UNEP Update from Johannesburg

Tuesday, 3 September

High-level round table on Cultural Diversity and Biodiversity for Sustainable Development chaired by Mr. Jacques Chirac, President of Republic of France.
This round table is being organized jointly with UNESCO. Participants will include Heads of State, Nobel Prize laureates, and other distinguished personalities. Following introductory speeches, the round table will include short interventions from five Heads of State from different regions of the world, comments by invited panelists, questions and comments from the floor, synthesis by the moderator of the round table and closure. List of participants.
Date : 3 September 1 pm - 3 pm
Venue : Sandton Sun and Towers Intercontinental, Mareola South Room

UNEP and UNESCO will hold a press briefing to launch new products and other news of the Great Ape Survival Project (GRASP). GRASP is a partnership of UN agencies, ape range and donor states, convention secretariats and conservation NGOs committed to halting the rapid decline of all the great ape species. GRASP is on the official list of WSSD partner initiatives. Press Release

The second phase of a joint UNCTAD-UNEP Capacity-building Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development (CBTF) will be launched today in Johannesburg (Sandton Convention Centre, Ballroom 2, 18:30-20:00) during the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). Press Release

Launch of GEO Brazil by President Cardoso of Brazil and UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer. GEO Brazil is one of the most complete assessments of the environmental situation in the country with a comprehensive evaluation of the state of natural resources and policies as well as concrete policy alternatives for Brazilian decision-makers. GEO Brazil is part of UNEP's Global Environment Outlook (GEO) family of assessments.
Related products: GEO Cities Project - Integrated Environmental Assessment Report for Cities; The Environment in Latin America and the Caribbean CD ROM. More

Monday, 2 September

Jean-Michel Cousteau, President of the Oceans Futures Society and son of the legendary Jacques Yves Cousteau, will join Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and other partners in a Press Conference today, 5 p.m. at the WaterDome. The Press Conference will precede the event "People, Oceans, Stewardship" on the main stage of the WaterDome. More

The outcome of the International Children’s Conference (ICC) will be presented today to Heads of State at WSSD by children from Ecuador, Canada and China, selected by their peers. The International Children’s Conference (ICC) took place in Victoria BC, Canada from 21-25 May 2002 and was attended by 400 children from 80 countries. Speech

Press conference to mark the signing of an agreement launching the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI), a US$30 million initiative aimed at bridging the environmental data gap between and within developing and developed countries. Press Release
Venue: Arum Lilly Room, Ubuntu Village at 7 p.m.
Speakers: Dr. Hamed Abderrahman Al-Madfaa, Minister of Health of the United Arab Emirates and Mr. Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director, UNEP

Friday, 30 August

Press briefing with UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer and United Nations Foundation (UNF) President Tim Wirth on the UNF-funded Rural Energy Enterprise Development (REED) projects.
To date the UNF has funded 22 UNEP projects and a further 5 are in the pipeline. Nearly half the projects are in the energy sector, concentrating on enterprise development and finance for renewable energy. UNF funds and counterpart contributions for these projects have totalled almost US $80 million. Press Release - REED Media kit.

Signing Ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding between UNEP and the United Kingdom's Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) , with UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer and the UK Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett.

Thursday, 29 August

UNEP and Canada hold press conference today to announce funding for a major international water project.
Venue: Sandton Library.
Speakers: Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of UNEP and David Anderson, Canadian Environment Minister.

Wednesday, 28 August

UNEP public information material is available at the UNEP stand in Ubuntu Village. UNEP is showcasing various publications, videos, maps, and posters, as well as online documents and information highlighting the work of the organisation. Among the publications displayed is Our Planet magazine and major scientific works such as the Global Environment Outlook (GEO-3), the World Atlas of Biodiversity and the Africa Environment Outlook. Delegates and the public can order and buy publications through the electronic catalogue and bookshop.