2014
January:
Inauguration Ceremony for Scientific Advisory Council of the Secretary General of the United Nations
Ecoropa cooperated with ETC Group to get an agreement on the establishment of a Technology Assessment Office high up in the UN system. This attempt failed, but the at least the Scientific Advisory Council was established due to the technology debate that we had pushed.
Ecoropa cooperated with ETC Group to get an agreement on the establishment of a Technology Assessment Office high up in the UN system. This attempt failed, but the at least the Scientific Advisory Council was established due to the technology debate that we had pushed.
February:
Environmental Award „Trophée de Femmes“ for Christine von Weizsäcker
The award is honoring to Christine von Weizsäcker’s engagement during decades for empowering the voices of the “unheard”, e.g. women, smallholders, indigenous peoples, to make it to the international level of decision-making.
The award is honoring to Christine von Weizsäcker’s engagement during decades for empowering the voices of the “unheard”, e.g. women, smallholders, indigenous peoples, to make it to the international level of decision-making.
February:
Participation in the Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee on the Nagoya Protocol, Korea
The Ecoropa-Team consisting of Francois Meienberg, Hartmut Meyer, Ricarda Steinbrecher, Antje Lorch and Christine von Weizsäcker had followed the negotiations of the Nagoya Protocol. The text was finalized at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya in 2010, but there were many gaps allowing different interpretations. Christine von Weizsäcker closely folled these intermediate negotiations which were crucial for the final outcome at the Conference of the Parties in October 2014.
The Ecoropa-Team consisting of Francois Meienberg, Hartmut Meyer, Ricarda Steinbrecher, Antje Lorch and Christine von Weizsäcker had followed the negotiations of the Nagoya Protocol. The text was finalized at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya in 2010, but there were many gaps allowing different interpretations. Christine von Weizsäcker closely folled these intermediate negotiations which were crucial for the final outcome at the Conference of the Parties in October 2014.
April:
POWA Project of the German Food Aid Organization „Welthungerhilfe”: Kick-off Meeting of the German Advisory Group
Christine von Weizsäcker contribute to a position paper to be elaborated by advisors from India, Ethipia, Burkina Faso, Peru and Germany with the intention of influencing the agricultural policies of the G7 Summit which is going to take place in Germany in summer 2015.
Christine von Weizsäcker contribute to a position paper to be elaborated by advisors from India, Ethipia, Burkina Faso, Peru and Germany with the intention of influencing the agricultural policies of the G7 Summit which is going to take place in Germany in summer 2015.
April:
Informal Advisory Board of the Biosafety Clearing House
Antje Lorch participated as civil society representative at the Informal Advisory Board meeting of the Biosafety Clearing House of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
Antje Lorch participated as civil society representative at the Informal Advisory Board meeting of the Biosafety Clearing House of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
April:
Tenth Meeting of the Liaison Group on Capacity-building for Biosafety
Christine von Weizsäcker attended as NGO representative.
Christine von Weizsäcker attended as NGO representative.
April:
3rd Internation Convention of Environmental Laureates
Christine von Weizsäcker was moderator of the Panel on Biodiversity with short presentations of Laureates from many countries
Christine von Weizsäcker was moderator of the Panel on Biodiversity with short presentations of Laureates from many countries
May:
European expert meeting in preparation for SBSTTA18
Ricarda Steinbrecher and Christine von Weizsäcker attended this preparation meeting for the Eighteenth Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technological and Technical Advice of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Ricarda Steinbrecher and Christine von Weizsäcker attended this preparation meeting for the Eighteenth Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technological and Technical Advice of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
May:
„Urbanity and Human Ecology – Modifying European Urban Life for Sustainability" Conference
Christine von Weizsäcker gave the keynote speech “Green and Participative Cities – but what about Non-City Land and its Inhabitants" at the Urbanity and Human Ecology – Modifying European Urban Life for Sustainability conference, organised by the German Society for Human Ecology and the Commonwealth Human Ecology Council and attended the General Assembly of the German Society for Human Ecology
Christine von Weizsäcker gave the keynote speech “Green and Participative Cities – but what about Non-City Land and its Inhabitants" at the Urbanity and Human Ecology – Modifying European Urban Life for Sustainability conference, organised by the German Society for Human Ecology and the Commonwealth Human Ecology Council and attended the General Assembly of the German Society for Human Ecology
May:
Working Group Biodiversity of the Forum Environment and Development
Christine von Weizsäcker attended the meeting of the Working Group Biodiversity of the German NGO Forum Environment and Development
Christine von Weizsäcker attended the meeting of the Working Group Biodiversity of the German NGO Forum Environment and Development
May:
Ecoropa Annual Meeting and General Assembly
June:
Convention on Biological Diversity: WGRI5 & SBSTTA18
Christine von Weizsäcker and Ricarda Steinbrecher participated in the 5th Meeting of the Working Group on Review of Implementation and the 18th Session of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific Technological and Technical Advice to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal. They also participated in an ETC Workshop on Synthetic Biology with a keynote by Ricarda Steinbrecher, and in a CBD Alliance Strategy meeting. Antje Lorch edited the NGO newsletter ECO of the CBD Alliance.
Christine von Weizsäcker and Ricarda Steinbrecher participated in the 5th Meeting of the Working Group on Review of Implementation and the 18th Session of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific Technological and Technical Advice to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal. They also participated in an ETC Workshop on Synthetic Biology with a keynote by Ricarda Steinbrecher, and in a CBD Alliance Strategy meeting. Antje Lorch edited the NGO newsletter ECO of the CBD Alliance.
June:
Aarhus Convention MOP5
Antje Lorch and Christine von Weizsäcker participated in the 5th Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention on Public Information, Public Participation and Public Access to Justice in Environmental Matters.
Antje Lorch and Christine von Weizsäcker participated in the 5th Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention on Public Information, Public Participation and Public Access to Justice in Environmental Matters.
September:
ENSSER conference "Science in the Eye of the Storm"
Several Ecoropa members participated in the annual European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility conference Science in the Eye of the Storm, co-organized by ENSSER, Vereinigung Deutscher Wissenschaftler (Federation of German Scientists), CRIIGEN, ASTA (Student Body) of the Technical University of Berlin, Foundation GEKKO, INES, and UAEM.
Several Ecoropa members participated in the annual European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility conference Science in the Eye of the Storm, co-organized by ENSSER, Vereinigung Deutscher Wissenschaftler (Federation of German Scientists), CRIIGEN, ASTA (Student Body) of the Technical University of Berlin, Foundation GEKKO, INES, and UAEM.
September:
“Green Freedom Congress” of the Parliamentary Party Group of the Greens
Christine von Weizsäckers gave the keynote in the Forum Research and Freedom: „Towards a Free Knowledge Society (“Wege in eine freie Wissensgesellschaft”) at the “Green Freedom Congress” of the Parliamentary Party Group of the Greens in Germany
Christine von Weizsäckers gave the keynote in the Forum Research and Freedom: „Towards a Free Knowledge Society (“Wege in eine freie Wissensgesellschaft”) at the “Green Freedom Congress” of the Parliamentary Party Group of the Greens in Germany
September:
IPBES Pan-European Stakeholder Consultation
Christine von Weizsäcker and Ricarda Steinbrecher participated in the IPBES Pan-European Stakeholder Consultation (PESC-2) in Basel, organized by the Swiss Biodiversity Forum, the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, and the Science and Policy Platform of the Swiss Academy of Sciences.
Christine von Weizsäcker and Ricarda Steinbrecher participated in the IPBES Pan-European Stakeholder Consultation (PESC-2) in Basel, organized by the Swiss Biodiversity Forum, the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, and the Science and Policy Platform of the Swiss Academy of Sciences.
October:
CBD COP 12, Cartagena Protocol MOP7 and Nagoya Protocol MOP1
Ricarda Steinbrecher, Helena Paul, Antje Lorch, Christine von Weizsäcker participated in the CBD meetings from 26 September till 19 October in Korea: the 7th Meetings of the Parties of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety followed by the 12th Conference of the Parties of the CDB of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the 1st Meeting of the Parties of the Nagoya Protocol. This included the participation in side events organized by Third World Network on the Nagoya Protocol, the Federation of German Scientists (VDW) on Synthetic Biology, and the ETC Group and Friends of the Earth International on Synthetic Biology; press conferences with Korean and Japanese NGOs, and the editing of the daily NGO newsletter ECO. Statements were made in the sessions of MOP 7 and COP 12.
Ricarda Steinbrecher, Helena Paul, Antje Lorch, Christine von Weizsäcker participated in the CBD meetings from 26 September till 19 October in Korea: the 7th Meetings of the Parties of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety followed by the 12th Conference of the Parties of the CDB of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the 1st Meeting of the Parties of the Nagoya Protocol. This included the participation in side events organized by Third World Network on the Nagoya Protocol, the Federation of German Scientists (VDW) on Synthetic Biology, and the ETC Group and Friends of the Earth International on Synthetic Biology; press conferences with Korean and Japanese NGOs, and the editing of the daily NGO newsletter ECO. Statements were made in the sessions of MOP 7 and COP 12.
November:
Conference „Contributing to the Eradication of Poverty and Hunger in Ethiopia and Somalia”
Christine von Weizsäcker participated in the POWA Project of the German Food Aid Organization Welthungerhilfe and the conference „Contributing to the Eradication of Poverty and Hunger in Ethiopia and Somalia”. She is one of the co-authors who drafted the Berlin Memorandum on Sustainable Livelihoods for Smallholders as in input for the G7 Summit in Germany in 2015.
Christine von Weizsäcker participated in the POWA Project of the German Food Aid Organization Welthungerhilfe and the conference „Contributing to the Eradication of Poverty and Hunger in Ethiopia and Somalia”. She is one of the co-authors who drafted the Berlin Memorandum on Sustainable Livelihoods for Smallholders as in input for the G7 Summit in Germany in 2015.
December:
Lecture course: The Role of International Organizations and NGOs focusing on the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Protocols”
Christine von Weizsäcker was invited to give a lecture course for post-graduates at the University of Tsukuba, Japan: "The Role of International Organizations and NGOs focusing on the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Protocols”
Christine von Weizsäcker was invited to give a lecture course for post-graduates at the University of Tsukuba, Japan: "The Role of International Organizations and NGOs focusing on the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Protocols”
December:
Working Group Biodiversity of the Forum Environment and Development
Meeting of the Working Group on Biodiversity of the German NGO Forum on Environment and Development
Meeting of the Working Group on Biodiversity of the German NGO Forum on Environment and Development
Urgent request to address and halt the spread of genetically organisms into the environment!
To the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits arising from their Utilisation
Background and Analysis
Article 17: Unintentional transboundary movements and emergency measures
NGO Intervention
A prerequisite to take appropriate measures on unintentional transboundary movements is the capacity to detect and identify LMOs in an accurate and efficient manner. Speedy responses are needed.