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Highlights and images for 5 June 2017
World Circular Economy Forum 2017 (WCEF 2017)
WCEF2017 opened today in Helsinki, Finland, with a live performance of music and movement celebrating the country’s culture on this 100th anniversary of Finland’s independence. Over 1,500 people were in attendance at the Finlandia Hall venue and thousands more were expected to follow this highly interactive event on a livestream.
At a “Grand Opening” session, an introductory panel discussion was held on aligning the circular economy with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Panelists included: Mikko Kosonen, Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra; Kimmo Tiilikainen, Minister for Housing, Energy and the Environment, Finland; Matti Vanhanen, Member of Finnish Parliament; and Jan Vapaavuori, European Investment Bank and Mayor-elect of Helsinki.
Participants heard a welcoming address by Kosonen, as well as two keynote addresses. Janez Potočnik, UN Environment’s International Resources Panel, gave an overview of global use of natural resources, and Achim Steiner, Oxford Martin School, and incoming director of the UN Development Programme, addressed the circular economy as a means to achieve the SDGs and reduce poverty. A panel discussion on the Forum’s core themes was also convened.
Four parallel sessions were held in the afternoon using innovative formats to engage, inform and invite direct participation. The first addressed drivers of economic transition in the Nordics and beyond, in the form of a “game show” or back-casting exercise. Jocelyn Blériot, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, delivered a keynote address. The second parallel session featured 17 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) active in the area of circular economy. They each presented their business case in a short pitch, showing how their work supports implementation of the SDGs. The SME representatives then engaged in “interactive table talks” with participants.
The third parallel session addressed innovation challenges for the circular economy, highlighting how partnerships, collaboration and innovation challenges can drive circular innovation and systems transformation. This session culminated with the announcement of the LAUNCH Innovation Challenge 2017, which seeks circular economy innovations and solutions for design and manufacturing from around the world. The final parallel session addressed collective impact for sustainable consumption and a circular economy. Participants discussed ways in which businesses, governments and citizens can interact to generate “collective impact” for sustainable consumption globally. This session featured a keynote address by Kitty van der Heijden, World Resources Institute.
Participants then reconvened in plenary for a session on circular cities. Presentations were delivered by Dimitri Zenghelis, London School of Economics, and Hans Bruyninckx, European Environment Agency. Representatives from several cities implementing circular economy strategies shared success stories: Amsterdam (Netherlands), Peterborough (UK), Helsinki (Finland), Vancouver (Canada), New York (US), and Abuja (Nigeria).
In the evening, participants were entertained at an evening reception hosted by the City of Helsinki. Sitra Director Mari Pantser and Xaver Edelmann, President of the World Resources Forum, shared their impressions of the first day of WCEF2017.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily web highlights from WCEF 2017. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary report of WCEF 2017, which is available in HTML and PDF.
(L-R) Matti Vanhanen, Member of Finnish Parliament; Kimmo Tiilikainen, Minister for Housing, Energy and the Environment, Finland; and Mikko Kosonen, Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, during the opening panel
Janez Potočnik, UN Environment’s International Resources Panel
Achim Steiner, Oxford Martin School, and incoming director of the UN Development Programme
May Al-Karooni, Globechain (United Kingdom), during the SME pitch session
Esther Agricola, City of Amsterdam, and Katie Thomas, Share Peterborough, during the session on circular cities
WCEF2017 participants networking around the venue
Photos courtesy of Sari Gustafsson/Sitra
Highlights and images for 6 June 2017
World Circular Economy Forum 2017 (WCEF 2017)
WCEF2017 reconvened at the Finlandia Hall in Helsinki for the second and final day of formal deliberations. Sitra Director Mari Pantsar announced that Finland will host the Forum again in 2019. A Sitra partner will co-host the Forum in 2018.
At an opening plenary, some of the world’s business leaders who are pioneering the circular economy shared their insights and achievements in aligning their activities with action to address global mega-trends, including climate change and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their bottom line was: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” María Mendiluce launched the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) “CEO Guide to the Circular Economy” with Quentin Drewell of Accenture Strategy.
Four business representatives shared case studies of how their companies turned visions for the circular economy into leading business models: Isabel Fernandez, ING Bank; Matti Lievonen, Neste; Åsa Bergman, Sweco; and Karl-Henrik Sundström, Stora Enso.
The meeting continued in parallel sessions on: economic research on the circular economy; transformation to circular business models; forest-based bioeconomy and climate change mitigation; and circular by design - products in a circular economy. In the afternoon, parallel sessions were convened on: financing the circular economy; branding circularity for consumer value; future technologies for the circular economy; and supporting growth of circular SMEs.
The meeting was concluded in plenary with a “Grand Finale” moderated by Veera Heinonen, Sitra, and Peter Woodward, Quest Associates. Participants previewed a Sitra video capturing highlights of the Forum. Short statements followed from Daniel Calleja Crespo, European Commission; Ligia Noronha, UN Environment; Annika Rosing, Nordic Council of Ministers; Andrés Pesce, Fundacion Chile; László Borbély, Romanian Government; and Jennifer Gerholdt, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Corporate Citizenship Center. These speakers then engaged in an interactive discussion with the audience.
Heinonen and Woodward presented nine key messages summarizing the conclusions of WCEF2017. These messages flag opportunities to:
factor in the circular economy to our global economic model and mainstream thinking;
achieve the SDGs with the help of the circular economy;
drive the transition towards circular economy, particularly in businesses and cities;
use regulation and economic instruments such as national road maps and public procurement for advancing the circular economy;
generate economic growth and jobs while saving natural resources and reducing pollution with the circular economy;
invest in new technologies, new business models, digitization and innovation for a circular economy;
combat climate change with the circular economy to achieve carbon-neutral and resilient societies;
stop thinking about waste, and instead make it a valuable resource; and
consume services and produce more durable, repairable, reusable and recyclable products.
In a concluding statement, Mari Pantsar, Sitra, said circular economy is not only a necessity, but also “a tremendous opportunity for long-term prosperity and growth.”
Heinonen and Woodward closed the formal part of WCEF2017 at 5:00 pm. Informal networking and consultations continued during an evening reception at the City Hall, hosted by the City of Helsinki, and during various side events and field trips on Wednesday.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily web highlights from WCEF 2017. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary report of WCEF 2017, which is available in HTML and PDF.
Business Leaders Session
Quentin Drewell, Accenture Strategy
María Mendiluce, World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Participants during the Business Leaders session
Branding Circularity Session
Anirban Ghosh, Mahindra Group
Annachiara Torciano, Samsung Nordics
Around the Venue
A view of the Marketplace
Photos courtesy of Sari Gustafsson/Sitra
Highlights and images for 14 November 2016
Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) Public Hearing: Viet Nam Investigation
The first Public Hearing of the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) started today at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands, focusing primarily on the wildlife trafficking hub Nhi Khe in Viet Nam.
Opening statements were made by Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Executive Director of the WJC, and Director of Proceedings Ghida Fakhry, former news anchor for Al Jazeera. Swaak-Goldman explained that the aim of this first-ever Public Hearing was to demonstrate the massive scale of the illegal wildlife trade in Viet Nam and make a convincing case for urgent and decisive action to prosecute the criminal networks involved. Fakhrey emphasized that the aim of the event is not to put Viet Nam on trial, but to encourage the competent authorities to act. She said the Hearing would also provide an opportunity for the WJC Accountability Panel to consider the body of evidence prepared by the investigative teams and would seek to show the response of the Vietnamese authorities.
After hearing presentations from various perspectives, including the source region and youth, participants started their examination of the Map of Facts that includes a 5,000 page case file presenting evidence of the illegal wildlife trade in Nhi Khe over the past year. Marcus Asner, Member of the WJC Advisory Council, gave a brief overview of this evidence, noting that investigative visits since 2015 had directly observed animal parts and products amounting to more than US$53 million, representing at least 400 rhinos, 570 elephants and 158 tigers. He noted that the teams had also encountered a sprawling and “surprisingly open” market in the village of Nhi Khe.
Four investigators then presented different components of the Map of Facts. The presentations took the form of a “cross-examination” with Asner posing questions to the witnesses. The evidence included a vast amount of photographs and videos, investigator statements and broader analysis and internet research. Participants also heard expert testimonies on the identification of animals and animal parts and on the global context of illegal trade, and heard a presentation on the response and position of the Vietnamese government.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, has provided digital coverage and a summary report from the WJC Public Hearing: Viet Nam Investigation, which is available in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Angeles Estrada Vigil
For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page
Public Hearing
Ghida Fakhry, former news anchor, Al Jazeera, and Director of Proceedings of the Public Hearing
Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Executive Director, WJC
Justice Philippe Kirsch, Canada, Former President of the International Criminal Court in The Hague; Diego García-Sayán, Peru, Former President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights; Justice Isaac Lenaola, Kenya, Presiding Judge of the Constitution and Human Rights Division of the High Court, and Deputy Judge of the East Africa Court of Justice; Edgardo Buscaglia, Argentina/United States, Senior Scholar in Law and Economics at Columbia University, and President of the “Instituto de Acción Ciudadana para la Justicia y Democracia,” Mexico; and Misha Glenny, United Kingdom, award-winning journalist and historian
Highlights and images for 15 November 2016
Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) Public Hearing: Viet Nam Investigation
The WJC Public Hearing reconvened today at the Peace Palace in The Hague.
Participants first heard “a story from the field,” with Lawrence Munro, field operation manager of African Parks, sharing his experiences with what he called the “rhino war” in Kruger National Park, South Africa. He explained how, with 800 rhinos killed in the park each year, the field is an area of continuous conflict and violence, which is taking its toll on rangers and their families.
Participants then engaged in a discussion involving NGOs, IGOs and academic experts on various options to address illegal wildlife trade. Issues discussed included demand reduction, involving local communities, and innovative strategies to tackle the entire trade network. Speakers highlighted the need to enhance law enforcement through increased international collaboration and capacity building, including to combat corruption.
During a public discussion, participants addressed, among many other things: engagement with existing online action networks; tourism as a mechanism to effectuate change; diplomatic dialogue; ways to change mindsets throughout the trade chain; and future priorities for the WJC.
After some time of deliberation, the Accountability Panel presented its findings. Justice Philippe Kirsch, Former President of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, said the Panel had unanimously concluded that the WJC Public Hearing constituted a “fair and neutral description of the facts.” Edgardo Buscaglia, Senior Scholar in Law and Economics at Columbia University, then presented several recommendations addressed to the Vietnamese government, international legal frameworks, civil society organizations and other stakeholders.
In closing the meeting, WJC Executive Director Olivia Swaak-Goldman said these recommendations are not the end of the process, noting there is still a long way to go to support the Vietnamese government to take the appropriate law enforcement action. She announced the WJC will continue its work to stimulate the international community to offer such support, and closed the meeting at 5:00 pm.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, has provided digital coverage and a summary report from the WJC Public Hearing: Viet Nam Investigation, which is available in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Angeles Estrada Vigil
For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page
Presentation of Accountability Panel Findings and Recommendations
Edgardo Buscaglia, Argentina/United States, Senior Scholar in Law and Economics at Columbia University, and President of the “Instituto de Acción Ciudadana para la Justicia y Democracia,” Mexico
Justice Philippe Kirsch, Canada, Former President of the International Criminal Court in The Hague; and Diego García-Sayán, Peru, Former President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Executive Director, WJC
Discussion with NGOs, IGOs and academic experts
Participants during the Public Hearing
Rikkert Reijnen, Senior Project Lead Wildlife Trade and Elephants, IFAW; Annette Hübschle, University of Cape Town and senior research advisor Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime; and Director of Proceedings Ghida Fakhry
Debbie Banks, Environmental Investigation Agency; and Steve Broad, Executive Director of TRAFFIC International
Sarath Kotagama, Ecologist and Special Advisor, Ministry of Sustainable Development & Wildlife, Sri Lanka (video statement)
Annette Hübschle, University of Cape Town and senior research advisor, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime
Lawrence Munro, African Parks Field Operations Manager, and Director of Proceedings Ghida Fakhry
Mary Rice, Executive Director, Environmental Investigation Agency, and Leif Gӧrts, National Member for Sweden, Eurojust
Philip Muruthi, Chief Scientist, African Wildlife Foundation (video statement)
Samuel Wasser, Center for Conservation Biology, University of Washington (video statement)
Vivek Menon, Head, Wildlife Trust of India
Justice Philippe Kirsch, Canada, Former President of the International Criminal Court in The Hague; Diego García-Sayán, Peru, Former President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights; Justice Isaac Lenaola, Kenya, Presiding Judge of the Constitution and Human Rights Division of the High Court, and Deputy Judge of the East Africa Court of Justice; Edgardo Buscaglia, Argentina/United States, Senior Scholar in Law and Economics at Columbia University, and President of the “Instituto de Acción Ciudadana para la Justicia y Democracia,” Mexico; and Misha Glenny, United Kingdom, award-winning journalist and historian
Rob Parry-Jones, Species Manager, WWF International
Gillian Dell, Head of Conventions, Transparency International
Misha Glenny, United Kingdom,
award-winning journalist and historian
Edgardo Buscaglia, Argentina/United States, Senior Scholar in Law and Economics at Columbia University, and President of the “Instituto de Acción Ciudadana para la Justicia y Democracia,” Mexico
Polly Higgins, Barrister, Earth Community Trust
Daniel Turner, Associate Director, Born Free Foundation
Public Discussion – moderated by the Director of Proceedings
Marcus Asner, Partner at Arnold & Porter LLPs and Member of the WJC Advisory Council; Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Executive Director, WJC; and Director of Proceedings Ghida Fakhry
Around the Venue
Highlights and images for 5 July 2019
Facilitator Natasha Walker
On Friday, participants to the Trondheim Conference on Biodiversity heard presentations on communication, outreach, and the role of stakeholders with regard to the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, as well as on key cross-cutting issues, including capacity building, resource mobilization, and research needs. They addressed the draft Co-Chairs' report, which will be finalized in the coming weeks on the basis of participants' input; heard comments on next steps from Conference Co-Chairs' Nina Vik and Finn Katerås, and the Co-Chairs of the Open-ended Working Group of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on the post-2020 framework Francis Ogwal and Basile van Havre; and heard a closing statement from Ellen Hambro, Norwegian Environment Agency.
Jane Smart, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), stressed the need for increased clarity of the post-2020 framework and its targets, and for alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Minister of Environment and Energy, Costa Rica, emphasized the need for: phasing out perverse incentives; open and transparent objectives regarding resource mobilization; and aligning public and private investments with national biodiversity strategies and action plans.
Sudhanshu Sarronwala, WWF International, highlighted a WWF study examining consumer mindsets in ten developing countries, where half the people believe that biodiversity is declining, but only 40% see biodiversity and nature as an important source of raw materials for the economy; and only one third associate biodiversity with basic necessities such as food and fresh water. Highlighting how targets are influencing business, Alice Durand-Reville, Danone, explained that Danone has committed to carbon neutrality by 2050 throughout the whole value chain, which entailed rethinking products and energy consumption.
Joji Cariño, Forest Peoples Programme, presented on the contributions of indigenous peoples and local communities to CBD implementation, and lessons shared through the Local Biodiversity Outlooks. Christian Schwarzer, Germany, and Melina Sakiyama, Brazil, Global Youth Biodiversity Network, urged addressing overproduction and consumption, global inequalities, and assassinations of nature defenders. Jamison Ervin, UN Development Programme, highlighted the need for developing capacities to: replicate; scale-up; transform supply chains; tell a good story; unleash private sector capital; create a planetary safety net; and buffer the most vulnerable.
Mark Zimsky, Global Environment Facility (GEF), noted that the GEF's seventh replenishment has been reoriented to address the systemic and underlying drivers of biodiversity loss, adding that a two-track investment strategy is focusing on: cities; sustainable forest management; and food systems, land use, and restoration. Meriem Bouamrane, Man and the Biosphere Programme, UNESCO, highlighted: the contribution of culture and of diverse knowledge and value systems; the role of education and life-learning processes; the need for countries to have endogenous research and monitoring capacities; interdependency between biodiversity and development issues; and the need to address urban issues.
Francis Ogwal and Basile van Havre, Co-Chairs of the CBD Open-ended Working Group on the post-2020 framework, identified new elements to be addressed, including the need to involve new sectors, and consider new factors such as population change, food and agriculture, human health, deforestation, and restoration.
Conference Co-Chairs Nina Vik and Finn Katerås announced that all conference outputs, including the Co-Chairs' report and powerpoint presentations, will be available on the conference webpage. They expressed the hope that the Conference provided knowledge, friendships, inspiration, and motivation to participants, and invited them to provide their feedback in the upcoming month.
Ellen Hambro stressed the scientific basis has never been bolder, and the biodiversity crisis never higher on the global agenda. She expressed her appreciation to all participants for their enthusiasm and dedication, and closed the Conference at 1:00 pm.
Highlights and images for 7 February 2018
9th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF9)
Three Assemblies of the World Urban Forum’s ninth session (WUF9) convened on Wednesday. A flag-raising ceremony took place in the morning, in which the UN and Malaysian flags were hoisted outside the meeting venue at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). After a joint opening plenary, the Women’s Assembly, Business Assembly and the Children and Youth Assembly met in parallel throughout the day to discuss actions to advance the implementation of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11) on cities.
Noh Omar, Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government, Malaysia, noted that more than 50% of the world’s population now lives in urban areas, and urged all to play their roles in making cities safe, inclusive, sustainable and prosperous.
Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, welcomed delegates to WUF9, which is taking place in her home country. Opening the Assemblies, she stressed the NUA’s emphasis on inclusivity, and underscored UN-Habitat’s role as the focal point for its global implementation.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web highlights, daily reports, and will produce a summary report from WUF9.
Photos by IISD/ENB
For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page
Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director, UN-Habitat, arrives at flag raising
Music of bagpipes and drums at the flag-raising ceremony
Highlights and images for 8 February 2018
9th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF9)
The ninth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF9) continued Thursday.
In the morning, a Ministers’ Roundtable and a further two WUF Assemblies convened, representing local and regional governments, and grassroots organizations respectively.
In the afternoon, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak officially opened WUF9, accompanied by cultural dances and messages from several dignitaries.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web highlights, daily reports, and will produce a summary report from WUF9.
Photos by IISD/ENB
For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page
Children performing during the official opening ceremony
Participants arrive for the official WUF9 opening ceremony.