In a world of higher electricity demand growth, clean electricity is stepping up to the challenge. Spearheaded by exponential solar expansion, clean power is set to grow faster than demand, marking the start of a permanent decline in fossil generation. 2024 both clarified and consolidated the shape of the global …
Although the value of agroforests for biodiversity conservation has been frequently highlighted, little is known about the susceptibility of this production system to biological invasions. Drawing on a camera-trap dataset obtained in 39 sites in an agroforestry mosaic in southern Bahia, Brazil, we investigated whether the conversion of native forests …
Rich nations should make the deepest emission cuts and provide most money if countries are to share fairly the responsibility of preventing catastrophic climate change, says a major new study. Calculations by Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) scientists and Friends of the Earth suggest the UK would need to make cuts …
The UN will formulate ambitious Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, including one for health. Feasible goals with some quantifiable, measurable targets can influence governments. We propose, as a quatitative health target, “Avoid in each country 40% of premature deaths (under-70 deaths that would be seen in the 2030 population at …
Germany has become the first large European Union member state to start ratifying the extension of the emissions-limiting Kyoto Protocol treaty. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet of ministers supported legislation that will ratify Kyoto’s second commitment period early next year, the German Environment Ministry said today in an e-mailed statement. The …
BRASÍLIA (AFP) - Brazil's authorities on Tuesday reported the first domestically contracted cases of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus, prompting the government to announce it was stepping up attempts to control the disease. The joint disease, which causes high fever and painful arthritis, is endemic to Africa and south Asia but …
The number of hungry people in the world has fallen sharply over the past decade but 805 million, or one in nine of the global population, still do not have enough to eat, three U.N. food and agriculture agencies said on Tuesday. The number of chronically undernourished people dropped by …
One in every nine persons in the world goes hungry says this UN State of Food Insecurity Report released on 16 September 2014. It has been jointly drafted by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme …
The Amazon rainforest is responsible for absorbing tonnes of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere Construction has begun on a giant observation tower in the heart of the Amazon basin to monitor climate change. The Amazon Tall Tower Observatory is expected to rise 325m from the ground. Its instruments will gather …
Four Peruvian tribal leaders have been killed on their way to a meeting to discuss ways to stop illegal logging. The men from the Ashaninka community were attempting to travel to Brazil when they were murdered, Campaigners say the men had received several death threats from illegal loggers, who are …
The British government is very keen to see the operationalising of the Green Climate Fund (GCF). “It was never us blocking the process nor was it the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. It appears that we are now close to operationalising the GCF and we will be …
New roads long enough to girdle the Earth 600 times are expected to be built by 2050 and better planning is needed to protect the environment while also raising food production, a study showed on Wednesday. The study in the journal Nature showed that roads can aid farmers, especially in …
The authorities in Brazil say they have dismantled a criminal organisation they believe was the "biggest destroyer" of the Amazon rainforest. The gang is accused of invading, logging and burning large areas of public land and selling these illegally for farming and grazing. In a statement, Brazilian Federal Police said …
A prolonged drought in Brazil has already claimed about half of Jose Francisco Pereira’s coffee crop. Next year could be even worse as the country heads for the first three-year output decline since 1965. “Everybody is praying for rain,” said Pereira, general director of Monte Alegre Coffees, a grower with …
Brazil’s power sector has doubled its global warming emissions in the past two years, a new analysis found. The uptick threatens to offset some of the country’s gains in slowing deforestation – an effort that climate groups say has led to dramatic cuts in carbon dioxide pollution. That could diminish …
Brazil has made good progress in safeguarding the Amazon rainforest but Indonesia's plans for its forests could face setbacks under a new government, a report commissioned by top forest aid donor Norway said on Monday. Norway, rich from offshore oil and gas, paid 10.3 billion crowns ($1.7 billion) to slow …
As countries around the world face urgent agricultural challenges, the concept of ‘climate-smart’ agriculture (CSA) has been put forward to synergistically achieve climate change adaptation, mitigation, and food security. This paper explores how three countries are using integrated policy approaches to CSA. Brazil invested in research to support sustainable intensification …
Brazil has made good progress in safeguarding the Amazon rainforest but Indonesia's plans for its forests could face setbacks under a new government, a report commissioned by top forest aid donor Norway said on Monday. Norway, rich from offshore oil and gas, paid 10.3 billion crowns ($1.7 billion) to slow …
Grappling with its worst energy crisis in more than a decade, Brazil is making its first big move to develop a local solar power industry that could help reduce its dependence on a battered hydro power system. In October, Brazil will hold an auction to negotiate energy to be produced …
Four of the world's emerging economies have claimed that they are far ahead of developed countries in their efforts to slow climate change. Brazil, South Africa, India and China are known as the BASIC bloc in international climate negotiations. They have also accused developed nations of keeping their carbon emission …
To put pressure on developed nations to take responsibilty India, along with other major developing nations such as China and Brazil, could well be on its way to standing up against richer developed countries. The 18th BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) ministerial meeting on climate change, which concluded …
