14 May 2013: Following extensive informal consultations among members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the WTO General Council has approved the appointment of Ambassador Roberto Carvalho de Azevêdo (Brazil) as the next Director-General of the WTO. Azevêdo will take office on 1 September 2013.
8 May 2013: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) have issued an advance unedited copy of the 'Report of the Secretary-General on mainstreaming of the three dimensions of sustainable development throughout the United Nations system.' The report responds to a mandate from the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) for the UN Secretary-General to report to the UNGA, through ECOSOC, on the progress made on this topic.
13 May 2013: The 2013 Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Integration Meeting convened on the topic of 'Achieving sustainable development: Integrating the social, economic and environmental dimensions,' on 13 May 2013, at UN Headquarters in New York, US. It sought to examine how science, technology and innovation (STI) can contribute to strengthening the science-policy interface and integrating the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development so as to implement triple-win solutions, with a specific focus on the themes of sustainable energy and agriculture.
8 May 2013: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has released a report, titled 'Green Economy and Trade: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities,' which argues that an increase in trade in environmental goods and services and certified products can stimulate the transition to a green economy, while such a transition can create further opportunities for increased trade in such products and services.
10 May 2013: During the three-day meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, of the 23rd World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa, from 8-10 May 2013, global leaders in business, government and civil society discussed a wide range of challenges facing the region, and recent advances in governance and economic growth.
9 May 2013: The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) organized an expert panel on intergenerational solidarity to contribute to the forthcoming report of the UN Secretary-General on the topic, which was requested by the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20).
April 2013: The UN Development Programme's (UNDP) Environment and Energy Group (EEG) has released a report, titled ‘Towards Transformational Change: UNDP's Work in Environment and Sustainable Development 2008-2012.' The publication features a collection of stories from around the world in four strategic areas: mainstreaming environment and energy; mobilizing environmental finance; promoting adaptation to climate change; and expanding access to environmental and energy services for the poor.
7 May 2013: The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has released a draft report of its Leadership Council to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, for public consultation. Comments are being accepted until 22 May 2013.
7 May 2013: The UN Global Compact Board convened from 6-7 May 2013, in New York, US, during which members: provided guidance on the future direction of the Compact; discussed the private sector contribution to the post-2015 development process, ahead of the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit to be held 19-20 September 2013 in New York; and focused on key priorities, including the ongoing Global Compact strategic review.
6 May 2013: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has welcomed the entry into force of a new human rights mechanism that will permit individuals to seek justice in relation to economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR).
30 April 2013: The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UN University (UNU) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) held a workshop aimed at promoting the Inclusive Wealth Report (IWR), which was presented during the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) in June 2012.
26 April 2013: International crime undermines achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and sustainable development, according to Yury Fedotov, Head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in a statement at the 22nd session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ). The CCPCJ, which was held from 22-26 April 2013, in Vienna, Austria, adopted resolutions on the rule of law in the post-2015 development agenda and on illicit trafficking in protected species of wild fauna and flora, among others.
12 April 2013: The Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) of the UN Department for Economic and Social Development (DESA) has released information on the preparation of the Global Sustainable Development Report 2013. This report aims to strengthen the science-policy interface and will focus on the global sustainable development agenda, with reference to regional, national and local examples of global significance.
2 May 2013:
The 69th Commission Session of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) met under the theme, 'Building resilience to natural disasters and major economic crises,' and concluded with the adoption of 17 resolutions aiming to balance the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development for regional well-being.
29 April 2013: The Office of the President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) has issued a draft concept note on preparations for the High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, which will convene in October 2013.
30 April 2013: At the first consultative workshop on Development, Transfer and Dissemination of Clean and Environmentally Sound Technologies in Developing Countries, panelists and participants addressed science and technology needs and options for poverty eradication and sustainable development, with a focus on the cases of agriculture and energy.
26 April 2013: The Commonwealth Secretariat hosted representatives of very small States in a meeting on the specific challenges that micro-States face in delivering sustainable development. Discussions focused on governance, policy and public administration in micro-States.
23 April 2013: Consultations to establish the high-level political forum (HLPF) continued with an informal-informal meeting on the format and organizational modalities of the forum, on 23 April 2013 in New York, US. Delegates discussed the "institutional placement" of the forum and options for Senior Officials Meetings, among other topics.
24 April 2013: The Asian and Pacific Regional Implementation Meeting (RIM) on Rio+20 Outcomes discussed regional perspectives and follow-up to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), such as the establishment of a high-level political forum (HLPF) to replace the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), and the development of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
22 April 2013: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has joined the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), which is a global open data initiative comprised of over 130 organizations working on international development.
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