A large part of the tropical forests of the poorly managed world (AP)

By RAPHAEL g. SATTER, Associated Press Raphael g. Satter, Associated Press - Tue Jun 7, 9: 07 pm EST

LONDON - large tracts of tropical forests of the world have been formally protected from deforestation, but an international conservation group said that might not be enough to save them.

A report published Tuesday by the International Tropical Timber Organization, said that much of the land being set aside for forest was not managed sustainably - leaving vulnerable that the production of agriculture and biofuels gobble up acre after acre (hectare after hectare).

"Deforestation is going down and there is a very substantial increase and good coverage of protected areas" Duncan Poore, one of the authors of the report, said Associated Press advance of its publication.

But he said that, in the future, "Outlook could not therefore seem favourable."

It is that food because increasing and the price of fuel mean land covered in trees to the left becomes much less profitable than the land used to grow soy or wheat beans. And a global climate still occupy a distant prospect, it is not at all certain that companies rich funds invest tropical forests to offset their greenhouse gas emissions will continue to flow.

"Forces promoting the destruction of forests, such as higher food and fuel prices, could easily be those that promote the conservation of the forest," the organization said in a report.

The report itself counted 761 million hectares (1.88 billion acres) of what is called "permanent forest estate" - land set aside for forest tropical host in perpetuity.

That would make the size of the estate permanent about as much as the Australia, but the report warned that only 10 for % of the land was managed sustainably - a term meaning that wood, fruit and nut harvest are retained within healthy levels and forest borders are secure.

Speaking of the light room, the first floor of Royal Overseas League London, Poore said that the international community should focus on ensuring that the 700 any remaining hectares (1.73 trillion-SDO acres) set aside for the use of the forest were in sustainable management.

If that had happened, he said, he could live with having the rest assigned to agricultural or other uses. "If these 700 million hectares is secure, I think that we are O.K.," he said.

"It would be good if there was more," he added, before becoming thoughtful for a moment.

"It is more important to decide what you want to keep and secure it and take care of property, is to a forest which has disappeared", he said.

The Japan International Organization-based tropical Woods, founded in 1986, is composed of 33 member countries who together represent 1.42 billion hectares (3.51 billion acres) of tropical forest, or 85% of the total world.

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Online:

http://www.ITTO.int/

(This location version corrects corrects organization.) (Adds details and quotes, and links of photos).

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EPA, USDA, DOI commemorate World Day of environment (ContributorNetwork)

EPA has joined the Ministry of the Interior (DOI), Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Council of the White House on the quality of the environment to blow the world environment day on Sunday, June 5.

World environment day was created in a program built by participating countries in the United Nations, known as the United Nations Environment Programme, according to the official website of the United Nations world environment day. This celebrated international day celebrated the first Sunday in June is designed as a means of raising awareness to some of the environmental issues the most difficult international around the world. Each year has a specific theme, with this year's theme is "" forests: Nature at your Service. ""

At United States on 5 June this year, EPA, DOI and USDA using the theme of the forest focus on iconic but fragile national parks in the country, forests, and refuges of wildlife, and parks and forests at the local level and district.

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson commented on the importance of recognizing the value of the forests of the nations and this means for the country as a whole: "forests are one of the greatest treasures of our world, our wildlife dear bring natural beauty, clean air and a location can call home." On world environment day, I am proud of our international partners to join in acknowledging the work we do together to make our communities cleaner and healthier places to live, work, play and learn. When we learn to love our fresh air, we also feel more compelled to protect - make our communities stronger and healthier. ?

The USDA also plays an important role in the conservation of the forest of the nation. Secretary of agriculture Tom Vilsack said, "" USDA, home to the United States Forest Service, has a particular interest in improving the management of our forests and meadows. We are making significant progress in the restoration of the basin and an approach of all lands to restore and maintain our precious natural resources, clean water, wildlife and recreation.

EPA, USDA and DOI include the federal initiative known as initiative of outdoor large (AGO) of America, which was launched by the Administration of Obama to solve a large number of issues of ecological conservation in the country.

According to the site Web of the United Nations Programme for the environment, cities around the world participate world way of the environment in many ways, with many speaking holding and tree-planting events.

Rachel Bogart provides a thorough analysis of local environmental issues current and new in Chicago. As a student of the suburbs of Chicago, seeking to obtain two degrees of science, applied his knowledge and his passion for the two subjects to gather more public awareness.

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20 former world leaders to discuss the looming crisis of water (AFP)

Montreal (AFP) - twenty former heads of State, including former US President Bill Clinton, warned Tuesday of a crisis imminent "water" and decided to create a panel that will address a gap in leadership in the world on the issue.

Retired leaders, among them former Mexican President Vicente Fox and former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, said the Panel would work to raise the political importance of the issue in order to avoid the problems threatening water supplies around the world.

The InterAction of Council members who attend this year three-day annual meeting in Quebec also include former Mexican leader Ernesto Zedillo and and Gro Brundtland, of the Norway.

The Group urged a new international ethic of the water and offered 21 recommendations for the management of global water.

At the top of the list: "escape from the water at the forefront of the global political agenda."

Other elements included linking climate research on change and problems, creating a right to water and increase the price of water to reflect the economic value of water.

In regions where water is rationed, priority must be for food crops and not bio-fuels, said the group, the co-chairs were Canadian former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and one-time Austrian Chancellor Franz Vranitzky.

Well that there is a supply abundant water in Quebec, it is a particularly topical subject after Quebec space tourist Guy Laliberté, founder of Cirque du Soleil, the billionaire has dedicated its 2009 visit to the International Space Station to raise awareness of international water issues.

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Food prices, world hunger to soar by 2030, Oxfam warns (LiveScience.com)

Natalie Wolchover, little mysteries Staff Writer, life
LiveScience.com Wolchover, little mysteries Staff Writer Natalie life.
LiveScience.com - Tue May 31, 1: 51 pm EST

Left unchecked, climate change aligned with the population explosion and low agricultural yields will significantly increase poverty and hunger in the next two decades, prevents international aid agency Oxfam in a report published today (May 31).

The prices of the staples such as rice and corn will accelerate their rise, predicts Oxfam and will increase 180% and 130%, respectively, by the year 2030.

In a world where the poor people now spend as much as 80% of their income on food - average philippine spends proportionately four times more on subsistence than average British person, for example - drastic food shortages and price increases cause probably many people who have difficulties on hunger and, potentially, the famine.

In its new report, pushing a better future, Oxfam said current trends indicate that world population will reach 9 billion by 2050. During this time, the average growth rate of agricultural yields decreased almost by half since 1990. Left unchecked, the gap between supply and demand for food will continue to grow.

"The food system must be transformed." By 2050, there will be 9 billion people on the planet and the demand for food will have increased by 70%. This application must satisfy despite yields give us, increasing water scarcity and increasing competition on land. "Agriculture must quickly adapt to climate change and reduce its carbon footprint" wrote Robert Bailey, Oxfam senior climate Advisor, in the report.

Climate change has already been raised food prices in many areas, causing drought and desertification, Oxfam and all reports the factors contributing to the increase in food prices, it will create more serious impact in the coming decades.

"The impact of climate change on the prices of foodstuffs is clearly closely related to the impacts of climate change on agricultural production, will have" wrote Bailey. Rice yields declined by about 10% for every 1 degree Celsius rise of dry season minimum temperature, for example.

Outside of raising global temperatures, climate change "will increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, such as heat waves, floods and droughts that can destroy crops with a stroke", the report indicates.

The pricing system.

Poverty is powered by a broken system in which rich countries take advantage of poor States, Oxfam. To curb the problem, the international community must address "the appalling inequality that undermine the food system from farm to fork." We produce more food that we need.?In rich countries, discard us a large part of it. In the developing world, nearly a billion of us go without. ?

Industrialized countries must launch major policy changes to fix the broken system, Oxfam continues. They should redirect tax relief to clean energy initiatives and place taxes on greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, "we must manage trade to manage the risk that constructing a system of reserves;" increase the transparency of commodity markets; define rules on export restrictions. and finally put an end to agricultural subsidies that distort trade.

The new report highlights examples of changes that must be undertaken to combat hunger and poverty in the world. In the Brazil, social activism led to agricultural policies that reduce hunger by a third between 2000 and 2007. Viet Nam obtained results comparable with agrarian reform and a programme of investment in agriculture smallholder - single-family agriculture.

"Fortunately, the great transformation necessary is already in progress - led by individuals, organizations and movements who have taken the future in their hands," the report States.

This article was provided by small mysteries of life, a sister site to LiveScience.?Follow Natalie Wolchover on Twitter @ nattyover.

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