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Sustainable Development and Small States Meetings

This section provides more information on environment-related meetings and events.

2006

6 February, 2006: Twelfth Session of the Commonwealth Consultative Group on Environment, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

An annual meeting of Commonwealth Environmental Ministers and Senior Officials to provide an effective forum for Commonwealth states, especially small states and least developed countries, to exchange views and advocate their positions on key sustainable development issues of mutual concern. The theme for 2006 was tourism and environment policy issues. This meeting was held in the wings of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum.

2005

5 December, 2005: Commonwealth Consultation on Adaptation to Climate Change, Montreal, Canada

In preparation for the Commonwealth Secretariat Programme of Action on Adaptation to climate change in highly vulnerable member states (in response to mandates from the Abuja and Malta CHOGMs), the Commonwealth held a short consultation with Commonwealth officials and invited experts in the wings of the Montreal UNFCCC COP/MOP. This meeting was to help identify gaps and areas where the Commonwealth could add value to existing initiatives.
 
There were four background papers, covering the following areas:

• a note by the Commonwealth Secretariat setting out work mandates and areas where the Commonwealth is particularly well placed to play a role in supporting actions on adaptation to climate change;
• Small Island Developing States, by Ulric O'D Trotz (Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre);
• Africa and Asia, by Saleemul Huq (International Institute for Environment and Development); and
• Current International Processes, by Tom Mitchell & Farhana Yamin (Institute for Development Studies at the University of Sussex).

The panel of speakers was made of the authors and provided short introductory comments which served as the basis for an interactive debate amongst delegations. To read these papers, please click here. Panel members spoke briefly about areas in which the Commonwealth could play a role in supporting technical assistance and capacity building on adaptation to climate change.