Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest • Volume 12 • Number 15 • 30th April 2008
Events
Coming Up: 1- 7 May 5-7 May, Athens, Greece. THE ATHENS SUMMIT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY SECURITY. This summit will bring together senior government officials, international civil servants, corporate leaders, financiers, academic and market analysts from all swaths of the energy and environmental communities, in order to forge a common understanding of the challenges facing the area’s sustainable development, as well as to provide a unique networking opportunity for all interested parties. The summit will culminate in the signing of an inter-governmental declaration, which aspires to set bold but achievable sustainability targets for the Euro-Mediterranean region. For more information, please refer to the summit website at http://www.athens-summit.com/. 5-6 May, Rabat, Morocco. THIRD IZA / WORLD BANK CONFERENCE ON EMPLOYMENT AND DEVELOPMENT. Recent economic and social transformations have put developing countries on higher and more sustainable growth paths. In too many cases, however, poor labor market conditions still lead to high unemployment, poor working conditions, low wages and increased inequality and exclusion. Labor is often the only asset of the poor and a growth process that is not associated with job creation may therefore fail to reduce poverty. A well functioning labor market can be key for an environment where new firms are created and private agents find the proper incentives to invest and innovate. Sound labor policies that promote the creation of more and better jobs are needed to guarantee the success of structural reforms, to maintain the social support for those reforms, and to ensure that the benefits are widely distributed. Achieving these targets is crucial to an effective implementation of poverty-reduction strategies and, hence, progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. Against this background, the World Bank has developed a proposal for operationally-oriented research program on “Labor Market, Job Creation and Growth”. The proposal has been advanced in discussions with the research community, other international organizations (such as ILO) and bi-lateral aid organizations in Europe, America and Asia. To move the proposed research agenda, the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) and the World Bank have launched a new IZA research area on Employment and Development. This new program aims to assist the international research community to address research priorities related to employment and development, including those identified by the World Bank. For more information, please see the conference website at http://www.iza.org/conference_files/viewProgram?conf_id=1467. 5-16 May, New York, NY, USA. SIXTEENTH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. This review session will focus on agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification and Africa. For more information please refer to the Commission website at http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd. 7-9 May, Amsterdam, Netherlands. THE AMSTERDAM GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. The dynamic conference program of The Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency features plenary sessions by inspiring high level speakers, interactive plenary arena debates and a variety of practical forums. These diverse sessions will offer participants the chance to engage with expert practitioners and contribute to debates around sustainability and reporting. Read more about the theme of the conference. The combination of learning from leading opinion formers, opportunities for dialogue, possibilities to expand your worldwide network and discover new trends in the world of sustainability reporting will make this conference a unique and valuable experience for your company or organization. For more information, please visit the conference website at http://www.globalreporting.org/NewsEventsPress/Conference2008. WTO Events An updated list of forthcoming WTO meetings is posted at: http://www.wto.org/meets_public/meets_e.pdf. 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. Unless otherwise indicated, all WTO meetings are held at the WTO, Centre William Rappard, rue de Lausanne 154, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland, and are open to WTO Members and accredited observers only. 5 May: COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT 6 May: COMMITTEE ON CUSTOMS VALUATION 6 May: WORKING PARTY ON THE ACCESSION OF AZERBAIJAN 7-8 May: GENERAL COUNCIL Other Upcoming Events 2-7 June, 2008. Manila, Philippines. ASIA CLEAN ENERGY FORUM (ACEF) 2008: INVESTING IN SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY SECURITY. Policymakers, private sector firms, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) across Asia are increasingly pursuing clean energy solutions that address the growing challenges of climate change and energy security. In recognition of this vital regional work, the Asian Development Bank, and cooperating partners, will host the Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) 2008. The Forum aims to promote increased use of clean energy in Asia and the Pacific through donor cooperation and the promotion of successful clean energy policies and finance solutions that respond to the region’s climate challenge. For more information, please visit the forum website at http://www.adb.org/Documents/events/2008/ACEF/default.asp.