Click here to visit the SIDS Policy & Practice knowledgebase.

A compilation of items recently posted to the SIDS Policy & Practice knowledgebase on the sustainable development of SIDS Latest News - 22 May 2013 ITTO Update Introduces Entry into Force of ITTA 2006 21_May_2013: The International Tropical Timber Organization published the first quarter Tropical Forest Update for 2013. The Update celebrates the entry into force of the International Tropical Timber Agreement 2006 (ITTA 2006), highlighting the objectives of improved trade of sustainably harvested tropical timber and the sustainable forest management (SFM) of tropical timber producing forests. continued... UNGA Sets Dates for 2014 SIDS Conference 17_May_2013: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a decision on the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), with details on the Conference's dates, location, and related activities. continued... Secretary-General's Report on LDCs Programme of Action Finds Moderate Progress Towards Goals 17_May_2013: The UN has released an advance version of the Secretary-General's report on the Implementation of the Programme of Action (IoPA) for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) for the Decade 2011-2020. The report finds moderate progress towards achieving the goals and targets of the IoPA, and underscored the need to give priority to LDCs in the post-2015 development agenda. continued... EU Commits Funding for Pacific Hazardous Waste Issues 17_May_2013: The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has announced that it has signed a contribution agreement to the value of €7.85 million with the European Union to address hazardous waste issues in the Pacific region. Activities under the PACWASTE agreement will focus on electronic, medical and asbestos wastes. continued... UNISDR's DRR Assessment Calls on Private Sector to Reduce Risk 15_May_2013: The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) has released the third edition of the UN Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). This edition is subtitled “From Shared Risk to Shared Value: The Business Case for DRR,” and seeks to provide a resource for understanding and analyzing current and future global disaster risk. continued... First SIDS DOCK Pacific Meeting Reviews Progress 9_May_2013: The first SIDS DOCK Pacific Regional Meeting reviewed the current work of the first phase of the SIDS DOCK Support Programme and discussed its next phase. SIDS DOCK is an initiative developed by small island developing States (SIDS) for SIDS to promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, and contribute towards sustainable development with support from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank. continued... EU Reports It Has Exceeded Fast Start Climate Finance Pledge 14_May_2013: The EU has reported that it has surpassed its fast start finance pledge to developing countries by providing over €7.3 billion (approximately US$9.5 billion) of climate finance. continued... Washington Communique Calls on HLP to Address Fragility 7_May_2013: Participants at the Third Global Meeting of the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (IDPS) have issued 'The Washington Communique,' appealing to the UN High-level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda (HLP) to tackle conflict and fragility.  continued... GEF's IWRM Releases Progress Snapshots on Fiji, Majuro Atoll, Samoa, Niue and Palau April_2013: The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) Pacific "Implementing Sustainable Water Resources and Wastewater Management in Pacific Island Countries" project has issued progress snapshots for Fiji, Majuro Atoll (Marshall Islands), Niue, Palau and Samoa.  continued... SIDS Policy & Practice Calendar: Current & Upcoming Events Fourth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction Geneva, Switzerland 19 May - 23 May Twelfth Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues New York, United States of America 20 May - 31 May Third Meeting of the Open Working Group on SDGs New York, United States of America 22 May - 24 May The Asian and Pacific Energy Forum (APEF 2013) Vladivostok, Russian Federation 27 May - 30 May First Forum of the Standing Committee on Finance Barcelona, Spain 28 May Fifth Scaling up Renewable Energy Program (SREP) Pilot Country Meeting Bandos Island, Maldives 28 May - 30 May Second Meeting of the ADAPT Asia-Pacific Programme and Pacific Climate Change Financing Workshop Nadi, Fiji 31 May - 4 Jun UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies June 2013 Bonn, Germany 3 Jun - 14 Jun World Environment Day 2013 worldwide 5 Jun    Subscribe to our iCalendar and your computer will gain access to all the events listed in our SIDS Policy & Practice Calendar ( Learn More | Subscribe ) Please send suggestions for articles to Faye Leone at faye@iisd.org Funding for SIDS Policy & Practice has been provided by European Union (EU) and information on implementation activities is provided in cooperation with SIDSnet

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 SIDSnet, 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