DOCSLIB.ORG

Climate Change Resource

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Climate Change Resource ≥ Climate Change Resource Climate Change ‘We have a message here to tell these countries that you are causing aggression to us by causing global warming’ Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda, 2007 Active Citizenship Department, Concern Worldwide Cover pic: Uganda Nr. Mukono A girl uses a leaf for shelter during a rain storm. Photo: Caroline Penn/ Panos Pictures Inside Cover pic: Two Gabbra woman llo Jarso and Gonche Salesa make their way through a dust-storm as they walk back into Kalacha. Photo: Gideon Mendel, Kenya. Written by: Fran Brady Edited by: Michael Doorly Contents Introduction 02 Objectives 02 Disturbing Facts 02 Section One Understanding Climate 03 Definitions of climate 03 What human activities have contributed to global warming and climate change? 06 Section Two Consequences of Climate Change 11 What are the consequences of Climate Change? 11 Realities of Climate Change in the Developing World 16 Section Three International Agreements. What can be done? 21 International Agreements on Climate Change 21 What can be done? 23 Web links - further information 27 ISBN 978-0-9524506-4-1 Introduction The impact of uncurbed global warming is already devastating the lives of millions of people across the globe, particularly in those countries that have the fewest resources to cope. The floods affecting 17 countries in Africa in September 2007 were said to have been the worst in decades, with over 250 people killed and 1.5 million people displaced from their homes and villages. For millions of poor people around the world the devastating effects of climate change are now a fact of life, and are already undermining the progress intended under the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals. Those who are least responsible for creating global warming it seems, will be the very ones to suffer most from its effects. OBJECTIVES This resource has been written for Second Level Geography teachers and their students. • For the Leaving Certificate Curriculum, it aims to complement the Elective Unit: Trade and the Environment and Optional Units: Global Interdependence and The Atmosphere/Ocean Environment. • This resource is also relevant to the Human Habitat Section on the Junior Certificate Syllabus and to the Study: Acting Locally – Thinking Globally in Section B Environment of the CSPE Programme. • Case studies of the impacts of climate change in the developing world are included. DISTURBING FACTS Crop yields in Sub-Saharan In 2007 the worst flooding Ocean temperatures have Africa are projected to fall in 50 years in Hunan Province increased from the surface by 20% because of global in China caused a plague of as far down as 3000m. warming 2 billion mice. www.un.org www.irishtimes.com Vulnerable areas have seen a 65-fold increase in the In India the Gangotri glacier number of people affected by In 2005 there were 28 tropical is receding at an average rate disasters in the past 30 years. storms - the highest number of 23 meters per year. www.neweconomics.org since record keeping began nationalgeographic.com about 150 years ago - and 15 hurricanes including 7 major Of the 600,000 or so people hurricanes. The Ward Hunt Ice Shelf, who died in extreme weather www.pewclimate.org which had been in place for events during the 1990s 99% 3,000 years is now breaking were in poor countries. into pieces. www.who.int Rising temperatures in Alaska www.ndrc.org has spurred the spruce bark beetle to breed faster. From In Bangladesh 20 million people 1993 to 2003, the beetle Worldwide deforestation will become environmental chewed up 3.4 million acres accounts for up to 25% of refugees as a result of of Alaskan forest. global emissions of heat climate change www.ndrc.org trapping gases. www.timesonline.co.uk www.independent.co.uk Resource Pack ≥ 2/3 Climate Change ≥ Section One Understanding Climate In order to understand climate The atmosphere is comprised mainly of: change it is important to understand • Nitrogen (N2, 78.1% volume mixing ratio); the nature of climate. Climate can • Oxygen (O2, 20.9% volume mixing ratio); be defined as the meteorological • Argon (Ar, 0.93% volume mixing ratio). conditions that characteristically prevail in a particular region. Altitude (km) Weather, however, is the state of the atmosphere 100 over a short period of time such as a day, a week or a month. Climatic elements include precipitation, 90 temperature, humidity, sunshine, wind velocity, fog, frost, hailstorms and other measures of weather. 80 In short: 70 • Climate is the average weather, usually taken over a 30 year time period, for a particular region; 60 • Continual changes in climatic elements occur 50 within the lowest layer of the atmosphere (the troposphere); 40 • Climate determines the productivity of food and 30 fibre, fisheries and water resources; 20 • Earth’s global climate depends on the amount of energy received from the sun and the amount 10 of energy trapped at its surface by the greenhouse gases; 0 -100 60 20 0 20 • Earth’s regional climates are highly variable and Temperature (ºC) this ensures the diversity of ecosystems. Source: www.physicalgeography.net The atmosphere In the atmosphere, both oxygen and nitrogen exist in their most stable elemental states. Atmospheric An envelope of gases called the atmosphere oxygen exists as a molecule of two oxygen atoms surrounds the earth. These gases extend to a bonded together, O2, and atmospheric nitrogen height of 1,000 km. The Earth’s atmosphere has exists as a molecule of two nitrogen atoms bonded four main layers: the troposphere, the stratosphere, together, N2. These gases do not interact with the the mesosphere and the thermosphere. The layers infrared radiation emitted by the Earth. are distinguished by different temperatures and densities. Through the effects of gravity, 75% of the There are heat-trapping gases, known as greenhouse total mass of the atmosphere is in the troposphere. gases, which absorb infrared light and prevent it The depth of the troposphere varies from about 8 to being re-radiated into outer space. 16 kilometres. Without the atmosphere, there would be no life on earth. Greenhouse gases Greenhouse effect These greenhouse gasses include: The greenhouse effect is a necessary phenomenon that keeps all of earth's heat from escaping to the • carbon dioxide (CO2) which is exhaled by outer atmosphere. Without the natural greenhouse living organisms and utilised by plants during effect life on earth would be difficult to sustain. photosynthesis. The main human-related sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) include the burning Due to increased greenhouse gases however the of fossil fuels; deforestation; forest fires; the atmosphere is absorbing more infrared energy than destruction of peatlands; and the manufacture it re-radiates to space, resulting in a net warming of cement; of the earth-atmosphere system. It is this excess heating which is causing global warming and climate • methane (CH4), a carbon-based gas, which is change. During the last 150 years, the atmospheric released from ruminants such as cattle, sheep, concentration of carbon dioxide has increased by goats and buffalo. Methane is also released 31% and the level of atmospheric methane has from the breakdown of plant material under wet risen by 151%. conditions. Other sources of methane include rice cultivation, biomass burning, fossil fuel combustion and disposal of domestic refuse in landfill sites; • nitrous oxide (N2O). The main human-related sources of nitrous oxide (N2O) are fertiliser use; livestock management; biomass burning and Carbon dioxide, methane, and industrial activities. There is very little N2O in the atmosphere (about 0.000003%), but due mostly nitrous oxide have different to human activity, it is actually increasing by about global warming potential. 0.3 % every year. N2O is extremely efficient at warming up the atmosphere. In fact, one molecule GWP: an index used to translate the level of N2O has 200 to 300 times the greenhouse of emissions of various gases into a warming effect of CO2, the primary greenhouse gas; common measure in order to compare the • chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are halocarbons used relative impact on the environment. GWPs in air conditioners and many industrial processes. are calculated as the ratio to one tonne CFCs deplete the ozone as well as act as of CO2. Global warming potentials (GWPs) greenhouse gases. are based on the heat-absorbing ability of each gas relative to that of carbon dioxide (CO2). CO CH N O HFC-23 Greenhouse Gas 2 4 2 carbon dioxide methane nitrous oxide hydrofluoro-carbon-23 Global Warming Potential (GWP) 1 21 310 11,700 Resource Pack ≥ 4/5 Climate Change The Greenhouse effect 1. Solar radiation passes through the clear atmosphere. The Greenhouse Effect 2. The ground absorbs the heat, Some of the infrared radiation passes through the and reflects some of it back into the air. atmosphere but most is absorbed and re-emitted in all directions by greenhouse gas molecules and Solar radiation powers clouds. The effect of this is to warm the Earth’s the climate system. surface and the lower atmosphere. 3. Some of the infrared radiation passes through the atmosphere and is lost in space. 4. Some of it is absorbed and re-emitted Some solar radiation by the greenhouse gas molecules. In is reflected by the Earth and the atmosphere this way, the atmosphere acts like a Infrared radiation is emitted big blanket over the earth, holding in from the Earth’s surface. the warmth and reflecting it back to earth. About half of the solar radiation is 5. The effect is the warming of the earth's absorbed by the Earth’s surface and warms it. surface and the troposphere. began in 1766, resulting in floods that killed 6. The earth’s surface gains more heat The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change nine people.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Forest Day Side Events Provisional List 20/11/07
    Forest Day Side Events Provisional list 20/11/07 Date/Time/ Organizer Title/Theme Room Saturday, Food and Agriculture Sustainable forest management and climate 8 December organization of the change mitigation: building on past experience. 12.00-13.30 united nations (FAO) The side event will provide an overview of the Cigar Room Susan Braatz experience in sustainable forest management that [email protected] can be applied to the challenges of climate change Tel: (+39) 06 57051 mitigation, particularly reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries. It will consider technical tools and mechanisms, governance and legal frameworks, livelihood concerns, financial considerations and capacity strengthening needs in key areas, including forest law enforcement, forest fire management, reforestation and forest landscape restoration, protected area management, and reduced impact logging. It will also highlight key intersectoral issues to be addressed, particularly related to agriculture. Existing tools, mechanisms and partnerships that can support forestry efforts in climate change mitigation will be highlighted. The side event will include presentations from FAO and various partner institutions working to strengthen SFM in developing countries. Saturday, Poverty and REDD & Poverty 8 December Environment 16.00-17.30 Partnership (PEP) The impacts of deforestation extend beyond Grand Ball David Huberman biodiversity loss and increased greenhouse gas Room A david.huberman@iucn. emissions. The livelihoods of many of the world's org poorest people are strongly linked to both the Tel: +41 79 813 1214 clearing and conservation of forested ecosystems. Mechanisms for REDD will thus have far-reaching economic implications. Rural communities rely heavily on the use of timber and non-timber resources from forests, as well as the conversion of forests to agriculture and other uses.
    [Show full text]
  • The Impact of Animal Agriculture on Global Warming and Climate Change
    An HSUS Report: The Impact of Animal Agriculture on Global Warming and Climate Change Abstract The farm animal production sector is the single largest anthropogenic user of land, contributing to soil degradation, dwindling water supplies, and air pollution, in addition to detrimentally impacting rural and urban communities, public health, and animal welfare. The breadth of this sector’s global impacts has been largely underestimated and underappreciated. Indeed, meat, egg, and milk production are not narrowly focused on the direct rearing and slaughtering of farm animals. Rather, the animal agriculture sector encompasses grain and fertilizer production, substantial water use, and significant energy expenditures to transport feed, farm animals, and finished meat, egg, and dairy products. Animal agriculture’s greatest environmental influence may be its contributions to global warming and climate change. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN), the animal agriculture sector is responsible for 18%, or nearly one-fifth, of human-induced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, greater than the share contributed by the transportation sector. In nearly every step of meat, egg, and dairy production, climate-changing gases are released into the atmosphere, disrupting weather, temperature, and ecosystem health. Mitigating and preventing these serious problems requires immediate and far-reaching changes in current animal agriculture practices and consumption patterns. Global Warming and Climate Change Global warming refers to an increase in average global temperatures, which in turn causes climate change, such as changes in seasonal temperatures and wind velocity, and the amount of precipitation and humidity for a given area or region. 1 Climate change can involve either cooling or warming.
    [Show full text]
  • Forests NOW in the Fight Against Climate Change Forest Foresight Report 1.V4 November 2008
    Forests NOW in the Fight Against Climate Change Forest Foresight Report 1.v4 November 2008 1 This Report is intended as a guide for non-specialist stakeholders addressing deforestation and climate change within Governments, the Forests NOW in private sector, and the media. This is the fourth edition of this report, originally published in May 2007. This updated edition summarises scientific knowledge of the world’s tropical forests, the full range of the Fight Against ecosystem services they provide to humanity, and their critical role in maintaining a stable climate, as well as detailing potential solutions to reduce deforestation. Climate Change The Global Canopy Programme (GCP) is an alliance of 37 scientific institutions in 19 countries, which lead the world in research, education and conservation in forest canopies. Our work programmes The World’s Tropical Forests 6 aim to define and explore the economic value of forest ecosystem services and their role in mitigating climate change. We share these Are we Creating Wealth that’s Worth Having? 8 findings with politicians, policy makers, and financiers around the world so that they can be applied in efforts to halt global warming. As deforestation proceeds apace, sustainable development policies and Tropical Forests and Climate Change 10 positive incentive mechanisms based on sound science must urgently be developed to preserve tropical forests, which act as vital utilities Deforestation: Global Demand versus International Regulation 12 for humanity. Forests NOW is an independent global network of governments, Ecosystem Services: Beyond Carbon 14 organisations, and individuals concerned with forests and climate change, which is co-ordinated by the Global Canopy Programme.
    [Show full text]
  • Forest Day Programme Book, UNFCCC COP 13 Parallel Event, Nusa Dua, Bali, 8 December 2007
    CO2 Forest Day Programme Book Programme Day Forest Shaping the Global Agenda for Forests and Climate Change Co-hosted by CIFOR and CPF partners: ProgrammeForest Day Book UNFCCC COP 13 Event Parallel UNFCCC COP 13 Parallel Event UNCCD Nusa Dua, Bali, 8 December 2007 with additional financial contributions from: Printed on recycled paper Contents 1. Foreword 3. Acknowledgements 6. Timetable 8. Session 1: Opening Plenary 10. Session 2: Parallel Side Events 23. Session 3: Cross-cutting Themes 28. Session 4: Parallel Side Events 38. Session 5: Closing Plenary 39. List of Poster Presentations 44. List of Exhibitions 45. Floor Map 46. Guidelines: Side Events 47. Guidelines: Poster Presentations 48. Guidelines: Exhibitions 49. List of Participants CO2 Shaping the Global Agenda for Forests and Climate Change Foreword Welcome to the inaugural Forest Day. Right now the eyes of the world are on Bali, as we prepare to face what promises to be the most significant environmental, social and economic issue of our time – climate change. And more than ever, forests are high on the agenda of any discussion around climate change, both as a source of emissions and as a strategy for adaptation. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), land conversion and deforestation in developing countries emits around 1.7 billion tonnes of carbon annually, the fourth highest cause of global emissions. In Indonesia alone, an estimated 1.8 million hectares of forests have been disappearing each year, or about 2 percent of forest cover. Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) Forest is now under intense discussion as a mitigation strategy to be included in a Day successor to the Kyoto Protocol.
    [Show full text]
  • Environmental Justice in Kenya: a Critical Analysis
    ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN KENYA: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS by MAUREEN K NDETHIU Submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of MASTER OF LAWS at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROFESSOR M BEUKES FEBRUARY 2018 DECLARATION Student Number: 3508-052-3 I, MAUREEN K NDETHIU, declare that ‘ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN KENYA: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS’ is my own work and that all the sources I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. 2018-02-27 Signature……………………………… Date..................................... Ndethiu M K i ABSTRACT Title of Dissertation: ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN KENYA: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS Environmental justice, a new but rapidly developing concept in international environmental law, arose in the United States of America during the Environmental Justice Movement of the late 1970s and 1980s. It starkly highlighted injustices faced by people of colour and low-income communities as regards racially skewed environmental legal protection and allocation of environmental risks. The movement radically changed the meaning of ‘environment’ from its conventional green overtones to include issues of social justice at the core of environmental thinking. I critically examine the concept of environmental justice in the Kenyan context by highlighting the injustices, and the formulation and application of laws and policies that significantly impact on environmental regulation and equitable distribution of social services. ii KEY TERMS Modern environmentalism; international environmental law; environmental principles; anthropocentrism; sustainable development; environmental justice; United States of America (USA); vulnerable and marginalised persons; human rights. iii DEDICATION To Leon and Lynn, may the achievement in this work give you a headlight to see a world of possibilities in everything you set your hearts and minds to do and to the reformists, who place their lives and families on the line so that those on the margins of society can live in dignity, justice, and hope for brighter days.
    [Show full text]
  • Naturenomics™ Way Ranjit Barthakur, Naturefirst
    2.0 Developing the NaturenomicsTM Model 2008 2.0 2009 Editorial Swati Arunprasad Alex Burton Komal Parekh Darshini Parikh Contributing Organisations & Publications Redefining Progress, California University of Vermont Content University, Washington DC Sanctuary Magazine NaturenomicsTM Knowledge Foundation Support Team Aditya Kitroo, Alex Burton, Ankush Jadhav, Anshuman Hazarika, Anshuman Ranjan, Chetan Hejmady, Dalip Pande, Desiree Mendes, Dhritiman Hazarika, Dipak Kripalani, Gautam Narang, Jaspreet Arora, Kalpesh Kadam, Kalpesh Popat, Kashmira Popat, Komal Parekh, Prabir Banerjea, Prabir Chetia, Preeti Gandhi, Rati Bhattacharya, Sachin Salian, Samir Menon, Santosh Ubdi, Som Ganguly, Sonal Alvares, Sourabh Joshi, Sonali Bhatia,Surya Ganguly, Swati Arunprasad, Swati Gupta, Toral Brahmabhatt, Vijay Patil To know more about the contributors email: [email protected] Design Darshini Parikh Printing Sel Print India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, India September 2009 English www.naturefirst.in Not For Sale 2.0 Supported by NaturenomicsTM knowledge Foundation Contents Page no. Introduction 1. Moving towards a healthy planet..................................................................................................1 RANJIT BARTHAKUR, NatureFirst Achieving Progress 2.Design for a Sustainable Economics………..……………………………..……………………….............….4 ROBERT GILMAN 3.Where is the wealth of the Nation?............................................................................................15 WORLD BANK PUBLICATION 4.The Genuine progress indicator
    [Show full text]
  • Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Deforestation: No Hope Without Forests
    House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation: No hope without forests Fifth Report of Session 2008–09 Report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 16 June 2009 HC 30 Published on 29 June 2009 by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited £0.00 The Environmental Audit Committee The Environmental Audit Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to consider to what extent the policies and programmes of government departments and non-departmental public bodies contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development; to audit their performance against such targets as may be set for them by Her Majesty’s Ministers; and to report thereon to the House. Current membership Mr Tim Yeo, MP (Conservative, South Suffolk) (Chairman) Gregory Barker, MP (Conservative, Bexhill and Battle) Mr Martin Caton, MP (Labour, Gower) Mr Colin Challen, MP (Labour, Morley and Rothwell) Mr David Chaytor, MP (Labour, Bury North) Martin Horwood, MP (Liberal Democrat, Cheltenham) Mr Nick Hurd, MP (Conservative, Ruislip Northwood) Jane Kennedy, MP (Labour, Liverpool Wavertree) [ex-officio] Mark Lazarowicz, MP (Labour/Co-operative, Edinburgh North and Leith) Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP (Conservative, Bridgewater) Mr Shahid Malik, MP (Labour, Dewsbury) Mrs Linda Riordan, MP (Labour, Halifax) Mr Graham Stuart, MP (Conservative, Beverley & Holderness) Jo Swinson, MP (Liberal Democrat, East Dunbartonshire) Dr Desmond Turner, MP (Labour, Brighton, Kempton) Joan Walley, MP (Labour, Stoke-on-Trent North) Powers The constitution and powers are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally Standing Order No.
    [Show full text]
  • Bolivia Tropical Forestry and Biodiversity Assessment: Final Report
    BOLIVIA TROPICAL FORESTRY AND BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT FINAL REPORT OCTOBER 2008 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by ARD, Inc. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Bolivia is a complex country, and the team conducting this assessment relied heavily on many other people for information and insights. We spoke with more than 50 people during the information-gathering phase of the assessment, and each of them contributed important information and thoughtful perspectives. In addition to their technical contributions, Simbiosis provided local logistics in support of the stakeholder workshops and topical assessments. We would like to thank members of each of USAID/Bolivia’s Strategic Objective teams, who provided information on their past and current activities and future options. We hope this assessment will contribute to USAID’s future support of environmentally and socially sustainable development in Bolivia and the conservation of its rich biological diversity and valuable tropical forests. Prepared for the United States Agency for International Development, USAID Contract Number 511­ O-00-08-00040-00. Authors: Dr. Bruce Byers and Dr. Morris Israel, ARD, Inc., with contributions from Rafael Anze and Evelyn Taucer, Simbiosis. ARD Contact: Minnie Flanagan, Project Manager 159 Bank Street, Suite 300 P.O. Box 1397 Burlington, VT 05402 Tel: (802) 658-3890 ext. 2407 Email: [email protected] Cover photo: Traditional Jalq'a weaving symbolizes Bolivia's rich biodiversity, which has been a source of economic and cultural values to people for millennia. Weaving by Julia Quispe. Photographer: Bruce Byers, ARD, Inc. BOLIVIA TROPICAL FORESTRY AND BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT FINAL REPORT OCTOBER 2008 DISCLAIMER The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights and Climate Change
    A WORLD BANK STUDY Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Human Rights and Public Disclosure Authorized Climate Change A REVIEW OF THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL DIMENSIONS Siobhán McInerney-Lankford Public Disclosure Authorized Mac Darrow Lavanya Rajamani WORLD BANK STUDY Human Rights and Climate Change A Review of the International Legal Dimensions Siobhan McInerney-Lankford, Mac Darrow, and Lavanya Rajamani Copyright © 2011 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000 Internet: www.worldbank.org 1 2 3 4 13 12 11 10 World Bank Studies are published to communicate the results of the Bank’s work to the development community with the least possible delay. The manuscript of this paper therefore has not been prepared in accordance with the procedures appropriate to formally-edited texts. This volume is a product of the staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank. The fi ndings, interpre- tations, and conclusions expressed in this volume do not necessarily refl ect the views of the Executive Directors of The World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundar- ies, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgement on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorse- ment or acceptance of such boundaries. Rights and Permissions The material in this publication is copyrighted. Copying and/or transmi ing portions or all of this work without permission may be a violation of applicable law.
    [Show full text]
  • Mainstreaming Biodiversity Issues Into Forestry and Agriculture
    Secretariat of the CBD Technical Series No. 34 Convention on Biological Diversity Mainstreaming Biodiversity Issues into Forestry and Agriculture Abstracts of Poster Presentations at the 13th Meeting of the 34Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice of the Convention on Biological Diversity 18-22 February 2008, Rome, Italy CBD Technical Series No. 34 Mainstreaming Biodiversity Issues into Forestry and Agriculture Abstracts of Poster Presentations at the 13th Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice of the Convention on Biological Diversity 18-22 February 2008, Rome, Italy Published by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. ISBN: 92-9225-081-7 Copyright © 2008, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expres- sion of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views reported in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the Convention on Biological Diversity nor those of the reviewers. All abstracts are presented in the form in which they were submitted, with only minor edits where necessary. This publication may be reproduced for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holders, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. The Secretariat of the Convention would appreciate receiving a copy of any publications that uses this document as a source. Citation Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2008).
    [Show full text]
  • REDD Myths a Critical Review of Proposed Mechanisms to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in Developing Countries December 2008 | Issue 114
    A local guide at Turtle Mountain in the Iwokrama Forest in Guyana. climate & deforestation © simon rawles, friends of the earth REDD myths a critical review of proposed mechanisms to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation in developing countries december 2008 | issue 114 International REDD myths a critical review of proposed mechanisms to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation in developing countries m o c . REDD myths o o h a y a critical review of proposed mechanisms to reduce emissions @ o n from deforestation and degradation in developing countries a t e d n december 2008 | issue 114 a p , o n i s a p o n a International t © friends of the earth international is the world’s largest grassroots environmental network, uniting more than 70 diverse national member groups and some 5,000 local activist groups on every continent. With approximately 2 million members and supporters around the world, we campaign on today’s most urgent social and environmental issues. We challenge the current model of economic and corporate globalization, and promote solutions that will help to create environmentally sustainable and socially just societies. our vision is of a peaceful and sustainable world based on societies living in harmony with nature. We envision a society of interdependent people living in dignity, wholeness and fulfilment in which equity and human and peoples’ rights are realized. This will be a society built upon peoples’ sovereignty and participation. It will be founded on social, economic, gender and environmental justice and free from all forms of domination and exploitation, such as neoliberalism, corporate globalization, neo-colonialism and militarism.
    [Show full text]
  • Mitchell JEI Issue 1 V2 FINAL
    Future Investing in Living Carbon Andrew Mitchell Founder, Global Canopy Programme and Chairman, Forest Footprint Disclosure “It's not what we eat but what we digest that makes us strong; not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich.” This quote by seventeenth century philosopher Francis Bacon seems a good starting point to consider how the climate debate and Copenhagen Accord are altering concepts of wealth creation and the twenty-first century economy. While the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) failed on most counts, one thing there was wide consensus about was that to keep below the climate change cap of no more than a 2°C temperature rise, decreasing deforestation offers one of the quickest, cheapest, and scalable means of curbing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions this side of 2030. And the price tag is doable—around $25 billion annually (United Kingdom Government 2008), only slightly more than one New York bank’s estimated 2009 bonus pool. At around 18% of the global total, emissions from burning tropical trees and soils exceed those from the entire transport sector (Nabuurs et al. 2007). Moreover, standing tropical forests provide a gigantic carbon capture and storage (CCS) system, removing 4.4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the sky each year (Denman et al. 2007)—for free. The rainfall this ‘living carbon’ generates underpins not only global climate security, but food and energy security as well. For instance, 70% of Brazil’s electricity comes from hydropower fed by rainfall regulated by Amazonian forests. Tropical forests are an irreplaceable ‘eco-utility’ being destroyed at some 13 million hectares (m ha) per year (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2006), of which approximately 5.5 m ha are in rainforests (Hansen et al.
    [Show full text]