2007

January: VDW Study group on agricultural biodiversity
Meeting of the Study Group on Agricultural Biodiversity of the Federation of German Scientists (Vereinigung Deutscher Wissenschaftler, VDW) in Kassel, Germany
June: VDW Study group on agricultural biodiversity
Meeting of the Study Group on Agricultural Biodiversity of the Federation of German Scientists (Vereinigung Deutscher Wissenschaftler, VDW) in Kassel, Germany
January: "Biofuels" conference calls in preparation for SBSTTA 12
Co-organisation of two conference calls on Biofuels in a world-wide cooperation for a joint publication for SBSTTA 12 and COP9 of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
January: Working Group on Biodiversity of the German NGO Forum Environment and Development
Meeting of the Working Group on Biodiversity of the German NGO Forum Environment and Development, in Bonn, Germany
February: "Biofuels" conference call in preparation for SBSTTA 12
Conference call on Biofuels in a world-wide cooperation for a joint publication for SBSTTA 12 and COP9 of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
February: Working Group on Liability and Redress of the Cartagena Protocol
Participation in the Third meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group of Legal and Technical Experts on Liability and Redress in the context of Protocol in Montreal, Canada
March: "Biofuels" conference call in preparation for SBSTTA 12
Conference call on Biofuels in a world-wide cooperation for a joint publication for SBSTTA 12 and COP9 of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
March: CBD NGO Strategy meeting
Participation in the CBD NGO Strategy meeting with a workshop in preparation for COP 9 in Berlin, organized bi Ecologic, Greenpeace, The Nature Conservancy and WWF
March: NATURKongress 2/07 "Growth in Nature and Society"
NATURKongress 2/07 "Growth in Nature and Society“ (Wachstum in Natur und Wirtschaft) with a lecture by Christine von Weizsäcker on Poverty threatens biodiversity – but so does opulence (Armut gefährdet Artenvielfalt – und Reichtum auch) in Basel, Switzerland, organized by NATUR, ecos.
March: Conference "Securing GMO free Production"
Lecture by Christine von Weizsäcker on Agricultural Genetic Engineering as a Global Challenge at the conference Securing GMO free Production in Berlin, organize by the Parliamentary Group „The Greens“
March: Working Group on Biodiversity of the German NGO Forum Environment and Development
Meeting of the Working Group on Biodiversity of the German NGO Forum Environment and Development, in Frankfurt, Germany
April: "Biofuels" conference call in preparation for SBSTTA 12
Conference call on Biofuels in a world-wide cooperation for a joint publication for SBSTTA 12 and COP9 of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
March: "Biofuels" conference call in preparation for SBSTTA 12
Conference call on Biofuels in a world-wide cooperation for a joint publication for SBSTTA 12 and COP9 of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
April: VDW Advisory Board meeting
Meeting of the Advisory Board of Federation of German Scientists (Vereinigung Deutscher Wissenschaftler, VDW) in Berlin
April: VDW celebration "50 Years Göttingen Declaration"
Anniversary celebration by the Federation of German Scientists (Vereinigung Deutscher Wissenschaftler, VDW) on 50 Years Göttingen Declaration against Nuclear Armament of the Germany Army in Berlin, Germany
April: "GMO-free Regions, Biodiversity and Rural Development" conference
Participation in the Third international conference GMO-free Regions, Biodiversity and Rural Development conference in Brüssel, Belgium, organized by GENET, Zukunftsstiftung Landwirtschaft, The Greens – European Free Alliance in the European Parliament and Fondation pour une Terre Humaine
April: GENET Annual Meeting
Annual GENET meeting in Brussel, Belgium
April: Civil G8 Dialogue
Christine von Weizsäckre facilitated the Working Group 4 on Biodiversity at the Civil G8 Dialogue in Bonn, Germany, organized by the German NGO Forum on Environment and Development, VENRO and the German G8 Presidency
May: Project Group on COP9 of the German NGO Forum Environment and Development
Meeting of the Project Group COP9 of the German NGO Forum Environment and Development, in Bonn, Germany
May: Symposium "Higher Education and Sustainable Development"
Symposium Higher Education and Sustainable Development (Hochschulen und nachhaltige Entwicklung) of the German Society for Human Ecology in Sommerhausen (Würzburg), Germany in which Christine von Weizsäcker chaired the Closing Panel on Human Ecology, Higher Education and European Perspectives
May: NGO Preparatory Meeting for MOP4/COP9
Participation in the International NGO Preparatory Meeting for MOP4/COP9 in Berlin, Germany, organized by BUKO Agrar Koordination and Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung
June: Biannual German Evangelical Church Assembly
Christine von Weizsäcker as Convenor and Chair of the Session Knowledge Power Development during the Biannual German Evangelical Church Assembly (Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag) in Köln, Germany
June: Working Group on Biodiversity of the German NGO Forum Environment and Development
Meeting of the Working Group on Biodiversity of the German NGO Forum Environment and Development, in Frankfurt, Germany
June: VDW Study group on agriculture and biodiversity
Meeting of the Study Group on Agriculture and Biodiversity of the Federation of German Scientists (Vereinigung Deutscher Wissenschaftler, VDW) in Frankfurt, Germany
June: CBD Alliance strategy meeting for SBSTTA 12
CBD Alliance strategy meeting in preparation for SBSTTA 12, in Paris, France
July: Convention on Biological Diversity: SBSTTA12 & WGRI2
Participation is the 12th Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technological and Technical Advice (SBSTTA 16) and Second Meeting of the Working Group on Review of Implementation (WG-RI 4) of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Paris, France
August: Project Group on COP9 of the German NGO Forum Environment and Development
Meeting of the Project Group on COP9 of the German NGO Forum Environment and Development, in Bonn, Germany
August: Expert Meeting on the Revised African Model Law on Safety on Biotechnology
Participation and report by Christine von Weizsäcker on the Experts Meeting on the Revised African Model Law on Safety in Biotechnology in Addis Ababa, Ethopia, organized by the German Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ)
August: Preparation for "Planet Diversity"
Participation in the Preparatory Meeting of Civil Society of Bonn for the Event Planet Diversity in Bonn, Germany, co-organized by Zukunftstiftung Landwirtschaft and other civil society organisations
September: Symposium "Human Ecology Perspectives and Higher Education in Germany and Switzerland"
Symposium Human Ecology Perspectives and Higher Education in Germany and Switzerland of the German Society for Human Ecology in Berlin, Germany with a lecture by Christine von Weizsäcker on Democratic Movements for Sustainability
October: Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples Strategy Meeting on Access and Benefit-Sharing
Participation in the Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples Strategy Meeting on Access and Benefit-Sharing in Montreal, Canada, organized by the CBD Alliance and the IIFB
October: Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS WG5)
Participation in the Fifth meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS WG 5) in Montreal, Canada
October: UNEP/IUCN ABS Module Draft Discussion
In participation in the the UNEP/IUCN ABS-Module Draft discussion with invited participants in Montreal, Canada, organized by the United Nations Environment Programme and IUCN
October: Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Article 8j (WG8J 5)
Participation in the Fifth meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions (WG8J 5) in Montreal, Canada
October: Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group of Legal and Technical Experts on Liability and Redress
Participation in the Fourth meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group of Legal and Technical Experts on Liability and Redress in the context of the Protocol in Montreal, Canada
December: Seminar "The Commons Project"
Seminar The Commons Project (Das Allmende-Projekt) with a lecture by Christine von Weizsäcker on International Protection of Commons. On the Compatibility of Local, National and International Commons Governance specified in the Biodiversity and Climate Contexts (Internationaler Schutz von Gemeinschaftsgütern. Zur Kompatibilität lokaler, regionaler, nationaler und globaler Allmende(n) am Beispiel „Biodiversität und Klima“) in Buchenbach, Germany, organized by Kant Foundation, Freiburg, Germany
December: First German National Forum on Biodiversity
Participation in the 1st German National Forum on Biodiversity in Berlin, Germany, organized by the Federal Ministry for the Environment and Nature Protection

Agrofuels: Towards a Reality Check in Nine Key Areas

Report submitted to the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in preparation for SBSTTA 12 (July 2007, Paris, France). Executive Summary This document focuses on particular types of ‘biofuel’ which we prefer to call agrofuel because of the intensive, industrial way it is produced, generally as monocultures, often covering thousands of hectares, most often in the global South.