|
March 31, 2006
|
Meeting on Convention on
Biological Diversity in Brazil
At the eighth
meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological
Diversity (COP 8) the International Chamber
of Commerce, represented by USCIB’s Alix Heywood, reported on its task force
to increase business engagement in the Convention and pointed to technology
transfer, protected areas and incentive measures as priority issues.
|
|
March 28, 2006
|
UN Adopts Treaty on
Trademark Protection
An international
treaty on trademarks was adopted by member states of the UN World Intellectual
Property Organization (WIPO), lying out a regulatory framework for the rights
of brand labels.
|
|
March 21, 2006
|
Aid for Trade
An aid program
to build better trade policy and to overcome supply constraints for
developing countries met for the first time in Geneva this March. The program
was a result of the WTO Hong Ministerial Conference.
|
|
March 2, 2006
|
International Forum on
Internet Governance Will Be Created
Responding to
the controversy surrounding the issue of internet governance, UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced that he would create a forum for a
more inclusive dialogue on internet policy.
|
|
May-June, 2006
|
AIDS Review
On May 31 – June
1, a progress review for the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS (2001)
will take place at the UN in New York.
|
|
February 14, 2006
|
UN Urges Kyoto Signatories
to Maintain Momentum
The UN climate
change body has called on the nations that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol
to sustain their momentum as they move toward legally binding targets for
cutting carbon emissions by 2012.
|
|
January 31, 2006
|
Fostering Innovation in Emerging
Markets
More than 800
leaders from the public and private sector will attend the World Summit on
Innovation and Entrepreneurship taking place this April in Oman.
|
|
January 25, 2006
|
Job Crisis a Global Security
Problem
ILO
Director-General Juan Somavia warned world leaders at the World Economic
Forum in Davos of the growing worldwide employment crisis.
|
|
January 23, 2006
|
Economic Growth Must
Consider the Environment
At a
UN-sponsored conference in Bangkok, representatives from Asian and Pacific governments
pledged to coordinate economic growth with environmental sustainability in
addressing climate change, industrial development and energy issues.
|
|
January 2006
|
Business
and Human Rights
UN Special Representative
for Business and Human Rights, Prof. John Ruggie, has asked the IOE to
undertake work in the first half of 2006 indicating effective ways for
companies to deal with dilemma situations encountered in ‘weak governance
zones.’
|
|
December, 2005
|
Legally Binding Instrument on Ship Recycling
The International Maritime
Organization is working on a coordinated approach to ship scrapping. Ship
recycling can contribute to sustainable development through the minimization
of the environmental, safety and occupational health risks related to the
ship dismantling process.
|
|
Nov. 30, 2005
|
UN-backed Global Compact Meets in China
Nearly 800
business leaders and government and civil society representatives met in
China for a Global Compact meeting, the largest event held in modern China on
best practices in business ethics.
|
|
Nov. 23, 2005
|
UN Adopts New Electronic
Communications Convention
The convention
is intended to remove obstacles to the use of electronic communications in
international contracting, including obstacles that might arise under
existing international trade law instruments, most of which were negotiated
long before the development of new technology.
|
|
Sept. 15, 2005
|
UN Convention Against
Corruption Takes Effect in December
With the deposit
by Ecuador of the thirtieth ratification to the UN Convention against
Corruption, the treaty will enter into force on December 14, 2005. The
Convention is the first global instrument designed to assist member states to
fight corruption in both the public and private sectors.
|
|
July 26, 2005
|
Africa Calls for
Strengthening of Private Sector Initiatives
A report
released by Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Advisory Panel on ways to assist
the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) has recommended
significantly increasing international support for the continent's private
sector.
|
|
July 15, 2005
|
UN Adopts Convention on Use
of Electronic Communication in International Contracting
The United
Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) has adopted a new
draft convention on the use of electronic communications in international
contracting.
|
|
July 15, 2005
|
Global Compact Participants
Disclose Actions in Support of Universal Principles
|
|
July 1, 2005
|
The 189 member
governments of the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone
Layer have finalized an agreement under which developed countries will reduce
their use of methyl bromide in 2006 compared to 2005.
|
|
June 16, 2005
|
International Labor Conference Underway in Geneva
|
|
June 10, 2005
|
Mexico Endorses UN Global
Compact
The Mexican
government has become the first to formally endorse the UN Global Compact,
the corporate social responsibility initiative championed by Secretary
General Kofi Annan (UN website).
|
|
June 2, 2005
|
Strong Leadership Needed to
Fight HIV/AIDS Epidemic
UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan announces at a meeting of high-level officials
in New York that the global battle against AIDS is still losing ground. Annan
calls for strong collective action to fight the spread of the disease (UN
website).
|
|
June 1, 2005
|
Schwarzenegger Announces Plans to Reduce Emissions
At the opening of the UN World
Environment Day conference in San Francisco, California Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger unveils a plan to combat global
warming by setting goals for reducing California's emissions of greenhouse
gases (UN website).
|
|
May 26, 2005
|
UN Applauds Lamy on
Selection as Director-General of WTO
UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan warmly congratulates Pascal Lamy, the former
trade commissioner of the European Union, on his formal selection as the next
Director-General of the World Trade Organization (UN Press Release).
|
|
May 20, 2005
|
UN Nuclear Energy Agency
Helps Safeguard Water Sources
The
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is working
closely with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and other partners
to help countries assess and manage limited water resources (IAEA website).
|
|
May 12, 2005
|
WTO Chief Named Head of
UNCTAD
Supachai
Panitchpakdi will serve a term of four years as the head of the UN Conference
on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). A national of Thailand, he is currently
Director-General of the World Trade Organization (UNCTAD website).
|
|
May 11, 2005
|
The Challenges of GMOs for
Developing Countries
A UN study on
international trade and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) reports that
genetically modified crops pose especially difficult choices for the world’s
poorer nations (UNCTAD website).
|
|
May 11, 2005
|
More Than 12 Million Are
Trapped in Forced Labor Worldwide
The
International Labor Organization (ILO) released a major new study confirming that forced labor is a
global problem and calling for effective strategies to eradicate it (ILO
website).
|
|
May 10, 2005
|
Global Finance Joins UN to
Tackle Climate Change
At the 2005
Investor Summit on Climate Risk, institutional investors came together to
back a new call for urgent action to confront the threat of climate change
and its negative economic consequences (UNEP website).
|
|
May 6, 2005
|
Developing Countries Make
Advances in Biotech Research
While most
genetically modified (GM) crops have origins in developed countries, a recent
UN study shows significant biotechnology research is taking place in
developing countries.
|
|
May 5, 2005
|
Global Campaign to Eliminate
Most Hazardous Pollutants
The Uruguay meeting of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
closed with a commitment to rid the world of some of the most dangerous
chemicals ever made.
|
|
April 28, 2005
|
Action Needed to Prevent Job
Related Deaths
Due to rapid industrialization in some developing
countries,job related accidents
and illnesses are claiming more lives. The ILO and WHO have come together,
calling for greater preventative safety strategies worldwide.
|
|
April 27, 2005
|
The UN, Business and Human Rights
Amid criticism of its own
work, the UN Commission on Human Rights has adopted a resolution establishing
a special representative to "identify and clarify standards" on
business and human rights
|
|
April 20, 2005
|
UN Internet Governance Panel
Focuses on Spam
At a meeting in
Geneva of the UN Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG), discussion
centered around the issue of spam and strategies to manage it
|
|
April 19, 2005
|
Entrepreneurs Who Promote
Conservation Rewarded
The UN
Development Programme launches Equator Ventures, an initiative to help small-
and medium-sized businesses conserve biodiversity at the same time as they
reduce poverty
|
|
April 11, 2005
|
UN Sustainable Development
Group Meets in New York
The 13th Meeting
of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development opens session with forums on clean water, sanitation and adequate
housing. USCIB and ICC are helping lead the business delegation
► Read more about USCIB’s Environment
Committee
|
|
April 9, 2005
|
Asia Regional Conference Aims to Improve Business
Climate
The UN Economic Commission for Asia will hold a May
regional economic conference in Bangkok aimed at promoting sustainable
development by improving the business climate and corporate social
responsibility
|
|
March 30, 2005
|
Ecosystem Assessment: Global
Development Goals at Risk
A landmark UN
report suggests that global environmental distress is widespread, and
reflects a number of factors, including political and economic corruption
|
|
March 29, 2005
|
Annan Exonerated by Second
Volcker Report
The
independent committee investigating alleged misconduct and mismanagement in
the UN Oil-for-Food program for Iraq has cleared UN Secretary General Kofi
Annan of any wrongdoing
|
|
March 29, 2005
|
Transport Solutions Needed
for Landlocked Countries
At a
high-level meeting in Kazakhstan, a senior UN official asked to establish
technical cooperation programs to address the problems faced by landlocked
developing countries and to increase their competitiveness in the world
market
|
|
March 29, 2005
|
Asian Economies Require
Shift Towards ‘Green Growth’
Ministers
from Asia and the Pacific met in Seoul to draw up a strategy to enhance
development without hurting the environment at a two-day meeting organized by
the UN
|
|
March 24, 2005
|
ILO Calls for ‘Decent Work’
to Ensure Fair Globalization
The UN
labor agency’s governing body ended its latest session with a call for “an
inclusive and equitable globalization,” condemned of Myanmar on forced labor
and expressed concern over developments in several countries
|
|
March 23, 2005
|
At the
United Nations Disarmament Conference in Geneva, Russia and China urged a ban
on weapons in outer space, something experts say is a
growing possibility due to technological advances
|
|
March 21, 2005
|
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has
outlined plans for UN reform in a report titled “In Larger Freedom,” calling
for an expanded Security Council as well as strengthened human rights and
boosted development and trade
|
|
March 18, 2005
|
The
International Chamber of Commerce has expressed support for a new forum for
governments, business and NGOs to bolster the information society (ICC
website)
|
|
March 16, 2005
|
|
|
March 10, 2005
|
ISO to Develop Standard on
Social Responsibility
An
International Organization for Standardization working group held an initial
meeting on developing guidelines on social responsibility
|
|
March 7, 2005
|
New ILO Code for Iron and Steel Industry
The International Labor
Organization is drawing up a new code on safety and health in the iron and
steel industry, reflecting new realities
|
|
February 25, 2005
|
Tackling Africa's Water and
Energy Crises
The water
and energy crises threatening much of Africa can only be resolved with
greater private-sector investment (ICC website)
|
|
February 9, 2005
|
ILO Expands Monitoring of
Cambodia's Garment Factories
The
International Labor Organization says it will expand monitoring of garment
factories under a project aimed at improving labor standards in Cambodia (ILO
website)
|
|
February 4, 2005
|
Strong Nordic Business
Support for UN Convention
Scandinavian
businesses have joined forces to urge their governments to fully ratify the
United Nations Convention on International Sale of Goods (ICC website)
|
|
January 18, 2005
|
In the wake
of the South Asian tsunami, the International Chamber of Commerce has pledged
to help small businesses rebuild (ICC website)
► ICC Chairman speaks
at global disaster management conference (ICC website)
|
|
January 7, 2005
|
Bill Stibravy, the
longtime U.S. diplomat who ostensibly “retired” in 1979, celebrates 25 years
as ICC’s man at the United Nations
|
|
May 27, 2004
|
Stockholm
Convention on Pollutants Enters Into Force
|
|
April 12, 2004
|
Kyoto
Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism Ready to Register First Projects
|
|
April 1, 2004
|
Methyl
Bromide Approved for Temporary Uses After Montreal Protocol Phase-Out
Deadline
|
|
March 10, 2004
|
Biosafety Protocol Now Operational
as Governments Agree on Rules for GMO Trade
|
|
March 10, 2004
|
Convention on
Trade in Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides Enters into Force
|
|
February 23, 2004
|
Stockholm Convention on
Persistent Organic Pollutants to Enter Into Force
|
|
December 2, 2003
|
Treaty on Hazardous
Chemicals and Pesticides to Come into Effect
|
|
August 19, 2003
|
UN Human Rights Body
Approves Guidelines for Multinational Companies
|
|
July 9, 2003
|
Codex Alimentarius Commission
Adopts More Than 50 New Food Standards
|
|
July 2, 2003
|
Cartagena Biosafety
Protocol to Take Effect
|
|
March 12, 2003
|
UN Panel Calls for Controls on Asbestos, Pesticides
and Lead Additives
|
|
March 5, 2003
|
Agreement on Civil Liability for Damage Caused by
Industrial Accidents on Transboundary Waters
|
|
March 3, 2003
|
Treaty on Tobacco Control Agreed
|
|
February 19, 2003
|
New UN Treaty Makes Environmental Assessment
Mandatory
|
|
February 11, 2003
|
UN Environment Program Launches Campaign to Curb
Mercury Pollution
|
|
February 5, 2003
|
New UN Treaty
on Pollution Information Disclosure Agreed
|
USCIB’s UN Report,
previously known as the IGO Report, was not published from December 2001 to
January 2003. Here are links to some
earlier articles.
November 20, 2001 - Aarhus Convention Enters Into Force
November 12, 2001 - Preparations Continue for UN Monterrey Conference
August 3, 2001 - UN Forest Group Sets Five-Year Program
August 1, 2001 - Agreement in Bonn Opens Way to Ratification of Kyoto
Protocol
May 30, 2001 - UN Sustainable Development Group Takes Up Crucial Issues
in Last Session Before Beginning Preparations for World Summit
May 30, 2001 - Toxic Chemicals Convention Signed by More Than Ninety
Countries
May 16, 2001 - WHO Calls for New Approach to Tobacco Product Regulation
May 16, 2001 - UN Body Agrees On Preparations for the World Summit on
Sustainable Development (WSSD)
March 26, 2001 - Dissemination of Information Under the Aarhus Convention
Will be Via the Internet
March 8, 2001 - UNEP Governing Council Looks to World
Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)
March 6, 2001 - UN Forest Body Gets Underway
December 18, 2000 - Governments Agree on Persistent
Organic Pollutants (POPs) Treaty
December 14, 2000 - Climate Change Negotiations in The
Hague Collapse
October 3, 2000 - No Significant Substantive Movement in Position of
Climate Change Negotiating Groups on Issues Related to the Kyoto Protocol
October 3, 2000 - Aarhus Convention Signatories Discuss Future of Treaty
September 29, 2000 - UN Body Calls for Analysis of Human
Rights Impact of WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights
August 22, 2000 - Regulations on Prospecting and
Exploration for Deep-Sea Polymetallic Nodules Adopted by UN Body
August 8, 2000 - Parties to the Climate Change Convention
Consider Operational Details of the Kyoto Protocol
August 2, 2000 - Companies Endorse Kofi Annan's Global
Compact
June 29, 2000 - Environment Ministers Look at the State of
the Environment and Ways to Retard Further Deterioration
June 6, 2000 - Negotiations on Global Treaty on Persistent
Organic Pollutants Move Ahead
March 9, 2000 - Global Treaty on Genetically Modified
Organisms Adopted
March 6, 2000 - Final Session of UN Forest Group Fails to
Agree on Legally Binding Forest Instrument
January 24, 2000 - Global Corporate Sullivan Principles
Launched at the UN
January 21, 2000 - WHO Campaign Against Tobacco Industry
January 6, 2000 - Parties to the Basel Convention Adopt
Protocol on Liability and Compensation
November 22, 1999 - Climate Change: Fifth Conference of the Parties to the UN
Climate Change Convention (COP5) Focuses on Process Rather than Substance
September 17, 1999 - UNEP Unveils Study of Global
Environmental Crisis
September 15, 1999 - Hazardous Wastes Liability Protocol
Expected to be Completed in December
July 28, 1999 - World Business Responds to Call by UN
Secretary-General for Global Compact Between UN and the Private Sector
June 23, 1999 - WIPO Moves to Sort Out Internet
"Brand Name" Confusion
June 21, 1999 - Commission Considers Aspects of
Sustainable Development
June 16, 1999 - UN Climate Change Convention Subsidiary Bodies Meet
March 11, 1999 - Biosafety Group Fails to Agree on Treaty
on Living Modified Organisms (LMOs)
March 11, 1999 - Work Continues on Treaty Covering
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPS)
December 1, 1998 - Buenos Aires Conference Sets Timetable
for Spelling Out Provisions of the Kyoto Climate Change Protocol
November 30, 1998 - UN Pushes Human Rights Approach to
Development and Globalization
October 28, 1998 - UN Panel Resumes Discussion of
Sustainable Forest Management
October 15, 1998 - IGO Briefs
October 13, 1998 - Treaty Talks on Persistent Organic
Pollutants
September 11, 1998 - Progress in Biosafety Protocol
Negotiations
July 9, 1998 - Workshop Discusses Consumption in a
Sustainable World
July 9, 1998 - Meetings of Subsidiary Bodies of Climate
Change Convention Fail to Produce Substantial Results
June 23, 1998 - IGO Briefs
June 12, 1998 - UN Group Looks at Industry Role in
Sustainable Development
June 1, 1998 - WTO Ministers Agree to Begin Preparations
for New Trade Talks in September
May 14, 1998 - Governments Agree on Protocols Covering
Heavy Metals and Persistent Organic Pollutants
May 14, 1998 - OECD Environment Ministers Support
Objectives of Convention on Access to Environmental Information
May 8, 1998 - OECD Ministers Address Public Concerns About
Trade and Investment Liberalization in a Global World Economy
Volume 19, Number 1, January 1998
Volume 18, Number 6,
November 1997
Volume 18, Number 5, August 1997
Volume 18, Number 4, July 1997
Volume 18, Number 3, May/June 1997
Volume 18, Number 2, March 1997
Volume 18, Number 1, January 1997
Volume 17, Number 4, November 1996
Volume 17, Number 3, August 1996
