UN UNIVERSITY TO HOLD SEMINAR ON INTER-LINKAGES, BIOSAFETY, 22 SEPTEMBER

Press Release
UNU/197

UN UNIVERSITY TO HOLD SEMINAR ON INTER-LINKAGES, BIOSAFETY, 22 SEPTEMBER

New York, 31 August (UNU) -- As part of the United Nations University's (UNU) continuing series of seminars and workshops which provide delegates, interested United Nations staff, academics, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in New York and Geneva with up-to-date knowledge and understanding on issues related to current UNU research directions, a new series will be launched on UNU's work on Inter-Linkages: Synergies and Coordination between Multilateral Environmental Agreements and related Regimes.

The objective of this workshop is first to introduce the concept of Inter- Linkages and the UNU research and activities on the topic. The workshop will then turn to examine Biosafety, one of the case studies that UNU has taken up under its Inter-Linkages Initiative. It will give an update analysis and overview of the three regimes currently mandated on Biosafety: the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Convention on Biological Diversity Protocol on Biosafety and the Codex Alimentarius. Particular attention will be given to some of the uncertainties among regimes such as methods of fundamental jurisdictions between human health and the environment of each agreement, risk assessment procedure and activation of the precautionary principle, liability, equivalence, dispute settlement, notification and labeling.

The resource persons are well-known lecturers and experts on Biosafety and trade issues, including Dr. Christopher Stone, J. Thomas McCarthy Trustee Professor of Law, Law School of the University of Southern California; Mr. Sam Johnston, Programme Officer -– Financial Resources and Instruments, Convention on Biodiversity Secretariat; Mr. Steve Charnovitz of Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering, Washington, and former Director of Global and Environmental a Study (GETS), Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy; Dr. Jerry Velasquez, Programme Coordinator for the UNU/Global Environment Information Center; and Mr. W. Bradnee Chambers of the UNU/IAS Multilateralism and Sustainable Development Programme.

The workshop will be held at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 22 September from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and will resume from 2:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. in the Executive Dining Room of the 3rd floor in DC-1. Members of the Permanent Missions, United Nations staff and the Media are invited to participate. In view of the limited seating, interested parties should register with the UNU Office in New York by fax: (212) 371-9454 or by email to .

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For further information, please contact Ramon Ray, Administrative Clerk, UN University Office in North America,2 UN Plaza, DC2-1462,NY, NY 10017. Tel: 212.963.6387. Fax: 212.371.9454.

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