Environment: What’s Up in GENeva | 16 – 22 January 2023

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

Image of the week | Lesley ONYON, Head of the Chemical Safety and Health Unit of the World Health Organization, speaking at the Briefing on the 1st Session of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group on the Science-Policy Panel to Contribute Further to the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste and to Prevent Pollution held at the International Environment House. © UNEP/GEN Marina Garlatti, 12 January 2023.

International Geneva and Environment @ WEF Annual Meeting 2023

This week, leaders from government, business, and civil society are convening in the snow-bound Swiss town of Davos for the 53rd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, where they will address the state of the world and discuss priorities for the year ahead. More than 2,700 representatives from 130 countries should be attending this year’s edition, under the theme, Cooperation in a Fragmented World. #wef23

Global Risks | The Forum launched last week the Global Risks Report 2023, exploring some of the most severe risks we may face over the next decade, with environmental risks featured at the top of the list. As we stand on the edge of a low-growth and low-cooperation era, tougher trade-offs risk eroding climate action, human development and future resilience. → Read the report

Geneva Day | On 17 January, the House of Switzerland will host a series of high-level events, organized by the Permanent Mission of Switzerland in Geneva, to discuss global issues and connect leaders present in Davos with Geneva-based global governance institutions:

Beat Plastic Pollution: Delivering systems change at speed and scale | 13:45-15:00
Time for sustainable finance to accelerate the decarbonization of the economy | 16:00-17:00
International Geneva in a fragmented world | 17:00-18:00
Harnessing the power of data to shape the future | 18:00-19:00

Environmental Agenda | Various actors for the Geneva community will be taking part in the discussions in Davos to foster the dialogues on nature and climate, as one of the key themes of the forum. Many sessions will be accessible to the public through live stream. → Relevant sessions on the environmental agenda are listed in our page International Geneva & Environment @ World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023

Sustainability | The organizers make efforts to make the Annual Meeting more sustainable every year and net zero by 2030. The Forum developed a checklist with recommended sustainability standards for organizations planning to host private events around Davos during the Annual Meeting 2023.

Ending Plastic Pollution Agenda in Geneva and Beyond

Cities and the Plastics Crisis | The Geneva Cities Hub is organizing an informal briefing for local and regional government officials about the negotiation of a new International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution, on Friday 20 January, at 13.00 CET. → Register to join the discussion online

Switzerland and the Plastic Crisis | Last week, Ocean Care issued a new report “Plastic Matters: A state of affairs, facts, legislation & recommended actions in Switzerland”. Through an in-depth examination of the main plastic problems in Switzerland and the legal dispositions under which these can be tackled, this report intends to stir up and accelerate the Swiss debate on plastic, urging the country to take care of its plastic crisis. Concrete measures are proposed, calling for comprehensive policy action at the federal level.

Other resources on plastics:

The Stream: How much plastic is too much for our planet? | Al Jazeera | 11 January 2023 [Video]
Despite growing acknowledgement of a global crisis in plastics pollution, demand for plastics continues to rise. This episode’s guests look at the outlook for plastic pollution and what’s being done to address it.
Danone to face French court over plastic megapollution | Client Earth | 9 January 2023
Three environmental groups are filing a lawsuit against Danone over its global plastic pollution.
Addressing Microplastics in a Global Agreement on Plastic Pollution | Idun Rognerud, Rachel Hurley, Amy Lusher, Inger Lise Nerland Bråte, Eirik Hovland Steindal | Nordic Council of Ministers | 5 January 2023
The Report provides a reference for how microplastics may be addressed under a global agreement on plastic pollution, and what considerations should be taken to that end.
Assessing and managing environmental hazards of polymers: historical development, science advances and policy options | Ksenia J. Groh, Hans Peter H. Arp, Matthew MacLeod and Zhanyun Wang | Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts | 13 December 2022
The article critically appraises the suggested regulatory approaches to the environmental assessment and management of polymers against the latest scientific findings regarding their environmental fate, exposure, and effects, and identify the remaining critical knowledge gaps.
Plastic Myths | GRID-Arendal | 15 March 2022 | Now available in all official UN languages
Debunking 10 common myths about plastics and plastic waste using scientific evidence from publications, grey literature and state-of-the-art information from practitioners in the field.

INTERACTIONS Première in Geneva

INTERACTIONS – When Cinema Looks to Nature – is the Geneva-based NGO ART for The World’s new anthology film production, composed by 12 original short films of 6’ – 8’ (docu-fiction, animation, comedy, drama, SF) questioning biodiversity, conservation of nature, deforestation, ecosystem, environment, health, marine life, species extinction, water and more.

The next screening is scheduled for 19 January, at Centre des arts of Ecolint, in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of India to the UN and other International Organizations and the Consulate General of India in Geneva. → Register by email through centredesarts@ecolint.ch

International Policy Actors and Scientific Institutions: Opportunities for Collaboration and Partnership

The Impact Collaboration Programme (ICP) is the Geneva Science-Policy Interface (GSPI) annual call for projects, organized with the support of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. It provides a funding instrument to spark, support and scale science-policy collaborations that strengthen science-informed policymaking and build policy-relevant research and tools in support of global governance actors based in Geneva, in a wide range of fields, including environment. → Apply now (deadline 12 February 2023)

What (Else) to Read Next?

Fossil fuel producers must be forced to ‘take back’ carbon, say scientists | Fiona Harvey | The Guardian | 12 January 2023
Group of scientists says forcing polluters to store carbon dioxide underground is needed to help world reach net zero. This follows a study published that sets out how such an “extended producer responsibility” could work.
Corporate Minds on Climate Action | We Mean Business Coalition & Conservation International| 12 January 2023
A new report reveals that business leaders want to deploy every tool available to progress climate targets this decade and beyond.
Honduran environmental defenders shot dead in broad daylight | The Guardian | 11 January 2023
Two environmental defenders have been shot dead in broad daylight in Honduras, triggering fresh calls for an independent investigation into the persecution and violence against a rural community battling to stop an illegally sanctioned mine.
Embedding Indigenous Knowledge in the Conservation and Restoration of Landscapes | 1t.org | World Economic Forum | 11 January 2023
Embedding traditional ecological knowledge and empowering Indigenous peoples as co-investment leaders in nature-based solutions brings value to both corporate action and the long-term health of nature. This report puts forward a set of principles and practices for investors on how to engage Indigenous peoples and their knowledge in conservation and restoration of landscapes.
Ozone layer recovery is on track, helping avoid global warming by 0.5°C | WMO & UNEP | 9 January 2023
The ozone layer is on track to recover within four decades, with the global phaseout of ozone-depleting chemicals already benefitting efforts to mitigate climate change.
An evolution towards scientific consensus for a sustainable ocean future | Gaill, F., Brodie Rudolph, T., Lebleu, L. et al. | npj Ocean Sustainability | 21 December 2022
The article introduces the International Panel for Ocean Sustainability (IPOS) as a coordinating mechanism to integrate knowledge systems to forge a bridge across ocean science-policy divides collectively. The IPOS will enrich the global policy debate in the Ocean Decade and support a shift toward ocean sustainability.
Is natural gas really the bridge fuel the world needs? | UNEP | 12 January 2023
Natural gas has long been billed as a good stepping stone for a world looking to replace coal with renewable energy. But research indicates that emissions of methane that occur during its extraction and transport mean natural gas isn’t as climate-friendly as once thought.
Outcomes | Briefing on the 1st Session of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group on the Science-Policy Panel to Contribute Further to the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste and to Prevent Pollution | GEN | 12 January 2023
Rewatch and read the summary of the Geneva briefing ahead of the OEWG 1.2 on the new science policy panel on chemicals, waste, and pollution prevention.