Events

For a more comprehensive list of events in trade and sustainable development, please refer to ICTSD's web calendar, http://www.trade-environment.org/page/calendar.htm.

Coming up in the next two weeks

7 April, Reading, U.K.:ECO-INNOVATION WORKSHOP. The European Commission has recently highlighted bio-based products alongside other three other green areas - sustainable construction, recycling and renewable technologies - within its newly announced Lead Markets Initiative (LMI). The workshop will bring together a number of leading thinkers and practitioners to highlight experience related to bio-based innovation and biomimetics. Bio-Innovators will build on previous events on eco-innovation, sustainable building technologies, energy harvesting, low carbon and resourceful innovators. Internet: http://www.extra.rdg.ac.uk/eng/BIONIS/events.htm

7-8 April, Geneva, Switzerland: SYMPOSIUM ON PUBLIC POLICY PATENT LANDSCAPING IN THE LIFE SCIENCES: This symposium will be the fourth in a series of public symposia on intellectual property as it relates to the life sciences, and will address how patent landscaping may be used within the life sciences for public policy purposes. Internet: http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2008/article_0010.html

7-9 April, Arusha, Tanzania: MAKING SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS SUITABLE FOR SMALL SCALE FARMERS: A UNCTAD XII PRE-EVENT. Agricultural producers and farmers in developing countries are facing increasingly complex and stringent standards and codes if they are to market their products on world markets. In addition to technical standards, such as the colour or size of apples, there is a growing range of quality, environmental and social requirements. Known as sustainability standards, these include pesticide-free production, child labour bans and decent pay. While these help to promote better practices in agriculture, their economic, social and political impact is all too often overlooked by wholesalers, governments and non-governmental organizations. They can run counter to development strategies aimed at the most disadvantaged by excluding small farmers in developing countries from international agricultural supply chains. The meeting will aim to identify the impact of the spread of sustainability standards on smallholder farmers in developing countries, particularly in Africa. The goal is to map effective strategies to minimize the costs and maximize the benefits of this global trend, and identify real economic, social and environmental win-win-win opportunities. Internet: http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Meeting.asp?intItemID=1942&lang=1&m=15274&year=2008&month=4

7-9 April, Rome, Italy: MEETING ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE. This Expert Meeting will identify the key issues on climate change and fisheries, initiate a discussion on how the fishing industry can adapt to climate change, and devise appropriate strategies for informing fishers and policy makers about the likely consequences of climate change for fisheries. Internet: http://www.fao.org/foodclimate/expert/em7.html?L=6

7-8 April, Geneva, Switzerland: SYMPOSIUM ON PUBLIC POLICY PATENT LANDSCAPING IN THE LIFE SCIENCES. This symposium will be the fourth in a series of public symposia on intellectual property as it relates to the life sciences, and will address how patent landscaping may be used within the life sciences for public policy purposes. Internet: http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2008/article_0010.html

7-11 April, Rome, Italy: COMMISSION ON PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES. The Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM) governs the implementation of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). It is composed of representatives from contracting parties to the IPPC. The CPM meets annually and provides a forum for the discussion of international plant protection issues and sets the annual programme of work for the IPPC. Internet: https://www.ippc.int

13-16 April, Ooty, India: GRADUATE COURSE IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. The Society for Technology Management (STEM), Asia's premier technology management association, will be hosting its flagship international program, the Graduate Course in IPR and Technology Transfer. The intensive four-day program will examine the role of Intellectual Property (IP) as a strategic technology transfer tool using case studies, best practices, and interactive discussions. The program details, including program agenda and registration forms, are available online at http://www.stemglobal.org/events2008.html

16-18 April, Dakar, Senegal: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RENEWABLE ENERGY IN AFRICA- "MAKING RENEWABLE ENERGY MARKETS WORK FOR AFRICA - POLICIES, INDUSTRIES AND FINANCE FOR SCALING-UP". The conference is jointly organised the Government of Senegal, the African Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to mobilise leadership and commitment by high-level decision makers to market based approaches to scaling up the use renewable energy in Africa so as to increase access to modern energy services and support sustainable industrial growth. Internet: http://www.unido.org/renewables/dakar2008

Other upcoming meetings

5-18 April, Geneva, Switzerland: 17th MEETING OF THE PLANTS COMMITTEE. Organized by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Internet: http://www.cites.org/eng/news/calendar.shtml

19 April, Geneva, Switzerland: JOINT MEETING OF THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS COMMITTEE. Organised by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Internet: http://www.cites.org/eng/news/calendar.shtml

21-24 April, Geneva, Switzerland: 23RD MEETING OF THE ANIMALS COMMITTEE. Organized by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Internet: http://www.cites.org/eng/news/calendar.shtml

20-25 April, Accra, Ghana: TWELFTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT (UNCTAD XII). The theme of UNCTAD XII is addressing the opportunities and challenges of globalisation for development. The conference will look at enhancing coherence at all levels for sustainable economic development and poverty reduction in global policy making; key trade and development issues in the world economy; enhancing the enabling environment at all levels to strengthen productive capacity, trade and investment; and strengthening UNCTAD. Internet: http://www.unctadxii.org/en/

21-25 April, Hanoi, Viet Nam: ASIA-PACIFIC FORESTRY COMMISSION (22nd SESSION). The members of the APFC (currently comprised of 32 countries in Asia and the Pacific) meet every two years in a general session to review forestry developments in the region, discuss problems of mutual concern, and set new agendas for inter-sessional work. An Asia-Pacific Forestry Week is organised in conjunction with the session. Internet: http://www.fao.org/forestry/site/33592/en/

22-24 April, Abuja, Nigeria: WEST AFRICAN BIOFUELS SUMMIT 2008. The summit is being planned to evaluate and chart a brighter future for West Africa in the biofuels world. West Africa is well positioned to be the biofuels centre for Africa, if she maximizes the potentials inherent in biofuels. The summit has been designed as an annual event to discuss and chart a new course for biofuels development and sustainability in West Africa. Internet: http://www.scidev.net/en/events/west-african-biofuels-summit-2008.html

22-24 April, Phoenix, US: TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT IN NORTH AMERICA 2008. The three day event is open to the public and will feature discussions on reducing the environmental impact of trade corridors and evaluating what has been learned from 10 years of research on trade and the environment. Internet: http://www.cec.org/symposium

23-25 April, Paris, France: OECD-UNEP CONFERENCE ON RESOURCE EFFICEINCY. This meeting will discuss how improved resource efficiency can reduce negative environmental impacts while sustaining economic activity. Internet: http://www.oecd.org/department/0,3355,en_2649_33713_1_1_1_1_1,00.html

28 April-2 May, Ottawa, Canada: CODEX COMMITTEE ON FOOD LABELLING (36th SESSION). The Committee will, among other, discuss issues related to biotechnology labelling as well as organically produced foods. Internet: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/current.jsp?lang=en

5-16 May, New York, U.S.:16th SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. This review session at United Nations headquarters will focus on agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification and Africa. Internet: http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd