Starting Monday 17 November, the Agrobiodiversity and Climate Change Project, supported by Bioversity International and the Christensen Fund, is hosting an online discussion to identify gaps in current knowledge about the effects of climate change on local communities and their use of agricultural biodiversity.
To find out more about the discussion or to sign up, [...]

A new report has been recently published that outlines the possibility of farming seaweed and marine algae as a future green energy source. The report was commissioned by The Crown Estate and conducted by researchers at The Scottish Association for Marine Science.
The report details the potential of using seaweed to produce biomass for heating homes [...]

CAB International has announce the launch of their new internet resource: Environmental Impact.
The website states “This new online internet resource represents a single, comprehensive and authoritative source of information on the effects of climate change on the biosphere. It also covers other aspects of man’s damage to the environment such as pollution, deforestation, desertification and [...]

One of FAO’s flagship publications has recently been published: “The State of Food and Agriculture 2008?
This issue concentrates on biofuels and looks at answering the following questions:
Do biofuels threaten food security?
Will biofuels reduce greenhouse gases?
Do biofuels put land, water and biodiversity resources at risk?
Can biofuels help promote agricultural development?
How do we balance the risks [...]

A high-level congress on Biodiversity of Africa - Observation and Sustainable Management for our Future will be held in South Africa next week (29 September - 3 October).  The congress has been organised by the African-German Research Network BIOTA AFRICA.
Major topics that will be discussed are:

Observation System - Identifying, measuring and understanding the past [...]

The latest issue of New Scientist (13 September 2008) has a couple of articles focusing on food and its impact on our health or on the environment.
In ‘Superfoods wanted’ (page 18), Matt Walker highlights the need not only for more food but also for food that meets our nutritional needs. This is a refrain that [...]

Interested in producing mini films on social or environmental issues?  Well the World Bank film contest is for you.
The contestants are requested to submit a 2-5 minute documentary film highlighting the social consequences of climate change in the following categories:

Conflict: As climate change results in scarcity of resources and economic and, in many cases, political [...]

Contrary to the belief that old growth forests weren’t as effective in capturing carbon or were considered carbon neutral; a recent study published in Nature demonstrates that old forests are still absorbing carbon, even at a ripe old age.
Read more about the study carried out by  Sebastiaan Luyssaert (University of Antwerp), and his colleagues.
Source reference [...]

The Nature Publishing Group (NPG) announced today that it would be publishing a new title: Nature Climate Change. The first issue will be published in October of this year; and the journal will cover not only the natural sciences but also extends into the socio-economic research as well for this important subject area.
[...]

A recent report published by Oxfam International outlines that pastoralists like the Maasai can provide the modern world with many skills and techniques on how to adapt to harsher climates.
The report argues that the Maasai, along with other pastorialist societies have been living in semi-arid to arid environments for centuries, they are the traditional caretakers [...]