IPCC report highlights threats of climate change to people says Toulmin

NaijaAgroNet:

The Director of the International Institute for Environment and Development, Dr Camilla Toulmin, has commended the IPCC latest report on climate change, saying it exposes threats to people and prosperity, reports NaijaAgroNet.

“The new IPCC report highlights the threats climate change poses to people’s peace and prosperity,” he said in a press statement made available to NaijaAgroNet.

According to Dr. Toulmin, it shows that countries, communities and companies must act fast to adapt to the changing climate, but it also shows too that there are limits to adaptation and this drives home the urgency of global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Toulmin told NaijaAgroNet that its high-time for unprecedented global solidarity and cooperation.

“Now is the opportunity for true leaders to shine. Some of the world’s least developed countries are already forging ahead,” Toulmin said.

For Dr. Toulmin, Ethiopia has committed to carbon-neutral development. Bangladesh has invested US$10 billion of its own money to adapt to extreme climatic events.

Just as Nepal is the first country to develop adaptation plans at the community level, insisting “It is time for the richer countries to pull their weight and do the right thing, by investing at home and abroad in actions that can reduce emissions and protect people and property from danger.”

The climate, Dr. Toulmin reminded that though the world is in this together and that shows “we can only solve this problem as a united international community.”

Isaac Oyimah/GEE

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Avaaz community warns on disappearing Arctic ice

courtesy: Avaaz.org

Avaaz, an online community has warned on the fast disappearance of Arctic ice.

Ricken Patel, a member of Avaaz.org who raised this alarm, informed NaijaAgroNet that vast areas of Arctic ice have disappeared, beyond scientists’ worst expectations.

He quoted a scientist, Julienne Stroeve, who has studied Arctic ice for decades.

 “Every summer she travels north to measure how much ice has melted. She knows that climate change is melting the ice fast, but on her last trip, she couldn't believe what she saw,” Patel said.
According to him, experts thus warned that as the earth warms, it creates many "tipping points" that accelerate the warming out of control. 

Warming, Patel said, thaws the Arctic sea ice, destroying the giant white 'mirror' that reflects heat back into space, which massively heats up the ocean, and melts more ice, and so on.

“We spin out of control. Already this year -- storms, temperatures -- everything is off the charts,” Patel noted.

Maintaining that these could be stopped, if humanity acts very fast, adding that out of this extinction nightmare, humanity could pull one of the most inspiring futures for the  children and grandchildren. 

“A clean, green future in balance with the earth that gave birth to us,” he said, stressing that this is happening, just 30 months before the Paris Summit, the meeting that world leaders have decided will determine the fate of the efforts to fight climate change.

“It might seem like a long time - it's not. We have 30 months to get the right leaders in power, get them to that meeting, give them a plan, and hold them accountable. And it's us versus the oil companies, and fatalism. We can win, we must, but we need to blast out of the starting gate with pledges ...  until the summit; we'll only process the donations if we hit our goal. For the world we dream of, let's make it happen,” he urged.

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

WHO, WMO debut with Atlas of Health, Climate

The World Health Organisation (WHO) in partnership with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recently launched the Atlas of Health and Climate to give practical examples on how to use the weather and information about climate to protect public health.

The debut of Atlas, according to the WHO is important following the continuous change in the world’s climate with its increasing hazardous effects on human health.

Some of the climate challenges that the Atlas would tackle include droughts, floods and cyclones as they affect health of people in millions on a yearly basis.

“Prevention and preparedness are the heart of public health,” WHO Director General, Dr. Margaret Chan said, adding that the climate has a profound impact on lives and survival of people globally, hence the need for the Atlas with its profound impact on improving lives.

In her words, information about climate change and variability is the powerful scientific tools which assist the world agency in improving health.

WMO Secretary-General, Mr. Michel Jarraud said partnership between the two world bodies is crucial in ensuring that up-to-date and relevant information on weather and climate is being integrated into public health management at all levels. “This Atlas is an innovative and practical example of how we can work together to serve society,” he said.

NaijaAgroNet further gathered that the Atlas is an assembly of numerous maps, tables and graphs showing that the links between health and climate are plain.

The Atlas, which was released in October 2012, is to work towards strengthening the availability of climate service to the benefit of the society with preferences to the most vulnerable societies.

NaijaAgroNet further gathered that the unique Atlas also shows how the relationship between health and climate is determined by other vulnerabilities like poverty, environmental degradation, poor infrastructure, especially for water and sanitation.

Yinka Awosanya

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Investment in science to reduce water risks –Study

Investments into science research has been found worthy of reducing water risks, says the latest study by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in partnership with the United Nations University (UNU) and United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).

The report of a recent study on water-related project has reiterated that investment in science could help in reducing risks that are in connection with water resources.

The study was conducted by the largest public funder of projects to improve the global environment and promote sustainable development, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) with the partnership of the UNU and UNEP.

About 200 major international water-related projects over the past two decades were studied which give room for the identification of existing as well as emerging challenges and how science can offer solutions.

A press statement made available to NaijaAgroNet revealed that the study extracted lessons from a portfolio of major trans-boundary water projects involving investments of more than US$7 billion, about N1.1 billion.

It is also revealed that river basins in particular are set to experience growing pressures as a result of urbanization, rising water scarcity and poor water quality.

GEF warns that the linkage between science and policymaking needs strengthening, and that the consequences of poor decision-making are dire leading to water-bankruptcy in some regions in the world with their adverse effects on food and energy security.

The report of the study affirmed a significant drop in the level of dissolved oxygen levels in marine areas which is a critical ecological indicator. A major increase of stored heat in oceans was also highlighted in the report.

Director, United Nations University International Network on Water, Environment and Health, Zafar Adeel said the study underscores how often early ‘alarm bells’ with respect to emerging issues could be heard and must be heeded.

“The report offers helpful recommendations to the GEF to foster this process,” Adeel said.

Some other findings highlighted in the reports include a significant drop in the levels of dissolved oxygen in marine areas over a relatively short period of time which is an indication of critical ecology.

The report also stated that there is a major increase in stored heat in oceans with its negative impact on ecosystem, sea levels as well as human existence.

For GEF’s International Waters Focal Area Coordinator, Ivan Zavadsky affirmed that for over 20 years, GEF had catalyzed the largest investment of its kind in human history. “GEF’s $1.3 billion catalyzed a total of $7 billion of investment in managing shared waters - fresh and marine - in almost every part of the planet, above and below its surface.”

The UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP, Executive Director, Achim Steiner, pointed out that world leaders agreed at the Rio+20 summit in June to strengthen the science-policy interface and to foster international research collaboration on sustainable development.

“This is especially important in respect to water resources at a point in time of unprecedented pressures from climate change and urbanization to pollution and over extraction,” Steiner said.

Yinka Awosanya

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Investing in science can reduce water risks – study

Recent study on water-related project has revealed that investment in science could help to reduce risks associated with water resources.

The study was conducted by the largest public funder of projects to improve the global environment and promote sustainable development, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) with the partnership of the United Nations University and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).

About 200 major international water-related projects over the past two decades were studied which gave room for the identification of existing as well as emerging challenges and how science could offer solutions.
A press statement made available to NaijaAgroNet revealed that the study extracted lessons from a portfolio of major transboundary water projects involving investments of more than US$7 billion, about N1,1 billion.

It is also revealed that river basins in particular are set to experience growing pressures as a result of urbanization, rising water scarcity and poor water quality.

GEF warns that the linkage between science and policymaking needs strengthening, and that the consequences of poor decision-making are dire leading to water-bankruptcy in some regions in the world with their adverse effects on food and energy security.

The study showed a significant drop in the level of dissolved oxygen levels in marine areas which is a critical ecological indicator. A major increase of stored heat in oceans was also highlighted in the report.

The director, United Nations University International Network on Water, Environment and Health, Zafar Adeel said the study underscores how often early 'alarm bells' with respect to emerging issues can be heard and must be heeded.

"The report offers helpful recommendations to the GEF to foster this process," he said.
Also commenting, the GEF's International Waters Focal Area Coordinator, Ivan Zavadsky said that over 20 years GEF has catalyzed the largest investment of its kind in human history.

“GEF's $1.3 billion catalyzed a total of $7 billion of investment in managing shared waters - fresh and marine - in almost every part of the planet, above and below its surface," Ivan said.

"World leaders agreed at the Rio+20 summit in June to strengthen the science-policy interface and to foster international research collaboration on sustainable development. This is especially important in respect to water resources at a point in time of unprecedented pressures from climate change and urbanization to pollution and over extraction," said UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

Yinka Awosanya/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

IITA, ABUAD sign MoU to unlock potentials in Africa

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) in order to unlock Africa's potential in agriculture, natural resources and human.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the MoU is to serve as a linking bridge between the two institutions to boost cooperation so as to complement each other's research efforts.

Commenting on the MoU, Director General of IITA, Dr. Nteranya Sanginga expressed the institute's excitement over the MoU that IITA is confident to work with ABUAD to tackle hunger and poverty challenges on the continent.

"The MoU will help in building the critical human capital that will address the present and future challenges of not only agriculture but also development," Dr. Sanginga said, adding that agriculture is faced with several constraints like climate change, pests and diseases.

He said the objective of the MoU is a meaningful avenue to engage the youths and give them the tools to be productive.

Specifically, IITA and ABUAD will collaborate in research and development topics of mutual interest, develop joint research and development project proposals, organize joint research activities, conferences, and workshops, establish linkages between IITA and ABUAD scientists, exchange students, and share research materials and publications of common interest.

Vice-Chancellor of ABUAD, Prof. Sidi Osho said the MoU would also help to boost food production and security. Prof. Osho also revealed that the MoU will confer great benefits on the university in terms of international linkages, exchange programs, strengthening research and offering qualitative strategies for administrative capacity.

Yinka Awosanya/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Group wants protection for poor countries against climate change

The Least Developed Countries (LDCs) group, have advocated protection for poor countries from the menace of climate change as there is a big risk of loss of key issues if they are not protected.

The chairman of the group, Pa Ousman Jarju of the Gambia said there is a great need to massive increase in funds for adaption and for action in order to reduce emission. "We need to set up a proper international coordination process to deliver resources for adaptation to those in most need," he advised.

In a press statement made available to NaijaAgroNet by the International Institute for Environment and Development, Pa Jarju listed global warming causing drought, water and food shortages as part of the major challenges facing the world at the moment which call for actions.

He also said there are no chances of survival if the necessary issues are being deferred till 2015 when a new agreement will be negotiated.

 According to Pa Jarju, drought in the USA only cost insurance companies money, while droughts in the LDCs are causing loss of life and livelihoods, malnutrition in our children and huge dislocation which is very serious for our survival.

“It is extremely important that governments agree to respect the commitments they have already made to provide finance, technology and capacity building to developing countries and to enhance cooperation to help them adapt to the impacts of climate change and not to use the focus on a new processes to avoid past promises. We cannot indefinitely delay action, especially with regard to climate change, which is already upon us,” he said.

aid.

 Yinka Awosanya

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology