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Civil Society Groups Criticise World Bank Clean Energy Strategy	Future energy options featured on the agenda of global finance ministers attending the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) annual meetings in Singapore from 13-20 September. The joint IMF-World Bank Development Committee considered progress with regard to the elaboration of an investment framework for clean energy and development, welcomed progress to date and called for additional donor funding. However, a number of environment and development NGOs joined forces to criticise the clean energy plan for "selling the climate and poor people short". They recommended a much stronger focus on renewable energy, including the creation of a new Renewable Energy for Development Agency. more
International Cotton Body Discusses Sustainability, Calls For Doha Revival	In a communiqué issued at its annual meeting, the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) called for a revival of the suspended WTO Doha negotiations. The ICAC's member governments also called for the establishment of a panel to assess the environmental, social and economic impacts of cotton production around the world. The ICAC sixty-fifth Plenary, held from 11-15 September in Goiânia, Brazil, focused on the theme of "The Social and Environmental Impacts of Cotton Production and Use", with sessions featuring discussions on environment, social implications, outlook for cotton supply and use, standardisation of instrument testing of cotton, cotton and the Doha round, and the future of the South American textile industry. Participants also discussed biotechnology, organic cotton and the development aspects of the Doha round in break-out sessions. more

In Brief

Tyres Dispute Continues; Brazil Files Second Written Submission Lamy: ISO-WTO Relationship Critical For International Trade G8 Illegal Logging Dialogue Launched

Events    &   Resources
Events	25-26 Geneva, Switzerland: WTO PUBLIC FORUM. The theme of this year's WTO annual forum for civil society representatives is "What WTO for the 21st century?" For further information.
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Resources	ECOLABELS AND FISH TRADE: MARINE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL CERTIFICATION AND THE SA HAKE INDUSTRY. By Stefano Ponte. Trade Law Centre for Southern Africa (tralac), 2006. Yet, the case study of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification of the hake industry in South Africa illustrates that ecolabelling is sought in the context of competitive pressures, political economies, and specific interpretations of conservation, not simply on the basis of value-free science or systemic management alone. Developing country fisheries, and small-scale ones in particular, have been marginalised in the MSC system. The paper concludes that independent auditing, transparency of standard-setting, accountability, and the need for standards to be based on 'good science', are not enough to facilitate certification in small-scale developing country fisheries. What is needed are special systems of compliance and verification that cater to their needs. Until this happens, and until premiums are not paid at the producer level, MSC and similar initiatives will keep putting 'sustainability' at the service of commercial interests.
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