Every year the DISsertations initiative for the advancement of Climate Change ReSearch (DISCCRS, pronounced discourse) hosts a symposium for early-career climate change researchers. The goal is to catalyze international, interdisciplinary collaboration while laying the foundation for dynamic, communicative collegial networks that are better-equipped to understand and respond to the myriad challenges posed by climate change. During the week-long symposium, the 30 invited DISCCRS Scholars will have the opportunity to present their research, hone interdisciplinary communication and teambuilding skills, and discuss emerging research and trends.

The Global Forum on Sanitation and Hygiene will bring together sanitation and hygiene professionals and WSSCC members for a week of sharing, learning, strategizing and momentum-building around these vital issues. The Forum has four main objectives. First, it will facilitate learning and sharing between members, sector practitioners and policymakers. Second, it will energize professional communities by focusing exclusively on sanitation and hygiene. Third, it will showcase knowledge, investment, communications, advocacy, partnership and networking approaches. Finally, it will strengthen national, regional, South-South, and global dialogue and collaboration.

The eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties will coincide with the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity as well with the Rio+20 meeting scheduled earlier in the year. India has not hosted a meeting of a Conference of the Parties to a multilateral environmental agreement since 2002. This will be the first meeting to assess the implementation of the Nagoya biodiversity compact.

This conference will feature keynotes from high-level policy makers from international agencies including UNWTO, UNESCO, UNEP, European Commission and leading research institutions. This tourism conference is expected to be crucial for researchers interested in Green Economy and Sustainability aspects, as it will follow the Rio+20 UN Summit. The conference themes include: Advancements in sustainable tourism; climate change and sustainability - common ground; green economy; ecosystem services; protected areas and heritage conservation; hospitality and green issues; among others.

The IUCN World Conservation Congress is the world’s largest and most important conservation event. Held every four years, the Congress aims to improve how man manages the natural environment for human, social and economic development. The designated theme of the IUCN World Congress is Nature+ this corresponds to boosting the resilience of nature – improving how quickly nature and people adapt to change. The Congress is divided into a Forum, open to the wider public, where IUCN Members and partners will discuss cutting edge ideas, thinking and practice, and a Members Assembly, the highest decision-making body of IUCN, which brings together IUCN Members to debate and establish environmental policy.