Global Action Plan International

More than half of new power capacity in the U.S. and Europe in 2009 came from renewable sources rather than fossil fuels, according to two new reports by the United Nations. CNN article here.

Following the so-called Marrakech Process, a number of task forces were set up to look in depth at specific questions. The task force on Sustainable Lifestyle has just published its final reports - many of them. An overview report is attached here.

Take a look at Gapminder's chart!

Conference on climate literacy
Kiev, 17 November 2009 and
Chernigiv, 18 November 2009
 
Climate change is not a problem
Climate change is often framed as an overshadowing problem. But in fact, it is not a problem but a symptom. It is one of many symptoms of global un-sustainable development. In other words, symptoms of unhealth created by human behaviour – by the millions of decisions taken every day by millions of people.
 

Go Carbon Neutral Day - 23 September 2009

"From cities to cooperatives and from railways to postal services, industry and civil society associations have pledged to significantly reduce their carbon footprint and promote greener living by joining the Climate Neutral Network led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Unlike governments, nature doesn’t do bailouts. Yet as of 25 September, humanity had placed more demand on ecological services – from filtering CO2 to producing food, fiber and timber – than nature can provide in this year, according to Global Footprint Network calculations. From now until the end of the year, we will meet our demand for ecological services by depleting resource stocks and accumulating carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Ahead of the global 'half-way' conference for the UN Decade for ESD (to be held in Bonn in March), the European countries have their own summit:

UPCOMING UNECE STEERING COMMITTEE
ON EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

 The UNECE Steering Committee on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) will have its fourth meeting in Geneva on 19–20 February 2009.

An opinion poll in 11 countries has produced what organisers term a "global mandate" for action on climate change.

About half of the respondents wanted governments to play a major role in curbing emissions, but only a quarter said their leaders were doing enough, reports BBC News on 26 November – five days before this year's UN climate conference opens in the Polish city of Poznan. Nicholas Stern, who led the 2006 Stern Review into the economics of climate change, said this amounted to a global mandate for stronger action.

Read the full article here.