Highlights

A briefing event in connection with the release of the World Resources Report 2008 Roots of Resilience: Growing the Wealth of the Poor was held on 11 November 2008 at the Engebret Cafe in Oslo. Jointly organized by UNEP/GRID-Arendal and the World Resources Institute, the event aimed at raising awareness about the report and its contents and to create a forum to debate and respond to the issues addressed in the report.

In celebration of UN Day 2008, GRID-Arendal, Arendal Municipality and Aust-Agder County jointly organized a series of events at the UN House and the Arendal Cultural Centre and Municipal Hall. The theme of this year’s celebration is UNite to Combat climate change to support the call for a definitive agreement at the climate change talks in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2009. Norway’s Minister of Environment and Development Erik Solheim joined the celebration in Arendal.

Paint for the Planet  – 23-25 October in New York and Arendal

Children from around the world are lending their support to global efforts to combat climate change through Paint for the Planet, an exhibit and auction organised by UNEP. Showcasing selected winning entries from the UNEP's International Children's Painting Competition, Paint for the Planet expresses the visions, fears, and hopes of the children for their future regarding the planet.

This is the third Impact Seminar convened by GRID-Arendal to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas on the impact of environmental information on decision-making. This seminar aims to address the issues of how GRID-Arendal and UNEP can enhance their activities in the areas of communication and campaigns. The seminar will explore new possibilities that modern information technologies offer for communicating environmental information to decision-makers, the potential for cooperation with the media and publishers, and the ways to measure measure impact.

If your country, city, community or company is looking to make a commitment to reduce its carbon footprint or increase ways to benefit the environment, all you need to do is join UNEP’s Climate Neutral Network (CN Net). CN Net  helps those interested to achieve their goals of achieving climate neutrality by making public the plans and strategies they have. They can also, thereafter, update progress or achievements, even challenges, encountered. Members can use the tools and resources on this site, as well as network with other existing members. The site contains videos, podcasts, posters, photographs and news alert service among its tools for members, and is RSS enabled.
Visit the CN Net website at www.unep.org/climateneutral

Many Strong Voices is a collaborative programme with the goal of promoting the well-being, security and sustainability of coastal communities in the Arctic and SIDS in the face of climate change, by bringing these regions together to take action on mitigation and adaptation. The MSV programme is made up of a consortium of partners represented by nearly 20 Arctic and SIDS nations.

On World Environment Day, UNEP launched a guide to low-carbon living, entitled Kick the Habit: A UN Guide to Carbon Neutrality  that was produced by GRID-Arendal. Aimed at a broad audience, presenting solutions for individuals, businesses, cities and countries, NGOs and intergovernmental organizations, the publication shows how all levels of society can get closer to climate neutrality.

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The way the world grows its food will have to change radically to better serve the poor and hungry if the world is to cope with a growing population and climate change while avoiding social breakdown and environmental collapse,  a new report of the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) released 15 April 2008 says. The graphics featured in this report were prepared by GRID-Arendal.
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Four countries, four cities and five corporations have become the pioneering members of Climate Neutral Network, CN Net, a bold new initiative to address climate change and the urgent need to de-carbonize the global economy. Launched on Thursday by the United Nations Environment Programme, CN Net is being offered as one solution to the challenge of rising greenhouse gases. GRID-Arendal facilitated the preparation of the CN Net website.
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The new rapid response report entitled In Dead Water has for the first time mapped the multiple and combined impacts of pollution; alien infestations; over-exploitation and climate change on the seas and oceans. The worst concentration of cumulative impacts of climate change with existing pressures of over-harvest, bottom trawling, invasive species , coastal development and pollution appear to be concentrated in 10-15 per cent of the oceans concurrent with today’s most important fishing grounds says the report.
Read the full press release