Ecology Gazette Ecology news

After 52086 km und 38 countries the solartaxi has arrived at the World Climate Change Conference in Poznan, Poland, to announce the world record: The first time in history a solar powered car has made it all the way around the world! For this historical moment, it was a big honour having Mr. Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, on board as passenger.

The solartaxi is now going to stay at the Conference until Dec 12, offerung rides to delegates, press and ministers, before it is heading back to Switzerland. The final arrival is scheduled to take place in the Technopark Lucerne in Root, at 12:00 h THU Dec 18. Until then, the solartaxi will have travelled almost 18 months and have covered around 54000 km.

Link: Solartaxi

The Poznań Climate Change Conference provides the opportunity to draw together the advances made in 2008 and move from discussion to negotiation mode in 2009. At COP 14/CMP 4 in Poznań, Parties are expected to:

Agree on a plan of action and programmes of work for the final year of negotiations after a year of comprehensive and extensive discussions on crucial issues relating to future commitments, actions and cooperation
Make significant progress on a number of on-going issues required to enhance further the implementation of the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, including capacity-building for developing countries, reducing emissions from deforestation (REDD), technology transfer and adaptation.
Advance understanding and commonality of views on “shared vision” for a new climate change regime
Strengthen commitment to the process and the agreed timeline
Such an outcome at Poznań would build momentum towards an agreed outcome at Copenhagen in December 2009

Link: Poznań 2008 Official Website -- The United States Climate Conference
Videos : Poznań 2008 Videos

The World Water Forum is the main water-related event in the world, aimed at putting water firmly on the international agenda. A stepping stone towards global collaboration on water problems, the Forum offers the water community and policy-and-decision- makers from all over the world the unique opportunity to come together to create links, debate and attempts to find solutions to achieve water security.

The 5th World Water Forum will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, from 16 to 22 March 2009.

Link: 5th World Water Forum

Link: Greenpeace

The world is heading for an ecological credit crunch as demands on the world’s natural capital reaches nearly one-third more than Earth can sustain.

That is the stark warning contained in the latest edition of WWF’s Living Planet Report, the leading assessment of the planet’s health. The report shows that more than three-quarters of the world’s people now living in nations that are ecological debtors, where national consumption has outstripped their country’s biological capacity.  Read more

(C) WWF