Merry Christmas 2008 and a happy New year 2009!

Merry Christmas 2008 and a happy New Year 2009 to all friends og Netværket Østeuropa and Groups to Network Eastern Europe.

Moderator Hans Audius, Lars Lund and Valdemar Thomsen

Mandag den 27. oktober giver Dr. Stephen O. Andersen en Climate Lecture i Festsalen på Købehavns Universitet

12 gode råd til en ny klimaaftale

Det er måske slet ikke så svært at nå frem til en global aftale om reduktion af drivhusgasser.
I hvert fald ikke, hvis man er villig til at bruge de erfaringer, der er høstet gennem de seneste godt 20 års miljødiplomati.
Det siger den erfarne miljøforhandler og chef for strategiske klimaprojekter i den amerikanske miljøstyrelse, Dr. Stephen O. Andersen.

Mandag den 27. oktober giver Dr. Stephen O. Andersen en Climate Lecture i Festsalen på Købehavns Universitet.


Dr. Stephen O. Andersen har i mange år været med helt fremme der, hvor de internationale klimaaftaler indgås.
Han var topforhandler på Montreal Protokollen, der af mange er udråbt til at være en af de mest succesfulde internationale miljøaftaler til dato.
Dens formål var at beskytte ozonlaget omkring Jorden ved at udfase produktionen af en række ozonnedbrydende gasser.

Der er naturligt nok fokus på Montreal Protokollens succes i de igangværende internationale klimaforhandlinger.
For hvordan kan man trække på de gode erfaringer fra Montreal, når der skal forhandles en ny klimaaftale på plads i København?

Det kommer Stephen O. Andersen med en række gode bud på, når han på mandag som den 8. i rækken holder en Climate Lecture på Københavns Universitet.
Med udgangspunkt i den nye bog 'Technology Transfer for the Ozone Layer - Lessons for Climate Change', der har samlet erfaringerne fra Montreal i 12 konkrete anbefalinger, fortæller han, hvad der især har gjort Montreal Protokollen succesfuld, og hvordan disse erfaringer kan udnyttes, når en ny klimaaftale skal indgås.

Han vil også komme ind på teknologioverførsel til udviklingslandene, etablering af finansieringsinstrumenter og andre incitamenter der har været med til at gøre Protokollen til en succes.
Dette er særligt interessant i en situation, hvor især de fattigere udviklingslande rammes hårdt af selv mindre klimaændringer.

Stephen O. Andersen er inviteret til Danmark af COWI, der også er en af stjernesponsorerne på kongressen Climate Change: Challenges, Risks ad Decisions 10.-12. marts 2009, som Københavns Universitet er vært for.
Kongressen bringer verdens førende klimaforskere sammen for at opdatere det videnskabelige grundlag for forhandlingerne på FNs Klimakonference (COP15) senere på året i København.

Climate Lecture: "En ny global klimaaftale: Fra Montreal til København"
Tid: 27. oktober 2008 kl.16:00-17:30
Sted: Festsalen, Frue Plads, Københavns Universitet
Pressen er velkommen.

Kontakt:
Charlotte Brix Andersen, fuldmægtig i klimasekretariatet, chba@adm.ku.dk, tlf. 28 75 41 04
Morten Jastrup, kommunikationsmedarbejder i klimasekretariatet, morten.jastrup@gmail.com, tlf. 61 16 32 33

The “European Project of Ocean Acidification” (EPOCA)

the EU initiative to investigate “Ocean acidification and its consequences”. The kick off meeting took place in Nice (France) on 10-13 June 2008.

EPOCA is supported by:
1- Integrated Projects and networks of Excellence:
European Network of Excellence for Ocean Ecosystems Analysis (EUR-OCEANS)
Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning (MARBEF)
Marine Carbon Sources and Sinks Assessment (CARBOOCEAN IP)
Southern European Seas: Assessing and Modelling Ecosystem Changes (SESAME IP)
2- International projects:
Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research (IMBER)
Land-Ocean Interaction in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ)
Surface Ocean-Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS)
3- Non-EU agencies and projects:
NSF Chemical Oceanography Program
NOAA Climate Program Office and NOAA Marine Fisheries Service
US Carbon Cycle Scientific Steering Group
"Marine Environmental Simulation Study for future projection of Marine Ecosystems" of the Japan Science and Technology Agency
For further information, please contact the coordination office.

The European Bureau for Conservation and Development, (EBCD)

EBCD’s activities are mainly focused on :

Fisheries, Aquaculture, Ocean Policy

Agriculture

Forestry

Wildlife Management

Trade And Environment

Rural Development

International Environmental Agreements /Conventions (CITES, CBD, IWC and other UN bodies such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

In relation to these topics EBCD :

monitors EU and global environmental policy and other related policies such as fisheries, agriculture forestry, rural development trade and environment.

provides information analysis and advise to policy makers, users and managers worldwide.

facilitates contacts with key policy-makers of the EU (informs targeted EU institutions - Commission, Parliament, Economic and Social Committee, and Council - and seeks to ensure that EU policies are consistent with sustainable development principles).

undertakes EU funded conservation and development projects both in the EU and in developing countries and facilitates contacts with NGOs and government agencies in obtaining project funding from the EU.

advises and facilitates access to EU funding.

organises seminars, workshops and conferences.
Links:
Seas at Risk
Fondation Nicolas Hulot "Planète eau".
Oceania
Deepwave

Scientists solves why arsenic is effective in canser drugs

The scientists observed the drug at work in animal cells. After modifying a number of cells to remove certain proteins, they realised that the drug had different effects.

The development of APL is characterised by the fusion of the proteins promyelocytic leukemia (PML) and retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARa), causing the cells to become cancerous or leukemic.

The scientists found that arsenic helps molecules called SUMO to stick onto the fused protein involved in leukaemia. An enzyme called RNF4 then 'pursues' the SUMO molecules, successfully breaking down the fused PML-RARa protein that causes the cancer.

the 7th Summit of the Council of the Baltic Sea States - 3-4 june 2008 in Riga

7th Summit of the Council of the Baltic Sea States print version
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On 3-4 June in Riga, the capital of Latvia, the 7th Summit of the Council of the Baltic Sea States heads of government will take place, gathering together prime ministers of 11 countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden) and the representative of European Commission to decide on the region's future and the reform process of the Council of the Baltic Sea States. Summit will accomplish Latvian presidency in the Baltic Sea States Council from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008. Denmark will take over presidency from Latvia.

Latvian Precidency of CBSS 2007/2008

Latvia becoming a presidency country of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) in July 2007, has defined the competitiveness and sustainable development as the main goals of the cooperation in the Baltic Sea region during its presidency year.

In this context the main three priorities are: education, energy and civic security.

Competitive and market orientated education is an instrument to foster sustainable development, growth, ensure region's competitiveness on a global scale and to promote region's recognition and positive image abroad. It's urgently needed to promote stronger linkage between higher education, science, innovation, technologies, ensuring dynamic and progressive social-economic environment in the region. During the presidency the prime attention will be paid to the education as the main driving force and resource of sustainable development. It will include higher education, science infrastructure, quality issues, mobility among students and professors.

Energy today has become as one of the most topical issues, especially in the context of development and growth. Therefore Latvian presidency's agenda will include also issues of energy infrastructure and renewable energy resource management.

Civic security is important in the context of fighting different illegal actions by stronger cooperation among operative and preventive state bodies. Special attention will be devoted to the human trafficking and organized crime issues.

Among the biggest events during Latvian presidency are:

High level meeting of the ministers of education and science
Eurofaculty project closing conference in Kaliningrad
Closing conference of the BEN (Baltic Euroregion Network) project
Conference on Energy infrastructure
Conference on renewable energy resources
Annual consultations of CBSS political directors
Baltic Sea region NGO forum
Project "Balticness"
Summit of the CBSS Heads of Government (June 3 -4, 2008)

The Future of Science and Technolgy in Europe

The European Commission Directorate General for Research and the Portuguese Presidency organizedthe High-level Conference on 'The Future of Science and Technology in Europe' in Lisbon, Portugal which took place from 8 to 10 October 2007 at the premises of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. The Conference provided a large forum for analysis and discussion for more than 400 participants.

The conference consisted of a series of sessions aimed at discussing a broad range of issues at the centre of the debate on future research policy developments in the EU and brought together many of the relevant institutional actors and stakeholders.
The central agenda for the conference was provided both by the Portuguese Presidency priorities and the recent Commission Green Paper entitled "The European Research Area: New Perspectives".

The topics for plenary sessions included 'Challenges for Science and Technology in Europe', 'Promoting and Attracting Human Resources in S&T', 'Increasing Private Investment in R&D', 'Boosting Public Investment in R&D' and 'A Vision for the Future of S&T in Europe'.
Up to nine parallel sessions took also place covering each of the main issues raised in the Green Paper and some additional cross-cutting topics such as ' ERA Rationales', 'Governance issues and links with Lisbon strategy' and 'Science in Society'. The parallel sessions brought a substantial input to the work of the European Commission in drawing the main conclusions of the debate on the Green Paper and to prepare concrete proposals for the future.