17 May 2013: In preparation for the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB), to be celebrated on 22 May 2013, with celebrations around the globe focusing on the theme 'Water and Biodiversity,' the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has circulated the IDB's logo, booklet and messages, all of which are available for use by parties in their celebrations.
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May 2013: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) released the ninth edition of its 2013 Infosylva newsletter following the inaugural International Conference on Forests for Food Security and Nutrition. The newsletter also highlights upcoming FAO and other forest-related events.
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15 May 2013: A partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and Slow Food has been established to focus on joint advocacy campaigns strengthening local, regional and global networks and raise awareness of the International Year of Family Farming in 2014.
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The Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has approved the dates of the next Committee on Forestry (COFO), set for 23–27 June 2014. The biennial session will be held at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, and will bring together heads of forest services and other senior government officials to identify emerging policy and technical issues, to seek solutions and to advise FAO and others on appropriate action. Participants will also include representatives from other international organizations and non-governmental groups. Participation in COFO is open to all FAO member countries.
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12 May 2013: This year's celebrations for World Migratory Bird Day 2013, held 11-12 May, highlighted the importance of ecological networks for the survival of migratory birds, the important human networks dedicated to their conservation, the threats migratory birds face, and the need to strengthen international cooperation to conserve them.
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April 2013: The UN Development Programme's (UNDP) Environment and Energy Group (EEG) has released a report, titled ‘Towards Transformational Change: UNDP's Work in Environment and Sustainable Development 2008-2012.' The publication features a collection of stories from around the world in four strategic areas: mainstreaming environment and energy; mobilizing environmental finance; promoting adaptation to climate change; and expanding access to environmental and energy services for the poor.
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The International Expert and Stakeholder Workshop on the Contribution of Indigenous and Local Knowledge Systems to IPBES: Building Synergies with Science will be convened by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Multidisciplinary Expert Panel and hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Japan. It is being co-organised by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the UN University (UNU). The objectives of the workshop are to examine and identify procedures and approaches for working with indigenous and local knowledge systems in the framework of IPBES; and to review and assess possible conceptual frameworks for the work of IPBES that are based on or accommodate indigenous and local knowledge systems and worldviews. The workshop is part of the on-going intersessional process leading up to the second session of the Platform's Plenary (IPBES-2), where the outcomes of this workshop will be presented for further consideration.
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The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) will hold the first 'Full Members of the Platform (MEP) and Bureau meeting' to implement Decision IPBES/1/2 on next steps for the development of the initial IPBES work programme, as requested by the IPBES Plenary at its first session. The meeting will be hosted by the Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management.
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CITES at 40 Marks a Major Decision Point for Sharks, Trees, Snakes, Turtles and other Wildlife Species: Guidelines, toolkits, standards and action plans fostering capacity, financing, law enforcement, livelihoods, science, sustainability, traceability and synergies also adopted
The 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP16) held March 2013 in Bangkok, will be remembered as a defining moment in the 40 year history of the Convention.
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May 2013: The final report of the fourteenth regular session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA 14) of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), including the Commission's decisions, has been made available online.
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