In April 2008 indigenous peoples from across the world met in the Brazilian city of Manaus to discuss the rights of indigenous peoples and reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD).

REDD has been heralded as a major opportunity to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation and degradation, whilst protecting biodiversity and improving the livelihoods of some of the world’s poorest communities. There is little consensus on what potential REDD policies may look like, yet it is based on the idea that developed countries would pay developing countries to reduce rates of deforestation or degradation. By either linking these payments ...   more »

This article was first posted on the Guardian's Comment is free

Glaciers in Peru are melting so quickly that by 2015 almost all of them may have disappeared. This is not just a problem for Peru but for the whole Andean Community of Nations, including Bolivia, Colombia and Ecuador. These countries generate around 73% of their electricity from hydro energy. Ironically, this renewable source of energy risks disappearing because of melting glaciers caused by climate change.

The report, Climate change knows no borders, provides a chilling reminder of the catastrophic impacts of climate ...   more »

That’s where the Foreign and ...   more »

From the 16-17th May, European, Latin American and Caribbean Heads of State and Government will congregate in Lima, Peru, for the fifth EU- Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Summit. Delegates will examine specific initiatives on the two major themes of the meeting, “Poverty, inequality and inclusion” and “Sustainable Development: the environment, climate change and energy.”

To mark this occasion, Canning House, London, held a discussion on the summit on the 22nd April 2008. The purpose of the discussion was to analyse the two themes: poverty and sustainable development. The panellists included Ricardo Luna (Ambassador of ...   more »