OTHER RECENT KEY MEETINGS

FOREST INVESTMENT FORUM CALLS FOR CURBING ILLEGAL LOGGING
22-23 October 2003 | Washington, DC
The Forest Investment Forum agreed that prerequisites to achieving sustainability include containing illegal logging operations and forest corruption, establishing effectively managed protected area networks, and environmentally and socially responsible management and development of both natural forests and plantation resources. There was strong support for a multi-stakeholder process involving major groups as the most effective way to continue building consensus. The World Bank news release and Outcome Statement from Host Partners.

CONGRESS CONSIDERS THE FUTURE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION
13-17 October 2003 | Lisbon, Portugal
Consumers International’s 17th World Congress gathered almost 600 delegates from 110 countries to consider “The Future of Consumer Protection: Representation, Regulation and Empowerment in a World Economy.” Participants considered, inter alia, new challenges facing consumer movements in a globalized world, the limits to markets, the impact of large international corporations, the effect of liberalization and global trade rules, the growth of e-commerce and cross-border retailing, and the search for more sustainable economies. A publication of the Congress Proceedings is expected at the end of 2003. More.
 

MEETING EXAMINES EMISSIONS TRADING MARKETS
21-23 September 2003 | Miami Beach, Florida
The use of market-based solutions for global environmental management was the focus of the Emissions Marketing Association’s Seventh Annual Fall Meeting, which played host to discussion and debate on the current state of US and international activities related to emissions trading and the environment. More.

 

PREPARATIONS CONTINUE FOR 2004 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SIDS

UNEP GEMS/WATER PROGRAMME HOLDS FIRST TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP MEETING
29 Sept – 1 October | Burlington, Canada
UNEP convened its first Technical Advisory Group (TAG) meeting for the Global Environment Monitoring System/Water Programme (GEMS/Water) recently. The purpose of the TAG is to examine a wide range of technical aspects of, and projects for GEMS/Water, with a view to improving global water quality monitoring. Discussions at the meeting led to the accomplishment of three central objectives. Participants also worked on key themes such as global coverage, access to data, emerging issues, the role of water quality in integrated water resources management and in the international policy agenda, and opportunities for developing country capacity building. More.

1-5 September 2003 | Cape Verde
Participants at the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and the South China Sea (AIMS) Island States regional SIDS preparatory meeting heard presentations on national assessment reports, describing achievements on sustainable development in the AIMS region, challenges for implementing the Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA) and new and emerging issues. The meeting also explored ways and means to improve regional cooperation and constraints for the AIMS group not shared by the other regional groups of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). Delegates acknowledged the diversity of the region, characterized by geographic dispersion and differences in levels of development, and reflected in varying degrees of implementation of the BPOA in the region.
 

6-10 October 2003 | Trinidad and Tobago Delegates to the Caribbean Regional Preparatory meeting for the 2004 International Conference highlighted human security concerns, including drug trade, crime, terrorism, and food and water, as new and emerging issues affecting Caribbean nations. They also discussed the marginalization of SIDS in international fora, particularly in the context of globalization and the formation of trading blocs, and called for greater transparency and inclusion of small island States in setting international rules, codes and standards for international trade.

The results of these two meetings, together with the outcome from the August 2003 regional meeting in Samoa of the Pacific Island Countries, will form the basis for discussion at the interregional preparatory meeting to be held in Nassau, Bahamas, in January 2003. More.
 

MEDIA REPORTS

ANTI-CORRUPTION TREATY APPROVED BY UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The international community has agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fight against corruption, through the recent adoption by the General Assembly of the UN Convention against Corruption. Provisions against embezzlement, bribery, diversion of funds and property are binding, while measures against money laundering, abuse of power, influence trading and illicit enrichment are encouraged. More.

WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION TO BECOME SPECIALIZED UN AGENCY
Among the actions taken at the 15th General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (WTO), held from 20-23 October in Beijing, China, was the decision to transform the organization into a specialized agency of the United Nations. The UN General Assembly in turn approved this decision on 7 November 2003. Delegates also supported the Organization’s “Sustainable Tourism – Eliminating Poverty” (ST-EP) initiative, a joint project with UNCTAD to encourage sustainable tourism that aims at alleviating poverty. More.

EU PARTNERS PRESSURE PUTIN OVER PROTOCOL
Russia’s European allies have renewed calls for the country to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. Senior political figures in the UK, France, Germany and Sweden have called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to ratify the treaty as soon as possible. More.

STATES SUE US GOVERNMENT OVER CLIMATE POLICY
Twelve US states have gone to court over the federal government’s policy on greenhouse gas emissions. In other news from the US, the Senate has rejected a controversial global warming pollution bill by 55 votes to 43. More.

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES HIT ATHLETES – SURVEY
Changes to the environment are having an impact on an increasing number of sports men and women, according to a new survey. Air pollution, ozone depletion and climate change are among a range of environmental changes affecting athletes involved from skiing and snowboarding to volleyball, cycling, baseball, ice hockey, and surfing. More.

TRADE REGULATIONS ON MAHOGANY ENTER INTO FORCE
Trade controls for big-leaf mahogany, one of the world’s most valuable forest products, entered into force on 15 November 2003. Under the new regulations, exported mahogany requires a CITES export permit confirming that the timber was obtained legally and that it does not jeopardize the survival of the species. More.
 
BRAZIL DEVELOPS PLAN TO PREVENT FURTHER DEFORESTATION OF THE AMAZON
The Brazilian government presented an “Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon” to ministers and environmentalists in early November. The plan seeks to stop deforestation and the illegal occupation of land in the region and to compel the government to review major projects. More.

LINK BETWEEN CORRUPTION AND POOR CONSERVATION
According to research undertaken by the University of Kent in Canterbury, UK, countries with high levels of corruption tend to have poor environmental conservation records. More.

NEW REPORTS ON GM CONTAMINATION
The UK government has recently published the results of the farm-scale evaluations of three herbicide-tolerant GM crops – maize, beet and spring oilseed rape. The trials show that conventional varieties of these crops are contaminated with GM traits at a much faster rate than previously expected. Another report, recently published in Mexico and sponsored by a group of Mexican farmers and indigenous communities, indicate that Mexico’s traditional maize crops are far more contaminated with DNA from GM varieties that previously thought. More.

WORLD’S FIRST ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ACADEMY OPENS
A new global network of university law departments concerning all fields of environmental law has been established by IUCN-The World Conservation Union. Launched at the network’s first colloquium held recently in Beijing, the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law is the fruit of eight years of work by the IUCN and its Commission on Environmental Law, comprising 900 legal experts from over 130 countries. More.
 

MARINE CENSUS COUNTS 15,000+ SPECIES
Over 15,300 fish species have been documented in a database, according to a new report issued by the Census of Marine Life. Over the next seven years, the census hopes to bring the total number of marine species on the database to well over 210,000. More.

CASPIAN SEA TREATY SIGNED
Countries bordering the Caspian Sea have signed on to a treaty to help protect the fragile environment of the world’s largest freshwater lake. Decades of industrial pollution, toxic and radioactive wastes, leaks from oil extraction and refining and overfishing have degraded the Caspian Sea environment. The treaty is aimed at coordinating regional efforts to reduce pollution and control the overexploitation of marine life. More.

GREENPEACE FACES CHARGES BY IMO AND THE US
Greenpeace has been charged for overstepping its role in exposing environmental abuses at sea. In June this year, the IMO claimed that Greenpeace violated regulations aimed at ensuring safety at sea, and nearly lost its consultative status with the IMO. In a separate case, the US Justice Department has indicted Greenpeace for allegedly breaking a 1872 law, when in 2002 two activists climbed onto a ship off the Florida coast to alert authorities that illegally exported mahogany from the Amazon rainforest was aboard. More.

CANADA CONTRIBUTES TO UN-HABITAT WATER FUND
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is to commit US$10 million for improving the water and sanitation sector in African cities. More.

RAMSAR SIGNS MOU WITH UGANDA TO HOST COP-9
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Uganda to host the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP-9) in Kampala in late 2005, marking the first time that the triennial meeting of the Convention’s Parties will be held in Africa. More.

KEY PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE RESOURCES

EARTHSCAN ACQUIRED BY JAMES & JAMES, WORLD’S LARGEST PUBLISHER OF SUSTAINABILITY PUBLICATIONS CREATED
James & James Limited has recently acquired Earthscan Publications Limited, creating the world’s largest publisher committed to delivering information on sustainability and environmental technology. More.

Environment and sustainable development

LEGAL REGULATION OF THE EFFECTS OF MILITARY ACTIVITY ON THE ENVIRONMENT
(Erich Schmidt Verlag, December 2003) First presented to UNEP Executive Director Klaus Töpfer by German Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin at the Second International Conference on Early Warning, this study addresses environmental protection and international law under conditions of war. The study, prepared by Daniel Bodansky on behalf of the German Federal Environmental Agency, finds that while multilateral environmental agreements serve to protect the environment at times of peace, existing international law offers limited protection against the threats of war to the environment. By reviewing the adequacy of the law of war and of the general principles of international law to protect the environment, the study recommends several possibilities to better consider environmental concerns in times of conflict and assesses the feasibility of the suggestions. Proposals include strengthening existing rules of international humanitarian law and extending the applicability of international environmental law in times of internal and international conflict. More.

DIALOGUE ON GLOBALIZATION
This website focuses on different topics and threads of the globalization debate, comprising sections that consider topics such as the WTO and development, global finance, and the social dimension. The site presents a variety of publications ranging from briefing papers to in-depth-studies, including a section on voices from the south. The Dialogue on Globalization is part of the international work of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung – a German non-profit institution dedicated to the principles of social democracy. The website.

FAITH IN CONSERVATION: NEW APPROACHES TO RELIGION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(World Bank, October 2003) Martin Palmer and Victoria Finlay wrote this joint project of the World Bank and the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC), as part of the World Bank’s Directions in Development series. The book examines how different religions perceive the world, how these worldviews shape environmental policy, and how the great faiths of the world use mythology, sacred texts and cutting edge investment strategies to preach their messages. According to the authors, scientific data and knowledge are not compelling enough to protect the earth’s natural resources, noting that environmental movements based on a wealth of scientific data have made little progress in reversing the trend of unsustainable development. The authors conclude that the environmental crisis is a crisis of the mind and suggest turning to the major religions of the world to provide a framework of values and beliefs to render environmental information useful for conservation purposes. More.

TUNZA: ACTING FOR A BETTER WORLD
(Earthprint, 2003) The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) developed this publication to stimulate environmental action among young people. Young people from around the world helped produce it. The book seeks to increase young people’s awareness on environmental issues and to provide them with tips on how to address the issues in their communities. More.

Biodiversity

2003 IUCN RED LIST
(IUCN, November 2003) IUCN–The World Conservation Union has recently released its updated Red List, regarded as the world’s most reliable inventory of the conservation status of flora and fauna. With over 2,000 entries added and 380 taxa reassessed since the release of the previous year’s list, the Red List currently records over 12,000 species threatened with extinction. 762 plants and animal species are already logged as “extinct.” The list finds that invasive species are an overriding threat to global biodiversity, threatening to undermine populations of native plants and animals on islands and continents. All known conifer species have been reassessed, and the 2003 list sees new entries of over 1,000 Ecuadorian plants, 125 Hawaiian plants, over 300 cycads and 35 Galapagos Island snails. IUCN will undertake a major analysis of the Red List in 2004, the results of which will be presented to the 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress in Bangkok in November 2004. The 2003 Red List.

INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES TOOLKIT
An online toolkit of best prevention and management practice of invasive alien species was developed using comments and experiences of participants in various workshops. Although the authors state that the toolkit will need to be locally adapted for different countries or regions, it is intended to have global applicability. Toolkit.

SYMPOSIUM ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY
The papers from the Symposium on Intellectual Property Rights in Plant Biotechnology held on 24 October 2003 in Geneva, and organised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation and the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, Geneva, are available online.

ACCESS TO GLOBAL ONLINE RESEARCH IN AGRICULTURE (AGORA)
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched a new website on 14 October 2003 to provide students, researchers and academics in developing countries free or low-cost access to scientific literature. The Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture (AGORA) project will allow participants to access more than 400 journals in food, nutrition, agriculture and related biological, environmental and social sciences. The AGORA website.

Trade

ORGANIC FRUIT AND VEGETABLES FROM THE TROPICS: MARKET, CERTIFICATION AND PRODUCTION INFORMATION FOR PRODUCERS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADING COMPANIES
(UNCTAD, October 2003) This new publication by UNCTAD considers how developing countries can enhance their production and export of organic products. The export value for organic food in 2000 was approximately US$20 billion, and the market is expected to increase by 10-30% over the coming decade. UNCTAD notes the heavy restrictions faced by developing countries in entering the organic products market, highlighting the challenges in meeting the sanitary, phytosanitary and technical requirements of importing countries. The guide recommends implementing food quality and safety programmes, increasing consumer confidence and conforming to regulations of importing countries, and contains information on market potential and conditions for access to European, American and Japanese markets, details of production and processing requirements and best management practices, and a list of contacts in the target markets. The report.

Energy, Climate and Atmosphere

IEA WORLD ENERGY INVESTMENT OUTLOOK 2003
(International Energy Agency, November 2003) This new report attempts to quantify the energy sector investment needed over the next 30 years to meet rising global energy demand. The study identifies both the amount of capital required to finance the construction of energy supply infrastructure and the obstacles that the sector must overcome in order to attract it. The study considers oil, gas, coal, electricity and renewables investments, on a region-by-region basis. More information.

US TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION POLICIES – LESSONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE
(Pew Center on Global Climate Change, November 2003) This report was written by Pew Center consultant John A. Alic, David C. Mowery of the University of California, Berkeley, and Carnegie Mellon University’s Edward S. Rubin. In their report, the authors find that the US Government’s approach and policies will be critical to the development and adoption of new technologies needed to abate global warming. They argue that support for research and development by itself is not enough, and that a balanced policy portfolio that promotes the diffusion of knowledge and deployment of new technologies is essential. The report also recommends that funds to support such policies be channeled through multiple agencies and programmes, and urges that short-term political pressures should not be a factor in determining policy. More.

Water, wetlands, oceans, oceans

ASIAN WATER SUPPLIES: REACHING THE URBAN POOR
(Asian Development Bank, August 2003) This book, written by former Asian Development Bank senior water supply specialist Arthur McIntosh, focuses on the inequities of water costs and distribution in Asian cities, as well as sheds light on urban water issues, and confronts the philosophies of many civil society groups that claim to be protecting the poor from high water rates by protesting tariff increases. It also includes 19 city water profiles, 6 case studies on utilities, and 6 examples of small-scale water providers. More.

ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION IN EUROPEAN TRANSBOUNDARY WATER MANAGEMENT
(IWA, November 2003) Edited by J. Timmerman and S. Langaas, this book describes the role and use of environmental data and information in transboundary water. It aims to bridge the gap between the providers and users of environmental information and pave the way for greater and more effective research in this field. More.

ASSESSING MICROBIAL SAFETY OF DRINKING WATER IMPROVING APPROACHES AND METHODS
(IWA, November 2003) This guidance document seeks to respond to a call by the OECD for concerted action to improve the assessment and management of the world’s sources of drinking water. The product of a shared initiative between the OECD and the World Health Organization, this review aims to contribute to the revisions of the WHO’s Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. More.

WETLANDS AND AGRICULTURE
(International Scientific Publications, 2003) This publication is based on the proceedings of the Global Biodiversity Forum, which took place in November 2002 at the 8th Conference of the Parties (COP-8) of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in Valencia, Spain. It includes several papers presented at a workshop entitled Agriculture, Wetlands and Water Resources. More.
 

NEW UPCOMING MEETINGS

Click here for a complete listing of upcoming meetings

Upcoming meetings recently added to Linkages website:
CONFERENCE ON RISK PERCEPTION: SCIENCE, PUBLIC DEBATE AND POLICYMAKING: 4 December 2003 - 5 December 2003. Brussels, Belgium. This conference is organized by the European Commission. Incorporating a stakeholder forum, this conference will focus on understanding the process of risk perception of GM crops and food and on practical ways in which governance can be improved and the public’s trust in science-based regulation can be enhanced. For more information contact: tel: +32-2-344-6232; fax: +32-2-344-7564; e-mail: Risk-perception@jk-events.com; Internet: http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/risk_perception/index.htm

UNFF AD HOC WORKING GROUPS: 8 December 2003 - 19 December 2003. Geneva, Switzerland. The United Nations Forum on Forests ad hoc expert group on approaches and mechanisms for monitoring, assessment and reporting will meet from 8-12 December 2003, in Geneva, Switzerland. This meeting will be followed by the ad hoc expert group on finance and transfer of environmentally sound technologies, which will meet from 15-19 December 2003, also in Geneva. For more information contact: Mia Söderlund, UNFF Secretariat; tel: +1-212-963-3262; fax: +1-212-963-4260; e-mail: unff@un.org; Internet: http://www.un.org/esa/forests/adhoc.html

ASIA REGIONAL CONSERVATION FORUM: 10 December 2003 - 13 December 2003. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Organized by IUCN - the World Conservation Union, this Forum aims at facilitating the identification of critical environmental and conservation issues facing the region and also a broad based agreement across the environment and development constituency on how best these issues and concerns can be addressed. Outputs will be incorporated in the IUCN’s programme for 2005-2008, which will be adopted by the global environmental conservation community at the World Conservation Congress in Bangkok, Thailand in November 2004. For more information contact: tel: +41-22-999-0000; fax: +41-22-999-0002; e-mail: mail@iucn.org; Internet: http://www.rcfasia.org/

ADB WATER WEEK: 26 January 2004 - 30 January 2004. Manila, Philippines. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is organizing Water Week to stimulate knowledge development in the water sector and promote dialogue with development partners on important water sector issues. The theme of the meeting is “Water for the Poor: Setting the Rules and Finding the Money.” For more information contact: Ellen Pascua, Water Policy Adviser/ Water Week Coordinator; tel: +632-632-4444; fax: +632-636-2444; e-mail: epascua@adb.org; Internet: http://www.adb.org/Documents/Events/2004/Water_Week/default.asp

WORLD WETLANDS DAY CONFERENCE: 2 February 2004 - 3 February 2004. London, United Kingdom. This Conference, sponsored by the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), will bring together key organizations involved in wetlands issues. Contact Name: For more information contact: Bob Earll; tel: +44-1531-890415; fax: +44-1531-890415; e-mail: bob.earll@coastms.co.uk; Internet: http://www.ciwem.org.uk/events/wetlands.asp

VII WORLD BAMBOO CONGRESS: 28 February 2004 - 4 March 2004. New Delhi, India. The seventh World Bamboo Congress will convene under the theme “Bamboo for Development: Prosperity for People and the Environment.” For more information contact: Government of India, Development Commissioner of Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles; tel: +91-11-2610-6902; fax: +91-11-2616-3085; e-mail: dch@mantraonline.com; Internet: http://www.worldbamboo.org

EXTRAORDINARY MEETING ON METHYL BROMIDE EXEMPTIONS UNDER THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL: March 2004 (exact date to be confirmed). Montreal, Canada. This meeting was announced in mid-November 2003 following the failure of delegates attending the 15th Meeting of Parties to the Montreal Protocol to agree on critical use exemptions for methyl bromide, an ozone-depleting substance used in the agricultural sector. The meeting will seek to resolve the outstanding differences on this issue. For more information contact: Marco Gonzalez, Ozone Secretariat, UNEP; tel: +1-414-276-3819; fax: +1-414-276-3349; e-mail: Marco.Gonzalez@unep.org; Internet: http://www.unep.org/ozone/index-en.shtml

THEMATIC WORKSHOP ON SYNERGIES FOR CAPACITY BUILDING UNDER INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ADDRESSING CHEMICALS AND WASTE MANAGEMENT: 1 March 2004 - 3 March 2004. Geneva, Switzerland. Organized by UNITAR in collaboration with several international organizations, this workshop will take place from 1-3 March 2004, in Geneva, Switzerland. For more information contact: UNITAR Training and Capacity Building Programmes in Chemicals and Waste Management; tel: +41-22-917-1234; fax: +41-22-917-8047; e-mail: cwm@unitar.org; Internet: http://www.unitar.org

GLOBAL BIOTECHNOLOGY FORUM: 2 March 2004 - 5 March 2004. Concepción, Chile. Organized by UNIDO and the Chilean Government, this major international event will bring together representatives from the scientific, public, private and social sectors as well as high-level decision makers to review opportunities and challenges posed by biotechnology in the developing world. For more information contact: tel: +56-41-204-649; fax: +56-41-214-288; e-mail: gbf2004@udec.cl; Internet: http://www.gbf2004.cl

APEC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MINISTERS MEETING: 8 March 2004 - 12 March 2004. Christchurch, New Zealand. This APEC ministerial level event will convene under the theme of �Connecting Science, Policy and Business.� For more information contact: tel: +64-3-962-2260; fax: +64-3-962-2264; e-mail: info@apecscience2004.org.nz; Internet: http://www.apecscience2004.org.nz

EMA SECOND ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS CONFERENCE: 21 March 2004 - 24 March 2004. Brussels, Belgium. The Emissions Marketing Association's International Greenhouse Gas Conference will be preceded by a workshop on emissions trading, and will be followed by a workshop on risk management. For more information contact: EMA Head Office, USA; tel: +1-414-276-3819; fax: +1-414-276-3349; e-mail: info@emissions.org; Internet: http://www.emissions.org/conferences/brussels04/

FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE EUROPEAN GEOSCIENCES UNION: 25 April 2004 - 30 April 2004. Nice, France. The European Geosciences Union's First General Assembly will cover a number of areas relevant to environmentalists and sustainable development experts, including energy, atmosphere and climate issues, hydrology and ocean science. For more information contact: EGU Office, Germany; tel: +49-5556-1440; fax: +49-5556-4709; e-mail: egu@copernicus.org; Internet: http://www.copernicus.org/EGU/ga/egu04/

EMA EIGHTH ANNUAL SPRING MEETING: 2 May 2004 - 5 May 2004. New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. As with other major events hosted by the Emissions Marketing Association, its Spring Meeting will be preceded by a workshop on emissions trading, and will be followed by a workshop on risk management. For more information contact: EMA Head Office, USA; tel: +1-414-276-3819; fax: +1-414-276-3349; e-mail: info@emissions.org; Internet: http://www.emissions.org/conferences/springconference04/index.php

ISCRAM2004: THE INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR CRISIS RESPONSE AND MANAGEMENT: 3 May 2004 - 4 May 2004. Brussels, Belgium. This workshop aims to attract information systems researchers who are working in the areas of crisis planning, response and management, as well as national and international policy makers in emergency response, and emergency response practitioners who use information systems for their activities. For more information contact: Bartel Van de Walle; e-mail: iscram2004@uvt.nl; Internet: http://www.tilburguniversity.nl/iscram2004

INTERNATIONAL WATER DEMAND MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE: 30 May 2004 - 3 June 2004. Amman, Jordan. This Conference will provide a forum for regional and international experts to share concepts, research, technologies and experiences on the most efficient use of water in the domestic, industrial and agricultural sectors. Water consumers will also learn about new conservation technologies. For more information contact: Hala Dahlan, Conference Manager; tel: +962-6-552-7893/5; fax: +962-6-552-7894; e-mail: hdahlan@go.com.jo; Internet: http://www.wdm2004.org

CONFERENCE ON GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND ABRUPT CLIMATE CHANGE: 24 June 2004 - 26 June 2004. Paris, France. The aim of this meeting is to review current knowledge on �the threat that abrupt climate change can be induced by the enhanced greenhouse gas effect.� Participants will also consider the barriers to implementing a robust climate policy in the light of what is known about abrupt climate change. For more information contact: Michael Obersteiner, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA); tel: +43-2236-8070; fax: +43-2236-71313; e-mail: oberstei@iiasa.ac.at; Internet: http://www.iiasa.ac.at/~oberstei/ff/index.html?sb=1

ITTC-36: 20 July 2004 - 23 July 2004. Interlaken, Switzerland. The thirty-sixth session of the ITTC will take place in Interlaken, Switzerland. It will also involve the 34th session of the CEM/CRF/CFI and 15th session of the CFA. For more information contact: ITTO Secretariat; tel: +81-45-223-1110; fax: +81-45-223-1111; e-mail: ittc@itto.or.jp; Internet: http://www.itto.or.jp

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR THE TEN-YEAR REVIEW OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BARBADOS PROGRAMME OF ACTION: 28 August 2004 - 3 September 2004. Mauritius. The ten-year review of implementation of the BPOA is to be held in Mauritius from 28 August to 3 September 2004. For more information contact: Diane Quarless, UNDSD, SIDS Unit; tel: +1-212-963-4135; fax: +1-917-367-3391; e-mail: Mauritius2004@sidsnet.org; Internet: http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/sids/sids.htm

EURO ENVIRONMENT 2004: 11 November 2004 - 12 November 2004. Aalborg, Denmark. This Business and Sustainable Performance Conference will focus on progressive corporate governance and partnerships. For more information contact: Hans J�rgen Brodersen, Organizing Chair, Europa Plads 4, DK-9000 Aalborg; e-mail: ehe@akkc.dk; Internet: http://www.euro-environment.dk

IFCS FORUM V: This meeting is expected to take place in 2006 in Hungary. For more information, contact: Judy Stober, IFCS Executive Secretary; tel: +41-22-791-3650; fax: +41-22-791-4875; e-mail: ifcs@who.ch; Internet: http://www.ifcs.ch  
 

Linkages is provided by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, publishers of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin.
It is designed to be an electronic clearing-house for information on past and upcoming international meetings
related to environment and development policy.