Marginal Voices

World Bank Responds to Civil Society on Financing Fossil Fuels and Adaptation

Kseniya Lvovsky, the World Bank's Climate Change Team Manager, responded online to questions by civil society on the World Bank's strategy for climate change, including on the Bank's approach to fossil fuel financing and the availability of funds for adaptation.

Responding to a question on the need for adaptation funding, Kseniya Lvovsky highlighted the importance of ensuring that fast-track financing promised in Copenhagen is balanced between adaptation and mitigation, noting with concern that "most pledges made so far address mitigation rather than adaptation."

World Intellectual Property Organization committee on traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions and genetic resour

A meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions and genetic resources drew to a close today with an unusual ending: applause, and an agreement.

Over the last several years, the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) had stalled on negotiations related to future work, and in particular on negotiations over "intersessional" working groups to take place between biannual meetings of the full IGC.

African Union Celebrates Environment Day Focusing on Climate Change Resilience, Biodiversity Conservation and Traditional Knowle

3 March 2010: The African Union Commission (AUC) commemorated Africa Environment Day under the theme "African Resilience to Climate Change: Biodiversity Conservation and Enhancing Traditional Knowledge," in celebrations hosted by the Government of Tanzania.

The purpose of the celebration was to raise awareness on sustainable environmental management among decision makers at national, regional and continental levels, highlighting climate change as the main factor leading to land degradation and desertification, hunger, deprivation, poverty and underdevelopment in Africa.

Perceptions of the communities on COP15

Video links from Eldis to community voices on COP15:

http://community.eldis.org/eldismexico/Blog/Where-do-we-go-from-here--Pe...

Saamelaisten ilmastotieto käyttöön

Traditional knowledge should be considered in decision-making processes concerning climate change. Traditional knowledge of indigenous Sámi people is provided to decision-makers through Arctic Climate Impact Assesment-report. Read the whole article in Finnish:

Copenhagen 'fails forest people'

A multi-billion dollar deal tabled at the Copenhagen climate summit could lead to conflicts in forest-rich nations, a report has warned.

The study by the Rights and Resources Initiative said the funds could place "unprecedented pressure" on some areas.

Six nations offered $3.5bn as part of global plans to cut deforestation, which accounts for about 20% of all emissions from human activity.

Campaigners warn the scheme fails to consider the rights of forest people.

PERU: Rural Wisdom Against Climate Change

LIMA, Jan 21, 2010 (Tierramérica) - "The toads have disappeared from the countryside because of climate change, and now there is nothing to control the insects. Now we have to use chemicals to fight pests, and that is killing the soil," says worried Peruvian farmer Julián Pilco.

For civil society organisations, the impacts of global warming reported by Pilco and other residents of Peru's rural areas should be incorporated into the national climate watch system. The data collected by the science stations is not enough, they say.

MALI: Small Farmers in the Carbon Market


BAMAKO, Jan 16, 2010 (IPS) - Mohamed Abd Khibé is a caretaker at the acacia nursery in Dialoubé village, part of a project to sequester carbon in trees while simultaneously improving farmers' livelihoods.

"This nursery is a source of pride for me, because it allows me to feed my family," says Khibé.

Environmental Refugees Unable to Return Home

DHAKA, BANGLADESH - Mahe Noor left her village in southern Bangladesh after Cyclone Sidr flattened her family's home and small market in 2007. Jobless and homeless, she and her husband, Nizam Hawladar, moved to this crowded megalopolis, hoping that they might soon return home.

Two years later, they are still here. Ms. Noor, 25, and Mr. Hawladar, 35, work long hours at low-paying jobs - she at a garment factory and he at a roadside tea stall. They are unable to save money after paying for food and rent on their dark shanty in Korail, one of the largest slums in Dhaka.

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