Sustainable Energy for All – Small Island Development States

World Summit of Legislators in Rio June 15 to 17 – Strengthening the Delivery of Rio Objectives

janine.chase — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 16:34:56 +0000

From 15-17 June, the Global Legislators’ Organization (GLOBE International), with the support of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, UNDP, UNEP and the Mayor of Rio, is convening the first World Summit of Legislators in Rio de Janeiro. For this reason, we would appreciate your kind support in reaching out to national legislators and parliamentarians who are attending the Rio+20 conference and invite them to participate at the World Summit of Legislators.

GLOBE recognizes and seeks to strengthen the central role of legislators and parliaments in tackling the major global environmental challenges, as well as placing a much greater emphasis on the role of legislators in holding governments more effectively to account for the implementation of international commitments.

This important event is being convened in recognition of the need to better engage legislators on the Rio agenda to strengthen implementation of the Rio goals from 1992, 2002 and any additional goals forthcoming from the Rio+20 meeting.

The agenda of the World Summit of Legislators focuses on three major elements: national legislation, the scrutiny role of legislators, and the importance of incorporating the value of natural capital into national accounting procedures.

• Legislation: recognizing the role of legislators in developing and passing laws, the Summit will provide a platform to advance and share best legislative practices;

• Scrutiny: recognizing the role of legislators in monitoring and scrutinizing the work of government, the Summit will establish a mechanism at the international level to monitor implementation of commitments by governments made at Rio+20.

• Natural Capital: recognizing the role of parliaments in many countries to approve budgets and national accounts, the Summit will examine how the value of natural capital can be integrated within our national economic frameworks.

More than 300 legislators from over 80 countries have already confirmed their participation, with 35 being represented by the Speaker of Parliament or the President of Congress. GLOBE expects that this event will mark the beginning of a new international process dedicated to legislators’ role in advancing the Rio agenda and is seeking formal recognition of this new process in the official outcome document of Rio+20.

We are attaching a briefing note and a draft agenda. More information about the event, including the latest draft agenda, can be found on GLOBE International’s website at www.globeinternational.org.

Your support is appreciated in reaching out to those legislators going to Rio, inviting them to this important meeting.

For registration and questions, please contact GLOBE’s Secretary General, Mr. Adam Matthews, at [email protected].

The Prime Minister of Barbados to participate in High Level Panel on Sustainable Energy in Rio de Janeiro

janine.chase — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 16:01:15 +0000

During the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, a High Level Event on the Sustainable Energy for All, will take place in Rio de Janeiro on, Thursday, 21 June 2012 in the margins of the conference.

The event will showcase the commitments to actions by all stakeholder towards the objectives of the Sustainable Energy for initiatives. It will provide a platform for global leaders including heads of sates, CEOS and heads of civil society organisations to announce their major initiatives, commitments and partnerships that will make sustainable energy for all a reality by 2030.

As a global leader and a member of the High Level Group on Sustainable Energy for All, The Honourable Freundel Stuart, Q.C., M.P, Prime Minister of Barbados will participate in a session, entitled, “Sustainable Energy is Enabling Opportunities”. This side event takes place in the Riocentro Convention Centre (Pavilion 3 – P3 – 6) from 3:35 p.m. to 4:05 p.m.

For learn more about this event, feel free to contact Mr. Jonas von Freiesleben, [email protected], + 1 212 963 1660 or Mr. Daren Cheatham, [email protected], +1 917 367 5907 – Executive Office of the Secretary General, United Nations.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urges public to vote on “The Future You Want”

alex.cumberbatch — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 02:48:44 +0000

New York, 6 June 2012 – The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on people around the world to cast their votes in an online global poll on solutions to the planet’s most pressing social, economic and environmental challenges, the results of which will be presented to world leaders at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, or ‘Rio+20’, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, later this month.

“Go to vote.riodialogues.org. Tell us what you think,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today in statement. “Those votes – the voices of the people – can make a difference in building a prosperous, equitable, stable and sustainable world for all.”

The voting will close on Friday, 15 June 2012.

View the full call from UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to vote on “The Future You Want”

Day Two Closing Remarks by Ms. Michelle Gyles-McDonnough – 8 May 2012

janine.chase — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:04:20 +0000

Day Two Closing Remarks by Michelle Gyles-McDonnough – 8 May 2012

Photos Day 3 – SIDS DOCK National Coordinators Meeting

alex.cumberbatch — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:56:08 +0000

Photos Day 3 – Small Island Developing States Rio+20 Ministerial Meeting

alex.cumberbatch — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:18:36 +0000

Aja opens the Rio+20 Ministerial Meeting encouraging all to “Live As One”

alex.cumberbatch — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:12:43 +0000

Photos Day 2 – The Knowledge Fair

janine.chase — Thu, 10 May 2012 22:03:59 +0000

Presentations were done by SIDS on National Sustainable Energy Initiatives: Dominica, Bahamas, Jamaica, Solomon Islands and St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Topics: national policies, programmes, initiatives relating to efforts to achieve sustainable energy

Photos Day 1 – Barbados Signs The SIDS Dock Agreement

alex.cumberbatch — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:44:46 +0000

Barbados Signing The SIDS DOCK Agreement.

Photos Day 2 – Session 6: Taking SE4ALL Forward for SIDS

alex.cumberbatch — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:43:22 +0000

Topic: discussion on the SE4ALL Action Agenda, high-impact area actions; commitments; role of public, private and civil society sector; commitments and partnerships towards SE4ALL.

Discussants:

H.E. Philip Kentwell, High Commissioner of Australia to Trinidad and Tobago
Hon. Joy Grant, Minister of Energy, Science and Technology and Public Utilities, Belize
Allison Davis, Portfolio Manager, Economic Infrastructure Division, Caribbean Development Bank
H.E. Ronald Jumeau, Ambassador for Climate Change and SIDS Issues, Seychelles
Solomone Fifita, Deputy Director (Energy), Secretariat of the Pacific Community