pedestrians make use of the new paths in Durban: pic by Luke ReidRapid transit and safe cycling/walking networks are good for both health and climate - and climate experts should consider more systematically how these strategies can reduce CO2 emissions in the transport sector, one of the world's major contributors to climate change, says a new WHO report.

The new report, Health co-benefits of climate change mitigation - Transport sector was released 6 December, 2011 during the United Nations Framework on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP-17).

The report reviewed over 300 studies on health outcomes from different types of land transport systems to identify those mitigation measures most closely associated with specific health co-benefits or risks.

The review is the latest product of

Imagine there was a place you could go to learn about Climate Change in a fun, interactive way?

The International Polar Foundation is bringing these kind of science centres to the world and South Africa gets to accommodate the first one!!

A small taste of what is to be

(image by Grant Mcpherson)

For young and old, businesses and families, this science society interface will function to provide all the information and knowledge to empower a more ecologically responsible future.

With the recent discoveries on humankind’s specific

Climate-smart agriculture must target the short-term needs of the smallholder farmer to be effective in combating climate change.

Encouraging climate-smart agriculture can lead to climate change adaptation practices in a partnership where the farmer’s needs are addressed.

“Climate-smart agriculture has the potential to increase sustainable productivity, increase the resilience of farming systems to climate impacts and mitigate climate change through greenhouse gas emission reductions and carbon sequestration,” says Henry Neufeldt the lead expert on climate change at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF).

Agroforestry and its benefits

Agroforestry – the growing of trees on farms – is one such climate-smart agricultural practice, and it has tremendous potential for both

The UPliftment programme is a local organisation committed to uplifting and supporting society by sharing the healing power of joy.

A child benefits from play

Through their work, encourages people’s natural inclination towards kindness and love. Their aim is to inspire the growth of laughter, smiles and play in the world.

‘Bliss is the gift you receive when you share joy with another,’ believes Nicola Jackman, founder and chairlady (AKA ‘cheer lady’) of The UP. Self-proclaimed ‘joy activist’ this lovely lady is all about bringing back the smile, in a big way.

‘I like to greet people as I pass them, as nothing beats the feeling of seeing someone eyes light up,’ says Nicola.

For years The UP have been

climate smart cape townThe award-winning Climate Smart Cape Town Pavilion at COP17 in Durban was the venue for the launch of ‘Moving Mountains, Cape Town’s Action Plan for Energy and Climate Change’.

The City of Cape Town’s Energy and Climate Action Plan has 11 objectives, with targets and detailed implementation plans involving over 40 programmes and more than 120 projects. The Action Plan is managed and coordinated by the City’s Environmental Resource Management Department, across all Directorates and Departments.

Speaking at the launch on Friday 2 December 2011, Councillor Gareth Bloor, Chair of the City’s Economic, Environmental and Spatial Planning Portfolio Committee stated that the City of Cape Town acknowledges climate change as one of the greatest challenges of our generation and seeks to use it as an opportunity to build

With the second week of COP17 in full swing, here is our newscast on the latest and most important stories, side-line news, events and more...

what will the outcomes post-kyoto hold?

A new way forward? Kyoto lives on?

The Kyoto Protocol comes to an end in 2012 and a resolution on the second-commitment period is now no longer a question of if but how.

With intense debates over GHG (greenhouse gas) emission policies taking centre-stage this week at COP17, the outcomes and details of a legally-binding treaty are still very much a deliberated topic. Opinions are varied and some nations remain unhappy with certain targets and agreements.

However, it is not all doom and gloom, and there is good news within the realms of treaty discussions. China, the world's worst emitter, publically announced late last week that it

The world’s poorest people are on the frontlines of climate change, with everything to lose and little to cushion the blow of its far-reaching impacts. A new position paper by the Ecosystems and Livelihoods Adaptation Network illustrates how empowering local communities to pursue sustainable livelihoods while managing their natural resources can contribute to better adaptation in the face of climate change.

The paper, titled Integrating Community and Ecosystem-based Approaches in Climate Change Adaptation Responses, is part of a partnership that includes IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), CARE International, the International Institute for Environment and Development and WWF (World Wildlife Fund). It asserts that integrating approaches to

Philips LED street lighting
New street lighting in Durban represents good luminance and uniformity in LED lighting; will create a more livable city with safer roads, increased security and a comfortable outdoor environment.

Yesterday Philips unveiled a new state of the art LED street lighting installation that offers a sustainable lighting solution for the citizens of Durban. The new lighting consists of 149 LED street lights installed in 6 streets around the Durban International Conference Center (ICC). These offer energy savings of 47,4 MWh per year or 26% compared with the older 250W metal halide street lights they replace and at the same time provide

HSI

The Humane Society International is pressing policymakers to address animal agriculture’s role in global warming during the UN conferences in Durban.

COP17, the United Nations’ climate change conference, opened this week with hopes for a global agreement that will stave off the most dangerous impacts of climate change.

Given animal agriculture’s significant contributions to the climate crisis (see this report), the Humane Society International believes that conference outcomes should include policies to reduce the animal agriculture sector’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Zolani Mahola: Freshlyground "Taking a stand" for COP17. Are you?COP17 "Take a stand" with Freshlyground

Together we can create more awareness in order to drive a unified solution to Climate Change. Freshlyground have re-written the lyrics to their hit song "Doo Be Doo" especially for COP 17. Please share this new version of "Doo Be Doo - Take a Stand" across the country.

Blog about it, like it, tweet it, embed it, burn it, copy it, tell your local Radio station…. or just sing it! See below links to the new version.

1. Download the Song - FREE!

2. Download the Ringtone

3. Watch the Video

It’s easy to do knowing we all have the right to Take a Stand for free!

Zolani Mahola, lead singer of Freshlyground, and Leigh Wood, Producer of the youth program “It’s Up to US” on 50/50, co-wrote a new