Nebulous

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International Society of Tropical Foresters 2012 Photo Contest

The winning photographs from this year’s International Society of Tropical Foresters Conference Photo Contest are as diverse as the tropical regions in which they were captured. These winning photos represent images from more than a dozen tropical countries and depict forests in transition, solitary travelers and unique animals, indigenous communities and sweeping, epic landscapes. Enjoy!

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In its final hours, COP17 gets Occupied

Perhaps it was the spotty Internet service, two weeks subsisting on pre-sealed sandwiches, or just maybe the fact that on the heels of the latest Conference of the Parties (COP17) in Durban, the world seems no closer to enacting climate change solutions. But Friday evening, hundreds of NGO delegates had had enough. In yet another reminder that the fate of […]

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Photos from the final day – is agreement coming?

It’s Friday, December 9th – the last day, ostensibly, of the COP17. Is a new legally-binding instrument between all major emitters to reduce greenhouse gas emissions forthcoming? Will there be agreement to extend the Kyoto Protocol into a second commitment period? Will countries increase their emission reduction ambitions? Most people you ask say no. There’s a lot of consternation in […]

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Bridging the Emissions Gap – The Clock Is Ticking!

new and timely synthesis report of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was formally launched at COP17 today, giving those concerned with our world’s future both new reason for hope and a new mandate for action.  The report regards the gap between existing reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and the actual reductions that are needed to achieve the UNFCCC’s goal […]

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Speaking but not listening – early failures of South Africa’s Indaba approach?

– This editorial is re-posted from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies official COP 17 blog, found here.  It was originally titled, “Speaking but not listening: meeting but not engaging.” –  After four days of COP negotiations it’s apparent that parties need to spend less time delivering statements they have prepared in advance and more time listening to […]

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The Challenge of Maintaining Ecosystem Services

n 1997, New York City decided to allocate $1.5 billion to preserve and restore the Catskill/Delaware Watershed, an ecosystem over 100 miles outside of the city limits. The venture was more than an act of ecological good will; it was a savvy investment in the well being of New York City’s 8 million residents. Unlike many cities, the five boroughs—and […]

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Occupy COP17 & the Women’s Rural Assembly

Protestors have gathered outside the fenced perimeter of the massive COP17 conference center  to encourage world leaders to keep the Kyoto Protocol alive and, in the words of one sign, “keep the coal in the hole.” Today the Women’s Rural Assembly arrived to support the protest. At least a hundred smiling women marched in to the familiar drone of vuvuzelas, […]