Governments must craft a global pact that promotes a carbon tax and prices goods based on ecological costs, politicians and UN panelists urged Monday.

Former Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey said the planet is living beyond its means and needs a "sustainable" economy that better manages natural resources for its 7 billion inhabitants, while promoting human rights, equality and an end to poverty.

Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/SciTech/20120206/eu-un-energy-revolution-12020...

The 22-member Panel, established by the Secretary-General in August 2010 to formulate a new blueprint for sustainable development and low-carbon prosperity, was co-chaired by Finnish President Tarja Halonen and South African President Jacob Zuma. The Panel's final report, "Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing", contains 56 recommendations to put sustainable development into practice and to mainstream it into economic policy as quickly as possible.

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Paul Polak discussing the impacts of extreme poverty on population growth and other environmental impacts.

This report addresses the mitigation of short-lived climate forcers (SLCFs) and its key role in air pollution reduction, climate protection and sustainable development. SLCFs are substances in the atmosphere that contribute to global warming and have relatively short lifetimes in the atmosphere. The focus is on three SLCFs -- black carbon, tropospheric ozone and methane -- because reducing them will provide significant benefits through improved air quality and a slowing of near-term climate change.

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“Saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty and advancing economic growth” is an ambitious goal by any measure but that is what South Korean diplomat, Ban Ki-moon, has set out to do for the next five years of his term as United Nations Secretary General with the help of governments, the private sector, and civil society. (Photo: DG Yumkella and UN SG Ban Ki-moon in Abu Dhabi)

Outlining his “five global imperatives – five generational opportunities and two enablers” that will shape his global agenda and build the world of the future; a world where economic prosperity, freedom, justice and peace reign, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has challenged the world community to forge a common partnership. “Together, no challenge is too large. Together, nothing is impossible,” he said.

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The World Bank has released new data and tools on climate change as the latest additions to its Open Data Initiative. The Apps for Climate Competition aims to bring together the best ideas from scientists, application developers, civil society organizations, and development practitioners to create innovative apps using World Bank data.

The applications should serve to raise awareness, measure progress, or to help in some other way to address the development challenges of climate change. Submissions may be any kind of software application, be it for the web, a personal computer, a mobile handheld device, console, SMS, or any software platform broadly available to the public. The only other requirement is that the proposed application use one or more datasets from the World Bank Data Catalog available at data.worldbank.org or the Climate Change Knowledge Portal at climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org.

Applications which best satisfy the competition criteria will receive cash prizes and the opportunity to have their apps featured on the World Bank Open Data website.

Contest ends on March 16, 2012.
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Healthy seas and coasts would pay healthy dividends in a green economy, according to a report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and partners that highlights the huge potential for economic growth and poverty eradication from well-managed marine sectors.

The report, Green Economy in a Blue World, argues that the ecological health and economic productivity of marine and coastal ecosystems, which are currently in decline around the globe, can be boosted by shifting to a more sustainable economic approach that taps their natural potential – from generating renewable energy and promoting eco-tourism, to sustainable fisheries and transport.

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http://www.eco-business.com
http://www.unep.org

The worldwide fishing industry could benefit from a $50 billion boost annually if stocks were allowed time to recover, the UN said Wednesday.

Already 32 percent of the world's fish stocks have been depleted by years of overfishing and poor coastal management, according to a UN Environment Programme report released in Pasig City.

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Fears that wind turbines make people sick are ''not scientifically valid'', and the arguments mounted by anti-wind farm campaigners are unconvincing, according to confidential briefings given to the state government by NSW Health.

Documents obtained under freedom-of-information laws show that health officials repeatedly warned ministers last year that there was no evidence for ''wind turbine syndrome'', a collection of ailments including sleeplessness, headaches and high blood pressure that some people believe are caused by the noise of spinning blades.

But the department's advice contrasts with the view of the Planning Minister, Brad Hazzard, who was responsible for draft guidelines, released in December, that significantly tighten the approvals process.

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http://www.canberratimes.com.au

Countries will be asked this summer to sign up for 10 new sustainable development goals for the planet and promise to build green economies at the first earth summit in 20 years.

According to a leak of the draft agenda document seen by the Guardian, they will also be asked to negotiate a new agreement to protect oceans, approve an annual state of the planet report, set up a major world agency for the environment, and appoint a global "ombudsperson", or high commissioner, for future generations. Dozens of heads of state, political leaders and celebrities are expected to go to the UN's Rio+20 sustainable development meeting, to be held in Brazil in June.

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http://www.guardian.co.uk