UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force on Trade, Environment and
Development
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Latest News |
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Lunchtime Briefing for Geneva-based Delegates in conjunction with the UNCTAD Trade and Development Board
This briefing is an opportunity to share with our member States highlights of UNCTAD's analytical action-orientated work on organic agriculture as a trade and sustainable development opportunity for developing countries. The work has focused around two international partnerships for sustainable development:
• UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development (CBTF), and
• UNCTAD-FAO-IFOAM International Task Force on Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture (ITF).
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East African Organic Agriculture project activities started new phase: MOU...
The CBTF East African Organic project, financed by the Government of Austria, has started a new phase.
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Latest Publication |
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 Organic Agriculture and Food Security in Africa, Sept 2008. UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2007/15
Food security is an issue of great concern in many countries, particularly in Africa.
The evidence presented in this study supports the argument that organic agriculture can be good for food security in Africa — equal or better than most conventional systems and more likely to be sustainable in the longer-term.
The 15 case studies examined in-depth have shown increases in per hectare productivity for food crops, increased farmer incomes, environmental benefits, strengthened communities and enhanced human capital. |
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 Best Practices for Organic Policy. What developing country Governments can do to promote the organic agriculture sector, February 2008. UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2007/3
The ambition of this report is to give guidance to the development of appropriate policies for the organic sector. Its focus is mainly developing countries, but much of it is also applicable for developed countries. The report gives some general background about organic agriculture and the reasons to support the development of organic agriculture. These are among others:
protection of natural resources (e.g. water) and biodiversity;
improved quality of soils and thereby a long-term high productivity;
improved market access;
improved profitability in farming; and,
improved health, or reduced health risks for farmers, farm-workers and consumers. |
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Latest Meetings |
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International Workshop on Wildlife Trade Policy Reviews. Geneva, 22-23 April 2008 more
UNEP, UNCTAD, CITES and IUED are pleased to announce the International Workshop on Wildlife Trade Policy Reviews to beheld on 22-23 April 2008 in Geneva, Switzerland. The venue for the workshop will be Room 3 at International Environment House I. The workshop is being organized as part of the international initiative to build national capacities to review and improve wildlife trade policies. The workshop will bring together the country project teams from Madagascar, Uganda, Nicaragua and Vietnam to share the key findings in terms of environmental, social and economic impacts of national wildlife trade policies, lessons learned from the wildlife policy review process, and recommendations to improve these policies. On 21 April, an event will be organized from 12.30 to 14.30 at International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG) Room 5 to brief delegates to the CITES Animal Committee about the wildlife trade policy review initiative and its findings. The side event will be preceded by a luncheon. |
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International Symposium. Environmental Requirements and Market Access: Turning Challenges into Opportunities. Geneva, 3 October 2007 more
The UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity-Building Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development is pleased to announce its symposium on “Environmental Requirements and Market Access: Turning Challenges into Opportunities”. The symposium will be held on 3rd October 2007 at the International Conference Centre Geneva (Meeting Room 5-6, 17 rue de Varembe, 1211 Geneva). Registration will open at 08.00 am and the symposium will start at 09:30 am.
The symposium, which will be organized back to back with the WTO’s Public Forum from 4 to 5 October 2007, will discuss both the challenges and opportunities for market access for developing countries offered by environmental standards and technical requirements in organic agriculture and electrical and electronic goods.
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 ITC, UNCTAD, UNEP Statement on Soil Association Air Freight Consultation. 17 Sept 2007 (UNCTAD/DITC/TED/MISC/2007/4).
The Soil Association is proposing to ban airfreighted products on environmental grounds. The ITC, UNEP and UNCTAD believe that airfreight is not a useful indicator of environmental damage for the following reasons: - the need to consider carbon footprint from farm to fork; and - the Soil Association, whilst proposing a ban on access for airfreighted products, certifies UK products that are highly energy intensive further information.
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