Environment: What’s Up in GENeva | 28 September – 4 October 2026

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, Youtube, and WhatsApp, or visit our website regularly for additional updates.

Image of the week |

Human Rights Council

Loss and Damage

UNECE Energy Week

The UNECE Sustainable Energy Week 2026 will take place from 28 September to 1 October 2026 in Geneva, bringing together experts, policymakers and stakeholders to discuss the technical and policy challenges and solutions needed to strengthen energy security, affordability and sustainability in an uncertain world. The event will include the 35th session of the Committee on Sustainable Energy, as well as the annual sessions of the UNECE Groups of Experts on Energy Efficiency, Cleaner Electricity Systems and Renewable Energy.

Stop food loss and waste, for the people, for the planet!

The United Nations recognizes the importance of reducing food loss and waste. On 19 December 2019, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 74/209 proclaiming 29 September as the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW). The International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste seeks to promote awareness and collective action to reduce food loss and waste.

ISP-CWP

Informal technical meeting on the draft rules of procedure of the Plenary of the ISP-CWP

UNGA

High-level meeting to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action: 28 September 2026 | A/RES/80/193 and A/RES/80/299
High-level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons: 29 September 2026 | A/RES/80/49
Achieving global nuclear disarmament is the highest disarmament priority of the United Nations. It was the subject of the General Assembly’s first resolution in 1946, which established the Atomic Energy Commission (dissolved in 1952), with a mandate to make specific proposals for the control of nuclear energy and the elimination of atomic weapons and all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction. This annual High-level plenary meeting commemorates and promotes the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

Happening Abroad

The 10th meeting of the Task Force on Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystems Nexus under the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) will take place in Rome on 1 October 2026 at 9:30-13:00 CET as a hybrid event.

The meeting will be organized in the context of the Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum (29 September – 2 October 2026), which is organized by the “One Water” (OW) Committee Italy in collaboration with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the Mediterranean Water Institute of Marseille (IME) and other partners.

The meeting will focus on the development and implementation of regional nexus strategies in transboundary contexts, water resilience (infrastructure and ecosystems), the nexus in the 2026 UN Water Conference, and future work of the Task Force in the upcoming Programme of Work of the Water Convention (2028-2030). Moreover, it will provide an exchange of experience between countries and basins from the Mediterranean and other regions of the world.

Announcing the 2026 Right Livelihood Laureates on September 30!