Día internacional de los días internacionales

No sé por qué, pero estos días ha sido el día internacional de un montón de varas, lo cual me lleva a preguntarme quién o cómo se nombran esas cosas; de igual manera propongo hacer un Día Internacional del Día Internacional, ya que sólo eso falta.

En fin, siguiendo la ruta de la extinción a la que estamos condenados, les pongo estos links que me enviaron con artículos sobre el deprimente estado del clima mundial:

Dear colleague,

Today SciDev.Net publishes a collection of articles on deserts and drylands in its online desert science resource. These include peer-reviewed policy briefs written by leading stakeholders on issues such as human impact, access to water, conservation of biodiversity and the role of international conventions.

To find out more visit: www.scidev.net/desertscience

There is much debate over the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and whether it can achieve its purpose — to mitigate the effects of drought and support sustainable development in drylands. It is ten years since the UNCCD came into force, yet poverty and land degradation continue to affect sizeable areas and large numbers of people throughout the world.
SciDev.Net takes a look at the successes and limitations of the UNCCD.

In a peer-reviewed policy brief, Lindsay Stringer discusses how and why the UNCCD started, its aims, how it operates, and the role of science within the convention.http://www.scidev.net/dossiers/index.cfm?fuseaction=policybrief&dossier=25&policy=128

In an accompanying opinion article, Camilla Toulmin argues that if the UNCCD is to make progress over the next ten years, it needs a fundamental re-design to recognise climate change, engage communities and support land rights. http://www.scidev.net/dossiers/index.cfm?fuseaction=dossierreaditem&dossier=25&type=3&itemid=525&language=1

Other policy briefs include:

Conserving dryland biodiversity: Science and policyBiodiversity in drylands is fragile, easily disrupted and under threat. John Lemons sets out guidelines for tailoring policies to best protect these uniquely adapted ecosystems.http://www.scidev.net/dossiers/index.cfm?fuseaction=policybrief&dossier=25&policy=131

People, deserts and drylands in the developing worldGrowing human populations in drylands are depleting natural resources, while increasingly settled agriculture ignores the traditional knowledge needed to tackle future uncertainties, says David Thomas. http://www.scidev.net/dossiers/index.cfm?fuseaction=policybrief&dossier=25&policy=130

Improving access to water in deserts and drylandsWith water scarcity already affecting over a billion people, dryland populations should combine traditional and modern knowledge to manage water access sustainably, says Theib Oweis.http://www.scidev.net/dossiers/index.cfm?fuseaction=policybrief&dossier=25&policy=129

SciDev.Net's online desert science resource is free to access and also contains news, opinion and feature articles, key documents, links, definitions and a list of major events. It is an essential resource for those involved in the science and policy of drylands and desertification.

It was produced in collaboration with a panel of experts and with the support of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). Please pass on this information to friends and colleagues. If they have not already done so, they may also like to register with SciDev.Net. Visit www.scidev.net/register for automatic updates on chosen topics of interest and a free weekly email with all the latest news, views and notices about science, technology and development.

Please accept our apologies if you have already received this message through cross-posting. If you are registered with us and would like to update your details or cancel your registration, please go to http://www.scidev.net/register

Kind regards,
Ehsan Masood
Desert science dossier coordinatorSciDev.Net

Y como si fuera poco, más noticias para decir que estamos perdidos:

Research is needed to make biofuels sustainablehttp://www.scidev.net/Opinions/index.cfm?fuseaction=readOpinions&itemid=524&language=1Jeffrey McNeely says proponents of biofuels need to take greater account of their environmental impacts and use science to make them more efficient.

No creo que las predicciones de que en 50 años el 50% de la población vaya a ser de tercera edad, en 50 años sólo quedarán como un millón de personas que tendrán mutantes esclavos sirvientes.