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Latest News - 16 May 2012
UNFCCC Releases Submissions on QELROs
Read More: UNFCCC Releases Submissions on QELROs
14_May_2012: The UNFCCC Secretariat has released the submissions from Belarus, Iceland and Nauru on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), containing information on Annex I Parties' quantified emission limitation or reduction objectives (QELROs) for the second Kyoto Protocol commitment period (FCCC/KP/AWG/2012/MISC.1/Add.1). continued...
FTMM 2012 Concludes, Agrees on Phase Two of Traditional Knowledge Action Plan
Read More: FTMM 2012 Concludes, Agrees on Phase Two of Traditional Knowledge Action Plan
11_May_2012: At the 2012 Forum Trade Ministers' Meeting (FTMM), the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) updated ministers on its trade-related work, including the region's Traditional Knowledge (TK) Action Plan. Decisions taken by the ministers are contained in the 2012 FTMM Outcomes Document. continued...
PEC Fund Provides US$4 Million for Solar Power on FSM
Read More: PEC Fund Provides US$4 Million for Solar Power on FSM
14_May_2012: The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) has announced that US$4 million from the Pacific Environment Community (PEC) has been approved to supplement electricity generation through solar energy on the Federated States of Micronesia’s (FSM’s) dispersed northern Pacific states. continued...
IRENA Publishes Guide for Decision-Makers on Electricity Storage and Renewables for Island Power
Read More: IRENA Publishes Guide for Decision-Makers on Electricity Storage and Renewables for Island Power
8_May_2012: The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has published a guide for decision makers, titled "Electricity Storage and Renewables for Island Power," that aims to help electricity system planners, operators and managers better understand the role storage can and should play in their electricity systems and to provide guidance on selecting and installing storage. continued...
REEEP South East Asia and Pacific Newsletter Highlights Renewable Energy Projects, Workshops and Publications
Read More: REEEP South East Asia and Pacific Newsletter Highlights Renewable Energy Projects, Workshops and Publications
8_May_2012: The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) has published the May issue of its South East Asia and Pacific Newsletter, with news on REEEP's participation in global clean energy initiatives, project and policy developments, new publications, and upcoming events in the region.  continued...
Central America Discusses Mainstreaming Gender into Climate Change, Disaster Risk Management Policy
Read More: Central America Discusses Mainstreaming Gender into Climate Change, Disaster Risk Management Policy
20_April_2012: Several institutions of the Central American Integration System (SICA) have co-hosted a Central American Workshop on Gender, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, to prepare a regional roadmap for policies tackling the linkages among gender, climate change and disaster risk management.  continued...
SIDS Ministers Discuss Position for Rio+20
Read More: SIDS Ministers Discuss Position for Rio+20
11 May 2012: An informal ministerial meeting took place to address small island developing States’ (SIDS) position for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), on 9 May 2012, in Bridgetown, Barbados. Representatives of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) stressed a focus on “the day after Rio." Other delegates addressed issues relating to utilization of ocean resources; gender aspects of resource access; principles of rotation between Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, and South China Sea (AIMS), Pacific and Caribbean; and strengthening of governance structures. continued...
Asia-Pacific Human Development Report Discusses Climate Impacts for SIDS
Read More: Asia-Pacific Human Development Report Discusses Climate Impacts for SIDS
10_May_2012: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has released its regional human development report for the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on the need for the region to find ways to continue to grow economically, while reducing poverty and tackling climate change and environmental concerns. The report addresses climate challenges facing small island developing States (SIDS) in the region due their low elevation.  continued...
SPREP Announces Rapid Biological Survey on Savaii, Samoa
Read More: SPREP Announces Rapid Biological Survey on Savaii, Samoa
10_May_2012: The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has announced that the Rapid Biological Survey project (BIORAP) will be conducted on Savaii, Samoa, during May 2012. BIORAP will focus on surveying the plants, birds and animals of approximately 65,000 hectares of Savaii’s cloud forests. continued...
ADB and Solomon Islands Agree on Country Partnership Strategy
Read More: ADB and Solomon Islands Agree on Country Partnership Strategy
10_May_2012: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Solomon Islands have agreed to a five-year Country Partnership Strategy that includes US$38 million in grant and concessional loan assistance and an annual US$1 million in technical assistance, the ADB has announced. continued...
World Bank Reports on Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Project
Read More: World Bank Reports on Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Project
8_May_2012: The World Bank has presented the results of the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF), a programme designed to promote rapid access to emergency financing in cases of severe weather-based disasters in the Caribbean. continued...
Policy Briefing Discusses Roadmap for Dominican Republic's Climate Change Learning Strategy
Read More: Policy Briefing Discusses Roadmap for Dominican Republic's Climate Change Learning Strategy
2_May_2012: The Dominican Republic’s National Council for Climate Change and Clean Development Mechanism (CNCCMDL) held a policy briefing to agree on the process for preparing and launching a national strategy to strengthen human resources and skills to advance green, low-emission and climate-resilient development. continued...
IOSEA E-News Highlights Turtle Release, Capacity-Building Programmes
Read More: IOSEA E-News Highlights Turtle Release, Capacity-Building Programmes
May_2012:_The May issue of  the Indian Ocean-South East Asian (IOSEA) Marine Turtle Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) e-newsletter reports on turtle releases in Eritrea and capacity-building in Myanmar. continued...
UN-HABITAT Report on the State of Arab Cities Focuses on Urban Transition
Read More: UN-HABITAT Report on the State of Arab Cities Focuses on Urban Transition
May_2012:_The UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) has released the 2012 edition of its regional report the State of Arab Cities on the theme “Challenges of Urban Transition.” The report notes that, although urban slums are decreasing and urban innovations are being introduced, the region still faces major challenges, including high youth unemployment rates and climate change. continued...
UNSG Report Highlights Potential of Marine Renewable Energies in SIDS
Read More: UNSG Report Highlights Potential of Marine Renewable Energies in SIDS
4_April_2012: The UN Secretary-General has released his report on oceans and the law of the sea, which focuses on marine renewable energies. The report highlights that small island developing States (SIDS), with large coastal populations, little infrastructure in the coastal zones and few alternative energy resources, are well situated for growth of ocean thermal energy conversion. continued...
SIDS High-Level Conference on SE4ALL Adopts Barbados Declaration
Read More: SIDS High-Level Conference on SE4ALL Adopts Barbados Declaration
9 May 2012: On the second day of the SIDS High-Level Conference on Sustainable Development for All (SE4ALL), which convened in Bridgetown, Barbados, from 7-8 May 2012, delegates from the three SIDS regions – the Pacific, Caribbean and Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, and South China Sea (AIMS) – unanimously adopted the Barbados Declaration, which will be taken to the Rio+20 Conference in June. continued...
Informal Ministerial Roundtable on Climate Change Calls for Building on Durban
Read More: Informal Ministerial Roundtable on Climate Change Calls for Building on Durban
8_May_2012: An Informal Ministerial Roundtable on Climate Change brought together representatives from 30 countries, including from least developed countries (LDCs) and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), to build on the achievements of the Durban Climate Change Conference. The meeting, which was hosted by the EU, also provided an opportunity for Ministers to discuss the upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). continued...
SPREP Announces Biodiversity Project for Cook Islands, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu
Read More: SPREP Announces Biodiversity Project for Cook Islands, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu
3_May_2012: The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has announced the inception of a US$1.7 million project on the conservation of biodiversity in the Cook Islands, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu. Project activities will use an ecosystem-based management approach, emphasizing the connectivity between systems including the land, sea and people. continued...
UNFCCC Releases Submissions on Drivers of Deforestation and Monitoring Systems
Read More: UNFCCC Releases Submissions on Drivers of Deforestation and Monitoring Systems
3_May_2012: The UNFCCC Secretariat has released two joint submissions from Parties containing their views on issues identified in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 72 and appendix II (FCCC/SBSTA/2012/MISC.1/Add.1) on policy approaches and positive incentives on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+). continued...
UN CC:Learn Workshop Focuses on Strengthening Climate Change Learning in the Dominican Republic
Read More: UN CC:Learn Workshop Focuses on Strengthening Climate Change Learning in the Dominican Republic
25_April_2012: The Dominican Republic held a workshop on “Developing Results-based Action to Strengthen Human Resources, Learning and Skills to Advance Green, Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development,” which was organized within the framework of the UN CC:Learn Project on “Strengthening Human Resources and Skills to Address Climate Change.” continued...
SIDS Policy & Practice Calendar: Current & Upcoming Events
UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues: 11th Session New York, United States of America 7 May - 18 May
World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2012 Geneva, Switzerland 14 May - 18 May
UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies May 2012 Bonn, Germany 14 May - 25 May
Interregional Meeting on MDG Indicators Santiago, Chile 15 May - 17 May
Second International Symposium: Effects of Climate Change on the World's Oceans Yeosu, Korea, Republic of 15 May - 19 May
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2012 worldwide 17 May
Pacific Roll-out of International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Suva, Fiji 18 May
Global Conference on Oceans, Climate and Security Boston, United States of America 21 May - 23 May
Sixth Caribbean Environment Forum and Exhibition (CEF 5) and 16th Annual Wider Caribbean Waste Management Conference (ReCaribe) , Saint Kitts and Nevis 21 May - 25 May
2012 International Biodiversity Day worldwide 22 May
UNGA Thematic Debate on Preparations for UNCSD New York, United States of America 22 May
Solving the E-Waste Problem (StEP) General Assembly Amsterdam, Netherlands 23 May - 25 May
2012 Tech4Dev International Conference Lausanne, Switzerland 29 May - 31 May
13th Meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea New York, United States of America 29 May - 1 Jun
Third Informal Informal Consultations on the UNCSD Outcome Document New York, United States of America 29 May - 2 Jun
Carbon Expo 2012 Cologne, Germany 30 May - 1 Jun
 
Please send suggestions for articles to Faye Leone at faye@iisd.org

SIDS Policy & Practice is a knowledge management project on UN and intergovernmental activities addressing small island developing States (SIDS), managed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Reporting Services. The project was launched in September 2010, during the UN General Assembly's High-level Review Meeting on the Implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation (MSI) of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States. The project is conducted in close cooperation with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs' Division for Sustainable Development (DESA), in conjunction with the revitalization of , in support of the Barbados Programme of Action, which called for support for “the development of a small islands’ sustainable development information network to facilitate the exchange of experience among small island developing States.” IISD RS is fully responsible for the content posted on SIDS Policy & Practice. Click here for further information on SIDS Policy & Practice