15 October 2008: The UN Fourth Committee (Special Political
and Decolonization) concluded its general debate on international cooperation
in the peaceful uses of outer space with a broad agreement on the value of
shared space technologies as a tool for sustainable development and disaster
management.
9 October 2008: The Government of Canada, the UN
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Pacific
Islands News Association are supporting an initiative of the Secretariat of the
Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), to train 14 journalists from
throughout the Pacific region on environmental issues, including climate
change.
7 October 2008: The website for ‘Paint for the Planet,'
which features climate change-themed paintings from the UN Environment
Programme's (UNEP) International Children's Painting Competition, was launched
on 7 October 2008.
7 October 2008: In his second annual report on the work of
the Organization (A/63/1), UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon notes the UN's
unique place to lead the response to global threats, in particular: climate
change, counter-terrorism, disarmament and non-proliferation, and global
health.
7 October 2008: In a press conference at the UN Headquarters
in New York, US, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon characterized climate change
as the “defining challenge of our era,” and warned that the fight against this
challenge risks being “obscured by shorter-term problems, and in particular the
deepening financial crisis.” He expressed the hope that the climate
negotiations scheduled to take place in December 2008 in Poznan, Poland, will
result in increased cooperation and agreement on a timeframe of work, as well
as “a strong willingness” by developed and developing countries to lead on this
issue.
8 October 2008: On the occasion of the International Day for
Disaster Reduction, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted the greater
incidence of disasters in 2008 and called for increased action to “turn
commitments on paper into deeds” and implement the 2005 Hyogo Framework for
Action.
6 October 2008: Top UN officials marked World Habitat Day by
drawing attention to the need to raise awareness of the problems of rapid
urbanization, its impact on the environment and the challenges of rising urban
poverty. The UN has designated the first Monday in October each year as World
Habitat Day, to reflect on the state of towns and cities and the basic right to
adequate shelter for all. This year, Luanda, Angola, led the observance of the
celebration, which focused on the theme “Harmonious Cities.”
3 October 2008: During a meeting with UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Achim Steiner, at UNEP's headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, German Federal Minister for the Environment Sigmar Gabriel announced that his country will increase its funding for the organization's work on clean energy and climate proofing vulnerable economies.
October 2008: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP), with the
Global Sports Alliance of Japan and Volvo, hosted the 2008 Global Forum for
Sport and Environment in Alicante, Spain, from 4-6 October 2008.
1 October 2008: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the
UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have released an
updated version of the YouthXchange Training Kit, which seeks to promote
sustainable consumption among youth worldwide. The joint initiative aims to
change purchasing patterns by reducing waste from discarded products such as
mobile phones and outdated fashion, while engaging youth in the fight against
climate change.
| Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) |
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| Conference Reporting Services (CRS) |
