For a more comprehensive list of events in trade and sustainable development, please refer to ICTSD’s web calendar, http://www.trade-environment.org/page/calendar.htm.
Coming up in the next two weeks
8-9 October, Montreal, Canada: FIFTH MEETING OF THE AD HOC OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP ON ACCESS AND BENEFIT-SHARING OF THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (CBD). Internet: http://www.cbd.int/doc/meeting.aspx?mtg=ABSWG-05
8-9 October, Paris, France: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS: ANNUAL OECD MEETING. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss how to promote sustainable consumption and production, how to overcome obstacles to implementing national sustainable development strategies, and how to formulate sustainable and coherent development policies. Developing ways to further mainstream sustainable development perspectives in OECD studies and country reviews will also be discussed.
9-10 October, Brussels, Belgium: THE THIRD ANNUAL EUROPEAN ENERGY CONFERENCE 2007. This conference is built on the motivation to create a forum for honest ideas exchange between stakeholders from across the EU and beyond and policy-makers from member state and EU-level. Internet: http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=455c0ca8-3464-4a45-9181-2c24fb62ff74
10-12 October, Belgrade, Serbia: SIXTH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE: ENVIRONMENT FOR EUROPE. This Conference is the sixth "Environment for Europe" meeting and is part of a process that forms a unique partnership of the Member States within the UNECE region, organizations of the UN system represented in the region, other intergovernmental organizations, regional environment centres, non-governmental organizations and other major groups. Internet: http://www.unece.org/env/efe/wgso/Belgrade/welcome.html
15-16 October, Geneva, Switzerland: WORKSHOP ON TRANSPARENCY. The WTO Secretariat is organizing a special workshop on the transparency provisions of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement). The purpose of the workshop is to enhance the implementation of transparency obligations and to identify best practices for drawing benefits from a transparent system. Internet: http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/sps_e/wkshop_oct07_e.htm
15-16 October, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK: SUSTAINABILITY IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE: THE ROLE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND GOVERNMENT. Organised by the International Food & Agricultural Trade Policy Council (IPC). Recognizing that agriculture and food security face a range of pressing challenges from increasing population growth to global warming, IPC will bring together international food and agricultural trade experts, environmental experts, farm leaders, government officials, and agribusiness and food retail executives to discuss how the private sector and governments can best address these sustainability challenges. The seminar will also discuss the role of trade in the sustainability debate. internet: http://www.agritrade.org/events/sustainability_agriculture.html
15-19 October, Montreal, Canada: FIFTH MEETING OF THE AD HOC OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP ON ARTICLE 8(J) AND RELATED PROVISIONS. Internet: http://www.cbd.int/doc/meeting.aspx?mtg=WG8J-05
16-20 October, Santiago del Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain: CMS SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM, WHALE-WATCHING SYMPOSIUM AND MEETING TO DEVELOP AN AGREEMENT AND ACTION PLAN FOR THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF SMALL CETACEANS IN TROPICAL WEST AFRICA. This meeting is organised by the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species. Internet: http://www.cms.int/news/events.htm
18-19 October, UN Headquarters, New York, USA: EXPERT GROUP MEETING: INNOVATIVE FINANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. The UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) will be holding its 16th session in the first half of 2008, focusing on policy options and practical measures to address challenges in the areas of agriculture, desertification, drought, rural development, including a special focus on Africa. To inform the discussions, the Division for Sustainable Development, which acts as Secretariat to the Commission, will organise this meeting, with a particular focus on the themes of CSD-16. Internet: http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/sdissues/finance/egm2007/index.htm
Other upcoming meetings
22-25 October, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: CSD REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATION MEETING (RIM) FOR AFRICA. This meeting will be organized by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). Participants will prepare for the 16th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-16), which will focus on agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification and Africa. Internet: http://www.uneca.org/eca_programmes/sdd/default.htm
27-31 October, El-Minia, Egypt: THE 8TH AFRICAN CROP SCIENCE SOCIETY CONFERENCE. General topics at the conference, which is jointly organised by the African Crop Science Society (ACSS) and the Faculty of Agriculture at Egypt’s Minia University, will include crop improvement and physiology, post harvest handling and food sciences, crop protection, rural socio-economics, agricultural extension and education, agricultural economics, crop genetics and biotechnology, integration of livestock in crop production, and soils and agricultural engineering sciences.
29 October to 1 November, Sydney, Australia: 18TH CONSUMERS INTERNATIONAL WORLD CONGRESS. Consumer demands for corporate transparency, accountability, and responsibility have never been so pressing. This event, hosted by Consumers International, will focus on four key areas within an accountability theme: the impact of consumption on our planet, marketing, credit and debt, and what we eat. The programme has been developed with a view to providing delegates the opportunity to hear from experts, engage in debates, and attend workshops showcasing the work of consumer organisations around the world.
29 October to 2 November, Trondheim, Norway: FIFTH TRONDHEIM CONFERENCE ON BIODIVERSITY. Hosted by the Norwegian Government in cooperation with UNEP, this conference aims to provide input to the CBD and its preparations for the ninth Conference of the Parties (COP-9), to be held in Germany in 2008. Its key objectives will be to: illustrate the role of biodiversity in poverty alleviation and in reaching the Millennium Development Goals, demonstrate the critical role of biodiversity and ecosystems in securing sustainable development, consider progress on the 2010 target on reduced loss of biodiversity, identify and consider possible efforts towards 2010 and beyond, present and consider difficult trade-offs, and provide insights and inspiration for implementation of the CBD Strategic Plan. Internet: http://www.trondheimconference.org/