Nigeria failure of the Global Climate Changes Conference

The just concluded 16th Conference of the United Nations Climate Changes Conference in Cancun, Mexico, marks a turning point for the struggle of African countries to get the machinery of the United Nations convincingly developed countries to programs on the continent, to fund the impact of African climate change on the pillows.

After the conference, a new climate financing mechanism, such as climate Green Fund was announced at the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was created. Forest conservation and protection was also a part of the strategic agreement, which means the vulnerable people and indigenous peoples whose livelihoods depend on forestry now benefit.

The effect of the Cancun Convention for Africa is overwhelming. The continent now has the 'it means opportunities and technologies that could be to adjust the sensitivity of access to climate change.

At the conference of the continent, the African Group, its commitment to the position found attention to the vulnerability of the African continent, and how climate change is already having an impact on the livelihoods of millions of Africans.

Ethiopia, Sudan, Mozambique and South Africa are the countries whose voice vote at all plenary sessions and all require a fair and equitable agreement that does not compromise the interest of Africa.

But the giant of Africa, Nigeria, was completely absent from the scene. Data from the organizers of the conference showed that the country had the largest contingent at the conference in Africa.

A document of the Ministry of the Environment, said: "Nigeria proactively influence play leading role between developing countries for the African position, with the G77 + China negotiated that block, and highlight the principal of fairness and justice for the development of the town common but differentiated responsibilities and capabilities.”

In the first week of representatives attended the conference of other countries and delegates from NGOs, from Nigeria to the lack of clear Nigeria, which had hitherto played a prominent role in the group of African countries upset.

The research on which the country was a major world conference has shown that missing, while others were engaged in negotiations and form the overall architecture of all treaties, including climate change, the country was up in arms over the heads of Iron power Climate Change in Nigeria locked units.

The fund to sponsor the conference delegates was not available, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Nigeria has been saved to offset costs of travel and subsistence for most of the delegates, n 'is that for two weeks that the conference lasted.

An official of the Ministry of Environment, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the situation in terms of participation of Nigeria was a disgrace.

"The problem in Nigeria to attend the conference in Cancun is a lot," the source said.

"An initial list of delegates include the names of people who have no reason to come to Cancun was more than three quarters of the money for the conference in the 2010 budget has allocated almost empty before the conference, the ambition and personnel interest in the climate change 'unity of interest in Nigeria causes unnecessary delays for the delegates to represent the country have been. "

Nigeria Victor Fodeke know debate on climate change and climate change head unit in the Ministry of Environment, was dismissed shortly before the conference in a style that has not started compatible with the existing rules of public service.

Appeal to the Environment Minister, John Odey, has remained unanswered for comments on this topic.

Folade Adesina, an ecologist with the Global Environment Watch, told the conference that the country does not appear in Cancun was a reflection of how the government assessed low environmental issues and climate change in particular.

"Climate change is another window to make money for government officials, because it is important for citizens, has an impact," said Adesina.

Hassan Ibn Climate Alliance Network, said that Nigeria has the highest representation of Africa at the conference, but their voices were not heard anywhere.

"The Nigerian troops were in disarray, without coordination, without an agenda to pursue, one can hardly speak at meetings, but she screams at the house of government." We are the most vulnerable, "said Ben.

A missed opportunity

Small countries have taken the leading role on climate change on the continent such as Nigeria, a country most affected is the result of climate change, and sleep came.

It is therefore not surprising that Zewani Meles, Ethiopia's Prime Minister, to recommend as co-chairman of the UN Secretary General's High Level Group on how the world would need $ 100 billion was to see the effects of climate change in developing countries for appointment in the developing world by 2020.

A visit to the stand of Ethiopia during the just concluded meeting in Cancun in the country speaks volumes about the opportunity and the platform of the conference, investors in different sectors of the advertising.

South Africa was granted the right to host climate change and in 2011 was a visible display area of the Cancun conference to discuss and interact with investors.

Efe Joseph, a representative of the indigenous peoples of Nigeria told the conference in South Africa "is responsible for climate change in Africa."

A Business Round Table of Nigeria at the Conference of advertising is designed for investors with little traffic, because less than five have been involved and were the "usual time in Africa" was the round table began six hours after that the ground was moving. It was right not only bad, because it coincided with the official opening of the conference, but has made thousands of Nigerian taxpayers 'money'.

In 2009, the Copenhagen conference on climate in Nigeria had a booth in which the resources and potential of the country were exposed. Nevertheless in Cancun, there was that official of State and Government also held meetings in hotel rooms that have two-hour drive from the site.

Mr. Joseph said that no attempt has been made by the government to promote the status of Nigerians in the Niger Delta in the conference.

"We've all seen the impact and role of Bolivia at the conference, in Bolivia, was until the last minute inclusion in the contract clause of Cancun as its indigenous population favors the election he said.

But participants said the country would continue to benefit from the new environment if their environment officials to get their acts together. For example, the new Green Fund Air representative to the Council will require developing and developed countries and in Nigeria can take one seat.

Nigeria may also be strategies for the component hosting the establishment of technology transfer offered to support countries in the developing world.

Highland Council thinks the cuts and climate change impacts

The board has started to assess the positive and negative impacts to the environment to make huge cuts to its services.

In a report, said "Highland Council savings for 2010-11 and 2012-13 would be offered screening for climate change impacts. "

It has less to recycle bin collections could encourage more people. But the council said reducing its workforce could lead to other people with more travel. Climate change is systematically taken into account in decision making at Highland Council.

However, the municipality is an important task for execution in the assessment of positive and negative effects of the cut to several million pounds. Consultants Review Meeting on Thursday, plans, eliminating 300 jobs, close some public toilets and the reduction of street cleaning. The test report referred to climate change, the officials described some potential consequences of the reductions.

Empty containers are not allowed to encourage residents to recycle more or less waste in landfills. Buildings Council closed term could be used for less power. But officials said the move against any increase in travel should be compensated for your work in other positions, resulting in increased emissions of carbon dioxide.

With fewer employees may bring the rest of the trip for several activities that employees cover more personnel?

Climate change impacts is more attention to adaptation

The Maritimes have taken a beating from storms in recent months. Three days ago, had wind speeds up to 140 km / hr and torrential rains that have hit the 79,000 residents of Nova Scotia Power, without the left and caused flooding in New Brunswick.

Dena Dawson carries her 10-month-old son Drayden as daughters Dominique, 15, and Danielle, 13, walk through the debris of their damaged family business, the H.C. Lindsay Funeral Home and Crematorium, in Kentville on Tuesday. A powerful overnight storm with high winds and rain damaged buildings, fel

In August, Meat Cove was a great flash flood damaged roads and bridges, difficult, and cut off communities for days. Nova Scotia Emergency Management Office estimated that the cost of each two-day event, more than $ 7,000,000, including evacuation, repair damage to public infrastructure and private homes are.

Two weeks later, in early September, Hurricane Earl has brought strong winds and heavy rains along the southern coast of Nova Scotia. Although the damage caused by Hurricane Earl was lower than expected, according to media reports, one person died because of the storm and power outages were reported in many environments.

Two months later, in early November, another victim has been reported due to bad weather, Yarmouth County and others have declared a state of local emergency has been blocked roads, power outages were reported, and authorities in charged ' eye dams. In six days, doubling the average seasonal rainfall for the November in some areas: from Kejimkujik National Park and Yarmouth in the rain, as 250 mm fell, causing and flooding and damage to roads and buildings.

And the little more than a week of unusually mild temperatures, heavy rains and winds exceeding 90 km / hr hit the south coast of erosion and flooding, and EMO, a new warning to residents to stay away from the issue of coastal areas. Meanwhile, in northern New Brunswick and parts of the Gulf of St. Lawrence has been heavy rains, strong winds and storm surges has suggested that damage to coastal areas.

The question many people ask is whether these recent events, like last year, unique weather anomalies, or a look at what we might face in coming years due to long-term of the climate change impacts. Canadians want to know more about the significance of the climate change impacts, their communities and their governments can respond to these affects.

Last week, my office has submitted a report to Parliament if the federal government is preparing for the long term to address climate change into account. The report ended that there is still no federal policy on adaptation to climate change, and a strategy and action plan in place.

This is alarming, because the federal government has made with its own scientific assessment that the impact of climate change is inevitable and is already in place in some regions.

For example, increases in average temperature in northern Canada are already twice as much felt in southern Canada. With the melting of permafrost, which cycles roads in the forests of the mountain pine beetle in British Columbia devastated and threatens to spread in the boreal forests of the Yukon and Northwest Territories, from climate change a threat long after the daily reality for many communities moved .

In the Maritimes, scientific research, confirmed by the federal government in 2008, total projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change United Nations: the costs will be increasingly vulnerable to sea level rise and erosion, and increase the number and intensity of extreme weather events like hurricanes and tropical storms.

In addition, the Fisheries and Oceans Canada has identified risks to fish from climate change, while Health Canada has identified potential health problems due to the possible increase in episodes of extreme heat. In recent years, Health Canada has a successful pilot project heat alarm in Fredericton and in other communities across Canada; the number of hot days will increase.

In our report to Parliament, we examined a federal program that helps in partnership with countries and communities, Canadians prepare for the effects of climate change because of climate models and scenarios on the possible impact on regional or local level as the low altitude demonstrate the vulnerability of buildings and other infrastructure, which amounts to interference from sea level rise and coastal erosion can.

The challenge of adaptation to climate change will take years. If the types of events we've seen here in Nova Scotia in recent months, all information, which may be the "new normal" of the future, will require attention in the long term.

Scott Vaughan is the Commissioner for the Environment and Sustainable Development. He is in a public meeting of the Nova Scotia Environmental Network (NSEN) this evening at 07.00 clocks to talk and discuss three main topics: oil pollution, freshwater resources and prepare for the climate change impacts. The event will take place at Veith House, 3115 Veith Street Halifax, NS

Climate change impacts on agriculture AG Masters Conference

Climate change is one biggest problem facing humanity, Don Wuebbles, University of Illinois, said that scientist from the Department of Atmospheric Sciences, over 150 conference participants at the 2010 U of I AG Masters Conference at the I Hotel in Champaign on Thursday, December 2.

"The science is clear," said Wuebbles. "Our climate is changing and human activities have been identified as the main cause. The urgent need for action is undeniable."

Scientific analysis will clearly show changes driven the global temperature changes in atmospheric concentrations of radioactive gases and particles of average size, legalized the most important concerns of climate change for decades to come, he said.

However, Wuebbles says climate change is greater than the increase in temperature. Future temperatures forecast to rise to unprecedented speed, up to 11 degrees warmer than a century later. Besides the fine weather is climate change caused by animals, birds and fish move northward, flowering plants above, the melting snows came early, more heavy rains, the rise in sea level of the sea, melting glaciers and the rapid turnover of vegetation. Warmer winters, hotter summers, wet winters and dry springs and summers provide that challenge for agriculture Illinois summer weather could be similar to East Texas until the end of this century experience. He expects to be more frequent extreme weather events. Heat waves become longer and more frequent droughts, storms increase, and winter snow storms will be stronger.

"Our future climate and its effects depend on decisions made today," said Wuebbles. "Farmers can use renewable energy wherever possible to save energy, and not only to help in their use of fertilizers."

Wuebbles shared the 2007 Nobel Prize for his previous work with the international Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It 'been a member of a Federal Advisory Committee and magazines, published a 2009 report on the potential affect of climate change on the United States.

UM study climate change effects on shoreland plants

University of Minnesota Extension water management experts to examine how shoreland plants roads through the fluctuating water levels, periodic droughts and floods that climate change should lead to be affected.

To protect the soil from the path of water quality by stabilizing banks, reduce runoff and erosion and improving wildlife habitats. Researchers do not know how climate change could affect the survival of the plants have the ability to shoreland plants.

According to Barbara Liukkonen, Extension program leader in water, then the climate change effects into account when communities and individual landowners to plan regeneration projects. "If they survive, the plants grow faster and in different climatic conditions in the future, we will ensure that the project we work on our shoreline as we know, and help Minnesota to protect water resources," Liukkonen said.

The research team is conducting his studies at the University of St. Anthony Falls Laboratory in Minneapolis.

To see a our video above about the research, visit "Researching shoreland plants and climate change"

Investigators: Fire in Israel is a typical example of the climate change effects in the Mediterranean

The Caramel mountain in northern Israel, Reaching 546 meters above sea level. The combination of heavy rainfall (average 800 mm per year), Mountain and few people in the field of pressure in the rich and varied vegetation. By: Ran Gluzman

The disaster of the fire in the Caramel mountain near Haifa is a typical example of the fight against climate change and the taste of the future, said Dr. Guy Pe'er, one of the authors of the first report of Israel to the United Nations on climate change. Ten years ago, was attended by Dr. Israel Pe'er and other scientific ideas on the impact of climate change for Israel. They warned in 2000, climate change expected, thermal events have been delayed rains and the rains of late winter, leading to an increased risk of intense fire.

According to Israel National Report on Climate Change "by Pe'er and other members of 'Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, on behalf of the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection, the intensity and frequency extension of the fire would be willing to increase because of prolonged drought, increased evaporation and a higher frequency of heat waves. With a warming of 1.5 degrees by 2100, now as a conservative scenario models to predict the desert to the north between 300 and 500 km north to expand. Mediterranean ecosystems, as occurs in the Caramel mountain, Israel would then disappear. should forest fire in Mount Caramel in eight months preceded northern Israel of drought and came during a heat wave with temperatures around 30 ° C. Generally, the first rains in September or October came, and the maximum daytime temperature in this time of year should be around 15-20 ° C.

The Caramel mountain in northern Israel, reaching 546 meters above sea level. The combination of heavy rainfall (average 800 mm per year), mountain and few people in the field of pressure in the rich and varied vegetation, including Israel's largest natural forest of pine trees. Therefore, much is now protected in national parks and protected areas.

This is a view of a station in the Caramel mountain, on the morning of November 30, 2010. The station was burned down shortly thereafter. Credit Valley Gluzman

Dr. Guy Pe'er, currently associated with the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, three forest fires in 1989, where a large part of Mount Caramel burned vehicles, through the suburbs of his city of Haifa. "After the fire, I spent a year studying the restoration of vegetation and fallow deer from Mesopotamia to the reintroduction center of Caramel Forest. I learned that fires are a natural thing and recover the wild, if not other disorders." Guy Pe'er, however, overwhelmed by the intensity and extent of the fire: The biggest fire in 1989 destroyed an area which was ten times smaller than the current one.

The worst forest fires in Israel's history has covered a total area of 5000 hectares, 42 people committed suicide and 250 houses burned. Damage estimated at more than 55 million €. Like the government, ministers and fire departments must contribute to this error: Israel has participated in debates on the responsibility seriously? Guy Pe'er has a different view, suggesting that the discussion should be longer and the root cause of the fire or to participate in climate change. "This is our consumption habits and our society. We consume more than we need and can support more than the earth, and so we have put climate change and the risk of our own future. We can act as responsible individuals and our habits? Change, "said Pe'er. From the perspective of conservation biology Israeli policy should take account of this international event for the UN Climate Change being held in Cancun, and ensure that its decisions to lead the fight against climate change. Because climate change is not a fiction: the Israelis these days a glimpse of what is expected in future generations.

Climate changes: who cares?

As delegates from 193 countries gathered in Mexico for the climate summit in Cancun, the problem of climate change seems to be suffering from a lack of movement.

A recent poll by GlobeScan, an international consulting firm, shows a sharp decline in the level of public concern worldwide about the problem.

The survey of 26 countries has taken more than 13,000 people to assess the severity of a number of environmental problems like climate change. The results showed that the percentage of those who refused to climate change as "very serious" rating of 61 percent last year to 53 percent this year, after many years of increasing concern.

Other results of the survey show that the percentage of people beyond the control of countries that believe that "the dangers of climate change are exaggerated," rose from 42 percent in 2008 to 48 percent this year.

North-South divide

Chris Coulter, Vice-President of GlobeScan said that the world is witnessing a North-South divide on climate change, with levels of concern remain stable or growing in emerging markets and decline in Europe and North America.

"The combined effects of recession seems to have confused the results of the climate conference in Copenhagen last year, and shake the controversy surrounding climate research, the faith of people in industrialized countries that climate change is an urgent problem to be addressed" he said.

"That makes it less likely that governments feel pressure to reach a solid agreement in Cancun."

Paul worked at honing, an expert on the feasibility of a series of global environmental problems as a diplomat, is the danger of the growing indifference to the issue of climate change.

"The problem of climate change that could go to public opinions from top to bottom, the emissions is just one way. And that inevitably means increasing the average global temperature, climate and instability all around the world," he said.

"But public opinion can move quickly. It can awaken a bit 'over the floods in Pakistan or India, heat waves and forest fires in Russia, or a series of bad harvests in the United States in mid-western public again .

Then some tough questions about what happens, and who will pay the damages. "

Here to stay

A disturbing change after the break, the recent recovery of large financial press that climate change is inevitable summer.

"The Economist magazine last week with the cover" How to live with climate change, "al. After years of climate change, saying that there was nothing to fear, even conservative analysts now see that great changes have been initiated."

Given that this aspect is more widespread, could have a significant impact on climate policy, "said Hohnen.

"Instead of stopping to try to slow climate change, more efforts can now be found in this adaptation means more dams, buildings and forecast for intensive agriculture to finance, funds are withdrawn for new local infrastructure and drive. Defense-building measures in this case, we will see profound consequences for international trade and finance”

It 'difficult to determine who was responsible for the failure of the summit last year in the absence of Copenhagen, but the stakes are high and the mistrust among the participants that do not contribute to creating a climate conducive to open discussion. Increasing expectations and approach the summit of conflict, politicians are still reluctant to important commitments that have not been at home will be supported.

After the conference in Copenhagen was probably still possible to join an international agreement on climate change has been activated.

This time, the participants recognized that it is not in their interest to provide great optimism for an agreement. The fact that the delegates - not ministers - to prepare the diplomatic ground is a clear signal that the final agreement will not be available in Cancun, which does not mean that the work being done in Mexico, is no less critical.

Despite reports of growing public indifference, the researchers found that the environmental problems facing the world deteriorate. Thursday ', the World Meteorological Organization reported that 2010 on the road, one of the three warmest years since 2001 to 2010 period the warmest decade, he has recorded.

The air temperature on Earth during this period, higher than normal in many parts of the world. Abnormalities of the hottest product in both regions. The first covers Canada and Greenland, with annual temperatures of three or more degrees above normal in western Greenland and the Canadian Arctic and sub-arctic.

The second area where most of the northern half of Africa and South Asia, extending eastwards to the western half of China, with annual temperatures of up to three degrees above normal over much of the region.

Scientists say that global warming is gradually should give more and more frequent droughts and floods and has published a report on the Conference on Friday, said about 350,000 lives per year at risk of natural disasters.

Prepared by a group of vulnerable countries by the island state of Maldives and Dara, a research group based in Madrid humanitarian vulnerability to climate change Monitor 2010 was launched, said the impact of climate change can lead to death five million people by 2020 and cause the greatest number of one million deaths a year by 2030 if global warming is not slowed.

"Bunker-mode"

Cancun is a huge challenge for a replacement of the old Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012 design. The delegates have so far struggled to bash an agreement on emissions of greenhouse gases that would satisfy both rich and poor. Todd Stern, the American envoy said that climate change would be a mistake if a disagreement on the Kyoto Protocol, the negotiations ceased.

"I think it might be that the problems completely stop the Kyoto conference. I am very confident that this will not happen because I'll be a great mistake to think. ... In terms of you have asked if the United States to have a world 2012 without a legally binding agreement. This is not a question of being happy is a matter of trying to see what the real world can progress on this issue is to do, "he said.

Another round of climate negotiations did not signal to the market that will not help to send the process of transition to a sustainable economy. There will be question marks over whether the space is a good idea to invest in energy efficiency and renewables, because governments do not seem in a hurry to solve problems.

If governments fail to reach agreement at Cancun, there is a risk that some countries are in what Paul calls Hohnen bunker mode, "go where the rich countries to invest more in their security and reduce the prospects for a global agreement.

"If a global agreement in short, where all countries have their share of voters in the rich North are not in accord with their taxes are used for the prevention of climate change in the south. Although this may be the political or scientific ethics, it is not difficult to imagine a political union. The irony is that this is probably the first time to talk about ex-climate skeptics. "

In the human species to leave Africa about 80,000 years ago, the increase was due to climate change. There are natural cycles of climate change through a series of factors causes, but human-induced climate change is faster than expected type occurs.