Kenya: Drought forcing children to quit school.

Kenyan drought causes school attrition. According to the country’s education authorities, prolonged drought and their consequent shortages of food and water at home are causing increased absenteeism of children who must forego their studies to help parents earn a living.

To help alleviate this situation, the United Nations World Food Program has announced plans to implement a school lunch program in the most affected districts. Bravo and many thanks, United Nations World Food Program, for your timely and relevant assistance. We pray for the well-being of all the warm-hearted Kenyan people and that through our more considerate actions, a brighter future will dawn for all.
 
Poor Dominican Republic farmers to win greater access to markets under UN project

New UN project to assist Dominican Republic farmers. Involving 11 provinces in the country, the US$31 million program funded by the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will build on the success of a previous sustainability project and is intended to help create a direct link of between farmers and markets.

Ms. Josefina Stubbs, IFAD Latin America and Caribbean Director, described additional aspects of the work, saying, “Climate change mitigation and sound environmental management will be woven through this project, which will also recognize and endorse the vital role of women in economic development processes.” Our sincere thanks Director Stubbs and United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development, for your kind support of sustainable growing practices in the Dominican Republic. Best wishes to all Dominicans for fulfilling and prosperous success, with Heaven’s grace.
 
US$8.6 million in new funds for tropical forests

Sustainable trade initiatives to help tropical forests. Originally established through the United Nations, the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) is comprised of more than 50 tropical timber import and export states. In the ITTO’s recent 44th session in Yokohama, Japan, the organization announced funding for a US$3.5 million program to reduce deforestation and land degradation in tropical countries as well as US$5.1 million for projects that preserve tropical forest resources through sustainable use and trade. International Tropical Timber Organization, we sincerely appreciate your efforts to protect the tropical forests. May our planet continue to be adorned with the vital trees that replenish the atmosphere and provide color to our world.
 
Nepal receives aid to implement climate change convention

Nepal assisted in formulating action plan for climate change. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) have collectively donated over US$1.3 million to help Nepal’s Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology set up the plan. Its structure, which is expected to be implemented within 18 months, will follow the standards of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

We are grateful to the United Nations, United Kingdom and Denmark for your caring assistance in Nepal’s efforts to curb global warming. May the united eco-wise efforts of all governments protect and ensure the health of our beautiful planet.

Floods under Antarctic ice speed glaciers into sea: study

New cause of rising sea levels found. Scientists from the Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine, USA have discovered that sub-glacial floods occurring below ice covers in Antarctica and Greenland are speeding the movement of glaciers into the sea.

This evidence compounds the effect of already-known factors in sea level rise that are caused by global warming. This new effect highlights the urgency of potential events such as the Greenland ice sheet melting, which alone would raise the world’s oceans by a full 7 meters. Climate Change Institute scientists and all others involved, we thank you for sounding this alarm on the fragile state of our Earth. May we immediately adopt green measures that effectively protect all beings on our shared planetary abode