Solutions

Stopping Ebola in its Tracks: a Community-Led Response

Wed, 2015-12-09 22:21 — Kathy Gilbeaux

reliefweb.int - globalcommunities.org - December 1, 2015

The public view of the Ebola response was dominated by images and stories of medical workers and Ebola treatment units. But there is also the less-known story of the many thousands of Liberian health workers, government staff, traditional leaders and volunteers who played the most significant role in building resilience to Ebola and reducing transmission and infection. It is these groups, working in the frontlines and at significant risk, which Global Communities partnered with throughout the Ebola response.

Global Communities’ approach to countering the Ebola outbreak has been highlighted by President Obama, Dr. Rajiv Shah, former Administrator of USAID, and many others as having been a key component in the successful fight against Ebola in Liberia in the 2014-15 outbreak. This new publication “Stopping Ebola in its Tracks,” has two strands:

It describes Global Communities’ community-driven response to the Ebola outbreak in Liberia

It derives from this experience lessons learned and recommendations for preventing and dealing with future disasters

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CLICK HERE - #ChennaiRains Resource Center

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Relief Effort Underway for Flood-Ravaged Chennai in India

Wed, 2015-12-09 10:00 — Kathy Gilbeaux

People walk through a flooded street in Chennai, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes, schools and offices. ( AP Photo) Associated Press

cnn.com - by Archith Seshadri - December 7, 2015

Chennai, a city of 4.6 million people on India's southeast coast, is reeling from some of the heaviest and deadliest rains in decades. . . .

"The value of Wi-Fi access cannot be underestimated," said Sharanya Manivanan of Chennai. "Phone lines were down for days, but those with Internet access were able to make things happen.”

Tech workers created a crowdsourcing site called www.chennairains.org so people can find sources of food and shelter using their smartphones or computers.

Drinking water is a megaproblem . . .

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CLICK HERE - Adoption of the Paris Agreement

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Officials from Around the World Reach Climate Change Draft Agreement

Wed, 2015-12-09 08:00 — Kathy Gilbeaux

CLICK HERE - Negotiation Updates COP 21/CMP 11

CLICK HERE - The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) - ADP 2-12 - Draft Paris Outcome

CLICK HERE - The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) - ADP 2-12 - Draft Paris Outcome (48 page .PDF file)

CLICK HERE - Reuters - Factbox - New climate text shows many hurdles to Paris deal - December 9, 2015

CLICK HERE - UN Secretary-General Announces “Climate Action 2016” Partnership

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Global

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Climate

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Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Vodafone Launches Mobile Cash Transfer System in Ghana Where 15M People Do Not Have a Bank Account

Tue, 2015-12-08 08:36 — Kathy Gilbeaux

Moving money: The service, called M-Pesa, will be branded Vodafone Cash in the West African state

thisismoney.co.uk - by City & Finance Reporter for the Daily Mail - December 7, 2015

Vodafone has launched its mobile cash transfer system in Ghana where 15m people do not have a bank account.

The service, called M-Pesa, will be branded Vodafone Cash in the West African state. It allows mobile phone users to load money on to their phones, just as pay-as-you-go customers can top up their credit.

They can send the funds anywhere in the country with a text message. Recipients can pick up the cash at shops that offer the service.

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Africa

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Economics

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CLICK HERE - World Resources Institute - African Countries Launch AFR100 to Restore 100 Million Hectares of Land

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At Climate Talks, African Nations Pledge to Restore Forests

Sun, 2015-12-06 15:58 — Kathy Gilbeaux

FILE - In this Sunday, March 21, 2010 file photo, shafts of sunlight filtering through the forest canopy strike smoke from fires burning outside family huts at an Mbuti pygmy hunting camp in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve outside the town of Epulu, Congo. Tree by tree, more than a dozen African governments pledged to restore the continent’s natural forests at the U.N. climate change talks in Paris on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015. (Rebecca Blackwell,File/Associated Press)

CLICK HERE - African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100)

CLICK HERE - Global Landscapes Forum

washingtonpost.com - by Lynsey Chutel - December 6, 2015

JOHANNESBURG — Tree by tree, more than a dozen African governments pledged to restore the continent’s natural forests at the United Nations climate talks on Sunday.

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CLICK HERE - United Nations Conference on Climate Change - COP21/CMP11

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World Leaders Arrive in Paris for Climate Conference

Sun, 2015-11-29 21:43 — Kathy Gilbeaux

CLICK HERE - Paris 2015 - COP21/CMP11 - UN Climate Change Conference - INDCs

CLICK HERE - Overview Schedule - United Nations Climate Change Conference (7 page .PDF file)

CLICK HERE - The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) - ADP 2-12 - Draft Paris Outcome

CLICK HERE - Reuters - Live Updates - Conference of Parties - #COP21

CLICK HERE - New York Times - Tracking Views and News Out of the Paris Climate Change Talks

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Global

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Climate

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CLICK HERE - Breakthrough Energy Coalition

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Bill Gates Launches Multi-Billion Dollar Clean Energy Fund

Sun, 2015-11-29 19:30 — Kathy Gilbeaux

Bill Gates has pulled together a multinational band of investors to put billions into clean energy.

money.cnn.com - by Jackie Wattles - November 30, 2015

The Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist announced his latest endeavor, the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, at the climate change summit in Paris. . . .

. . . The new Gates fund will be fed by a group that spans more than two dozen public and private entities -- including national governments, billionaire philanthropists, investment fund managers and tech CEOs.

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Sustainable Development

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NASA Finds New Way to Track Ocean Currents from Space

Mon, 2015-11-16 21:21 — Maeryn Obley

NASA's GRACE satellites (artist's concept) measured Atlantic Ocean bottom pressure as an indicator of deep ocean current speed. In 2009, this pattern of above-average (blue) and below-average (red) seafloor pressure revealed a temporary slowing of the deep currents. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Image: NASA's GRACE satellites (artist's concept) measured Atlantic Ocean bottom pressure as an indicator of deep ocean current speed. In 2009, this pattern of above-average (blue) and below-average (red) seafloor pressure revealed a temporary slowing of the deep currents. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

jpl.nasa.gov - November 2nd, 2015

A team of NASA and university scientists has developed a new way to use satellite measurements to track changes in Atlantic Ocean currents, which are a driving force in global climate. The finding opens a path to better monitoring and understanding of how ocean circulation is changing and what the changes may mean for future climate.

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Scientists breach brain barrier to treat sick patient

Mon, 2015-11-16 21:03 — Maeryn Obley

The blood-brain barrier protects the brain against toxins.

Image: The blood-brain barrier protects the brain against toxins.

bbc.com - November 10th, 2015

For the first time, doctors have breached the human brain's protective layer to deliver cancer-fighting drugs.

The Canadian team used tiny gas-filled bubbles, injected into the bloodstream of a patient, to punch temporary holes in the blood-brain barrier.

A beam of focused ultrasound waves applied to the skull made the bubbles vibrate and push their way through, along with chemotherapy drugs.

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Health

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