For a more comprehensive list of events in trade and sustainable development, please refer to ICTSD’s web calendar. Please bear in mind that dates and times of WTO meetings are often changed, and that the WTO does not always announce the important informal meetings of the different bodies.
Coming up in the next two weeks
1 December, Geneva, Switzerland: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNECE REGION. This is an ad hoc informal meeting organised by and for the UN Economic Commission for Europe in order to review the preparations for the first Regional Forum on Sustainable Development. For further information, contact: UNECE, fax: (+41 22) 917-0107; email: subashini.narasimhan@unece.org; Internet: http://www.unece.org/env/wgso/Sustainable%20Development/sd_consult.meet.dec.2003.htm
1-2 December, Amsterdam, the Netherlands: MAXIMISING THE POTENTIAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. Organised by the European Networking Group. This event will focus on the theme of: "Establishing Sustainable Development within your organisation and gaining future opportunity through Public-Private Partnerships". The summit will examine how different industries succeed in incorporating sustainable development throughout the value chain and effectively engage in public-private partnerships to achieve their sustainable development goals. For further information, contact: E.N.G. European Networking Group, tel: (+31 20) 305-0950; email: sustainability@eng-nl.com; Internet: http://www.eng-nl.com.
1-3 December, Singapore: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES. Organised by the Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law (APCEL) of the Faculty of Law (National University of Singapore), together with the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL), the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) and the Intellectual Property Academy. The conference intends to bring together judges, leading academics, practitioners and policy-makers from around the world to share their views on the legal and ethical controversies that have arisen from the global biotechnology revolution, with particular emphasis on the compatibility of intellectual property rights with the biological wealth that resides in the flora and fauna of developing countries. For further information, contact: Conference Secretariat, tel: (+65) 6332-4149; fax: 6334-4940; email: IPBioresources2003@sal.org.sg; Internet: http://law.nus.edu.sg/apcel/conference/ipc03/.
1-4 December, Berlin, Germany: MEETING ON THE SUSTAINABLE USE AND CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: A CHALLENGE FOR SOCIETY. Organised by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. At national and international levels, no strategies exist that help resolve the conflict between conserving biological diversity and, simultaneously, using diversity in a sustainable manner. In the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Germany is developing strategies and action plans for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. The symposium is intended to intensify the dialog between decision makers, users and scientists, and to foster national and international research cooperation. Representatives of more than ten partner countries will be attending. For further information, contact: the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research; tel: (+49 22) 8819-9611; fax: 8819-9640; email: meltem.cosar@dir.de; Internet: http://www.biodiversity-symposium.de.
1-5 December 2003, Brisbane, Australia: 12TH SESSION, CODEX COMMITTEE ON FOOD IMPORT AND EXPORT INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION SYSTEMS. Organised by the Codex Commission under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Health Organisation (WHO). Items on the agenda include: a proposed draft revision to the codex guidelines for the exchange of information in food control emergency situations and discussion paper on traceability/product tracing in the context of food import and export inspection and certification systems. For further information, contact: the FAO, fax: (+39 06) 5705-3152; email: FAO-HQ@fao.org; Internet: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/ccfics12/12fc_01e.htm.
1-5 December, Queensland, New Zealand: DEEP SEA 2003. Organised by amongst others, the Ministry of Fisheries, New Zealand, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Department of Agriculture. This is an international conference where experts will discuss and debate the issues and future needs for science, conservation, and governance and management of the continental slope and deep seas. It will provide a forum for expert discussion on the objectives, constraints and influences on the conservation and management of the continental slope and deep-sea area. For further information, contact: fax: (+64 3) 441-8127; email: deepsea@qdm.co.nz; Internet: http://www.deepsea.govt.nz/index.aspx
1-5 December, Montreal, Canada: SECOND MEETING OF THE AD HOC OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP ON ACCESS AND BENEFIT-SHARING. Organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The working group will discuss issues related to the implementation of the access and benefit-sharing provisions of the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) as well as it will forward recommendations to COP 7 on various aspects of an international regime on access and benefit-sharing. For further information, contact: the CBD Secretariat, tel: (+1 514) 288-2220; fax: 288-6588; email: secretariat@biodiv.org; Internet: http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meeting.aspx?mtg=ABSWG-02
1-12 December, Milan, Italy: COP 9 OF THE PARTIES TO THE FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGES (UNFCCC). At the COP participants will discuss, inter alia, the current implementation process of the commitments under the Climate Change Convention, the financial mechanism of the Convention, the development and transfer of technologies and matters relating to least developed countries. For further information, contact: Ms. Isabelle Colineau, UNFCCC, Science & Technology Programme, tel: (+49 228) 815-1425; fax: 815-1999; email: icolineau@unfccc.de; Internet: http://unfccc.int/cop9/index.html.
4-5 December, Brussels, Belgium: RISK PERCEPTION: SCIENCE, PUBLIC DEBATE AND POLICY MAKING. Organised by the European Commission. Building on previous European Commission conferences on risk management and European governance the event incorporates a stakeholder forum on risk perception looking at genetically modified (GM) crops and GM food. The conference will focus both on understanding the process of risk perception and on practical ways in which governance can be improved and the public’s trust in science based regulation can be increased. For further information, contact: tel: (+32 2) 344-6232; fax: 344-7564; email: Risk-perception@jk-events.com; Internet: http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/risk_perception/index.htm
6-7 December, Montreal, Canada: INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS FORUM ON BIODIVERSITY (IIFB). This is an Indigenous Preparatory Session for the 3rd meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Inter-Sessional Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity, which is taking place from December 8-12, 2003 in Montreal, Canada. For further information, contact: Tamara Dionne Stout, email:aki...@hotmail.com and please copy your message to tamara.dionnestout@ec.gc.ca
8-9 December, Geneva, Switzerland: SUSTAINABILITY IN THE COFFEE SECTOR: EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, PART II: ASSESSMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION. This international workshop is organised by UNCTAD and IISD. The meeting will focus on assessing concrete opportunities for multi-stakeholder collaboration towards the implementation of sustainability in the coffee sector at the multilateral level. Participants will discuss, among other things, the potential and interest in implementing a select range of global mechanisms for promoting sustainability on pilot basis including: i) enhanced coordination among standards systems and among stakeholders in both defining and implementing sustainability across the sector at the global level; ii) the establishment of a Sustainable coffee (credit/grant) fund; and iii) the establishment of systems for ensuring "sustainable" contractual relations in the coffee sector promote sustainability. For more information, contact: Jason Potts, IISD, tel: (1 514) 814-1967; fax: 527-0612; Internet: http://www.iisd.org/trade/commodities/
8-10 December, Geneva, Switzerland: WORLD FORUM ON INFORMATION SOCIETY. Organised by the United Nations. The focus of this conference, entitled Digital Divide, Global Development & Information Society, is on critical issues and considerations in the context of information technological revolution, global transformation, and marginalisation. Inter and intra regional disparities will be examined in terms of information infrastructure and dissemination, knowledge generation and management. For more information contact: World Forum Secretariat, email: w...@irfd.org; Internet: http://www.irfd.org/events/wf2003/intro2.html.
8-12 December, Chile: SECOND MEETING OF THE STOCKHOLM CONVENTION EXPERT GROUP ON BAT-BEP. Organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This Expert Group meeting will focus on Best Available Techniques (BAT) and Best Environmental Practices (BEP). Participants will aim at developing guidelines on the best available techniques and provisional guidance will be provided on best environmental practices as they relate to relevant provisions of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. For further information, contact: Stockholm Convention interim Secretariat; tel: (+41 22) 917-8191; fax: 797-3460; email: ssc@chemicals.unep.ch; Internet: http://www.pops.int.
8-12 December, Montreal, Canada: AD HOC OPEN ENDED INTER SESSIONAL WORKING GROUP ON ARTICLE 8 (J) AND RELATED PROVISIONS OF THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. Organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Items on the agenda include a presentation of a composite report on the status and trends regarding the knowledge, and the innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities, relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. For further information, contact the secretariat, tel: (+1-514) 288-2220; fax: 288-6588; email: secretariat@biodiv.org; Internet: http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meetings/tk/wg8j-03/official/wg8j-03-01-en.doc
8-13 December, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: PAN-AFRICAN IMPLEMENTATION AND PARTNERSHIP CONFERENCE ON WATER: REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATION MEETING IN PREPARATION FOR CSD-12. Organised by the Government of Ethiopia and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The Pan-African Implementation and Partnership Conference will address the implication of the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development on regional water initiatives, as well as the continent’s role in the implementation of the Summit’s outcomes. Most importantly, the conference will provide a platform for African countries, the international community and United Nations agencies to reaffirm their commitment to solving Africa’s water crisis. For further information, contact: Yinka Adeyemi, Communication Officer UNECA, tel.: (+2-51) 144-3537; fax: 151-2294; email: yadeyemi@uneca.org; Internet: http://www.uneca.org/panafcon/.
9-12 December, Havana, Cuba: INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SUSTAINABILITY. Organised by the Cuban Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment with the support of UNESCO, this meeting will consider policies and strategies that allow a better interface between science and technology and sustainable development. Other issues related to S&T and their interface with society to be discussed include: ethics and bioethics, interactive museums, science communication, science education, technology transfer, and innovation. For further information, contact: email: lilliam@ceniai.inf.cu; Internet: http://sustsci.harvard.edu/events.htm#sts-cuba03
10-13 December, Colombo, Sri Lanka: ASIA REGIONAL CONSERVATION FORUM. Organised by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The Forum aims at facilitating the identification of critical environmental and conservation issues facing the Asian region. The meeting and its outcomes are aimed at assisting countries to fine tune their conservation programmes, and support NGOs and research organisations focus their activities on relevant issues. These outputs will be incorporated in the IUCN’s programme for 2005-2008, which would be adopted by the global conservation community at the World Conservation Congress in Bangkok, Thailand in November, 2004. For further information, contact: IUCN, tel: (+41 22) 999-0000; fax: 999-0002; email: mail@iucn.org; Internet: http://www.rcfasia.org/.
Other Forthcoming events
16-21 January 2004, Mumbai, India: World Social Forum. Organised by the India General Council (IGC), India Working Committee (IWC), India Organising Committee (IOC) and Mumbai Organising Committee (MOC). People’s movements across the world are working to demonstrate that the path to sustainable development and social and economic justice does not lie in neo-liberal globalisation but in alternative models for people-centred and self-reliant progress. WSF India offers a platform to discuss issues of concern to civil society aimed at building a society centred on the human person. For further information, contact the WSF Secretariat: tel: (+91 22) 2421-6249; fax: 2421-6382; email: wsfindia@vsnl.net; Internet: http://www.wsfindia.org/anotherworld.php
15-16 January 2004, Geneva, Switzerland: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNECE REGION. The First Regional Implementation Forum On Sustainable Development is organised by the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The Forum aims at providing substantial inputs to the Review Year of the UNECE and contribute to the twelfth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-12) scheduled for 16-30 April 2004. For further information, contact: the UNECE Secretariat, tel: (41 22) 917-4444; fax: 917-0107; email: subashini.narasimhan@unece.org; Internet: http://www.unece.org/env/wgso/Sustainable%20Development/sd_forum.jan2004.htm
21-25 January 2004, Davos, Switzerland: WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ANNUAL MEETING. Organised by the World Economic Forum (WEF). The Annual Meeting aims to provide a platform for discussion and to lay the groundwork for economic growth and development across the globe by identifying emerging economic risks, and their possible impact on the state of the world. For further information, contact: The secretariat, tel: (+41 22) 869-1212; fax: 786-2744; email: contact@weforum.org; Internet: http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/+subhome
23-24 February 2004, London, England: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE WTO: TRADE, INVESTMENT AND ENVIRONMENT AFTER CANCUN. This international conference is the fifth in the Royal Institute of International Affairs’ series on trade, investment, and sustainable development. Challenges to the multilateral trading system in the wake of Cancun will be discussed, including the US and EU response to developing country concerns over agricultural subsidies, the negotiating dynamic of the new G21 grouping of developing countries, and potential conflicts between trade and sustainable development. For further information and to register for the conference, contact: the Conference Unit, tel: (+44 20) 7957-5729; Internet: http://www.riia.org/index.php? id=5&cid=38.
1-3 March 2004, Geneva, Switzerland: THEMATIC WORKSHOP ON SYNERGIES FOR CAPACITY BUILDING UNDER INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ADDRESSING CHEMICALS AND WASTE MANAGEMENT. Organised by UNITAR in collaboration with several other international organizations. UNITAR has initiated a series of thematic workshops aimed at building the capacity of countries in chemicals and waste management. For further information, contact: UNITAR; tel: (+41-22) 917-1234; fax: 917-8047; email: cwm@unitar.org; Internet: http://www.unitar.org
2-5 March 2004, Concepción, Chile: GLOBAL BIOTECHNOLOGY FORUM. Organised by UNIDO and the Chilean Government. This event will bring together representatives from the scientific, public, private and social sectors as well as high-level decision makers to review opportunities and challenges in biotechnology for the developing world. For further information, contact: tel: (+56 41) 204-649; fax: 214-288; email: gbf2004@udec.cl; Internet: http://www.gbf2004.cl.