Environment: What’s Up in GENeva | 12 – 18 August 2024

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, and Youtube, or visit our website regularly for additional updates.

Image of the week | View of Jet d’eau during the hot days in Geneva. Many are still enjoying the holiday season. Consult our green summer in Geneva update for suggestions of activities.

Road to Busan | Developing an International Legally Binding Agreement to End Plastic Pollution

The intersessional work ahead of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-5), to take place from 25 November – 1 December 2024 in Busan, Republic of Korea, continues this summer. In two weeks, nominated national and technical experts will gather in Bangkok, Thailand, for the in-person meeting of the two Ad Hoc Intersessional Open-ended Expert Groups established at its previous session. Ahead of the meeting, the INC Secretariat is hosting online meetings.

Expert Group 1 to develop an analysis of potential sources, and means that could be mobilized, for implementation of the objectives of the instrument, is meeting on 15 August 2024 → Consult the work programme, the agenda with annotations and co-chairs’ synthesis paper on finance.
Expert Group 2 to identify and analyse criteria and non criteria based approaches regarding plastic products and chemicals of concern in plastic products, and product design focusing on recyclability and reusability of plastic products, is meeting on 13 August 2024. → Consult the Compilation of questionnaire responses for Expert Group 2 and rewatch the last session of the Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues for an overview of options and examples to regulate chemicals of concern in plastics and plastics products.

In addition, at its fourth session, the INC decided to establish an open-ended legal drafting group to conduct a legal review of any elements of the draft text forwarded to it by the Committee with a view to ensuring that the text is drafted in a legally sound manner and make recommendations on the wording to the Committee for its consideration. This group would commence its work at the fifth session, and be composed of legal experts from Members, to be nominated by 15 August 2024. → For further information on the INC process, consult the INC Frequently asked questions and our regularly updated INC-5 page to learn more about preparations and the role of Geneva.

Upcoming on the Road to Busan | The International Institute for Sustainable Development Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) and the Geneva Environment Network are co-organizing a new Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogue “Plastics Treaty Talks: Updates and the View to the Finish Line” taking stock of the in-person meeting of the Expert Groups and providing an overview on INC-5. → Save the date and register on Webex to attend the event on 5 September 2024 from 15:00 to 16:30 CEST.

Recent news and resources on plastic pollution include:

Greenwash Games? French public points finger at Coca-Cola over Olympics plastic waste | The Guardian | 7 August 2024
Avoiding a Trade Crisis as Countries Look to Phase Out Plastic Pollution | IISD | 6 August 2024
Waste Trade: A Form of Colonialism | BreakFreeFromPlastic | 1 August 2024
IPEN Quick Views: Plastics Treaty Intersessional Process | IPEN | 26 July 2024
European Union signs Bridge to Busan Declaration to limit global plastic production | Packaging Europe | 24 July 2024
Plastics Dialogue coordinators identify points of focus for future work | WTO | 24 July 2024
The Movement to Ban Plastic Production | Yes Magazine! | 22 July 2024
Informing the Plastic Treaty negotiations on science – experiences from the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastic Treaty | Kristian Syberg, Bethanie Carney Almroth, Marina Olga Fernandez et al. | Microplastics and Nanoplastics | 18 July 2024
Polarised Positions Cast Shadow Over Global Plastics Treaty | The Chemical Engineering | 18 July 2024
Reduce Your Plastic Calculator | OMNI Calculator | 17 July 2024
Tracking Tire Plastics—and Chemicals—From Road to Plate | Civil Eats | 16 July 2024
The Private Investment Landscape for a Global Circular Economy for Plastics: Insights from the Plastics Circularity Investment Tracker | The Circulate Initiative & International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group) | July 2024

Global Momentum for WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement

The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, as highlighted in a recent WTO publication, “aims to enhance the sustainability of fisheries resources by prohibiting some of the most harmful types of fisheries subsidies”. In the past months, the momentum has grown for the operationalization of the Agreement. With calls to members to ratify the instrument during the Aid for Trade Global Review, at the 36th session of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Committee on Fisheries and at the WTO General Council , WTO officials have stressed the importance of the instrument for the sustainability of fisheries and their role in ensuring food security globally. In addition, thanks to the work of the Steering Committee, the WTO Fish Fund is smoothly proceeding towards becoming operational and supporting developing and least-developed country members’ (LDCs) implementation of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.

After the wave of acceptances of the Agreement at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference, other ten WTO members — Russia, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Mauritius, Qatar, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Benin, Sierra Leone, and Jordan — have deposited their instrument of ratification, bringing the Fish Count to 81. With Comoros and Timor-Leste to become respectively the 165th and 166th WTO members by the end of August 2024, 27 ratifications are now necessary for the Agreement to become operational.

International Youth Day | Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development

In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the recommendation by the World Conference of Ministers of Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that 12 August be declared International Youth Day (A/RES/54/120). This year, the day is celebrated under the theme “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development“. Digital technologies such as mobile devices, services, and artificial intelligence are instrumental in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Young people are leading the charge in digital adoption and innovation, with three-quarters of those aged 15 to 24 using the internet in 2022, a rate higher than other age groups. However, disparities persist, particularly in low-income countries and among young women. While there is an urgent need to enhance digital inclusion, youth are largely recognized as “digital natives,” using technology to drive change and create solutions. As the 2030 deadline for the SDGs approaches, the role of young people in digital innovation is essential for addressing global issues. By celebrating the digital contributions of youth, we can inspire further innovation and collaboration towards achieving sustainable development.

On the occasion of International Youth Day 2024, institutions from international Geneva and beyond are organizing or joining various events on Monday 12 August, including:

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched the 12th edition of the Global Employment Trends for Youth (GET for Youth), the 20th anniversary edition of the publication, which looks back on what has been achieved since the dawn of the twenty-first century while also looking ahead to what may lay in store for youth employment in an era characterized by crises and uncertainties. → Learn more in ILO Press Release.
UNEP is launching the Youth Summary of the Global Waste Management Outlook and will explore young people’s insights and experiences in driving technological solutions to combat waste pollution, from 16:00 – 17:15 CEST.
ILO, UNEP, UNPA, UN-Habitat, UN Kenya, UN-DESA will be hosting a hybrid celebration in Nairobi and online under the title “Future Forward: Youth Leading the Change on Digitalization for Sustainable Development” from 09:00 – 16:00 CEST.
The Group on Earth Observations is hosting a webinar within the framework of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Webinar Series, “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development” at 9:00 CEST and at 19:00 CEST.
Your Voice Matters! The Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) is celebrating Youth Day with a live Instagram event with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). In advance of the Instagram live Q&A with David Ainsworth, Head of Communications at the CBD Secretariat, post your questions and join at 15:00 CEST.

Preparations for the 57th Session of the Human Rights Council

Preparations for the 57th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC57), taking place from 9 September to 9 October 2024 at Palais des Nations, are in full swing. In light of the upcoming session, NGOs with ECOSOC status can still submit requests for side events until 12 August 2024 at 12:00 CEST through the online registration platform. → Learn more about side event request submissions and NGO participation and engagement at HRC57.

From toxics and human rights and the rights to water and sanitation, to the right to development and the rights of Indigenous Peoples, environmental issues are high on the agenda of this session of the Council. With several environmental-related side events and activities taking place at HRC57, save the date for the information-sharing session on environment-related activities ahead of HRC57 taking place on 22 August 2024, from 10:00 to 11:00 CEST. The information shared will be featured in our dedicated update for the environment at HRC57.

Extreme Heat | The Era of Global Boiling

In July 2024, the Earth experienced the three warmest days and 13 warmest months in recent history. On 22 July 2024, the daily global average temperature reached a new record high, at 17.15°C, marking the Earth’s warmest day in recent times. As this new temperature record is impressively higher than the previous ones, it is foreseeable that new records will be broken in the future. The UN Secretary-General reacted to this news warning that “the era of global warming has ended” and “the era of global boiling has arrived.”

Extreme heat has been felt across the world in the past years, with noteworthy extreme temperatures during July 2024. WMO reports that at least ten countries have reported more than 50°C temperatures between July 2023 and July 2024. The effects of extreme heat directly impact people’s and the planet’s health and security, causing acute, long-term, and compounding risks of extreme heat that must be managed across society by multiple sectors.

In the face of this data, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres launched a Call to Action on Extreme Heat on 25 July 2024. Bringing together the diverse expertise and perspectives of ten specialized UN entities (FAO, ILO, OCHA, UNDRR, UNEP, UNESCO, UN-Habitat, UNICEF, WHO, WMO) in a first-of-its-kind joint product, underscoring the multi-sectoral impacts of extreme heat, the initiative exhorts urgent and concerted efforts to enhance international cooperation to address extreme heat in four critical areas: 1. Caring for the vulnerable; 2. Protecting workers; 3. Boosting resilience of economies and societies using data and science; and 4. Limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C by phasing out fossil fuels and scaling up investment in renewable energy. → Rewatch the UN SG Press Briefing of the launch of the Call to Action and learn more in WMO’s Press Release.

While Swiss glaciers received abundant snow this year, reverting the dramatic situation of the past two years, the summer meltdown began in late July and reached 3 meters of snowmelt in a month according to Swiss glaciologist Matthias Huss.

Recent news on extreme heat and climate change include:

Hot, dry and windy conditions that drove devastating Pantanal wildfires 40% more intense due to climate change | World Weather Attribution | 8 August 2024
To determine the role of climate change, the study combines fire weather observations with climate models. Human-induced warming from burning fossil fuels made the June 2024 DSR about 40% more impactful and 4-5 times more likely.
More workers than ever are losing the fight against heat stress | ILO | 25 July 2024
A new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO), Heat at work: Implications for safety and health, warns that more workers are being exposed to heat stress worldwide. The new data reveals that regions previously unaccustomed to extreme heat will face increased risks, while workers in already hot climates will confront ever more dangerous conditions.
A threat to progress. Confronting the effects of climate change on child health and well-being | UNICEF | 24 July 2024
Climate change is impacting almost every aspect of child health and well-being from pregnancy to adolescence. Children are disproportionately affected by climate change because they are uniquely vulnerable to environmental hazards compared to adults.
Regional fora aim to increase country ambition ahead of next round of climate plans | UNEP | 23 July 2024
As record temperatures and unprecedented impacts of climate change continue to affect billions of people across the planet, the United Nations and partners have announced a series of regional meetings aimed at increasing ambition in the next round of climate pledges under the Paris Agreement.
The Alps’ iconic glaciers are melting, but there’s still time to save (most of) the biggest | Matthias Huss | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists| 15 July 2024
Even though glaciers are not living things, they are not lifeless. For many mountain regions worldwide, glaciers function similarly to lungs: They absorb snow in wintertime and “breathe” out water during hot summer days.
Circular Economy as an Enabler for Responsible Banking: Circular Solutions to Achieve Climate Targets in the Textile Sector | UNEP FI | July 2024
The “Circular Economy as an Enabler for Responsible Banking” series of resources helps banks operationalise the interlinkages between the circular economy and climate, nature, pollution and healthy and inclusive economies. It provides actions for banks to move from setting sustainability targets to implementation, emphasising the integration of circular economy principles in their lending and investment decisions for high impact sectors.

IPCC Approves Outlines of Two Reports in the Seventh Assessment Cycle

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 61st Plenary Session concluded on 2 August 2024 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Panel has agreed on the outlines of the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities and the 2027 IPCC Methodology Report on Inventories for Short-lived Climate Forcers. The Secretariat is calling for nominations of authors for both reports. Those interested in being nominated as part of the author team should contact their relevant Focal Point. A list of Focal Points for IPCC member governments and observer organizations is available here. Governments, Observer Organizations, and IPCC Bureau Members have been requested to submit nominations of Coordinating Lead Authors, Lead Authors, and Review Editors, respectively by 20 September and by 13 September 2024 (midnight CEST).

Based on the report from the upcoming scoping meeting of the three Working Groups’ contributions to the Seventh Assessment Report, which is scheduled to take place in December 2024, at its next Plenary in early 2025, the Panel will agree on their respective scope, outlines, and work plans, including schedules and budgets. → Read more in IPCC’s press release.

What (Else) to Read Next?

ISA Assembly elects Ms. Leticia Carvalho of Brazil as a new Secretary-General | ISA | 2 August 2024
The International Seabed Authority announced the election of Ms. Leticia Carvalho of Brazil as a Secretary-General for the period 2025-2028. The election, held during the twenty-ninth session of the Assembly, reflects the Member States’ confidence in her leadership in the years to come.
Next steps for conservation of animals in international trade proposed at CITES Animals Committee meeting | CITES | 2 August 2024
The 33rd Meeting of the CITES Animals Committee has set a clear path forward for the conservation and sustainable use of various species of fauna in international trade.
Tariffs on critical minerals and their role in the electric vehicle value chain | WTO Blog | 1 August 2024
The shift towards clean energy technologies and electric vehicles (EVs) is gaining momentum as the world seeks to combat climate change. This transition requires increased use of critical minerals, such as cobalt, graphite and lithium, which are essential components of EV batteries. However, the use of escalating tariffs in EV production chains could be a factor preventing developing economies from diversifying their exports and moving up the value chain.
Transport group wants direct international rail links from Geneva | Swissinfo.ch | 31 July 2024
“To offer a real alternative to air or car travel, rail connections must be practical, comfortable and easy. Switzerland must take a clear position so as not to be isolated from the European network,” said Matthieu Jotterand, vice-president of VCS Geneva.
A Comprehensive Review of Global Supervisory Climate Stress Tests | UNEP FI | July 2024
This report offers insights into the latest developments and practices in climate stress testing. Accompanying the report is the “Navigating Data Challenges” support document, which aims to enhance the abilities of financial actors to conduct climate stress testing by effectively navigating data challenges.
Sports for Nature initiative shaping focus on biodiversity in sports and the Olympic movement | IUCN | 26 July 2024
On the eve of the Opening Ceremony, some 500 Heads of State, government representatives, sports bodies and civil society actors came together for a summit in support of the Paris Agreement for Sport and Sustainable Development. This agreement, composed of ten commitments, includes a call to mobilise action by joining the Sports for Nature (S4N) initiative.
The State of the World’s Mangroves | Global Mangrove Alliance | 26 July 2024
This 2024 edition of The State of the World’s Mangroves highlights the tremendous advances that have been made on multiple fronts to safeguard these ecosystems.
CITES Plants Committee agrees on actions to support conservation and sustainable trade of medicinal plants, orchids and African rosewoods | CITES | 26 July 2024
The outcomes of the CITES Plants Committee meeting reflect a concerted effort to ensure international trade in plant species is sustainable.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention (Video) | 25 July 2024
The video explains who are environmental defenders and why this rapid response mechanism was established under the Aarhus Convention; who can benefit from the protection of the Special Rapporteur; and what tools the Special Rapporteur can use to put an end to threats and attacks.
Strengthening environmental governance and upholding the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment | UNECE | 25 July 2024
Civil society plays a vital role in addressing major environmental challenges. To fully harness this potential, ongoing efforts are essential to uphold the public rights to promote effective and inclusive environmental governance and a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
Climate, conflict, and debt keep hunger and malnutrition stubbornly high globally | The New Humanitarian | 24 July 2024
The world is woefully off track when it comes to eliminating hunger and malnutrition, with one in 11 people going hungry in 2023 – a level that has remained unchanged for three consecutive years – and more than one in four slashing the quantity and quality of the food they consume or skipping meals, data from a UN flagship report shows.
German government defeated in court on air pollution in EU first | ClientEarth | 23 July 2024
A court in Berlin has made the nation’s first ruling against the German state on its air pollution policy. The ruling follows court action brought by Environmental Action Germany (DUH) and environmental lawyers ClientEarth in 2020 – the first action brought under the bloc’s NEC Directive. The groups said Germany’s National Air Pollution Control Programme (NAPCP) was inadequate to meet the country’s targets and protect its people.
Oxygen discovery defies knowledge of the deep ocean | BBC | 22 July 2024
Scientists have discovered “dark oxygen” being produced in the deep ocean, apparently by lumps of metal on the seafloor. About half the oxygen we breathe comes from the ocean. But, before this discovery, it was understood that it was made by marine plants photosynthesising – something that requires sunlight.