting and others relating to the Convention contact: CMS Secretariat, Bonn, Germany; tel: +49-228-815-2401/2; Internet: http://www.wcmc.org.uk/cms/events.htm WOMEN MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN: A number of meetings are being held in 2001, all at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The Pre-Session Working Group for the 25th Session will be held from 5-9 February 2001. The 25th Session will meet from 4-22 June 2001. The Pre-Session Working Group for the 26th Session will be held from 25-29 June 2001. For more information contact: Women's Rights Unit, Division for the Advancement of Women, UN, New York; e-mail: connorsj@un.org; Internet: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/calendar.htm 45TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN: This meeting will be held from 5-16 March 2001 at UNHQ in New York. For more information contact: DAW, UN, New York; fax: +1-212-963-3463; e-mail: erturk@un.org; Internet: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/ STAFF Editor: Chris Spence chris@iisd.org Managing Editor: Langston James "Kimo" Goree VI kimo@iisd.org Assistant Editor: Malena Sell malena@iisd.org Submissions, corrections, requests for subscription information and correspondence should be sent to the editors at chris@iisd.org. The opinions expressed in /linkages/journal/ are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of IISD and our funders. Excerpts from /linkages/journal/ may be used in other publications with appropriate academic citation. /linkages/journal/ may not be reproduced, reprinted or posted to any system or service without specific permission from the International Institute for Sustainable Development info@iisd.ca. This limitation includes distribution via Usenet News, bulletin board systems, mailing lists, print media and broadcast. For more information, send a message to chris@iisd.org The Sustaining Donors of IISD Reporting Services publications, including Earth Negotiations Bulletin and /linkages/journal/, are The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government of Canada (through CIDA and DFAIT), the United States (through USAID), the Swiss Agency for Environment, Forests and Landscape (SAEFL), the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) and the European Commission (DG-ENV). General Support during 2000 is provided by the German Federal Ministry of Environment (BMU) and the German Federal Ministry of Development Cooperation (BMZ), the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Environment of Austria, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Environment of Norway, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Environment of Finland, the Government of Sweden, the Government of Australia, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and BP Amoco.