World Congress on Sustainable Hydropower: This important event, that will bring together leaders from government, business, academia and civil society is being held in Reykjavik from 23-26 June, 2009. Topics to be covered include: Energy Policy, Water Policy, Climate Change, Hydropower Development, Investment and Financing Models, Hydropower Markets, Hydropower and GHG Emissions Seminar, Sustainability Standards, Renewable Energy Sustainability Initiatives, Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum. More details

2009 World Water Week in Stockholm open for registration. The theme for 2009 is: “Responding to Global Changes - Accessing Water for the Common Good” with a special focus on Transboundary Waters. For further details and registration visit their website.

CALL FOR PAPERS >>

Carbon & Climate Law Review has issued a call for papers  relevant to the legal and institutional dimensions of the future climate change regime to be agreed at Copenhagen. Abstracts to be submitted by 4 June, 2009. Carbon & Climate Law Review is a quarterly international journal on climate regulation and the carbon market. Learn more

The International Conference on Applied Energy (ICAE) forum on research, development and application of energy technology and policy has launched a Call for Papers for ICAE, 2010 to be held at Singapore, 21-23 April, 2010. Deadline for abstracts is 15th July, 2009. For further details

NEWS >>

India has urged African nations not to follow the example of Kenya, which has recently passed legislation which allows generic versions of drugs patented anywhere in the world to be classed as counterfeit if the patent holder raises an objection. Read the news here


Bill Gates co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf met in Rome on 11th May to discuss the role of agricultural development in reducing world hunger and poverty. They also addressed the longer-term challenges to agriculture, including the impact of the global economic crisis on poor countries. "With nearly one billion people going hungry worldwide, we must act urgently, but also have the foresight necessary to make sustainable, lasting increases in agriculture," said Diouf. Read the full news

DOCUMENTS / TEXTS / REPORTS >>

The United Nations Office to support the International Decade for Action ‘Water for Life’ 2005–2015 and Casa Africa has published the conclusions and recommendations from the International Meeting on Water and Cooperation in Africa, which took place from 20 to 22 April 2009 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. The report in English

United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development at its 17th session adopts Policy Options, ‘SHARED VISION’ document Stressing Urgent Need for Bold, Determined, Innovative Response to serious parallel crises affecting the world today. Read the press release

Policy options and practical measures to expedite implementation in agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification and Africa. Read the final adopted text of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (17th session). Read the advanced unedited text

OTHER >>

The Center for International Forestry Research is conducting a global survey to gauge the perceptions of risk to climate change in the context of production (tropical) forestry and to learn about the the response options available by forest managers, forestry practitioners, researchers, and policy-makers. Learn more and complete the survey here

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Delhi is organising a short-term training programme on Environmantal Impact Assessment from 22th to 26th June 2009. The programme is titled: Understanding EIA: From Screening to Decision making. The last date for applying is May 31, 2009. CSE is offering a 50% discount on the course fee for NGOs, academicians and students. More details

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