ENB Update – 16 June 2019 | GEF Council Meeting | ICP-20 | Bonn Climate Change Conference | GEF Videos

Jay OwenGlobal Citizen, Latest Headlines

Summary Reports
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56th GEF Council Meeting, GEF Council Consultation Meeting with CSOs, and 26th Meeting of the Council for the LDCF and SCCF

11-13 June 2019 | Washington, DC, USThe 56th meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council adopted the largest-ever Work Program, totaling USD 865.9 million. The Work Program features four Impact Programs, designed to catalyze transformational change in: food systems, land use, and restoration; Amazon forests; Congo Basin forests; and dryland landscapes. Ninety-one recipient countries, including 30 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and 32 small island developing States (SIDS), will benefit from the Work Program.The three-day meeting also included the 26th meeting of the Council for the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), which approved the LDCF/SCCF Work Program comprising 12 projects and totaling USD 101.57 million, and a GEF Council consultation with civil society on 10 June, which focused on plastic pollution. Read full report
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United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (ICP-20)
10-14 June 2019 | UN Headquarters, New YorkThe United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) (UN Decade) was established by the UN to provide a common framework for strengthening management of the world’s oceans for the benefit of humanity. The “informal” nature of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (ICP) fosters an open exchange among participants and, for 2019, offered a unique opportunity to provide vital input to planning of the UN Decade.Over the week, delegates heard presentations and had thoughtful discussions covering a wide range of topics that will feed relevant information to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (IOC-UNESCO), which is coordinating design of the Decade. The structure of ICP-20—presentations followed by open discussions—focused on two main areas: identifying the sources, uses of, and gaps related to the ocean science for sustainable use of marine resources, and international cooperation and coordination needed to address gaps in ocean science.
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Daily Reports
Bonn Climate Change Conference
17-27 June 2019 | Bonn, GermanyFor the first time since 2005, only two subsidiary bodies will be convening during the intersessional period at the Bonn Climate Change Conference. This meeting also marks the 50th meetings of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This meeting is the first since the adoption of the Katowice Climate Package, a series of decisions that form the “rulebook” of the Paris Agreement. In Bonn, SBI and SBSTTA delegates are expected to advance outstanding issues related to the Paris Agreement that were not finalized in the Katowice Climate Package. Parties will also discuss key implementation issues for the Convention, Kyoto Protocol, and Paris Agreement.
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Videos
The Circular Economy: Tackling Plastic Pollution at the GEF
10 June 2019 | Washington, DC, USDuring its consultation with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), the 56th meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council discussed practical experiences and lessons learned regarding the production, consumption and waste management of plastics. In this video, participants in the consultation explain that community empowerment is an essential tool to combat the challenge of plastic pollution and to scale up the transition to a circular economy. The event was a step towards more meaningful engagement of civil society and community-based organizations within the GEF architecture. Watch video
GEF Council Meeting Approves the Largest Work Program in its History
13 June 2019 | Washington, DC, USThe 56th Council meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) approved a US$865.9 million work program, the biggest in its history. An additional US$101.57 million was approved for funding under work programs for the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). The projects are expected to benefit 2.1 million people in 91 countries, including 30 Least Developed Countries and 32 Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The projects will include efforts to bring about a transformational shift in agriculture and land use systems, help fishing people, improve the management of soils, and tackle illegal world wildlife trade.
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