UNEP Governing Council Discusses Climate Change, Sets Direction for Future Work	The Governing Bodies of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in the largest gathering of environment ministers since the UN conference on climate change at Bali, deliberated on ways to mobilise financing for mitigation and adaptation. more
WIPO CTTE ON GENETIC RESOURCES AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE LOOKS FOR WAY FORWARD	Members of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) have identified a number of steps in order to move forward long-running discussions on the policy, legal and practical aspects of the protection of genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore. more
CLIMATE CHANGE: SCHWAB OPPOSES POTENTIAL TRADE MEASURES	US Trade Representative Susan Schwab has warned US legislators against introducing border measures in draft climate legislation. more

In Brief

AQUATIC SPECIES INVADE FOREIGN COASTAL WATERS GM CONTAMINATION ON THE RISE, COMPLICATES TRADE NEW CALLS FOR SUSTAINABILITY TRANSITION GLOBAL SEED VAULT OPENS IN NORWAY

Events    &   Resources
Events	10-14 March, New York, US: SEVENTH INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS OF STATES PARTIES TO THE FISH STOCKS AGREEMENT. This meeting will be an informal consultation of the parties to the UN Agreement for Implementation of the Provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. Participants will discuss the implementation of the Agreement, taking into consideration the outcome of the Review Conference as regards proposed means of strengthening implementation, promoting wider participation, and making recommendations to be considered by the General Assembly. Internet: http://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/convention_overview_fish_stocks.htm
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Resources	EU CONSUMPTION, GLOBAL POLLUTION. By John Kornerup Bang, Eivind Hoff and Glen Peters (WWF, February 2008). This report shows that the global CO2 emissions from EU consumption are 500 megatonnes (12%) higher than EU production. The countries most impacted by the EU's carbon imbalance are China, South Africa and Russia. The situation reflects the fact that the Europe mainly exports services and high-value added products while importing more energy-intensive and low-value added products. Imported goods also tend to cause more emissions because production in some countries is more pollution intensive than in Europe. Goals to reduce EU emissions by 50-80% by 2050 are weakened if this is done by increasingly importing CO2-intensive products from the rest of the world. For the EU to reduce its global CO2 emissions, systemic changes to the European economy are needed. As the world's largest economic and trading block, trade and investment flows from the EU are an important, but often overlooked, method to achieve change. The report says that the EU must mobilise the funds to help developing countries introduce technology that 'leapfrogs' beyond the inefficient industrial and urban infrastructure in the developed world. To access the report go to http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/policy/index.cfm?uNewsID=125140
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ISSN 1682-0843