A journalist's guide to the role of forests in combating global climate change' is a media pack that aims to give journalists an overview of a vital issue in global climate change negotiations which is the subject of fierce debate. This short media briefing explains how the REDD mechanism could work and explains some of the key controversies.

Read more: http://www.cifor.org/nc/online-library/browse/view-publication/publicati...

Although there is widespread agreement on the need for adaptation measures to limit the risks posed by climate change, there is no clear consensus on how much adaptation will cost or how it will be paid for. A recent World Bank report suggested that the price of adaptation in developing countries alone will be $70–100 billion a year between 2010 and 2050, while other studies suggest these figures are too low.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/28/financing-climate-chan...

The Guardian is setting out to create world's best layman-friendly guide to all aspects of climate change – and we need your help.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/series/the-ultimate-climate-change...

There are two main policy responses to climate change: mitigation and adaptation. Mitigation addresses the root causes, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while adaptation seeks to lower the risks posed by the consequences of climatic changes. Both approaches will be necessary, because even if emissions are dramatically decreased in the next decade, adaptation will still be needed to deal with the global changes that have already been set in motion.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/27/climate-change-adaptat...

The world's poorest people will be first hit and hit hardest by climate change. Droughts, floods and famines are already taking their toll.

In view of climate change, the world has a real chance to take a new approach to solving global problems and seizing global opportunities.

As the UN Conference on Climate Change in Durban approaches, DFID continues to concentrate efforts on protecting forests, helping poor countries to adapt to the changing climate and on supporting countries in low carbon development.

These three infographics show some of the action being taken and what results are being achieved.

Read more: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Stories/Features/2011/Forests-food-and-fuel-our-c...

This is the ninth volume of Gender, Poverty and Environmental Indicators on African Countries published by the Statistics Department of the African Development Bank Group. The publication provides some information on the broad development trends relating to gender, poverty and environmental issues in the 53 African countries. Gender, Poverty and Environmental Indicators on African Countries 2011 was prepared by the Economic and Social Statistics Division of the Statistics Department.

Read more: http://www.afdb.org/en/knowledge/publications/gender-poverty-and-environ...

This workbook is intended to help policy makers in developing countries plan for a safer future in urban areas in the face of natural disasters and the consequences of climate change. It is based on the experiences of three cities in Vietnam, Can Tho, Dong Hoi, and Hanoi, that worked with international and local experts under World Bank supervision to develop local resilience action plans (LRAPs) in 2009-10.

Read more: http://go.worldbank.org/Q4RPZGYVQ0

This Forests and Climate Change Toolbox has been developed to build understanding and technical proficiency on issues of climate change and forests including mitigation, adaptation, carbon accounting and markets, and biofuels.

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CIFOR

As the world approaches the 2015 deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which include a goal of reducing the proportion of hungry people by half – the 2010 Global Hunger Index (GHI) offers a useful and multidimensional overview of global hunger. The 2010 GHI shows some improvement over the 1990 GHI, falling by almost one-quarter. Nonetheless, the index for hunger in the world remains at a level characterized as “serious.” The result is unsurprising given that the overall number of hungry people surpassed 1 billion in 2009, even though it decreased to 925 million in 2010, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

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The handbook, prepared by the Africa Program of the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), describes some of the many tools and approaches that Africans can use to promote public health, defend the natural and human environment, and protect human rights.

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ELI