A focus on conservation of high carbon landscapes via the proposed REDD mechanism could come at a detriment to biodiversity, argues a new paper published in Carbon Balance and Management.

The research, led by Gary Paoli of Daemeter Consulting in Indonesia, analyzed other studies on biodiversity, vegetation types, and carbon emissions. It found that carbon-dense peat swamps, likely a focal point for REDD programs in Indonesia, "do not coincide with areas supporting the highest concentrations of threatened biodiversity," according to a statement from the University of Kent.

http://news.mongabay.com/2010/1129-paoli_carbon_peat.html

29/11/2010
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Redd scheme designed to prevent deforestation but critics call it 'privatisation' of natural resources.

Some of the world's largest oil, mining, car and gas corporations will make hundreds of millions of dollars from a UN-backed forest protection scheme, according to a new report from the Friends of the Earth International.

The group's new report - launched on the first day of the global climate summit in Cancun, Mexico, where 193 countries hope to thrash out a new agreement - is the first major assessment of the several hundred, large-scale Redd (Reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation) pilot schemes. It shows that banks, airlines, charitable foundations, carbon traders, conservation groups, gas companies and palm plantation companies have also scrambled into forestry protection.

28/11/2010
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By Katrina Manson

The United Nations' cultural arm UNESCO has appealed to Congolese President Joseph Kabila to guarantee there will be no oil exploration in the forest home of rare gorillas where two UK-listed firms hold drilling rights.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AP3KA20101126

26/11/2010
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Twin gorillas born in Congo

Hi this is Tuver,

I have some exciting news. Our rangers at Kahuzi Beiga National Park have reported that twin baby gorillas were born a few weeks ago! The twins have been born in to the Chimanuka group and are the fourth pair of twins born in to this family.

http://gorilla.wildlifedirect.org/category/eastern-lowland-gorilla/

25/11/2010
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Colonel Avi Sivan, a former Israeli army commander whose passion for
wildlife led him to serve as director of the Ape Action Africa (AAA)
sanctuary in Cameroon, was killed in a helicopter crash on November 23
while flying between the main cities of Douala and Yaound.

A local army commander also died in the crash, the cause of which is
being investigated. Sivan's body will be flown to Israel for burial.

http://pasa.createsend1.com/t/r/l/ehjlhl/dhxykku/j
 

23/11/2010
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Despite a global economic recession and ongoing concerns about the impacts of climate change, last year's global carbon emissions were the second highest on record, according to the Global Carbon Project (GCP). Emissions in 2009 were just below the record emissions of 2008. In addition, 2009 emissions were higher than predicted, falling by only 1.3% from 2008 to 2009, instead of the predicted 2.8%.

While carbon emissions dropped in much of the industrialized world due to faltering economies, they rose during 2009 in the developing world's growing economies, such as China (up by 8%), India (up 6%), and South Korea (up 1%). Carbon intensity, which measures the amount of carbon emitted relative to global GDP, also did not improve as much as forecasters hoped. On average, carbon intensity has improved by 1.7% a year, however in 2009 it only improved by 0.7%.

http://news.mongabay.com/2010/1122-hance_2009_carbon.html

22/11/2010
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