sadgffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffhThe climate is changing.

The earth is warming up, and there is now

overwhelming scientific consensus that it is happening, and human-induced. With global warming
on the increase and species and their habitats on the decrease, chances for ecosystems to adapt
naturally are diminishing.
Many are agreed that climate change may be one of the greatest threats facing the planet.
Recent years show increasing temperatures in various regions, and/or increasing extremities in
weather patterns.
This section looks at what causes climate change, what the impacts are and where scientific
consensus currently is.
Read Climate Change and Global Warming Introduction to learn more.
COP20Lima Climate Conference
Posted Saturday, January 24, 2015.
An overview of the Climate Change Conference (also known as COP 20), held in Lima, Peru in
December 2014.
While it seemed like it was a successful meeting, because developing nations were committed to
drawing up their own plans for emissions reductions for the first time, a number of important
issues were left undecided such as how financing would work.
This page is an overview of the Lima Climate conference.
Read COP20Lima Climate Conference to learn more.
Ebola Outbreak In West Africa
Posted Saturday, September 27, 2014.
An overview of the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa that has been described by the World
Health Organization as the largest, most severe and most complex outbreak in the history of the
disease.
The epidemic began at the end of 2013, in Guinea. From there it spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone,
Nigeria and Senegal. Many of the affected countries face enormous challenges in stopping its
spread and providing care for all patients.
Thousands of people have died and many are at risk as the fatality rate from this virus is very
high. As the crisis worsens, as well as the enormous health challenges involved, the social and
economic consequences may set these countries back, reversing some gains a number of these
countries have made in recent years.
Read Ebola Outbreak in West Africa to learn more.
Foreign Aid For Development Assistance
Last updated Sunday, September 28, 2014.
In 1970, the worlds rich countries agreed to give 0.7% of their gross national income as official
international development aid, annually.
Since that time, billions have certainly been given each year, but rarely have the rich nations
actually met their promised target.
For example, the US is often the largest donor in dollar terms, but ranks amongst the lowest in
terms of meeting the stated 0.7% target.
Net ODA in dollars and percent of GNI

Furthermore, aid has often come with a price of its own for the developing nations. Common
criticisms, for many years, of foreign aid, have included the following:
Aid is often wasted on conditions that the recipient must use overpriced goods and services from
donor countries
Most aid does not actually go to the poorest who would need it the most
Aid amounts are dwarfed by rich country protectionism that denies market access for poor
country products while rich nations use aid as a lever to open poor country markets to their
products
Large projects or massive grand strategies often fail to help the vulnerable; money can often be
embezzled away.
This article explores who has benefited most from this aid, the recipients or the donors.
Read Foreign Aid for Development Assistance to learn more.
Nature And Animal Conservation
Last updated Sunday, January 19, 2014.
Preserving species and their habitats is important for ecosystems to self-sustain themselves.
Yet, the pressures to destroy habitat for logging, illegal hunting, and other challenges are making
conservation a struggle.
Read Nature and Animal Conservation to learn more.
More updates
If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless
the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered
something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even
on the slightest evidence. Bertrand Russell, Roads to Freedom