Hot climate news from the Bali bloggers

Joy in Zimbabwe

2009-11-08T18:42:41Z

Last night for the first time in my life I went to bed by candlelight. The electricity supply was down and the generator failed at the guest house where we were staying. I have been to bed by torchlight many times, but as a one-off experience candlelight was much more atmospheric. Candlelight was an appropriate introduction [...]

High heeled shoes – their role in development

2009-11-09T21:48:02Z

I’ve discovered a major problem with micro-hydro sites – they are nearly all on very steep hills. As I am a big woman with bad ankles this is not a good combination. It got even worse today when it rained and the site involved near vertical, slippy slopes of red mud. I thought of my old [...]

Small is not always beautiful

2009-11-10T11:31:56Z

I’ve spent the day training Practical Action Bangladesh’s senior staff in communications planning. Which begs the question why? These people have their noses against the grindstone, spending every day working with people in desperate need. Why do they need training in marketing and communications? Aren’t there enough spin doctors in the world? The short answer is [...]

Clunk, click? Don’t bother!

2009-11-09T11:51:59Z

So I made it! I have been to Dhaka once before, a decade ago. One of my most vivid memories from then, was repeated today with the absolute sea of faces pressed up against the outer windows of the arrivals area at the airport. It is a stark reminder of the density of Bangladesh’s population. [...]

Location, Location in Zimbabwe

2009-11-06T17:02:21Z

Today it was housing. I live in a rather mixed area (code for having a cement works across the road). I have a house with two reception rooms, a large kitchen, two bathrooms and four bedrooms. No, this hasn’t morphed into Location, Location – if it had I wouldn’t have told you about the cement works. [...]

Nervous anticipation

2009-11-08T12:07:10Z

Costa Coffee, Birmingham Airport. I can’t believe that I’m finally on my way to Bangladesh. As Practical Action’s Head of Communications I am not a frequent traveller. We have communications staff in each of our offices who do a fantastic job, and as local people they are much better placed than I am. But we [...]

It ain't over till the fat lady sings

2009-11-06T20:53:18Z

Jess wraps up the climate talks in Barcelona and tells us why we should expect the unexpected in Copenhagen.

Who is to blame?

2009-11-06T12:36:09Z

It looks like Christopher Columbus knows where to point the finger!

Greenpeace kicks up a storm

2009-11-05T16:46:20Z

Activists at the Barcelona climate talks give us a taste of what the future could look like if world leaders don't step in and take action on climate chaos now.

Mission Possible: Restoring the carbon-rich peatlands of Indonesia

2009-11-05T13:51:02Z

At the frontline of forest destruction - Hikmat, from the Climate Defenders Camp, tells us why he's feeling hopeful

Protecting paradise

2009-11-05T10:34:33Z

Laura, an activist from Germany, writes about her experience at the Climate Defenders Camp in Indonesia

Today was Cholera day

2009-11-05T21:11:31Z

Today was Cholera day or at least that’s how it felt to me. Last year there were thousands and thousands of people affected and many died. When told that the symptoms include rice water diarrhoea I had to just think for a moment to understand what that could mean – horrible! I heard so much about [...]

Breakfast at 37 degrees C

2009-11-04T19:04:02Z

Today I fell asleep on the bumpiest road so far – big pot holes, lots of dust, we even got stuck in a dry river bed – but jet lag hit (I didn’t sleep last night) and on our four-hour drive I managed to snooze. I think I impressed the people I was with by [...]

Bondage in Barcelona

2009-11-04T22:02:45Z

We are all wondering what countries are going to deliver in Copenhagen and from what I'm learning this week, some are going to do their best to fool us.

Money doesn't grow on trees

2009-11-04T21:55:23Z

When REDD is green. We tell climate delegates about our plan to reduce carbon emissions by stopping deforestation.

The biggest loser

2009-11-04T18:17:27Z

What can wake up the oil industry? What can convince them to accept that oil is a loser - and tar sands oil is the biggest loser of all?

Indonesia's rainforests and the climate crisis

2009-11-04T16:35:35Z

I'm on the ground in Sumatra at Greenpeace's Climate Defenders Camp. We're here to let world leaders know that this is ground zero for deforestation and if immediate action isn't taken to end the destruction of our rainforests, climate catastrophe is all but assured.

“Please save our home”

2009-11-04T13:16:43Z

“Our homes are from the forest, our transports are from the forest, our lives are from the forest... Please help us to save our home” Then Mr. Yusup wasn't able to continue his words - as he fell into tears facing US Ambassador for Indonesia and First Secretary of UK Ambassador for Indonesia on their visit to the Kampar Peninsula - invited by Greenpeace.

Zimbabwe day two

2009-11-03T19:48:02Z

Okay, Zimbabwe day two … so what have I learnt …? In the good old days, when authorities had a bit of money they would develop social housing. The high density housing laws required sewers, roads, water and electricity connected before anyone could develop and beyond this everything was connected to a central system. Sounded great [...]

Arctic sea ice redux

2009-11-04T09:15:41Z

The Arctic Meltdown expedition ended a month ago already, but this hasn't stopped me from still obsessing over Arctic sea ice and how it's been changing. The news wasn't good this summer, and still isn't today....