Daily News Digest - 14 December 2009

Reuters – Forest communities said key to climate fight

Reporting from CIFOR’s Forest Day 3, officials and academics agree that safeguards to protect and compensate local communities are key for halting deforestation. Nobel laureate Elinor Ostrom also spoke at the event:

"If local people and indigenous people in the developing world are not recognised and assigned clear rights, we could end up with more deforestation," - Elinor Ostrom, 2009 winner of the Nobel Prize in economics.

Full article on Reuters

Bangkok Post – Firms seek tough stand on climate deal

Local business leaders in Thailand have called on the government not to ratify any new climate change deal if developed countries do not commit to funding and technology transfers. Full article in the Bangkok Post.

Thanh Nien News – Vietnam third most disaster-ravaged nation in 2008

A recently released report named Vietnam as one of the countries hit the hardest by natural disasters, reaffirming the need for COP15 and a climate change treaty to enable transfer of funds and technology to developing countries for adaptation. Full article in Thanh Nien News.

Voxy.co.nz – UN Climate Wall brings climate change testimonies to COP 15

The UN Climate Wall is a touch screen display embedded with real-life stories, where people from Cambodia, Bangladesh, and other countries describe how climate change is impacting people their lives. Full article on voxy.co.nz.

Mongabay – New REDD text is weak, say activists
Associated Press – Lack of money could hurt forest deal
IPS News – Asian delegates want ‘political accord’ for now
The Guardian - Poor countries threaten climate deal showdown at summit