A comprehensive report documenting the global impact of climate change on human society today.

The report was launched in London on 29 May 2009 by the Kofi Annan and Barbara Stocking, who was a member of the report's eminent Advisory Panel.

The Human Impact Report is the first consolidated volume specifically and exclusively focused on the adverse impacts of the climate change on human society across the world. The report is based on latest and best information on the human impact of climate change as well as inputs from world-leading scientists and climate, humanitarian and development experts.

In order to provide an idea of the order of magnitudes of the current impacts of climate change, the report also includes estimates on the numbers of deaths and casualties as a result of climate change, the economic costs of climate change, as well as making projections 20 years into the future.

The aim of the report is to fill a void in both a general public understanding of climate change as well as to senior policymakers.

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ICSU has launched an online consultation to gather questions that will help direct the future of Earth system research. ICSU invites the scientific community—natural and social scientists—as well as technology experts, decision-makers, and the general public, to contribute. The online consultation is open until 15 August.

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The International Social Science Council ( ISSC ) is an international non-profit-making scientific organisation with headquarters at UNESCO House in Paris . It is the primary international body representing the social and behavioural sciences at a global level.

The Council's role is to advance the practice and use of the social and behavioural sciences in all parts of the world, and to ensure their global representation. This involves:

• An overview of the quality and development of the constituent sciences;
• Action to stimulate their growth; and
• Work to ensure their utilisation and relevance to the problems of humankind; such promotion includes, wherever possible, the assistance of policy development at international and national levels, and the use of high quality social science research to further economic well-being and quality of life in all parts of our globe.

• International associations or unions of subjects across the social and behavioural sciences ( including the following subjects or aspects of them: anthropology, economics, education and pedagogy, environmental studies, geography, history, international and area studies, law, linguistics, management and business studies, political science, psychology and cognitive sciences, sociology, social policy, and social statistics)
• National academies of social science (or social science sections of national academies of science)
• National social science research councils (or divisions of national science councils responsible for the social sciences)
• Regional associations of social sciences representing the major continental regions of the globe
• Other national and international agencies and foundations with major interests in the social sciences

Not just another climate conference
WCC-3 will establish an international framework to guide the development of climate services which will link science-based climate predictions and information with climate-risk management and adaptation to climate variability and change throughout the world.

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Un grup d'uns quaranta veïns de primera i segona residència del barri i les urbanitzacions de la Molina d'Alp han creat una plataforma que, amb el nom Salvem la Molina, vol iniciar una campanya popular contra les directrius del nou Pla d'Ordenació Urbana Municipal aprovat inicialment per l'Ajuntament. Segons el parer d'aquests veïns, el nou pla preveu un creixement desmesurat de la Molina que vulnera la legalitat i va en contra dels paràmetres que defensen per a tota la Cerdanya altres normatives urbanístiques, com ara el Pla Director pel Pirineu i l'Aran i el Pla Director de la Cerdanya.
Un dels portaveus de la plataforma, Àngel Puig, ha explicat que els veïns han decidit mobilitzar-se després de veure que el consistori "se salta" els plantejaments de creixement ordenat per la resta de la comarca i ha anunciat que una de les primeres decisions de la plataforma ha estat que presentaran al·legacions al POUM. En nom de Salvem la Molina, Puig ha lamentat que l'Ajuntament d'Alp defensi un creixement dels entorns de les pistes d'esquí "totxo a totxo" i basat en un model urbanístic sotmès a la pressió de la construcció de segones i terceres residències. Puig ha recordat que els plans directors del Pirineu aconsellen, en canvi, un "decreixement de la construcció, mantenir la tipologia dels edificis ceretans i no edificar en espais verds, crear centres urbans i espais públics, i no espais dispersos que no creen 'poble', promoure les cases obertes i els espais amb vida, i, sobretot, cercar altres dinamitzadors econòmics per a la zona".
Davant d'aquesta situació, els veïns, que ja han celebrat una primera reunió constitutiva, han redactat un manifest en el qual reclamen, d'una banda, que es "replantegi" el model de creixement urbanístic d'Alp "per no hipotecar el futur del municipi i per extensió el de la comarca", i d'altra banda, que el POUM "es regeixi per la llei d'Urbanisme de Catalunya, pel Pla Territorial de l'Alt Pirineu i pel Pla Director Urbanístic de la Cerdanya. En aquest sentit, Salvem la Molina assegura que el POUM d'Alt vulnera aquests tres textos. Els membres de la plataforma han fet una crida a la població a adherir-s'hi i ha assegurat que té el suport d'entitats ecologistes com ara el Conseil International Associatif pou la Protection des Pyrennes (CIAPP) i Defensa del Patrimoni Natural (Depana).

By MIQUEL SPA (Regió 7). Read more

International encyclopedia of environmental politics
By John Barry, E. Gene Frankland

The Environmental Movement in Ireland Escrito
By Liam Leonard, John Barry

 Learn how to manage and lead more effectively. This foundational course will help you build self-awareness, leadership presence, and the ability to read your organizational environment as you explore the skills needed to understand and influence others. Members of the Senior Executive Service, inspirational public figures, and people-management experts will share success stories to help you develop a deeper understanding of what great leaders can achieve, encouraging you to explore your own true leadership potential.

This course is designed for government executives GS-13-15 and fulfills a requirement for the Certificate in Public Leadership.

Program Benefits

• Enhanced ability to motivate followers and lead action
• Practical tools to help you succeed at work
• Greater understanding of your personal leadership style and how to play to your strengths

• Leading people
• Team building
• Problem-solving
• Political savvy

 Historically, local governments have had broad discretion in the approval of residential development. However, local parochialism and prejudices often result in policies and practices that exclude the development of affordable housing, thereby exacerbating patterns of racial and economic segregation and creating a substantial imbalance of jobs and housing. In recent years, several laws have been adopted which place important limitations and obligations on local decision-makers in the area of affordable housing.

Housing Element Law (Gov. Code Sec. 65580 et seq.) Every city and county must adopt a housing element as part of its general plan. Most importantly, a housing element must identify sites appropriate for affordable housing and address governmental constraints to development. If the locality fails to adopt a housing element or adopts one that is inadequate, a court can order the locality to halt development until an adequate element is adopted or order approval of specific affordable housing developments.

In most cases, the identification of sites must include sites zoned for multifamily development by right. The court in Hoffmaster v. City of San Diego said that to qualify, a site must be specifically identified and available for immediate development without restrictive zoning burdens. (55 Cal.App. 4th 1098 (1997).)

"Anti-Nimby” Law (Gov. Code Sec. 65589.5). Even in communities with valid housing elements, local governments often deny approval of good developments. Misinformation and prejudice can generate fierce opposition to proposed projects. Recognizing this, state law prohibits a local agency from disapproving a low income housing development, or imposing conditions that make the development infeasible, unless it finds that one of six narrow conditions exist. Of the six, three are of most import: 1) the project would have an unavoidable impact on health and safety which cannot be mitigated; 2) the neighborhood already has a disproportionately high number of low income families; or 3) the project is inconsistent with the general plan and the housing element is in compliance with state law.

Prohibition of Discrimination Against Affordable Housing (Gov. Code Sec. 65008). This statute forbids discrimination against affordable housing developments, developers or potential residents by local agencies when carrying out their planning and zoning powers. Agencies are prohibited not only from exercising bias based on race, sex, age or religion, but from discriminating against developments because the development is subsidized or occupancy will include low or moderate income persons. Local governments may not impose different requirements on affordable developments than those imposed on non-assisted projects. Just as with the other state and federal fair housing laws (see below), this law applies even if the discrimination is not intentional. It applies to any land use action that has a disproportionate impact on assisted developments or the potential minority or low income occupants.

California and Federal Fair Housing Laws. These laws prohibit discrimination by local government and individuals based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, marital status, national origin, ancestry or mental or physical disability. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (Gov. Code Sec. 12900 et seq.) expressly prohibits discrimination through public or private land use practices and decisions that make housing opportunities unavailable. Similarly, the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 3601 et seq., or “Title VIII”) has been held to prohibit public and private land use practices and decisions that have a disparate impact on the protected groups. The federal Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 requires local governments considering housing projects for the disabled to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies and practices if necessary to afford disabled persons equal opportunity for housing (42 U.S.C. Sec. 3604(f)(3)(B)).

Water/Sewer Service (Gov Code Sec. 65589.7). Local water and sewer districts must grant priority for service hook-ups to projects that help meet the community’s fair share housing need.

Density Bonus Law (Gov Code Sec. 65915-16). Local governments must grant projects with a prescribed minimum percentage of affordable units, a 25% increase in density and at least one incentive. An incentive can include a reduction in development, parking or design standards, modification of zoning requirements or direct financial aid.

Permit Streamlining Act (Gov Code Sec. 65920 et seq.) This law requires cities and counties to publish a description of the information that project applicants must file and mandates a timeline for making a decision on the application. If the local government fails to act within the prescribed time limits, a development project is “deemed” approved.

Bonds/Attorney Fees in NIMBY Lawsuits. A court may require persons suing to halt affordable housing projects to post a bond (Code of Civil Procedure Sec. 529.2) and to pay attorneys fees (Gov. Code Sec. 65914).

CEQA Exemption. In 1997 the Legislature enacted AB 175 (Torlakson), amending Pub Res Code Sec. 21080.14, to provide that in an urbanized area, affordable housing developments of not more than 100 units are exempt from CEQA, provided the site is, among other things, less than 5 acres, not a wildlife habitat and is assessed for environmental contaminants. (See Sec. 21080.10 for a similar farmworker housing exemption.)

By Mike Rawson
California Affordable Housing Law ProjectSource: http://www.housingadvocates.org/default.asp?ID=167

Lobbying for social change
By Willard C. Richan