21 May 2013: The 65th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has made progress on energy efficiency regulations, technology transfer, and the measurement of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
13 May 2013: The Climate Investment Funds (CIF) provided financial support to Nepal, one of the pilot countries of the Program for Scaling Up Renewable Energy in Low Income Countries (SREP), to sponsor the first Waste to Energy (W2E) Bazaar, which took place on 26 April 2013, in Kathmandu.
16 May 2013: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) held a thematic debate, titled “Sustainable Development and Climate Change: Practical Solutions in the Energy-Water Nexus,” which brought together environment and development experts to discuss the linkages among climate change, energy supply and water availability in the context of the post-2015 development agenda.
14 May 2013: According to a series of studies that the European Environment Agency (EEA) undertook on the potential for fiscal reform in Spain, Italy, Ireland and Portugal - EU countries affected by the current economic crisis - environmental taxes can achieve environmental objectives while raising revenues and they have a "less negative effect on GDP compared to other types of taxes, such as direct taxes."
9 May 2013: The first SIDS DOCK Pacific Regional Meeting reviewed the current work of the first phase of the SIDS DOCK Support Programme and discussed its next phase. SIDS DOCK is an initiative developed by small island developing States (SIDS) for SIDS to promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, and contribute towards sustainable development with support from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank.
8 May 2013: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has released a report, titled 'Green Economy and Trade: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities,' which argues that an increase in trade in environmental goods and services and certified products can stimulate the transition to a green economy, while such a transition can create further opportunities for increased trade in such products and services.
7 May 2013: Participants at the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Biofuels Conference have assessed the Biofuels Screening Toolkit, which was developed to help ensure the sustainability of biofuels production, in recognition of the potential negative effects of biofuels production on the environment and on food security.
6 May 2013: The European Commission adopted a green infrastructure strategy designed to: promote green infrastructure in the main policy areas; improve research and data, strengthen the knowledge base and promote innovative technologies; improve access to finance for green infrastructure projects; and support EU-level green infrastructure projects.
9 May 2013: Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are critical in creating smart sustainable cities and addressing climate change, according to participants at the Eighth International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Symposium on ICTs, the Environment and Climate Change. Participants adopted a 'Turin Roadmap' that calls on ITU to promote smart technologies in cities and develop key performance indicators to assess ICTs impacts in cities and countries around the world.
17 April 2013: The World Bank's Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) has highlighted the Philippines as an example of a country committed to policy and institutional reform aimed at driving the country's energy transition, despite challenges.
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