May 15, 2012
- The UN Pavilion highlights the work of 24 UN bodies and international organizations, to raise Expo visitors' awareness on: marine pollution from oil; marine litter; deep seabed marine biodiversity; over-fishing; and the impacts of climate change on oceans and coasts. International Exposition 2012 (Expo 2012) is taking place in Yeosu, Republic of Korea, under the theme "Oceans and Coasts: Connecting Our Lives, Ensuring Our Future—The Choice is Yours."
May 10, 2012
- An Informal Ministerial Roundtable on Climate Change brought together representatives from 30 countries, including from LDCs and AOSIS. The Roundtable was convened by Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action, who called on countries to keep up the momentum created in Durban on climate change and to make progress at Rio+20.
- UNESCO-IOC, IUCN and Conservation International (CI) organized a side event on the margins of the Second Round of ‘Informal-Informal’ Rio+20 Negotiations titled "Blue Carbon: a Tool to Mitigate Climate Change and Preserve Key Marine and Coastal Ecosystems," which provided an opportunity to discuss and present a number innovative tools building on the work of the Blue Carbon Policy Framework.
May 8, 2012
- The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) submissions to the UNFCCC address relevant work in relation to addressing emissions from fuel used for international aviation and maritime transport. The submissions will be considered by the 36th session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA).
May 7, 2012
- The Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) is the only African intergovernmental organisation made up entirely of islands. At Rio+20, IOC will voice the views of its Member States, namely: Comoros, France/Reunion, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles. IOC will highlight the specific vulnerabilities faced by these islands and advocate for the international community to grant them special and differential treatment.
- SBSTTA 16 adopted 16 recommendations, including: a package on marine and coastal biodiversity, covering criteria for EBSA identification and prioritization, environmental assessments in marine and coastal areas, marine spatial planning and human impacts; and a package on biodiversity and climate change, covering biodiversity safeguards for REDD+, biodiversity considerations into climate-related activities, and geo-engineering.
May 4, 2012
- The region of Langeness, Germany is the world’s most important inter-tidal zone on the frontline of climate change, UNEP/GRID-Arendal notes, and key testing ground for adaptation policies and measures. Participants examined the environmental, cultural and socio-economic impacts of climate change on the Wadden Sea ecosystem, are were encouraged to develop projects under the EU’s Youth in Action programme, to be implemented locally upon their return.
May 3, 2012
- The Climate Investment Funds (CIF) has released a video on climate change in Dominica, which highlights the threats posed by extreme weather events to Caribbean islands, and the adoption of a climate change strategy by Dominica to confront these challenges.
May 2, 2012
- SBSTTA 16 discussions are expected to focus on issues relating to marine and coastal biodiversity and biodiversity and climate change, including biodiversity safeguards for REDD+, geo-engineering and impacts of biofuels on biodiversity. It will also address the in-depth review of the Programme of Work on Island Biodiversity (PoWIB).
- The World Bank has published a brief titled "Helping to Better Manage the World's Oceans," which reports on its investments and support for sustainable management of oceans and coasts, with project examples from Guinea-Bissau and Indonesia.