Indonesia's Presidential Hopefuls Face Up to Deforestation
By Sandra SiagianJAKARTA, Jul 2 2014 (IPS) - As the world's third-largest democracy heads to the polls next week to elect a new president, environmental activists remain sceptical of the candidates' commitment to tackle climate change. Over four televised debates, Indonesia's presidential contenders – Joko ‘Jokowi' Widodo, Jakarta's current governor, and Prabowo Subianto, a former general – have so far discussed their plans […]
Drought and Misuse Behind Lebanon's Water Scarcity
By Oriol GallartBEIRUT, Jul 27 2014 (IPS) - In front of Osman Bin Affan Mosque, in a central but narrow street of Beirut, several tank trucks are being filled with large amounts of water. The mosque has its own well, which allows it to pump water directly from the aquifers that cross the Lebanese underground. Once filled, the trucks will start going through […]
Plagued By Dengue Fever, Sri Lanka Looks to the Weatherman
By Amantha PereraCOLOMBO, Jun 29 2014 (IPS) - What's the connection between weather forecasts and the mosquito-borne dengue virus? It's not just a question for science nerds; in Sri Lanka, health officials believe answering this question could save lives. For over half a decade now, doctors and residents of this island nation, especially those living in the cramped Western Province, have been battling […]
Carbon Neutral Tourism Falters in Tobago
By Jewel FraserPORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Jun 5 2014 (IPS) - An initiative to reduce the carbon footprint of Tobago's tourism sector may be stymied by "bread-and-butter issues" and the failure of government authorities to vigorously pursue the initiative. In 2012, the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) completed a pilot project for the Caribbean Carbon Neutral Tourism Programme (CCNTP) […]
OP-ED: Climate Change Threatens the Wild Beauty of Small Islands
By Bradnee ChambersBONN, Jun 3 2014 (IPS) - Dr. Bradnee Chambers, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Environment Programme's Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, describes ahead of World Environment Day (Jun. 5), how small island states are vulnerable to sea level rises and other effects of climate change.
Will Climate Change Lead to Conflict or Cooperation?
By Joel JaegerUNITED NATIONS, Aug 4 2014 (IPS) - The headline of every article about the relationship between climate change and conflict should be "It's complicated," according to Clionadh Raleigh. Director of the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, Raleigh thinks that researchers and the media have put too simplistic a spin on the link between climate change and violence. In recent years, […]
When Land Restoration Works Hand in Hand with Poverty Eradication
By Stella PaulSANGAREDDY, India, Aug 23 2014 (IPS) - Tugging at the root of a thorny shrub known as ‘juliflora', which now dots the village of Chirmiyala in the Medak District of southern India's Telangana state, a 28-year-old farmer named Ailamma Arutta tells IPS, "This is a curse that destroyed my land." The deciduous shrub, whose scientific name is prosopis juliflora and belongs to […]
Zambian Churches Slow to Join the Fight for Climate Justice
By Friday PhiriLUSAKA, Jun 29 2014 (IPS) - It seems that churches in Zambia are becoming more pragmatic in their approach by advocating for better policies and training of vulnerable communities on climate change adaptation mechanisms. Zambia is no stranger to the debate about whether churches should be involved in championing social rights considering their considerable influence on the country's socio-political and even, […]
Satellite Telemetry for Livelihood Security
By Malini ShankarNAGAPATTINAM, India, Aug 30 2014 (IPS) - This is the first of a two-part series on incorporating disaster risk reduction into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
OPINION: Boosting Resilience in the Caribbean Countries
By Jessica FaietaUNITED NATIONS, Aug 26 2014 (IPS) - Having lived and worked for more than a decade in four Caribbean countries, I have witnessed firsthand how Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are extremely vulnerable to challenges ranging from debt and unemployment to climate change and sea level rise. Such aspects make their paths towards sustainable development probably more complex than non-SIDS countries. That […]