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Scuppered barges plug dyke to hold back German flood

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:45:00 GMT

Extreme weather called for extreme remedies to staunch the flow of the river Elbe in Germany on Sunday

Interventions for achieving sustainability in tropical forest and agricultural landscapes

P. Newton — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:52:35 GMT

The rapid expansion of commodity agriculture in tropical forest landscapes is a key driver of deforestation. To meet the growing demand from a more prosperous and expanding global population, it is imperative to develop sustainable commodity supply chains that support higher agricultural productivity, and that enable improved environmental, economic, and social outcomes. Interventions by community, market, and state actors can enhance the sustainability of supply chains by affecting where and how agricultural production occurs. These interventions—in the form of novel or moderated institutions and policies, incentives, or information—can influence producers directly or achieve their impacts indirectly by influencing consumer, retailer, and processor decisions.

This study used global datasets to document the trends in deforestation and commodity agriculture production to compare and explain the impacts of different types of supply chain interventions.

The post-Hyogo Framework: What’s next for disaster risk reduction?

R. Benicchio — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:46:05 GMT

The Post-Hyogo Framework, the successor to the Millennium Development Goals, and a new climate agreement are all expected in 2015. Thus, the next three years offer an outstanding opportunity to provide a crucial step change in disaster risk reduction (DRR) through the development of new international instruments. In this paper, Oxfam calls for equality and accountability to be enshrined as the primary drivers of DRR within the follow-up to the Hyogo Framework for Action, in order to provide an unambiguous direction for the negotiation of the agreement and its subsequent implementation at local, national, regional and international levels.

Overseas climate change threatens UK

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:02:07 GMT

A new report suggests that climate change in other countries will impact the UK more quickly than rising temperatures at home.

Acidifying seawater sees oysters in race to grow shells

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:56:00 GMT

A drop in oyster harvests may be down to the difficulty oyster larvae have in making shells when seawater acidifies

Mongolia shows the birthing pains of a green economy

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Wind farms and intensive mining: Michael Slezak sees contrasts in Mongolia that reveal the obstacles in a green path to rapid economic growth

Up to half of all birds threatened by climate change

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:08:00 GMT

The most comprehensive assessment of animals' vulnerability to global warming reveals a big proportion of species are in danger

Predicting Future Conflict under REDD+ Implementation

T. Patel — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:42:21 GMT

With the current complexity of issues facing forest and land management, the implementation of the REDD+ initiative comes with significant risks, including conflict. While the exact nature and shape of conflict in REDD+ implementation is difficult to pinpoint, this study aims to build a preliminary predictive framework to identify possible sources of impairment that may result in conflict over management of forests and natural resources. The framework was developed from an extensive literature review and was tested in three REDD+ pilot project sites in Nepal. The results indicate that most of the sources of impairment are present in all study sites, particularly issues relating to benefit sharing, which have been main drivers of conflict prior to REDD+. While we found that the application of the framework has been useful in the Nepalese context, there are some limitations in its scope and precision. Nonetheless, this study points to important implications with regards to REDD+ implementation and conflict management that can be useful for policy makers and practitioners involved in REDD+ strategy designs, as well as other areas of forest management involving outsiders and communities.

Snow sensing helps predict water shortages

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:37:00 GMT

Precisely measuring supplies of meltwater could help farmers in the US plan what they plant in order to battle a changing climate

The cost of adapting to climate change in Ethiopia: sector-wise and macro-economic estimates

S. Robinson — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:26:06 GMT

This paper uses spatially - explicit analyses of climate change effects on selected key sectors of Ethiopia’s economy to analyse both sector-wise and economy-wide estimates of impacts and adaptation costs. Using four models to bracket the uncertainty surrounding future climate outcomes, the paper finds that by 2050 climate change could cause GDP to be eight to ten per cent smaller than under a no-climate change baseline; it could induce a two-fold increase in variability of growth in agriculture; and it would affect more severely the poor and certain parts of the country. The paper also finds that adaptation to climate change might cost an annual average of USD 0.8 to 2.8 billion, and an additional USD 1.2 to 5.8 billion if one takes into account residual damages which may not be addressed by adapting existing development plans.

The paper also provides sector-specific insights on impacts and adaptation options in agriculture, road transport and hydropower. In particular, rapid development of Ethiopia’s hydro-potential, upgrading of the road design standards, and gradual diversification of the economy away from the more climate vulnerable sectors are likely to be important elements of any climate-resilient development strategy.

The cost of adapting to climate change in Ethiopia: sector-wise and macro-economic estimates

S. Robinson — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:26:06 GMT

Warmer crust

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:00:00 GMT

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Climate solution

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:00:00 GMT

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Uncertain sea levels

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:00:00 GMT

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US emissions hit first low since mid-1990s

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:07:00 GMT

The latest figures on carbon dioxide emissions suggest US emissions are still falling, while China's emissions growth is also in decline

Climate and war: A call for more research

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Climate and war: A call for more research

Nature 498, 7453 (2013). doi:10.1038/498171b

Authors: Neil Adger, Jon Barnett & Geoff Dabelko

The possibility that climate change could be responsible for violent conflict (A.SolowNature497, 179–180; 2013) is starting to influence how governments frame and react to climate change. However, a real problem in this area is a paucity

Climate and war: No clear-cut schism

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Climate and war: No clear-cut schism

Nature 498, 7453 (2013). doi:10.1038/498171c

Authors: Michael Brzoska & Jürgen Scheffran

We are sceptical about the effectiveness of Andrew Solow's proposals for cooling the debate over a possible link between wars and climate change (Nature497, 179–180; 2013). We think that the division between the two sides ('quants' versus 'quals')

Redrawing the energy-climate map: world energy outlook special report

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:33:31 GMT

The energy sector is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and limiting these is an essential focus of action. The World Energy Outlook has published detailed analysis of the energy contribution to climate change for many years. But, amid major international economic preoccupations, there are worrying signs that the issue of climate change has slipped down the policy agenda. This Special Report seeks to bring it right back on top by showing that the dilemma can be tackled at no net economic cost.

The report:

maps out the current status and expectations of global climate and energy policy;
sets out four specific measures for the energy sector that can be quickly and effectively implemented;
indicates elements of action to achieve further reductions, after 2020;
demonstrates that the energy sector needs to take immediate action to address the risks implicit in climate change.

Climate vulnerability and capacity of ethnic minorities in the northern mountainous region of Vietnam

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:45:41 GMT

Vietnam is likely to be one of the most significantly impacted nations in the world from climate change due to its long coastline, high dependence on agriculture and relatively low levels of development in rural areas. For the poorest communities, the impacts of climate change will have particularly acute consequences. This report looks at one of Vietnam's ethnic minorities in the northern mountainous region of the country and considers their vulnerability to climate change and capacity to adapt.

The report is based on a study conducted as part of CARE Vietnam’s Civil Action for Socio-economic Inclusion in Sustainable Development (CASI III) Project. This is a synthesis of the analysis conducted using the Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Analysis (CVCA) Handbook. It also draws on analyses conducted in the project area for the design of the CASI Project. The CVCA Handbook is organised around CARE’s framework for community-based adaptation (CBA). The CBA framework presents a range of ‘enabling factors’ which must be in place at household/individual, community/local and national levels in order for effective community-based adaptation to take place. The enabling factors fall under four inter-related components: climate-resilient livelihoods, disaster risk reduction, local capacity development and advocacy.

Climate vulnerability and capacity of ethnic minorities in the northern mountainous region of Vietnam

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:45:41 GMT

Rights based climate litigation in the Indian courts: potential, prospects & potential problems

L. Rajamani — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:43:22 GMT

Climate litigation is in its infancy in India. Climate-related claims have yet to be litigated in the courts. There are a few cases in which climate change has been referred to but only in passing. This report argues that the situation may well be set to change. Climate change and its impacts are rapidly capturing the popular imagination in India. There is a growing recognition of the importance and urgency of the issue and multiple climate policies and initiatives have been launched in response. Moreover, India has an engaged and proactive civil society, an activist judiciary, a progressive body of enviro-legal jurisprudence and an unparalleled culture of public interest litigation. This suggests not just that there are potential litigants waiting in the wings, but also that climate-related claims are likely to be favourably entertained by the judiciary.

Climate-smart agriculture sourcebook

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:40:10 GMT

Climate-smart interventions are highly location-specific and knowledge-intensive. Therefore, considerable efforts are required to develop the knowledge and capacities to make climate-smart agriculture (CSA) a reality. The purpose of this sourcebook is to further elaborate the concept of CSA and demonstrate its potential, as well as its limitations. It is aimed as a reference tool for planners, practitioners and policymakers working in agriculture, forestry and fisheries at national and subnational levels, dealing with the effects of climate change.

This sourcebook is divided into three main sections, which addresses the following topics.

The case for climate-smart agriculture: this section consists of two modules establishing a conceptual framework and is targeted to a broad audience.
Improved technologies and approaches for sustainable farm management: nine modules targeted primarily to the needs of planners and practitioners, and analyses what issues need to be addressed in the different sectors.
Enabling frameworks: seven modules targeted to policymakers, providing guidance on what institutional, policy and finance options are available. It further provides information on links with disaster risk reduction and utilisation of safety nets, also illustrating the key role of capacity development, assessments and monitoring.

Understanding needs, meeting demands: A user-oriented analysis of online knowledge broker platforms for climate change and development

A. Hammill — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:36:35 GMT

This IISD report examines the current state of alignment between climate knowledge brokering (CKB) platforms and the information-seeking and knowledge-sharing behaviour of users of online climate change information. It reviews the case for knowledge brokering and how brokering activities are put into practice online for climate change and development. The paper then outlines the results of research undertaken to understand how CKB platform users assess, access and apply knowledge.

This research includes interviews and surveys with over 200 online climate change information users to understand their needs, preferences and behaviours. The research also involved in-depth case studies of four CKB platforms: AfricaAdapt, Climate Finance Options, Climate Change Policy & Practice and the Eldis Climate Change Resource Guide. The paper highlights key findings and recommendations regarding user behaviours and preferences, potential areas for innovation in online knowledge brokering and the need for taking CKB beyond its online functions.

Carbon emissions helping to make Earth greener

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 19:30:00 GMT

Increased atmospheric carbon dioxide is stimulating photosynthesis and boosting Earth's plant cover – but the long-term consequences remain unclear

Central Europe floods portend a wet future

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:27:00 GMT

As rising waters sweep through Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic, scientists say Europe must prepare for waterlogged years ahead

Arab Environment : Climate Change. Impact of Cilmate Change on Arab Countries

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 18:23:54 GMT

In this report, the editors state that the Arab countries are in many ways among the most vulnerable in the world to the potential impacts of climate change, as the region already suffers from aridity, recurrent drought and water scarcity. The report highlights that virtually no work is being carried out to make the Arab countries prepared for climate change challenges. Specifically, no concerted data gathering and research efforts could be traced regarding the impacts of climate change on health, infrastructure, biodiversity, tourism, water and food production. Reliable records on climate patterns in the region barely exist. It is recommended that concerted efforts are put towards policy making in the region so that Arab countries are able to prepare for the potential negative impacts of climate change, which range from sustainable management of natural resources to risk planning.

Arab Environment : Climate Change. Impact of Cilmate Change on Arab Countries

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 18:23:54 GMT

A new global partnership: eradicate poverty and transform economies through sustainable development

Fri, 31 May 2013 10:19:42 GMT

The High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda's report sets out a universal agenda to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030 through sustainable development. In the report, the Panel calls for the new post-2015 goals to drive five big transformative shifts:

Leave no-one behind: we should move from reducing to ending extreme poverty, in all its forms.
Put sustainable development at the core: immediate action is needed to slow the pace of climate change and environmental degradation.
Transform economies for jobs and inclusive growth: more diversified economies, with equal opportunities for all, can drive social inclusion, as well as foster sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Build peace and effective, open and accountable institutions for all: peace and good governance must be recognised as a core element of wellbeing, not an optional extra.
Forge a new global partnership: it should be centred around people and include civil society organisations, multilateral institutions, local and national governments, the scientific and academic community, businesses and private philanthropy.

Nuclear energy: Frontiers

Wed, 29 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Fission power could fulfil our energy needs without generating any greenhouse gases, but not unless we find novel ways to use it with less risk

Methane threat

Wed, 29 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

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Urbanization and climate change impacts on future urban flooding in Can Tho city, Vietnam

H. T. L. Huong — Wed, 29 May 2013 13:38:52 GMT

Urban development increases flood risk in cities due to local changes in hydrological and hydrometeorological conditions that increase flood hazard, as well as to urban concentrations that increase the vulnerability. The large-scale, global impacts due to climate variability and change could increase these risks. This paper presents the case of Can Tho, the biggest city in Mekong River Delta, Vietnam), which faces multiple future challenges, namely:

the likely effect of sea level rise
an expected increase of river runoff due to climate change as estimated by the Vietnamese government
increased urban runoff driven by imperviousness
enhancement of extreme rainfall due to urban growth-driven, microclimatic change (urban heat islands).

A set of model simulations were used to construct future scenarios, combining these influences. The results show that under the combined scenario of significant change in river level (due to climate-driven sea level rise and increase of flow in the Mekong) and ‘business as usual’ urbanisation, the flooding of Can Tho could increase significantly. The worst case may occur if a sea level rise of 100 cm and the flow from upstream happen together with high-development scenarios. However, the study concludes that detailed research on adaptation is necessary for future investments to be effective.

Urbanization and climate change impacts on future urban flooding in Can Tho city, Vietnam

H. T. L. Huong — Wed, 29 May 2013 13:38:52 GMT

the likely effect of sea level rise
an expected increase of river runoff due to climate change as estimated by the Vietnamese government
increased urban runoff driven by imperviousness
enhancement of extreme rainfall due to urban growth-driven, microclimatic change (urban heat islands).

Farmers’ perceptions and adaptations to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa: a synthesis of empirical studies and implications for public policy in African agriculture

J. S. Juana — Wed, 29 May 2013 13:08:38 GMT

Climate change has the potential of undermining sustainable development efforts in Africa, if steps are not taken to respond to its adverse consequences. This study reviews existing and available literature on farmers’ perceptions and adaptation strategies to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa.

The paper finds that the majority of farmers are aware of changes in precipitation patterns and temperature. They have responded through crop diversification, planting different crop varieties, changing planting and harvesting dates, irrigation, planting tree crops, water and soil conservation techniques, and switching to non-farm income activities.

It is concluded that to enable sub-Saharan African farmers to develop more effective climate change adaptation strategies, African governments need to support farmers by providing the necessary resources such as credit, information and extension workers to train farmers on climate change adaptation strategies and technologies, as well as investing in climate resilient projects.

Farmers’ perceptions and adaptations to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa: a synthesis of empirical studies and implications for public policy in African agriculture

J. S. Juana — Wed, 29 May 2013 13:08:38 GMT

Climate change adaptation for coral triangle communities: a guide for vulnerability assessment and local early action planning (LEAP guide)

Wed, 29 May 2013 12:42:08 GMT

This comprehensive set of scientific and social instruments helps local governments and communities to assess their vulnerability to climate change and form their own climate change adaptation plans to address local conditions. So far it has been adopted in pilot sites in the Coral Triangle, such as the Nino Konis Santana National Park in Timor-Leste, Verde Island Passage in the Philippines, Kei Islands in Indonesia, the proposed Tun Mustapha Park in Malaysia, Kimbe Bay in Papua New Guinea, and Western Province in the Solomon Islands.

The guide is one of the key tools that Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) has developed to reduce the decline of the region's marine resources and increase the social and economic resilience of coastal communities. It aims to bring the policies that have been adopted at the regional and national level to the communities who are at the front lines of climate change.

Climate change adaptation for coral triangle communities: a guide for vulnerability assessment and local early action planning (LEAP guide)

Wed, 29 May 2013 12:42:08 GMT

We've reached a troubling carbon dioxide milestone

Wed, 29 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Atmospheric scientist Ralph Keeling explains the importance of measuring a CO₂ concentration of 400 parts per million at the observatory his father set up

DETERring deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon: environmental monitoring and law enforcement

J. Assunção — Tue, 28 May 2013 14:34:31 GMT

This study asks: which specific policy efforts contributed most to the reduction in Amazon deforestation? The paper, which evaluates the impact of monitoring on deforestation, focuses on DETER, a satellite-based system for real-time detection of deforestation. DETER is the key tool for targeting law enforcement activities in the Brazilian Amazon. The study shows that DETER was the main driver of the 2000s deforestation slowdown: deforestation observed from 2007 through 2011 was 75 per cent smaller than it would have been in the absence of monitoring and resulting fines. However, more stringent monitoring had no impact on municipality-level agricultural production.

Guidance manual for TEEB country studies

Tue, 28 May 2013 13:56:06 GMT

The Guidance Manual for The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) Country Studies was developed following requests from countries interested in undertaking a TEEB country study, with the aim of achieving their development goals while at the same time sustainably managing their natural resources.

A TEEB country study highlights the different ways in which nature contributes to a country's development and recommends ways to incorporate these contributions into decision-making. This involves identifying vital ecosystem services and examining how they could be integrated into the policy process. The TEEB manual provides both technical and operational guidance on how countries can conduct such a study. It outlines the various steps that can be taken to successfully initiate and implement a country study, communicate its findings, and implement the recommendations.

Guidance manual for TEEB country studies

Tue, 28 May 2013 13:56:06 GMT

Sea level rise: Drowning in numbers

Mon, 27 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

We urgently need to know how far and how fast the sea will rise, but the latest attempt to put figures on it is dangerously misleading, says Michael Le Page

Energy and development

G. Carbonnier — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:46:57 GMT

The pursuit of a development path primarily driven by abundant, cheap fossil fuels is coming up against diminishing reserves, rising prices and global warming. Managing the growing tensions resulting from this situation requires increased cooperation on the part of industrialised countries, emerging economies and poor countries, with each country haveing different responsibilities, and different financial and technological capacities.

The authors discuss the centrality of fossil fuels in the economic growth of the Western world since the nineteenth century and the key role of oil in the twentieth century and question the future of this development model in the face of geological and climatic constraints. They examine the gaps and misunderstandings that separate social sciences and natural sciences as well as recent attempts to establish interdisciplinary dialogue around ecological economics and industrial ecology. The authors then analyse what is at stake for developing countries, inequalities in access to energy resources, the failure of the global governance system to deal with mounting tensions associated with the depletion of oil and the environmental consequences of an ever increasing consumption of non-renewable resources.

Assessment of REDD+ training needs and supply in six countries in the Africa and Asia-Pacific Regions

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:10:13 GMT

REDD+ capacity building is fundamental to achieving REDD+ readiness. There is little data, however, that describe the type of capacity building and the number of people that are reached with these initiatives in REDD+ countries. The lack of information makes it difficult to determine where additional investments in capacity building are needed. This report presents results from a study of REDD+ capacity building initiatives that were implemented in Cambodia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Indonesia, Liberia, Madagascar and Papua New Guinea (PNG) between September 2010 and June 2012. It is intended to assist the organisations that fund and conduct capacity building for REDD+ to more efficiently target their efforts.

The report describes training supply in the country and the perceptions of key actors engaged in the REDD+ process about the priority capacity building needs. It finds that in all of the studied country the supply of REDD+ training does not meet demand. However, there has been important progress in REDD+ awareness raising, training for REDD+ policy development and planning, as well as community carbon accounting.

Bringing people back into protected forests in developing countries: insights from co-management in Malawi

L. Zulu — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:51:00 GMT

Focusing on Malawi, this study examines struggles to bring people back into protected forests to enhance sustainable forest management and livelihoods using insights emerging from a co-management project in Malawi. It uses mixed social science methods to analyse continuing local forest-user commitment to co-management despite conservation burdens largely for minimal financial benefits. It argues that overemphasis on cash incentives as the motivation for ‘self-interested’ users to participate in co-management overlooks locally significant non-cash motivations, inflates local expectations and creates perverse incentives that undermine socio-ecological goals. In fact, some non-cash incentives outweighed cash-driven ones and therefore the findings support broadening of incentives mechanisms. Insights on forest-management planning, fair cost-sharing, targeting the poor and the need for social learning are also highlighted.

Land tenure and fast-tracking REDD+: time to reframe the debate?

A. Bolin — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:22:45 GMT

This paper argues that legal reform of land tenure will not take place fast enough to enable developing countries to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation through REDD+. It highlights that a global agreement on REDD+ is needed by 2020, if the mechanism is to have a significant impact on mitigating climate change. However, legally defensible and enforceable land tenure rights, while a key enabling condition for effective and equitable REDD+, will not be achieved in most forest countries before this date. By drawing on examples from Nepal and Papua New Guinea, the paper demonstrates that limited enforcement and high cost can undermine the effectiveness of legal tenure reform, while forest-owning communities with weak legal rights may in practice exercise a high level of control over forest land. The paper concludes that policymakers should look to alternative policy options that can also create enabling conditions for REDD+, under existing legal frameworks. These include mapping national laws and policies across sectors to identify perverse incentives, loopholes and conflicting priorities that exacerbate the drivers of deforestation, and engaging civil society networks with national forestry initiatives.

A second chance to save the climate

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

The latest data on the climate suggests it will warm slightly less, and more slowly, than expected – giving us a chance to avoid the worst effects

400 and rising

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

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Just add salt

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

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Climate change will push up New York's heatwave deaths

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:10:00 GMT

There will be more deaths in summer and fewer in winter as climate change begins to bite in New York City. The net effect is not good news

Timing made Oklahoma tornado toll worse

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:20:00 GMT

The tornado that struck Oklahoma City in the US on Monday was unusually large and powerful, and it came down at a bad time of day

A second chance to save the climate

Sun, 19 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

The latest data on the climate suggests it will warm slightly less, and more slowly, than expected – giving us a chance to avoid the worst effects

Global assessment report on disaster risk reduction 2013 - From shared risk to shared value: the business case for disaster risk reduction

Sat, 18 May 2013 09:02:31 GMT

The 2013 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR13) makes the business case for investing in disaster risk management (DRM) and highlights potential opportunities for creating shared value.

The report is a comprehensive overview of the globalised landscape of disaster risk, including: the use of models to explore the resilience of national economies; the collection of disaster-loss data from 54 countries; an in-depth analysis of current business strategies for DRM through workshops with multinational corporations and a survey of around 1,200 businesses in six disaster-prone cities; a review of the progress presently being made; research into three risk-sensitive, yet crucial, sectors: urban development, tourism and agribusiness; a focus on the role of finance, insurance and public regulations in DRR; and a look at emerging strategies for strengthening DRM, including the importance of private-public partnerships.

The report identifies the following five broad areas of opportunity for businesses to incorporate disaster risk into their strategies.

As the present paradigm of short-term gain being deemed competitive is being re-evaluated, investment in risk management is increasingly regarded as an opportunity, with evidence showing greater investor confidence, cost reductions and added value.
The Japanese earthquake, which exposed the vulnerability of global supply chains, has served to remind large companies of the value of factoring disaster risk into investment and supply chain strategies. It is in their interest to help strengthen DRM in small and medium enterprises that comprise their supply chains.
Integrating disaster risk into business investment decisions is crucial. New efforts are aiming to converge private and public risk modelling and provide global, open-access risk metrics that can be used for investment decisions and business forecasts.
As more businesses invest in DRM, there will be an ever greater incentive for local and national public investment in DRR to improve competitiveness, which is particularly important for developing countries with high-risk profiles.
Reporting on disaster risk is largely unregulated, but as investors become more aware of the issue, companies will have an incentive to invest in more effective DRM, including certified reporting. This may lead to more sensitive insurance pricing, although common standards are required for more effective measurement of disaster risk.

Indigenous peoples and climate change in Africa

U. Dieckmann — Sat, 18 May 2013 09:02:24 GMT

Through two participatory case studies, this paper examines the impact of climate change on the indigenous peoples of Namibia. The objectives of the case studies are three-fold: to document how the indigenous peoples are affected by climate change; to analyse how they perceive, adapt to and leverage opportunities from climate change; and provide recommendations for strengthening the indigenous peoples’ engagement in national and international public climate change policy.

The paper begins by explaining the methodology of the study and providing background on the socioeconomic and historical context of study areas. Focusing on the Topnaar and Hai Om people, research methods consisted of a literature review, data collection through household questionnaires, focus groups, expert interviews and participatory approaches, as well as data analysis identifying the successful use of traditional knowledge in climate change adaptation.

A vulnerability and opportunity assessment is presented regarding climate change, governance and socioeconomic conditions in Namibia, before the study comprehensively outlines the results from the two case studies. The vulnerability and opportunity context, the impacts of climate change on the indigenous people, and the traditional knowledge and adaptation are all explored in each sub-region.

The report concludes with recommendations regarding each community. Concerning the Topnaar community, the study finds that their adaptation to arid conditions (a high dependence on Inara plants and livestock) makes them vulnerable to floods, while the poor were disproportionately unable to adapt to recent heavy rains. The study recommends investing in eco-tourism and encourages the diversification of livelihoods.

Regarding the Hai On community, the study finds that their increasing loss of access to land and commercial farms is resulting in many problems. Access to bushfood is limited and they are ever-more dependent on government aid. Furthermore, the study finds that the authorities have restricted peoples’ efforts at livelihood diversification. It is recommended that the Hai On people are given more of their ancestral land, that a strict cattle-per-hectare policy is enforced to prevent further overgrazing, and proper consultation and participation is assured.

When disaster strikes, it's survival of the sociable

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT

In the drive to climate-proof cities, we can't just focus on buildings. Social infrastructure is just as important, says sociologist Robert Sampson

Envisioning the future and learning from the past: adapting to a changing environment in northern Mali

M. Brockhaus — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:39:50 GMT

In West Africa, rural livelihoods that dependon natural resources develop coping and adapting strategies to face climate variability or change, and economic or political changes. The former Lake Faguibine in northern Mali has experienced drastic ecological, social, and economic changes. Forests have emerged on the former lake and have become important for local livelihoods.

This paper analyses the coping and adapting strategies of forest- and livestock-based livelihoods facing ecological changes. Results from field research at different levels indicate that most local strategies are based on diversification including migration within the livestock production system or in complement to it, with differences according to gender, age, and ethnicity. Political discourses, cultural identities, and past experiences influence and shape adaptation strategies at the local level. The sustainability of the observed strategies depends on the access to natural resources and the sustainable management of these resources, which in turn depends on institutions at local and national levels.

Many local strategies are reactive to external events but would need strategic support from higher levels to move from coping to adapting. Examples are the development of institutions and technical actions for natural resource management, as well as development actions supporting local strategies and sustainable investments. Researchers, practitioners and development planners will need simple methods and tools for understanding and analysing local adaptation perceptions and actions to achieve an effective support of sustainable and gender-equitable local adaptation and to avoid mismatches between strategies proposed by local and by sub national and national actors.

China gains observer status on the Arctic Council

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:01:00 GMT

The Arctic Council has admitted five Asian nations – most notably China – plus Italy as observers. What does this mean for the Arctic's future?

World's fish are migrating to escape global warming

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

A new survey shows that around the world, the fish caught in local nets are increasingly adapted to warmer waters

Climate change brings disease threat for polar bears

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:07:00 GMT

The iconic Arctic mammals' limited immune system may put them at particular risk if new pathogens spread northwards as the world warms

Forests and trees for social adaptation to climate variability and change

E. Pramova — Fri, 10 May 2013 09:02:21 GMT

Ecosystems provide crucial services to help people adapt to climate change. In conducting a review of the scientific literature, this paper shows how ecosystem-based approaches to adaptation can reduce social vulnerability to climate hazards, and highlights knowledge gaps and trade-offs that require more research.

The paper examines the impact of climate variation or change, the social vulnerability, and the ecosystem services of the following five different uses of forests and trees.

Forests and trees providing goods for local communities – Besides providing timber, they can act as a safety net by providing charcoal, firewood, food and a source of income diversification. Exclusion from forest and mangrove resources has been shown to increase vulnerability, disproportionately affecting the poor.
Use of trees in agriculture to regulate water, soil and microclimate – Agroforestry is known to increase soil porosity, reduce runoff and increase soil cover, while nitrogen-fixing trees increase agricultural drought-resilience.
Regulating water and protecting soil with forested watersheds – Water infiltration, rainfall interception and groundwater recharge are all influenced by forests, contributing to the regulation of base and peak flows. They also stabilise soil and reduce erosion, though their ability to mitigate extreme events is still debated.
Forests as coastal protection from climate-related threats – Mangroves can protect coastal areas from storms, floods and erosion through the absorption and dissipation of wave energy. This is evident in post-disaster studies, local knowledge and correlation models between mangrove cover and storm impacts; however, quantification remains difficult.
Regulating water and temperature with urban forests and trees – Shade, evaporative cooling, and rainwater interception are a few of the benefits of urban forests and trees. It has been estimated that adding ten per cent of green cover to city centres could reduce surface temperature by up to 2.2 degrees Celsius.

The paper concludes by expressing the need for a greater understanding of the efficiency, costs and benefits, and trade-offs of ecosystem-based approaches with forests and trees. To aid in this, the abundant literature on ecosystem services should be revisited with a climate change related lens.

Comparative analysis of climate change vulnerability assessments: lessons from Tunisia and Indonesia

A. Hammill — Thu, 02 May 2013 09:02:49 GMT

This comparative analysis of climate change vulnerability assessments (VAs) draws lessons from Tunisia and Indonesia to inform future VA planning and implementation. Central to shaping adaptation decisions, VAs provide the basis for both human and ecological harm mitigation measures. This analysis uses a framework that looks at four components of VAs (framing, process, inputs and outputs) in each of the two case studies, highlighting similarities and differences before drawing lessons and making recommendations.

After providing a thorough background to climate change vulnerability assessments, including the analytical framework used in the study, the report examines VAs of agro-ecological systems in Tunisia and of the city of Tarakan in Indonesia. The four components of each VA are extensively documented.

Broken down by VA component, recommendations include the following.

Framing: It is important to include clear working definitions of key concepts such as ‘vulnerability’, and to consider the facilitation of study replication and data comparability at an early stage.
Inputs: Be aware of the quality of the data selected for use and communicate a minimum standard.
Outputs: Participants should understand that VA results are rarely new and transformative; dealing with current and short- to medium-term trends, results often reinforce the case for prioritising familiar measures that may have been considered but unimplemented.
Process: Politics is an unavoidable factor in all components of VAs and must be considered to ensure successful policy uptake.
Resources: Co-ordination measures must be adequately resourced and budgeted for in realistic estimates of time and money.
Monitoring and evaluation: It is important to document the process and provide feedback to stakeholders.

Selection of provenances to adapt tropical pine forestry to climate change on the basis of climate analogs

C. Leibing — Thu, 02 May 2013 09:02:29 GMT

Climate change is likely to affect substantial areas of forest plantation production in the tropics and subtropics, and it may make the choice of which species and provenance to plant increasingly difficult. In this study, growth performance of plantings of pine tree species in Colombia, Brazil and South Africa was correlated to the degree of climatic dissimilarity between planting sites. The study evaluated the two methods of quantifying climate dissimilarity with extensive field data based on the goodness of fit and statistical significance of the climate distance relation to differences in height growth. The best method was then used as a predictor of a provenance change in height growth under different climate change scenarios. The results indicate that the analysis of provenance trial data with climate similarity models helps to: maintain plantation productivity in a changing climate; and improve our understanding of tree species’ adaptation to a changing climate.

Farmers' perceptions of climate change and adaptation strategies in northern Nigeria: an empirical assessment

B. K. Farauta — Thu, 02 May 2013 09:02:26 GMT

This study examines farmer's perception of the causes, constraints and strategies towards effective climate change adaptation in northern Nigeria. Data were collected from 500 respondents using both qualitative and quantitative approaches through a multistage random sampling technique. The study results show that the respondents were informed of the incidence of climate change as regards uncertainties in terms of higher temperatures, unpredictability of rainfall patterns, extreme weather events and increased farming problems such as loss of soil fertility. Respondents perceived the causes of climate change as bush burning, continuous cropping, deforestation and excess chemical use on farms. Adaptive strategies included: multiple cropping, use of resistant varieties, processing to minimise post harvest loss and reforestation. Constraints to adaptation included: lack of financial resources, lack of access to weather forecasts, and limited access to improved crop varieties.

Adaptation or development? Exploring the distinctions (or lack thereof) through case studies in Bangladesh and Vietnam

Thu, 02 May 2013 09:02:22 GMT

Using Bangladesh and Vietnam as ‘adaptation project-dense’ contexts, this study explores how adaptation is understood, mainly by practitioners in development projects, but also by government staff, donors, researchers and others who are involved in implementing projects. The study outlines the following three key messages. 1) Differentiating between adaptation and development may be an artificial exercise, because in project implementation this difference is mostly considered insignificant; 2) Development is considered a ‘safer’ objective than adaptation, due to the lack of tools to assess success in achieving adaptation through projects; 3) The lack of a widely accepted framework for adaptation encourages its conscious use in varied and broad ways in project descriptions. Project managers report that it is easy to re-label or refocus development projects to qualify for adaptation finance, though the two country studies found no evidence of mislabelling.

Investigating climate information services through a gendered lens

C. McOmber — Wed, 01 May 2013 09:02:30 GMT

This working paper explores the gender dimensions of access to climate change related information. The effective utilisation of information channels is a crucial aspect of adaptation development, yet the people most at risk are often those on the periphery of information dissemination. This is particularly true for women farmers, who are overwhelmingly excluded from many information channels.

The paper begins by explaining the social and gendered impacts of climate change outlining why climate change information matters for adaptation. Access to such information is a crucial factor in enhancing the adaptive capacity of women. The paper also examines different modes of information sharing, covering social network theory, the diffusion of innovations and adaptive capacity.

The pros and cons of traditional oral methods of communication are discussed, including the legitimacy of a variety of strategic individuals (storytellers, town criers, etc), as well as the use of Information Communication Technologies, or ICTs (defined in the study as being dependent on electricity). The study analyses where communication falls short in the inclusion of women. Oral communication has inherent limits to the reach and speed of information dissemination, whilst from a gender perspective a preference for women-to-women sharing creates an issue when there are relatively few women in positions of authority disseminating information. Meanwhile socioeconomic barriers restrict access to ICTs for much of the rural poor.

The authors propose a synthesis of the best aspects of both traditional and modern communication methods, using advisory services and extension agents to bridge the gap. The paper includes the following conclusions and recommendations.

The accessibility of climate information is a critical factor in agricultural communities’ adaptive capacity.
A gendered understanding of socioeconomic factors that inhibit access to information is crucial.
As well as considering what kind of information women seek, it is also necessary to understand how women access information and the barriers they face in utilising ICTs.
It is the responsibility of researchers, practitioners and extension officers to provide gender sensitive communication methods; the study suggests the best way to achieve this is through participatory dialogues between the community and stakeholders.

Tried and tested: learning from farmers on adaptation to climate change

H. Reid — Wed, 01 May 2013 09:02:26 GMT

Small-scale farmers and pastoralists knowledge and experience of coping with climatic extremes and uncertainty has been largely overlooked in climate change adaptation planning efforts. This paper draws lessons from this wealth of knowledge and underscores how measures to increase climate change resilience must view food, energy, water and waste management systems as interconnected and mutually dependent. This holistic approach must also be applied to economic analysis for adaptation planning. Similarly, it is vital to use traditional knowledge and management skills, which can further support adaptation planning. The aim of the paper is to avoid energy and effort being expended on re-inventing the wheel; it urges those involved in supporting climate change adaptation to draw much more from the existing strategies and knowledge of the millions of farmers and pastoralists worldwide.

Joining the dots: learning to work collaboratively to address climate change

A. Taylor — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:02:17 GMT

This paper reflects on lessons from a study undertaken by the Stockholm Environment Institute and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) that focused on adaptation needs in Belize, Nepal and Tanzania, with an emphasis on the value of participatory and collaborative processes. It finds that current interventions are fragmented across many sectors and institutions both public and private. Moreover, the interventions themselves tend to be narrowly defined and assessed. The paper argues that this makes it difficult, if not impossible, to tackle large-scale systemic challenges such as poverty, biodiversity loss and climate change effectively. Collaborative action is, therefore, a critical need. The key lessons covered by the paper provide ways to strengthen governance and support effective decision-making to address climate change; lessons specific to Belize, Nepal and Tanzania; and lessons about how to facilitate a participatory process of collective learning to support more integrated approaches.

Climate resilience and disaster risk management: stories of change from CDKN

M. Dupar — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:02:23 GMT

This brief presents results from projects supported by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) to assess vulnerability and mainstream climate resilience into development planning. Case studies from India, Ghana and Colombia illustrate the importance of involving diverse social groups in defining and monitoring vulnerability and delivering adaptation solutions. The paper highlights the use of innovative techniques such as role-playing games to raise people’s awareness of the tough challenges posed by decision-making in a changing climate. Examples include: an initiative to protect residents of Ahmedabad, western India from heatwaves through common sense measures; a programme of witness tours and capacity building for local assembly members in Ghana, to raise awareness of climate-related risks to coastal development; and an ambitious process of vulnerability assessment in Cartagena, Colombia.

Training guide: gender and climate change research in agriculture and food security for development

S. Nelson — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:02:28 GMT

It has been estimated that over 100 million people could be lifted out of poverty, if women were granted equal access to and control of resources. However, climate change and gender have yet to be implemented into agricultural development in an effective way. This training guide has been produced to support gender-responsive and socially-sensitive participatory research into the gender dimensions of climate change responses in the agriculture and food security sectors. It provides resources and tools for collecting, analysing and sharing information with the aim of addressing knowledge gaps and improving food production, livelihood security and gender equality.

Part one of the training provides definitions of key gender terms and frameworks, as well as gender analysis of climate change issues in the agriculture and food security sectors. The guide also provides inspiration and best practice for preparing and implementing participatory research, with advice and lists of possible questions. A tool box of ten participatory research tools for use in the field is provided, including: village resources map; seasonal calendar; daily activity clocks; farming systems diagram; and institutional profiles amongst others.

The second part of the guide provides guidance to users in the preparation, implementation and reporting of gender and climate change research activities. Implementation teams, process of data collection and invitation letters for group participants are discussed, as are research ethics. The guide then uses a CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security study work plan to illustrate the integration of the previously described concepts and frameworks into research activities. This work plan covers activities from contextualising the study and ensuring participation, to weather forecasting and understanding gender-sensitive climate-smart agriculture initiatives.

The third section discusses the importance of auditing and provides gender- and age-sensitive reporting templates for each of the activities described in the work plan, as well as templates for debriefing documents. Finally, the guide discusses the reporting of the research, covering all the components of a final report.

Linkages between population dynamics, urbanization processes and disaster risks: a regional vision of Latin America

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:02:23 GMT

With both urban population and the frequency of disasters increasing in Latin America, it is necessary to adequately plan for sustainable growth that takes these changing dynamics into account. With this in mind, multiple agencies within the United Nations came together in consultation with regional experts to analyse linkages between population dynamics, urban development and disaster risk reduction in the region. This resulting paper begins by providing context on the linkages and their current methodological treatment. Links can be direct (land use, population density etc) or indirect (climate change), and must be considered in terms of both short- and long-term scenarios.

The paper describes the characteristics and consequences of the situation in Latin America, covering: population projections and scenario building for planning; population growth, urbanisation and their drivers; and public policy, population dynamics and risk reduction. Key findings include the following.

Urbanisation will continue, more through organic growth than migration, requiring diversification efforts.
The poor will represent the largest proportion of urban growth and the growth of slums will amplify risk, making disaster risks ever more urban-centric.
Local losses are largely associated with flood impacts and hydro-meteorological hazards.
Weak governance structures contribute to disaster risk through an absence of planning and growth management, leading to informal settlements, substandard housing, lack of services and poverty.

Based on these findings, the paper concludes by outlining the challenges to and opportunities for urban intervention, including the following.

Demographic analysis is not well integrated into urban planning or disaster risk reduction; careful study of demographic trends and the creation of scenarios should form secure foundations of prospective plans.
Urban growth should be directed to the identification and development of areas with basic facilities, in the context of disaster risk reduction.
Small- and medium-sized urban centres provide the greatest opportunities in planning for growth; it is necessary to invest in the technical capacity of such centres, since they often have fewer resources than those in larger urban areas.
Social housing policy offers significant opportunities that can increase the resilience of vulnerable groups.

Flexibility of scope, type and temporality in Mustang, Nepal. Opportunities for adaptation in a farming system facing climatic and market uncertainty

N. Holmelin — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:02:19 GMT

Climate change is projected to increase the seasonality in river flows in the great river systems of the Himalaya and impose challenges to regional food production. Since climate change increases the uncertainty in local weather patterns, people’s ability to maintain local agricultural production will depend on the adaptability of local farming systems. This paper investigates the flexibility of one such farming system located in Mustang, Nepal. It identifies opportunities for change in the farming system, as well as factors that constrain flexibility. The paper argues that although there are several underexploited resources in the studied farming system, the present situation is not regarded as one of irrational and suboptimal exploitation of resources. Instead, unexploited resources imply opportunities for change, which provide the system with flexibility to rapidly adjust to uncertain conditions.

Impacts of climatic hazards on the small wetland ecosystems (ponds): evidence from some selected areas of coastal Bangladesh

G. Rabbani — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:02:16 GMT

Most climate related hazards in Bangladesh are linked to water. The poor communities living in remote villages along Bangladesh’s coastal zone are most vulnerable to climate change impacts and depend on small isolated wetlands (ponds) for their daily water requirements. Similarly, the livelihoods of these households depend on access to the ponds for small-scale irrigation for rice and vegetable farming, as well as home gardening. This study shows that the pond water sources are highly vulnerable to climate change induced hazards. Cyclone Sidr and Cyclone Aila, which hit Bangladesh in 2007 and 2009 respectively, led to a significant number of such ponds being inundated with saline water. This had wide scale implications for climate vulnerable poor households, including reduced availability of safe drinking water. These households are now dependent on water being supplied through aid, as well as travelling long distances to collect safe drinking water.

Media perceptions and portrayals of pastoralists in Kenya, India and China

M. Shanahan — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:02:35 GMT

Through the analysis of newspaper articles and a survey of journalists, this publication identifies gaps and highlights differences in how the media portray pastoralism in Kenya, China and India. In discussing their methodology, the authors note that their reliance on national, English-language publications meant that they were not able to include data from vernacular language press in pastoral regions.

Although able to make significant contributions to food security, livelihoods and economic prosperity, the benefits of pastoralism often go unnoticed. The authors argue that this is in part due to an overly negative narrative about pastoralism within the media, one that portrays the livelihood as in some way bad and in need of change.

The media coverage of pastoralists in the three countries can be summarised as follows.

Kenya – Pastoralists are mostly featured in ‘bad news’ stories (often concerning drought or conflict) and are portrayed as vulnerable and lacking agency, with almost no mention of benefits.
China – Presented as a cause of environmental degradation, pastoralists here are viewed as being happy beneficiaries of government investment and settlement projects.
India – While viewed with more pity (with regard to loss of grazing rights and dwindling pastures), media coverage was rare; journalists responded that pastoralists are ‘invisible’ to news editors.

Having outlined the nature of the media portrayal of pastoralism, the paper then looks at what was missing from the media coverage.

Pastoral voices, in particular the perspective of women and children, were absent from the majority of news articles (Kenya came out top with 41 per cent of articles featuring a pastoral voice).
An adequate variety of voices was missing from all three countries. While the vast majority of Chinese articles quoted a government official (82 per cent) with civic groups barely represented (two per cent), this finding was reversed in India (15 per cent and >50 per cent).
Very few mentions were made across the board regarding the economic importance of pastoralism, and in Kenya and India there was little discussion of government investment.
Positive portrayals of mobility were rare; more common were narratives that saw mobility as a problem, despite the knowledge, skills and advantages inherent in such techniques.
Climate change was roundly under-represented; and when it was highlighted, it was to show the vulnerability of pastoralists.

Disaster risk management in post-2015 development goals: potential targets and indicators

T. Mitchell — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:02:18 GMT

Disasters can hamper economic growth, affect poverty levels and cause human suffering. This paper argues that including measures to promote disaster risk management (DRM) in the post-2015 development goals is needed to incentivise investment in advance of shocks to protect lives and livelihoods, but also to save money. It explores three scenarios for how DRM could be included in the post-2015 framework: a standalone goal on disasters, supported by targets; a target on disasters within a goal on resilience, security or tackling obstacles to development; integration of DRM into other goals. The report particularly highlights how DRM could be included in poverty reduction and education goals. It concludes that given intense competition between competing development priorities, disasters will invariably have a limited profile within the post-2015 framework. The framework must therefore not be seen as the ultimate vehicle for delivering the full range of objectives of the DRM community.

Infrastructure and climate change: impacts and adaptations for the Zambezi River Valley

P. S. Chinowsky — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:02:24 GMT

The African Development Bank has called for US$40 billion per year over the coming decades to be provided to African countries to address development issues directly related to climate change. This study addresses a key component of these issues, the effect of climate change on the road infrastructure of Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, all located within the Zambezi River Basin. The study incorporates a stressor-response approach to estimate the effects of projected precipitation, temperature and flooding changes on the paved and unpaved road infrastructure of these countries. The paper highlights the result of running 425 climate scenarios for each road type and policy option from 2010-2050. Based on a resulting database of over 1.4 million data points, the three countries are facing a potential US$596 million price tag based on median climate scenarios to maintain and repair roads as a result of damages directly related to temperature and precipitation changes from climate change.

Climate change vulnerability and the use of indigenous technologies for adaptation among smallholder farming communities in sub Saharan Africa

N. Ozor — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:02:33 GMT

This study presents empirical evidence on whether and how smallholder farming communities are experiencing climate change variability and impacts, as well as the indigenous technologies they have adopted to respond to these effects. The study was conducted in three sub-Saharan African countries: Nigeria, Tanzania and Sierra Leone. The findings reveal that the most common indigenous technologies that have been continually applied by the farming communities in these countries include: multiple cropping to diversify production; early or late planting; mulching to retain soil moisture, texture and fertility; terrace building to prevent soil erosion; use of fertilizers; and prayers for God’s intervention among others. Although most indigenous technologies have been considered effective in coping with climate variability in the past, it remains unclear on how effective they will be in the light of further warming.

Independent insights from vulnerable developing countries

K. Dossou — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:02:11 GMT

The Adaptation Fund established under the Kyoto Protocol has reached the implementation stage of adaptation projects in developing countries. This publication summarises the state of play in the Adaptation Fund and the key experiences of members of the Adaptation Fund NGO Network, at the international policy level as well as within developing countries. The document provides insights into the implementation and preparation of adaptation projects in seven developing countries. Four of the countries (Benin, Jamaica, Senegal, South Africa) will implement direct access, while three of them (Honduras, Nicaragua, Pakistan) will work with multilateral implementing entities. It highlights that local stakeholders must be involved from the beginning of the project design, and the establishment of synergies between all the actors (government, beneficiaries, universities and NGOs) seems to be the main route towards simplifying processes and enhancing results until the last stage of the evaluation.

A holistic approach to climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessment: pilot study in Thailand

S. Chinvanno — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:02:34 GMT

Climate change vulnerability and adaptation planning can be taken into consideration across many sectors and at different levels and scales. However, different scales have different contexts, which require different approaches. In a landscape context, inter-linkages between sectors form the context of adaptation planning, as the response of any one sector may have consequences for others. Moreover, climate change is not the only change that may affect the sector; adaptation will have to address future socioeconomic change as well. This report argues that this calls for new foundation for climate change adaptation assessments: a holistic view of the landscape as a complex system with multiple livelihoods or sectors under multiple pressures. The paper points out gaps in using sectoral vulnerability and adaptation assessment for landscape adaptation planning, and proposes instead an extended framework for climate change vulnerability and adaptation with a holistic view of the landscape.

Small Island Economies: from vulnerabilities to opportunities - a reader

CTA Brussels (ed) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:28:25 GMT

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face a greater risk of marginalisation from the global economy than many other developing countries as a result of their small size, remoteness from large markets, and high economic vulnerability to economic and natural shocks beyond domestic control.

This Reader provides background information and selected information resources, focusing on the implications for rural development of small islands in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.

Mainstreaming climate change into community development strategies and plans: a case study in Thailand

S. Chinvanno — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:02:19 GMT

With a focus on Thailand and south-east Asia, this paper argues that the current process of ‘predict-then-act’ climate change adaptation is inherently flawed. The uncertain nature of climate change predictions can lead to dilemmas in selecting proper measures, whilst the long timeframes involved hinders investment and distances stakeholders’ priorities. Furthermore, this sequential process often overlooks socioeconomic dynamics that, particularly in developing countries, will change countries' risk profiles over time. Thus, a paradigm shift that mainstreams climate change adaptation into development plans under the guidance of a range of future scenarios is required. Such mainstreaming should happen at all levels: the local, where residents more concerned with immediate needs can participate in short-term adaptation measures; and the national, where governments can take a longer view and implement policy to develop sectoral strategies.

The authors present a case study demonstrating the mainstreaming of climate change into a local development plan in the Lao-oi District of Thailand. This community is built around wet-season, rain-fed rice production, the main threat to which is flooding; eight of the last ten years have seen flooding which is estimated to have resulted in the loss of around 40 per cent of total production. The limited climate data available suggests that the district will likely face an increased risk of flooding in the future. Under the old paradigm, the identification of this risk may have led to measures to protect wet-season farming; the community instead decided to extend their irrigation system from the river to increase dry-season growing capacity. However, the climate model also indicates longer, dryer summers and a reliance on a single water source represents a potentially unsustainable future vulnerability. In this case, the government should increase the carrying capacity of a reservoir to the north of the district to hold more of the wet-season rains.

This multi-level mainstreaming of climate change can be highly complimentary and offer resilience in the face of future uncertainty. It will require the development of systematic climate change knowledge transfer and significant cooperation and communication between all stakeholders.

Small-scale farmers and climate change. How can farmer organisations and Fairtrade build the capacity of smallholders?

J. Frank — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:02:32 GMT

As climate change impacts are increasingly felt by smallholder farmers, there is an urgent need to identify approaches that strengthen ongoing economic development efforts and enhance the adaptive capacity of farmers, their households and their communities. Through a literature review and analysis of case studies of two Fairtrade-certified farmer organisations in Uganda and Malawi, this paper explores the links between farmer organisations, Fairtrade and adaptation to climate change, as well as the extent to which such institutions and market arrangements can enhance the adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers. The paper’s findings suggest that membership of farmer organisations and participation in Fairtrade can strengthen smallholders’ capacity to adapt to climate change in a number of ways, including: better access to services; strengthened social capital within local communities; enhanced financial capital and improved access to credit; and access to market information.

Determinants of climate change adaptation among male and female headed farm households in eastern Uganda

D. Nabikolo — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:02:25 GMT

Climate change adaptation responses of male and female farmers are influenced by various factors. This study utilised a combination of descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis to study the factors that influence the decision to adapt to a given climate change scenario. Using cross-sectional data collected from 136 households in eastern Uganda, the study undertook the analysis at two levels: a pooled sample analysis and a gender disaggregated analysis. Contrary to other empirical studies, the study found that the factors influencing climate change adaptation decisions vary considerably between men and women. The adaptation decisions of female heads depended on and were sensitive to more covariates compared to the decisions of male heads of household. Furthermore, climate change adaptation decisions of female heads were influenced by more liquid household assets, while those of male heads were influenced by real estate, especially land.

Addressing climate change and migration in Asia and the Pacific: final report

B.W. Édes — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 18:36:50 GMT

Asia and the Pacific is the global area most prone to natural disasters, both in terms of the absolute number of disasters and of populations affected. This report aims to identify policy and other responses to impacts of environment events on human mobility within the Asia and Pacific region.

The report points that countries and populations of Asia and the Pacific will be affected in different ways, leading to various migration patterns and scenarios. Accordingly, conclusions include:

climate-induced migration needs to be addressed as part of the development agenda given the major implications of migration for the sustainable economic and social development of Asia and the Pacific
interventions are needed both to address the situation of those who have migrated, as well as those who remain in areas subject to environmental risk
correspondingly, governments should adopt policies and commit financing to social protection, livelihoods development, basic urban infrastructure development, and disaster risk management
the private sector can also play a large role in terms of tackling the challenge of climate-induced migration, yet an adequate framework is needed
on the other hand, it is important to recognise that migration, if properly managed, can also be a way for people to cope with environmental changes

The paper states that international protection frameworks need to be strengthened, with specific arrangements developed for resettlement or relocation. Moreover, greater funding commitment and contributions of governments around the world will be required.

The document also emphasises that more targeted, policy-relevant research is needed on the interaction between the environment and migration.

Building resilience to climate change through indigenous knowledge: the case of Bolivia

K. DeAngelis — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 09:02:33 GMT

Indigenous knowledge plays an important role in the way communities interact with their climate. However, according to this ‘Inside story on climate compatible development’ by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), the increase of extreme weather events and disasters calls for new partnerships between indigenous people and the scientific community – an area where Bolivia could lead the way. The brief finds that indigenous people have reported that traditional climatic indicators are no longer as reliable as in the past and provide little protection against the impacts of severe weather on crops and livestock. Yet, indigenous knowledge can be combined with scientific methods to allow vulnerable populations to better adapt to climate change. The brief presents Bolivia’s Ley de Derechos de la Madre Tierra (Law of the Rights of Mother Earth) as an example of one important tool for indigenous people, which can also provide useful lessons to other countries and communities.

Moving women out of poverty through the development of small fish processing enterprises in Malawi

D. Jamu — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:02:17 GMT

Malawi is one of the countries in Africa which is highly dependent on fish as a source of animal protein. Malawi produces about 70,000 tons of fish annually from its lakes, rivers and swamps. The fishing industry supports the livelihoods of 1.5 mill people in Malawi and contributes about 4% to the national GDP. With funding from the Norwegian MFA through the Lake Chilwa Climate Change Adaptation Programme, pilot value addition and fish marketing activities targeted at women groups were implemented in three sites. Self selected women groups were formed and trained in group dynamics, business management and fish processing. Experts introduced solar dryers and improved smoking kilns to the groups and conducted collaborative activities to demonstrate how adoption of these technologies could increase women incomes through production of high quality fish that could be sold to market outlets country wide at a higher price.

Disaster risk management in south Asia: a regional overview

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 09:02:29 GMT

The number of disasters per year has quadrupled over the past four decades in the South Asia Region (SAR), resulting in damages of over US$25 billion in the past five years alone. However, exposure and vulnerability to natural hazards and their consequential impacts are not yet at the forefront of development agendas. This report argues that the challenge lies in demonstrating results from investments that increase resilience to hazards. Only through a clear understanding of disaster risks can policymakers prioritise increasing their population’s resilience to these events. The report determines that disasters result from the combination of three key elements: i) natural hazards; ii) exposure (of people and property to these hazards); and iii) vulnerability (of the human and physical capital exposed) due to physical, social, economic, governance and environmental factors that increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact of a natural hazard.

New approaches to promoting flexible and forward-looking decision making: insights from complexity science, climate change adaptation and ‘serious gaming’

L. Jones (ed) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:36:41 GMT

Policy-makers are often tasked with making difficult decisions in the face of an uncertain future outlook. Will infrastructural investments still be relevant in 25 years? What new markets are likely to emerge in the medium term? How will a gradual increase in average temperatures over the coming decades affect livelihood security?

Though largely context specific, these are but three examples of the types of forward-looking questions that should be asked of many longer-term policies or plans. Despite this need, the development and humanitarian sectors continue to face criticisms over their relative rigidity and short-termism with regards to project funding and delivery. Recent emphasis on promoting a ‘resilience approach’ to programming has resulted in calls for more longer-term objectives and deliverables, greater flexibility in planning processes, as well as better collaboration and coordination amongst key development actors.

Drawing on insights from complexity science, this paper describes what processes are needed to promote Flexible and Forward-looking Decision Making (FFDM). More specifically, the paper proposes a coupled game and reflection based approach. This looks to capitalise on the ability of serious games to encourage experiential learning, as well as ensuring that enough time is provided to reflect on how key components of the game relate to the ‘real-world’. It also allows participants to identify their own routes forward for improving decision-making processes.

This paper lays the groundwork for the second phase of research under the Africa Climate Change Resilience Alliance (ACCRA). ACCRA will be researching the principles outlined within, as well as trialling three separate coupled game-and reflection events across its core countries, namely Ethiopia, Uganda and Mozambique.

Climate change and biodiversity in the tropical Andes

S. K. Herzog — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:02:20 GMT

The species of the tropical Andes - an area incredibly rich in biodiversity - are suffering from multiple pressures related to human population growth and its consequences, particularly the negative effects of climate change. This book highlights that changes in average temperature will be accompanied by large fluctuations and long-lasting changes in the distribution and amount of precipitation, as well as the elevation of clouds in the region. It presents a synthesis of the biogeographical patterns and a comprehensive assessment of how climate change is expected to affect the biodiversity of the area. The publication hopes to aid conservation and adaptation planning in the tropical Andes.

How are farmers adapting to climate change in Vietnam? Endogeneity and sample selection in a rice yield model

B. Yu — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:02:39 GMT

Vietnam is likely to be among the countries hardest hit by climate change, threatening its legacy as a champion in leveraging agriculture for development. This discussion paper examines how a changing climate may affect rice production and how Vietnamese farmers could to adapt to various climatic conditions using an innovative yield function approach. The model addresses common methodological problems in the yield function estimation, including sample selection, endogeneity and heterogeneity. The results suggest that although climate change can potentially reduce rice production, farmers will respond mainly by adjusting the production portfolio and levels of input use. However, investments in rural infrastructure and human capital will have to support farmers in the adaptation process, if production levels and farm incomes are to be sustained in the future. The paper concludes with major findings and policy implications.

Adaptation made to measure: a guidebook to the design and results-based monitoring of climate change adaptation projects

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:02:10 GMT

Considering the rapidly expanding adaptation portfolios in most international cooperation institutions, there is a need to support project managers, particularly in designing and monitoring projects focussing on climate change adaptation. This guide by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is aimed at government representatives, donors and non-governmental organisations involved in planning and implementing adaptation projects. It is also intended as a reference source for national and international organisations, NGOs and research bodies that require a practical framework for the results-based design of adaptation interventions and verification of the results achieved. The guide is divided into three parts: an introduction; a practical part explaining the recommended step-by-step approach to designing an adaptation project and setting up its monitoring system; and a summary.

An operational framework for Tracking Adaptation and Measuring Development (TAMD)

N. Brooks — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 09:02:05 GMT

This working paper seeks to offer practical guidance on how to put into operation the concepts outlined in the International Institute for Environment and Development’s (IIED) Climate Change Working Paper No. 1. It presents the Tracking Adaptation and Measuring Development (TAMD) twin-track framework, which aims to be versatile enough to be used at any scale and tailored to specific contexts. It differs from other assessment frameworks by emphasising the need to incorporate changing climate risks in the assessment of development interventions, so that effective interventions are not obscured by changing and increasing risk and vulnerability.

Track one assesses climate risk management interventions, whilst track two concerns how these interventions influence development and adaptation outcomes through various processes. TAMD can evaluate interventions outputs, short-terms outcomes and long-term impacts within these two tracks, at scales ranging from supranational to the local level. In doing so, it explores how adaptation interventions both contribute to better climate risk management and help keep development outcomes on course in changing climate conditions.

The paper discusses the necessity and methodology of baseline data, suggests measurement indicators and develops theories of change and causal narrative that can robustly attribute outcomes and long-term impacts to interventions. TAMD seeks to evaluate adaptation through:

using indicators of the extent and quality of climate risk management
assessing how climate risk management benefits vulnerable people using standard indicators to show whether development is ‘on track’
employing indicators to reveal systemic reductions in vulnerability, increased resilience and enhanced adaptive capacity.

It is suggested that the indicators outlined are partly illustrative; they will need to be adjusted toward different scales and contexts. There is also a need for further exploration on the question of attribution and the construction of baselines. An annex provides template scorecards for track one categorical indicators.

Managing water as China warms: new insights from regional models

W. Guoqing — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 16:33:33 GMT

Climate change adds pressure on China's water resources, which are already under intense stress. Therefore, the water sector is a top priority in China’s national adaptation programme. This policy brief summarises the Adapting to Climate Change in China (ACCC) project's findings on the past and future impacts of climate variability and change on water resources in China, and explores the implications for management and policy.

Key findings include the following.

Uneven rainfall is already causing frequent floods and droughts in China. Therefore, the country must be prepared to shift its water regimes under climate change.
Population growth, urbanisation and industrialisation are increasing demand and polluting water sources.
The prevailing pattern of the dry north and wet south seems to persist. This will exacerbate water scarcity in some northern regions, which are particularly important for agriculture.
As China’s economy grows and competition for water intensifies, the country will need to develop robust systems for managing its water resources, especially in the water-scarce north.

Climate change and its impact on population health in southern China: implication for adaptation policy

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:55:29 GMT

Climate change has become an increasingly important public health concern in China. This policy brief is part of the Adapting to Climate Change in China (ACCC) project's Guangdong Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (GDCDC) first comprehensive study of the health impacts of climate change and related adaptation policies in China. The briefing summarises findings from this research, including the following key messages.

Extreme climate events in the Guangdong province have increased the risk of mortality and infectious diseases.
Vulnerability to heat waves is higher in economically undeveloped regions.
Improved cooperation between meteorological and health departments is needed to build up monitoring systems on climate change and public health in the Guangdong province.
Multi-sectoral early warning systems would significantly help to minimise adverse health impacts of climate change.
Risk communication strategies, education, awareness projects and adaptation policies should be developed at a provincial authority level to improve risk perception and further reduce the adverse health impacts of climate change.

Understanding past and future impacts of climate change in agriculture: implications for adaptation planning

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:24:03 GMT

Climate change poses a serious risk to food security and agriculture in China. Agriculture is of critical importance to China, because 54 per cent of the country’s population lives in rural areas. This policy brief outlines the key research highlights to date on the impacts of climate change on agriculture. This work is part of the ongoing research by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science (CAAS) for the Adapting to Climate Change in China (ACCC) project.

Key findings:

Average temperature in China is increasing at a slightly faster rate than the global average, leading to a lengthening of the growing season which affects current cropping systems and management practices.
Droughts cause the largest direct economic losses in China.
Wheat, rice and maize yields seem to be decreasing in the southern parts of China, where crops are already grown close to their temperature tolerance.
Improved understanding of climate change impacts on agriculture in China could improve the design of adaptation strategies.
There is potential to increase food production with the right strategies and technologies.

Sustainable wetland management in the face of climate risks in Niger: the case of La Mare de Tabalak

J. Dekens — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:02:44 GMT

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) recently implemented climate risk management studies in seven countries. This report, commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, gives a detailed summary of efforts in a Niger wetland environment to conduct one such study, incorporating climate change with three key sectors: agriculture, livestock and water resources. A number of workshops, consultations, capacity building exercises and working group meetings preceded and comprised the studies' implementation, including interviews, focus groups, socioeconomic questionnaires, field surveys and hydrological modelling. The wetlands of La Mare de Tabalak were chosen as the study site for its social, cultural, economic and environmental importance, and its vulnerability to climate change. It also had data available and a closed water system; a large pond that would fill in the wet season providing a number of roles for the community.

This report contextualises the study with a development and climate profile, and the climate risks and impacts for the specific wetland. It then describes the existing national institutions, policies and initiatives. The report highlights that coordinated action is imperative to protect the pond and the wider-basin. The following recommendations are provided:

promote diversification of revenue-generating activities
create an ongoing system to monitor and survey environmental and socioeconomic conditions
environmental restoration must be accelerated to extend the lifespan of the pond and curb erosion and silting
diversification of livelihoods requires continued support to ensure access to natural resources
outreach, training and knowledge/technology sharing must all be used to build the capacity of actors at all levels
governance is advised to finalise and adopt the national wetlands policy, and to consolidate efforts and develop synergies between this and existing policies.

The report closes with a note on areas for further research, including the need for a gender analysis, a survey of the pond’s bathymetry curve, socioeconomic scenarios and the impact of reservoir infrastructure on sediment transport to the pond.

Embedding climate change resilience in coastal city planning: early lessons from Cartagena de Indias, Colombia

P. Adams — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:01:22 GMT

This ‘Inside story on climate compatible development’ by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network summarises guidelines for climate change adaption in the coastal city of Cartagena de Indias in Colombia. It outlines the process leading to creation of the guidelines and highlights how they lay the foundation for a full municipal adaptation plan. According to the brief, the government of Colombia is also closely following the progress of this municipal process, which will influence the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan and similar approaches in other coastal cities and towns in Colombia. Despite several recent changes in the political leadership of Cartagena, the city leaders seem to generally consider adaptation as an important opportunity to build resilience and improve the quality of life of its citizens. The brief concludes that planning for climate resilience is an ongoing process that requires constant and sustained capacity building of local stakeholders.

Climate risks, vulnerability and governance in Kenya: a review

J-E. Parry — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:00:53 GMT

This report was commissioned under the Climate Risk Management Technical Assistance Support Project (CRM TASP), a joint initiative of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery and the Bureau for Development Policy of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Designed to support developing countries in managing the changing nature of climate risk, CRM TASP was implemented in Kenya by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).

The report examines Kenya’s vulnerability to climate risks given the country's current progress toward meeting its defined development goals, looking particularly at its exposure to climate risks historically. It analyses how these risks might change in the future given available climate change projections; the degree to which key sectors of the Kenyan economy and particular groups are vulnerable to existing and future climate risks; and the country’s current capacity to address climate risks given its policy framework, institutional arrangements, information availability, ongoing projects and capacity needs. General recommendations to strengthen response capacity include the following.

Improve understanding of projected changes in climatic conditions, particularly rainfall patterns.
Enhance knowledge and capacity to manage climate risks at the sub-national level, establishing appropriate horizontal and vertical coordinating bodies, and putting in place the technical, financial and human resources needed to support climate risk prevention, response and recovery.
Strengthen communication between climate scientists and policymakers to better facilitate the ongoing evolution of knowledge in this area, and ensure that decisions consider potential climate risks.
Greater attention must be directed toward understanding how climate risks differ between men and women, and incorporate this knowledge into planning and programming.
The collection of relevant socioeconomic, environmental and topographic data should be harmonised and centralised.
Continue to ensure that climate risks are integrated into relevant policies and programmes. Examples of current and future initiatives into which climate risk considerations could be integrated include the Water Catchment Management Initiative, the water sector investment plan (WSIP) and the National Spatial Plan.

Climate risk management for water and agriculture in the Dominican Republic: focus on the Yaque Del Sur basin

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:00:46 GMT

The Yaque del Sur watershed in the Dominican Republic is already under severe water stress. The population of the area is much poorer than the national average and livelihoods are dependent on cash crops and subsistence agriculture. Cyclones, storms, floods and droughts regularly damage crops and infrastructure in the watershed. This report highlights how climate change is likely to cause additional stress to the vulnerable area. It notes that current coping strategies may be insufficient to deal with future climate risks and it presents issues that efforts to manage climate risks in Yaque del Sur should focus on, including: selecting crop varieties that use less water; climate-proofing access roads; building water reservoirs for domestic and agricultural use; establishing agroforestry and payment for ecosystem services systems to promote reforestation in the upper watershed; increasing irrigation efficiency; and improved monitoring and accessibility of climate data.

Climate risk management for the health sector in Nicaragua

M. Keller — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:00:31 GMT

Commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (UNDP BCPR), under the Climate Risk Management Technical Assistance Support Project (CRM TASP), this report addresses climate risks and risk management capacity in the health sector in Nicaragua. Building upon the CRM TASP general framework, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) developed a more detailed methodological framework for assessing climate risks and identifying climate risk management options in Nicaragua, as well as in six other Latin American and African countries (Dominican Republic, Honduras, Kenya, Niger, Peru and Uganda).

As the poorest country in Central America, Nicaragua faces massive development challenges; for example, Nicaragua’s health sector suffers from low expenditures and staff levels, infrastructure shortages and low capacity for dealing with climate-related health impacts. This is one in a series of reports examining climate change adaptation in high-risk countries. According to the report, UNDP views climate change assessments as becoming ‘the lynchpin of national responses and adaptation strategies for many years to come’ and recommends that this knowledge be combined with ‘real preparedness and action at all country levels’. The climate risk assessments discussed in this report feed into a set of country-level projects and regional initiatives that will inform the practice of climate risk management by building an evidence base for understanding how climatic risks are likely to unfold.

Every year in Nicaragua (which has a tropical climate) cyclones, floods and droughts claim dozens of lives and affect tens of thousands of people. According to this report, climate change could increase these impacts. Key recommendations for climate risk management include:

improve water management, flood control and reforestation
expand and improve health services
run awareness-raising and education campaigns
strengthen community organisations
invest in climate and health data monitoring and early warning
integrate climate risk considerations into health policy documents
institutionalise cooperation between health and climate agencies
strengthen governmental capacities
establish and implement a comprehensive climate risk management programme.

AP Interview: UN chief wants action on climate

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 23:00:00 GMT

"I will do my best to mobilize the political will and resources so that the member states can agree to a new legally binding global agreement on climate change," Ban said.

Canada's ice cores seek new home

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 21:23:11 GMT

Confusion over fate of valuable climate record chills researchers.

Climate and weather: Extreme measures

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 21:00:00 GMT

Can violent hurricanes, floods and droughts be pinned on climate change? Scientists are beginning to say yes.

The Next Big Thing for Climate Change? - Tapping the Soil’s Huge Potential as a Carbon Sink

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:00:00 GMT

Agriculture: A necessary complication in the climate negotiations

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:00:00 GMT

Despite a sense that the international climate change negotiations, convened in Bonn, Germany this week, are grinding forward at a painfully slow pace, there is a momentum to the process that makes adding new ideas very difficult. It took several years of behind the scenes technical work and at least two years of carefully planned campaigning to get the deforestation issue substantively on the table. While we know that agriculture can make a vital contribution to addressing climate change, it lags behind the forest discussion and effectively including it in the Copenhagen deal at this late date will be no easy thing.