id21 Climate

Why have forestry activities not been included in strategies to cope with climate change?

id21 — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:56:52 +0000

Throughout international negotiations to tackle climate change, some environmental groups have opposed including forestry activities in measures to reduce carbon emissions. Carbon forestry has immense potential to mitigate climate change but, by February 2008, only one forestry project had been registered under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol; this compares to 900 industrial and energy projects

How will climate change affect migration trends in the future?

id21 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:48:17 +0000

Human migration – the movement of people away from their place of birth – is increasing. Estimates based on current trends predict there will be around 275 million international migrants in 2050. Is climate change likely to increase the number of people forced to migrate?

Progress in making urban development sustainable

id21 — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:35:12 +0000

2008/08 - id21 [A modern city can only be truly successful if it can demonstrate its commitment to protecting the environment. Officials must recognise the city’s natural assets, create efficient water, energy and transport infrastructure and protect its citizens against the impacts of climate change. Sound environmental management can boost city budgets, attract investors and contribute to public health and poverty eradication]

Can certified timber reduce conflict in developing countries?

id21 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:00:59 +0000

2008/08 - id21 [Trade in illegal timber is a major threat to global security. It directly funds armed combatants in many conflicts around the world. It also encourages deforestation, which causes climate change and environmental degradation, leading to further conflicts over resources. Could timber certification help to end the illegal timber trade and reduce conflict?]

Adapting to climate change in the world’s drylands

id21 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:57:14 +0000

2008/10 - id21 [The world's drylands are likely to experience some of the worst impacts of climate change. Temperatures are predicted to increase and rainfall will become scarcer and more erratic. Poor rural people living in drylands will be hit hardest. What strategies exist to reduce their vulnerability to climate change?}

Planting trees to feed the soil in The Gambia

id21 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:53:27 +0000

2008/10 - id21 [Problems with soil fertility in semi-arid West Africa are linked to many processes. Land degradation, the loss of tree cover, falling crop yields and even climate change can all contribute to declining soil fertility. How can farmers' knowledge and understanding of soil fertility problems contribute towards sustainable agriculture?]

Responding to the risks from climate-related disasters

id21 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:44:16 +0000

2008/10 - id21 [Climate-related risks come not only from direct exposure to natural hazards such as floods or droughts, but also from the vulnerability of social and economic systems to the effects of these hazards. Responses to these risks should combine two approaches: short-term measures to react to hazards when they occur, and structural reforms that enhance the capacities of communities to adapt]

Mechanisms to manage the variability of flow in water treaties

id21 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:40:46 +0000

2008/09 - id21 [Most policymakers acknowledge the importance of addressing flow variability in water treaties, but there has been little analysis of the mechanisms actually used to do it. How can water treaties be flexible enough to consider changing flow variability whilst also being enforceable?]