Greetings from UC Berkeley!  For all of you baseball fans, I hope you take pleasure in the World Series victory of the San Francisco Giants - the first since 1954! It was actually a tremendous show of both skill and teamwork.  We also have a new governor in California - Jerry Brown.  Well, new and old.  He was governor for two terms in 1974 - 1982.  Brown has a strong pro-environment and pro-labor record.  He believes in investing in quality education for youth and in promoting "green economy" jobs. Read On...

Cities and rural areas will experience climate change differently, and while we are distracted by urban politics and technological endeavors, we may be overlooking important existing solutions in traditional rural practices.  A mix of traditional adaptive measures and practices may hold the answer to Bangladesh's critical problems of food security, flooding, landlessness, and salinity intrusion.  Read Full Article

California also voted against "Proposition 23" that would have forced a retreat from implementation of mandated carbon emission reductions under legislation AB32.  It's great that California voters have clearly stated their support for investment in clean and renewable energy, and the "polluters pay" principle.   See David Zilberman's "blog" for more perspective on this issue!

We are extremely happy to have Sarah Sawyer as our new Berkeley ELP Alumni Network coordinator.  She has put tremendous effort into working with you to develop and publish this newsletter full of articles on managing the impacts of climate change in communities around the world.  Our second and third newsletters this year will also feature your work related to climate change science, policy, mitigation and adaptation.  Please share your knowledge and experiences!

As part of the 10^th anniversary of the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program, we hired a recent graduate of the UCB School of Journalism, Clare Major, to develop four short videos about the ELP that will be helpful for our communication, recruitment and fundraising efforts.  She accompanied us for part of ELP 2010, including the July 11^th event that brought several outstanding alumni to Berkeley for the celebration.  The outcome of her work is now available for all of you to see on YouTube.com!  Just search for Beahrs ELP and you will see the videos titled, "Program", "Participants", "Alumni" and "Future".  So far the feedback has been very positive, including from UCB Chancellor Birgeneau, who is featured in two of the videos.  Please send us your feedback!  That's most important of all.

In a few days the 2011 course brochure will be completed.  And within a few weeks the Beahrs ELP will have a new, user-friendly, attractive website with added functions such as: "Forum", "Alumni Database", "On-line Application", and "News".  You will be the first ones to know when we go "live" with the website.  Sarah will be leading the effort to construct and "populate" the ELP Alumni Network pages.  Please help her with timely responses to requests for information.  You will be able to update your own profiles; however, we need your collaboration to build the basic information that you will then edit whenever there are changes in your professional circumstances.  Watch for an email from Sarah or Elna about building this searchable database with your information and updated photos on it. Thanks!

Soon we will be asking for your support for ELP 2011 recruitment! Please think of excellent candidates among your colleagues and friends and send your nominations to [email protected]

Warm regards and many thanks,

Robin

CLIMATE DISASTERS AND STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN NIGERIA: HOW PREPARED ARE WE?

 Nnaona Efe Usoroh (ELP 2010) Program Officer

Bayelsa State Sustainable Development Policy Unit, Yenagoa

Climate Disasters

Most years, the gates of the Challawa and Tiga dams in the rivers of Kano State, Nigeria are opened up to allow the exit of excess water and avoid overflowing following heavy rains. In August 2010 however, this action proved disastrous for over two million inhabitants of six states in the northern part of the country.  Millions were forced to flee their homes and farmlands due to the floods that overtook and consumed everything in their path. This devastation was the result of torrential rainfalls, despite forecasts by Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) of low rainfall in the north for the year. Lives were lost; infrastructure, properties and livestock worth millions of Naira were destroyed; and thousands of hectares of farmland were submerged, damaging crops and food items. The resultant health implications of the flooding are dire: millions are forced to survive on polluted, contaminated waters, leaving them highly susceptible to malaria, cholera, and other water-borne diseases. NIMET also warns that more than 12 million people in the region could face food shortages in the coming months. In September, the western part of the country also experienced severe flooding as a result of enhanced precipitation. The release of excess water from the Oyan Dam caused flooding in the Ogun river banks and surrounding areas, covering Lagos and Ogun states. The present reality is that homes have been lost/abandoned and livelihoods shattered, and the victims are left to ponder their fate as the aftermath of this devastation continues to unfold.

While excessive prolonged rainfall is natural and beyond human control, several 'man-made' factors have intensified the extent of the calamity: problems in dam management and lack of adequate awareness; increase in the population residing on the flood plains of the rivers; human manipulations of drainage basins and undeveloped drainages; and town & urban planning problems, among others. Additionally, the Dam authorities blame floods on the rising sea level occasioned by climate change.The Federal Government, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has provided tons of relief materials to victims of the flood disasters. NEMA has, however, been criticized for its lack of quick response and for its reactionary role in the events of the past months. NEMA, State governments, and the Dam management authorities have been pointing fingers and trading blame about how each party could have done a better job and how each party should have responded.

The Need for Better Emergency Preparedness

The recent unfortunate events have once again reiterated the immediate need for Nigerian authorities to enhance the country's emergency system and response strategy. If the Emergency agencies are unable to adequately manage these flood-induced emergencies occasioned by water deliberately released from dams, then how can the country possibly cope when confronted with unanticipated complex disasters and threats?

Perhaps nothing calls for better preparedness than the fact that nature can neither be precisely predicted nor controlled. Nigeria's director for Germany's Heinrich Boll Foundation, adviser to the Nigerian government on climate change, stated that most scientists predict a one-meter rise in sea level over the next 50 years. He noted, however, that "we can't predict the exact time frame that the scourge can occur." (Next online; 10-23-2010) Scientific predictions imply that several of the coastal states (i.e. the Niger Delta) and Lagos state are highly vulnerable: any significant rise in sea level and the states, which make up about a third of the nation, will be submerged.

Though other scientists may argue that sea levels are actually declining, the fact remains that given the variability of rainfall patterns and the unpredictability of other forces of nature, our emergency systems and services must be improved. The management of disasters should henceforth be more proactive than reactive as has hitherto been the case. 

Responding to floods, and indeed all disasters, is a collective responsibility. NEMA has urged the States and Local Governments to establish and empower their respective State Emergency Management Agencies and Local Government/Community emergency response teams.  Emergency relief plans and programs of all tiers of government should be integrated and effectively coordinated. Preparedness requires constant efforts at planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercising, evaluation and improvement activities to guarantee effective coordination and the improvement of capabilities to prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from, mitigate and possibly adapt to the effects of disasters.

It is heartening to note that gradual steps to make this a reality in Nigeria are actually being made. The establishment of the Ecological Fund and Office by the federal government is a welcome development and is a step in the right direction. States and local communities should have well-equipped and funded local emergency agencies to enable them to tackle emergencies as they arise. It is the desire of many Nigerians to see that the funds are judiciously expended.

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The Paradox of the Climate Change Discussion

We are faced with a climate crisis. We somehow cannot agree on how to deal with it.  However, some estimate that by 2050 the impacts of  climate change (cooling or warming) will have defined the destiny of humanity.

Amid other global challenges, climate change has created an atmosphere of both fear and hope. There is hope that we have the ability to change things, and despair that things are beyond our control. Paradoxically, given the opportunity to change, we tend to shift our attention to things furthest from our control, getting easily distracted. For example, when we talk of food security, instead of focusing on using existing naturally-bred crops, we seek technological advances, such as GMOs, to respond to short term problems, while disregarding the long-term implications of these technologies. Additionally, when searching for global solutions, we trap ourselves in complex and intricate political distractions that prevent us from taking concrete actions, for example, to improve our ecological integrity. Cities and rural areas will experience climate change differently, and while we are distracted by urban politics and technological endeavors, we may be overlooking important existing solutions in traditional rural practices. 

Non-Cluster Populations and Climate Change Risk

 Cities can be seen as clusters of population in space. While hamlets of villages can be defined as non-cluster populations. It is easier to provide services and determine a predictable market within cluster populations.   Amid the extreme climate views, there is widespread support to finance climate solutions, and develop technologies and infrastructure that prepares and placates those living in cluster societies.  However, it is the non-cluster populations who are exposed to the extremes of climate change, and impacts on them are projected to be severe, especially in the arid zones. Nevertheless, solutions to support those living in non-cluster population are still being studied and analysed, rather than being implemented. As the economic returns from non-cluster areas are not often evident, people lack incentives for climate investments there.

The climate debate leaves many questions unanswered about the non-cluster populations. Little is being done to proactively represent their framework of existence and concerns, and factor them into the climate  financing mechanisms.  The emerging instruments and institutions shy away from dealing with non-cluster issues. It has been argued that benefits from investing in cluster systems will eventually 'trickle down' to the marginal non-cluster populations. This has been a development paradigm over the last 50 years.  Can we still afford to buy this argument?

Non-Cluster Populations and Climate Change Adaptive Solutions

Big problems, at times, require simple solutions that already exist, are within our reach, and take minimum spending. Bangladesh may provide an ideal example of this fact. Bangladesh, a low-lying delta country, laced and often lashed by 600,000 sq miles of watershed from the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna river systems, will bear the brunt of extreme climate conditions in the coming decades. One fifth of the country is under water for six months during the monsoon period, exposing the non-cluster population to critical problems of food security. However, Bangladesh has an interesting response to landlessness during the flooding period: the floods offer an opportunity for adaptive farming to enhance rural livelihood options.This highlights the roles traditional knowledge, technology, and practice can play in addressing climate change issues.  

A mix of traditional adaptive measures and practices might therefore hold the answer to Bangladesh's critical problems of food security, flooding, landlessness, and salinity intrusion.  Access to crops that can withstand salinity; aqua-culture practices that guarantee food security; and water management systems that will secure future supplies of clean water are paramount. A combination of the non-soil floating agriculture known as goata and the water engineering system called ber can deliver these solutions, they simply lack a support  framework to do so. This is an opportunity to use Climate Funds to promote the goata practice, the traditional salinity tolerant rice species and develop the ber technology for wider application. 

Goata agriculture transforms landless people into farmers during the flood season. Floating goata is made of bamboo and straw from amon and aush paddy (rice). Pulses, tubers and vegetables are grown on it. After the flood waters recede, the partially decomposed straw is ready for use as organic manure.  According to the locals, besides withstanding salinity, the aush species is the best straw for the goata.  Farmers combine farming and fishing to improve their nutritional status, and to generate cash by selling excess fish and the decomposed goata as organic manure.  The ber water engineering system has traditionally been used by farmers to deal with water-logging and salinity. The architecture effectively maintains fresh water for use by households as well protecting the limited agriculture lands from being contaminated by salinity.

Climate change can lead to natural disasters, which usually cause socio-economic damage and environmental degradation, thereby negatively impacting society and the economy. For example, Mongolia counts both a rapid increase of rodents and forest and steppe fires as natural disasters. Therefore, environmental degradation, in addition to large-scale property damage, should be included in the UN's definition of natural disaster. According to data collected since the 1970s, Mongolia has experienced approximately 25-30 atmosphere-related natural phenomenon, almost one-third of which caused natural disasters and several billion Tugrugs in damage.

 Since the mid-1990s, excluding droughts and zuds (heavy snow fall), temporary extreme weather conditions have caused 10-12 billion Tugrugs in damage every year.  This damage is largely due to the lack of protective mechanisms against natural disasters and the weakness of statistical data in forecasts.  Continuous strong snowstorms (6 hours or more) that cover a large territory are one of the most dangerous extreme events, and can cause dramatic human fatalities.  During this type of storm herders, usually in the pastureland with their herds, are especially vulnerable. For example, from April 16 to 20, 1980, a strong snowstorm, with up to 40 m/s of speed, continued for 60 hours and caused 43 human deaths and unkown economic damage (during the socialist era, damage statistics were not open to the public).

Source: http://www.life.com/image/97711013

The herders are always afraid of natural disasters like zud. The zud is an extremely snowy winter in which livestock are unable to find fodder through the snow cover, and large numbers of animals die due to starvation and cold. In the winter of 2009, about 6 million of the country's roughly 44 million livestock, and a large number of wildlife, died because of the heavy and continuous snowfall and temperatures dropping below minus 40 degrees Celsius in most provinces of Mongolia.

The impact was severe, as livestock herding accounts for about a third of employment in Mongolia. Around 35 percent of Mongolia's work force is dependent on herding for a substantial part of their livelihoods and about 63 percent of rural household assets are livestock. Therefore, impacts include worsening food security and rising poverty levels, which may cause an increase in rural to urban migration.

In 2010, the Government of Mongolia adopted a clean air amendment along with a new law based on the 'polluters pay' principle, the Air Pollution Fee. An interagency and inter-sectoral National Climate Committee (NCC) was established. The committee consists of experts to coordinate and guide national activities, and to develop measures for adapting to climate change and mitigating GHG emissions.

A Governmental meeting was held on the last Friday of August, 2010 in South-Gobi, a place badly hit by spreading desertification. South-Gobi was chosen as the venue because the Government wanted to raise public awareness of problems posed by climate change. Meeting participants discussed a new program to battle climate change and decided to appeal for international assistance and attention. The coalition Government will do whatever it can, but people and organizations also have to change their habits and ways to adopt environmentally friendly methods of living and working.

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Background

   Kenya is most vulnerable to cli mate change, particularly its marginal communities, such as Siakago, that largely depend on natural resources for livelihood (Karani 2010).  Climate events such as La Nin� affected Kenyan economy in the Financial Years of 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006. Stern (2007) noted that about 26% of the Kenyan Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was lost as a result of La Nin�, resulting from a 28%  decline in hydro electric power production, a 58% loss in industrial productivity, and a 16% reduction in agricultural output. Local communities must struggle with climate consequences on the ground for survival. 

The Case of Siakago Community in Kenya

Siakago community resides in the arid and semi arid lands of Kenya that support 80% of the country's total land area, 25% of the population and 50% of the livestock (Karani 2010). The area is fragile, prone to drought, and poverty-stricken. The communities, holding much of their wealth in livestock, are severely threatened by drought that diminishes cattle feed and water (Karani 2010).

The impact is seen in reduced incomes due to underweight livestock that fetches very little cash on the market or livestock that is lost completely. The farming communities face similar consequences, as drought affects food and cash crops. In attempts to mitigate the effects of climate change, different groups have tried to diversify their income sources (Karani 2002). Kung'u et al. (2009) found that communities are involved in multiple, diversified activities as shown in Table 1.

Recently, ELP alumni Dulce Elazegui (2003) and Agnes Rola (2001) authored the document "Managing Climate Risks in the Context of Angat Resevoir, Philippines", the result of a collaborative research project entitled "Institutional and Policy Landscaping for Climate Risk Management". The project represents collaboration between the Institute of Strategic Planning and Policy Studies, College of Public Affairs, University of the Philippines Los Ba�os, UPLB Foundation, Inc., and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York, USA. It is part of a bigger project, entitled "Climate Forecast Applications for Disaster Mitigation in Indonesia and the Philippines" with support from USAID and NOAA.

The important work highlights results of an analysis of the institutional and policy context for climate risk management (CRM) in the case of Angat Reservoir in Bulacan province of the Philippines. The case of Angat Reservoir is complex, as many different players are involved from the national level to the local level. Water allocation is approved by the National Water Resources Board to three competing sectors. Seasonal climate variability and extreme climate events affect levels of stream flow to the reservoir, and thus its capacity to deliver water to the various users. Users include: the Metro Manila area, for domestic, industrial, commercial, and other uses; the Bulacan and Pampanga areas for irrigation requirements; and the National Power Corporation for hydro-power generation. The degree of climate impacts will depend on the response mechanisms already in place.

The primary objectives of the research are to provide a fuller understanding of: 1) the roles of the stakeholders and institutions involved; 2) the arena within which interactions occur; 3) the policy decisions that are routinely taken in response to climate-related problems; and 4) potential institutional and policy strategies to upgrade climate risk management solutions for better incorporation in social and economic development.

 The monograph presents important information on topics such as: the nature of climate risks in an urban setting, and current efforts to address them; the decision-making process at the national level, particularly in the context of rural-urban competition for water use; the experience at the local rural level, particularly the agricultural sector in Bulacan; and the potential for rainfall index insurance to help manage risks in agriculture.

Key observations on institutional behavior include: 1) informal institutions are just as important as formal laws and regulations; and 2) stakeholders respond to risks and constraints as they perceive them, then use this knowledge to take actions to protect their interests. Abnormal climate conditions typically trigger reactions to cope with an "unexpected" or extreme climate event, but pro-active steps to reduce risks often do not receive sufficient attention. Management of Angat Dam is more critical when the water level is low, demanding a change in demand from water users as demonstrated during the 1997-1998 El Ni�o. The coping mechanisms are physical (e.g. building infrastructure), technical (e.g. use of alternative technologies), and behavioral (e.g. changes in farming and water delivery).

A number of institutional issues arising from the research include: organizational mobilization, upgrading of climate information system, weather index insurance as a tool for reducing risks, more effective decision tools for reservoir operation and management, and mainstreaming CRM in development planning. Collaborations between water suppliers/managers, decision makers, and research institutions will be key in guaranteeing the obtaining of required information for better CRM decisions. Finally, although awareness of the need to address impacts of climate change is slowly increasing, the publication points to the importance of efforts to improve societal resilience to climate-related risks today. While trends related to climate change must be continually monitored and analyzed, and policy approaches must be developed to address them, increasing capacity to proactively manage climate risks today holds important lessons in adapting to a changing climate for  decades to come. 

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Combining several different methodologies as practiced by the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) and the UNDP Asian Young Leaders in Governance (AYLG), the Indonesian alumni of ELP and AYLG designed and carried out the Indonesian Young Leadership for Environment and Governance Initiatives (IYLEGI). The training project was successfully conducted from 21 to 26 September, 2010 in Bogor, Indonesia. Thirteen young leaders from 9 organizations (government and NGO) from 5 provinces in Indonesia were trained in leadership skills and environmental governance.

The core training team consisted of four ELP alums: Alifah Sri Lestari (07), Happy Tarumadevyanto (07), Rahmina (02), and Nani Saptariani (04).  Also sharing their experiences during the training were four more ELP alumni: Diah Raharjo (01), Erna Rosdiana (02), Yohannes Izmi Ryan (05) and Burhanuddin (02).

The primary goal of the IYLEGI training project is the institutionalization of a spirit of sharing among up-and-coming young leaders to support their work. IYLEGI aims to increase the capacity of young leaders in governance, resting upon three pillars of implementation:

• Character-building of the leaders, strengthening understanding and providing leaders with new perspectives on governance;
•  Creating an environment that enables the leaders to implement governance systems; 
•  Improving skills and knowledge which strengthen collaborative processes, an important component of governance systems.

By the end of the training, each participant developed an action plan drawn on experiences gained during the training. They planned to incorporate insights and skills into their daily work and organizations. Andreas, a participant from Ecoton-Surabaya, said, "This training is very useful to support my work because it's really practical, and easy to apply under different conditions."  Ati, from FIELD Indonesia, added, "The topic of power mapping helped me to understand more about governance. I haven't practiced this before, and I will use this approach to support my work at the field level."

Two weeks after the IYLEGI training, as part of a follow-up exercise, alumni held a joint training on plastics recycling. The aim of this was to increase awareness of environmental protection into the future.

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        The Waterway Environment Transformation (WET)-Africa seeks to preserve and rehabilitate the valuable natural reserves of South Africa's critically endangered rivers.  WET-Africa's Jukskei River Restoration project intends to rehabilitate the dangerously polluted 67 km Jukskei River in Johannesburg, South Africa, through educating and involving communities in river restoration, and providing alternative 'green' employment opportunities that alleviate poverty while benefiting  the river

        Kim Kieser (ELP 2009), CEO Founder of SOUL Foundation and WET-Africa, was assisted by four graduate students from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, International Business Development Program (IBD), in the plan to remediate, restore, and improve the waters and catchment area of the Jukskei River.    The MBA students' objective was to perform an economic and environmental assessment of the Jukskei River. Specifically, they set out to identify and quantify the financial benefits derived from cleaning and maintaining the Jukskei River, for the purpose of attracting capital support. The Haas students report that they found the experience to be challenging and rewarding.

        The work by WET-Africa, IBD, and GFN (Global Footprint Network) will laythe foundation for a global and a regional Green Stock Exchange (GMSE), which gives monetary value to natural open space that can be utilised as conservation areas for public recreational use. The GMSE utilizes investment-based revenue as a financial mechanism to fund environmental improvements and is an innovative mechanism for investors to earn financial returns in the process of restoring and 'adding value' to degraded environmental areas. It generates income for the local community, creates employment and contributes to long term sustainable growth in the region. The increased value of the Jukskei watercourse after restoration in the WET program will be a reflection of the project's associated social, economic and environmental benefits. 

        The Haas Business School's IBD students, Gustavo Botelho, Chad Arkoff, David Schlosberg, and Samir Janveja, completed their portion of the project and reported their findings in June 2010.  One student reported, "We hope that our efforts to assess the feasibility of WET-Africa's strategic plan will contribute positively to the region through environmental improvement, poverty alleviation, and job creation." The IBD reports indicate that recycling is the most realizable near-term outcome for the Jukskei River project and that the development of recycling centers will be essential in keeping waste away from the river. SOUL is currently in negotiations with National Dept. Water Affairs and Environment to form a Public-Private Partnership to implement WET-Jukskei 67 as a Ministerial Legacy Project.  They hope this will secure the lands necessary for buyback centers.

Sam Ubi (Nigeria, ELP 2004) writes: "I am the conservation coordinator of a sanctuary dedicated to the sustainable management of its biodiversity. I am directly involved in policy formulation and implementation. Recently, my colleagues and I succeeded in lobbying the state legislators to revive a 30 year old forest and wildlife law. My duties have been diverse, involving the training of newly recruited staff on anti-poaching techniques and supervision and establishment of community development projects. Currently, I am preparing the communities to benefit from carbon forestry while ensuring sustainable use of the resource. My team is making a meaningful impact on the lives of rural people and primates."

Pieter Terpstra (Japan, ELP 2004) writes: "I am still working for the Dutch Foreign Service. After a great 2 1/2 years in Bangladesh we moved to Tokyo in August this year. I am currently working as Trade Officer at the Economic Section. At the same time I am also the Environmental Counselor so I am still involved in environmental issues. It has been a big change from Dhaka to Tokyo but so far we really like it."

In September, 2010, Anyaa Vohiri (Liberia, ELP 2004) became the first  female Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia.  Her appointment is a crucial step in protecting Liberia's environmental health. Before her appointment, Vohiri was instrumental in designing the current Liberia Environmental Protection Laws, and she brings to the post a vast wealth of experience and knowledge that will be essential to combat the grave environmental challenges that Liberia faces.

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Wamiti Wanyoike (Kenya, ELP 2005) writes: "In August 2008, I moved from the Ornithology Section to Entomology, offering me a chance to widen my knowledge in ecology and conservation.  In 2008 and 2009, I successfully implemented a Rufford Small Grants' birds survey and community bird guides training at Uaso Narok Forest Reserve in my rural town of Nyahururu. Together with the guides, we founded Nyahururu Bird Club (now Nyahururu Conservation Society). In July 2010, I undertook an invertebrates inventory in the same forest. As was the case with birds, this was the first such study conducted in this forest. The findings of the bird survey have now been published in Scopus journal and I am preparing to publish the invertebrate findings in 2011.  I have published an article in Kenya Birding magazine on the ornithological treasure of Nyahururu, listed as a key global site because of my research."                         

Valentina Martinez (Mexico, ELP 2006) has recently joined a PhD program in Tropical Ecology at a Mexican university. For the next three years, she will be focusing on the construction of learning objects to deliver problem-solving and learner-centered experiences for students, decision-makers, and general public. Her intention is to develop teaching strategies that will contribute to the establishment of new alternatives to traditional education regarding environmental issues.                     

Sara Mateo (Peru, ELP 2006) is now working as an Associate Consultant for Carbon Decisions International, a company with headquarters in Costa Rica. She is currently running a Project related to the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards (CCB) in the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala in the context of the GuateCarbon National Project.

Norma Chan-Pongan (Philippines, ELP 2006) writes: "In my position as the National Coordinator for Population Health and Environment Programs of Save the Children, I am currently managing a project addressing hunger and food insecurity in three regional sites in the Philippines.  Kraft Foods funds the project, and was recently awarded the Asian Corporate Social Responsibility in the Poverty Alleviation category for this innovative nutrition program."

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To promote the cause of community carbon forestry and giving local efforts a global voice, Dr. Pushkin Phartiyal (India, ELP 2007),  Executive Director of the Central Himalayan Environment Association, has established Global Community Carbon Forestry Alliance (GCCFA).  With participation of developing and developed countries, this alliance aims at: 1) policy advocacy for valuation of the Ecosystem Services emanating from community forests in the form of carbon sequestration and 2) rewarding the communities managing these resources.  Pushkin ([email protected]) welcomes persons and organizations interested in community forestry to be in touch for exchange of ideas and resource sharing.

Osmond Mugweni (Zimbabwe, ELP 2008) is currently looking for funding to scale up and replicate the pilot work he's been doing as executive director at the Njeremoto Biodiversity Institute.  His pilot work suggests that the solution for the intense semi-arid rangeland degradation suffered in many areas of Zimbabwe is time-controlled grazing based on Indigenous Shona Grazing Management Practices. Mugweni hopes that the Institute will be able to find funding and get going on this important work soon.                               

Daru Rini (Indonesia, ELP 2009) writes that Prigi Arisandi (Indonesia, ELP 2008) was invited by the US State Department to visit the US in September/ October this year.  With six other Indonesian conservation activists, he was invited to attend biodiversity training and visit many conservation institutions in Washington, New Orleans, Montana and Hawaii.  Their NGO, ECOTON, was invited also by IYLEGI to attend a leadership training in Bogor for 5 days at the end of September (see SGI news), and they are currently preparing for training with Vince Resh in Java.

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Maria Rita Manzano Borba (Brazil, ELP 2010) reports: "As the ELP 2010 alumna who transits between sectors (!!!) I'm now with one of the biggest banks in Brazil, Ita� Unibanco, in the Sustainability Management area. I'm coordinating the GRI process for the 2010 report and also the implementation of a Sustainability management tool to integrate all the areas within the bank."

Vivienne Caballero (Panama, ELP 2010) reports that she has been very busy lately, but she has still managed to visit with Alicia Calle (ELP 2010), and Federico Ballone (ELP 2010) during their recent trips to Panama

Nazima Shaheen (Pakistan, ELP 2010) writes: "I am so pleased to inform you that I have been able to meet two ELP alumni at the 2010 UNEP-Tongji University Leadership Program on Environment and Sustainable Development with the theme of 'Low carbon life and urban sustainable development'. I got the email from coordinator of the program with a request to share it with my network. I shared it with the ELP alumni network and Anthony Penaso (ELP 2007) and Pushkin Phartiyal (ELP 2007) and I were all selected. During the training, we were so passionately talking about ELP that most of the other participants now have orientation of our Berkeley ELP."

Trotsky Riera Vite (Ecuador, ELP 2010) writes: "I am happy to announce the birth of my daughter. She was born Saturday, October 2 at approximately 11:38 AM, with 3,000.00g (6,6 pounds) and next to 50 cm. Her name is IKIANA, that in Shuar language means Jungle, or Forest."

Steve Ndzerem (Cameroon, ELP 2010) of the Strategic Humanitarian Services (SHUMAS) organization and Wirsiy Emmanuel (Cameroon, ELP 2007) of the CAMGEW Organization in Cameroon have established a partnership for the promotion of household bio-gas systems amongst rural poor communities, aimed especially at reducing their dependence on fuel wood and at the use of slurry as bio-fertilizer and pesticide. The training thus far has been carried out at the SHUMAS Integrated Bio-farm training Center. It has been very successful and they are already making plans to start expanding this system to poor peasant communities.

Rhonda Hardy (USA, ELP 2010) has been busy forming Envirovisions Institute (EI), a non-governmental organization whose purpose is to champion those individuals and groups who want to turn environmental challenges into opportunities to grow their businesses and strengthen their communities. The mission of EI is to provide leadership for businesses and communities whose goal is to create environmentally sustainable practices, products and services. Stay tuned for more details as EI develops into a successful organization.

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In January of this year, the ELP network announced a partnership with the Development Practitioners Forum, a non-profit based in Washington DC and founded by Tony Barclay, a member of the ELP Steering Committee. The announcement coincided with the Forum's official launch of InfoSpring, a Q&A knowledge sharing platform for development practitioners.  The tool is designed to allow practitioners, especially those working in the field, to share knowledge and experiences, and crowd-source solutions to practical development problems. The thematic focus (sustainable development) is closely aligned with the core themes of the ELP, and the Forum hoped to benefit from the wealth of knowledge present among ELP students and alumni.

InfoSpring's primary functionality allows users to organize around a problem-solving process that feeds knowledge from those who possess it to those who need it. The site is democratic in spirit and user-driven. Community members rate the content that appears on the site via a peer-review system, through which members earn "reputation points" for their contributions.

Since January we have experienced considerable success in building what is now a vibrant and rapidly expanding community. We have used a variety of methods to engage practitioners; including an innovative effort to reach the grass-roots led by InfoSpring Advocates in several countries. 

InfoSpring now counts more than 1,350 members from 83 countries. Since its inception, practitioners have asked 475 questions, over 85% of which have been answered. Much has been learnt along the way, with traction being gained in certain countries far easier than others. Hubs have developed in Kenya, the Philippines and Indonesia, indicating great enthusiasm among local practitioners in those countries. Members of the ELP network have played a role in this growth.  Currently there are 36 ELP alumni registered on the site, a few of whom have been extremely active members.

Muthoni Ngotho (ELP 2003) has been an avid InfoSpring user since its launch.  She has generously shared her broad knowledge on issues relating to urban environments, energy, and gender through 6 questions and 50 answers 50, earning her one of the highest reputation point scores.  Muthoni describes InfoSpring as "a great resource and an inspiring, positively challenging community".