air pollution

Denuclearization and Peace on the Korean Peninsula

Co-organizers Solidarity of Peace and Reunification of Korea (SPARK) and People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) invite you to this important IN-PERSON discussion on Denuclearization and Peace on the Korean Peninsula! We’ll be in Conference Room B, UNHQNY.

General Focus: Analysis on the current situation on the Korean Peninsula as well as suggestions for building peace and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula & Northeast Asia

Speakers:

  • Hayoung Bak (Youth Team of SPARK) – Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula: Is it still possible? YES, as long as the Biden Administration ends its hostile policies against North Korea
  • Sooyoung Hwang (Manager of Center for Peace and Disarmament, PSPD): Current situation on the Korean Peninsula and why we have to end the Korean War (Video presentation)
  • Kawasaki Akira (Executive Committee Member, Peace Boat & International Steering Group Member, ICAN)
  • Ambassador Enkhsaikhan Jargalsaikhan (Chairman of Blue Banner)

Questions/Contact: Hayoung Bak, b.hayoungi@gmail.com, 818-633-6481

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngodisarm.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bknotts@uua.org or bobbinassar@yahoo.com. 

COP26, Fossil Fuel Divestment and a Just Transition for All

Around the world, faith institutions are supporting a just transition from fossil fuels to clean energy by divesting from fossil fuel companies and investing in climate solutions.

More than 500 faith institutions have made fossil fuel divestment commitments, including the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Methodist Church of Great Britain, the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, American Jewish World Service, the Islamic Society of North America and Sydney Buddhist Centre. In 2020, the Vatican recommended that Catholic institutions divest from fossil fuel companies.

Join this interactive webinar the week before COP26 in Glasgow to hear from inspiring leaders on the steps that faith institutions are taking on fossil fuel divestment and investment in climate solutions.

The webinar will highlight the recent call from Southern African Anglican Bishops for an immediate end to oil and gas exploration in Africa. You will also hear from faith institutions demonstrating leadership on investment in climate solutions, including the Church of Sweden.

We are delighted to welcome the following speakers:

  • Keynote speaker: Bishop William Nolan, Bishop of Galloway and Lead Bishop on the Environment for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland
  • Bishop Hugh Nelson, Bishop of St Germans in the Diocese of Truro (Church of England): The Diocese of Truro decision to divest from fossil fuels and invest in renewable energy
  • Rev. Dr. Rachel Mash, Environmental Coordinator of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa (Green Anglicans): The call of Southern African Bishops for an immediate end to fossil fuel exploration in Africa
  • Gunnela Hahn, Head of Responsible Investment, Church of Sweden: Fossil fuel divestment and investment in climate solutions
  • Sunita Viswanath, Co-Founder of Hindus for Human Rights and GreenFaith Fellow
  • Richard Brooks, Climate Finance Director, stand.earth
  • James Buchanan, Bright Now Campaign Manager at Operation Noah, will join the speaker panel for the Q&A

Webinar chair: Prince Papa, Africa Programs Coordinator at Laudato Si’ Movement

It will provide an opportunity to find out how your Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish or other faith organization can join the next global divestment announcement in the spring of 2022.

This webinar is organized by Laudato Si’ Movement, Operation Noah, World Council of Churches, Green Anglicans and GreenFaith.

Register here!

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org

UNDESA Panel Discussion and Launch Event for the Handbook on Carbon Taxation for Developing Countries

Dear Colleagues,

We are glad to inform you that the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) will, on 25 October 2021 between 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., host a virtual panel discussion a virtual panel discussion and launch event on “The Handbook on Carbon Taxation for Developing Countries: a tool to advance countries’ decarbonization efforts and contribute to the commitments of the Paris Agreement”.

The informal event will take place on the occasion of the launch of the new UN Handbook on Carbon Taxation for Developing Countries and in preparation of COP26; it is framed in the broader discussion on the UN Tax Committee’s contribution to advancing a Tax and SDGs approach to enhancing international tax cooperation for sustainable development.

The panel will discuss how carbon taxation can be instrumental in the fight against climate change, and support countries’ efforts in fostering economic recovery measures, as part of a global response to the current COVID-19 pandemic-induced multidimensional crisis. Panelists will also analyze the relevance of the Handbook in view of COP26 and how this publication can support countries at all levels of development – and in particular developing countries and countries in special situations – in advancing their decarbonization efforts and meeting their pledges under the Paris Agreement. The detailed agenda of the panel discussion is attached.

The English version of the Handbook will be available in electronic format shortly before the launch event, with French and Spanish versions to follow in the first half of 2022.

The event will be opened by representatives from the United Nations and the donor community. The panel discussion and moderated Q&A with panelists will engage experts from developing countries, regional tax organizations, civil society organizations, academia, civil society and the private sector.

All UN Member States and interested stakeholders are welcome to participate in the event.

Kindly register hereWe look forward to your presence and interaction.

To share your feedback or seek further information about the panel, please contact the International Tax and Development Cooperation Branch, Financing for Sustainable Development Office, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (email: taxcommittee@un.org).

With kind regards,

Navid Hanif

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit congocsd.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org

24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion [call for abstracts]

Under the conference theme “Promoting policies for health, well-being and equity”, the Call for Abstracts is now open for the 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion – IUHPE 2022, being held in Montréal (Québec) Canada and in hybrid format from 15 to 19 May 2022. Submissions can be made in English, French and Spanish.

We invite all abstract submitters, including individual contributors, to interact and collaborate with other presenters and participants wherever possible. Participatory, collaborative and non-traditional session formats will be given priority in the selection process.

Abstracts can be submitted in eight different formats: 1) symposium, 2) workshop, 3) research oral/poster presentation, 4) innovation in policy and practice oral/poster presentation, 5) round table discussion, 6) alternative showing/new technology, 7) alternative showing/art, and 8) lunch with an author. For further information on each of these formats, please click here.

The deadline to submit an abstract is Friday 17 September 2021.

Registration and hotel reservations for the 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion will open in May.

We look forward to welcoming you to Montreal, or online, in May 2022. For any questions, please contact the IUHPE 2022 Conference Secretariat – JPdL (iuhpe2022@jpdl.com).

Sincerely,

Carl-Ardy Dubois
Dean, École de santé publique de l’Université de Montréal
Co-Chair 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion

Margaret Barry
President, IUHPE
Co-Chair 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion
IUHPE 2022 Conference Secretariat – JPdL

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Mental Health, please visit ngomentalhealth.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@gmail.com or bknotts@uua.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org.

[Annual General Assembly] NGO Committee on Ageing-Geneva

NGO Committee on Ageing, Geneva

The NGO Committee on Ageing-Geneva invites you to attend its virtual meeting on April 20, 2021. If you are a member of the Committee you will have received the invitation to the meeting, including the virtual link to the meeting.

If you are not yet a member of the Committee and are interested in its work and meetings, please email the Chair of the Committee, Silvia Perel-Levin at ngoageing@gmail.com.

Join via Zoom here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81479132014

Please go to the link only at the time of the meeting, 13:30 – 15:30 Geneva time.

Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/ageinggeneva
and Twitter: @NgoAgeing

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Geneva, please visit ageingcommitteegeneva.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Vienna, please visit ngoageingvie.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-New York, please visit ngocoa-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com. 

Fifth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly

2021 Theme: Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

The fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) provides leadership, catalyzes, intergovernmental actions on the environment, and contributes to the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and based broad consultations with Member States and Stakeholders, the UNEA Bureau decided on 8 October 2020 that UNEA-5 should take place in a two-step approach. The first session of UNEA-5 will be conducted virtually on 22-23 February 2021 with a revised and streamlined agenda that will focus on urgent and procedural decisions. Substantive matters that require in-depth negotiations will be deferred to a resumed in-person session of UNEA-5 in February 2022 in a format to be defined and agreed on at a later stage.

The theme calls for strengthened action to protect and restore nature and the nature-based solutions to achieve the SDGs in its three complementary dimensions (social, economic and environmental). UNEA-5 provides Member States and stakeholders with a platform for sharing and implementing successful approaches that contribute to the achievement of the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, including the goals relation to the eradication of poverty and sustainable patterns of consumption and production. UNEA-5 will also provide an opportunity for Member States and Stakeholders to take ambitious steps towards building back better and greener by ensuring that investments in economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic contribute to sustainable development.

The President of the UN Environment Assembly, in close cooperation with UNEA Bureau and the Committee of Permanent Representatives and its Bureau will continue to work in an open and participatory manner to ensure a successful and impactful two-step UNEA-5.

For further information, contact the UNEP Secretariat at unep-sgb@un.org.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee for Rare Diseases, please visit ngocommitteerarediseases.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org.

Human Development Report 2020: Pre-Launch Special Briefing

COVID-19 and its unprecedented effects on human development are a wake-up call to the potential consequences for people’s wellbeing from the relentless pressure we are placing on nature and the planet. This advance briefing on the 2020 Human Development Report will delve into these issues and discuss how to rekindle our relationship with nature and improve people’s lives today and in the future, in balance with the planet.

Please Note: This briefing is by invitation only and the content shared is under strict embargo until 9am EST on 15th December 2020

Introduction:

  • Oli Henman, Global Coordinator, Action for Sustainable Development
  • Marina Ponti, Director, UN SDG Action Campaign

Opening Remarks:

  • Ulrika Modéer, UN Assistant SecretaryGeneral, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy Advance Briefing on the 2020 HDR
  • Pedro Conceição, Director of the Human Development Report Office, UNDP

Questions from the floor
Closing Remarks

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee for Rare Diseases, please visit ngocommitteerarediseases.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org.

COVID-19 and Older People: Maximizing the Longevity Dividend

Join IFA for the latest installment of their Virtual Town Hall Series, “COVID-19 and Older People: Maximizing the Longevity Dividend” on Friday, November 20, 2020.

In an environment significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an urgency to inform policies and share good practices to re-evaluate the narratives around longevity and ageing. Within this context, Mr. David Sinclair, Director of the International Longevity Centre in the United Kingdom leads a discussion on the future of ageing, and opportunities to equate health with wealth.

This town hall takes place at 7:00 am EST (additional time zones below):

Geneva, Switzerland: 13:00
Lagos, Nigeria: 13:00
New Delhi, India: 17:30
Perth, Australia: 20:00

This town hall will be recorded and streamed live on Facebook. Should you be unable to participate, a recording will be available on the IFA Facebook page.

More information on the world’s ageing population here: https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/news/world-population-ageing-2020-highlights

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-New York, please visit ngocoa-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Vienna, please visit ngoageingvie.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Geneva, please visit ageingcommitteegeneva.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com.