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Newsletter 17 Nov 2025

Environment: What’s Up in GENeva | 17 – 23 November 2025

The Geneva Environment Network’s weekly newsletter includes the latest information on the global environmental agenda, main events, job vacancies, as well as other useful resources and updates. The Geneva Environment Network is not responsible for the content of any linked site or any link contained in a linked site. Stay tuned and follow us on X (Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Bluesky, and Youtube, or visit our website regularly for additional updates.

Image of the week | Ahead of World AMR Awareness Week 2025, the Symposium on Wastewater Technologies to Address One Health AMR, organized by WIPO, explored how innovation, intellectual property (IP) and partnerships can accelerate the adoption of wastewater technologies to mitigate AMR risks. © GEN, WIPO HQ, 14 November 2025

Transparency, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters | Aarhus MoP8 & PRTRs MoPP5

The eighth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention MoP8), the fifth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (Protocol on PRTRs MoPP5), their joint High-level Segment (HLS) and associated meetings are taking place at Palais des Nations from 17 to 21 November 2025.

Taking place every four years, the five-day series of meetings in Geneva will bring together around 300 representatives of Governments, international organizations, civil society and other stakeholders with an aim to advance transparency, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters. The meetings will provide a platform to review progress and challenges in environmental democracy, digital transformation, circular economy, and sustainable development—linking environmental and human rights to promote effective and accountable governance to ensure a safe, healthy and sustainable environment for present and future generations. → Consult the press release

A number of substantive decisions are expected to be adopted at the events, together with the future work programmes guiding the activities of both treaties in the next intersessional period for 2026-2029. Key moments and topics to look out for include:

  • Geneva Declaration on Advancing Public Rights | A joint High-level Segment, taking place on 20 November 2025, is expected to adopt the Geneva Declaration on advancing public rights to tackle the triple planetary crisis in the face of geopolitical tensions.
  • Compliance Committee | The Parties to the Aarhus Convention will tackle 22 decisions on compliance, as it is aimed at assisting individual Parties to improve their legislation and practice in fields such as oil and gas extraction, gold and lithium mining, nuclear power plants and renewable energy. The Meeting of the Parties is also expected to elect six new members of the Committee.
  • UN Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders | This session will mark the completion of the first term of the Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders under the Aarhus Convention, Michel Forst, whose mandate was established at MoP7 in 2021. The Parties will consider a decision on promoting the effective protection of environmental defenders — aimed at assisting Governments in establishing and maintaining a safe environment for environmental defenders — noting as well the Special Rapporteur’s report on Guidelines on the Right to Peaceful Environmental Protest and Civil Disobedience. The Parties are also expected to elect the mandate holder at this session.
  • Entry into force of GMO amendment | A key milestone to be marked at this session is the entry into force of the amendment to the Aarhus Convention on genetically modified organisms (also known as the GMO amendment) on 20 April 2025, following its ratification by Ukraine on 20 January 2025, bringing the number of those who ratified to 33 Parties (including the EU). The GMO amendment was adopted at MoP2 on 25-27 May 2005. Celebrating this milestone, a side event organized by the Aarhus Secretariat, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Austria, is taking place on 18 November, 13:30-14:45 CET.
  • New Member | The Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention will welcome Uzbekistan to the Convention, following its accession on 25 March 2025, bringing the number of Parties to 48 and further expanding the treaty’s reach and regional engagement.
  • Protocol on PRTRs | The Protocol’s Parties are expected to adopt a decision aimed at assisting countries to modernize pollutant release and transfer registers and to promote synergies in data collection and use.

In the margins of the meetings, a series of side events will allow participants to share diverse experiences related to the implementation of the Aarhus Convention and the Protocol on PRTRs (Registration for the side events via this form). Various international and local organizations from International Geneva are engaged in the protection of environmental human rights defenders and the advancement of environmental justice. Side events featuring actors from International Geneva include:

Articles highlighting reactions and what to expect at the meetings include

Global Tobacco Control Treaties to Address Tobacco’s Impact on the Environment

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is the first treaty negotiated under the auspices of WHO and one of the most widely and rapidly embraced United Nations treaties in history. A total of 183 Parties have joined the Convention, which entered into force 20 years ago. The treaty provides a legal framework and a comprehensive package of evidence-based tobacco control measures underpinned by international law that have saved millions of lives.

The Eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO FCTC is taking place from 17 to 22 November 2025 at the Geneva International Conference Center (CICG), followed by the Fourth session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP4) to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, from 24 to 26 November 2025. The COP and the MOP, to be attended by over 1400 delegates representing governments, international organizations and civil society, provide a platform for Parties to review and strengthen the implementation of the WHO FCTC and the Protocol. Environment and health are also on the agenda, as the tobacco product supply chain and tobacco use result in extensive environmental damage. For example, plastic cigarette filters are a leading single source of waste that leach toxic chemicals into the environment and break down into microplastics. Dedicated discussions under Provisional agenda item 4.3 Protection of the environment and the health of persons (Article 18 of the WHO FCTC) will focus on plastics used in the manufacture of tobacco products and their packaging, and harms to the environment and regulatory options to prevent, curb or manage the waste generated by the tobacco industry and its products. → Read the news release and GATC Policy Brief on Article 18
→ Follow the livestream, consult the annotated provisional agenda (FCTC/COP/11/1), main documents and the Guide for Delegates “Understanding the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control”

COP11 will host side events and key moments featuring the environment on the agenda, including:

  • Strategic dialogue: Healthy Planet, Healthy Future: Uniting for Tobacco-free Generations | 17 November 2025 | 15:00 CET | CICG & Livestream
    Marking the 20th anniversary of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), this milestone event will bring together ministers, policymakers, international organizations, civil society leaders and young activists to reflect on two decades of progress, while tackling the urgent intersection of tobacco control, environmental sustainability and youth engagement. The dialogue will highlight achievements, confront persistent challenges and galvanize political commitment to embed tobacco control in broader climate and development agendas.
  • Tobacco and Nicotine Products Waste: Environmental Challenges and Global and Country Responses | COP11 Side Event | Brazil with Panama, Knowledge Hub on articles 17&18 Fiocruz, Action on Smoking & Health (ASH), Global Center for Good Governance on Tobacco Control (GGTC), Global Alliance for Tobacco Control (GATC) | 18 November 2025 | 13:30 – 14:45 CET
    This side event will explore the growing environmental impact of tobacco and nicotine product waste, including cigarette filters, e-cigarettes and packaging that contribute to plastic pollution and toxic waste. It will examine how countries and communities are addressing these challenges through stronger policies, enforcement actions and public awareness efforts. The discussion will connect with COP11 deliberations on Article 18 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which focuses on protecting the environment and the health of people involved in tobacco cultivation and manufacturing.

Introducing the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution (ISP-CWP) | Road to the 1st Plenary

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution (ISP-CWP) is the new independent intergovernmental body established in June 2025 under the mandate of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) resolution 5/8, to strengthen the global science-policy interface. The panel completes the “trio of panels”, alongside the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) tackling climate change and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) tackling biodiversity loss, thus covering the whole triple planetary crisis. In preparation for the first session of the Plenary of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution (ISP-CWP P1), to convene in Geneva, in February 2026, the ISP-CWP Secretariat, in collaboration with the Geneva Environment Network, is organizing the “Road to the First ISP-CWP Plenary Session” series of events. The series is designed to provide essential information about the first Plenary session, address key questions, and foster dialogue to ensure inclusive and informed participation.

The series kicks off this week with an online event that will provide an overview of the Panel’s objective, functions, operating principles, and institutional arrangements as agreed on 20 June 2025 in Punta del Este, Uruguay. This event will also provide a detailed presentation of the draft Rules of Procedure, and next steps in preparations for P1, including forthcoming opportunities for engagement. → Register on Webex to attend on 19 November 2025 from 14:00 to 15:30 CET 

From Victoria Falls to Geneva: Outcomes of COP15 to the Convention on Wetlands

The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Wetlands took place from 23 to 31 July 2025 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. COP15 marked a success in terms of furthering the protection and wise use of wetlands, adopting 25 draft resolutions and the Victoria Falls Declaration.

On Monday, 17 November 2025, the train from Victoria Falls will arrive in Geneva with an Executive Briefing hosted by UNOG to learn about the outcomes of COP15. At the Executive Briefing, Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands, will highlight the key decisions, strategic directions, and implications emerging from COP15. She will be joined by H.E. Amb. Ever Mlilo, Permanent Representative of Zimbabwe to the UN in Geneva, who will reflect on the High-Level Ministerial Segment and the Victoria Falls Declaration. The session will also explore insights from the Global Wetland Outlook 2025 (GWO 2025), including data on the economic impacts of wetland loss and opportunities for sustainable investment.

Observing World AMR Awareness Week in Geneva

The World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) is a global campaign celebrated annually to improve awareness and understanding of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and encourage best practices among the public, One Health stakeholders and policymakers, who all play a critical role in reducing the further emergence and spread of AMR. It takes place every year from 18 to 24 November since 2015, following the endorsement of a global action plan to tackle the growing problem of resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines at the Sixty-eighth World Health Assembly in May 2015. Held under the theme “Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future”, WAAW 2025 underscores the urgent need to take bold, united action to address AMR. Building on the momentum of the 2024 United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on AMR, this call to action urges all stakeholders, including governments, civil society, health-care providers, veterinarians, farmers, environmental actors and the public to translate the political commitments into tangible, accountable, life-saving interventions. Investment in AMR action is a smart move for a safer, healthier future. Whether it’s a hospital administrator setting up an antimicrobial stewardship team or a farmer adopting sustainable waste management practices, every action counts.

As the headquarters of the World Health Organization and of many organizations active in fostering a One Health Approach to raise awareness and develop appropriate responses to AMR, Geneva will host various initiatives part of WAAW2025:

  • The Health Diplomacy Alliance (HDA) is launching the 7-7-7 Campaign, a flagship initiative that brings together seven stakeholders, taking seven key actions over seven days, in alignment with this year’s global theme. As part of the campaign, key highlights include:
    • Awareness content display at Geneva Cornavin main train station | 18 November 2025
    • Blue illumination of the Jet d’Eau | 23 November 2025
    • Display of flags on the Pont du Mont-Blanc (Geneva) | 17–19 November 2025
    • Global Intergenerational Dialogue on AMR | World AMR Awareness Week 2025 | 24 November 2025
      The dialogue aims to amplify youth perspectives through findings from a pre-event survey. → This event will take place on 24 November 2025 from 14:30 to 15:45 CET at Palais des Nations, Room H.313 and online. To participate in person, kindly register on Indico. To participate online, kindly register on Webex.
    • Partner events globally | 18-24 November 2025
  • Building Cross-Sectoral Coalitions for Urgent Action on AMR | 18 November | 14:00 – 15:30 CET | Online | AMR Industry Alliance
  • Infection Prevention to Control AMR: How to Pave the Way Forward? | WAAW 2025 | 19 November 2025 | 09:00–12:00 CET | Campus Biotech | Geneva Health Forum, Om Pharma

International Geneva at COP30 | Driving Climate Action in Belém

The UN Climate Change Conference COP30 in Belém, Pará, Brazil, enters its second week of negotiations and is expected to conclude on 21 November 2025. In the first week, negotiations included discussions of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), finance issues, and just transition. Through formal dialogues and demonstrations around the COP30 venue, delegates have been reminded of the important role played by environmental defenders as well as the risks they face.

Indigenous Peoples’ representatives echoed their long-standing calls for the respect of their land rights against climate-disrupting commercial activities and shared calls for a just transition anchored in human rights and respectful of the intergenerational impacts of extraction on Indigenous lands and communities, including trauma, and emphasized the value of Indigenous conflict resolution practices. During the first week of COP30, where the presence of Indigenous People is the highest ever recorded in the conference history, Indigenous People have taken the stage and brought the global attention to their claims on two occasions, including on 14 November when 90 Indigenous people from the Munduruku Indigenous group blocked the main entrance to the Blue Zone, reflecting both the urgency of their demands and the value of being present at the international conference.

International Geneva will continue to actively contribute its expertise at COP30, highlighting how climate change is cross-cutting across Geneva’s manifold areas of expertise, from climate science to human rights, labor, trade, and much more, including at events, thematic days, and pavilions: Business Pavilion | Food and Agriculture Pavilion | Forest Pavilion | Health Pavilion | Employers’ Green Skills Pavilion | Just Transition Pavilion | Ocean Pavilion | “Science for Climate Action” Pavilion | Standards Pavilion | COP30 Global Sustainable Insurance Summit. An event to be noted where the presence of Geneva stakeholders will be engaging Powering a Just Energy Transition: From Mine to Market will take place on 19 November 2025 from 18:30 GMT-3 in Room 2, Blue Zone. → Find a list of engaged institutions and experts and useful resources on our dedicated update

→ To dive into COP30 negotiations, watch the live webcast, catch up with UNFCCC updates, COP30 Presidency News, UN News special coverage, UNEP Highlights, WMO Daily Updates, Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily coverage, Climate Action Network International (CAN) ECO Newsletter @ COP30, Loss and Damage Collaboration Daily Updates and Carbon Brief resources.

Reached agreements, and initiatives and reports launched last week include:

  • The African region announced its nomination of Ethiopia as host of the 2027 UN Climate Change Conference.
  • The Belém Health Action Plan, led by the Government of Brazil and the World Health Organization, was launched. It integrates adaptation, equity, and climate justice and provides a unified framework to strengthen health-sector adaptation. → UNFCCC ES Remarks
  • UNFCCC released the 2025 Yearbook of Global Climate Action, which, in the words of UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell, “demonstrates that the Global Climate Action Agenda has matured from a platform for mobilization into an instrument for implementation.”
  • UNESCO, the Government of Brazil, and the UN, established the Global Initiative on Information Integrity on Climate Change to contribute to investigating, exposing, and dismantling disinformation related to climate change, as well as the socialization of the results of the research. → UNESCO Press Release
  • A new Extreme Heat Risk Governance Framework and Toolkit was launched to help countries strengthen governance, coordination, and investment in response to escalating heat risks. → Read WMO Press Release
  • The Beat the Heat Implementation Drive, kicking off the operationalization of the Global Cooling Pledge, was launched on 11 November 2025. It is the world’s first collective commitment to reduce cooling-related emissions by 68% and expand access to sustainable cooling by 2050—through local delivery. Led jointly by the COP30 Presidency and the UNEP-led Cool Coalition and inspired by the COP30 Presidency’s “mutirão” approach, the Drive promotes collective effort, shared responsibility, and cooperation across all levels of government and society. The Global Cooling Watch 2025 report, launched on the same day finds that cooling demand could more than triple by 2050 under business as usual, driven by increases in population and wealth, more extreme heat events and low-income households increasingly gaining access to more polluting and inefficient cooling. → Read UNEP Press Release
  • The Global Status of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems 2025 report, launched at the COP30 Belém Climate Summit, provides a snapshot of progress in implementing the UN’s flagship Early Warnings for All initiative and reveals progress as well as coverage gaps persist, especially among small island developing States, as only 43% of them reported having systems in place. → Read WMO Press Release
  • The Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) launched its 2025 Action Report “Time to scale up.” Governments showcased progress in implementation; funders announced new pledges to the SOFF UN Fund; and European meteorological leaders called for stronger international support → Read SOFF Press Release
  • UNEP and partners launched the Food Waste Breakthrough as a 2030 Climate Solution under the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action that unites governments, cities, and civil society to act on an issue that strikes at the heart of global hunger and climate change. → UNEP Press Release
  • A new report on the Global Initiative Jobs and Skills for the New Economy sets a comprehensive Action Agenda for ensuring that people – their jobs, skills and livelihoods – are central to the transition to a low-carbon, resilient economy. → WRI Press Release
  • ​​​​​​A coalition of international partners announced the creation of the Green Digital Action Hub (GDA Hub), a new cooperation platform to harness technology innovation against climate change, providing tools, expertise, and data to help nations scale up green technologies, reduce the environmental footprint of technology and ensure access to sustainable digital solutions for all. → ITU Press Release
  • The Climate and Health Funders Coalition committed an initial $300 million for integrated action to tackle both the causes of climate change and its consequences for health – accelerating solutions where they are needed most.
  • WIPO launched The Green Technology Book: Solutions for Confronting Climate Disasters report on 11 November 2025. Partners emphasized at the launch technology’s role in both preparing for and responding to disasters. Disaster technologies are incredibly diverse – ranging from very simple rain gauges to the most complex satellite systems. The key is to combine these low and high-tech solutions to help communities and societies respond more efficiently and effectively. → WIPO Press Release

Other reports released last week include:

Additional news include:

Ahead of the 3rd edition of the Climate Week in Geneva, organized by the City of Geneva and set to kick off next week, several events are already taking place this week.

Tehran Convention EIA Protocol to Enter Into Force

The Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea, also known as the “Tehran Convention” adopted in 2003, is the first legally binding regional agreement signed by all five Caspian littoral States: the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan. It lays down the general requirements and the institutional mechanism for environmental protection in the Caspian region.

The Contracting Parties to the Tehran Convention prioritized five thematic Protocols, including the Protocol on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (EIA protocol), adopted on 20 July 2018. It provides Caspian states with a framework to assess environmental impacts of major projects — such as industrial development, pipelines, and offshore operations — before launch, ensuring transparency, stakeholder input, and cross-border cooperation. Following the ratification by the Islamic Republic of Iran in July, the agreement enters into force on 18 November 2025. The EIA Protocol is the third Protocol to the Tehran Convention to enter into force. → Tehran Convention Press Release

Enjoying a Green Autumn in Geneva

Suggestions to enjoy your free time and a Green Autumn in Geneva this week include:

  • Les Créatives 21e Edition | 18-30 November 2025 | Association Les Créatives | Various locations 
    The Festival Les Créatives, a multidisciplinary event in Geneva, highlights the artistic and intellectual works of women and gender minorities. The 21st edition features concerts, theater, exhibitions, and discussions on topics such as chosen families and friendships.
  • Changement climatique et plantes alpines | 19 November 2025 | Conservatoire et Jardin Botanique 
    Come and discover over 300 species of alpine plants that we maintain and cultivate on the plains at the Jardin Botanique! In the rockery’s potting shed our gardener will talk to you about this unique place which also serves as a base for our collection of seeds in the wild that feed our Index Seminum.
  • Territoire Nations, Biodiversité ici et maintenant | 20 November 2025 | Territoire Nations | Garage Braillars
    A collective exploration of the Territoire du Nations, to the discovery of its landscapes, its uses, and its biodiversity.
  • “Net’Léman : de l’idée d’une personne à une action collective” | 20 November 2025 | Espace Léman
    During this conference, Amanda Melis, founder of the Net’Léman initiative, will look back on the birth of this emblematic project of the Léman. She will share her journey, her motivations, and present the issues that have brought together hundreds of volunteers and partners committed to preserving the environment around her.
  • Noël au quai | 20 November – 24 December 2025 | Quai du Mont-Blanc
    Come and discover Noël au Quai, the most majestic Christmas market in Geneva. After its birth at the Parc des Bastions, then its magic at the Jardin Anglais, it now illuminates the Quai du Mont-Blanc. Find your Christmas gifts among the wide selection of local artisans, sample the specialties offered by the food stalls, and entertain your children with the extensive program of activities.
  • FILMARcito : Une Idée pour la Planète | 22 November 2025 | Bibliothèque des Eaux Vives
    Through the stories of an armadillo, a family of capybaras and a group of animals in revolt, we discover the imbalances of nature and the impact of human power. One child, Diego, proposes a simple idea to change things… These short films speak of solidarity and freedom, and open up a dialogue between species. What ideas do you have for living better with our planet? 
  • Le mammouth fascinant géant laineux | 23 November 2025 | Musée d’histoire des sciences
    Long ago, there were many legends surrounding the discovery of gigantic bones in the soil of Europe and Asia. In 1796, Georges Cuvier was the first to identify these as the remains of extinct elephants. Today, science is able to reveal a wealth of details about the life of this fascinating mammal. Come and meet the woolly mammoth, star of the Ice Age! 
  • Garderobes : le rendez-vous de la mode durable à Genève | 22 & 23 November 2025 | L’iceBergues 
    A space for exchange and discovery around fashion, with sales stalls, creative workshops, a sewing repair café, fashion show, clothing swaps, competitions, an eco-market, a short film, Slow Fashion Talks and much more! 
  • Le jardin des roses | Until 28 November 2025 | Aylin Elçi | Le Grain
    Have you ever noticed the old ladies who meet up at the “rose garden” or the “chess park” on Sundays and improvise reunions amid a babble of Turkish and Bulgarian? They found themselves in Geneva through a curious set of circumstances. These photos document the story of these resourceful women. 
  • Notre Biodiversité | Until 30 November 2025 | Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques
    In line with the new Municipal Biodiversity Strategy of the City of Geneva, an itinerary through the heart of our garden invites us, through short texts printed on sails, to question ourselves on this burning subject and to reflect on our roles as citizens, public authorities, scientific institutions such as ours and civil society.
  • Léman : L’éveil d’un peuple | Until 14 December 2025 | ASL | Espace Léman
    Through a wealth of documents, testimonials, objects, and audiovisual archive footage, this exhibition traces the decisive action taken by associations, scientists, fishermen, journalists, and institutions that helped turn the tide. At a time when new threats are looming over the lake, the exhibition also aims to remind us that every one of us can play a part in bringing about change. 

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