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Newsletter 01 Apr 2025

Environment: What’s Up in GENeva | 1 – 6 April 2025

The Geneva Environment Network’s weekly newsletter includes the latest information on the global environmental agenda, main events, job vacancies, as well as other useful resources and updates. Stay tuned and follow us on X (Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Bluesky, and Youtube, or visit our website regularly for additional updates.

Due to the celebration of Eid al-Fitr on 31 March 2025, an official holiday for the United Nations in Geneva, this newsletter exceptionally covers a period of 6 days.

Image of the week | Panelists clapping at the end of this year’s Geneva Celebration of International Day of Zero Waste, which focused on the fashion and textiles sector. It showcased the role of international Geneva in advancing Environmental Sustainability in the Fashion Industry and moving forward the zero waste agenda. → Find out more on the role of Geneva is Achieving Zero Waste and other events taking place this week to celebrate the day.

Environment @ 2025 Regional Forum on Sustainable Development

The 2025 Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE Region – the region’s official input to the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and the UN’s main platform for global follow-up on the 2030 Agenda – will convene in Geneva on 2 and 3 April 2025, under the theme “Advancing Sustainable, Inclusive, Science- and Evidence-based Solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the ECE region, Leaving no one Behind.” Building on UNECE’s newly-released report on SDG progress showing that the region is significantly off track to achieve the SDGs, much in line with the global situation, discussions at the Regional Forum will focus on concrete ways to accelerate SDG progress in countries, highlighting experiences and challenges in policy implementation and future plans of member States. → Read more in UNECE Press Release

The Forum is preceded by pre-meetings including:

  • Youth Pre-Meeting | The meeting kicked off online on 30 March 2025 and is taking place in Room V at Palais des Nations on 1 April 2025, from 15:00 to 18:00 CEST. The Youth Assembly is a space for young people to discuss their concerns, struggles, and issues, and to present possible solutions to the challenges they come across within the ECE region.
  • Civil Society Pre-Meetings | Taking place in Room VII at Palais des Nations on 1 April 2025 from 10:00 to 18:00 CEST.

The Geneva Environment Network is co-organizing with UNEP, UNECE and various partners three of the numerous side events taking place in the margins of the forum:

Aligning with the 2025 High-level Political Forum (HLPF), the Forum will feature:

Road to the Meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

In a month, the 2025 Meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions (BRS COPs) will convene in Geneva. Participants can register online until 20 April 2025, after this date, only on-site registration will be possible. → Find information on the upcoming COPs and events co-organized by the Geneva Environment Network, on the dedicated 2025 BRS COPs page.

The BRS Secretariat and other stakeholders are actively working on preparations for the meetings. Key moments taking place this week include:

  • Regional Preparatory Meetings for the Asia-Pacific Region from 4 to 6 April 2025, in Beijing, China.
  • Briefings in French on 2025 meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions on 1 April 205 | Covering practical aspects related to the meetings of the conferences of the Parties, such as the organization of work and tentative schedule, the high-level segment and elections of officers to take place at the meetings.
  • Webinar for Journalists in French on 1 April 2025 from 15:00 to 16:00 CEST.
  • From 1 April to 4 May 2025, a photo exhibition at the Rotonde du Mont Blanc will highlight the work of the Conventions.

  • As part of the Road to 2025 BRS COPs series of events providing information on preparations and facilitating dialogues on key issues to be discussed at the meetings organized by the the Geneva Environment Network in collaboration with various partners, this week’s session “Addressing the Impacts of Pesticides on Human Rights in the Framework of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions”, is co-organized with OHCHR, FAO, the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council. The event seeks to address the critical intersection between pesticide management and the enjoyment of human rights, with a particular focus on the right to food and the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. Pesticides have played a significant role in global agriculture, yet their unsound management has far-reaching implications for human rights, ecosystems, and food security and nutrition. A human rights-based approach to the Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management voluntary framework can foster accountability, transparency, and participation, ensuring that stakeholders, and rights-holders, including Indigenous Peoples and affected communities, have a voice in decision-making processes. By embedding human rights principles into the Code, stakeholders can better address the disproportionate impacts of pesticides on marginalized groups and promote equitable access to safe and nutritious food. → Register and join us on Webex on 3 April 2025 from 14:00 to 15:30 CEST

To mark International Day of Zero Waste, observed on 30 March, the BRS Secretariat will hold a Zero Waste Day Roundtable: Transitioning to zero waste – Perspectives along the plastics value chain bringing together key stakeholders from along the plastics value chain for a focused discussion on transitioning to zero waste. Through identifying common challenges and jointly exploring actionable solutions, it seeks to build consensus and inspire concrete commitments toward sustainable practices. → Join online on 1 April 2025 from 14:00 CEST.

Environment @ 58th session of the Human Rights Council

The 58th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC58) is expected to conclude this week in Geneva. → Consult regular updates on key environmental issues at HRC58, side events, and further resources available on our dedicated HRC58 and the environment update.

Resolutions relating to the global environmental agenda tabled by their main sponsors at this session include:

  • A/HRC/58/L.1 | The negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights | Uganda (on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries)
  • A/HRC/58/L.4/Rev.1 | Cultural rights and the protection of cultural heritage | Cyprus, Ethiopia, Greece, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Mali, Poland, Serbia
  • A/HRC/58/L.7 | Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights | Portugal
  • A/HRC/58/L.12 | Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food | Cuba
  • A/HRC/58/L.14 | Effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights | Cuba
  • A/HRC/58/L.21 | The impact of anti-personnel mines on the full enjoyment of all human rights | Algeria, Croatia, Mozambique, Peru, South Africa, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Vanuatu
  • A/HRC/58/L.26/Rev.1 | The human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment: the ocean and human rights | Maldives, Costa Rica, Morocco, Slovenia

Events of interest taking place this week include:

It’s Time to Cut Our Plastic Bill

Ahead of the final round of negotiations for the International Treaty to end Plastic Pollution, convening in Geneva in August, a Swiss nationwide campaign to count plastic waste is taking place this week. Jointly organized by the Gallifrey Foundation, Greenpeace Switzerland and Earth Action, “The Big Plastic Count” runs from 31 March to 6 April 2025. → Watch the stand-up comedian Thomas Wiesel’s great 5 minutes plastic crisis review.

Additional news on plastics include:

  • The Plastics Treaty In 2025: IPEN Views On The Chair’s Text | IPEN | March 2025
    The text will be a helpful starting point when the negotiations resume in 2025; however, while the text contains meaningful elements, including that the Treaty would allow for a reduction in plastic production, it will require significant revisions to ensure that the Treaty can meet its objective of protecting human health and the environment.
  • Coca-Cola’s Annual Plastic Footprint Forecasted to Grow to 9.1 Billion Pounds by 2030 | Oceana | 26 March 2025
    Oceana released a new report that projects The Coca-Cola Company’s plastic use will exceed 9.1 billion pounds (4.1 million metric tons) per year by 2030 if the company does not change its practices. This would be nearly a 40% increase over the company’s reported plastic use in 2018 and a 20% increase over the company’s most recently reported plastic use in 2023, which was already enough plastic to circle the Earth more than 100 times.
  • Danone’s aborted energy from waste project on Bali highlights need for plastics treaty | Reuters | 25 March 2025
    Difficulties dealing with plastic are highlighted by Danone’s withdrawal last year from Bali recycling project. RDF briquettes from the Bali plant linked to severe health issues and environmental hazards.
  • Survey: Policymakers concerned over health risks of plastics, see production cuts as solution | Greenpeace | 24 March 2025
    The survey, led by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, found that among 27 United Nations government representatives engaged in developing the Global Plastics Treaty, human health was on average the highest-ranking concern related to plastics pollution, surpassing environmental and economic issues.

Enjoying a Green Spring in Geneva

With warmer weather and longer days, enjoy and discover Geneva’s Green Spring activities, including this week:

  • The 2025 edition of Festival du Film Vert | 9 March to 9 April 2025
    The French-speaking Switzerland’s premier documentary festival dedicated to the environment — continues this week.
  • Festival Histoire et Cité 2025 | Animal | 31 March to 6 April 2025
    The 10th edition of the Festival Histoire et Cité explores the central role of animals throughout history. From wild creatures to companions, sources of food, and religious symbols, the festival covers their impact across different eras. Events will delve into topics like mythology, domestication, and the philosophy and science of human-animal interactions.
  • Histoire d’animaux | 2 April 2025 | Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques
    Discover the history of animals in the garden and learn about conservation efforts for heritage breeds like the Chèvre Col Fauve and Mouton Roux du Valais. This guided tour highlights the role of these animals from past to present and the partnership with ProSpeciaRara Foundation to preserve rare livestock breeds.
  • Sur la piste de plantes disparues à tout jamais | 2 April 2025 | Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques
    Explore extinct, endangered, and fossilized plants. Children will investigate plant mysteries through interactive activities, including botanical discoveries and thematic inquiries.
  • Atelier “Mon pti Pot’ en Terre” | 2 April 2025 | Arbres & Co
    A fun, hands-on workshop for kids. Decorate a clay pot and plant a little green friend!
  • Histoires de fleurs | 2 April 2025 | Musée d’art et d’histoire (MAH)
    Discover the strange and magical powers of flowers through captivating stories in this guided springtime tour for kids!
  • Regards croisés sur les spécimens du Muséum et du Conservatoire botanique | 2 April 2025 | Muséum de Genève
    Explore the fascinating connections between the Geneva Natural History Museum and the Conservatory and Botanical Garden! Learn how species like the Darwin orchid, vanilla, and the sphinx moth shaped 19th-century science.
  • Balade sur les traces des oiseaux | 5 April 2025 | City of Carouge
    Embark on a free guided nature walk in Carouge to discover and identify local bird species.
  • Plantes multiformes: une découverte sensorielle unique | 5 April 2025 | Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques
    This sensory experience invites visitors on a tactile and olfactory journey to explore the incredible diversity of plants. As early April brings new leaves and flowers to life in the garden, the greenhouses remain filled with a fascinating array of plant species.
  • Quand les collections du muséum siègent aux Bastions | 5 April 2025 | Parc des Bastions
    Step back in time to 1965, when Geneva’s streets were transformed into a curious parade of animals, including bears and rhinoceroses, as the collections of the Muséum d’histoire naturelle were relocated. This guided visit offers a rare glimpse into the history of the Muséum, highlighting its move from Bastions to Malagnou.
  • Cycle: Des rendez-vous pour réfléchir et agir | 6 April 2025 | Musée d’Ethnographie de Genève
    Join a day of reflection and action on climate urgency at MEG. This series of events explores the environmental impact of our daily actions, through exhibitions, discussions, and activities. The focus will be on environmental activism through art, questioning how art can serve as a tool for resistance and engagement.
  • Atelier d’auto-réparation de vélo | 6 April 2025 | Ville de Genève
    Bring your bike for a hands-on workshop on basic bike repairs at MEG! Whether you need to fix a flat tire, change a chain, or just get tips on bike maintenance, the team from La Bicyclette Bleue will guide you. This workshop is part of the “Rendez-vous pour réfléchir et agir” series, promoting sustainable practices.
  • Espace de lectures. Des histoires qui prennent soin de l’environnement | 6 April 2025 | Musée d’Ethnographie de Genève
    Dive into a world of stories that explore our relationship with the environment. This free reading space will be available in the MEG foyer from 11:00 to 17:00. Join us to reflect on environmental themes through literature!
  • Art et évolution | Until 31 May 2025 | Conservatory and Botanical Garden
    Showcasing artistic interpretations of evolutionary concepts by school groups, the exhibition features their creative works alongside reflections on their learning process. Explore this unique blend of science and art in the passage under Route de Lausanne.

Happening Abroad

The 41st UN Water Meeting will take place on 2 and 3 April in Rome, Italy and online. Discussions will revolve around the first-ever UN System-wide Strategy on Water and Sanitation, launched last year, specifically on the entry points identified in the Strategy. Participants will also discuss preparations for upcoming global meetings on water and sanitation including the 2026 UN Water Conference and the 11th World Water Forum, which will take place in 2027. → Follow the live coverage by the IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin.

What (Else) To Read Next?

  • The Ocean Economy to 2050 | OECD | 31 March 2025
    The report builds on a new quantitative and foresight analysis of potential pathways for the ocean economy’s development, highlighting that a healthy ocean is crucial for climate and biodiversity processes, as well as for the economy. If the ocean economy were a country, it would be the fifth largest economy in the world.
  • Deep sea mining frontrunner to bypass UN process and apply for mining license under 1980s US regulations | Greenpeace International | 28 March 2025
    The Metals Company has announced it will apply for a deep sea mining permit under United States national mining regulations from the 1980s. This announcement came moments before their investor call and the day before their commercial mining application was due to be discussed at the ISA, knowing they would fail to get a clear pathway for it and trying to mitigate the harm to their business.
  • Extreme weather and climate impacts bite Latin America and Caribbean | WMO | 28 March 2025
    Dying glaciers, record-breaking hurricanes and wildfires, debilitating drought and deadly floods scarred the socio-economic landscape of Latin America and the Caribbean in 2024, inflicting major damage long after the headlines faded, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization.
  • First 1,000 fungi on IUCN Red List reveal growing threats – IUCN Red List | IUCN | 27 March 2025
    The number of fungi species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ has surpassed 1,000, confirming that deforestation, agricultural expansion and urban development are driving these species to decline worldwide. Frankincense trees face an increasing risk of extinction, and new Green Status assessments show the impact of conservation on species including the lion.
  • Swiss glacier mass loss during the 2022 drought: persistent streamflow contributions amid declining melt water volumes | Marit van Tiel, Matthias Huss, Massimiliano Zappa, Tobias Jonas & Daniel Farinotti | EGUspehre | 27 March 2025
    The year 2022 was extremely warm and dry in Europe, resulting in a severe hydrological drought. In Switzerland, part of Europe’s water tower, streamflow in glacier-fed rivers could have been even more reduced if the situation had not led simultaneously to extreme glacier melt.
  • China Envoy Sees Global Climate Fight Advancing Even Without US | Bloomberg News | 27 March 2025
    China’s top climate envoy said the world’s transition to clean energy will continue, even as the US’s second withdrawal from the Paris Agreement puts unprecedented stress on the fight against global warming.
  • Long-term impact and biological recovery in a deep-sea mining track | Daniel O. B. Jones, Maria Belen Arias, Loïc Van Audenhaege, Sabena Blackbird et al. | Nature | 26 March 2025
    This research shows, four decades after a test mining experiment that removed nodules, the biological impacts in many groups of organisms are persistent, although populations of several organisms, including sediment macrofauna, mobile deposit feeders and even large-sized sessile fauna, have begun to re-establish despite persistent physical changes at the seafloor.
  • IISD Trade and Sustainability Review, March 2025 | IISD | 26 March 2025
    This edition of the IISD Trade and Sustainability Review delves into the critical and multifaceted issue of fisheries subsidies. Over the last few years, governments have worked hard to better align these public support measures with sustainable development objectives through global rulemaking. Significant results were achieved, but the journey has just begun.
  • Years of Climate Action Demolished in Days: A Timeline | Bloomberg | 26 March 2025
    The scale and complexity of Trump’s onslaught may seem discouraging. Even the actions that courts have tried to overturn have still left chaos and uncertainty in their wake. But awareness is the first step to recovery. Our hopes of having a livable environment depend on it.
  • Chile’s lithium boom promises jobs and money — but threatens a critical water source | GRIST | 26 March 2025
    The Atacama Desert is a major source of lithium for EV batteries. As global demand ramps up, the local Lickanantay people are racing to protect already scarce water supplies and their way of life.
  • Millions of UK tyres meant for recycling sent to furnaces in India | BBC | 25 March 2025
    Millions of tyres being sent from the UK to India for recycling are actually being “cooked” in makeshift furnaces causing serious health problems and huge environmental damage, the BBC has discovered.
  • Glaciers—the ice that gives life to wetlands | Convention on Wetlands | 24 March 2025
    Glaciers are rarely thought of as wetlands. Most people picture sprawling peatlands, marshes, or deltas when they think of wetland ecosystems, not towering blacks of ice. But without glaciers, many of the world’s wetlands would struggle to survive—and so would we.
  • Making Sense of Trade Turbulence: Responding to uncertainty, complexity, volatility, and ambiguity | Alice Tipping | IISD | 24 March 2025
    Suddenly, the world wants to know more about tariffs. Google searches for “tariff” currently dwarf any previous records held by the search engine. Meanwhile, even the most seasoned trade experts are trying to better understand the unprecedented trade policy decisions coming out of Washington. 
  • Struggling for a Voice: The Mixed Reality of Public Participation in National Energy and Climate Plans | CAN Europe and WWF Europe | March 2025
    According to the Governance Regulation and in line with the requirements of the Aarhus Convention, Member States have the obligation to organise early and effective public consultations prior to the submission of draft and final NECPs. These instruments lay out precise legal obligations for public participation during the updating of the NECPs. In practice, the reality has been quite different. Member States have the obligation to report on their public consultation process in their final revised NECP.

Events

See all

Conference

RFSD Youth Pre-Meeting

30 Mar – 01 Apr 2025

Online & Palais des Nations | Room V

UNECE

Green Economy

SDG10

Conference

Chemical Government

01 Apr 2025 | 17:00 – 18:30

Uni Carl-Vogt

UNIGE

Chemicals and Pollution | Health and Environment

SDG3 | SDG12

Conference

Le paradoxe de la faim

02 Apr 2025 | 18:30 – 20:00

Maison de la Paix | Room S8 & Online

IHEID

Human Rights and Environment

SDG2 | SDG10

Jobs

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Updates

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03 Apr 2025

Road to 2025 BRS COPs

Chemicals and Pollution | Health and Environment | Plastics | Trade and Environment

SDG3 | SDG12

23 Aug 2026

Ongoing Contests

Climate | Nature | Chemicals and Pollution

SDG11 | SDG12

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