The effects of climate change on agriculture are expected to vary across the continent, but are likely to be most pronounced in areas where temperature and water availability are already major constraining factors.  Africa is highly dependent on rain-fed agricultural production. Many African crops including wheat, maize, and soybean are already grown close to the limits of their temperature or water stress tolerances.      

The majority Africa’s subsistence farmers are women; they are the ones that will really feel the brunt of changing rainfall and weather patterns. For many African women and girls, the situation will be exacerbated by poor access to education, health and employment.

The pressures on families to migrate to urban areas is also expected to grow further, making the challenge of tackling poverty and unemployment rates an even greater one.

Taking Action

Although climate change is already being felt across the continent, many countries are still not being spurred into action. We are urging the world’s governments represented at COP17 to listen to the people, and not the vested interests of polluting corporations; to shelve the rhetoric and create a framework for a sustainable future, by:

• Ensuring a peak in global greenhouse gas emissions by 2015
• Ensuring that the Kyoto Protocol continues and providing a mandate for a comprehensive legally binding instrument
• Delivering the necessary finance to tackle climate change
• Setting up a framework for protecting forests in developing countries
• Ensuring global cooperation on technology and energy finance
• Ensuring international transparency in assessing and monitoring country commitments and actions.

The Convention on Climate Change sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate change. It recognises that the climate system is a shared resource that is affected by emissions from greenhouse gases resulting from human activity. Decisions under the UNFCCC are made on the basis of consensus according to current operating practice. This means that, rather than voting, Parties aim to reach agreement through discussion and negotiation. The main negotiating forum is sessions of the Conference of the Parties (COP), which typically take place at ministerial level. Parties also negotiate in the two subsidiary bodies of the UNFCCC, the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI). Other matters, such as the development of technical guidelines for implementing COP decisions, are dealt with at UNFCCC workshops. The administration of the UNFCCC is the responsibility of a secretariat based in Bonn, Germany. The UNFCCC secretariat is institutionally linked to the United Nations and is administered under UN Rules and Regulations. It is answerable to the COP and the subsidiary bodies, and has responsibility in three areas: executive direction, technical programs and support services for the intergovernmental process.

Our generation is unique.  Not just because of the internet, not just because of the pressing unemployment and civil unrest we have seen globally, and not just because of the threat to our future posed by climate change.

Expressing what is unique about our generation is really difficult.  It is something that has recently become a bit of an obsession of mine.  We grow up in different cultures, different economies and under different political situations.  So when I asked 9 young people from different countries to videoblog about their passion for climate activism, I got a multitude of ideas and creativity, but there was a common feeling.  There was an elastic band binding these people together, though they had never met.

courtesy of... http://drhutley.wordpress.com/

Durban - Some 1000 youth from all over the world have gathered in Durban, South Africa, for the two week long UN climate negotiations, where governments will hopefully decide on the process towards a binding global climate agreement. Young people are present here as part of the official youth constituency YOUNGO. 

 

After three days of training at the Conference of Youth taking place this weekend at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the young delegates are now well equipped to participate in the UN climate tasks and lobby for the binding global agreement we all need so badly. 

Would you like to know more about their amazing work? Check the hashtag YOUNGO (#YOUNGO) on Twitter or follow @seanamos

This is the first time that I have participated in an event of this magnitude and specifically a Climate Change conference. Young people are quite passionate about Climate Change and since this event has come to Africa, it has raised the voice of the developing countries and in essence the African countries.

I have been attending the YOUNGOs meetings since yesterday (today 29th Nov 2011 is day 2) and the young people have raised so many issues and its time for them to be heard. I will take it a few steps back and explain what YOUNGOs is and what role it plays at the COP17/CMP7.

YOUNGO is the officially recognised constituency of the Youth Non-Governmental Organisations by the UNFCCC, of which the World Oganisation of the Scout Movement is a part. The spokes council is the decision making body of YOUNGO, and is formed by representatives of the Youth Non-Governmental Organisations participating in COP17.

YOUNGO makes statements and carries out actions on behalf of YOUNGO but at the same time it is representing all of its members. The spokes council provides for a transparent and formal method of decision-making that includes all of its members in a meaningful and constructive way.

This first meeting of YOUNGO saw the constituency having to elect five of its members who would then go on to have access seats inside for the Plenary session for the official opening of the conference.

For regular updates follow https://twitter.com/#!/seanamos

or Go to Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/World-Scout-Team-at-the-Cop17/251266898264797

Leaders must have courage to take decisions, and followers must have the courage to do as they are told.



Disagreement is not disloyalty. Disobeying is. A Leader is disloyal to his followers if he does not back them up to his fullest ability. A person that has another view should be allowed to explain it.



...Indeed leaders and followers should listen. Neither should show any bias, even if the explanation is unusual and seems unsound. Attempts should be made to understand the divergent view.



Leaders should be able to manage their own emotions and those of their followers. If a leader is devastated by a failed deadline or target, he is not inspiring enought to energise his followers to better performance the next time around.



A leader should feel for the individuals in his care. By doing so, he ensures loyalty from his followers.



A leader should lead by personal example. Only an energetic leader can enthuse a group of followers to be energetic. An energetic group of followers is a dynamic, productive and result-oriented group of followers.



A successful leader is one that does well when things are going well and does better when things get rough. Persistence in the face of difficulty is essential.



A good follower performs well because he has been well lead. He performs badly because he has been badly lead. Giving all the credit to the follower is as bad as blaming him for the failure to the team. In the final analysis, the leader is responsible for the success or failure of his group.



Above all ...........

A Leader should ... LEAD....

Why do we hurt the ones we love?

That's the question..

Why do we hurt the ones we love?

That's the question..

They suffer from an incurable disease called Hope..

Hope for liberation and independance..

Hope for a normal life with neither heroes nor victims..

Hope to see their children go safely to school..

Hope for  a pregnant woman to give birth in a hospital and not  a dead child before a military checkpoint..

Hope that their poets will see the beauty of the colour red in roses rather than in blood..

Hope that their land will return to its original name : The Land of Love and  Peace ..

Carry with them the burden of this Hope!

 

 

 

There is an old proverb, as it is easier to catch flies with vinegar than honey. And “very real, as a metaphor for how to treat people in your life, but not really when it comes to the healing properties of honey and vinegar. Both parts honey and vinegar is the home of various diseases. It is interesting that helping the victims. So the next time you are at home and get hurt, you can go into the kitchen and medicine cabinet.

Those who regularly use home remedies often use honey to help heal wounds. There are several reasons. First, put the honey wound represents a barrier for the wound from the outside world to protect, the prevention of infections. It seems odd at first glance infected, because honey everything they touched, but when you see the honey into a thick gel on the wound, you can see, that dirt on the surface, but it is not possible to to prevent dirt from entering the body .

How to Make $1 Million Before You Graduate

by Forbes Staff
Tuesday, March 22, 2011

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/112341/how-to-make-1-million-before-you-graduate

Bonjour,

L'équipe d'HaïtiLibre vous souhaite un Joyeux Temps des Fêtes et tout ses Meilleurs Voeux pour la Nouvelle Année : Paix, santé, succès, prospérité, bonheur et amour dans votre vie et dans celle de votre famille.

Joseph Marcellus
Direction de la rédaction

Journalistes : Simon Latortue, Boniface François, Théodore Benoit et Paul Isidore

http://www.HaitiLibre.com



Hello,

The team of HaitiLibre wish you a Merry Holiday Season and all Best Wishes for the New Year: Peace, health, success, prosperity, happiness and love in your life and your family.

Joseph Marcellus
Managing Editor

Journalistes : Simon Latortue, Boniface François, Théodore Benoit and Paul Isidore

http://www.HaitiLibre.com/en