A newsletter of the United Nations University

Archive for September 2009

UNU Shonan Global Seminar Turns 25

Sep 29th, 2009 | By admin | Category: Event Reports

This year marked the 25th anniversary of the UNU Global Seminar – Shonan Session. Under the theme of “Global Challenges and East Asian Responses”, the 2009 seminar addressed the impacts of globalization on the region and the initiatives being taken by various actors in response.



Experts urge global standards for electronics reuse, recycling

Sep 29th, 2009 | By admin | Category: Featured Articles, In Focus

In 2006, more than 1 billion cell phones, 230 million computers, and 45 million TVs were sold worldwide. What will be the fate of these complex electronic products when they are eventually replaced or discarded?

The sad fact is that much of the world’s electronic scrap ends up in developing countries, where it typically is incinerated to…



Linking traditional knowledge and Western science

Sep 29th, 2009 | By admin | Category: Other News

Can traditional knowledge converge with Western science to help solve today’s global challenges? Numerous research initiatives are exploring this question, such as an Australian carbon abatement project that is based on Aboriginal fire-burning practices.



Rising seas and coastal vulnerability

Sep 29th, 2009 | By admin | Category: Publications

The latest issue of Intersections looks at the social impacts of global climate change and examines how people living in the low-elevation coastal zones are adapting to global sea level rise. For many, migration has become a means of adaptation and survival.



UNU-EHS founding director retires

Sep 29th, 2009 | By admin | Category: Other News

Earlier this year, Prof. Dr. Janos Bogardi retired after almost six years as Director of the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) and two years as UNU Vice-Rector ad interim. This is his “open letter of farewell”.



EU-US cooperation in peace and security

Sep 29th, 2009 | By admin | Category: Publications

This BRIGG paper explores a variety of case studies to examine the extent to which cooperation between the USA and European Union in the field of international peace and security is impacted by bilateral relations versus multilateral dialogues.



Elementary school students visit UNU HQ

Sep 1st, 2009 | By admin | Category: Event Reports

On 26 August, a group of about 50 students from Kunitachi City visited UNU Centre – Tokyo, where they heard an information briefing about the UN and UNU enjoyed a show on climate change presented by Oriental Land.



One person can make a difference

Sep 1st, 2009 | By admin | Category: Featured Articles

In the Our World 2.0 article “One man inspiring Hope”, Hope He tells the story of Wan Ping, a former thermo-dynmics engineer who nine years ago founded an ecological demonstration area in the Khorchin district of northeastern China. His efforts have established a windbreak that has stabilized moving dunes, achieved a 95% green coverage rate in the demonstration area, and increased local precipitation.