CitNet News and Events
April 22, 2008
Celebrate Earth Day!
Across the country citizens, citizen organizations, businesses, schools, media, municipalities, and others are celebrating 
and exchanging their views and opinions about Earthday and all it represents. Some are less celebratory and more worried about the steps needed to meet the challenges before us. To find out about some of the events and actions going on here in the US and worldwide, visit Earthday Network and Envirolink. Some are using April 22 as a day to call their representative in Congress to take strong action on climate change. The Nature Conservancy calls for planting a billion trees. Sierra Club points to places around the country to volunteer your time, World Wildlife Funds asks you to share what you are doing and Google invites you to share those actions on their map. You can read what the late Gaylord Nelson said about the purpose of Earth Day.
For CitNet, we would like you to tell us about important sustainability events planned for the coming year which we should post on our Sustainability Calendar. Also, let us know your ideas for CitNet in the coming year, as well as what you can do to make CitNet more effective in promoting the sustainability movement.
And don't forget to endorse the 5-Step Citizens Action Plan to promote sustainable energy!
April 21, 2008
Sustainable food security: CitNet's delegation to CSD
On May 5 the United Nations begins its 16th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development. CitNet is hosting a delegation of 118 people representing a wide range of citizen organizations focusing on the current topics of sustainable agriculture and rural development, desertification, drought, land and Africa. Given the high interest in the topic of "biofuels," CitNet will organize a side event on this topic in partnership with Energia, an international network on gender and sustainable energy. CitNet friends including International Partners for Sustainable Development (IPSA), Community Food Security Coalition, World Hunger Year (WHY) and Just Food are also organizing a sustainable food systems showcase.
May 10, 2007
Citizens statement on climate and sustainable energy
United Nations, New York. CitNet played a major role working with citizen groups at the UN Commission on Sustainable Development in launching a statement calling for greater responsibility by US leaders and citizens in promoting susdtainable energy. The Citizens Network is seeking endorsements by US citizen groups and individuals to this statement, "The Responsibiltiy of US Citizens on Energy and Climate Change," which can be done on the endorsements page of the website.
April 30, 2007
Coal fields delegation to the UN
United Nations, New York. For the second year in a row, CitNet and the Appalachian Coalition for Just and Sustainable Communities came to New York with the Appalachian Coal-fields Delegation to participate in the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, making the point that "there's no such thing as 'clean' coal." This year the Coal-fields Delegation worked with other NGOs and caucuses, raising awareness about and resistance to the impacts of coal mining methods such as mountaintop removal on local communities. At CSD the group pointed out that "sustainable energy" must focus not only on the use and processing of natural resouces but also its extraction.
September 17, 2006
Highlander Center hosts roundtable on sustainable energy and livelihoods
New Market, Kentucky. CitNet regioners Steve Owen
and Jeff Boyer, representing the Appalachian
Coalition for Just and Sustainable Communities, organized an inspiring
citizens roundtable on sustainable energy and livelihoods in the Appalachian
region. Held at the historic Highlander Center in Kentucky, activists
from North Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee and other states
discussed how social and economic sustainability priorities can fit with
environmental sustainability in a regional strategy that generates economic
security as well as confront global warming and pollution issues.
September 10, 2006
NGO meeting in Kiev considers Transatlantic Dialogue on Sustainable Production & Consumption
Kiev, Ukraine. For over a decade, CitNet has been an active member of the Northern Alliance for Sustainability (ANPED), building bridges and relationships with sister NGO networks which emerged in response to the Earth Summit. This year ANPED held its Annual General Meeting in the city of Kiev, where members met in working groups and produced the key elements of their plan for the next year. Among those plans is, in conjunction with another network, ECO Forum, a proposal (part of a larger regional NGO statement to the Economic Commission for Europe) for a Transatlantic Dialogue on Sustainable Production and Consumption. One of the objectives of this proposal is to link experience and groups working on this topic in Western and Eastern Europe with North America.
August 18, 2006
CitNet Working Group sends recommendations for UN paper on energy policy
Responding to the UN's invitation for inputs to the Secretary General's policy discussion paper on energy, atmosphere, climate change and industrial development, CitNet's Working Group on Energy and Climate Change prepared and submitted a set of comments and recommendations, highlighting the need for a change in paradigms as well as policies. The UN paper will be the basis for discussions at the upcoming Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting (26 February to 2 March.)
May 12, 2006
CSD: NGOs call on developed
countries to meet their commitments
United Nations, New York. On the final day of the 14th Session of the UN Commission for Sustainable Development, NGOs presented a final statement. Citing Agenda 21, the NGOs called on the developed countries to "take the lead" by (1) redirecting IFI funds to sustainable energy projects, (2) phasing out fossil fuel and nuclear subsidies and redirecting those resources to the poor; and (3) transfering sustainable energy technology. Details
Earth Negotiations Bulletin presents a summary of activities and outcomes from the two-week session.
May 5, 2006
Citizens present views on impacts of energy production and consumption
United Nations, New York. At CSD-14, CitNet and the Northern Alliance for Sustainability (ANPED) hosted a forum presenting views on energy production and consumption by coal miners from Appalachia, the leader of a anti-nuclear campaign from Russia, an activist from South Africa talking about the impacts of large-scale hydro, and CitNet member Don Brown, author of American Heat: Ethical Problems with the US Response to Global Warming. Details/see page 3 [pdf]
May 1, 2006
14th Session of UN Commission
on Sustainable Development begins
United Nations, New York. Following the 1992 Earth Summit, CitNet members have continued to follow and participate in the various follow-up to the promises and commitments made by world leaders at that historic meeting. People and organizations from around the world concerned about energy, air pollution, climate change and the direction of industrial development arrived in New York to begin the official 14th session of the CSD today. Many NGOs began the morning standing in line to register in time to catch the 9:00 a.m. morning orientation meeting, providing a place to touch base, share the news about the day's events, opportunities and other things to watch out for. The morning meetings will take place every day for the next two weeks of the session. Details
April 24, 2006
Appalachian Coal Field activists to be part of CitNet delegation to CSD
Boone, North Carolina. This year the CitNet delgation to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development will include almost 50 representatives of US citizen groups from around the country. Among those groups will be a special coalition of Appalachian coal field activists, brought by CitNet regioner Steve Owen from the Appalachian Coalition for Just and Sustainable Communities in Boone, North Carolina. On the top of the Coal Field Delegation's agenda will be telling the story of mountain-top removal and other disastrous impacts of so-called "clean coal" mining on Appalachian communities. Details
March 2, 2006
1st annual convocation
of US Partnership for the Decade of Education
Triangle Park, North Carolina. On March 1-2, a number of CitNet members participated in the First Annual Convocation of the United States Partnership for the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. The event brought together educators, policymakers, business leaders, scientists and civil society representatives to work towards raising the literacy of the American public about sustainable development and towards integrating this knowledge into education and learning in the United States.
For more information contact info@uspartnership.org
Feb 17, 2006
SustainUS members represent
CitNet at Commission on Social Development
United Nations, New York. Members of SustainUS represented CitNet at the UN Commission on Social Development (Feb 8- 17) and participated in the review of world progress in reducing poverty. Details
Jan 13, 2006
OMB Watch calls on citizens to defend against "assault on our right to know."
Washington, DC. January 13 was the deadline for public comments on the TRI Burden Reduction Rule, reducing the requirements on companies in reporting on persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals. OMB Watch described his rule as an "assault on our right to know," issuing an action alert calling on citizens to send a message to EPA to object to this change. The organization announced that the effect of the EPA proposals would be "to dismantle the dismantle the Toxics Release Inventory Program, our nation's premier tool for notifying the public about toxics pollution". See the Working Group on Community Right to Know for details.
Dec 13, 2005
Leadership on Sustainability in 2006: Sustainable production and consumption of energy
CitNet and the North American Sustainable Consumption Alliance are organizing a roundtable as a part of the People Speak 2005 series on December 13th 2005 in Washington DC. Titled Leadership on Sustainability in 2006: Sustainable production and consumption of energy, the roundtable aims to identify key opportunities and challenges for promoting the sustainable production and consumption of energy - with a glance at what to watch for in federal and state legislation, election campaigns, and international policy. The roundtable will also highlight examples of leadership on sustainable energy and some of the aims and actions different groups are planning for the coming year.
Nov 25, 2005
Millions of North Americans did not participate in the "doomsday economy, marketing mind-games, and the frantic consumer-binge", that is particularly intense on Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving, Adbusters reports. Groups around the world marked this day as "Buy Nothing Day" by organizing events, demonstrations and parties.
Oct 24, 2005
On the 65th anniversary of the enactment of the 40-hour work week, Take Back Your Time, a US-Canadian initiative challenging the issues of over-work, over-scheduling and time poverty called out for an end to excessive work hours, declaring "40 is enough!".
Read Press Release
Oct 14-16, 2005
The 16th annual conference of Bioneers, touted to be the "hub of practical solutions for restoring the earth and people" will be held in San Rafael, CA from October 14 - 16 2005. The speeches given during the Bioneers Conference plenary sessions will be broadcast live via satellite in schools and communities around North America. Details about these "satellite sites" are available here.
Sept 25, 2005
Ecofest, the largest environmental event in the East Coast, celebrated
its 17th anniversary at the Lincoln center in New York on September
25, 2005. The 2005 event featured the SEOTO (Sources of Energy Other
Than Oil) Exposition, the ECOFEST Fashion Show, the ECOFEST Environmental
Education Conference, as well as representatives from key federal, state
and city government agencies and major corporations.
Official website
Sept 24 - 25, 2005
The annual Green Festival, a joint project of Global Exchange and Co-op
America was held in Washington DC on September 24 and 25 2005. The Festival
provides a "forum for different constituencies of the green economy
movement to connect", by bringing together leading thinkers of
the green movement, hundreds of green businesses, and thousands of attendees.
Official website
Sept 24 - 25, 2005
IMF/ World Bank annual
meeting
Washington DC
The
IMF/ World Bank expressed support for the G8 proposal to cancel debt
of 18 of the world's poorest countries, which will result in writing
off as much as $57.5 billion in debt. This was the substance of a statement
delivered by Paul Wolfowitz, President of the World Bank to the
Press following the IMF/ World Bank annual meetings on September 24
- 25 2005.
ActionAid's
response
Oxfam's response
Africa
Action's 100% Debt cancellation for Africa
Sept 12, 2005
UPCOMING: UNEP North American
Civil Society Consultation
Washington DC
UNEP (the United Nations Environment Programme) will be
convening its annual North American Civil Society Consultation on October
23, 2005. The consultation will feed into seventh Global Civil Society
Forum that will be held on February 5 - 6 2005 in Dubai, just prior
to the 9th Special Session of the UNEP Governing Council and the Global
Ministerial Environment Forum.
UNEP's
invitation
May 31 - June 1, 2005
Workshop
on North American Framework for SPAC
Washington DC
ISF and NASCA hosted a regional multi-stakeholder workshop to discuss and report on what is happening in North America to promote sustainable production and consumption. One objective of the meeting was to develop a regional framework to improve cooperation and effectiveness. Another function of this meeting was to provide citizen input into the upcoming International Experts Meeting on SPAC in Costa Rica this September.
April 18 - 23, 2005
Washington DC Green Week
Washington DC
The DC Energy Office will be celebrating DC Green Week from April
18 - 23 2005. Details are available here.
April 11 - 22, 2005
CSD-13
New York
The 13th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development is
currently being held in New York. The thematic areas of focus include
water, sanitation and human settlements. Details are available at the
official
website maintained by the UN, as well as the website of the Sustainable
Development Issues Network.
April 10 - 16, 2005
National Environmental Education
Week
Washington DC
The National Environmental Education
and Training Foundation (NEETF) are organizing the National
Environmental Education Week - intended to be a week of educational
preparation for Earth Day 2005. This will be the single largest organized
environmental education event in U.S. history.
Mar 30, 2005
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
London, UK
The recently released Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) Synthesis Report states that the ongoing degradation of ecosystem services is a road block to the Millennium Development Goals agreed to by the world leaders at the United Nations in 2000. Details can be accessed here.
March 26, 2005
Take Back America 2005
Washington DC
The Campaign for America's Future has announced that the next Take
Back America conference will be held at Washington Dc between June 1
& 3 2005.
Details are available here.
March 22, 2005
Mayor Newsom Announces World Environment
Day
San
Francisco
Mayor Gavin Newsom announced on Monday
that mayors from around the world will meet in San Francisco June 1-5
to
debate and sign historic accords for "Green Cities" at the
2005 United
Nations World Environment Day conference.
March 17, 2005
Senate votes to allow drilling at the ANWR
Washington DC
The Senate voted 51 - 49 to allow oil and gas drilling in the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Read the story in the Los
Angeles Times.
Read the reaction from the National Wildlife Federation.
March 5, 2005
UNEP RONA debriefing
Washington DC
UNEP RONA (United Nations Environment programme, Regional Office for North America) and CIEL (Center for International Environmental Law) organized a debriefing from the GC-23/GMEF as well as the 6th Global Civil Society Forum held in Nairobi in February 2005.
Intregrative Strategies Forum's report from the debriefing is available here.
March 4, 2005
CSD IPM concludes
UN, New York
The Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting (IPM) to the 13th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-13) was held in New York between Feb. 28 and Mar. 4 2005. The thematic areas that were focused on were Water, Sanitation and Human Settlements. The Chair's text that summarized the interactive discussions during the IPM are available here.
Integrative Strategies Forum's report on sustainable production and consumption at the IPM is available here.
February, 2005
UNEP's (United Nations Environment Programme) 23rd Governing Council Session/ Global Ministerial Environment Programme (GC-23/ GMEF) was held in Nairobi, Kenya between Feb. 21 and 25 2005. The Millennium Development Goals were the main focus of the meetings. Details about the meeting are available at the official website.
The 6th Global Civil Society Forum was held immediately before the GC and the GMEF. Details are available here.
January 2005
CSD-14/15: National input on atmosphere,
climate change, energy and industrial development
New York
The Secretariat for the Commission on Sustainable Development has issued guidelines for national reporting for the 2nd implementation cycle of CSD (i.e. CSD - 14 & 15) which will focus on atmosphere, climate change, energy and industrial development. The information is due by 1st June 2005.
Older CitNet news can be found in the News Archive.
