In 2024, the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) recorded 393 natural hazard-related disasters. These events caused 16,753 fatalities and affected 167.2 million people. Economic losses totaled US$241.95 billion. The year 2024 was marked by extreme temperature events in Asia that caused thousands of deaths, severe droughts in Africa affecting over 25 …
Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa declared a state of emergency in an Amazonian province on November 30 to quell protests that have slashed the nation's oil output by 20 per cent. Demanding that the government spend more revenue from oil on infrastructure projects in their oil-rich province, Orellana, demonstrators blocked roads …
This Synthesis Report is based on the assessment carried out by the three Working Groups of the IPCC. It provides an integrated view of climate change as the final part of the IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report.
In 1997, the Government of Mexico introduced a conditional cash transfer (CCT) program called Programa de Education, Salud, Y Alimentacion (Progresa), providing assistance to about 300, 000 extremely poor households. The essential premise of a CCT program is a cash transfer to households, conditioned on their participation in health, nutrition, …
The South Pacific nations recently agreed to stop bottom trawling to protect corals and other marine life. Bottom trawling is a fishing method where boats tow heavy trawl nets along the sea floor. This destroys coral reefs and stirs up the sediments suffocating marine life. The agreement, reached on May …
As the first South American energy summit finished in the third week of April in the Caribbean island of Margarita, Venezuela, participant countries agreed to set up an energy council to follow up hemispheric energy-related agreements. The summit, attended by leaders from 10 out of 12 South American countries, also …
The European Union recently blocked a wto investigation into its banana import tariffs, with reference to an arbitration process started by Latin American countries against it. wto has repeatedly ruled against eu's banana import regime, forcing it to change its system that favours the African, Caribbean and Pacific (acp) countries. …
Decisions that affect how people use land are among the most fraught that any enlightened society has to grapple with. Two claims that typically come out on the short end of the land-use debate are the claims of indigenous people and claims for non-human species. Sometimes claims for indigenous people …
>> The Iranian government has banned the website www. baztab.com. The site linked to former Revolutionary Guards commander Mohsen Rezai, has recently published articles criticising the economic policies of president M Ahmadinejad's government and its decision to hold a conference questioning the veracity of the Holocaust. But it also has …
Using the 1994 Bolivian Integrated Household Survey, this study analyzes the equity implications of urban water sector reform including both increased water prices and increased access to piped water. Household water expenditures are examined by income decile, and low-income households are found to spend a higher percentage of income on …
This study presents information on fire in greater depth than was possible in FRA 2005, including its incidence, impact and management in different regions of the world. It recognizes that not all fires ware destructive and that fire management is an essential part of sustainable forest management. Indeed, some ecosystems …
This manual starts out with a clear exposé of the contextual issues surrounding the water and sanitation crisis in many countries of the world, encompassing legal foundations, entitlements, responsibilities and questions of accountability. It addresses how legal obligations flowing from the right to water and sanitation may be realised, giving …
This study on bamboo was developed by FAO and INBAR jointly in the framework of FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005 (FRA 2005), with the aim of filling the gap in global information and providing a first, comprehensive assessment of the world’s bamboo resources.
This manual starts out with a clear expose of the contextual issues surrounding the water and sanitation crisis in many countries of the world, encompassing legal foundations, entitlements, responsibilities and questions of accountability. It addresses how legal obligations flowing from the right to water and sanitation may be realised, giving …
The main aim of this study was to facilitate access to comprehensive and comparable information on the current and past extent of mangroves in the 124 countries and areas where mangroves are known to exist, highlighting information gaps and providing updated information that may serve as a tool for mangrove …
The report looks at the circumstances in which the GATT was born and goes on to explain why governments believe it is in their interests to cooperate on trade matters. This is followed by a discussion of how the GATT/WTO as an institution can foster greater international cooperation. Finally, the …
The publication describes world trade trends,and focusing on trade in merchandise and trade in commercial services. It presents detailed analytical tables, and they are introduced with a small textual description highlighting recent trade developments and issues of particular interest for readers. It is also dedicated to Metadata (sources and definitions …
This booklet is a quick source for national and trade statistics of WTO members and countries which are in the process of negotiating WTO membership. These trade profiles combine information on trade flows and trade policy measures of Members, Observers and other selected economies. The information is retrieved from various …
Access to food involves entitlements for producing or acquiring food, which are discussed in this paper under three main headings: access to productive natural resources including land, water, agroforestry, biodiversity, seeds and other genetic resources, and environmental services; access to diverse types of knowledge, including traditional and indigenous knowledge, current …
This report summarizes the key drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, and the key policy options available to reduce the resulting carbon emissions. It reviews current deforestation rates and the associated issues related to monitoring forest-based carbon emissions and establishing baselines. The findings of research into the direct and underlying …
scientists hold phytoplankton responsible for the increase in cloud cover off the eastern coast of South America and say that this may have a bearing on climate. Researchers said that that airborne particles produced by oxidation of the chemical isoprene emitted by phytoplanktons, the microscopic floating oceanic plants, has doubled …
