Felix Dodds comments on sustainable development, coffee & life

MARCH 29th-31st March:   Arab Regional Forum for Sustainable Development  input to the 2021 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) - focusing on SDG 1 (no poverty); SDG 2 (zero hunger); SDG 3 (good health and well-being); SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth); SDG 10 (reduced inequalities); SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production); SDG 13 (climate action); SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions): and SDG 17 (partnerships) APRIL 5-11th April:   Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund 7-8th April: G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting  - the G20 in 2021 will be held under the themes of  People, Planet, Prosperity  ( Please not that the G20  (hosted by Italy) is the European Union and the countries of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Ko...

22 May, 2018 Dear SAICM Secretariat, We, the undersigned organizations, express our concern with the joint International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) – UNEP study entitled “Knowledge management and information sharing for the sound management of chemicals.” The study was sent to us as SAICM stakeholders for comments to “inform the study.” Our comments cover three areas: 1) important issues that are not part of the study; 2) issues that should be included in the study; and 3) concerns over UNEP’s private sector engagement. Important issues that are not part of the study While we understand that not every study can incorporate every relevant issue, we think it is important to note some critical SAICM issues that will apparently not be included in the study. The letter states that the SAICM Secretariat cooperates with the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) to broaden the knowledge and understanding of the number and nature of chemicals i...

By Minu Hemmati and Anna Holthaus, MSP Institute With the year 2020 fast approaching, Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) and its stakeholders are currently developing pathways for the international management of chemicals and waste , building and re-building the platform for Beyond 2020 .   We therefore have a unique window of opportunity over the coming years to increase attention and achieve results regarding integrating gender issues. There are various gender aspects and women’s issue relevant to chemicals, and chemicals and waste management (e.g. Hemmati & Bach 2017 ). Most of these issues are not receiving the attention they should in order to ensure the best possible decisions in policy-making and effective implementation. Why Gender and Chemicals ? 1. Gender, as a social category , is linked to gender-specific norms of behaviour, roles in society as well as the development of ‘feminine’ and ‘masculine’ identities, which in turn...

Guest blog by Nils Simon  Senior Project Manager adelphi research and political scientist  @nsim_berlin Last December, when the UN Environment Assembly met for the third time, it gathered under the slogan “Towards a Pollution-free Planet”. Those were strong words, yet the outcomes fell short of what’s needed to actually get there. Just a few weeks before UNEA3 met in Nairobi, the Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health concluded that pollution “is the largest environmental cause of disease and premature death in the world today.” Though apparently not the most deadly, chemical pollution is a particularly troubling kind. We know that many chemicals are hazardous and take a heavy toll on human health and the environment. Yet we are lacking data about the presence  and impacts of many hazardous substances throughout their life-cycle. That’s why we barely know how many people are seriously injured or even die because they are exposed to chemicals. Th...