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Animal agriculture contributes significantly to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions--an estimated 12%-20% of total anthropogenic emissions. This has led both governmental and private actors to propose various ways to mitigate those climate impacts. This paper applies a One Health lens to the issue, arguing that the choice of solutions should not only consider the potential to reduce GHG emissions--which is not always a given--but also the implications for public health and animal welfare. With this perspective, we examine the potential public health and animal welfare impacts of three types of strategies that are often proposed: (1) "sustainable intensification" methods, aimed at maintaining or increasing production while limiting emissions and avoiding further land conversion; (2) "species shift" approaches, which focus on changing diets to consume meat from animals produced with lower GHG emissions instead of that of animals associated with higher emissions; and (3) "systemic dietary change" approaches that promote shifts towards whole plant-based foods or novel alternatives to conventional animal products. We discuss how some approaches--particularly those associated with sustainable intensification and species shift--could introduce new and significant risks to public health and animal welfare. Promoting systemic dietary change helps to overcome some of these challenges, but requires careful attention to equity to ensure that vulnerable populations still have access to the nutrients they need. We end with recommendations for a more holistic approach to reducing emissions from farmed animals that can help avoid trade-offs and increase synergies with other societal goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'bottom up' formulation of the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement is an opportunity for countries to promote synergies between climate action and other development priorities. We hypothesize that countries will have prepared the NDCs strategically such that they reinforce national development agendas. This, we argue, makes sense for countries trying to tackle many social, economic and environmental challenges simultaneously and with limited resources. Examining seven Small Island Developing States (SIDS), we compare the priorities described in their NDCs with those in their national development plans. We find most NDC actions relate generally to themes in the respective national development plan, but the range of sectors they include as climate priorities is narrow and does not reflect the spread of national development agendas. Those sectors most emphasised by SIDS' development plans – governance and institutions, economic management, education, health, transport and land use planning – tend not to be included in NDCs at all. This is surprising for adaptation priorities, given the necessity of addressing not only climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture, water and coastal zone management but of also tackling the contextual conditions that make communities vulnerable in the first place. We suggest these patterns may be the result of normative and/or material biases that shape thinking about which sectors are climate-relevant. This is limiting the positive reinforcement that NDCs might otherwise give to development agendas, and is a missed opportunity for policy coherence and greater resilience building. Key policy insights The NDCs provide an opportunity for countries to identify climate actions that also strengthen their sustainable development agendas, which would incentivize their implementation and strengthen the NDC concept going forward. The way adaptation priorities are being defined in the NDCs of SIDS appears limited to a narrow range of sectors that are sensitive to climate impacts. Broadening the way adaptation priorities are identified would, going forward, likely create stronger synergies between the NDCs and national development plans, and would also improve climate resilience outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil fuel subsidies undercut the international community's Sustainable Development Goals and climate change objectives in many ways. Estimated at several hundred billion dollars per year, such subsidies also affect fossil fuel prices, and can therefore have distorting impacts on trade and investment. Given its central role in disciplining trade-distorting subsidies across sectors, the World Trade Organization (WTO) is an obvious candidate for advancing fossil fuel subsidy reform internationally. However, its engagement on this topic has been limited. While a growing body of disputes on renewable energy support measures have been brought before the WTO, Members have yet to initiate legal proceedings against subsidies for oil, coal, or gas. This Article highlights the range of explanations for this puzzling discrepancy. The Article analyses the compatibility of four selected fossil fuel support measures in the Group of 20 countries with the WTO's 1994 Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures. In doing so, it identifies some of the key legal questions and challenges faced at the WTO. Specifically, the findings highlight the difficulty of litigating fossil fuel consumption subsidies. In light of these shortcomings, the Article identifies five complementary avenues for reform of international trade policy to enable countries to better address fossil fuel subsidies: (i) promoting technical assistance and capacity building; (ii) enhancing transparency; (iii) pledging subsidy reform and ensuring credible follow-up through reporting and review; (iv) adopting a political declaration; and (v) expanding the category of prohibited subsidies. Some of these options could be pioneered by one or several WTO Members, or through regional, megaregional and plurilateral trade agreements. The adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement represent a call for more decisive action on climate change and sustainable development, providing a clear mandate for deeper engagement of the international trade community in this space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the 28th Meeting of the Parties (MoP-28) to the Montreal Protocol on Substances which Deplete the Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol) that was held in Kigali Rwanda. Topics mention including the meeting which was under the leadership of Vincent Biruta, marathon negotiations and phasing down the use of hydrofluorocarbons.

The article offers information on the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (CoP-22) to be held Marrakech, Morocco on November 7-18, 2016 including highlighting several climates governance such as phasing down hydrofluorocarbons.

Information about the Second United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2) of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) that was held in Nairobi, Kenya in May 2016 is presented. Topics included investment for sustainable development, environmental assessment in the Gaza Strip and the Paris Agreement on climate change. The conference featured several notable people Idunn Eidheim, Tita Korvenoja and John Moreti.

Information about the meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (OECPR) to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) that was held in Nairobi, Kenya from February 15-19, 2016, is presented. Topics include environmental policy issues, sustainable development and the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change. It cites the internal and external developments of the UNEP.

Information about the 11th United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF-11) held at United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York from May 4â€15, 2015 on international arrangement on forests (IAF) is presented. Topics discussed include promotion of management, conservation and sustainable development of forests as the aim of UNFF; environmental policy and law which are required to be executed by the UNFF; and steps taken to improve countries' access to forest-related funds.

Information about the 2016 session of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) that was held at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York from July 11-20 is presented. Topics included the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, recommendations for sustainable development and fostering economic growth. The conference featured Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) president Oh Joon and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.