/linkages/journal/ Volume 7 Number 4 1 April 2002 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/link0704e.pdf The following is the ASCII version of Vol. 7 No. 4 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 malena@iisd.org Linkages Journal offers the latest news, information and analysis from international environment and development negotiations. The April 2002 issue of Linkages Journal includes: * media reports, including news on the establishment and first meeting of the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization, and the CITES decision to allow the resumption of trade in caviar; * briefings on key meetings held in March 2002, including the International Conference on Financing for Development, the second session of the United Nations Forum on Forests, and the first meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on an International Convention Against the Reproductive Cloning of Human Beings; * details of new journal articles, books and online reports; * a comprehensive list of upcoming meetings. EDITOR’S NOTE A message from Linkages Journal’s Editor CHANGES AT IISD REPORTING SERVICES IISD Reporting Services launches new web pages… IISD Reporting Services – which publishes Linkages Journal – has completely redesigned its web pages, to allow easier access to the 50,000 pages of information from and on international environment and development negotiations and meetings. Please visit http://enb.iisd.org/ to explore the new pages. In conjunction with the redesign, the negotiating processes we follow have been reorganized into the following categories: Sustainable Development; Preparations for the Johannnesburg Summit; Biodiversity and Wildlife; Chemical Management; Climate and Atmosphere; Forests, Deserts and Land; Human Development; Intergovernmental Organizations; Trade and Investment; Water, Wetlands and Coasts. These new categories are intended to rationalize and improve our coverage of the various topics we report on. Linkages Journal has also been updated to reflect the new categories. …and more changes on the horizon In conjunction with the update of the IISD Reporting Services website, Linkages Journal will be undergoing an overhaul. After this issue, Linkages Journal will no longer be published in its current print production format. Instead, it will reemerge as a fortnightly html-enabled internet news brief, allowing our readers to go directly to the sources of information that they require. The fact that it will be fortnightly will also mean readers receive a more regular information update. The 1 May issue of Linkages Journal will be our first in the new format, so keep an eye out for it in a month’s time! Malena Sell Editor, Linkages Journal RECENT MEETINGS Information on recent conferences, workshops and symposia in the field of environment and development negotiations SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT: The UN International Conference on Financing for Development was held from 18-22 March 2002 in Monterrey, Mexico. The conference was attended by more than 50 heads of State as well as other senior government officials. During the meeting, many governments linked this process with other international fora, suggesting that while the Millennium Summit established development goals, Monterrey was the venue for mobilizing the resources for financing development, and Johannesburg will be the venue for developing ideas and action plans. In his speech at the meeting, US President George Bush stressed the importance of free trade in helping countries emerge out of poverty. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez criticized the development model of the North and called for new approaches, including a fund for humanitarian relief, while Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar said “freedom, democracy, good governance and transparency, respect for basic rights, open economies, better and more assistance, greater dialogue, special attention to education are among the features of the complex polygon that is the basis for development,” adding that “the new international reality challenges us to find imaginative and new formulas.” The Monterrey Consensus: The conference concluded with the adoption of the Monterrey Consensus, which approves a goal to “eradicate poverty, achieve sustained economic growth and promote sustainable development as we advance to a fully inclusive and equitable global economic system.” Key actions needed are outlined in the Consensus document in sections on: mobilization of domestic financial resources for development; mobilization of international resources for development, foreign direct investment and other private flows; international trade as an engine for development; the augmentation of international financial and technical cooperation for development; external debt; and economic issues and the coherence and consistency of international monetary, financial and trading systems in support of development. The Monterrey Consensus calls for more coordination and interaction between the Economic and Social Council of the UN (ECOSOC), the World Bank, the IMF and the WTO. A follow-up conference to review implementation of the Monterrey Consensus has been called for, with the modalities to be decided no later than 2005. While many delegates expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the meeting, some NGOs and other observers said they were disappointed because of the lack of detail in the Monterrey Consensus and the absence of significant financial commitments from developed nations. The NGO Caucus distanced itself from the Monterrey Consensus, stating that “we do not consider it a sufficient basis for combating poverty or for advancing economic, social and cultural rights.” For more information visit: http://www.un.org/esa/ffd http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1889000/188 9536.stm http://www.unfoundation.org/unwire/current.asp#24962 http://www.unfoundation.org/unwire/2002/03/25/current.asp#24978 MEETING OF THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT MINISTERS OF THE AMERICAS: The first Meeting of the Health and Environment Ministers of the Americas was held from 4-5 March 2002 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The meeting was organized by the Canadian Departments of Health and Environment, in cooperation with the Pan American Health Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Twenty-nine Ministers of Health and/or Environment from countries in the Americas gathered for the meeting, which was also attended by over 150 other representatives of governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and United Nations agencies. Canada’s Minister of Environment, David Anderson, and Minister of Health, Anne McLellan, facilitated the meeting and moderated the discussions. The meeting aimed to build bridges between the health and environment sectors to address common issues, strengthen countries’ capacities to manage health and environment issues effectively, establish follow-up mechanisms, and contribute to the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg. To achieve these aims, participants met in Plenary sessions focusing on the following issues: building bridges between the health and environment sectors and setting future directions; establishing issues of common concern and shared goals; and building and sharing capacities to address environmental threats to human health. The meeting concluded with the adoption of a Ministerial Communiqué on health and environment that will feed into the WSSD and Summit of the Americas processes. The Communiqué established an agenda and an ongoing process for future work on environment and health issues. The Sustainable Developments report outlining these discussions in detail can be found at: http://enb.iisd.org/crs/sdhem/sdvol72num1.html YOUTH CONFERENCE 2002 - SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - WHY, HOW, WHERE, BY WHOM?: This event took place from 28 February - 3 March 2002 in Tirgu-Mures, Romania, and was organized by Youth for Intergenerational Justice and Sustainability-Europe. Fifty participants from Belarus, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Yugoslavia discussed the concept of “sustainable development” and how it can be translated into real action. The participants agreed that sustainable development must be implemented at all political and geographic levels, with the involvement of civil society. They produced a conference resolution including strategic goals for achieving sustainable development. These goals relate to: the ecological responsibility of the individual; eco-tourism; deforestation in Central and Eastern Europe; and the regional and global impact of eco-policies in Southern and Eastern Europe. The meeting led to the establishment of follow-up activities, including a Romanian project on explaining and implementing the concept of sustainable development in rural areas and in communities near national parks, and the establishment of a sustainable development network in Southern and Eastern European countries. For more information visit: http://www.yois-europe.org PREPARATIONS FOR THE JOHANNESBURG SUMMIT 2002 INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOVERNANCE: An informal one-day consultation on sustainable development governance took place on 28 February 2002 at the UN Headquarters in New York. The consultation was based on an informal paper prepared by the Bureau Vice-Chairs assigned this task, Lars Göran- Engfeldt (Sweden) and Ositadimna Anaedu (Nigeria). During the consultations, there appeared to be general support for focusing on existing institutions rather than creating new ones. Delegates also favored taking up the role of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Trade Organization (WTO) in sustainable development governance, although there were no specific proposals presented. Other suggestions included: focusing on the CSD; broadening the scope of international sustainable development governance beyond the CSD; examining the role of ECOSOC; considering a structure similar to the Collaborative Partnership on Forests as one way of involving other organizations in sustainable development governance and implementation; and incorporating the results of the UNEP IEG process into sustainable development governance. Based on these discussions, the Co-Chairs produced a paper that will be presented at PrepCom III, which is taking place from 25 March – 5 April 2002 in New York. For more information contact: Andrey Vasilyev, DESA; tel: +1-212-963-5949; e-mail: vasilyev@un.org. For more information on PrepCom III visit: http://enb.iisd.org/2002/pc3/ BIODIVERSITY AND WILDLIFE CONFERENCE ON BIOTECHNOLOGY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - VOICES OF THE SOUTH AND NORTH: This international conference was held from 16-20 March 2002 in Alexandria, Egypt. Sponsored by the Government of Egypt, the FAO, UNESCO, World Bank and OECD, the meeting included plenary sessions on: the new life sciences; feeding the world; genetic resources and biotechnology; and policy and regulatory implications of the new life sciences. It also included a Ministerial Forum and a closing session on “mapping the future and beyond.” Specific themes addressed were food and agriculture, human health, and ethics and environmental safety. During the meeting, speakers stressed that biotechnology should be “reprioritized” to meet the needs of the poor. A representative of the Rockefeller Foundation argued that “most of our brightest scientists are working in sophisticated laboratories in industrial countries and have little or no knowledge of the needs of the poor living in rural areas, a continent away. We need more of our best scientists working in well-equipped laboratories and field facilities in developing countries, where they can interact with, learn from, and address the needs of poor people.” In other statements, a representative of the Egyptian Agricultural Genetic Engineering Institute highlighted co-development of technology as an alternative to technology transfer. For more information visit: http://www.egyptbiotech.com/ http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=15074&newsdate= 19-Mar-2002 http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=15100&newsdate= 20-Mar-2002 http://www.agbiotechnet.com/topics/Database/newsarticle.asp?id=123 1&name= 46TH MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES (CITES): The Standing Committee of CITES met from 12-15 March 2002 in Geneva, Switzerland. Participants considered, inter alia, the implementation of Strategic and Action Plans, the establishment of an Implementation Committee, arrangements for COP-12, the financing of species conservation, national implementation, conservation of and trade in specific species, and regional reports. The Standing Committee decided to lift and/or modify trade measures on the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Fiji and Vietnam regarding live birds of prey, caviar and corals, in response to pledges by these governments to reform their wildlife management and trade practices. For more information visit: http://www.cites.org/eng/news/press_release.shtml http://www.cites.org/eng/cttee/standing/index.shtml CODEX THIRD SESSION OF THE AD HOC INTERGOVERNMENTAL TASK FORCE ON BIOTECHNOLOGY: This session of the Codex Alimentarius Task Force on Biotechnology took place from 4-8 March 2002 in Yokohama, Japan. Over 200 delegates participated in the meeting, reaching agreement on final draft principles for the risk analysis of foods derived from biotechnology. The principles provide the framework for analyzing the safety, allergenicity and nutritional value of GM foods, and allow for pre-market safety assessments on a case by case basis. In terms of risk management, they allow for post- market monitoring and provide guidance on analytical tools and methods. The agreement also represents an advance in negotiations concerning the use of tracing systems in relation to food in international trade. The Task Force will go on to focus on risk assessment of foods derived from microorganisms. For more information visit: http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/OIS/PRESS_NE/english/2002/3050-en.html FORESTS, DESERTS AND LAND SECOND SESSION OF THE UN FORUM ON FORESTS: The second session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF-2) took place from 4-15 March 2002, at UN Headquarters in New York. Delegates addressed progress in implementation of the proposals for action of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests/Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IPF/IFF), and the UNFF Plan of Action, related to the following substantive items, or elements: combating deforestation and forest degradation; forest conservation and protection of unique types of forests and fragile ecosystems; rehabilitation and conservation strategies for low forest cover countries; rehabilitation and restoration of degraded lands and promotion of natural and planted forests; and concepts, terminology and definitions. UNFF-2 also considered means of implementation, including finance, transfer of environmentally-sound technologies (ESTs), and capacity building for sustainable forest management, in the context of these elements. The following “common items” were also addressed: enhanced cooperation and policy and programme coordination; emerging issues relevant to country implementation; monitoring, assessment and reporting; promoting public participation; national forest programmes; trade; enabling environments; and intersessional work. A multi-stakeholder dialogue was held to address multi-stakeholder contributions to, and engage in genuine dialogue on, the implementation of the IPF/IFF proposals for action and related key issues. A High-Level Segment also took place, with ministers engaging in a policy dialogue with heads of member organizations of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests. On the second day of the Segment, ministers engaged in a dialogue focusing on the UNFF’s input to the WSSD, and on national commitments to country goals and strategies for implementing the IPF/IFF proposals for action. The outcomes of UNFF-2 included a Ministerial Declaration and Message to the WSSD, and eight decisions on: combating deforestation and forest degradation; forest conservation and protection of unique types of forests and fragile ecosystems; rehabilitation and conservation strategies for countries with low forest cover; rehabilitation and restoration of degraded lands and the promotion of natural and planted forests; concepts, terminology and definitions; specific criteria for the review of the effectiveness of the international arrangement on forests; proposed revisions to the medium-term plan for 2002-2005; and other matters. UNFF-2 was also mandated with establishing terms of reference for three ad hoc expert groups on: approaches and mechanisms for monitoring, assessment and reporting; finance and transfer of environmentally sound technologies; and consideration with a view to recommending the parameters of a mandate for developing a legal framework on all types of forests. However, delegates were not able to reach agreement and instead took a procedural decision to forward to UNFF-3 an entirely bracketed paper containing the draft terms of reference, which was appended to the report of UNFF-2. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin report outlining these discussions in detail can be found at: http://enb.iisd.org/forestry/unff/unff2/ INTERNATIONAL EXPERT MEETING OF FOREST LANDSCAPE RESTORATION: The International Expert Meeting on Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) took place from 27-28 February 2002 in Heredia, Costa Rica. The meeting was hosted by the Governments of Costa Rica and the United Kingdom, in collaboration with IUCN-The World Conservation Union, WWF International, the International Tropical Timber Organization, the Canadian International Development Agency, the Centre for International Forestry Research, and the Northeast Asian Forest Forum. Approximately 60 participants attended, representing governments, universities and research institutions, and international and non-governmental organizations. The purpose of the meeting was to present the FLR approach to a broader audience and engage them in the development and refinement of key concepts related to implementing FLR. The specific objectives of the meeting were to: increase understanding of FLR among forest experts and decision makers through an exchange of experiences and lessons learned; initiate a process for working with partners to refine and implement FLR concepts; and generate political commitment to and interest in pursuing FLR in specific countries and/or regions and/or through the appropriate intergovernmental processes. The meeting was divided into five sessions on: the definition of FLR; stakeholder engagement at the landscape level; biophysical challenges; an enabling environment; and a framework for implementation. Each session was introduced with the presentation of a technical paper, followed by case study presentations and, in three of the sessions, discussions in break-out groups. The meeting was followed by a two-day field visit to Guanacaste, in northwest Costa Rica, where participants observed several stages of natural regeneration in the area’s dry tropical forest and witnessed a controlled burn in the Santa Rosa National Park. The Sustainable Developments report outlining these discussions in detail can be found at: http://enb.iisd.org/crs/sdcfr/sdvol71num1.html HUMAN DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION: The sixtieth session of this UN Committee took place from 4-22 March 2002 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. The Committee examined the situations in Switzerland, Lithuania, Croatia, Austria, Qatar, Moldova, Denmark, Belgium, Jamaica, Costa Rica and Liechtenstein with regard to their implementation of the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, based on country reports presented. The Committee also examined the situation in Papua New Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands and Turkmenistan, whose periodic reports were overdue. The Committee issued a statement in which it stressed that measures taken to fight terrorism should not derogate human rights, and adopted a General Recommendation on the follow-up to the 2001 World Conference against Racism, in which it recommended measures to strengthen implementation of the Convention and the functioning of the Committee. For more information visit: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/rd971.doc.htm 46TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN: This meeting was held from 4-15 March 2002 at UN Headquarters in New York. The session’s themes were the eradication of poverty, including through women's empowerment, and the incorporation of the gender perspective in the mitigation of natural disasters. The Commission adopted conclusions on these themes, as well as on women and children hostages in armed conflicts, gender equality and women’s empowerment as important strategies to eradicate poverty, and the involvement of all sectors of society in pursuing gender equality and gender-sensitive environmental management and disaster reduction, response and recovery as an integral part of sustainable development. Although delegates were unable to agree on a draft resolution on women and girls in Afghanistan, the text was subsequently approved during an additional meeting of the Commission held on 25 March. The resolution urges the Afghan Interim Authority and future Afghan Transitional Authority to: fully respect the equal human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls in accordance with international human rights law; give high priority to the issue of ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; consider signing its Optional Protocol, which gives individuals the right to bring their concerns to the Convention’s monitoring body; and undertake a series of steps aimed at improving the quality of life for Afghan women and girls. For more information visit: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/WOM1333.doc.htm and http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/WOM1334.doc.htm INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS TO THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN - HAZARDS AND VULNERABILITY: This conference took place from 3-7 March 2002 in Bangkok, Thailand. Organized by the World Health Organization and attended by over 300 scientists from 50 countries, the conference sought to address new scientific data and research results on the special vulnerability of children to environmental hazards and to increase awareness of different sectors about children’s environmental health issues. The conference included sessions on: water, food and disease; air, climate and disease; injuries, poisonings and radiations; development disorders; and the protection of children’s environmental health. Other issues addressed in these sessions included children's exposure to pesticides, organic pollutants, tobacco smoke, radiation and climate change. The participating researchers drew attention to various problems, including the health risks faced by children scavenging in waste dumps, and sought to find solutions for making the environment safe for children in their homes, schools and work places, highlighting the benefits of, for example, removing lead from gasoline. For more information visit: http://www.who.int/peh/ceh/Bangkok/bangkokconf.htm AD HOC COMMITTEE ON AN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION AGAINST REPRODUCTIVE CLONING OF HUMAN BEINGS: The Ad Hoc Committee on an International Convention Against the Reproductive Cloning of Human Beings met for the first time from 25 February to 1 March 2002 at UN Headquarters in New York. The Committee debated the mandate for the negotiation of an international convention on the issue, and a report summarizing countries’ views was produced as the outcome of the meeting. Participants agreed that the convention should ban reproductive cloning, but diverged on whether therapeutic cloning, or the cloning of embryos for the purposes of scientific and medical research, including stem cell research, should also be banned. The US, the Holy See and Spain preferred an absolute ban on human cloning, while some other countries, including Russia, China, Japan and Brazil, favored allowances for therapeutic cloning. On the way forward, the former countries preferred negotiations on the full scope of issues rather than what they described as a “partial” or “false” ban, while the latter proposed that the Committee start by focusing on a universal ban on reproductive cloning of humans, in order not to threaten the process by raising issues on which no consensus currently exists. The Committee will meet again in September and will seek to produce a recommendation to the UN General Assembly on the mandate for further negotiations on this issue. More information on this meeting is available online at: http://www.un.org/law/cloning/index.html http://www.unfoundation.org/unwire/current.asp#24242 http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/l2995.doc.htl http://www.unfoundation.org/unwire/current.asp#24314 http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/l2996.doc.htm PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR THE SECOND WORLD ASSEMBLY ON AGEING: The second session of the Commission on Social Development acting as the Preparatory Committee for the upcoming Second World Assembly on Ageing met from 25 February to 1 March 2002 at UN Headquarters in New York. The PrepCom considered, and transmitted to the Assembly, a draft Declaration and International Plan of Action on Ageing 2002. The International Plan of Action will replace that agreed at the First World Assembly on Ageing in 1982, and reflect the demographic changes that have taken place over the past 20 years, with a burgeoning population of persons aged 60 years or older. It will call for changes in attitudes, policies and practices at all levels in all sectors, so that the potential of ageing in the twenty-first century can be fulfilled. The Second World Assembly on Ageing will be held from 8-12 April 2002 in Madrid, Spain. For more information visit: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/SOC4600.doc.htm INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS MEETING ON THE THIRD REPLENISHMENT OF THE GEF TRUST FUND: A meeting on the third replenishment of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund took place from 27-28 February 2002 in Paris, France. Participants considered: the current second replenishment and projected funding status, estimated carryover to the third replenishment period and projected investment income for the third replenishment period; procurement restrictions related to arrears in donors’ contributions to the GEF; the replenishment amount; policy recommendations; and the draft replenishment document entitled “Global Environment Facility Trust Fund Replenishment Document in the Form of a World Bank Resolution.” The next GEF replenishment meeting will take place from 8-9 April in Copenhagen, Denmark. To access the Co-Chairs’ summary of the meeting visit: http://www.gefweb.org/Replenishment/Joint_Summaries/Summary_of_Co_ Chairs.doc TRADE AND INVESTMENT WTO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT: The World Trade Organization’s Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) met in a regular meeting on 21 March and in a Special Session on 22 March 2002 in Geneva, Switzerland. Both meetings considered items included in the Doha Ministerial Declaration relating to trade and environment matters. During the regular session, delegates considered market access, with developing countries making statements on the need to maintain market access in the context of increasing environment-related non-tariff barriers to trade. The meeting also discussed fisheries subsidies, eco-labeling, relations with inter-governmental organizations and technical assistance and capacity building. Delegates further touched on modalities for identifying and debating environmental and developmental aspects of negotiations as decided by the Doha Ministerial Conference. The Special Session on 22 March was the first negotiating session of the CTE, and focused on the organization of future work. Delegates initiated discussions on the three sub-paragraphs of the Doha environmental negotiating mandate, namely: the relationship between WTO rules and specific trade obligations set out in multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), among parties to the MEA in question; procedures for regular information exchange between MEA secretariats and the relevant WTO Committees, and the criteria for granting observer status; and the reduction or elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers to environmental goods and services. The European Community circulated a paper with its preliminary views on WTO rules and MEAs, which some other delegations suggested might be too ambitious. The CTE will meet in regular and Special Sessions three more times in 2002. For more information visit: http://www.ictsd.org/weekly/02-03-26/story1.htm UNEP WORKSHOP ON CAPACITY BUILDING ON ENVIRONMENT, TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT: This workshop was held from 19-20 March 2002 in Geneva, Switzerland. Organized by UNEP and the WTO and held back- to-back with the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment, the workshop was attended by over 200 participants representing 82 governments as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. The workshop sought to provide a forum for identifying capacity building activities needed to assist countries in effectively engaging in trade and environment negotiations, assessing the environmental as well as the developmental implications of the WTO agreements, and developing and implementing mutually supportive trade and environment policies. The workshop included sessions on country and regional perspectives, capacity building for mutually supportive environment and trade policies, capacity building as a tool for achieving synergies between MEAs and the WTO, and next steps, conclusions and recommendations. Participants recommended that capacity building service providers and beneficiaries should: convene regional workshops to promote the integration of workshop recommendations into ongoing and planned capacity building programmes and activities; develop and implement collaborative capacity building activities on enhancing synergies between MEAs and the WTO; and develop a database of ongoing environment, trade and development capacity building activities including those conducted by MEAs and other intergovernmental organizations. For more information visit: http://www.unep.ch/etu/etp/events/upcming/19March_CB.htm http://www.ictsd.org/weekly/02-03-26/inbrief.htm UNEP FINANCE INITIATIVES ANNUAL GLOBAL ROUNDTABLE ON FINANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY: This event took place from 14-15 March 2002 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Entitled “Financing a Sustainable Future - Strategies, Partnerships, and Opportunities on the way to Johannesburg 2002,” the event sought to build new partnerships for sustainability within the finance and insurance industries and served as a forum for regional outreach by the UNEP Finance Initiative. The Roundtable included general plenary sessions as well as workshop sessions on the UNEP Finance Initiative Working Groups on asset management, environmental management and reporting, and climate change. There were also workshops on: facilitating investments in clean technology; recommendations for the Financing for Development conference; environmental risk for emerging markets’ financial sector; opportunities in finance and sustainability; tools for financing sustainability; sustainable natural resource use; microfinance and sustainable small and medium sized enterprises; ensuring peace – managing political risk for sustainable development; the Brazilian experience of finance and sustainability; social performance indicators and the Global Reporting Initiative. The Roundtable attracted 300 participants and allowed the sharing of best practices, forging of new partnerships, including the creation of a forum for action for NGOs and the UNEP Finance Initiative. For more information visit: http://unepfi.net/rio UNEP WORKSHOP ON THE IMPACTS OF TRADE AND TRADE-RELATED POLICIES ON FISHERIES AND MEASURES REQUIRED FOR THEIR SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT: This workshop was held on 15 March 2002 in Geneva, Switzerland. Organized by the Economics and Trade Branch of UNEP in consultation with the WTO secretariat, FAO, and the OECD, the workshop aimed to provide a forum for informal discussions and consultations and was attended by approximately 80 participants, including environment and trade officials, representatives from the WTO, the OECD, the FAO, UNCTAD and numerous NGOs. The workshop included sessions on: national experiences with assessment of the impacts of trade and trade related policies and sustainable fisheries management, including presentations from Mauritania, Bangladesh and Japan; and the role of international organizations in advancing sustainable fisheries policies. Participants engaged in discussion of subsidies and trade-related issues in Sustainable Fisheries Management through addressing subsidies, and provided conclusions and recommendations for follow-up work. Reports presented at the meeting demonstrated the adverse long-term impact of uncontrolled foreign fishing on the economies of various countries, including Argentina, Mauritania and Senegal. Participants noted that developing countries stand to gain from trade in fisheries products, but only if trade and fisheries policies are reformed to support sustainable management of these resources. For more information visit: http://www.unep.ch/etu/etp/events/upcming/15March_fisheries.htm http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/15052/story.htm WTO COUNCIL FOR TRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS: The WTO TRIPs Council met for the first time since the Doha Ministerial Conference from 5-7 March and held a Special Session on 8 March 2002 in Geneva, Switzerland. During the regular meeting, the Council considered: compulsory licenses and public health, specifically cases where a WTO member grants a compulsory license to export pharmaceuticals to a poor country lacking domestic production capacity; the extension of geographical indicators to products other than wines and spirits; and the review of TRIPs provisions, including patentability of life forms, traditional knowledge and the relationship between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the WTO. The Special negotiating Session on 8 March focused on geographical indicators, and delegates agreed to establish a two-phase negotiating process in this regard. During a first phase, members would debate the establishment of a multilateral system for geographical indicators on wines and spirits, and during the second phase the Council would compile a draft based on proposals. For more information visit: http://www.ictsd.org/weekly/02-03-12/story2.htm 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 WORLD DAY FOR WATER CELEBRATED The annual World Day for Water was organized on 22 March. Celebrations were hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, around the theme of “Water for Development.” The events included an exhibition of art by Austrian and Ugandan children and a dialogue on water for development and a panel discussion involving eminent persons in the field. In an address in honor of the Day, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said water scarcity need not be a source of conflict, but could act as a catalyst for cooperation. Klaus Töpfer, Executive Director of UNEP, highlighted the Millennium Declaration development goal of halving the number of people without access to safe and affordable water by 2015, stressing that better management, including both technological intervention and conservation, will be needed if the goal is to be met. Also on the World Day for Water, the Stockholm Water Foundation awarded the Stockholm Water Prize, an international award for achievements on behalf of the protection of water resources, to Venezuelan-American hydrologist Ignacio Rodríguez-Iturbe of Princeton University. Links to further information World Water Day 2002 website http://waterday2002.iaea.org/ UN Wire, 22 March 2002 http://www.unfoundation.org/unwire/2002/03/22/current.asp#24938 BIODIVERSITY AND WILDLIFE CAVIAR TRADE TO RESUME, ENVIRONMENTALISTS VOICE CONCERNS Countries around the Caspian Sea are to be allowed to export caviar again, a move that has caused concerns among some environmental groups. The announcement of the resumption in trade was made by the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and follows the introduction of a unified system to manage sturgeon stocks in the Caspian Sea. The trade was temporarily banned since June 2001 for all states in the region with the exception of Iran. The new management system aims to allow states to trade in a way that will ensure sturgeon numbers remain stable, while also bringing in foreign exchange earnings to the countries around the Caspian Sea, where illegal fishing and corruption threaten the long-term survival of the caviar producing fish. However, the move has caused concerns among environmental groups. The environmental coalition Caviar Emptor, which consists of SeaWeb, National Resource Defense Council and the Wildlife Conservation Society responded with alarm to the announcement, especially regarding the trade in beluga caviar. According to coalition spokesperson Ellen Pikitch, “the decision to allow continued trade in beluga caviar will take the remarkable, yet critically imperiled beluga sturgeon one step closer to oblivion.” One recent study by the Caspian Environment Programme, an internationally funded regional organization, suggests that there has been a 40 percent decline in mature beluga sturgeon in the northern part of the Caspian Sea in the past seven years, and no evidence of mature beluga sturgeon in the middle and southern Caspian. Links to further information SeaWeb press statements, 7 and 15 March 2002 http://www.caviaremptor.org/press_031502.html http://www.caviaremptor.org/press_030702.html Environmental News Service, 6 March 2002 http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release.asp?id=6340 CLIMATE AND ATMOSPHERE GLOBAL WARMING THREATENING ANTARCTIC ICE SHELF, SPECIES SURVIVAL - STUDY An ice-shelf in Antarctica the size of a small country is rapidly disintegrating, according to British scientists. The ice shelf is over 3000 square kilometers large and 200 meters thick. The Antarctic Peninsular, where the floating “Larsen-B” ice-shelf was, has warmed by 2.5 degrees centigrade over the past 50 years, which is a quicker rise in temperature than that observed over land and in other parts of the world. Commenting on the finding, glaciologist David Vaughan observed that the speed at which the melting took place was “staggering,” with 500 million billion tonnes of ice sheet disintegrating in less than a month. In related news, another study, published in the journal Nature, documents the effect climate change is beginning to have on life across the planet, showing parallel trends in plants, birds, animals and fish. Geobotanist Gian-Reto Walther from the University of Hanover in Germany cautioned that “the big difference between now and previous periods of climate change, like the Ice Age, is that seven billion people live on earth now and many migration corridors for species are blocked.” He warned that these factors mean that extinctions are now inevitable. Links to further information Reuters newswire, 28 March 2002 http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/15233/story.htm Reuters newswire, 20 march 2002 http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/15103/story.htm Environmental News Network, 20 March 2002 http://enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/03/03202002/reu_46711.asp HUMAN DEVELOPMENT NEW COMMISSION TO ADDRESS GLOBALIZATION A new high-level World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization has been launched by the International Labour Organization (ILO). The purpose of the Commission is to seek ways to balance economic development and social concerns in an integrated world economy. It is being co-chaired by Finnish President Tarja Halonen and Tanzania's President Benjamin Mkapa. The 25 members of the Commission include politicians, economists, workers' leaders and academics from both developing and developed countries. The Commission held its first meeting from 25-26 March in Geneva. Participants underscored the need to extend the benefits of globalization to people living in poverty and in developing countries, so as to combat global uncertainty and dispair. Mkapa stressed that “the world stands in dire need of hope, and I hope that this Commission will give the world the faith it needs to embrace the challenges of the new millennium with confidence and hope, not with uncertainty and despair.” The Commission will meet several times over the course of the next year, and is expected to report to the ILO Director-General in 2003 on concrete actions to guide and shape the process of globalization. Links to further information UN Wire, 25 and 26 March 2002 http://www.unfoundation.org/unwire/2002/03/26/current.asp#25028 http://www.unfoundation.org/unwire/2002/03/25/current.asp#24991 ILO press release, 27 February 2002 http://www.ilo.org/public/english/wcsdg/entry1.htm WOMEN’S DAY FOCUSES ATTENTION ON AFGHAN WOMEN International Women’s Day, celebrated on 8 March, witnessed a special focus on the situation of women in Afghanistan. At a ceremony held at UN Headquarters in New York, many speakers drew attention to post-Taliban efforts and the role of women as the country is being rebuilt. A video on “Afghan Women Today: Realities and Opportunities,” was released. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Afghan women “have won world support in reasserting their rights, especially the right to play an active role at all levels of society and the right to join in every stage of the work of bringing peace and development to their country.” Sima Wali of the Afghan Women’s Summit for Democracy drew attention to the feminization of poverty and urged people not to forget Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s interim Minister of Women’s Affairs Sima Samar hosted an International Women’s Day event in Kabul, with speakers including Afghan leader Hamid Karzai and UN special representative Lakhdar Brahimi. Links to further information UN press release, 8 March 2002 http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/sgsm8141.doc.htm UN Wire, 8 March 2002 http://www.unfoundation.org/unwire/2002/03/08/current.asp#24508 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 CHOWDHURY TO REPRESENT LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES Anwarul Chowdhury has been appointed high representative for the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states. Chowdhury was Bangladesh's former UN ambassador and the UN coordinator for the LDCs. He has also served as president of the Security Council and president of the UNICEF Executive Board. For more information visit: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/sga792.doc.htm OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE APPOINTS NEW CHAIR Baroness Margaret Jay has been appointed as the new Chair of the Overseas Development Institute, a major independent British think- tank on international development and humanitarian affairs. A former Leader of the House of Lords and UK Minister for Women, Margaret Jay takes up her new post on 1 April 2002, succeeding Earl Cairns, who has been Chair since 1995. For more information visit: http://www.odi.org.uk/newsreleases/jay_press.html UNECE NAMES EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Brigita Schmögnerová has been appointed as the new Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe, an Under- Secretary-General level post. She has formerly worked as the Finance Minister in Slovakia. For more information visit: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/sga789.doc.htm VACANCIES UNESCO REGIONAL OFFICE SEEKS PROGRAMME SPECIALIST The UNESCO Regional Office for Science and Technology for Latin America and the Caribbean is hiring a programme specialist, who will be responsible for the formulation, coordination, management and evaluation of UNESCO programmes and projects in hydrology and water resources within the regional, subregional, cluster and national levels. This is a P-4 position based in Montevideo, Uruguay. The deadline for applications is 28 May 2002. More information is available online at: http://www.unesco.org/per/Vacancies/urusc0003.pdf READINGS New and recent book titles, articles and other literature on environment and development JOURNALS /Sustainable Development "The global sustainability challenge: from agreement to action." International Journal of Global Environmental Issues 2 (1-2, 2002), pp. 1-14. This paper by Calestous Juma argues that making the transition from international to local agreement is a knowledge-intensive process that involves considerable investment in science and technology as well as innovations or adjustments in global, regional and national institutions. The author stresses that the sustainability transition is a long-term process that will involve continuous and goal-oriented interactions between government, knowledge-based institutions and enterprises involving interactions between key actors who are guided by common goals. The paper identifies knowledge-based institutions and the private sector as playing pivotal roles in the sustainability transition. "Human natures, nature conservation, and environmental ethics." BioScience 52 (1, 2002), pp. 31-43. In this article, Paul Ehrlich argues that although scientists understand the general directions in which humanity should be moving to solve its environmental problems, the policy response remains totally inadequate. As a result, the cutting edge of the environmental sciences is moving from the ecological and physical sciences toward the behavioral sciences, which seem to have the potential to develop ways to improve this response. Ehrlich stresses that the key is finding ways to alter the course of cultural evolution, changing the vast body of non-genetic information that humanity possesses and passes on both between and within generations. /Preparations for the Johannesburg Summit 2002 "Sustainability and local government." Local Environment 7 (1, 2002), pp. 97-102. This article by Steven Glass focuses on the Earth Charter, an ethical framework for sustainability, including value definition and principles with which to set the sustainability agenda. He stresses that as the world approaches the World Summit for Sustainable Development, the question of whether the world has moved beyond the need for such a values dialogue and commonly shared principles must be addressed. /Biodiversity "Governing biodiversity." International Journal of Global Environmental Issues 2 (1-2, 2002), pp. 78-99. In this article, Catherine Mougenot and Marc Mormont hypothesize that the value conferred on nature designates both the “objects of nature” that are the subject under consideration, and the human beings for whom they are intended or who are responsible for them. The authors first look at what could be considered as the “classical nature conservation network,” and then examine how it evolves. They note that contemporary situations lead us to take account of different types of networks for conserving and maintaining nature. They compare these networks, and examine how each of them attempts to adjust to take into account the increasingly complex and also increasingly open concept of biodiversity. "High stakes: lessons from stakeholder groups in the Biodiversity Conservation Network." Society and Natural Resources 15 (2, 2002), pp. 179-188. In this article, Sango Mahanty and Diane Russell note that research in common property and community development points to the central importance of organizational arrangements in conservation and development interventions. They argue that the dilemma facing contemporary conservation practitioners is how best to assist and facilitate such arrangements in support of participatory resource management and sustainable livelihoods, given the range of organizations, societal processes, and structures in which interventions might engage. Their article presents some key findings from a study of stakeholder groups at four project sites, with information from a further 16 sites, in the Biodiversity Conservation Network. Findings include the fact that: longstanding organizations had an established community niche, but could become bogged down in bureaucratic procedures; poor communication between organizations was common and could undermine resource management; and charismatic individuals and local elite interests could dominate groups, diminishing their representativeness. Based on these findings, the article argues that conservation professionals need to build their capacity as facilitators and negotiators, paying greater attention to how stakeholder groups form and function, their links to wider arenas, and the aims and positions of groups and individuals. /Climate Change "Socio-economic impacts of local environmental policies: an analysis for the field of climate protection." Local Environment 7 (1, 2002), pp. 23-34. This article by Hauke von Seht examines the socio-economic impacts of climate protection against the background of concerns that local environmental policies are sometimes considered as obstacles to socio-economic progress. The author first introduces the concept of primary and secondary effects of climate policies and then discusses the financial and economic impacts of local climate policies. Finally, the author provides information on the consequences of such measures for local energy security and air quality. The paper concludes that, at least in the field of climate policies, the potential for local measures that are socio-economically attractive to local communities is substantial. "Greenhouse gas reduction policy in the United States: identifying winners and losers in an expanded permit trading system." Energy Journal 23 (1, 2002), pp. 1-18. Adam Rose and Gbadebo Oladosu present an analysis of the economic impacts of marketable permits for greenhouse gas reduction across industries and income groups in the United States. The authors use a computable general equilibrium model to simulate permit markets under various assumptions about permit allocations, industry coverage, revenue recycling, sequestration, and the inclusion of multiple greenhouse gases. Based on this simulation, Rose and Oladosu find that a permit price of as much as $128 per ton of carbon would be needed for the US to comply fully with the Kyoto Protocol, and that this would lead to a slightly more than one percent annual reduction in GDP in by the year 2010. They note that expansion of trading to include carbon sequestration and methane mitigation could significantly lower these impacts. However, they stress that all policy alternatives simulated are somewhat regressive in terms of income distribution, though to significantly different degrees depending on the policy design. "Quantifying the impacts on biodiversity of policies for carbon sequestration in forests." Ecological Economics 40 (1, 2002), pp. 71-87. This article by Stephen Matthews, Raymond O'Connor and Andrew Plantinga notes current interest in the use of afforestation (conversion of non-forest land to forest) to reduce atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. Noting that economic analyses have focused on the costs of forest carbon sequestration policies related to foregone profits from agricultural production rather than additional costs or benefits associated with impacts on biodiversity, the authors estimate the changes in farmland and forest bird populations that are likely to occur under an afforestation policy. They use econometric models of land use to simulate the response of private landowners to subsidies for tree planting on agricultural land. "Assessing the costs of compliance: the Kyoto Protocol." European Environment 12 (1, Jan-Feb, 2002), pp. 1-16. Christopher Bohringer and Andreas Loschel stress that policy questions surrounding the ultimate implementation of the Kyoto Protocol and any follow-up international agreement on climate protection require quantitative assessment, involving the use of analytical models that mimic the potential economic impacts of alternative emission reduction policies. They assess the costs of compliance with the Kyoto Protocol. The simulation results suggests why the US has withdrawn from the Kyoto Protocol, while several other Annex B countries have pushed for an implicit relaxation of their Kyoto targets. They note that international trade in emissions significantly reduces the total costs of compliance with Kyoto. The authors also explore the robustness of results with respect to changes in the values of key elasticities as well as other major assumptions, such as the baseline growth path or the scope of the abatement coalition (Kyoto with and without the US). They conduct a sensitivity analysis to help create an understanding of key assumptions that determine the quantitative model results and the policy conclusions to be drawn. /Environmental Governance and Negotiations "UN Conferences and constructive governance of the environment." Global Governance 8 (1, 2002), pp. 73-91. This article by Peter Haas reviews the history of global environmental conferences and draws political lessons about their broader role in constructing efforts at global environmental governance. "The emerging roles of NGOs in the UN System: from Article 71 to a People's Millennium Assembly." Global Governance 8 (1, 2002), pp 93-117. This article by Chadwick Alger argues that relations between the UN system and civil society are dynamically growing and changing. The author focuses on five aspects of these relations: the evolving procedures for NGO relations presided over by the Economic and Social Council; the broadening of NGO involvement at UN headquarters; the present scope of NGO involvement in the UN system; the growing NGO involvement in the World Bank and the World Trade Organization; and NGO conferences. /Forests "Proximate causes and underlying driving forces of tropical deforestation." BioScience 52 (2, Feb. 2002), pp. 143-150. Helmut Geist and Eric Lambin analyze the frequency of proximate causes and the underlying driving forces of deforestation, including their interactions, as reported in 152 sub national case studies. They show that tropical deforestation is driven by identifiable regional patterns of causal factor synergies, of which the most prominent are economic factors, institutions, national policies, and remote influences (at the underlying level) driving agricultural expansion, wood extraction, and infrastructure extension (at the proximate level). /Trade and Environment "Environment and trade: a review of issues and methods." International Journal of Global Environmental Issues 2 (1-2, 2002), pp. 100-160. In this article, Haixiao Huang and Walter Labys seek to provide an overview of the major issues concerning economic interactions between environmental and trade policies. They present a perspective on reviewed and future research by first analyzing economic studies of the major environmental and trade issues, followed by an assessment of progress in the methods necessary to analyze their interactions. The authors conclude by making suggestions for research design and policy goals. NEW PUBLICATIONS /Biodiversity and Wildlife Biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge: Equitable Partnerships in Practice (Earthscan 2002). This book, edited by Sarah Laird, provides guidance on how to arrive at equitable biodiversity research and prospecting partnerships. It includes chapters on biodiversity research relationships, biodiversity research and prospecting in protected areas, community relationships with researchers, the commercial use of biodiversity and traditional knowledge, and the national policy context. Drawing on experience and lessons learned from around the world, it provides case studies, analysis and recommendations. For further information visit: http://www.earthscan.co.uk/new_titles.htm A Farewell to Greenland’s Wildlife (February 2002). This book by Kjeld Hansen documents the loss of wildlife is the arctic landscape of Greenland. The author argues that unless this process is reversed within 10–20 years a number of species will become extinct, while other species will suffer from a reduction in numbers that will render them unable to make either an economic, or a quality-of-life contribution to Greenland society. Hansen stresses that the issue is of global relevance, as Greenland’s wildlife is part of humanity’s common heritage. For more information visit: http://www.greenland-wildlife.com/gw/Greenlandindex.htm /Environment, Security and Health The Health of Nations: Infectious Disease, Environmental Change, and Their Effects on National Security and Development (The MIT Press, 2002). This book by Andrew Price-Smith stresses the new realities of a globalized world mean that infectious microbes can proliferate and flourish as never before, new pathogens are emerging, and some old diseases are becoming increasingly resistant to treatment. The prevalence of these diseases decreases economic productivity and contributes to a decline in state capacity leading to underdevelopment and impaired prosperity, as well as violence in some cases and state collapse in some cases. The author presents empirical findings, and concludes by developing policy recommendations for the foreign policy and international development communities and lays out a plan for future scientific inquiry into this topic. /Natural Resources and Sustainable Development Learning from the Future (IISD, March 2002). This report from the IISD Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development project looks at four possible futures for the mining/minerals industry. The scenarios highlight the potential promise and the potential despair in the industry's future and explore what the years ahead could hold for sustainable development. To access the book online visit: http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2002/mmsd_scenarios.pdf WHAT’S NEW ONLINE /Preparations for the Johannesburg Summit 2002 The World Summit on Sustainable Development – Why business should care (The Conference Board, March 2002). This briefing report by Charles Bennett contains information on the concept of sustainable development, the Johannesburg Summit, Agenda 21, why business needs to care and what business can expect from the Summit. To access the report visit: http://www.conference-board.org/ea_reports/ea_17.pdf /Chemical Management Exporting Harm: The Techno Trashing of Asia (Basel Action Network and the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, 2002). This report by Jim Puckett, Leslie Byster, Sarah Westervelt, Richard Gutierrez, Sheila Davis, Asma Hussain, and Madhumitta Dutta, focuses on the export of discarded electronics components from the US to countries in Asia, including China, India and Pakistan, and the health and environmental threats posed by these exports. The report includes a chapter on solutions, which the authors stress lie upstream in the developed countries exporting “e-waste.” To access the report visit: http://www.ban.org /Climate Change The Emerging International Greenhouse Gas Market (Pew Center on Global Climate Change, March 2002). This report by Richard Rosenzweig, Matthew Varilek, Ben Feldman, Radha Kuppalli and Josef Janssen describes the characteristics of the emerging greenhouse gas market and key features of early trades. The authors evaluate the potential evolution of the market due to ongoing domestic and international climate change policy development and potential scenarios arising from the US. response to climate change. The report contains chapters on the origins of greenhouse gas trading, market characteristics, the future outlook as well as conclusions. To access the report visit: http://www.pewclimate.org/projects/trading.cfm Greenhouse Gas Price Scenarios for 2000-2012: Impact of Different Policy Regimes (Institute for Economy and the Environment, University of St. Gallen). In this paper, Matt Varilek and Nina Marenzi consider future greenhouse gas price expectations (so they’re actually trying to change people’s expectations on what will happen price-wise?) by examining the results of a range of greenhouse gas market models and considering potential insights from several additional sources of information, including analyses of variables not accounted for in most models, experience from SO2 market models and prices, and emerging prices in the nascent greenhouse gas market. The authors conclude by presenting greenhouse gas predictions for three time periods spanning 2000- 2012. The report is an output of the European research and development project on “Implementing the Kyoto Mechanisms: Contributions by Financial Institutions.” To access the report visit: http://www.iwoe.unisg.ch/org/iwo/web.nsf/SysWebRessources/db96/$FI LE/DB96.pdf The US Climate Change Policy: A Preliminary Evaluation (French Center on the United States/CFE-IFRI 2002). This policy brief by Laurent Viguier analyses US President George Bush's new global warming plan. It includes an examination of economic and political obstacles to emissions cuts, whether Bush’s new strategy is “aggressive” or constitutes “hot air,” and the respective merits of gradualism as opposed to “shock therapy” as an approach in the context of US climate policy. To access the report visit: http://www.cfe-ifri.org/climate_policy.pdf /International Environmental Governance International Environmental Governance: The Question of Reform, Key Issues and Proposals (UN University March 2002). This report, released at the Third Prepcom for the WSSD, outlines some of the key issues that have dominated the debate on international environmental governance reform in the lead-up to Johannesburg. This includes the prospect of establishing a centralized governance system that could, for example, be based around a new World Environment Organization. Another key question addressed by the report is whether a World Environment Court could serve as a useful complement to existing governance structures. The aim of the report is to elaborate on concrete proposals for reform the current international environmental governance system, and to outline the most crucial issues to be examined when considering the question of reform, such as identifying specific gaps and weaknesses in the current system. Other key issues addressed within the report include the goal of securing more stable financing to underpin environmental governance and to encourage a constructive role for non-governmental actors within the processes of international environmental governance. To access the report visit: http://www.ias.unu.edu/binaries/NYPrepComReport3.pdf UPCOMING MEETINGS Information on upcoming conferences, workshops and symposia in the field of international environment and development negotiations SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH CONFERENCE: This conference will be held from 8-9 April 2002 in Manchester, UK. Organized by ERP Environment, the meeting will address issues such as corporate social responsibility, natural resource management, public participation, and globalization. For more information contact: Elaine White; tel: +44-1274-530-408; fax: +44-1274-530- 409; e-mail: elaine@erpenv.demon.co.uk; Internet: http://www.erpenvironment.org G-8 ENVIRONMENT MINISTERS MEETING: The G-8 Ministers of the Environment are scheduled to meet from 12-14 April 2002 in Banff, Canada. The meeting will focus on Environment and Health, Environment and Development, and Effective National and International Environmental Governance under the umbrella theme “On the Road to Johannesburg.” For more information contact: Environment Canada; tel: +1-819-956-5212; fax: +1-819-956-5964; e-mail: enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca; Internet: http://www.ec.gc.ca/g8env2002/index_e.htm THE BEIJING FORUM FOR NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: This forum is scheduled to take place from 15-17 April 2002 in Beijing, China. The purpose of the meeting is to promote the role of business-science partnership in utilizing new and emerging technologies for sustainable development. For more information contact: UN DESA; tel: +1-212- 963-8798; e-mail: makk@un.org; Internet: http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/html/calendar/meeting.docs/beiji ng.pdf HIGH SUMMIT 2002 - INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AROUND THE CONTINENTS' HIGHEST MOUNTAINS: This global event will take place from 6-10 May 2002. It consists of a simultaneous video conference broadcast with continuous live Internet feeds from places close to the five highest peaks in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Experts, policy makers and stakeholders from the mountain areas of the different continents will meet from different sites to discuss most significant topics regarding today's mountain realities: water, culture, economy, risk, and policy. For more information contact: e-mail: evk2cnr.2002@montagna.org; Internet: http://www.montagna.org/ WORLD ECOTOURISM SUMMIT: This summit will take place from 19–22 May 2002 in Québec, Canada. The World Ecotourism Summit is expected to be the largest ever gathering of stakeholders involved in or affected by ecotourism. For more information contact: Ecotourisme 2002 Secretariat; tel: +1-418-692-1699; fax: +1-418- 692-5587; e-mail: ecotourism2002@jpdl.com; Internet: http://www.ecotourimsm2002.org FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S CONFERENCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT: This conference will take place in Victoria, Canada from 22-24 May 2002. The event is expected to bring together 800 children from 10-12 years of age from over 115 countries, who will learn about and discuss the state of the environment and showcase environmental initiatives by schools. The conference will also produce a statement from children to the world leaders who will meet for the WSSD. For more information contact: Theodore Oben, Children, Youth and Sport Programmes, UNEP; tel: +254-2-623262; e-mail: theodore.oben@unep.org; Internet: http://www.unep.org/children_youth/ INTERNATIONAL MEETING ON MOUNTAIN ECOSYSTEMS: This meeting will be held from 5-7 June 2002 in Huaraz, Peru. It is entitled “The Tropical Mountains toward 2020: Water, Life, and Production.” For more information contact: Maria Cecilia Rozas; e-mail: mrozas@rree.gob.pe; Internet: http://www.mtnforum.org/calendar/events/0206imma.htm G-8 SUMMIT: The 2002 G-8 Summit is scheduled to take place from 22-26 June in Kananaskis, Canada. For more information contact: John Klassen, Summit Management Team; tel: +1-613-957-5555; fax: +1-613-941-6900; e-mail: pm@pm.gc.ca; Internet: http://www.g8.gc.ca/ WORLD CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC HISTORY ASSOCIATION - SESSION ON MOUNTAINS IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT: This meeting will take place from 22-26 July 2002 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and will form part of the XIII World Congress of the International Economic History Association. The session will look at the relationship between mountains and urban development and focus on urban growth and political power structures. For more information contact: Jean-François Bergier; tel: +41-91-912-4705; e-mail: admin@isalp.unisi.ch; Internet: http://www.isalp.unisi.ch/gen/mountains_uban.htm 2002 WORLD ORGANIC CONGRESS - CULTIVATING COMMUNITIES: This event will be held from 21-28 August 2002 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Organized by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, the event will be attended by farmers, researchers, advisors, food processors, traders, certifiers, policy makers, consumers and others interested in organic agriculture and sustainable development. For more information contact: tel: +1-250-655-5652; e-mail: ifoam2002@cog.ca; Internet: http://www.cog.ca/ifoam2002/ INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: This conference will be held from 11-13 September 2002 at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa. The conference will challenge leaders in higher education to report on environmental innovations, research and management practices in an international forum. For more information contact: Karin Prigge; tel: +27-82-709-5329; fax: +27-46-622-6242; e-mail: BigTree@intekom.co.za; Internet: http://www.rhodes.ac.za/environment/emsu.html INTERNATIONAL ECOTOURISM CONFERENCE: This conference will take place from 21-25 October 2002 in Cairns, Australia. It is expected that it will be the final formal event of the International Year of Ecotourism 2002, and will bring together the work carried out throughout the Year. For more information contact: Tony Charters, Convenor; tel: + 61-7-3535-5493; fax: + 61-7-3535-5445; e-mail: tony.charters@tq.com.au; Internet: http://www.ecotourism-australia.info/conf2002/index.htm GLOBAL MOUNTAIN SUMMIT: This Summit will take place from 29 October – 1 November 2002 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. It will be the feature event of the International Year of Mountains, drawing together the ideas and recommendations generated by previous events into proposals for concrete action. For more information contact: Andrei Iatsenia; tel: +41-22-917-8273; fax: +41-22-917- 8036; e-mail: iatsenia@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.globalmountainsummit.org/Home_Page.html THIRD MEETING OF THE GLOBAL FORUM ON SUSTAINABLE ENERGY: GFSE-3 will be held in Graz, Austria, from 27-29 November 2002. The meeting will focus on public-private partnerships for rural development. For more information contact: Irene Freudenschuss- Reichl, UNIDO; tel: +1-212-963-6890; fax: +1-212-963-7904; e-mail: freudenschuss-reichl@un.org PREPARATIONS FOR THE JOHANNESBURG SUMMIT 2002 THIRD SESSION OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR THE WSSD: This meeting is taking place in New York from 25 March - 5 April 2002. It will aim to produce the first draft of a “review” document and elements of the CSD's future work programme. For more information contact: Andrey Vasilyev; tel: +1-212-963-5949; fax: +1-212-963- 4260; e-mail: vasilyev@un.org; Major groups contact: Zehra Aydin- Sipos; tel: +1-212-963-8811; fax: +1-212-963-1267; e-mail: aydin@un.org; Internet: http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/ CONFERENCE ON PARTNERING FOR SUSTAINABILITY: This meeting will be held from 8-9 April 2002 in Toronto, Canada. It will focus on how partnerships in sustainable development can benefit business, government and NGOs. For more information visit: http://www.sustainabilitycanada.com/ CONFERENCE ON PROMOTING BEST PRACTICES IN SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL AND TOURISM: This meeting will take place from 9-13 April 2002 in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. It is being organized in preparation for the WSSD to take stock of what has been accomplished with regard to sustainable travel and tourism and to examine how the challenges that lie ahead can best be addressed. For more information contact: Anna Mersova, Business Enterprises for Sustainable Travel; tel: +1-212-339-0374; e-mail: anna.mersova@conference-board.org; Internet: http://www.sustainabletravel.org/press/press031902.cfm EVENT ON POWER TO TRANSFORM - SUSTAINABLE ENERGY STRATEGIES FOR THE WSSD: This event will be held on 10 April 2002 in London, UK. It is being organized by the UK Business Council for Sustainable Energy (UKBCSE), and seeks to provide input to the WSSD. For more information contact: David Green, UKBCSE; tel: +44-20-7828-4077; e-mail: ukbcse@chpa.co.uk THE BEIJING FORUM FOR NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: This Forum is scheduled to take place from 15-17 April 2002 in Beijing, China. The purpose of the meeting is to promote the role of business-science partnership in utilizing new and emerging technologies for sustainable development. For more information contact: UN DESA; tel: +1-212- 963-8798; e-mail: makk@un.org; Internet: http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/html/calendar/meeting.docs/beiji ng.pdf STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE ON SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT: This event will be held from 25-26 April 2002 in Zurich, Switzerland. The conference is organized jointly by Swiss Re and IDC Rio (public- private partnership). Participants at the conference, including water experts and politicians, will discuss priority measures for sustainable water management. The outcome of the conference will flow as input into PrepCom IV and contribute to the negotiations at the WSSD on an international agenda to protect water resources. For more information visit: http://www.johannesburg2002.ch/en/prozess/2_0_0_stand.php#122 UNDP ROUNDTABLE ON VULNERABILITY AND SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES: This event will take place from 29-30 April 2002 in Saint Lucia. For more information contact: Nir Cohen; e-mail: nir.cohen@undp.org GEF ROUNDTABLE SERIES 2002: The GEF is sponsoring a series of Roundtables on critical environmental and sustainable development issues as a contribution to the WSSD, including two Ministerial Roundtables on Financing for Environment and Sustainable Development. The second will convene in May in Indonesia in conjunction with WSSD PrepCom IV, the first having taking place in conjunction with the Financing for Development Conference in Monterrey, Mexico, in March 2002. For more information visit: http://www.gefweb.org/Whats_New/GEFRoundTable.pdf SD UK 2002 CONFERENCE: This conference will be held on 2 May 2002 at QEII Conference Centre, London, UK. It will explore sustainable development practice, policy and delivery, focusing on the UK's own sustainable development strategy, in the build up to the WSSD. For more information visit: http://www.sduk.org/ SUSTAINABLE JUSTICE 2002 - CONFERENCE ON IMPLEMENTING INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT LAW: This conference will take place from 22-25 May 2002 in Montreal, Canada. Organized by the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law, the conference seeks to address issues related to the environment, economy, social justice, human rights, health and the inter- linkages among them. For more information contact: Centre for International Sustainable Development; tel: +1-51-581-4984; e-mail: conference@cisdl.org; Internet: http://www.cisdl.org FOURTH SESSION OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR THE WSSD: This meeting will take place from 27 May - 7 June 2002 in Bali, Indonesia. It will include Ministerial and Multi-stakeholder Dialogue Segments, and is expected to result in elements for a concise political document to be submitted to the WSSD. For more information contact: Andrey Vasilyev, DESA, New York; tel: +1-212- 963-5949; e-mail: vasilyev@un.org; Major groups contact: Zehra Aydin-Sipos; tel: +1-212-963-8811; fax: +1-212-963-1267; e-mail: aydin@un.org; Internet: http://www.johannesburgsummit.org UNITED WORLD COLLEGES YOUTH ACTION SUMMIT 2002: This international youth conference leading up to the WSSD will take place from 19 July – 12 August 2002 at the University College Utrecht in the Netherlands. Youth between 16-25 years will discuss global issues with politicians, diplomats, academics, artists, musicians and others. Participants will also have the opportunity to partake in community service projects, a Media programme and a Performing Arts programme. For more information contact: Jan Kozak, Program Director; tel: +31-20-422-2331; fax: +31-20-422-3831; e-mail: info@uwcyouthsummit.org; Internet: http://www.uwcyouthsummit.org IMPLEMENTATION CONFERENCE - STAKEHOLDER ACTION FOR OUR COMMON FUTURE: This meeting will be held from 20-23 August 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Facilitated by Stakeholder Forum For Our Common Future, the conference aims to develop concrete action plans focusing on: freshwater; renewable energy; food security; public health & HIV/AIDS; and tools for corporate/stakeholder citizenship. For more information contact: Minu Hemmati; tel: +44-207-8397171; e-mail: minush@aol.com; Internet: http://www.earthsummit2002.org/ic ENVIROLAW CONFERENCE 2002: This conference will take place from 22-25 August 2002 in Durban, South Africa. It will offer a platform for the international legal community to suggest mechanisms that will interlink international and regional treaties and conventions in order to improve their implementation and enforcement. For more information contact: tel: +27-11-269-7944; fax: +27-11-269-7899; e-mail: info@envirolawsolutions.com; Internet: http://www.envirolawsolutions.com WSSD LOCAL GOVERNMENT SESSION - LOCAL ACTION MOVES THE WORLD: This event will take place in parallel to the Summit from 27-30 August 2002 at the Holiday Inn Crown Plaza Hotel, Sandton in Johannesburg. The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) will be convening a forum focusing on the ability of local government to achieve tangible improvements in global environmental and sustainable development conditions through cumulative local action. For more information contact: e-mail: johannesburg-summit@iclei.org; Internet: http://www.iclei.org/rioplusten/signup.html WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: The World Summit on Sustainable Development will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 26 August - 4 September 2002. For more information contact: Andrey Vasilyev, DESA; tel: +1-212-963-5949; e-mail: vasilyev@un.org; Major groups contact: Zehra Aydin-Sipos; tel: +1- 212-963-8811; fax: +1-212-963-1267; e-mail: aydin@un.org; Internet: http://www.johannesburgsummit.org BIODIVERSITY AND WILDLIFE ROUNDTABLE ON ACCESS TO GENETIC RESOURCES, BENEFIT- SHARING AND THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: This roundtable will be held on 2 April 2002 in Geneva, Switzerland. Participants will consider where the debate on access and benefit sharing stands today and how the international community can move forward to a more effective access and benefit-sharing regime in the future. For more information contact: Aniket Ghai, Geneva Environment Network; tel: +41-22-917-8505; fax: +41-22-797-3464; e-mail: aniket.ghai@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.environmenthouse.ch/ 16TH SESSION OF THE GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FORUM: GBF16 will be convened from 5-7 April 2002 in The Hague, Netherlands, immediately prior to the Sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. GBF16 will address the following key issues: Managing Forest Ecosystems for Sustainable Livelihoods; Biodiversity Plans for Business; and Mainstreaming Biodiversity - The Role of Communication, Education and Public Awareness. For more information contact: Caroline Martinet, IUCN; tel: +41-22-999-0216; fax: +41-22-999-0025; e-mail: caroline.martinet@iucn.org; Internet: http://www.gbf.ch/present_session.asp?no=25&lg=EN SIXTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON BIODIVERSITY: CBD COP-6 will take place in The Hague, the Netherlands, from 7-19 April 2002. At this meeting, the COP is expected to receive reports from its subsidiary bodies, the Executive Secretary and the GEF, review the implementation of the programme of work, and consider the following issues in depth: forest biological diversity; invasive alien species that threaten ecosystems, habitats or species; access and benefit-sharing as related to genetic resources; strategic plan, national reporting and operations of the Convention. Parties are also expected to adopt a budget for the next biennium. For more information contact: CBD Secretariat; tel: +1-514-288-2220; e-mail: secretariat@biodiv.org; Internet: http://www.biodiv.org/meetings/cop-06.asp 18TH MEETING OF THE CITES ANIMALS COMMITTEE: This meeting will be held from 8-12 April 2002 in San José, Costa Rica. For more information contact: CITES Secretariat; tel: +41-22-917-8139; e-mail: cites@unep.ch ICCP-3: The third meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the CBD (ICCP-3) will take place from 22-26 April 2002 in The Hague, the Netherlands. For more information contact: CBD Secretariat, Montreal, Canada; tel: +1-514-288-2220; e-mail: secretariat@biodiv.org; Internet: http://www.biodiv.org/meetings/cop-06.asp WORKSHOP ON ADVANCED ISSUES ON BIOSAFETY - RISK MONITORING AND PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY: This meeting will be held from 13-17 May 2002 in Maracay, Venezuela. For more information contact: Efrain G. Salazar Yamarte, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias; tel: +58-243-2471066; e-mail: efra63@icnet.com.ve 12TH MEETING OF THE CITES PLANTS COMMITTEE: This meeting will take place from 13-17 May 2002 in Leiden, the Netherlands. For more information contact: CITES Secretariat; tel: +41-22-917-8139; e-mail: cites@unep.ch CONFERENCE ON HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS, HEALTHY PEOPLE - LINKAGES BETWEEN BIODIVERSITY, ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND HUMAN HEALTH: This Conference will take place from 6-11 June 2002 in Washington, DC. Participants will focus on the complex linkages and interdependencies between biodiversity, ecosystem health and human health. For more information contact: International Society for Ecosystem Health, University of Western Ontario; tel: +1-519-661- 2111 ext. 86223; fax: +1-519-661-3737; e-mail: hehp@ecosystemhealth.com; Internet: http://www.ecosystemhealth.com/hehp/ SESSIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION: The Executive Committee of the Commission will meet for its 49th Session from 26-28 June 2002, and will convene its 50th session from 26-27 June 2003. Both meetings will take place in Rome, Italy. For more information contact: Secretariat of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme; tel: +39-06-57051; fax: +39-06-5705-4593; e-mail: codex@fao.org 11TH MEETING OF THE CONVENTION ON MIGRATORY SPECIES (CMS) SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL: This meeting will take place from 14-17 September 2002 in Bonn, Germany. For more information contact: CMS Secretariat; tel: +49-228-815-2401/2; e-mail: cms@unep.de; Internet: http://www.wcmc.org.uk/cms/events.htm 24TH MEETING OF THE CMS STANDING COMMITTEE: This meeting will take place on 17 September 2002 in Bonn, Germany. For more information contact: CMS Secretariat; tel: +49-228-815-2401/2; e-mail: cms@unep.de; Internet: http://www.wcmc.org.uk/cms/events.htm CMS COP-7 AND AEWA MOP-2: The seventh Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species is scheduled to take place from 18-24 September 2002 in Bonn, Germany. The Second Meeting of the Parties to the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA MOP- 2) will be held after the COP from 25-27 September in Bonn. For more information on this meeting and others relating to the CMS contact: CMS Secretariat; tel: +49-228-815-2401/2; e-mail: cms@unep.de; Internet: http://www.wcmc.org.uk/cms/events.htm NINTH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE: CGRFA-9 will meet in October 2002 in Rome at a date yet to be determined. For more information contact: FAO; tel: +39- 06-5705-2287; Internet: http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/AGRICULT/cgrfa/meetings.htM CITES COP-12: This meeting will take place from 3-15 November 2002 in Santiago, Chile. For more information contact: CITES Secretariat; tel: +41-22-917-8139; e-mail: cites@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.cites.org/eng/news/calendar.shtml 17TH SESSION OF THE GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FORUM: The GBF17 will be convened from 15-17 November 2002 in Valencia, Spain, immediately prior to the Eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention. GBF17 will address the following five key issues: The World Summit on Sustainable Development: the Future for the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands; Agriculture, Wetlands and Water Resources; Wetlands, People and Climate: Preparing for Change; the List of Ramsar Wetlands: Enhancing the Framework and National Implementation; and Wetlands Restoration and Mitigation. For more information contact: Caroline Martinet, IUCN; tel: +41- 22-999-0216; fax: +41-22-999-0025; e-mail: caroline.martinet@iucn.org; Internet: http://www.gbf.ch/present_session.asp?no=27&lg=EN 25TH SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION: The Commission will meet from 30 June - 5 July 2003 in Rome, Italy. For more information contact: Secretariat of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme; fax: +39-06-5705-4593; e-mail: codex@fao.org FIFTH WORLD PARKS CONGRESS - BENEFITS BEYOND BOUNDARIES: This event will take place from 8-17 September 2003 in Durban, South Africa. The congress occurs once each decade and is sponsored by the IUCN. For more information visit: http://wcpa.iucn.org/wpc/wpc.html CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT BASEL CONVENTION WORKING GROUPS: The Basel Convention’s various working groups will meet a number of times during 2002. The 20th session of the Technical Working Group will take place from 20-21 May, and the second joint meeting of the Legal and Technical Working Groups will be held from 20-23 May. The fifth session of the Legal Working Group will meet from 24-25 May, while the Working Group for Implementation is expected to convene from 27-31 May. For more information contact: Basel Secretariat; tel: +41-22- 917-8218; e-mail: sbc@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.basel.int POPS INC-6: The sixth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for an International Legally Binding Instrument for Implementing International Action on Certain Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPS INC-6) will be held from 17-22 June 2002 in Geneva, Switzerland. For more information contact: tel: +41-22- 917-8193; fax: +41-22-797-3460; e-mail: pops@unep.ch JOINT FAO-WHO MEETING ON PESTICIDE RESIDUES: The 27th 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) is scheduled for 20-29 September 2002 in Rome. For more information contact: Amelia Tejada, FAO; tel: +39- 6-5705-4010; Internet: http://www.fao.org/waicent/FaoInfo/Agricult/AGP/AGPP/Pesticid/Even ts/c.htm FAO PANEL OF EXPERTS ON PESTICIDE SPECIFICATIONS, REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS, APPLICATION STANDARDS AND PRIOR INFORMED CONSENT: The 19th session of the Panel is scheduled for 27-29 October 2002, in Rome, Italy. 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 PIC INC-9: The ninth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for an International Legally Binding Instrument for the Application of the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade is tentatively scheduled for 30 September - 4 October 2002 in Bonn, Germany. For more information contact the interim Secretariat: Niek van der Graaff, FAO; tel: +39-6-5705-3441; fax: +39-6-5705- 6347; 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/ BASEL CONVENTION COP-6: The Sixth Conference of the Parties (COP- 6) to the Basel Convention is scheduled to be held from 9-13 December 2002 in Geneva, Switzerland. For more information contact: Secretariat of the Basel Convention; tel: +41-22-979 8218; fax: +41-22-797 3454; e-mail: sbc@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.basel.int FOURTH SESSION OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL FORUM ON CHEMICAL SAFETY (IFCS): FORUM IV is scheduled to be held from 1-7 November 2003 in Bangkok, Thailand, with FORUM V taking place in Hungary in late 2005 or 2006. For more information contact: IFCS Executive Secretary; tel: +41-22-791-3650; e-mail: ifcs@who.ch; Internet: http://www.ifcs.ch CLIMATE AND ATMOSPHERE CONFERENCE ON POWER FROM RENEWABLES - CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD: This conference is taking place from 1-2 April 2002 in New Delhi, India. Organized by the Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI), it aims to provide a platform for formulating strategies to allow electricity generation based on renewable resources to be taken up in India and other developing countries. For more information contact: TERI; tel: +91-11-468-2100 ext. 2127; fax: +91-11-468- 2144; e-mail : ydbabu@teri.res.in; Internet: http://www.teriin.org/events/docs/powerfmrenew.htm INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT: This conference will take place from 8-9 April 2002 in Manchester, UK. The conference will consider the challenge of climate change and its effects on buildings, their occupants and sustainability. Topics to be addressed include the implications of the Kyoto Protocol for the built environment, and how various countries are dealing with climate change relating to the built environment. For more information contact: H. McCaffery; tel: +44- 161-200-4252; Internet: http://www.umist.ac.uk PROGRAMME ON CLIMATE CHANGE - SCIENCE, IMPACTS AND POLICY RESPONSES: This event will take place from 15-19 April 2002 at Imperial College, London, UK. For more information contact: Ulrika Wernmark; tel: +44-20-7594-6886; fax: +44-20-7594-6883; e-mail: u.wernmark@ic.ac.uk; Internet: http://www.ad.ic.ac.uk/cpd/climate.htm ASIA BIO-FUELS 2002 CONFERENCE: This meeting will be held from 22- 23 April 2002 in Singapore. It will address the development of bio-fuels projects in Asia, including case studies, analysis of the economic and social benefits from bio-fuels application, and evaluation of technology options for fast track project implementation. For more information contact: Juliana Lim; tel: +65-732-1970; fax: +65-733-5087; e-mail: juliana.lim@ibcasia.com.sg; Internet: http://www.ibc-asia.com/biofuels.htm CONFERENCE ON EU AND GERMAN CLIMATE POLICY - CHALLENGES BEFORE THE ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE KYOTO PROTOCOL: This meeting will be held from 6-8 May 2002 in Hamburg, Germany. Organized by the Hamburg Institute of International Economics, the conference will focus on the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol in the EU, challenges with regard to EU national climate strategies, internal EU emissions trading, integration of EU accession countries, the role of the Kyoto mechanisms, and EU strategies for achieving entry into force. For more information contact: Axel Michaelowa, Hamburg Institute of International Economics; tel: +49-404-283-4309; fax: +49-404-283-4451; e-mail: michaelowa@hwwa.de; Internet: http://www.hwwa.de/climate.htm CONFERENCE AND WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND CHANGE AND THEIR HEALTH EFFECTS IN THE CARIBBEAN: This conference will take place from 21-25 May 2002 in Bridgetown, Barbados. The conference is being sponsored by the Pan-American Health Organization and the WHO under the auspices of the Interagency Network on Climate and Human Health. Participants will consider climate variability and climate change, linkages between climate and human health, and public health policies and strategies for adaptation to climate variability and change. For more information visit: http://www.cpc.paho.org 16TH SESSION OF THE UNFCCC SUBSIDIARY BODIES: SB-16 will take place in Bonn, Germany, from 3-14 June 2002. For more information contact: UNFCCC Secretariat; tel: +49-228-815-1000; fax: +49-228- 815-1999; e-mail: secretariat@unfccc.de; Internet: http://www.unfccc.de FIRST MEETING OF THE BUREAU OF THE 13TH MEETING OF THE PARTIES TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL: This bureau meeting will be held on 22 July 2002 in Geneva, Switzerland. For more information contact: Ozone Secretariat; tel: +254-2-62-1234; Internet: http://www.unep.org/ozone 22ND OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP MEETING OF THE PARTIES TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL: This meeting will take place from 23-25 July 2002 in Geneva, Switzerland. For more information contact: Ozone Secretariat; tel: +254-2-62-1234 or 62-3850; Internet: http://www.unep.org/ozone EIGHTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE UNFCCC: COP-8 is provisionally planned to take place from 23 October - 1 November 2002 in New Delhi, India. For more information contact: UNFCCC Secretariat; tel: +49-228-815-1000; fax: +49-228-815-1999; e-mail: secretariat@unfccc.int; Internet: http://www.unfccc.int/ 14TH MEETING OF THE PARTIES TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL: The 14th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol and Sixth Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention will be held from 25-29 November 2002 in Rome, Italy. For more information contact: Ozone Secretariat; tel: +254-2-62-1234 or 62-3850; Internet: http://www.unep.org/ozone/meet2002.shtml FORESTS, DESERTS AND LAND SYMPOSIUM ON 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: Odette de Heer Kloots; tel: +27-21-762-8600; e-mail: desertification@globalconf.co.za; Internet: http://des2002.az.blm.gov/homepage.htm MANAGEMENT, CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF ALL TYPES OF FORESTS: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IPF/IFF PROPOSALS FOR ACTION: This workshop, sponsored by Australia, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and others, will be held in Nadi, Fiji, from 15-17 April 2002. The workshop will aim to assist Pacific Island countries and regional programmes to evaluate their progress toward implementation of the IPF/IFF proposals for action, and is expected to contribute to the UNFF’s work. For more information contact: Peter Lawrence, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia; tel: +61-2-6272-5479; fax: +61-2-6272-4875; e-mail: peter.lawrence@affa.gov.au; Internet: http://www.affa.gov.au INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DROUGHT MITIGATION AND PREVENTION OF LAND DESERTIFICATION: This conference will take place from 21-25 April 2002 in Bled, Slovenia. Co-organized by the European Regional Working Group of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage, this event will discuss: the impact of climate change on the Central and East European and Mediterranean countries; national strategies and action programmes to mitigate drought; and international cooperation for solving related common drought problems. For more information contact: e-mail: SDNO- SINCID@guest.arnes.si; Internet: http://www2.arnes.si/~ljsdno2/eng7.htm MCPFE PREPARATORY GROUP ON NATIONAL FOREST PROGRAMMES: This meeting will be held from 24-26 April 2002 in Riga, Latvia. It is convened by the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE) and is open to participants and observers of the MCPFE. For more information contact: Peter Mayer, Liaison Unit Vienna; tel: +43-1-710-7702; fax: +43-1-710-77-0213; e-mail: liaison.unit@lu-vienna.at; Internet: http://www.mcpfe.org FOREST LEADERSHIP FORUM - COLLABORATIVE PATHWAYS TO RESPONSIBLE TRADE: The Forest Leadership Forum on Collaborative Pathways to Responsible Trade will be held from 25-27 April, 2002, in Atlanta, Georgia, US. The Forum will convene environmentalists, the forest products industry and retailers and buyers to highlight shared values and opportunities to promote trade in responsible forest products. For more information contact: the Certified Forest Products Council; tel: +1-503-224-2205; e-mail: membership@certifiedwood.org; Internet: http://www.forestleadershipforum.org INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER COUNCIL: The 32nd session of the International Tropical Timber Council will take place from 13-18 May 2002, in Bali, Indonesia, and the 33rd session will be held from 4-9 November 2002, in Yokohama, Japan. For more information contact: International Tropical Timber Organization; tel: +81-45- 223-1110; fax: +81-45-223-1111; e-mail: itto@itto.or.jp; Internet: http://www.itto.or.jp MCPFE EXPERT LEVEL MEETINGS: The meetings will be held from 10-11 June and 7-8 October 2002 in Vienna, Austria. They are being convened by MCPFE and are open to participants and observers of the MCPFE. For more information contact: Peter Mayer, Liaison Unit Vienna; tel: +43-1-710-7702; fax: +43-1-710-7702-13; e-mail: liaison.unit@lu-vienna.at; Internet: http://www.mcpfe.org INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PROTECTING NATURE ON PRIVATE LAND - FROM CONFLICTS TO AGREEMENTS: This conference will take place from 12-15 June 2002 in Lahti, Finland. The conference will discuss issues related to the collision of interests between nature conservation and land ownership. For more information contact: Päivi Tikka; tel: +358-9-191-58807; e-mail: paivi.tikka@helsinki.fi; Internet: http://www.efi.fi/events/2002/Protecting_Nature/ 18TH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE: This congress will take place from 21-28 July 2002 in Montreal, Canada. The theme of this conference is “Food Production under Conditions of Water Scarcity, Increasing Population and Environmental Pressures.” For more information contact: Jean-Marcel Laferriere; tel: +1-819-953-4327; fax: +1-819-994-0251; e-mail: jeanmarc_laferriere@acdi-cida.gc.ca; Internet: http://www.cancid.org CONTRIBUTION OF CRITERIA AND INDICATORS TO SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT: A WAY FORWARD: This international conference will be held from 22-26 July 2002, in Guatemala City, Guatemala. The conference is being organized as a follow-up to recommendations made by the Expert Meeting on Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management held in Rome in 2000. For more information contact: Glenda Lee, Coordinator, Local Organizing Committee; tel: +502-379-9830; fax: +502-475-4407; e-mail: cici2002@inab.gob.gt or calamo@gua.net; Internet: http://www.inab.gob.gt WILDLIFE SHRUB SYMPOSIUM XII: This meeting will take place from 12-16 August 2002 in Laramie, Wyoming, USA. Organized by the University of Wyoming, the symposium topic is “Seed and Soil Dynamics in Shrubland Ecosystems.” For more information contact: Ann Hild, Symposium Chair; tel: +1-307-766-5471; e-mail: AnnHils@uwyo.edu; Internet: http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/renewableresources/shrub_conf.htm 17TH WORLD CONGRESS OF SOIL SCIENCE: This meeting will take place from 14-21 August 2002, in Bangkok, Thailand, and will address the issue of “Soil Science: Confronting New Realities in the 21st Century.” For more information contact: Secretariat, 17th WCSS; tel: +662-940-5787, 9405-7078; fax: +662-940-5788; e-mail: o.sfst@nontri.ku.ac.th; Internet: http://www.17wcss.ku.ac.th 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 INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON LAND USE MANAGEMENT, EROSION AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION: This colloquium will be held from 24-28 September 2002 in Montpellier, France. Separate sessions on a biological approach to soil and water conservation and soil erosion and carbon sequestration will be convened. For more information contact: Eric Roose; tel: +33-0-467-41-6265; fax: +33- 0-467-41-6294; e-mail: roose@mpl.ird.fr; Internet: http://www.ird.fr CONFERENCE ON BRINGING BACK THE FORESTS: POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR DEGRADED LANDS AND FORESTS: This international conference, which will be held from 7-10 October 2002, will address solutions to rehabilitation challenges in the forests and grasslands of Asia and the Pacific. For more information contact: Alias Abdul Jalil, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM); tel: +60-3-6272-2516; fax: +60-3-6277-3249; e-mail: foreconf@apafri.upm.edu.my; Internet: http://www.apafri.upm.edu.my/mod/abc.html FIRST MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE REVIEW OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION (CRIC): This meeting will take place from 18-29 November 2002 in Geneva. For more information contact: CCD Secretariat; tel: +49-228-815- 2802; fax: +49-228-815-2898/99; e-mail: secretariat@unccd.int; Internet: http://www.unccd.int/cop/cric1/menu.php SYMPOSIUM ON HISTORY AND FOREST BIODIVERSITY - CHALLENGES FOR CONSERVATION: This symposium, sponsored by IUFRO, will be held from 13-15 January 2003, in Leuven, Belgium. The symposium will focus on the effects of history on the species composition and richness of forests. For more information contact: Sofie Bruneel, Laboratory for Forest, Nature and Landscape Research, Catholic University of Leuven; tel: +32-16-32-97-21; fax +32-16-32-97-60; e-mail: sofie.bruneel@agr.kuleuven.ac.be; Internet: http://www.agr.kuleuven.ac.be/lbh/lbnl/forestbiodiv/ SECOND INTERNATIONAL EXPERT CONSULTATION ON THE ROLE OF PLANTED FORESTS: The second International Expert Consultation on the role of Planted Forests (ECPF) will be held from 24-30 March 2003, in Wellington, New Zealand. The meeting will aim to, inter alia, promote the role of planted forests and identify ways to maximize their contribution to global sustainable forest managements. For more information contact: ECPF Secretariat; tel: +64-4-498-9847; fax: +64-4-498-9891; e-mail: plantedforestrymeeting@maf.govt.nz; Internet: http://www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/unff-planted-forestry-meeting FOURTH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON THE PROTECTION OF FORESTS IN EUROPE: The fourth Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe will be held from 28-30 April 2003 in Vienna, Austria. The European ministers responsible for forests will take further decisions to promote the progress towards the protection and sustainable management of forests in Europe. The Conference will be held under the joint chairmanship of Austria and Poland and is open to participants and observers of the MCPFE. For more information contact: Peter Mayer, Liaison Unit Vienna; tel: +43-1- 710-7702; fax: +43-1-710-77-0213; e-mail: liaison.unit@lu-vienna.at; Internet: http://www.mcpfe.org THIRD SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS FORUM ON FORESTS: UNFF-3 will be held from 26 May-6 June 2003, in Geneva, Switzerland. Delegates will discuss a variety of issues, including: means of implementation; progress in implementation, specifically related to economic aspects of forests, forest health and productivity, and maintaining forest cover to meet present and future needs; and common items. For more information contact: Mia Soderlund, UNFF Secretariat; tel: + 1-212-963-3262; fax: +1-212-963-4260; e-mail: unff@un.org; Internet: http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/forests.htm 12TH WORLD FORESTRY CONGRESS: This congress will take place from 21-28 September 2003 in Québec City, Québec, Canada. For more information contact: World Forestry Congress 2003; tel: +1-418- 694-2424; fax: +1-418-694-9922; e-mail: sec-gen@wfc2003.org; Internet: http://www.wfc2003.org SIXTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION: CCD COP-6 is scheduled to take place from 19-31 October 2003 in Bonn, Germany, unless another country offers to host the meeting. For more information contact: CCD Secretariat; tel: +49-228-815-2800; fax: +49-228-815-2898/99; e-mail: secretariat@unccd.int; Internet: http://www.unccd.int FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LAND DEGRADATION AND DESERTIFICATION: This meeting will be held in 2004 in Murcia, Spain. For more information contact: Ángel Faz Cano; e-mail: angel.fazcano@upct.es 19TH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE (ICID): This congress will be held in Beijing, China from 10-18 September 2005. For more information contact: Chinese National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage; tel: +86-10-6841-5522/6841-6506; e-mail: cncid@iwhr.com HUMAN DEVELOPMENT 35TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT: This meeting is being held from 1-4 April 2002 at UN Headquarters in New York. It will address the issue of “Reproductive rights and reproductive health, with special reference to HIV/AIDS.” The 36th Session in 2003 will focus on “Population, education and development.” For more information contact: Population Division; tel: +1-212-963-3179; fax: +1-212-963-2147; Internet: http://www.un.org/esa/population/cpd/comm2002.htm SECOND WORLD ASSEMBLY ON AGEING: This UN conference will be held in Madrid, Spain from 8-12 April 2002, 20 years after the Vienna World Assembly on Ageing. The meeting will review the outcome of the first Assembly, and will adopt a revised plan of action and long-term strategy on ageing. For more information contact: Alexandre Sidorenko; e-mail: sidorenko@un.org; Internet: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/ageing THE URBAN FORUM: This forum will take place from 29 April - 3 May 2002 in Nairobi, Kenya. The forum will focus on international cooperation in shelter and urban development and will serve as an advisory body to the UN-Habitat on these issues. For more information contact: Joseph Mungai; tel: +254-2-623133; e-mail: Joseph.Mungai@unchs.org; Internet: http://www.unhabitat.org/uf UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY SPECIAL SESSION ON CHILDREN: The UN General Assembly's Special Session on Children is planned for 8-10 May 2002 in New York. The meeting, which was originally scheduled for 19-21 September 2001, is a follow-up to the 1990 conference that set the guidelines for governments, interest groups and UN agencies to improve child education, healthcare and living conditions, with a focus on young girls and the poorest nations. For more information visit: http://www.unicef.org/specialsession/ INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF MOUNTAIN CHILDREN 2002: This conference will take place from 15-23 May 2002 in Uttaranchal, India. For more information contact: e-mail: catalyst@bol.net.in or rachnadd@nde.vsnl.com GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON CELEBRATING MOUNTAIN WOMEN: This conference will be held from 28-31 May 2002 in Kathmandu, Nepal. This event will give mountain women a forum through which to articulate their concerns and share experiences and ideas about the future of mountain livelihoods and cultures. For more information contact: Ojaswi Josse; tel: +977-1-525313x418; fax: 524509; e-mail: ojaswi@icimod.org.np; Internet: http://www.mtnforum.org/calendar/events/0205mwaa.htm 27TH CEDAW SESSION: This CEDAW session will be held from 3-21 June 2002 at the UN Headquarters in New York. For more information contact: Women's Rights Unit; fax: +1-212-963-3463; e-mail: connorsj@un.org; Internet: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/ STOCKHOLM PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUSTAINABLE CITIES EVENT: This event, which will include a conference and an exhibit along with a competition and award session, is scheduled for 5-8 June 2002 in Stockholm, Sweden. The event will showcase methods to achieve urban sustainability worldwide, and commemorate the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment. For more information contact: Adam Holmstrom; tel: +46-8-508-28017; e-mail: adam.holmstrom@partnerships.stockholm.se; Internet: http://www.partnerships.stockholm.se 28TH SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON WORLD FOOD SECURITY: CFS-28 is tentatively scheduled to take place from 6-8 June 2002 in Rome, Italy, prior to the World Food Summit. For more information contact: Barbara Huddleston, FAO; e-mail: Barbara.Huddleston@fao.org; Internet: http://www.fao.org/unfao/bodies/cfs/default.htm WORLD FOOD SUMMIT - FIVE YEARS LATER: This meeting will be held from 10-13 June 2002 in Rome, Italy. Participants will review progress made towards the 1996 World Food Summit goal of reducing the number of hungry people by half by 2015, and consider ways to accelerate the process. For more information contact: fax: +39-06- 570-55249; e-mail: food-summit@fao.org; Internet: http://www.fao.org/worldfoodsummit/ CONFERENCE ON MEGACITIES - NIGHTMARE OR CHANCES FOR THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES?: This conference is being held on 17 June 2002 in Hanover, Germany. For more information visit: http://www.kas.de/international/konferenz02-06-17/index_en.html WOMEN'S WORLD 2002 - EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY CONGRESS ON WOMEN: This meeting will be held from 21-26 July 2002 in Kampala, Uganda. The theme of the Congress is “Gendered Worlds: Gains and Challenges” and the sub-themes have been selected to ensure special focus on African Perspectives, Young Voices, Celebrating Multiculturalism and Diversity, and North-South Perspectives. For more information visit: http://www.makerere.ac.ug/womenstudies/congress2/index.htm EXCEPTIONAL CEDAW SESSION: An additional CEDAW session is tentatively scheduled for 5-23 August 2002 at the UN Headquarters in New York, due to the fact that many states have reports pending review. For more information contact: Women's Rights Unit; fax: +1-212-963-3463; e-mail: connorsj@un.org; Internet: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/ YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SUMMIT: This Summit will be held from 11-16 September 2002 in Alexandria, Egypt. Hosted by the Government of Egypt, the goal of the Summit is to launch a “Decade Campaign of Action so that an additional 500 million young adults, especially youth facing poverty, will have productive and sustainable livelihoods by the year 2012.” For more information contact: Christina Dimitrova, YES Secretariat; tel: +1-617-618-2741; fax: +1-617-969-4902; e-mail: info@youthemploymentsummit.org; Internet: http://www.youthemploymentsummit.org/html/mainpage_h.htm SECOND WORLD MEETING OF MOUNTAIN POPULATIONS: This meeting will take place from 17-21 September 2002 in Quito, Ecuador. Representatives of 115 countries will discuss the challenges facing mountain communities worldwide. For more information contact: e-mail: cedime@ecuanex.net.ec; Internet: http://www.mtnforum.org/calendar/events/0209wmma.htm SYMPOSIUM ON CHALLENGES FACING SMALL FARMERS: This meeting will be held from 17-20 November 2002 in Orlando, Florida, USA. Organized by the International Farming Systems Association, the theme will be small farms in an ever-changing world: meeting the challenges of sustainable livelihoods and food security in diverse rural communities. For more information visit: http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/ifsa INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WOMEN, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION: This conference will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal, in March 2003, and will address issues such as environment and natural resources management, women and information technology, and rural/indigenous technology conservation and utilization. For more information contact: Conference Organizers; tel: +977-1-262741; fax: +977-1-547713; e-mail: kayodevi@hotmail.com; Internet: http://www.panasia.org.sg/nepalnet/ronastup.htm INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS GEF REPLENISHMENT MEETING: A meeting on the Third Replenishment of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) will take place from 8-9 April 2002 in Copenhagen, Denmark. For more information visit: http://www.gefweb.org/ 14TH ANNUAL BANK CONFERENCE ON DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS: This conference will be held from 29-30 April 2002 in Washington, DC. The Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics (ABCDE) presents and discusses new knowledge about development. For more information contact: Boris Pleskovic, conference organizer; fax: +1-202-522-0304; e-mail: abcde@worldbank.org; Internet: http://econ.worldbank.org/abcde/index.php OECD FORUM 2002: This Forum will take place from 13-15 May 2002 in Paris. The OECD Forum is an international public conference offering business, labor and civil society the opportunity to discuss key issues with government ministers and leaders of international organizations. With the overarching theme of “Taking Care of the Fundamentals: Security, Equity, Education and Growth,” the Forum will allow participants to shape the outcome of the OECD annual ministerial summit meeting to be held on 15-16 May 2002. For more information contact: OECD Forum; fax: +33-1-4430-6346; e-mail: oecd.forum@oecd.org; Internet: http://www1.oecd.org/forum2002/ OECD MINISTERIAL SUMMIT: This meeting will take place from 15-16 May 2002 in Paris. For more information contact: OECD; tel: +33-1- 4524-8200; Internet: http://www1.oecd.org/media/upcoming.htm 164TH SESSION OF THE UNESCO EXECUTIVE BOARD: This session will take place from 13-31 May 2002 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. For more information contact: UNESCO Secretariat; fax: +33-1-45- 685702; e-mail: secretariat-exb@unesco.org; Internet: http://www.unesco.org/exboard/dates.html GEF NGO CONSULTATIONS, COUNCIL MEETINGS AND ASSEMBLY: The Global Environment Facility will be holding NGO consultations on 14 May 2002 prior to its next Council Meeting, which will take place from 15-17 May 2002 in Washington, DC. The GEF will also hold NGO consultations on 13 October 2002 before the Council meets from 14- 15 October in Beijing, China. The GEF Assembly will convene from 16-18 October 2002 in Beijing. For more information contact: GEF Secretariat; tel: 1-202-473-0508; fax: +1-202-522-3240/3245; e-mail: secretariatofgef@worldbank.org; Internet: http://www.gefweb.org UNDP/UNFPA EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING: The Annual Session of the UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board will take place from 17-28 June 2002 in Geneva. For more information contact: UNFPA; fax: +1-212-557-6416; Internet: http://www.unfpa.org/exbrd or UNDP; fax: +1-212-906-5634; Internet: http://www.undp.org/execbrd/dates2002.htm ANNUAL MEETINGS OF THE IMF/WORLD BANK GROUP: The annual meetings of the IMF/World Bank will take place from 1-2 October 2002 in Washington, DC, and from 23-24 September 2003 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. For more information visit: http://www.imf.org/external/am/index.htm UNEP GOVERNING COUNCIL: The 22nd regular session of the UNEP Governing Council is scheduled for 3-7 February 2003 in Nairobi, Kenya. For more information contact: UNEP; tel: +254-2-621234; fax: +254-2-624489/90; e-mail: cpiinfo@unep.org; Internet: http://www.unep.org TRADE AND INVESTMENT SUSTAINABLE FINANCE FOR CONSERVATION IN AFRICA - A CONFERENCE FOR AFRICAN ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDS: This conference will be held from 3-6 April 2002 in Serena Lake Manyara Lodge, Tanzania. The event will be the first African forum to bring together environmental funds operating on the continent, offering opportunities for African funds to learn from conservation finance experts and environmental funds from around the world as well as from each other. For more information contact: Ray Victurine, Conference Coordinator, Wildlife Conservation Society; e-mail: rvicturine@conservationfinance.org; Internet: http://www.conservationfinance.org WTO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT: During 2002, this committee will hold Special Sessions on 9 April, 16 May, 14 June, 2 July, 17 July, 16 September, 7 and 9 October, and 6 December. It is also scheduled to meet on 25 April, 1 July, and 8 October. 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 PUBLIC HEARING: FROM RIO VIA DOHA TO JOHANNESBURG - COUNTERBALANCING THE WTO WITH STRONG ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RULES: This meeting will be held on 17 April 2002 in Brussels, Belgium. It is being organized by Friends of the Earth Europe and will address environmental governance and alternatives to trade and investment liberalization. For more information contact: Friends of the Earth Europe; e-mail: alexandra.wandel@foeeurope.org; Internet: http://www.foeeurope.org/trade/wto/WTOWSSDhearing.htm CONFERENCE ON THE FUTURE OF WEALTH ON EARTH - OPPORTUNITIES AND RISKS FOR INVESTORS, CORPORATIONS, AND ACTIVISTS IN A CHANGING GLOBAL CLIMATE: This conference will be held from 17-19 April 2002 in Washington, DC, USA. Organized by the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES), it will provide a forum for executives, environmentalists, economists, investors, managers, policymakers, social activists, and analysts to discuss and identify concrete solutions to today's environmental, energy security, and related economic concerns. For further information contact: Sarah Raposa, CERES; e-mail: raposa@ceres.org; Internet: http://www.ceres.org/conference/2002/overview.htm WTO COUNCIL FOR TRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS: During 2002, this committee will hold Special Sessions on 18 April, 28 June, and 20 September. It is also scheduled to meet in regular sessions from 25-27 June, 17-19 September and 25-27 November. 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 NORDIC PARTNERSHIP FORUM: This forum will take place from 18-19 April 2002 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The outcome of the Nordic Partnership - a network of Nordic corporate entities, WWF and House of Mandag Morgen that worked together to develop a new business model for sustainable development - will be presented at this Forum. This event will gather business leaders from the Nordic countries to discuss corporate leadership and to build new partnerships with key players from governments, NGOs, financial markets and international organizations. For more information visit: http://www.nordicpartnership.org/ WTO PUBLIC SYMPOSIUM – THE DOHA DEVELOPMENT AGENDA AND BEYOND: The WTO is hosting a public symposium from 29 April to 1 May 2002 in Geneva on the challenges and opportunities arising from the Doha Ministerial Declaration. Participants from governments, parliaments, civil society, academia and the media are expected to discuss how the new negotiations can address key challenges facing the multilateral trading system. For more information contact: Bernard Kuiten; tel: +41-22-739-5676; e-mail: Bernard.kuiten@wto.org or Hans-Peter Werner; tel: +41-22-739-5286; e-mail: Peter.Werner@wto.org; Internet: http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dda_e/symp_devagenda_02_e.htm INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEW ROUND - TRADE, INVESTMENT AND ENVIRONMENT AFTER DOHA: This conference is scheduled to take place from 13-14 May 2002 in London, UK. Organized by the Royal Institute of International Affairs, the conference will consider the major issues arising from the Doha Declaration and assess what the new round will bring to discussions on multilateral environmental agreements, dispute settlement, institutional changes, investment and services, agriculture and fisheries, and the role and position of developing countries. For more information contact: Georgina Wright, Chatham House, London; tel: +44-20-7957-5700; fax: +22-7957-5710; e-mail: gwright@riia.org; Internet: http://www.riia.org/Conferences/conf.html WTO SUB-COMMITTEE ON LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES: During 2002, this committee is scheduled to meet on 24 May and 7 November. 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 ARE WE MINDING THE GAP? – CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS AND THE CHALLENGE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: This event will be held on 28 May 2002 in London, UK. Organized by the International Finance Corporation and Financial Times Conferences, this event will seek to give business leaders a better understanding of the increasing role sustainability is playing in the private sector and to demonstrate strategies and practices showing the value of sustainability to business. For more information contact: Customer Services; tel: +44-20-7873-3262; e-mail: FTConferences@FT.com; Internet: http://www.ftconferences.com/dynamic/conferences/2002/ Sustainable.htm?Poe_Session=4d9f3ac167055c333b97b53cd01e386b WTO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT: During 2002, this committee will hold Special Sessions from 11-12 June and 10-11 October. It is also scheduled to meet from 13-14 June and 8-9 October in regular sessions. 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 WTO COMMITTEE ON SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES: During 2002, this committee is scheduled to meet from 18-20 June and 7-8 November. 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 WTO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE: During 2002, this committee will hold Special Sessions from 23-25 September and 18-20 and 22 November. It is also scheduled to meet on 26 September and 21 November in regular sessions. 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 WATER, WETLANDS AND COASTS REGIONAL AND SUB-REGIONAL MEETINGS UNDER THE RAMSAR CONVENTION: Prior to the Eighth Conference of the Parties (COP-8) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 2002, a number of preparatory regional and sub-regional meetings are taking place. The Central/North Africa meeting is provisionally scheduled for 14-18 May in Nigeria. The Middle East meeting will be held in May in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and the Neotropics and North America meeting will be held in Ecuador in July, exact dates to be set later. For more information visit: http://www.ramsar.org/cop8_regionalmeetings_schedule.htm AFRICAN MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON WATER: This meeting will take place in March/April 2002 in Abuja, Nigeria. Resolving to institutionalize ministerial level policy dialogue on water issues, African ministers have convened this event to encourage systematic intergovernmental dialogue on the water and sanitation problems facing Africa. For more information contact: Muhammad Abubakar, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Nigeria; tel: +234- 9-234-2205; e-mail: makabubakar@hotmail.com WORLD WATER CONGRESS 2002: This congress will take place from 7-12 April 2002 in Melbourne, Australia. Organized by the International Water Association, it will focus on issues such as water cycle management, particularly in South-East Asia. For more information contact: Secretariat; tel: +61-2-9410-1302; fax: +61-2-9410-0036; e-mail: quitz@bigpond.net.au; Internet: http://www.enviroaust.net/ THIRD MEETING OF THE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS TO FACILITATE THE ANNUAL REVIEW BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF DEVELOPMENTS IN OCEAN AFFAIRS: This meeting will take place from 8-15 April 2002 in New York. Delegates will focus on protection and preservation of the marine environment, and on capacity-building, regional cooperation and coordination, and integrated ocean management. For more information visit: http://www.un.org/Depts/los/consultative_process/consultative_proc ess.htm 12TH MEETING OF THE STATES PARTIES TO THE UN CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE SEA: This meeting will be held from 16-26 April 2002 in New York. For more information contact: UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea; tel: +1-212-963-3972; e-mail: doalos@un.org; Internet: http://www.un.org/Depts/los/index.htm H2O AMERICAS CONFERENCE: This conference will take place from 24- 26 April 2002 in San Diego, California, USA. The conference will convene government regulators, financiers and investors, water use and treatment experts, water management companies, and others in the water industry to collaborate in sharing project information, stimulating investments, and helping Latin America improve access to water and address water shortage. For more information contact: Colleen Morton, Vice President and Director, Water Program; e-mail: colleen@iamericas.org; Internet: http://www.iamericas.org/events/event.html?isnw=1&eid=286 RAMSAR CONVENTION STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS: The Ramsar Convention Standing Committee subgroup on COP-8 will meet from 6-8 May 2002 in Gland, Switzerland. The 27th meeting will take place on 17 November 2002, prior to COP-8. For more information contact: Ramsar Secretariat, Gland, Switzerland; tel: +41-22-999-0170; e-mail: ramsar@ramsar.org; Internet: http://www.ramsar.org/meetings.htm 54TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION (IWC): This meeting will take place during the week starting 20 May 2002 in Shimonoseki, Japan. The Scientific Committee and Commission Committees and Working Groups will be meeting at the same venue. For more information contact: IWC Secretariat; tel: +44-12-2323- 3971; e-mail: secretariat@iwcoffice.org; Internet: http://www.iwcoffice.org INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WATER AND SANITATION SERVICES IN SMALL TOWNS AND MULTI-VILLAGE SCHEMES: This conference will be held from 11-15 June 2002 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Organized by the World Bank, the event will review the findings of the Small Towns and Multi-Village Systems Initiative, and present a case study synthesis report and conclusions on key ingredients for successful small town water supply. It will also launch a second phase of knowledge development, the “Town Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative,” which is expected to develop practical tools and take further the conclusions to the first phase of this applied research. For more information contact: Belete Muluneh; e-mail: bmuluneh@worldbank.org; Internet: http://www.wsp.org/english/afr/addis/addis_desc.pdf EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WETLAND SYSTEMS FOR WATER POLLUTION CONTROL: This conference will take place from 16-19 June 2002 in Arusha, Tanzania. The conference will bring together international scientists, engineers, managers and decision makers to summarize, review, and evaluate the state of the art research findings on use of constructed natural wetlands for water pollution control. For more information contact: J H Y Katima; tel: +255-22-241-0365; fax +255-22-241-0379; e-mail: wetconf@cpe.udsm.ac.tz; Internet: http://www.udsm.ac.tz/faculty/foe/wetlands/conference2002.html MEETING ON MANAGING SHARED WATERS - TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE TRANSBOUNDARY COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS: This meeting will convene from 24-28 June 2002 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. For more information contact: Managing Shared Waters; tel: +1-416-926-1907; fax: +1- 416-926-1601; e-mail: managing.shared.waters@pollutionprobe.org; Internet: http://www.pollutionprobe.org/managing.shared.waters/ THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WATER RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH: This meeting will take place from 22-25 July 2002 in Dresden, Germany. The aim of the conference is to facilitate interdisciplinary communication in the fields of ecological systems, sustainable management, development of water resources and conservation of natural systems. For more information contact: Cathleen Schimmek; tel: +49-351-463-33931; e-mail: icwrer2002@mailbox.tu-dresden.de; Internet: http://www.tu-dresden.de/fghhihm/hydrologie.html STOCKHOLM WATER SYMPOSIUM: This event will take place from 12-15 August 2002 in Stockholm, Sweden. For more information contact: tel: +46-8-522-139-61; fax: +08-56-31-10-16; e-mail: siwi@siwi.org; Internet: http://www.siwi.org/sws2002 CONFERENCE ON FISHERIES IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY: This event will take place from 19-22 August 2002 in Wellington, New Zealand. Organized by the International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade, this event will provide a forum for participants to consider the future management of fisheries. For more information contact: Organizer; tel: +64-4-389-3487; fax: +64-4-389-3457; e-mail: bruce.shallard@xtra.co.nz; Internet: http://www.iifet2002.co FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN COASTAL REGIONS - COASTAL ENVIRONMENT 2002: This conference will take place from 16-18 September 2002 in Rhodes, Greece. The fourth in a series, the conference will focus on topics that need to be recognized in order to help prevent, alleviate, or minimize environmental problems, allowing for a balanced use of the coastal regions as a common resource. For more information contact: Gabriella Cossutta, Conference Secretariat; tel: +44-238-029-3223; fax: +44-238-029-2853; e-mail: gcossutta@wessex.ac.uk; Internet: http://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2002/coastal02/ FOURTH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE - MANAGEMENT OF AQUIFER RECHARGE FOR SUSTAINABILITY: This symposium will be held from 22-26 September 2002 in Adelaide, Australia. For more information contact: Hartley Management Group; e-mail: isar4@hartleymgt.com.au; Internet: http://www.hartleymgt.com.au/isar4/ WORKSHOP ON THE ROLE OF WETLANDS IN BIOSPHERE RESERVES: This workshop will be held from 13-18 October 2002 in the Mikulov Chateau, Pálava Biosphere Reserve, in the Czech Republic. It is being organized by the Czech National Committee for UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB), the Czech Ramsar Committee and Palava Biosphere Reserve. For more information contact: Eva Jelinkova; tel: + 420-2-2240-3420; fax: + 420-2-2242-0531; e-mail: mab@kav.cas.cz; Internet: http://www.ramsar.org/w.n.czech_biosphere_workshop1.htm INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON URBAN HYDROLOGY: This conference will take place from 14-18 October 2002 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The theme for this meeting is “Induced Problems in Urban Environment Requiring Holistic Solutions for the New Millennium.” For more information contact: Mohd. Nor bin Mohd Desa; tel: +603-4255-2507; fax: +603-4256-1894; e-mail: htckl@pop.moa.my; Internet: http://htc.moa.my/htc/icuh2002/icuh2002.html FIRST INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON TRANSBOUNDARY WATER MANAGEMENT: This event will take place from 18-22 November 2002 in Monterrey, Mexico. The Symposium will review the main issues involved in the management of transboundary basins and aquifers. For more information contact: Javier Aparicio Mijares; tel: +52-777-320- 8671; fax: +52-777-319-4341; e-mail: aparicio@tlaloc.imta.mx; Internet: http://www.transboundarywatersmexico.org/ EIGHTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE RAMSAR CONVENTION ON WETLANDS: COP-8 is scheduled to convene in Valencia, Spain from 18-26 November 2002. The theme of this COP is “Wetlands: Water, Life, and Culture.” For more information contact: Ramsar Secretariat, Gland, Switzerland; tel: +41-22-999-0170; e-mail: ramsar@ramsar.org; Internet: http://www.ramsar.org.index_cop8.htm INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MOVING “FROM CONFLICT TO COOPERATION IN INTERNATIONAL WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT - CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES”: This conference will take place from 20-22 November 2002 at the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education in Delft, The Netherlands. Organized by UNESCO and Green Cross International as part of the World Water Assessment Programme, this conference will reflect on the WSSD, introduce the results from their joint programme on moving “From Potential Conflict to Co-operation Potential: Water for Peace” and discuss these issues with stakeholders. For more information contact: Alexander Otte, Division of Water Sciences, UNESCO, Paris; fax: +33-1-4568-5811; e-mail: pccp@unesco.org; Internet: http://www.unesco.org/water/wwap/pccp/events.shtml SECOND INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT - TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE WATER UTILIZATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY: This symposium will take place from 22-24 January 2003 in Western Cape, South Africa. For more information visit: http://www.unesco.org/water/water_events/Detailed/227.shtml THIRD WORLD WATER FORUM: The Third World Water Forum is scheduled to take place from 16-23 March 2003 in Kyoto, Japan. A Ministerial Conference will be held during the Forum, where Ministers will work towards framing and adopting a political declaration concerning global water problems. For more information contact: Forum Secretariat, Tokyo; tel: +81-3-5212-1645; e-mail: office@water-forum3.com; Internet: http://www.worldwaterforum.org INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PREVENTING AND FIGHTING HYDROLOGICAL DISASTERS: This conference will take place from 21-22 November 2002 in Timisoara, Romania, and will examine natural and accidental floods, hydrological drought, water quality and the impact on environment, as well as policies and strategies in water resources management. For more information contact: Gheorghe Cretu, Conference Secretariat; tel/fax: +40-56-221481; e-mail: gcr@mail.dnttm.ro; Internet: http://www.utt.ro/pfhd/ SECOND INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW MEETING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GLOBAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION: The second IGR meeting will be held in 2006. For more information contact: Veerle Vanderweerd, GPA Coordination Office; tel: +31-70-311-4460; fax: +31-70-345- 6648; e-mail: gpa@unep.nl; Internet: http://www.gpa.unep.org 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 the Editor Malena Sell at: malena@iisd.org STAFF Editor: Malena Sell malena@iisd.org Assistant Editor: Prisna Nuengsigkapian prisna@iisd.org Managing Editor: Langston James ‘‘Kimo’’ Goree VI kimo@iisd.org Proofreader/advisor: Chris Spence chris@iisd.org Submissions, corrections, requests for subscription information and correspondence should be sent to the editor at malena@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 malena@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), the United States (through USAID), the Swiss Agency for Environment, Forests and Landscape (SAEFL), the United Kingdom (through the Department for International Development -DfID, and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office), the European Commission (DG-ENV), the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Government of Germany (through the German Federal Ministry of Environment - BMU, and the German Federal Ministry of Development Cooperation - BMZ). General Support for the Bulletin during 2002 is provided by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Environment of Finland, the Government of Australia, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Environment of Norway, Swan International, and the Japan Environment Agency (through the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies – IGES).