ENB @ CSD 16, New York: Highlights for 8 May 2008

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	Sixteenth Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-16) New York \| 5-16 May 2008


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Africa, Land, Drought and Desertification at CSD-16

The sixteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-16) convened for its fourth day on Thursday, 8 May, 2008, at United Nations headquarters in New York. Delegates continued their consideration of the thematic cluster for the 2008/2009 implementation cycle - agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification and Africa.

During the morning, one parallel session heard presentations and exchanged views on the theme of land, while another session addressed issues surrounding the thematic issues of drought and desertification.

During the afternoon, another session on drought and desertification was held in parallel with a session on the theme of Africa.

The Learning Centre and Partnership Fair continued throughout the day, and side events were held during the lunch break and the evening.

Above: Panelists Laureano Del Castillo Pinto, Klaus Deininger and Christian Mersmann after the morning discussion on land.

Thursday, 8 May, 2008
Thematic Session: Land
Chaired by CSD-16 Vice-Chair Tri Tharyat (Indonesia), the morning session on land featured panelists Joan Kagwanja (ECA), Rowshan Jahan Moni (Association for Land Reform and Development), Klaus Deininger (Development Economics Group), Laureano Del Castillo Pinto (CEPES) and Christian Mersmann (Global Mechanism). Panelists and participants discussed access to productive resources, eradication of poverty, land tenure, and financing for integrated land management.
NGOs called for agrarian reform.	Zambia appealed for assistance to enhance implementation of its land policy framework.	Klaus Deininger (Development Economics Group, World Bank).
Thematic Session: Africa
The afternoon session on Africa, chaired by CSD-16 Chair Francis Nhema (Zimbabwe), featured panelists Marjatta Eilitta (IFDC), Nebiyeleul Gessese (Global Development Solutions), David Tommy (UNIDO) and Gerry Noble (Microcare). Panelists and participants discussed sustainable development in Africa, industrial productivity and competitiveness, and issues relating to globalization: international commodity trade, export diversification, including high-value agriculture, and the digital divide.
Gerry Noble (Microcare, Uganda).	Marjatta Eilitta (IFDC).	David Tommy (UNIDO).
China.	Ambassador Nirupam Sen (India).	Thailand.
Thematic Sessions: Drought and Desertification
The morning session on drought and desertification, chaired by CSD-16 Vice-Chair Daniel Carmon (Israel) featured panelists Joost Brouwer (IUCN), Bakary Kante (UNEP), Sara Scherr (Ecoagriculture Partners), Zhang Kebin (Beijing Forestry University) and Scott Christiansen (ICARDA). Panelists and participants discussed the social, economic and environmental aspects of drought and desertification, linkages among drought, desertification, climate change and biodiversity loss, strengthening synergies among the Rio Conventions, and other relevant Conventions, and the impact of desertification on migration.
Zhang Kebin (Beijing Forestry University).	Joost Brouwer (IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management).	Sara Scherr (Ecoagriculture Partners).
Mary Rose Kaczorowski (Women).	Ouro-Djeri Essowé (Togo).	Octavio Perez Pardo (Argentina).
The afternoon session, chaired by CSD-16 Vice-Chair Melanie Santizo-Sandoval (Guatemala), featured panelists Pierpaolo Faggi (University of Padua), Carlos Gonzalez Vincente (Mexico), Christian Mersmann (Global Mechanism) and Nir Atzmon (Israel). Panelists and participants discussed conservation and rehabilitation of dry-land ecosystems, afforestation and reforestation, technology, traditional knowledge and practices, investment and resource mobilization, long-term monitoring and early warning, and national, regional and international strategies and action plans to combat drought and desertification.
Pierpaolo Faggi (University of Padua).	Nir Atzmon (Israel).	Carlos Gonzalez Vincente (Mexico).
Ammar Hijazi (Palestine).	China.	Smith Gerbier (Haiti).
Side Events
UNCCD and UN/ISDR hosted a lunchtime side event on building partnerships to reduce risk of drought and desertification.
A lunchtime panel discussion on the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development in Africa was organized by UNICEF.
In the evening, a panel discussion on "Evolving Carbon Markets for Climate Change Mitigation, Conservation and Poverty Reduction" was organized by the Equator Initiative, Fordham University, and World Conservation Society TransLinks program.
Around CSD-16
Bakary Kante (UNEP) gestured during the morning panel on drought and desertification.
Mona Elisabeth Brøther (Norway) speaks with NGOs in the Vienna Café.	The 5th World Water Forum information table.	Pamela Chasek (Executive Editor, Earth Negotiations Bulletin) chats with Uriel Safriel and Christopher Braeuel (Canada).

Meanwhile, Nearby...

Under-Secretary-General Kiyotaka Akasaka, Ahmed Djoghlaf (Executive Secretary, CBD) and Elisabeth Guilbaud-Cox (Deputy Director, UNEP Regional Office) hosted an "Unlearning Intolerance" seminar on art changing attitudes toward the environment.