An artistic point of view!

I was sent this interesting piece of art/cartoon by someone using the name "Mommy, Why Is The Sky Blew". I thought it was an interesting appraisal of Bush's two terms in office. Appologies if this is an old image that has been seen lots before but it's the first time I've seen it and I think it says a lot more in a lot less space than I usually use.

ARCTIC PEOPLES MUST BE CONSULTED ON ADAPTATION TO WARMING, SAYS UN-BACKED GROUP

ARCTIC PEOPLES MUST BE CONSULTED ON ADAPTATION TO WARMING, SAYS UN-BACKED GROUP
New York, Mar 13 2009 1:00PM

Indigenous Arctic peoples must be consulted on ways to preserve their ways of life and boost employment opportunities as the northern ice retreats due to climate change, a group of experts convened by the United Nations cultural agency has agreed.

"Action formulated to address Arctic issues must begin from an understanding that many of the peoples of the Arctic have self-governing institutions," according to recommendations issued by participants at the meeting organized by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

"These peoples and their institutions have immense creativity and seek to advance the self-determination, prosperity and aspirations of their communities and their regions," they added.

According to UNESCO, rapidly changing climate in the Arctic is putting pressure on hundreds of thousands of indigenous people in the circumpolar north.

The agency noted that for decades they have been witnessing a dramatic shift during the Arctic Ocean's open water season, as sea ice retreats further and further from coasts. Industrial development and shipping are expected to rise in its place.

The four-day meeting hosted by Monaco in early March sought to address the concerns of the Arctic communities and identify strategies for the sustainable development of the region, bringing together experts in the social and natural sciences, ethics, education, and international affairs with representatives of indigenous peoples.

The recommendations of the group include establishing "a working/advisory group to develop dialogue and strategy on the challenges of climate change for circumpolar indigenous peoples, including safeguarding intangible heritage and building synergies between indigenous and scientific knowledge."

Other objectives range from promoting employment opportunities through the conservation of traditional activities to improving the access of researchers to exclusive economic zones in the Arctic area.

Participants at the meeting included representatives of the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON), the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), the Saami Parliament, the Arctic Council, UNESCO and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

In addition, all Arctic States (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States) were represented as well as other concerned States, some from Europe but some from as far south as New Zealand, South Africa, and Japan.

The Director General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, opened the discussions, applauding the bold mandate of the meeting. "Adaptation and response have become an unavoidable necessity. The development of appropriate adaptation and response strategies has therefore emerged as a central preoccupation of all actors, including the UN system," he said.
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SRI LANKA: ACTIONS BY GOVERNMENT FORCES, REBELS POSSIBLE WAR CRIMES – UN RIGHTS CHIEF

SRI LANKA: ACTIONS BY GOVERNMENT FORCES, REBELS POSSIBLE WAR CRIMES – UN RIGHTS CHIEF
New York, Mar 13 2009 10:00AM

The top United Nations human rights official today deplored the mounting deaths and injuries of civilians due to the "bitter" conflict in northern Sri Lanka between Government forces and a rebel group, pointing out that some moves by both sides could amount to war crimes.

High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said that certain actions undertaken by the
Sri Lankan military and by the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) could constitute violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

"We need to know more about what is going on, but we know enough to be sure that the situation is absolutely desperate," she said. "The world today is ever-sensitive about such acts that could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity."

Although there is a Government-designated 'no-fire' zone for civilians in the Vanni region, repeated shelling has continued inside these areas, according to information made available to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Last week, the UN humanitarian wing said that that the conflict zone has shrank from 300 square kilometres to nearly 58 square kilometres in February, with many civilians – the UN puts their number at between 150,000 and 180,000 – taking refuge in a new 14-square kilometre 'no-fire zone.'

Other areas where civilians are sheltering have been hit, and OHCHR noted reports that over 2,800 people may have been killed and 7,000 others injured – many in the no-fire zones – since 20 January. Many children are believed to be among the casualties, with hundred having lost their lives and over 1,000 hurt.

"The current level of civilian casualties is truly shocking, and there are legitimate fears that the loss of life may reach catastrophic levels if the fighting continues this way," Ms. Pillay said, adding that "very little attention is being focused on this bitter conflict."

The LTTE is believed to be continuing to hold civilians as human shields and shooting those trying to leave their control. Further, they are reportedly forcibly recruiting civilians, including children, as soldiers.

"The brutal and inhuman treatment of civilians by the LTTE is utterly reprehensible, and should be examined to see if it constitutes war crimes," the High Commissioner said.

Limited amount of food and essential medial supplies to treat victims are leading to further deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

Ms. Pillay called on both the Government and the LTTE to immediately halt the fighting to allow all civilians to evacuate the conflict zone, urging Sri Lankan authorities to give UN and other independent agencies full access to accurately assess conditions.

Last week, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly deplored the mounting civilian death and stressed the urgent need for the end of clashes.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban repeated his call to the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE to "suspend hostilities for the purposes of allowing civilians to leave the conflict zone, and allowing immediate humanitarian access to them."

He appealed to the LTTE to take its weapons and fighters out of areas where there are many civilians, cooperate in humanitarian efforts and instantly end recruiting children, some as young as 13 years of age, as soldiers. In addition, he urged the Government to begin "serious" efforts to resolve the underlying causes of the conflict.
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Cayman Islands: Ensure Equality for All

(New York) - The Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory, should revise a draft constitution that will be submitted to voters on May 20, 2009, to ensure that it gives full protections to all against unequal treatment, and the British government should ensure that this happens, Human Rights Watch said today in letters to the Cayman governor, Stuart Jack, and the British foreign secretary, David Miliband.

The draft constitution is being revised by the Cayman Islands government and will eliminate a free-standing guarantee of equality before the law and limit anti-discrimination protections only to rights expressly included in the constitution. This means that large and critically important areas of daily life would not be covered, including access to jobs, housing, and medical treatment. Reportedly, the government succumbed to pressure from religious groups, and the action was apparently intended to deny protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

"The British government is using a double standard, approving a draft constitution for an overseas territory that gives fewer protections than British citizens enjoy at home," said Boris O. Dittrich, advocacy director of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights program at Human Rights Watch. "Equality means equality, and it should apply across the board."

Human Rights Watch urged the British and Cayman governments to ensure that protections in the new constitution apply not only to discrimination by the state, but also to discrimination by private entities.

The new constitution will be voted on in a referendum during the territory's general elections.

Equality Cayman, a nongovernmental organization in the Cayman Islands, has strongly criticized the scope of the proposed language for section 16 in the draft constitution, stating that it offers inadequate protections against prejudice and inequality.

Human Rights Watch urged the British government to ensure that the new constitution is in line with expanding protections against discrimination in UN and European law. The United Kingdom has extended the UN human rights treaties and the European Convention on Human Rights to the Cayman Islands.

"Protecting against discrimination and promoting equality should be core purposes of a bill of rights," said Dittrich. "The territory's new constitution should not fall short of that aim."

In the Organization of American States (OAS), all member governments adopted a resolution in 2008 expressing concern over acts of violence and human rights violations committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. All Caribbean states surrounding the Cayman Islands are signatories to the OAS resolution.

ADB Approves $4.4 Billion Lending Program For Pakistan

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Wednesday it approved a $4.4 billion lending program for Pakistan for 2009 to 2013 to facilitate structural changes, promote investment and improve institutional effectiveness.

Dow Jones adds that "the aid package will average $1.5 billion per year through 2011", said ADB Country Director for Pakistan Rune Stroem. "The main purpose of the aid is to sustain growth, reduce poverty and accelerate the transformation of economy", Stroem said. "Most of the assistance will go to improving sectors such as energy, water and infrastructure, and to economic reforms," she continued.

However, the Business Recorder writes that "Stroem expressed serious concern over political instability in Pakistan, and feared that the situation could upset the on-going lending programs of the international donors, including the International Monitory Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the ADB. He said that the security risks had become a matter of serious concern among the international donors."

World Bank Says Global Economy To Shrink 1-2 Percent

The global economy is on track for its worst recession since the 1930s with output likely to shrink by 1-2 percent this year, World Bank President Robert Zoellick told the Daily Mail newspaper. Central and eastern European countries were particularly vulnerable, he said, urging rich nations to do more to fill the financing gap left by an exodus of capital from the developing world.

The Daily Mail writes in an interview with Zoellick that when Zoellick looks across the horizon he sees mounting problems for both the industrialized and developing world. The global economic meltdown is costing lives. He says: "Our estimates are that because of the drop in growth, another 200,000 to 400,000 children will die each year. So that is certainly the wrong direction".

As matters stand, Zoellick is doing all in his power to try and fill the financing gap for the developing world left by the withdrawal of frightened bankers from the global capital markets. "We have about an extra $100 billion of lending to countries that are qualified to borrow, but these are not the very poorest countries". Zoellick also wants to gear up lending through the Bank's concessional arm, the International Development Association (IDA) "We have $42 billion for the 80 poorest countries... we are trying to front load that as much as possible"

$50 MILLION US CONTRIBUTION WILL BOOST WOMEN’S RIGHTS, SAYS UN

$50 MILLION US CONTRIBUTION WILL BOOST WOMEN'S RIGHTS, SAYS UN
New York, Mar 12 2009 12:00PM

United States President Barack Obama's release of $50 million to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will help curb poverty and improve the health of women and children in over 150 nations, the agency said today, lauding an action it said will help it continue its "life-saving" work.

Mr. Obama signed legislation yesterday to restore US funding for UNFPA which has been suspended since 2002.

"This is a great day for women, girls and their families around the world," said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, the agency's Executive Director. "We warmly applaud this action by President Obama, which underlines his support to the protection of the lives and human dignity of women and girls in the poorest countries."

The US contribution will allow UNFPA to "maintain its life-saving work, particularly improving maternal and reproductive health in the world's poorest communities, especially during this financial crisis," she said.

Yesterday's action fulfills a pledge Mr. Obama made during his first days as US leader to resume support for UNFPA and join 180 other donor nations in working towards slashing poverty, boosting the health of women and children, preventing HIV/AIDS and providing family planning assistance to women in 154 countries.

"We are delighted that the United States will once again take a leading role in championing women's reproductive health and rights, alongside all other countries and partners that have supported us over the years," Ms. Obaid noted.
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SUDAN: TOP ENVOY WELCOMES WITHDRAWAL OF GROUPS FROM DISPUTED AREA

SUDAN: TOP ENVOY WELCOMES WITHDRAWAL OF GROUPS FROM DISPUTED AREA
New York, Mar 12 2009 9:00AM

The top United Nations envoy to Sudan today welcomed the withdrawal of the last remaining forces of two groups from the disputed town of Abyei, which lies in an oil-rich area close to the boundary between the vast African nations' north and south.

Ashraf Qazi, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, said that with this move, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) have left the local Joint Integrated Units – combining forces of both parties – as the only military force in the town.

Last May, deadly fighting broke out in Abyei, which led to the destruction of much of the town and the sudden displacement of tens of thousands of residents.

The following month, an agreement was reached on a road map seeking to restore stability to the region, spurring civilians who had fled as a result of the violence to start to return.

Mr. Qazi today voiced hope that progress made on the withdrawal from Abyei will opent he door to other advances in implementing this road map, including the funding of the Abyei Area Administration.

"This shows how much the parties can do when they work together as partners," he said. "This kind of cooperation can serve as a model as we tackle the remaining challenges ahead."

The envoy lauded the parties for their efforts to keep the arbitration process on track, noting that this shows the potential for progress in putting all elements of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) into place.

That pact was signed in January 2005, ending the 21-year war between the SAF and the SPLA that killed at least two million people and displaced 4.5 million others.
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REVISED UN ESTIMATES PUT WORLD POPULATION AT OVER 9 BILLION BY 2050

REVISED UN ESTIMATES PUT WORLD POPULATION AT OVER 9 BILLION BY 2050
New York, Mar 11 2009 6:00PM

The world's population will hit 7 billion early in 2012 and top 9 billion in 2050, with the majority of the increase taking place in developing countries, according to revised United Nations estimates released today.

"There have been no big changes for the recent estimates and we have not changed the assumptions for the future," Hania Zlotnik, Director of the Population Division at the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), told reporters in New York.

"We're still projecting that by 2050 the population of the world will be around 9.1 billion," she said, as she presented the 2008 Revision of the World Population Prospects.

The Revision also says that nine countries are expected to account for half of the world's projected increase from 2010 to 2050: India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, United States, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania, China and Bangladesh.

Ms. Zlotnik noted that current projections are based on the assumption that fertility is going to decline from the current global level of 2.5 children per woman to 2.1 children per woman from now until 2050.

The population of the 49 least developed countries (LDCs) is still the fastest growing in the world, at 2.3 per cent per year, according to a news release issued by the Population Division.

While the population of developing countries as a whole is projected to rise from 5.6 billion in 2009 to 7.9 billion in 2050, the population of more developed regions is expected to change minimally, passing from 1.23 billion to 1.28 billion.

The latter would have declined to 1.15 billion were it not for the projected net migration from developing to developed countries, which is expected to average 2.4 million persons annually from 2009 to 2050.

The UN adds that projected trends are contingent on fertility declines in developing countries. Without further reductions of fertility, the world population could increase by nearly twice as much as currently expected.

"It is going to be extremely important to continue funding and increasing the funding that has gone down for family planning because, if not, our projections on declining fertility are unlikely to be met," Ms. Zlotnik stated.

She added that the projected population trends also depend on achieving a major increase in the proportion of AIDS patients who get anti-retroviral therapy to treat the disease and on the success of efforts to control the further spread of HIV.

Among the other findings, she noted that most developing countries are unlikely to meet the goal of reducing under-five mortality by two-thirds by 2015, one of eight globally agreed targets set out in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
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BAN WELCOMES SOMALIA’S COMMITMENT TO RECONCILIATION, BUT NOTES HURDLES AHEAD

BAN WELCOMES SOMALIA'S COMMITMENT TO RECONCILIATION, BUT NOTES HURDLES AHEAD
New York, Mar 11 2009 6:00PM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has lauded the resolve of Somalia's leaders and people to press ahead with reconciliation efforts, in spite of the numerous challenges the Horn of Africa nation faces.

The recent expansion of the Parliament and the peaceful election of President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed are "clearly testimony of the commitment of the parties to move forward with national reconciliation," Mr. Ban wrote in his latest report on Somalia, made public today.

He said he is "pleased" that the new Somali leader has stated that he plans to reach out to groups opposed to the UN-brokered Djibouti process, urging "all the people of Somalia to embrace the spirit of forgiveness and compromise and put the past behind them for the sake of peace and reconciliation."

But the Secretary-General noted the many challenges ahead for the war-torn nation which has not had a functioning government since 1991.

"The simmering conflict between the forces of peace and those opposed to peace is just one example of those hurdles," he wrote, adding that the instability caused by hostilities, abductions and fear continue to hinder delivery of vital humanitarian aid.

A January UN analysis found that more than three million people in Somalia, a third or more of the total population, will remain dependent on humanitarian assistance this year.

The new report also commended the international community's response to combating piracy off the Somali coast, calling on donors to help fund a Joint Security Force and effective government mechanisms to help fight the continuing threat posed by the scourge.

Mr. Ban noted that among the aims of the UN's comprehensive strategy for Somalia is to help the African Union Mission there (AMISOM) reach its authorized full strength of 8,000 troops and police personnel, and give Somali security institutions the capacity to create a level of security to enable the Djibouti peace process.

The UN Security Council has yet to decide whether to deploy a multidimensional UN peacekeeping operation that would take over from AMISOM, and "there remains uncertainty about whether peacekeeping is the right tool to support the political process in Somalia," he wrote.

He said he will put forth by next month recommendations on developing the mandate for a UN force, including assisting the flow of humanitarian aid, monitoring a ceasefire and assisting "in supporting the effective re-establishment and training of inclusive Somali security forces, including military, police and judiciary," as requested by Council resolution 1863.

The "follow-on" UN force is subject, however, to a further decision of the Council, to be taken by 1 June 2009, according to that resolution.
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DARFUR: UN, SUDAN ASSESS HUMANITARIAN NEEDS AFTER OUSTER OF AID GROUPS

DARFUR: UN, SUDAN ASSESS HUMANITARIAN NEEDS AFTER OUSTER OF AID GROUPS
New York, Mar 11 2009 6:00PM

A joint United Nations and Sudanese Government mission to evaluate the need for food, water, health and emergency shelter in Darfur commenced today, as the humanitarian community attempts to recover from the expulsion of 13 major aid groups assisting some 4.7 million people.

The expulsions started immediately after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.

As of 10 March, 183 international staff of the affected non-governmental organizations (NGOs) had already left the country, with others awaiting exit visas to depart, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

A UN spokesperson in New York said today that in addition to Darfur other areas of North Sudan would be deeply affected by the expulsions.

For example, Abyei, Blue Nile State, and Southern Kordofan State were located on the front lines of the North-South civil war and some of the expelled NGOs had provided health, nutrition, water, sanitation, education, food security, and other assistance to hundreds of thousands of people there.

In addition, concern for the safety of all humanitarian staff continues following repeated incidents of intimidation and harassment and reported efforts to confiscate NGO, UN, and donor-owned equipment.

The UN has requested the Government of Sudan to return all confiscated items, UN Spokesperson Marie Okabe said.

Meanwhile, the African Union-UN mission in Darfur (UNAMID) reports that a peaceful demonstration made up mostly of youth and labour movement figures took place today in Nyala, South Darfur, condemning the ICC decision to indict President Al-Bashir.

Despite being hit by another carjacking last night, UNAMID said its operations proceeded normally today, conducting 51 military and 96 police patrols around villages and displaced persons camps in the past 24 hours.

At the same time, there has been some diplomatic activity on Darfur, Ms. Okabe said, reporting that representatives of the Government of Sudan and the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) recommitted themselves to a negotiated settlement to the conflict, at a meeting in Doha, Qatar, facilitated by UN-AU Joint Chief Mediator Djibril Bassolé.

Mr. Bassolé intends to meet with the representatives of other rebel movements and regional countries in the coming days in an effort to broaden the participation in the Doha talks.

He is scheduled to brief the Security Council on the Darfur political process on 26 March.
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Sea Levels Rising Twice As Fast As Predicted.

Sea levels are predicted to rise twice as fast as was forecast by the UN only two years ago scientists said on Tuesday in a new warning about climate change. Rapidly melting ice sheets... are likely to push up sea levels by a meter or more by 2100, swamping coastal cities and obliterating the living space of 600 million people who live in deltas, low-lying areas and small island states.

The new estimate appears to significantly worsen the predictions of a report in 2007 by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which said sea level could rise by up to 59 centimeters this century. The IPCC estimate had been based largely on the expansion of oceans from higher temperatures, rather than meltwater and the impact of glaciers breaking into the sea.

Using the new model, 'we get a range of sea level rise by 2100 between 75 and 190 centimeters when we apply the IPCC's temperature scenarios for the future,' said climate expert Stefan Rahmstorf of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. Even if the world manages to dramatically cut the emission of greenhouse gases driving global warming, the 'best estimate' is about one meter (3.25 feet), he said.

China Hit By Massive Drop In Exports.

Chinese exports slumped 25.7 percent in February, much higher than analysts had expected, as the global economic crisis began to take its full toll on the country's export sector. China's exports have decreased for four months in a row, but until February the rate of decline had been much slower than seen in other Asian countries with large export sectors.

China's trade surplus in February totaled $4.84 billion, the lowest since $2.5 billion in February 2006 and a sharp drop from $39.1 billion in January. Trade in key commodities - including crude oil, coal and iron ore - reflected plummeting world-wide demand for metals and energy resources as well as a slowing domestic Chinese economy. The latest data could hurt China's first-quarter gross domestic product as exports have been a key growth driver.

China's imports fell by 24.1 percent, less than January's 43 percent plunge but still a blow to its trading partners, especially other Asian nations that supply its export industries with components and raw materials. The commerce minister warned Tuesday the slump is unlikely to end soon, saying trade will be a 'grim picture' in coming months.

Dengue outbreaks on the rise in Asia-Pacific - WHO

Outbreaks of dengue fever have risen in the Asia Pacific region in the past year, killing three times more victims in 2008 than in recent years, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Wednesday.

Chusak Prasittisuk, a dengue specialist with the WHO, said 3,255 people died of the disease last year in the organisation's Southeast Asia countries grouping, which also includes South Asia and North Korea as well as Indonesia, Thailand and Timor Leste. This compared to 1,202 in 2003.

Dengue fever, an old enemy to the region, is gathering strength, with almost three times as many people in South-east Asia dying of the haemorrhagic form last year, compared with five years ago. It is fast spreading to newer areas in the Asia-Pacific region, and with more frequent outbreaks. Altogether, 1.8 billion people in the region are at risk of being infected.

According to latest statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO), cases of dengue haemorrhagic fever - in which uncontrollable bleeding occurs - have increased by more than 70 per cent since 2003.

Singapore had seen a 26 per cent jump in dengue cases in the first nine weeks of this year, compared to the same period in 2008. And authorities are taking a more concerted approach in the fight against the mosquito-borne disease, which can be fatal in its severest form.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said the Aedes mosquito, which transmits dengue fever, was spreading to areas that were once unaffected.

Singapore and the World Health Organization (WHO) today kicked off the first capacity building Asia-Pacific dengue workshop in Singapore. According to a government statement, the eight-day workshop will provide program managers, laboratory personnel and other key program staff with important tools to be able to address dengue outbreak preparedness more effectively. It aims to equip Asia-Pacific countries with the skills to implement more effective integrated national dengue control programs.

Population Growth, Climate Change Sparking Water Crisis: UN

Surging population growth, climate change, reckless irrigation and chronic waste are placing the world's water supplies at threat, a landmark UN report said on Thursday. The world population is projected to exceed nine billion in 2050, up from 6.8 billion this year and seven billion early in 2012, according to UN estimates released on Wednesday.

Most of the additional 2.3 billion people will swell the population of the developing world, estimated to soar from 5.6 billion this year to 7.9 billion in 2050, and to spread among the 15-59 age group (1.2 billion) and those 60 or over (1.1 billion), the data showed.

Compiled by 24 UN agencies, the World Water Development Report gave a grim assessment of the state of the planet's freshwater, especially in developing countries. Lack of access to water helps drive poverty and deprivation and breeds the potential for unrest and conflict, it warned.

Population growth is driving explosive demand for water, prompting rivers in thirsty countries to be tapped for nearly every drop and driving governments to pump out so-called fossil water, the report said. Fuelling this is misuse or abuse of water, through pollution, unbridled irrigation, pipe leakage and growing of water-craving crops in deserts.

Applying pressure from the other side is climate change, said the report. Shifts to weather systems, unleashed by man-made global warming, will alter rainfall patterns and reduce snow melt, scientists say.

The 2008 Revision of the official UN populations projections forecast minimal change in the population of the more developed nations, which should rise from 1.23 billion to 1.28 billion during the same period.

HEALTH HAZARDS DEMAND STRONGER CLIMATE CHANGE MEASURES, ARGUES UN AGENCY

HEALTH HAZARDS DEMAND STRONGER CLIMATE CHANGE MEASURES, ARGUES UN AGENCY
New York, Mar 11 2009 3:00PM

Policymakers should consider the threat climate change poses to public health in setting their priorities for action and investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the United Nations health agency told a conference in Copenhagen.

Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the health dimension of the issue at the three-day Climate Change Global Risks, Challenges and Decisions conference, which ends tomorrow.

Based on research, WHO estimates that around 150,000 deaths now occur in low-income countries each year, with young children making up almost 85 per cent of these excess deaths, due to the effect climate change has on crop failure and malnutrition, diarrhoeal disease, malaria and flooding.

Health hazards from climate change are diverse, global and difficult to reverse, according to WHO. They range from increased risk to safety from extreme weather events, to the effects of global warming on infectious disease and sea level rises leading to salinization of land and water sources.

The agency contends that feasible improvements to the environment could reduce the burden on global disease, a large part of which is caused by energy consumption and transport systems, by more than 25 per cent.

Outdoor air pollution accounts for 800,000 deaths annually around the world, traffic accidents for 1.2 million, physical inactivity for 1.9 million and indoor air pollution for 1.5 million, noted a press release issued by WHO.

"Whether it's the 70,000 excess deaths from the heat wave in Europe in 2003, or new malarial deaths in the central African highlands, the people at greatest risk for climate-related health disorders and premature deaths are the poor, the geographically vulnerable, the very young, women and the elderly," WHO said.

The populations WHO considered to be at greatest risk are those living in small island developing States, mountainous regions, areas with poor access to water, huge cities and coastal areas in developing countries, as well as poor people and those lacking access to health services.
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BLUE HELMETS, AID WORKERS MUST ‘GREEN’ THEIR OPERATIONS – UN

BLUE HELMETS, AID WORKERS MUST 'GREEN' THEIR OPERATIONS – UN
New York, Mar 11 2009 10:00AM

Military and civilian aid experts at a United Nations-backed meeting today emphasized the need for a peacekeepers and aid agencies to take a 'green' approach in their work to protect the environment and the long-term livelihoods of communities affected by conflict.

Studies have shown that the demand for such critical natural resources as wood and water by peacekeepers can often be significant, straining vulnerable environments.

But this demand could be considerably curbed through better planning and management – including the use of new technologies that guarantee water and energy efficiency as well as construction methods that minimize deforestation – and even play a part in recovery, development and peace consolidated in areas hit by hostilities.

International peacekeeping forces and aid organizations "have the responsibility to ensure that their presence and operations have a minimal ecological footprint and do not aggravate environmental degradation, which may be a dimension of the conflict," said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

The day-long gathering at the Nairobi headquarters of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) was co-organized by the UN Department of Field Support (DFS), the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), the Swedish Defence Research Agency and the Environmental Law Institute.

UNMIS, with the support of the Swedish Government, is investing $5 million in environmentally-friendly operations for its 10,000 troops in 25 bases. As part of this pilot programme, the Mission is using new ways of treating waste and using both water and energy more efficiently, with the goal of reducing the volume of waste by 60 per cent, water consumption by 30 per cent and energy expenditure by 25 per cent.

A new UNEP report, entitled "From Conflict to Peacebuilding: The Role of Natural Resources and the Environment," was presented at today's Nairobi's gathering.

The publication notes that at least 18 conflicts since 1990 have been triggered by the exploitation of natural resources, with at least 40 per cent of all civil clashes in the past six decades being linked to these resources.

It stresses that the way the environment is handled can influence post-conflict peacebuilding and stability.

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LITTLE PROGRESS TOWARDS LASTING PEACE BETWEEN ISRAEL, LEBANON, SAYS UN OFFICIAL

LITTLE PROGRESS TOWARDS LASTING PEACE BETWEEN ISRAEL, LEBANON, SAYS UN OFFICIAL
New York, Mar 10 2009 7:00PM

Although the ceasefire is still in place, very little progress has been made on the Security Council resolution which helped end fighting between the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the armed group Hizbollah two years ago, the top United Nations representative to Lebanon said today.

"The past months have witnessed the most serious violations by both parties of their obligations under [resolution] 1701 since it was adopted [in August 2006], but despite these violations the cessation of hostilities continues to hold," Michael Williams, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, told reporters in New York after briefing the Council.

He highlighted the continued cessation of hostilities, the longest period of stability that southern Lebanon and northern Israel have known in decades, and the healthy internal political situation in Lebanon in the run up to general elections in June as positive signs for long-term peace between the countries.

In addition, he pointed to the establishment of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria and moves towards reconciliation in the wider Arab world as having an "enormously positive effect on the ground" in Lebanon.

"The long-standing issue of prisoners and captives held by Hizbollah and Israel was, as you know, resolved last year," he added.

"However, there also many other issues within 1701 where very little progress has been achieved," Mr. Williams said.

The 2006 resolution called for renewed respect for the Blue Line separating the Lebanese forces and IDF, the disarming of militias and an end to arms smuggling, among other measures.

The Special Coordinator noted that although the process of national dialogue in Lebanon, under President Michel Suleiman, has contributed towards national stability, the question of the disarmament of armed groups is only making slow progress.

"You as journalists and of observers of conflict in very many countries, not just in the Middle East, know how difficult it is to take the weapons out of politics," Mr. Williams said. "I think that needs to be done. It needs to be a Lebanese-led process."

With regard to border control and border management, he said there had been some improvement with the establishment of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria and much closer coordination between the relevant authorities.

Although Lebanon had appointed a representative to the Joint Border Committee established between the two countries and sent an ambassador to Damascus, Syria had not done either yet, the Special Coordinator said.

Another issue Mr. Williams highlighted was the IDF's occupation of the northern part of the village of Ghajar, situated on Lebanon's border with the Golan.

He expressed hope that the formation of a new Israeli government following elections in February would lead to another IDF withdrawal from the village and progress on the issue of cluster bombs and munitions.
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CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: INCLUSIVE TALKS COULD LEAD TO PEACE CONSOLIDATION – UN

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: INCLUSIVE TALKS COULD LEAD TO PEACE CONSOLIDATION – UN
New York, Mar 10 2009 6:00PM

Recent long-awaited multi-party talks in the Central African Republic (CAR) have provided a window of opportunity to make strides towards consolidating peace in the land-locked nation, a top United Nations envoy told the Security Council today.

François Lonsény Fall, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, said that last December's successful talks held in the capital, Bangui, were a result of two years of "tremendous effort" by various actors, both national – including representatives of the Government, opposition and civil society – and international.

Three committees have been established in the areas of politics and governance; security and armed groups; and socio-economic questions, he said in his last briefing to the Council in his current position.

The first committee has "had to deal with the most contentious issues," such as the legitimacy of the current regime and the country's governance, Mr. Fall said.

At the end of the 12-day dialogue, he told the Council, several agreements had been reached, including the establishment of a broad-based government, a commitment to hold elections in 2009 and 2010, and the setting up of an independent electoral commission.

The security committee, for its part, has dealt with the issues of implementing security sector reform, restructuring the national armed forces and combating the proliferation of small arms, the envoy said, while the socio-economic committee is focusing on putting into place a poverty reduction strategy, reforming public finances and reforming the management of national resources.

Mr. Fall briefed the Council on the deterioration of the security situation in northern CAR, where rebel groups and a spill-over of violence from the Darfur war in neighbouring Sudan have driven hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. He said there has been intense fighting and "some very daring attacks" against government institutions and military installations in some areas.

But in spite of the setbacks, he stressed that the December inclusive dialogue has provided an occasion to bring stability to the country, which has been beset by widespread fighting and armed banditry in recent years, with some 200,000 Central Africans have been either internally displaced by the fighting or forced to live as refugees in neighbouring Chad and Cameroon.

The Representative said that CAR leaders have "underlined the need to obtain support from the international community at the same time as they try to implement the foundations of the dialogue."

Last June, the Government struck an agreement with the rebel groups known as the Union of Democratic Forces for Unity (UFDR) and the Popular Army for the Restoration of Democracy (APRD) after talks in Libreville, Gabon, facilitated by that country's President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba.

Also in June 2008, the CAR became the fourth country to be placed on the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission, which aims to help States emerging from conflict to avoid the slide back into war or chaos.

A report issued by the Commission's mission that visited the country last autumn stressed that without concrete and substantive progress in inclusive political dialogue, efforts to achieve improvement in security, rule of law and development remained stalled in a country that is beset by unrest, widespread displacement and entrenched poverty.

"There is also a general awareness that progress has to be simultaneous on all three fronts," said the publication, released in January.
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SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT COULD NET 10 MILLION NEW JOBS, UN AGENCY SAYS

SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT COULD NET 10 MILLION NEW JOBS, UN AGENCY SAYS
New York, Mar 10 2009 5:00PM
Ten million new "green jobs" can be created by national investments in sustainable forest management, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) said today.

"As more jobs are lost due to the current economic downturn, sustainable forest management could become a means of creating millions of green jobs, thus helping to reduce poverty and improve the environment," said Jan Heino, Assistant Director-General of FAO's Forestry Department.

Since forests and trees are vital storehouses of carbon, such an investment would also make a major contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, he said.

Jobs in forest management include agro-forestry and farm forestry, improved fire management, development and management of trails and recreation sites, expansion of urban green spaces, restoring degraded forests and planting new ones.

A number of countries, including the United States and the Republic of Korea, have included forestry in their economic stimulus plans, and it is an important component of India's rural employment guarantee programme, FAO said.

Employment in sustainable forest management will be a major topic of World Forest Week, to be held in conjunction with FAO's Committee on Forestry, 16 to 20 March in Rome.
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