Climate change conference starts

The UN's annual climate change summit, COP16 will run from Nov 29 - December 10, continuing to seek a follow-on agreement for the Kyoto Protocol, which will expire in 2012. Last year's COP15 meeting was in Copenhagen. The Cancun meeting is not expected to have the same high profile attendance from world leaders.

The Health and Environment forum is to be held in Cairo on the 23rd and 25th October 2010. Despite overall improvements in health across the Arab region, gross inequities remain between and within countries. In addition, the consequences of global warming are likely to disproportionately affect the poor and their lives and livelihoods.

Amnesty International has on World Water Day urged the Israeli authorities to end discriminatory practices against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories that violate their right to adequate water supplies.

Many of the Palestinians living in the West Bank and featured in the October 2009 Amnesty International report Troubled Waters – Palestinians Denied Fair Access to Water – face continuing serious Israeli obstacles to accessing water.

"Almost six months after our report, the Israeli government still maintains control over water resources in Occupied Palestinian Territories. Palestinians are allowed only a fraction of the almost unlimited supplies provided to illegal Israeli settlements," said Malcolm Smart, Director of Amnesty International's Middle East Programme.

Urgent need for climate change adaptation measures in Arab countries

Authors: M.K. Tolba (ed); N.W. Saab (ed)
Publisher: Arab Forum for Environment and Development, 2009

Full text of document

Although greenhouse gas emissions from the Arab world amount to 4.2% of global emissions, the impact of climate change on the fragile environment of the region and its people is expected to be immense. This report aims to provide information to governments, business, academia and the public about the impact of climate change on the Arab countries, and encourage concrete action to face the challenge.

The report analyses the Arab response to the urgent need for adaptation measures, and uses the latest research findings to describe the vulnerabilities of natural and human systems in the Arab world to climate change and the impacts on different sectors. In an attempt to help shape adequate policies, the report discusses options for a post-Kyoto regime and outlines the state of international negotiations in this regard.