News stories by Stephen Leahy, page 4

INTERLAKEN, Switzerland, Sep 23 (IPS) - The lack of land rights is a crisis not just for local people but for all of humanity, warned organisers at an international conference here.

UXBRIDGE, Canada, Sep 10 (IPS) - A team of scientists who analysed the richness of plant species around the world concluded that the ecosystems in need of immediate protection in order to meet the 2020 conservation goals set by the Convention on Biological Diversity are largely concentrated in Latin America.

UXBRIDGE, Canada, Sep 09 (IPS) - Drought and chronic water shortages played a significant role in sparking Syria's civil war and in unrest throughout much of the Middle East, water experts now believe.

UXBRIDGE, Canada, Aug 15 (IPS) - Two reports released Wednesday reveal the dangerous gap between science and politics. New climate research shows that extreme events such as the severe heat wave in the U.S. last year will double in 2020, increase 400 percent by 2040, and then get far worse without significant carbon reductions.

UXBRIDGE, Canada, Jun 21 (IPS) - Extreme heat, flooding and water and food shortages will rock South Asia and Africa by 2030 and render large sections of cities inhabitable, if the world continues to burn huge amounts of coal, oil and gas, the World Bank is warning.

UXBRIDGE, Canada, Jun 13 (IPS) - Emerging economies such as Mexico and India are shifting energy investments into renewable resources while industrialised countries hesitate, noted two new United Nations reports released Wednesday in Nairobi, Kenya.

UXBRIDGE, Canada, Jun 12 (IPS) - U.N. climate talks have largely stalled with the suspension of one of three negotiating tracks at a key mid-year session in Bonn, Germany.

UXBRIDGE, Canada, Jun 10 (IPS) - Africa is the main target for "land grabs" by foreign investors, according to a new report on large-scale land acquisitions around the world released Monday.

REYKJAVÍK, Iceland, May 31 (IPS) - Soil is becoming endangered.This reality needs to be part of our collective awareness in order to feed nine billion people by 2050, say experts meeting here in Reykjavík.

UXBRIDGE, Canada, May 21 (IPS) - Everyone knows water is life. Far too few understand the role of trees, plants and other living things in ensuring we have clean, fresh water.