May 17, 2012
- The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and SAAB, a defense and security company, agreed to undertake joint activities to support IDB's sustainable cities platform. The initiative seeks to develop long-term environmental, fiscal and urban management strategies and to account for the various negative impacts of climate change.
- The Food and Agriculture Organization's 31st Regional Conference for the Near East is focusing on food waste, climate change impacts and the creation of a regional trust fund for agricultural development. Climate change discussions are expected to focus on freshwater, fisheries, and forestry and land use management.
May 16, 2012
- According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the proposed FTT could generate about US$48 billion across the Group of 20 (G20) countries at a lowest rate, and up to US$250 billion per year at a highest rate.
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 11, 2012
- The 45th meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) took place in the context of growing inflation, spikes in fuel prices and worsening impacts of climate change in the Asia Pacific region. Participants discussed the need to promote green growth and food security, build resilience in urban centers, and promote trade between Asia and Latin America.
May 10, 2012
- The 14th Regular Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN-14) will provide a platform for African Ministers to debate the key outcomes of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), and address other emerging issues related to sustainable development and the environment in Africa. The meeting will also provide an opportunity to the Ministers to refine their strategies on a common approach to engaging with the international community in the...
- 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.
May 9, 2012
- The UN University (UNU)-World Institute for Development Economics Research (WIDER) conference on "Climate Change and Development Policy" aims to reflect the diverse range of perspectives on how to balance climate and development objectives. The conference will evaluate how research can inform development policy and identify existing knowledge gaps. Researchers and policy makers will be brought together to advance knowledge of development and climate change. The conference focuses on both low-...
- The World Bank approved a loan to the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul to strengthen public investment through green growth-oriented initiatives. In addition, as Rio Grande do Sul lacks a disaster risk management system, despite being increasingly affected by extreme weather patterns, part of the funding will also support a more comprehensive disaster risk management program and monitoring system.
May 8, 2012
- The meeting saw the signing of a Joint Declaration on EU-China Partnership on Urbanization, an EU-China Joint Declaration on Energy Security and a Joint Statement for Enhanced Cooperation on Electricity Markets between the European Commission and the State Electricity Regulatory Commission of China.