The 11th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), which will convene in New York from 7-18 May 2012, will consider the special theme of "The Doctrine of Discovery: its enduring impact on indigenous peoples and the right to redress for past conquests (articles 28 and 37 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples)".
dates: 7-18 May 2012 venue: UN Headquarters, North Lawn Building location: New York (New York), United States of America
This meeting is the inaugural meeting of the Congress on Water, Climate and Energy, and participants will explore the topics of resilient and sustainable cities with a focus on climate change adaptation and mitigation. The meeting will further examine how to incorporate climate change adaptation and uncertainty into the city vision and infrastructure, and will include solutions such as the role of regulation, technologies and smart networks. The meeting is organized by the International Water Association in partnership with the UN World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability.
dates: 13-18 May 2012 venue: The Convention Center location: Dublin (Dublin), Ireland
Drawing from previous degrowth conferences in Paris and Barcelona in 2008 and 2010 respectively, this conference will focus on the particular situations and dynamics of the Americas. This gathering will bring together academics, activists, environmentalists and indigenous peoples to discuss their needs and hopes for diverse and more equitable societies in the Americas.
dates: 13-19 May 2012 location: Montreal (Quebec), Canada
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2012 is being organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). It will focus on sustainable development trends and information and communication technology (ICT) initiatives in some key focus areas of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), such as health, education, gender empowerment and the environment. The Forum will also include the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day awards ceremony, which will recognize three outstanding laureates in the field of technology and gender.
dates: 14-18 May 2012 venue: Conference Centre of the International Labour Organization, 4 route des Morillons, CH-1211 Genève 22 location: Geneva (Geneve), Switzerland
These meetings will include: 36th session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 36); the 36th session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 36); the 17th session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP 17); the 15th session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA 15); and the first sessions of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action.
dates: 14-25 May 2012 location: Bonn (Nordrhein-Westfalen), Germany
This meeting will seek to provide an opportunity for coordinating and facilitating effective stakeholder participation to ensure that stakeholder concerns in regard to advancing the country’s sustainable development agenda are articulated and captured in the national position papers.
dates: 15-17 May 2012 location: Dakar (Kaolack), Senegal
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) will hold open consultations and a meeting of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) in conjunction with the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 2012. These meetings will focus on the programme, workshops and schedule of the 2012 IGF meeting, which will be held in November 2012 on the theme “Internet Governance for Sustainable Human, Economic and Social Development.”
dates: 15-17 May 2012 location: Geneva (Geneve), Switzerland
The UN Economic Commission on Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) will host a meeting on the theme "Sharing knowledge to improve MDG monitoring and reporting". The meeting is expected to be attended by delegates from all five UN regional commissions, experts from specialized international agencies and representatives from some national statistics offices from each continent. The purpose of the meeting is to share successful experiences of monitoring the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in order to promote horizontal cooperation among countries.
dates: 15-17 May 2012 venue: ECLAC Headquarters location: Santiago (Region Metropolitana), Chile
This event is part of the UN’s Academic Impact initiative, and is co-sponsored by the Government Law Center at Albany Law School, US, the Albany law firm Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP, and Academic Impact. It will include two panels on: sustainability challenges; and public private partnerships and public authorities. Elizabeth Thompson, Executive Coordinator, UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), will participate in the panel on sustainability challenges.
date: 16 May 2012 venue: UN Headquarters, Daj Hammarskoldj Library Auditorium location: New York (New York), United States of America
The Organization of American States (OAS), as a co-sponsor of the World Congress on Justice, Governance and Law for Environmental Sustainability, which will convene in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 18-19 June 2012, is conducting a series of "hemispheric dialogues" on sustainable development themes intended to generate recommendations on institutions and governance for sustainable development for both the Congress and the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). The eighth in the series, co-sponsored by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), will seek to generate recommendations on legal and institutional enabling conditions to improve private sector environmental performance.
date: 17 May 2012 venue: OAS headquarters location: Washington (District of Columbia), United States of America
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is intended to raise awareness of the potential for the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide. The 17th of May marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union. The theme of this year's WTISD is "Women and Girls in ICT".
date: 17 May 2012 location: worldwide
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and General Assembly (UNGA) President Nassir Abdulaziz al-Nasser are jointly convening a High-Level Thematic Debate on “The State of the World Economy and Finance in 2012”. The debate aims to explore ways to improve the overall global economic and financial situation and to discuss its impact on development efforts and social processes. It is part of the ongoing consultations mandated by the UNGA on the topic. Particular focus will be given to sustainable development, thereby addressing specifically the needs of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. The debate also aims to contribute to other UN processes and events, most notably the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), and the Group of 20 (G20) annual Leaders’ Summit. Four round-table discussions will focus on: combating unemployment, creating jobs, addressing poverty and social protection; debt sustainability and managing inflation/deflation; creating an environment for increasing production, trade and investment; and increasing stability, predictability and transparency in the global financial system. The debate will result in a summary document.
dates: 17-18 May 2012 venue: UN Headquarters location: New York (New York), United States of America
Argentina, current President pro tempore of the Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR), will host MERCOSUR's Ordinary Meeting of Environment Ministers (RMMA). This RMMA is expected to focus on the June 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20).
date: 18 May 2012 location: Buenos Aires (Distrito Federal), Argentina
The US will host the 38th Summit of the Group of Eight (G8) at Camp David, Maryland, in May 2012. The G8 comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the UK, and the US. The meeting was originally scheduled to take place in Chicago, back-to-back with the NATO summit, but the US announced the change in location and dates on 5 March (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/03/05/statement-press-secretary-g-8-and-nato-summits). The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will hold its summit in Chicago from 20-21 May (see http://www.chicagonato.org/ for more information). The Presidents Benin, Ghana and Tanzania and Prime Minister of Ethiopia are expected to join in the discussions on food security in Africa.
dates: 18-19 May 2012 location: United States of America additional: Camp David, Maryland
This preparatory meeting is being hosted by the German Federal Youth Council, with the support of the German Federal Environment Ministry, and in cooperation with Rio+twenties and the European Youth Forum. The meeting is targeted at official European youth delegations and youth NGO representatives attending the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). It aims to prepare them to effectively participate in the Conference, inter alia, by helping them understand the state of negotiations, identify political priorities for advocacy work, and develop a lobby strategy.
dates: 18-20 May 2012 location: Bonn (Nordrhein-Westfalen), Germany
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)'s Committee on Agriculture (COAG) will consider technical work relating to: options for stakeholder dialogue in support of sustainable livestock developments; sustainable crop production intensification; perspectives of land and water resources in a changing climate; and improving statistics for food security, sustainable agriculture and rural development.
dates: 21-23 May 2012 venue: FAO Headquarters location: Rome (Lazio), Italy
This conference is organized by the Collaborative Institute for Oceans, Climate and Security of the University of Massachusetts Boston. The theme of the conference is “Collaboration and Action to Address the Impacts of Climate-related Ocean Change on Human, National and International Security.” The conference will bring together scientists, policy makers, and intellectual leaders to discuss the inter-connectedness between oceans, climate and security, and will consist of keynote speakers and panels dealing with both policy and science issues, and a plenary focusing on methods of communicating issues associated with climate change impacts.
dates: 21-23 May 2012 venue: University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd location: Boston (Massachusetts), United States of America
These two events will be held simultaneously under the unified theme "The Green Economy: Challenges and Opportunities in Managing Health, Water, Waste, Land, Energy, Climate Change and our Natural Resources" to emphasize technologies, actions and strategies to address key environmental and health issues facing Caribbean small island developing States (SIDS). The CEF series on Caribbean health and environment has been organized by the Caribbean Community's (CARICOM) Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI) biennially since 2000. The annual ReCaribe has been organized since 1995 by Clean Islands International (CII) to discuss waste management issues in the wider Caribbean region. The combined event is being co-sponsored by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, the UN Environment Programme's (UNEP) Caribbean Regional Coordinating Unit (CAR/RCU), the Global Environment Facility's (GEF) Integrating Watershed and Coastal Area Management project (IWCAM), and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
dates: 21-25 May 2012 venue: St. Kitts Marriott Resort and the Royal Beach Casino location: Saint Kitts and Nevis
The theme for this year's International Day for Biological Diversity is marine biodiversity.
date: 22 May 2012 location: worldwide
The President of the 66th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) has indicated that he will convene this thematic debate on preparations for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) in 2012, under the theme "Road to Rio+20 and beyond". The thematic debate will also involve a consideration of the role of the General Assembly in supporting the objectives of Rio+20. Two panel discussions will focus on the centrality of political commitment, the importance of a sustained and meaningful engagement of all stakeholders for a successful outcome in Rio and the post-2015 Development Agenda.
date: 22 May 2012 venue: UN Headquarters location: New York (New York), United States of America
This Conference is organized by the World Future Council and the African Renewable Energy Alliance (AREA) on the theme, “Access to Sustainable Renewable Energy in Africa as Prerequisite for the MDGs”. It will consider the evaluation and dissemination of proven models for access to renewable energy, and focus on four models: micro-financed off-grid systems; mini-grids in connection with telecommunication infrastructure; financing mechanisms for thermal applications; and scaling up access by switching from fossil to renewable. The Conference will also highlight and evaluate the institutional, financial, technology, research and development, and human resource frameworks for these models.
dates: 22-26 May 2012 venue: Rockefeller Bellagio Center location: Como (Lombardia), Italy additional: Bellagio
This webinar is being hosted by the International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP). The webinar will be conducted by a panel of experts representing NGO, corporate and intergovernmental perspectives, which will comment and participate in a discussion of issues, including: the need for open, accountable and participatory international decision-making on sustainable development; the contribution of the business community to the Business Action for Sustainable Development (BASD 2012) initiative at Rio+20; and hopes and expectations from Rio+20.
date: 24 May 2012 location: virtual
As a UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair in Technologies for Development, the Cooperation and Development Center (CODEV) will host an international conference concerning Technologies for Sustainable Development: A Way to Reduce Poverty? This conference will look at how science and technologies can support both sustainable development and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in developing and emerging countries.
dates: 29-31 May 2012 venue: Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne location: Lausanne (Vaud), Switzerland
The project on "Groundwater Governance: A Global Framework for Country Action" was initiated by the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) and the World Bank. This regional consultation is the second of a series. Additional consultations include: in Uruguay for Latin America and the Caribbean, in April 2012; in Jordan in October 2012, for the Arab countries; and in China in December 2012, for Asia. The fifth Regional Consultation dedicated to the European region as well as institutions from the private sector will be hosted by the Netherlands in the first quarter of 2013. The results of the regional consultations will contribute to the preparation of Global Groundwater Governance Diagnostic.
dates: 29-31 May 2012 location: Nairobi (Nairobi Area), Kenya
This symposium, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Government of Canada, aims to raise awareness of the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in climate change mitigation and adaptation, thereby advancing the “green ICT” agenda. Among other things, it will provide an avenue to explore how advanced technologies can improve the environmental sustainability of the ICT sector itself. The symposium is part of ITU’s activities in the lead up to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), highlighting the importance of ICTs as enablers of environmentally-sustainable economic development.
dates: 29-31 May 2012 venue: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) headquarters location: Montreal (Quebec), Canada
The 13th meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea is expected to convene in New York, US, from 29 May-1 June 2012.
dates: 29 May - 1 June 2012 venue: UN Headquarters location: New York (New York), United States of America
The Bureau of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) announced, on 4 May 2012, that an additional week of informal informal consultations on the UNCSD outcome document would take place from 29 May-2 June 2012.
dates: 29 May - 2 June 2012 venue: UN Headquarters location: New York (New York), United States of America
This conference will address opportunities for marine biotechnology to contribute to global challenges such as of food and fuel security, population health, green growth and sustainable industries. The event aims at raising awareness among policy makers of the potential of the marine environment and how this potential could be realized through the use of marine biotechnology, in particular in the areas of generating economic benefit and environmental sustainability.
dates: 30-31 May 2012 venue: Wosk Centre for Dialogue, 580 West Hastings Street ,Vancouver, BC, Canada location: Vancouver (British Columbia), Canada
This session of the International Labour Conference is expected to consider, inter alia, employment and social protection in the new demographic context, and sustainable development, decent work and green jobs. Under the agenda item on social protection, the Conference will consider the Report IV(1) on social protection floors for social justice and a fair globalization.
date: 1 June 2012 [tentative] location: Geneva (Geneve), Switzerland
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council is the main governing body of the GEF. It functions as an independent board of directors, with primary responsibility for developing, adopting, and evaluating GEF programmes. Council members representing 32 constituencies (16 from developing countries, 14 from developed countries, and two from countries with transitional economies) meet for three days, twice each year.
dates: 4-7 June 2012 location: Washington (District of Columbia), United States of America
The 2012 Asia-Pacific Leadership Programme is organized by the UN Environment Programme - Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development, and focuses on enhancing the capacity of emerging leaders in sustainable development, under the theme of "Green Economy and Sustainable Development”.
dates: 4-8 June 2012 location: Shanghai (Shanghai), China
World Environment Day 2012 will be celebrated under the theme "Green Economy: Does it include you?" and will be hosted by Brazil. World Environment Day 2012 will mark the 40th anniversary of the Day.
date: 5 June 2012 location: worldwide
This symposium is being organized by the Research and Transfer Centre “Applications of Life Sciences” of the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany, and London Metropolitan University, UK, under the auspices of the RCE Hamburg and Region. Organized as a parallel event to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), the symposium aims to: provide universities with the opportunity to display initiatives relating to education for sustainable development at university level; foster sharing of information, ideas and experiences; discuss methodological approaches and projects that aim to integrate sustainable development into the curriculum of universities; and provide a platform for participants to explore possibilities for cooperation.
dates: 5-6 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The International Student Conference on Environment and Sustainability (ISCES) is organized by the UN Environment Programme – Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD). The conference targets young students, who are the future managers, policy makers, scientists and practitioners, to engage and learn by sharing their insight and understandings of environment and sustainability.
dates: 5-8 June 2012 location: Shanghai (Shanghai), China
This event is being organized by the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) Major Group of Children and Youth, as the official young people's event for Rio+20. The objectives of the Youth Blast are to: empower children and youth present at Rio+20; provide information and training for leaders; and provide a space for young people to share best practices for implementing solutions and participating in decision-making at the international level. It is also an event to strategize prior to Rio+20. The first two days of the event (8-9 June) will be held in Portuguese, and the last three days (10-12 June) will be conducted in English, with Portuguese, Spanish and French translations.
dates: 8-12 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The aim of this event is to unite thinkers in different areas of knowledge in trying to understand and analyze human power, and its role in constructing a new planet and way of life. It aims to “open new windows of knowledge” and share visions and discussions that will complement the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20).
dates: 11-12 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
This Forum will provide a space for interdisciplinary scientific discussions, and dialogue between scientists, policy-makers, Major Groups and other stakeholders. Key messages and conclusions from the Forum will be reported to the Rio+20 Conference.
dates: 11-15 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
This workshop, "Global and Regional Research on Sustainable Consumption and Production: Achievements, Challenges, and Dialogues," is being organized by the Global Research Forum on Sustainable Consumption and Production, and will focus on the production of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) research, as well as its communication and application in practice. It will bring this research together through review papers from various perspectives, make it available to practitioners and the wider public, including participants at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), and promote support for new research based on practitioners’ research needs. The workshop is by invitation only.
dates: 13-15 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The UN General Assembly, in December 2009, adopted a resolution calling for a UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, also referred to as Rio+20) to be convened in Brazil in 2012. This meeting will mark the 20th anniversary of the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), which convened in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The General Assembly resolution specifies that a three-day PrepCom should convene in May 2010, a two-day PrepCom should convene in March 2011, and a three-day PrepCom should convene immediately before the UNCSD (PrepCom III). On 4 November 2011, Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil, announced a proposal to change the dates to 13-15 June 2012 for PrepCom III and 20-22 June 2012 for the UNCSD, in order to allow for highest-level participation. The previously scheduled dates were 28-30 May 2012 for PrepCom III and 4-6 June 2012 for the UNCSD.
dates: 13-15 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The Global Town Hall is being convened by ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, during the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). The objective is to provide a common space for dialogue and interaction, in the middle of the Rio+20 venue. Discussions will address how local governments can best contribute to global targets for protecting global common goods, how to "green" the urban economy and how to improve global and local governance systems.
dates: 13-22 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The Rio Conventions Pavilion at Rio+20 is a collaborative outreach activity of the Secretariats of the Rio Conventions (UNFCCC, UNCCD and CBD), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and 25 other international, national and local partners. It aims to promote and strengthen synergies between the Rio Conventions at implementation levels by providing a coordinated platform for awareness-raising and information-sharing about the linkages in science, policy and practice between biodiversity, climate change and combating desertification/land degradation.
dates: 13-22 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
"SD-Learning: Reaching sustainable development through knowledge" is a capacity building event consisting of multiple courses on sustainable development, such as food security and sustainable agriculture, energy access and efficiency, sound water and land management, sustainable cities, management of the oceans, improving resilience and disaster preparedness and transition to green economy. The courses seek to provide participants with practical knowledge and hands-on training from experts around the world. The full schedule of courses will be released April 2012. Participants are advised to register in advance in order to secure their participation. The call for proposals for courses is open until 28 February 2012.
dates: 13-22 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The ICLEI World Congress 2012 takes place every three years and provides mayors, local government officials, representatives of international institutions and other partners opportunities for peer exchange, knowledge-sharing, capacity building and on-site visits and exhibits. ICLEI is supported by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR), the World Bank and others. Key themes to be addressed during the conference include: green urban economy; changing citizens, changing cities; greening events; and food security and how can biodiversity protection be integrated into municipal planning and decision making.
dates: 14-18 June 2012 location: Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais), Brazil
The First Global Summit of Legislators will be hosted by the Government of Brazil, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, GLOBE International and GLOBE Brazil, on the weekend prior to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). The Summit will seek to place national legislation, natural capital and scrutiny at the heart of implementing the UNCSD agenda. The event will be attended by heads of Senates, Congresses, Parliaments, and Chairs of relevant parliamentary committees and will negotiate a legislator’s protocol to be ratified in the respective legislatures of the participating parliaments.
dates: 15-17 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD or Rio+20) Corporate Sustainability Forum will give business and investors an opportunity to meet with governments, local authorities, civil society and UN entities in highly focused workshops and thematic sessions linked to the Rio+20 agenda. The Forum’s objective is to bring greater scale and quality to corporate sustainability practices. As a showcase for innovation and collaboration, the Forum is designed to be a launching ground for widespread action.
dates: 15-18 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is working with partners in Brazil and with international networks and alliances, to organize a series of simultaneous meetings, presentations and discussions around four key “solutions for a sustainable planet” to generate commitment to act on key issues on the UNCSD agenda.
dates: 16-17 June 2012 venue: PUC, the Catholic University location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
Organized by the Government of Brazil with the support of the UN, this event is a forum for civil society, to be held in the context of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). Civil society representatives will debate 10 topics: sustainable development for fighting poverty; sustainable development as an answer to the economic and financial crises; unemployment, decent work and migrations; the economics of sustainable development, including sustainable patterns of production and consumption (SPC); forests; food and nutrition security; sustainable energy for all; water; sustainable cities and innovation; and oceans. Their recommendations will be conveyed directly to the Heads of State and Government present at the High Level Segment (HLS) of Rio+20.
dates: 16-19 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The 2012 celebration of World Day to Combat Desertification, an annual event on 17 June, will focus on the theme "Healthy soil sustains your life: LET’S GO LAND-DEGRADATION NEUTRAL". In 2012, World Day to Combat Desertification falls three days before the start of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), and the global observance is planned to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
date: 17 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The Global Ocean Forum will organize "Oceans Day" during the thematic days immediately preceding the UNCSD.
dates: 17-19 June 2012 [tentative] location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
This event is expected to take place in June 2012. It is organized by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and will seek to contribute to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) process by promoting global consensus among relevant stakeholders such as those engaged in the development of law, Chief Justices and senior judges, Attorneys-General and Public Prosecutors involved in the interpretation and enforcement of law, and Auditors-General whose work will focus on governance and accountability issues on the role of law in promoting the goals of sustainable development.
dates: 17-20 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
This event is being organized during the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), on the theme “Lessons in Sustainable Landscapes and Livelihoods,” and aims to ensure that the vision for a sustainable green economy includes clear steps for building a sustainable food system. It will include 10 participatory “learning events” which will provide an opportunity for participants to explore case studies of success that can be scaled up to achieve a transformation of the global food system. It is hosted, sponsored and organized by more than 15 organizations, including CGIAR, FAO, IFAD, World Bank and WFP.
date: 18 June 2012 venue: Sul America Convention Center, Avenida Paulo de Frontin, 1 - Cidade Nova - Centro, Rio de Janeiro location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
This side event is being organized during the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) by the Rights and Resources Initiative, Alianza Mesoamericana de Pueblos y Bosques (AMPB) and Consejo Civil Mexicano para la Silvicultura Sostenible (CCMSS). The aim of the event is to reflect on the role of forest communities and indigenous peoples in sustainable development. It will highlight a new global analysis of the benefits and impacts of tenure reform around the world since 1992, and share lessons and experiences from Mesoamerica, specifically Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama.
date: 18 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and other international organizations are organizing this full-day side event during the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). The event will highlight the role of forests and industry in fostering local livelihoods at the resource base and in enabling product transition to a low-carbon bio-economy among consumers, and will cover the following themes: the role of the forest sector in emerging bio-economies; forest certification; and contributions of forest industry in rural development.
date: 18 June 2012 venue: Ribalta location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), together with Brazilian partner Embrapa, is organizing an afternoon set of sessions on the theme “Science for a Food Secure Future,” during the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20).
date: 18 June 2012 venue: Sul America Convention Center location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The Group of 20 (G20) Summit of the world’s twenty major economies will take place in Los Cabos, Mexico, and will be the first such summit to occur in Latin America. In its G20 Presidency role during 2012, Mexico has prioritized: economic stability and structural reform for growth and employment; strengthening of financial systems and procurement of financial inclusion for economic growth; improving international financial architecture in an interconnected global economy; mitigating negative effects on price level and volatility of commodities, in particular those affecting food security; and promoting sustainable development with a focus on infrastructure, energy efficiency, green growth and financing the fight against climate change.
dates: 18-19 June 2012 location: Mexico additional: Los Cabos
The Peoples’ Summit is being organized by 150 organizations, entities and social movements from various countries, and is scheduled to take place in parallel to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). The objective of the Summit is to request governments to give political power to the Conference, in order to avoid the need for a “Rio+40” and the holding of conferences that have limited implementation power.
dates: 18-23 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The BASD 2012 Business Day is the official UN Major Group Business & Industry event at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). It will provide a platform for interaction between business leaders and policy makers, with the theme: “Achieving Scale.” The Day will identify key actions and catalysts to drive scale, as a final input to Rio+20 and for collaborative action by the participants going forward. The Day will include: sector-oriented dialogue sessions on: Agriculture, Cement, Chemicals, Consumer Goods, Energy/Power, Forestry, Materials, Oil & Gas, Transport, or others; a High Level Luncheon; dialogues and panel discussions addressing the key themes of Rio+20 and other priority areas, including: Access to Energy, Food Security, Green Economy, Inclusive Business, Corporate Sustainability Reporting, International Governance, Policy frameworks for Sustainable Development, Technology in Sustainable Development, Urbanization, Water, and others (potential sessions include Oceans, Education/Capacity-building, Sustainable Consumption, or Green Jobs); an Evening Reception jointly hosted with the World Business and Development Awards (WBDA); and the WBDA Awards Ceremony, jointly hosted with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) and UN Development Programme (UNDP), the partners in the WBDA.
date: 19 June 2012 venue: Windsor Barra Hotel location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
This Roundtable is coordinated by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), in the lead up to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). It is based on the recognition that forests have been largely excluded from most of the key discussions in the preparations for Rio+20, despite making important contributions toward solving many sustainable development challenges. The event aims to ensure that forests remain high on the agenda in 2012. Participants will discuss new research findings, remaining knowledge gaps and the policy implications for integrating forests into the solutions to several key challenges to progress toward a green economy, namely: energy, water, climate, food and income. CIFOR is a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
date: 19 June 2012 venue: Royal Tulip Hotel location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) Working Group on Capacity Building for Sustainable Bioenergy promotes the dissemination, use, and implementation of the outcomes of the GBEP Task Forces on GHG Methodologies and on Sustainability through activities and projects. GBEP and its Partners comprise 23 countries and 13 international organizations and institutions, including the: Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), European Commission, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), International Energy Agency (IEA), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), United Nations Foundation, World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE) and European Biomass Industry Association (EUBIA). A further 22 countries and 11 International Organizations and institutions are participating as Observers, including: the African Development Bank (AfDB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), European Environment Agency (EEA), Global Environment Facility (GEF), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Organization of American States (OAS), Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA), World Bank and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Current GBEP Partners and Observers account for the majority of bioenergy produced in the world. GBEP Partners alone account for the vast majority of modern bioenergy, including liquid biofuels.
date: 19 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
Mashable, 92nd Street Y, Ericsson, Energias de Portugal (EDP), LiveAD, and the UN Foundation are organizing Rio+Social, an “in-person gathering and global, online conversation on the potential of social media and technology to power a more innovative and better future for our world”. Drawing from the Social Good Summit, an initiative that draws attention to the annual commemoration of UN Week, the Rio+Social event, which will take place on 19 June 2012, the day before the UNCSD opens, aims to promote dialogue about issues ranging from sustainable energy to poverty eradication beyond Rio+20. The event is set to feature addresses from, among others, Ted Turner and Gro Harlem Brundtland.
date: 19 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil (worldwide)
This event is co-organized by the state of Rio de Janeiro, the Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development (nrg4SD), The Climate Group and Regions-United/FOGAR. It aims to provide a platform for subnational governments (federated states, regions, provinces and other intermediate governments) to demonstrate their contributions to sustainable development “on the ground” in partnership with other levels of government and the private sector. The World Summit will launch a global coalition and adopt a declaration of commitments from subnational governments, both on the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication at subnational level. The outcomes of the Summit are intended to feed into the discussions during the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20).
date: 19 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The Inter-American Development Bank is organizing an event on Climate Change and Sustainability on the sidelines of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). The event is open to the private and public sectors as well as civil society. Discussions will address, among other topics: mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilient low carbon development, biodiversity, sustainable energy and the challenges of a local level sustainability agenda.
date: 20 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
During the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), the Sustainia consortium will hold a high-level event to launch “Sustainia100” – a catalogue of sustainability best practices. During this event, the Sustainia100 catalogue of solutions will be presented to decision makers.
date: 20 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The Partnership Forum, to be held from 20-22 June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will consist of sessions showcasing the contributions of partnerships to the implementation of sustainable development. The goal of the Forum is to build on the mandate agreed at the 11th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD 11) and to "reenergize, revitalize and strengthen" partnerships to make them more effective and accountable vehicles for implementation. Sessions will: showcase best practices; discuss how partnerships can advance the implementation of the agreements reached at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20); identify successful models and opportunities for replication and scale up; and promote discussions on more effective accountability measures.
dates: 20-22 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
This meeting is also referred to as Rio+20. The UN General Assembly, in December 2009, adopted a resolution calling for a UNCSD to be convened in Brazil in 2012. This meeting will mark the 20th anniversary of the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), which convened in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The General Assembly resolution specifies that a three-day PrepCom should convene in May 2010, a two-day PrepCom should convene in February-March 2011, and a three-day PrepCom should convene immediately before UNCSD. On 4 November 2011, Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil, announced a proposal to change the dates to 13-15 June 2012 for PrepCom III and 20-22 June 2012 for the UNCSD, in order to allow for highest-level participation. The previously scheduled dates were 28-30 May 2012 for PrepCom III and 4-6 June 2012 for the UNCSD.
dates: 20-22 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
Four high-level roundtable sessions will convene in parallel with the plenary meetings of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). They will focus on the theme “Looking at the way forward in implementing the expected outcomes of the Conference." The roundtable sessions are scheduled for: Wednesday, 20 June from 4:30-7:30 pm; Thursday, 21 June from 10:00 am-1:00 pm and from 3:00-6:00 pm; and Friday, 22 June from 10:00 am-1:00 pm.
dates: 20-22 June 2012 location: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil
The United Nations University's (UNU) "Solving the E-waste Problem" (StEP) Initiative and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) are organizing a week-long "E-waste Academy" for Western African policymakers, government officials and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (recyclers, refurbishers, pre-processors, etc.) interested in the issue of electronic waste ("e-waste") management. The Academy is intended to facilitate exchange of best practices, promote interaction with experts and develop collaborative partnerships for long-term, sustainable solutions and approaches on all policy-related areas related to e-waste, from policy to technology to economics to social aspects, taking into account regional disparities. The organizers hope to duplicate the E-waste Academy approach in other regions.
dates: 25-29 June 2012 venue: UNU Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA) location: Accra (Greater Accra), Ghana
This meeting is scheduled to be the fourth of five Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) meetings to negotiate a legally binding instrument on mercury. INC 4 will take place at the "Conrad Punta del Este Resort and Casino" in Punta del Este, Uruguay, and will be preceded on 26 June by regional consultations and pre-sessional events.
dates: 27 June - 2 July 2012 venue: Conrad Punta del Este Resort and Casino location: Uruguay additional: Punta del Este
The second meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Equitable Benefit-sharing Arising from their Utilization (ABS), organized by the CBD Secretariat, was orginally scheduled to take place from 9-13 April 2012. It was rescheduled to take place from 2-6 July 2012.
dates: 2-6 July 2012 location: Delhi (Delhi), India
The 33rd meeting of the Conference of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government will focus on, among other things, the results of the June 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), and a draft five-year strategic plan for reform of the CARICOM Secretariat.
dates: 4-6 July 2012 location: Saint Lucia
The biennial ordinary meeting of the principal body overseeing UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) work on the population-development nexus will be held under the theme "Population, Territory and Development". The meeting will discuss, inter alia: population, territory and sustainable development in the Caribbean; reproductive health, adolescent fertility and territory; indigenous peoples, territory and sustainable development; and territory and public policy. The meeting also will define the regional process regarding the review and assessment of the 20 years since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo ("Cairo+20"). In addition, during a special session, Ecuador will make a presentation on alternative indicators for measuring "good living" (buen vivir).
dates: 4-6 July 2012 location: Quito (Pichincha), Ecuador
The 11th meeting of the contracting parties (COP 11) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat will be preceded by the 44th meeting of Standing Committee planned for 4 July 2012, and an additional day of regional meetings on 5-6 July 2011, as requested by many Contracting Parties. The Standing Committee agreed that the broad theme for World Wetlands Day 2012 and COP 11 is “Wetlands, Tourism and Recreation.”
dates: 6-13 July 2012 location: Bucharest (Bucuresti), Romania
With the theme “Building a Blue Economy: Strategy, Opportunities and Partnerships in the Seas of East Asia,” the Congress 2012 will address the new opportunities for the ocean economy of East Asia, the range of partnerships that have developed and are required in order to realize the full potential of a blue economy, and the progress and achievements in governance of regional/sub-regional seas within the framework of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia.
dates: 9-13 July 2012 location: Korea, Republic of additional: Changwon
The UN Economic Commission for Africa's Food Security and Sustainable Development programme aims to strengthen the capacity of Member States to design and implement policies and programmes to reinforce linkages between food security, population, environment and human settlements so as to achieve sustainable development.
date: 11 July 2012 [tentative] location: Addis Ababa (Adis Abeba), Ethiopia
The 32nd Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG-32) will prepare decision for consideration at the 24th session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the Montreal Protocol.
dates: 23-27 July 2012 location: Bangkok (Krung Thep), Thailand
This event will mark the 40th anniversary of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), and will focus on the global challenges brought by globalization, fundamental shifts in economic and political power, environmental challenges, and unpredictable social conflict. It will also focus on the research needed to address the environmental, social, technological, and economic challenges they pose, and look at ways of resolving them.
dates: 27-29 July 2012 venue: Hofburg Congress Center and IIASA location: Wien (Wien), Austria additional: and Laxenburg
This Forum will focus on the theme "The Urban Future," and will feature six thematic open dialogues, including one on environment, urban mobility and energy. WUF 6 will also include a series of roundtables conducted by different peer groups, a World Urban Youth Assembly, a Gender Equality Action Assembly, and a Business Assembly.
dates: 1-7 September 2012 venue: Mostra d’ Oltremare location: Napoli (Campania), Italy
The second Global Conference on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change, which will include a High-Level Meeting, is co-organized by the Governments of Viet Nam and the Netherlands, in collaboration with other partners, including the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). The meeting is organized around the theme "Hunger for Action" and will take stock of the implementation of the Roadmap for Action established at the 2010 conference in The Hague, the Netherlands, and set new and more concrete priorities for action while demonstrating early action on climate-smart agriculture as a driver for green growth. The dates were originally set for May.
dates: 3-7 September 2012 venue: Melia Ha Noi Hotel, 44b Ly Thuong Kiet Street location: Hanoi (Ha Noi), Viet Nam
The Congress theme will be Nature+, a slogan that captures the fundamental importance of nature and its inherent link to every aspect of people's lives. The Congress will explore many of the most pressing environmental and development challenges from this perspective and how strong and resilient nature is intricately linked to solving these issues, including Nature+climate, nature+livelihoods, nature+energy and nature+economics.
dates: 6-15 September 2012 venue: International Convention Center location: Jeju (Cheju-Do), Korea, Republic of
The 14th Regular Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN-14) will provide a platform for African Ministers to debate the key outcomes of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), and address other emerging issues related to sustainable development and the environment in Africa. The meeting will also provide an opportunity to the Ministers to refine their strategies on a common approach to engaging with the international community in the climate change negotiation process and in preparation of the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 18), to take place at the end of 2012 in Doha, Qatar. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has served as the Secretariat of AMCEN since its inception.
dates: 10-14 September 2012 location: Arusha (Arusha), Tanzania, United Republic of
This meeting is expected to consider, inter alia: adding nanotechnology and hazardous substances within the lifecycle of electrical and electronic products to the SAICM Global Plan of Action (GPA); adding endocrine disruptors and persistent pharmaceutical pollutants to the emerging issues; and the future of financing SAICM implementation after the expiration of the Quick Start Programme (QSP).
dates: 17-21 September 2012 location: Nairobi (Nairobi Area), Kenya
The 67th regular session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 67) will convene at UN Headquarters on Tuesday, 18 September 2012, at 3:00 pm. The General Debate will open on Tuesday, 25 September. The preliminary list of items to be included in the provisional agenda is contained in document A/67/50. A draft programme of work of the plenary is expected to be issued in July 2012.
date: 18 September 2012 venue: UN Headquarters location: New York (New York), United States of America
This conference will address three topics - commons, work and democracy - and address the sources of degrowth, subjects of change and scenarios.
dates: 19-23 September 2012 location: Venice (Veneto), Italy
The IFAD Executive Board is the Fund's second main Governing Body, consisting of 18 elected Members and 18 Alternate Members. The Executive Board has full authority to decide on the programme of work, approval of projects, programmes and grants and to adopt/recommend action, pending the final approval of the Governing Council, on matters related to policy, the annual administrative budget, applications for membership and staffing within the Fund.
dates: 20-21 September 2012 location: Rome (Lazio), Italy
The Open-ended Working Group (OEWG), one of the subsidiary bodies of the Basel Convention, seeks to: assist the Conference of the Parties (COP) in developing and keeping under continuous review the implementation of the Convention’s work plan, specific operational policies and decisions taken by the COP for the implementation of the Convention, as specified in article 15; consider and advise the COP on issues relating to policy, technical, scientific, legal, institutional, administration, finance, budgetary and other aspects of the implementation of the Convention within the approved budget; prepare its work plan for consideration by the COP; and report to the COP on the activities it has carried out between meetings of the COP.
dates: 25-28 September 2012 location: Geneva (Geneve), Switzerland
World Tourism Day 2012 will take place under the theme "Tourism and Sustainable Energy: Powering Sustainable Development".
date: 27 September 2012 location: worldwide
The sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (COP/MOP 6) to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is organized by the CBD Secretariat. The provisional agenda includes: report of the compliance committee; operation and activities of the Biosafety Clearing-House; matters related to the financial mechanism and resources; cooperation with other organizations, conventions and initiatives; and report of the Executive Secretary. Substantive issues arising from the Programme of Work and past COP-MOP decisions include: handling packaging and identification of living modified organisms (LMOs); notification requirements; liability and redress; unintentional transboundary movements and emergency measures; risk assessment and risk management; socio-economic considerations; monitoring and reporting; and assessment and review.
dates: 1-5 October 2012 location: Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh), India
The project on "Groundwater Governance: A Global Framework for Country Action," was initiated by the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) and the World Bank. This regional consultation is the third of a series. Additional consultations include: in Uruguay, for Latin America and the Caribbean in April 2012; in Kenya, for the Africa region, in May 2012; and in China, in December 2012, for Asia. A fifth Regional Consultation dedicated to the European region as well as institutions from the private sector will be hosted by the Netherlands in the first quarter of 2013. The results of the regional consultations will contribute to the preparation of Global Groundwater Governance Diagnostic.
dates: 8-10 October 2012 location: Amman (Amman), Jordan
The 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is organized by the CBD Secretariat. The High Level Segment will be held from 17-19 October 2012. The provisional agenda includes consideration of: the status of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits arising from their Utilization; implementation of the Strategic Plan 2011-2020 and progress towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets; issues related to financial resources and the financial mechanism; issues related to cooperation, outreach and the UN Decade on Biodiversity; operations of the Convention; Article 8(j) and related provisions; in-depth review of the programme of work on island biodiversity; ways and means to support ecosystem restoration; marine and coastal biodiversity; biodiversity and climate change; other substantive issues arising from COP 10 decisions, including dryland, forest, inland waters, mountain, and agricultural biodiversity, protected areas, sustainable use of biodiversity, the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, biofuels and biodiversity, invasive alien species, the Global Taxonomy Initiative, incentive measures, and biodiversity and development; as well as administrative and budgetary matters.
dates: 8-19 October 2012 location: Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh), India
The Ad Hoc Expert Group Meeting on the assessment of biodiversity, forests, mountains, biotechnology and tourism in Africa is being held as part of the African preparations for the 20th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). It is expected to convene immediately prior to the Eighth Session of the UNECA Committee on Food Security and Sustainable Development (CFSSD-8).
dates: 15-16 October 2012 [tentative] location: Addis Ababa (Adis Abeba), Ethiopia
This conference is organized by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, (ICIMOD) and aims to bring together mountain women and men, researchers, policy makers, and development practitioners from the Hindu Kush-Himalayas region and around the world for a comprehensive update, stock-taking, and new agenda setting after the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD or Rio+20). The conference will include plenary sessions, panels, and discussions on the following six themes: Climate Change: Gender and Adaptation; Livelihoods: Inclusive Sustainable Development; Governance: Gender-Responsive Policies and Plural Institutions; Gender-Positive Change: Successes, Challenges, and Agenda-Setting for Gender ‘Mainstreaming’; Ecosystems: Benefit Sharing, Access, and Equity in Diverse Environments and Common Property Regimes; and Water: Equitable Access, Control, and Benefits of Water Resources.
dates: 15-19 October 2012 location: Bhutan additional: Thimphu
The Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) is a subsidiary body to the Stockholm Convention established for reviewing chemicals proposed for listing in Annex A, Annex B, and/or Annex C. POPRC 8 will convene from 15-19 October 2012. A meeting of the intersessional working groups would be held on Sunday, 14 October 2012, in English only.
dates: 15-19 October 2012 location: Geneva (Geneve), Switzerland
The UN Economic Commission for Africa's Food Security and Sustainable Development programme aims to strengthen the capacity of Member States to design and implement policies and programmes to reinforce linkages between food security, population, environment and human settlements so as to achieve sustainable development. This meeting is also scheduled to serve as the Africa Regional Implementation Meeting (RIM) for CSD-20 and CSD-21, pending the outcome from Rio+20.
dates: 17-19 October 2012 [tentative] location: Addis Ababa (Adis Abeba), Ethiopia
The World Energy Forum, which is being held for the first time outside UN Headquarters in New York, seeks to bring together world leaders, international organizations, financial institutions and other stakeholders to discuss progress towards cleaner, safer and more sustainable energy as well as how to achieve universal access to modern energy services. As 2012 has been designated as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, one of the main objectives of the Forum is to chart a roadmap for a sustainable energy mix that can fuel global economic and social development.
dates: 22-24 October 2012 location: Dubai (Dubai), United Arab Emirates
The eighth African Development Forum (ADF) is being held under the theme "Governing and Harnessing Natural Resources for Africa's Development". The ADF will provide a forum for the presentation of the latest research results, opinions and developments within the following six areas: knowledge base, human and institutional capacities; policy, legal and regulatory issues; economic issues; governance, human rights and social issues; participation and ownership of natural resources; and environmental, material stewardship and climate change. The ADF is an biennial event of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). It was created in 1999 and is a multi-stakeholder platform for debating, discussing and initiating concrete strategies for Africa's development. It is convened in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and other partners.
dates: 23-25 October 2012 location: Addis Ababa (Adis Abeba), Ethiopia [tentative]
This event is organized by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), in cooperation with the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs and the Austrian Federal Ministry for Science and Research. In recognition of the major transformations in the world, characterized by increased globalization, fundamental shifts in economic and political power, escalating environmental challenges, and deep social conflict, this Conference will examine the sustainability and development challenges posed by these transformations, together with options for resolving them. It will also explore new “future worlds,” worlds that accommodate human needs and aspirations, while living within, and respecting, planetary boundaries. The Conference will highlight the relevance and application of advanced systems analysis and integrated approaches in providing science-based solutions to these problems.
dates: 24-26 October 2012 venue: Hofburg Conference Center and IIASA location: Vienna (Wien), Austria
The 48th Session of the International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC) and the Associated Sessions of the four Committees (Finance and Administration, Economic Information and Market Intelligence, Forest Industry, and Reforestation and Forest Management) is scheduled to take place in Yokohama, Japan.
dates: 5-10 November 2012 location: Yokohama (Kanagawa), Japan
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) will hold its seventh annual meeting in November 2012. The proposed main theme for the meeting is “Internet Governance for Sustainable Human, Economic and Social Development.” This meeting will be preceded by open Consultations and a meeting of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG).
dates: 6-9 November 2012 location: Baku (Abseron), Azerbaijan
The 49th Meeting of the Implementation Committee Under the Non-Compliance Procedure of the Montreal Protocol (ImpCom 42) will consider issues related to parties' compliance with the provisions of the Protocol in advance of the 24th Meeting of the Parties (MOP).
dates: 8-9 November 2012 location: Ch (Geneve), Switzerland
The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, along with the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Israeli Foreign Ministry, are orgainzing the Fourth International Conference on Drylands, Deserts and Desertification (DDD). This conference will gather scientists, field workers, industry representatives, government workers, civil society organizations, international development aid agencies and other stakeholders from over 60 countries to discuss issues related to land degradation in the drylands, and their sustainable use and development. The 2012 conference will focus on the outcome of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) and will consider the science required for implementing the UNCSD's recommendations relevant to drylands and desertification. Local case studies will be highlighted alongside success stories from around the world with an emphasis on indicators of progress. Additional sessions will be held considering a broad range of topics associated with sustainable living in the drylands and the means to address desertification, as well as achieving the target of zero net rate of land degradation. Registration opens on 1 April and the abstract submission deadline is 17 June.
dates: 12-15 November 2012 venue: Sede Boqer campus of Ben Gurion University location: Israel additional: Sede Boqer
The 24th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP 24) is scheduled to take place in Geneva, Switzerland.
dates: 12-16 November 2012 location: Geneva (Geneve), Switzerland
The 2012 International Peace Research Association (IPRA) Conference will focus on the theme “A better world is possible: Peace and Justice in the Globalised World”. Presentations and discussions will be structured around the IPRA’s various commissions, according to the commission’s specialization. The Ecology and Peace Commission (EPC) will devote several sessions to the theme, “From Rio (1992) to Rio+20 (2012),” and focus on topics including: sustainability transformation and sustainable peace; international environmental policy; peace and security impacts of business-as-usual policies in the 21st century; responses of various countries to the Kyoto Protocol; and other topics related to environment and peace.
dates: 24-28 November 2012 venue: Mie University location: Japan additional: Tsu City, Mie Prefecture
The 18th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 18) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP 8), among other associated meetings, are scheduled to take place in Doha, Qatar.
dates: 26 November - 7 December 2012 location: Doha (Ad Dawhah), Qatar
The sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses will mark the 20th anniversary since its adoption. The MOP will adopt a work programme for 2013-2015 and will address the future evolution of the Convention becoming a global instrument with a forthcoming entry into force of the amendments opening it to countries outside the UNECE region.
dates: 28-30 November 2012 location: Rome (Lazio), Italy
A project on "Groundwater Governance: A Global Framework for Country Action" was initiated by the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) and the World Bank. The Asian regional consultation is the fourth in a series. The others have included consultations in: Uruguay, for Latin America and the Caribbean, in April 2012; Kenya, for the Africa region, in May 2012; and Jordan, in October 2012, for the Arab countries. The fifth Regional Consultation, dedicated to the European region as well as institutions from the private sector, will be hosted by the Netherlands in the first quarter of 2013. The results of the regional consultations will contribute to the preparation of Global Groundwater Governance Diagnostic.
date: 3 December 2012 [tentative] location: Beijing (Beijing), China
The IFAD Executive Board is the Fund's second main Governing Body, consisting of 18 elected Members and 18 Alternate Members. The Executive Board has full authority to decide on the programme of work, approval of projects, programmes and grants and to adopt/recommend action, pending the final approval of the Governing Council, on matters related to policy, the annual administrative budget, applications for membership and staffing within the Fund.
dates: 12-13 December 2012 location: Rome (Lazio), Italy
This meeting is scheduled to be the final of five Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) meetings to negotiate a legally binding instrument on mercury. The meeting will take place sometime between 12-20 January 2013, with the final decision to be reached by the Bureau.
dates: 12-20 January 2013 location: Geneva (Geneve), Switzerland
The 27th session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC 27/GMEF) of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is scheduled to convene from 18-22 February 2013, in Nairobi, Kenya. In pursuance of General Assembly resolution 53/242 (Report of the Secretary-General on environment and human settlements) of 28 July 1999, the Governing Council constitutes the annual ministerial-level global environmental forum in which participants gather to review important and emerging policy issues in the field of the environment.
dates: 18-22 February 2013 location: Nairobi (Nairobi Area), Kenya
The 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the Convention in International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is expected to convene in March 2013.
dates: 3-15 March 2013 location: Thailand
The Chemical Review Committee (CRC) is a subsidiary body of the Rotterdam Convention established to review chemicals and pesticide formulations according to the criteria set out by the Convention in Annexes II and IV respectively and make recommendations to the Conference of the Parties for listing such chemicals in Annex III. This meeting is expected to take place from 11-15 March 2013.
dates: 11-15 March 2013 location: Rome (Lazio), Italy
The focus of the tenth session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF 10) is forests and economic development, including agenda items on: forest products and services; national forest programmes and other sectoral policies and strategies; reducing risks and impacts of disasters; and benefits of forests and trees to urban communities.
dates: 8-19 April 2013 location: Istanbul (Istanbul), Turkey
The sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (PIC COP 6) will consider the recommendations of the Chemical Review Committee for listings in Annex III to the Convention, as well as the development of a compliance mechanism and matters related to technical assistance.
dates: 1-5 July 2013 location: Roma (Lazio), Italy
Participants in this meeting are expected to include governments representatives, policy-makers, research organizations, utilities and commercial companies. The meeting aims to exchange information on the science of mercury behavior and release, and its effect on ecosystems.
dates: 28 July - 2 August 2013 location: Edinburgh (Scotland), United Kingdom
The 49th Session of the International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC) and the Associated Sessions of the four Committees (Finance and Administration, Economic Information and Market Intelligence, Forest Industry, and Reforestation and Forest Management) are scheduled to take place in Libreville, Gabon.
dates: 25-30 November 2013 location: Libreville (Estuaire), Gabon
The 38th sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies to the UNFCCC are expected to take place in June 2014.
dates: 4-15 June 2014 location: Bonn (Nordrhein-Westfalen), Germany
The 20th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC is expected to take place in December 2014 at a venue to be determined.
dates: 3-14 December 2014 location: TBA
The 40th sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies to the UNFCCC are expected to take place in June 2015.
dates: 3-14 June 2015 location: Bonn (Nordrhein-Westfalen), Germany
The 21st session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC is expected to take place in December 2015 at a venue to be determined.
dates: 2-13 December 2015 location: TBA
The 42nd sessions of the subsidiary bodies to the UNFCCC are expected to take place in May 2016.
dates: 18-29 May 2016 location: Bonn (Nordrhein-Westfalen), Germany
The 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to the UNFCCC is expected to take place in November-December 2016, at a venue to be determined.
dates: 30 November - 11 December 2016 location: TBA
