Event: Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the IMO: 63rd Session [viewed]
Market-based measures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping will be among the agenda items discussed by the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), when it meets for its 63rd session. The MEPC will also discuss issues relating to the implementation of the ship recycling and ballast water management conventions, and consider the adoption of amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) relating to reception facilities in small island developing States.
17 February 2012: In partnership with Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE), the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) offered Member State technical officials training courses on the use of a satellite detection system of deforestation, which was developed by INPE.
20 February 2012: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has released a report titled the “Foresight Report,” which outlines the findings of UNEP's Foresight Process aimed at identifying and ranking the most pressing emerging environmental issues. The report outlines 21 emerging issues and provides governments, civil society and business with scientific assessments to forge a forward-looking outcome at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20).
8 February 2012: The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) has announced a collaboration with Fiji's Department of Forestry to increase capacity in the use of high resolution satellite images to map land and forest cover in the country. The programme will focus on classifying forest types in Drawa, a 6,400 hectare area of indigenous forest on Vanua Levu. 
February 2012: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP)/GRID-Arendal Marine Programme has released the January 2012 edition of its newsletter, featuring OCEANIDS, a new tool to find and examine public marine-related scientific datasets. The tool was developed with the non-Geographical Information System (GIS) expert end user in mind. The January newsletter also highlights recent and upcoming events related to marine issues. 
8 February 2012: The UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has released the February 2012 iisue of its newsletter, which includes articles on: the Natural Capital Declaration, intended to demonstrate the commitment of financial institutions at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20); UNEP FI's activities at the Durban Climate Change Conference; and the release of a report on insurance, drawing on lessons from the Southern Cape of South Africa. 
3 February 2012: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has released the January issue of its Greenline Newsletter, featuring articles on adaptation projects in the Himalayas and Bhutan, a new interactive project tracking tool, and findings of the GEF Evaluation office, among others.
1 February 2012: The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has announced that the theme of the poster session for the 16th meeting of the CBD Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) is "Oceans, Coasts, Islands: Achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets."
12 January 2012: The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) and Ducks Unlimited have signed a renewed Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to reinforce their partnership. Ducks Unlimited is a grassroots, volunteer-based organization dedicated to wetlands and waterfowl conservation.
