CONTINUING COVERAGE ON THE LAUNCH OF The 2009 STATE OF WORLD POPULATION REPORT (SWOP) ON POPULATION AND CLIMATE, AND THE COPENHAGEN COP15 GLOBAL CLIMATE CONFERENCE

JAPAN: The Japan Times published an editorial 20 December arguing that The U.N. Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen has failed to reach a deal on the reduction targets of industrialized and emerging nations for greenhouse-gas emissions, although it set a goal of limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius over the coming years and developed nations made a financial commitment to help poor nations cope with the effect of climate change. The Times added that last month, UNFPA published "State of World Population 2009 — Facing a Changing World: Women, Population and Climate," which focuses on other aspects of the climate change issue, such as how climate change affects people and what kinds of policies, apart from energy efficiency and industry-related policies, should be pursued to mitigate the effects of global warming. In sum, the report says that climate change's influence on people is "complex — spurring migration, destroying livelihoods, disrupting economies, undermining development and exacerbating inequalities between the sexes." Read: The Japan Times

PAKISTAN: Dawn reported 15 December that, from sea level rise to the melting of glaciers, from water scarcity to changes in the monsoon, Pakistan will be badly hit as temperatures rise further. Women and children will be the most affected. Dr Nizamuddin, from the University of Gujrat, launched a ‘Climate Change and Gender Report’ focussing on Pakistan, which was recently completed by his research team, with funding from UNFPA. Read: Dawn

UNITED STATES: Minnesota Public Radio reported 18 December on links between climate and population issues, arguing that UNFPA has thoroughly documented how poor women worldwide bear the brunt of these changes. They are less able to relocate, more tied to agricultural work, get less pay and have fewer educational opportunities. They also shoulder the greatest burdens in bearing and raising children. Read: Minnesota Public Radio

UNITED STATES: RHRealityCheck.org published a blog 17 December by Kacey Rae Jacobs on the “Climate and Demography” breakfast roundtable organized by the UN Foundation on behalf of the Centre for Environment and Population. The goal of the invite-only roundtable was to release a new SWOP by UNFPA. The event’s keynote speaker was SWOP author Robert Engelman, of Worldwatch Institute. Read: RHRealityCheck.org

UZBEKISTAN: UzReport reported 14 December UNFPA in Uzbekistan presented the SWOP on 14 December. Published annually since 1978, this year’s report is entitled "Facing a Changing World: Women, Population and Climate" and calls attention to women and vulnerable populations in the response to climate change.