Archives
11th Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (OEWG11)
Delegates adopted decisions on practical manuals and guidance on environmentally sound management; technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management (ESM) of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants (POPs); technical guidelines on transboundary movements of electric and electronic wastes (e-waste) and used electrical and electronic equipment; and more
29th UN-Water Meeting
Agenda items included updates on the outcome of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the recommendations from the High Level Panel on Water, and the “Global call to action for WASH in healthcare facilities” and “WASH4Work” initiatives. Ongoing monitoring initiatives were discussed, and a panel discussed their experiences with promoting water and sanitation issues within their own organizations
2nd Part of the 24th Session of the International Seabed Authority
The Council made progress on the draft exploitation regulations, while recognizing the need for further work on the payment mechanism, environmental protection, and the Enterprise. The Assembly adopted the strategic plan for 2019-2023, with many welcoming the open consultation that preceded it and the placing of the ISA’s mandate in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Workshop on Energy Efficiency Opportunities While Phasing-Down Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and 40th Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
During OEWG 40, delegates considered the outcomes of this workshop and the report by the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) on energy efficiency in the refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump sectors, and how to take up energy efficiency opportunities while phasing down HFCs under the Protocol in the future. Much of OEWG 40 focused on addressing appropriate action in response to an unexpected increase in trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11) emissions
22nd Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 22) and 2nd Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI 2) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
SBSTTA 22 highlights included the adoption of voluntary guidance on protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and guidance for avoiding unintentional introduction of invasive alien species, and prolonged debates on ecologically or biologically significant marine areas, digital sequence information (DSI), and synthetic biology.
Global Bamboo and Rattan Congress 2018
Speakers drew attention to the contribution of bamboo and rattan to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change. Many participants highlighted the market potential of bamboo in a variety of applications, including hi-tech and niche products in healthcare, sporting goods, and building materials.