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News Roundup

Report – The Relevance of Chinese Agricultural Technologies for African Smallholder Farmers

June 4th, 2009

There is a new agricultural report from the University of Stellenbosch Center for Chinese Studies, “The Relevance of Chinese Agricultural Technologies for African Smallholder Farmers: Agricultural Technology Research in China

Excerpt: ‘The study team considers that water and soil related technologies offer the best Chinese examples for transfer to Africa. Africa is generally a water-challenged land, and soil degradation is a problem. Here China offers packages that can be applied, especially when focusing on small-scale farmers. This includes water saving and augmenting techniques, tillage and planting methods, soil enhancing methods such as mulching, and the maximisation of fertilizer usage by soil testing and application techniques. For the purposes of this research we have not studied mechanisation techniques, and only touched upon rural energy sources, but consider there are some lessons here to be learned. Similarly, we feel that Chinese aquaculture has much to offer Africa.’

Report – Climate Change: The Anatomy of a Silent Crisis

June 4th, 2009

The Global Humanitarian Forum of Geneva has issued a new Human Impact Report, “Climate Change: The Anatomy of a Silent Crisis”, available as a 135 page download, which discusses existing impacts of climate change on human populations.

Time magazine reports on this report:

‘1. The scale of the problem: “Climate change is already seriously affecting hundreds of millions of people today and in the next twenty years those affected will likely more than double — making it the greatest emerging humanitarian challenge of our time…. The number of those severely affected by climate change is more than ten times greater than for instance those injured in traffic accidents each year, and more than the global annual number of new malaria cases. Within the next 20 years, one in ten of the world’s present population could be directly and seriously affected.’

China Cleantech Business Forum

June 3rd, 2009

‘On July 7-8, 2009, China Entrepreneurs will present, “The China Cleantech Business Forum” at the world’s famous Shangri-La Kerry Centre in Beijing, China. This forum will gather executives, entrepreneurs, investors, and international business professionals from various sectors of the cleantech industry to listen to cleantech experts discuss key topics for succeeding, investing, and understanding the cleantech industry.’

via China Cleantech Business Forum.

Slow US Climate Legislation May Affect Global Treaty

June 3rd, 2009

‘BONN, Germany — The United States may miss a December deadline for committing to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, but that should not block an international agreement on global warming, the chief U.S. negotiator said Wednesday.’

However…

‘Other countries have said they will make no firm commitments until they know what the U.S. will do. The European Union has pledged to cut its emissions by 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, but said it could increase that figure to 30 percent depending on U.S. plans.’

via Slow US Climate Legislation May Affect Global Treaty.

Study: Companies Need To Disclose More Climate Risks

June 3rd, 2009

‘COLUMBUS, Ohio — Federal regulators have not done enough to ensure that shareholders are aware of material risks to companies from greenhouse gas emissions, according to a pair of studies released Wednesday by environmental and investor groups.’

via Study: Companies Need To Disclose More Climate Risks.

Green rules eye Chinese firms abroad

June 3rd, 2009

The government has completed a draft of mandatory environmental measures for the increasing number of Chinese companies involved in overseas projects, officials have said.

via Green rules eye Chinese firms abroad.

Leading by an achievable example | BBC News

June 3rd, 2009

‘A promise that the Maldives will go carbon-neutral in 10 years is not just good for PR, says the country’s president Mohamed Nasheed. In this week’s Green Room, he argues that the goal sets an example for the developed world proving that a green country is not only practical, it is profitable.’

via BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Leading by an achievable example.

Problems and solutions: two articles

June 3rd, 2009

As humanity faces a myriad of environmental and economic problems, the choice of appropriate solutions depends to a great extent on how these problem are framed. These two articles reveal part of that spectrum:

Should we live a less resource intensive lifestyle?
Live like a green heroine – and hold the stuff

Or should we spend our way out of recession?
In rural China, a bumper crop of new car owners

GOP Belittles Democrats' Climate Change Proposal

June 1st, 2009

WASHINGTON — The climate change proposal developed by congressional Democrats and endorsed by President Barrack Obama does little to reduce global warming and saddles Americans with high energy costs, Republicans said Saturday.

via GOP Belittles Democrats’ Climate Change Proposal.

Kert Davies: Revealed: Exxon Secret Funding of Global Warming Junk Scientists

June 1st, 2009

Serious allegations. Quite possibly on a par with the big cigarette companies denials about the cancer risk of smoking, considering the potential devastating  impacts of climate change on the health and well being of the world’s populations:

‘Finally. After years of denying its role in the campaign of climate denial, Exxon has revealed a dirty secret, that it has and likely still is directly funding junk scientists.’

via Kert Davies: Revealed: Exxon Secret Funding of Global Warming Junk Scientists.