NEKTARINA

(S)PACE

ISS

N 1

847-6

694

Feb

ruary

2013

The Alps and

Glacial Lakes

In this issue: The Alps and

Sustainability, Beyond the Brink,

Liveable Cities: Stockholm, Glacial

Lakes, Beech Forests and more

Nektarina

(S)pace

NEKTARINA (S)PACE IS A WEBMAGAZINE PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY

NEKTARINA NON PROFIT, A NON PROFIT, NON GOVERNMENTAL

ORGANIZATION. WWW.NEKTARINANONPROFIT.COM ISSN 1847-6691

February

Heights

NEKTARINA (S)PACE IS A WEBMAGAZINE PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY

NEKTARINA NON PROFIT, A NON PROFIT, NON GOVERNMENTAL

ORGANIZATION. WWW.NEKTARINANONPROFIT.COM ISSN 1847-6691

Nektarina (S)pace, Web Magazine

Year 2, Issue # 6, February 2013

Published by Nektarina Non Profit

ISSN 1847 - 6694

Under Creative Commons License

Working together towards a sustainable future.

www.nektarinanonprofit.com

Nektarina Non Profit is a non governmental, non profit organization, and

most of our projects are based on volunteer work. Our articles are a compila-

tion of data (where we always provide the source) or articles / opinion pieces

(in which case there is a by-line). We come from different backgrounds, and

English is not the first language for any of us, so there might be an

occasional flop :). If you are using any of our content, it would be great if

you could link it back to us, and if you are using other people’s content (that

you found in this magazine) please make sure to copy the source links we

provided. Thank you!

With love,

from:

Publisher: Nektarina Non Profit

Creative Director & Editor-In-Chief: Sandra Antonovic

Lead Researcher & Contributing Editor: Livia Minca

Content Contributor: Yula Pannadopoulos

Journalist: Alyosha Melnychenko

Contributor for the February Issue: Claire Moignier

Photography: Sandra Antonovic

Contributors: This could be you!

If interested, email us to space@nektarinanonprofit.com

In this

issue:

From our desk

Love is in the air

Liveable Cities:

Stockholm, Sweden

The Bookshelf:

Bill McKibben, Eaarth

Our Blockbuster:

Beyond the Brink

The Alps and Sustainability

Glacial Lakes

World Nature Heritage Sites:

Primeval beech forests of the Carpathians and

the ancient beech forest in Germany

The Alliance of Civilizations

Positive Examples:

The Netherlands

Learning for Sustainable Development

Delish!

Recipe of the month

Vegetarian Quiche

Coming up in March

From our

desk:

By Yula Pannadopoulos

February, the “short month”, but also the month of flavours and scents,

the month of Mardi Gras, St Valentine’s Day, cinnamon cookies and hot

chocolate.

Love is in the air, as they say, we are wide awake after January slow

days, and the world is slowly getting ready for the next season.

It feels like it was just yesterday as we struggled with the first (pdf for-

mat) issue of Nektarina (S)pace, and here I am today, sharing my thoughts

with you, just about to present you our 6th issue. How cool is that? We hope

you liked all the content and photos we shared with you in January. In case

you missed it, just click here and enjoy: http://www.issuu.com/

nektarinapublishing/docs/nektarina_space_january_issue

This month we keep writing about the Alps, going a step further by

sharing some interesting information about glacial lakes.

What a better way to start getting ready for spring, than to share stories

about World Nature Heritage Site - Primeval beech forests of the Carpathians

and the ancient beech forests in Germany.

We visited Stockholm (Liveable cities section) , and we read Bill

McKibben’s gripping book Eaarth (The Bookshelf). Our blockbuster recom-

mendation this month—Beyong the Brink - check out a young boy’s take on

climate change issues.

Touching base with our Education for Sustainability project, this month

we share positive examples from the Netherlands and their “Learning for Sus-

tainable Development” programme.

Much more content, and some really beautiful photography, awaits you

in this issue, and we hope that you’ll find something you’ll like, we hope that

you might learn something new, and we hope that you will find some inspira-

tion for yourself, your family and friends.

So, let’s dive in! Enjoy!

The Alps

and

Sustain-

ability

The Alps - unique nature and culture

As defined in the Alpine Convention, the region of the Alps is home to

some 13 million people. The 190.912 sq.km. contained within the Alpine arc

comprise the territory of seven countries, 83 regions (NUTS 3) and about 6,200

communities.

With their unique combination of natural and cultural history, the Alps

have become a living space, an economic area and a recreational playground of

eminent importance at the heart of the European continent.

Diversity of the Alps

The Alps are a region of cultural and linguistic diversity. The languages

and language groups of the Alps include Slav languages, the Rhaeto-Romanic

language group comprising the minority languages Romansch, Ladin and

Friulian, the German language group with Alemannic and Bavarian and also

the Walser dialect, which is still spoken in a few areas, and the Romance

language group with French and Italian. Some of these languages and dialects

have survived only in small enclaves and are gradually dying out because the

younger members of those societies no longer speak them.

A number of projects have been launched to encourage the use of these

languages and dialects to save them from extinction; they are now being taught

at school again, and there are radio programmes, newspapers and so on.

Action and restraint in the Alps

The future of the Alpine space is being seen more and more in terms of

sustainable development, with equal attention afforded to the twin aspects of

protection and use. Sustainable development is a form of "development that

meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future gen-

erations to meet their own needs". (Brundtland Commission 1987) Sustainable

development is an anthropocentric concept that includes both ecological and

sociocultural elements.

Sustainability always involves the question of use, although use is not a

prerequisite for sustainability. Indeed a significant aspect of sustainable de-

velopment can be the decision to abandon land that was previously in use, i.e.

a policy of restraint, of release into a process of natural development.

The concept of sustainability needs to be defined and implemented at

different levels. For the Alpine space as an overall region, specific models and

concepts are just as important as individual measures.

Action and restraint both have an economic and an ecological compo-

nent, with action relating primarily to use and management, and restraint to

protection. Action and restraint are inseparable elements in any concept or

discussion relating to sustainability. In addition, they are always to be inter-

preted in the double sense of the words:

action in the sense of production, i.e. preserving the Alpine region as an in-

dependent economic space to meet the needs of the resident population

through sustainable development;

action in the sense of preservation, i.e. shaping and managing the cultural

landscape in order to preserve the Alpine region as a living space based on

diversity;

restraint in the sense of a necessity, i.e. the need to refrain from making un-

sustainable use of the Alpine space

restraint in the sense of an opportunity, i.e. the chance to permit a greater

role to be played by the forces of natural development without

anthropogenic interference.

The concept of sustainability needs to be

defined and implemented at different levels.

For the Alpine space as an overall region,

specific models and concepts are just as

important as individual measures.

In addition, economic activity adapted to the needs of the natural envi-

ronment also contributes to the management and preservation of the cultural

landscape. Sustainability cannot always mean the same thing; a densely

populated region is different from a quiet rural area, and a tourist centre is not

comparable with a depopulated mountain region. Sustainable development must

therefore always take account of the specific character of the natural and

cultural spaces involved.

In the European context, the Alps are ideally suited to serve as a model

for a regional concept of a sustainable economy. The goal of any concept of

sustainable development is to support economically and ecologically meaning-

ful cycles as the core of a sustainable economy. To that extent the Alpine

space is predestined to play a pioneer role in sustainable development in

Europe. In view of the specific character of an ecologically sensitive mountain

region like the Alps, any mistakes made with regard to land use have faster

and more dire repercussions than in lowland areas. They require greater care

at the level of prevention and faster reactions in terms of repair.

The Alps can also play a pioneer role in the creation of a convincing design

for a sustainable economy. Experience with economic activity adapted to the

needs of the natural environment has been preserved longer in the Alpine

space, so that the measures required for sustainable development can often be

The region of the Alps is home to some 13

million people.

The population

It is also necessary to take into account the variations in population

density within the Alpine arc. In terms of average density, the Alps - with 60

inhabitants per square kilometre - cannot be classified as a densely populated

area, but the regional differences are considerable. Above all it should be

remembered that 60 inhabitants per square kilometre is the average figure

relating to the whole of the Alpine region and that the area of permanent

settlement in such a mountainous environment is naturally much smaller. If

the area of permanent settlement is taken as the basis for population density,

the figure is four times as high and is comparable with the most densely

populated regions in the world.

In terms of population distribution, the Alpine region is undergoing a

process of urban growth and rural exodus. Rapid growth is to be observed in

both the main urban centres and the low-altitude locations in the mountain

valleys, while the small communities in the mountains proper are shrinking at

a growing rate. Population growth in the mountains is only to be found in a

small number of communities where tourism is a main source of income for the

local people.

In the European context, the Alps are ideally

suited to serve as a model for a regional

concept of a sustainable economy.

Present development

The reciprocal processes of increasing urbanisation and rural exodus in

the Alpine space can be observed at several levels. Within the Alps as a whole

we can distinguish between the booming Central Alps and the increasingly

depopulated Southwest Alps, within the individual regions between the local

centres, which can be large towns or cities or successful tourist resorts, and

their underdeveloped hinterland, and at the local level between the built-up

areas down in the main valleys and the abandoned side valleys and mountain

slopes. This complexity means that the problems vary from region to region,

and that the criteria for sustainable development must be adapted accordingly

in the individual case.

The Alps represent a region of great diversity in terms of landscape and

the flora and fauna. This diversity is a product of geological, morphological

and climatic factors on the one hand and thousands of years of human activity

on the other. Natural and near-natural landscapes are becoming increasingly

rare, as are traditional cultural landscapes. Within society, however, there is a

growing desire for the preservation or restoration of such living spaces. In

addition to sociocultural factors, there are also economic reasons for this

reappraisal of land use in mountain areas. It is important for the future of the

mountain farming community, for example, to avoid the conventional large-

farm structures of the flat areas and to focus on niche products with high

standards of quality and the appropriate labels. A committed effort is required

for the development and promotion of ecolabels for products and services that

satisfy the requirements of sustainability.

Sensitive Alps

The Alpine region is subjected to a variety of ecological impacts of inter-

nal and external origin. The economic functions of the Alpine space are also

largely determined externally. In future, the polluter-pays principle must be

applied to make non-sustainable activities unattractive and preserve the special

potential of the mountain areas. Also, the pollution must be paid for regardless

of whether it is caused by traffic in transit from outside of the Alpine space or

by a polluter in the mountain region itself. Cross-border environmental prob-

lems are growing, and so is the degree of international integration. For that

reason alone, a sustainable development strategy is one that avoids an isolated

response in the Alpine space or by individual regions. Integration within Eu-

rope, however, does not mean that the decision on the future of the Alps will be

taken outside of the Alpine space, all the more so as the Alpine Convention

gives the countries of the Alps an opportunity to promote regionalisation.

It is important for the future of the mountain

farming community to avoid the conventional

large-farm structures.

In terms of the economy, society and the cultural landscape, structural

change in the Alpine space has shifted the balance between action and re-

straint to the detriment of biological and landscape diversity. Where biodiver-

sity and landscape variety are at risk, a basic condition of sustainable devel-

opment can no longer be said to have been satisfied. New conditions of use re-

quire new limits to use. In this context, restraint is the willingness to forgo

non-sustainable use.

Climate Change and

Sustainable Tourism in the Alps

One of the major challenges that Alpine tourism has to face in the quest

for sustainability is climate change. A Tourism Protocol of the Alpine Con-

vention is still far from its conclusion, whereas the Alpine Convention fourth

report on the state of the Alps, “Sustainable Tourism in the Alps”, is under

preparation and it is expected by the end of the year. Waiting for this forth-

coming report,a CMCC’s research paper by CIP division (Climate Impacts

Policies. An Economic Assessment) gather the main outcomes of the several

CMCC research projects focused on the Alpine region that have addressed the

issue of climate change (especially for what concern the implications for the

tourism sector), and of the existing relevant literature.

In the last years, as reported the paper by CMCC’s author Stefano Balbi,

several research and cooperation projects focused on the Alpine region have

been dealing with the problem of climate change.

The Alpine Space Programme, starting with ClimChAlp (2006 – 2008)

was in particular focused on the issue of adaptation to climate change. The

programme continued in the following years through several projects, such as

CLISP, ClimAlpTour, Manfred, AdaptAlp, AlpWaterScarce, ParaMount,

Permanet, SILMAS, AlpFFIRS. The know how of these projects and its main

results led to the C3Alps project, recently started.

Alpstar, another project recently started, is instead focused on climate

change mitigation, and on the goal to make the Alps a carbon neutral environ-

ment. CMCC participate to many of these projects, such as ClimAlpTour, the

only project explicitly focused on tourism, AdaptAlp, ClimChAlps and C3Alps.

One of the major challenges that Alpine

tourism has to face in the quest for

sustainability is climate change.

Glacial

Lakes

A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. They are

formed when a glacier erodes the land, and then melts, filling the hole or

space that they have created. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly

10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left be-

hind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age

ended, these melted to create lakes. This is apparent in the Lake District in

Northwestern England where post-glacial sediments are normally between 4

and 6 metres deep. These lakes are often surrounded by drumlins, along with

other evidence of the glacier such as moraines, eskers and erosional features

such as striations and chatter marks.

The scouring action of the glaciers pulverizes minerals in the rock over

which the glacier passes. These pulverized minerals become sediment at the

bottom of the lake, and some of the rock flour becomes suspended in the water

column. These suspended minerals support a large population of algae, mak-

ing the water appear green.

These lakes are clearly visible in aerial photos of landforms in:

Canada, U.S., Russia, Argentina, Iceland, Spain, New Zealand, Tibet,

United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Australia and other regions that were

glaciated during the last ice age. The coastlines near these areas are typically

very irregular, reflecting the same geological process.

By contrast, other areas have fewer lakes that often appear attached to rivers.

Their coastlines are smoother. These areas were carved more by water erosion.

As seen in the English Lake District, the layers of the sediments at the

bottom of the lakes can then tell you the rate of erosion by taking into account

the rate of erosion of the glacier and its subsequent placement of the sediment.

The elemental make up of the sediments are not associated with the lakes the

themselves, but by the migration of the elements within the soil, such as iron

and manganese.

The spreading of these elements, within the lake bed, are contributed to

the condition of the drainage basin and the chemical composition of the wa-

ter.

Sediment deposition can also be influenced by animal activity; including

the distribution of biochemical elements, which are elements that are found

in organic organisms, such as phosphorus and sulfur.

The less halogen and boron found in the sediments accompanies a

change in erosional activity. The rate of deposition reflects the amount of

halogen and boron in the deposited sediments.

A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a

melted glacier. A proglacial lake is a lake

formed either by the damming action of a

moraine or ice dam during the retreat of a

melting glacier.

Proglacial lakes

In geology, a proglacial lake is a lake formed either by the damming action of

a moraine or ice dam during the retreat of a melting glacier, or by meltwater

trapped against an ice sheet due to isostatic depression of the crust around the

ice. At the end of the last ice age approximately 10,000 years ago, large pro-

glacial lakes were a widespread feature in the northern hemisphere.

In some cases, such lakes gradually evaporated during the warming peri-

od after the Quaternary ice age. In other cases, such as Glacial Lake Missoula

and Glacial Lake Wisconsin in the United States, the sudden rupturing of the

supporting dam caused glacial lake outburst floods, the rapid and catastrophic

release of dammed water resulting in the formation of gorges and other struc-

tures downstream from the former lake. Good examples of these structures can

be found in the Channeled Scablands of eastern Washington, an area heavily

eroded by the Missoula Floods.

In Great Britain, Lake Lapworth, Lake Harrison and Lake Pickering

were examples of proglacial lakes. Ironbridge Gorge and Hubbard's Hills are

examples of a glacial overspill channel created when the water of a proglacial

lake rose high enough to breach the lowest point in the containing watershed.

The receding glaciers of the tropical Andes have formed a number of pro-

glacial lakes, especially in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru, where 70% of all

tropical glaciers are. Several such lakes have formed rapidly during the 20th

century. These lakes may burst, creating a hazard for zones below. Many natu-

ral dams (usually moraines) containing the lake water have been reinforced

with safety dams. Some 34 such dams have been built in the Cordillera Blanca

to contain proglacial lakes.

Climate change enhances risks

of glacial lakes flooding

mountain communities

Lakes high in the world's mountains are becoming increasingly danger-

ous to the towns that have sprouted up near them. The lakes are prone to

floods, typically caused when the mountain glaciers that feed them shed a

chunk of ice and rock, forcing thousands of gallons over the banks.

The hamlet of Carhuaz, in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca Range, could

hardly be more picturesque.

Birds chirp while venders hawk their goods at an open-air market in

the town tucked into a fold at the furrowed base of snow-capped Mount

Hualcan.

So it’s hard to imagine what happened here one morning in April 2009.

That’s when a curtain of ice weighing perhaps half a million tons slid off

Haulcan’s shoulder and crashed into a lake below. The collapse raised an 80

foot swell of water, ice and stone that washed over the lake’s banks and roared

downhill.

Startled farmers fled in terror.

Estela Pajuelo was inside her sturdy adobe house that morning. She says

her young son yelled from outside to run as a wall of mud and boulders

headed toward her. She bolted for higher ground just before the wave of

debris crushed her home.

“This is killing me, Pajuelo said. “I’m an indigent person. Why is this

happening to me?”

The answer, says Peruvian glaciologist Benjamin Morales, is global

warming.

Morales says global warming is melting mountain glaciers all around

the world faster and faster. According to one new study, the tropical Andes,

including the mountains of Peru, lost between 20 and 45 percent of their vol-

ume in the last 40 years.

And when the ice retreats, it can create precarious situations.

Morales says lakes often form at the base of a receding glacier. They can

be held in place at first by natural gravel dikes. But those barriers are fragile,

especially if they’re disturbed by an ice fall like the one in Carhuaz.

Carhuaz was actually fortunate. The embankment of its glacial lake had

been reinforced with concrete, which limited the size of the flood. 100 homes

were hit, but nobody was killed.

Morales says it could have been far worse. A glacial lake can destroy a

city.

The lakes are prone to floods, typically caused

when the mountain glaciers that feed them

shed a chunk of ice and rock, forcing

thousands of gallons over the banks.

Standing in a steep-walled canyon just below another glacial lake

called Palcacocha, Morales tells a story from 1941. A huge ice outcrop

slipped off a glacier and whipped up a wave that breached the lake’s bank.

It let loose 4 billion gallons into the canyon, inundating the city of

Hauraz below. A third of the town was destroyed and 5,000 people drowned.

That was more than 70 years ago, so climate change probably isn’t en-

tirely to blame for these kinds of disasters. But the risks are increasing as

glaciers melt faster here and elsewhere.

Cesar Portocarrero oversaw reinforcement of Lake Palcacocha’s banks

to protect the rebuilt city as further melting refilled the lake above. He also

designed the dam that kept the avalanche in Carhuaz from turning deadly.

He’s now retired from the government’s Glaciology Office and is sharing the

techniques he helped pioneer overseas.

Portocarrero says Peru is a global example of the fight against the danger of

these lakes.

“We’re even applying our technology in the Himalayas,” he said.

Portocarrero himself is now working as an adviser in Nepal, which,

along with China, Bhutan and Pakistan, is responding to new threats from

retreating glaciers and growing glacial lakes. Bhutan just wrapped up an

arduous construction project 15,000 feet up in the mountains to protect

communities in two remote valleys.

But the risks are increasing as

glaciers melt faster here and elsewhere.

Ironically, Portocarrero says he’s again concerned about his own city,

Hauraz, in Peru. He says the lake above Huaraz has 30 times more water now

than when he reinforced its banks in the 1970s, posing a big risk to the city’s

150,000 residents.

He says a flood of 10,000 tons of water, soil and rock per second could

arrive in Huaraz in less than half an hour. And Portocarrero says Palcacocha

is only one of almost three dozen precarious glacier lakes in the Cordillera

Blanca.

Having developed expertise in shoring up these lakes, however, Porto-

carrero says Peru’s central government no longer does the actual construction

work. It’s transferred that responsibility to regional governments. But Porto-

carrero says they’re trying to save money, so they’re not fixing the lakes, ei-

ther.

Glaciologists say these risks will eventually subside, but only after most

of the world’s mountaintop ice has melted away. In the meantime, experts

warn that people living near such glaciers should be prepared for more and

bigger floods.

**********************

"PRI's "The World" is a one-hour, weekday radio news magazine

offering a mix of news, features, interviews, and music from around the globe.

"The World" is a co-production of the BBC World Service,

PRI and WGBH Boston.

Our

Blockbuster:

Beyond the

Brink

Beyond the Brink is a young filmmaker’s take on the climate change

debate. 18-year-old Ross Harrison spent a year chasing up experts, studying

the news and filming to create a short documentary that answers the ever-

pressing questions, are we really causing climate change, and who cares?

The result is a 40 minute film the knowns and the unknowns of the sci-

ence, about the risks, and about being hopeful for the future too. Interviews

with Sir David Attenborough, Mark Lynas, David Shukman, Prof Dieter

Helm, the UK Youth Climate Coalition, and Ross’ grandparents among others,

offer fresh perspectives on a subject that saturates the media, divides the

public, and yet is still meaningless to many.

At a time when the hype is blowing over and people feel put off by

scandals, Beyond the Brink seeks to lay out how things really stand now.

Beyond the Brink is a not-for-profit production available for free for anyone

to watch and use.

To watch the film simply visit the website http://www.beyondthebrink.org

A young man’s take

on climate change

By Sally Mumby-Croft

Beyond the Brink is young filmmaker Ross Harrison’s personal investigation

into the debate on Climate Change. After feeling inundated by the media dis-

cussions in the lead up and fall out of Copenhagen in 2009, Ross set himself

the task of answering the ever present question of “What is Climate Change”

followed by the provocative “and does it really matter?”

To help himself along his journey and to find out more about the current con-

sensus on climate change Ross interviewed a selection of commentators and

scientists from David Attenbrough, Deepak Rughani, Mark Lynas, Dieter

Helm to Dr Heike Schroeder.

Amelia’s Magazine interviewed Ross about why he decided to make this film,

the impact the film has had in schools and what he now thinks needs to be

achieved on a personal and governmental level to tackle the impact of Climate

Change.

First things first, what inspired you to make a film that investigates the vast

and divisive topic that is Climate Change?

Back in 2009, it seemed like an unavoidable issue – what with the media cov-

erage building up to Copenhagen for nearly the whole year and films like The

Age of Stupid being released. I also found the subject cropping up more and

more in my school work.

What did you feel was missing from the discussion in the media or schools

during the lead up to Cop 15 in 2009?

It seemed like a very polarized debate with no middle ground. I was frustrated

by hearing the same arguments again and again bouncing between the same

groups of people. I didn’t understand why people weren’t cooperating more to

work towards a common goal. That hasn’t changed a great deal. Probably and

most importantly I wanted to provide a young person’s perspective.

How has the film been received since its release? Has it been taken around

schools in the UK?

Since I launched the website at the end of last year there has been a lot of pos-

itive feedback, which is encouraging. For the week of screenings I posted

about 300 DVDs to schools, universities, community groups and individual

volunteers. I’ve been along to some screenings myself, but because they’re all

over the country it’s mainly teachers and students using the film themselves,

which I’ve tried to make as easy as possible by releasing the film for free

Have you plans to follow up the film with further interviews?

No, although it’s something I may come back to at a later date, after I’ve

finished working on distributing this film I’ll be looking to take on a new

project.

What -for you- were the most difficult aspects to making this film?

Weighing up the masses of information about climate change – articles, books,

blogs, programs, interviews – and trying to filter that down into a documentary

that was balanced, accessible and understandable was the first difficulty. The

second was trying to think of ways of doing things differently, using different

language, presenting the problem in a new way that might make it more in-

spiring.

Beyond the Brink contains a mixture of talking heads and personal narration,

what lead you to construct the film in this way?

The talking heads are in there because I felt that was the best way to convey

the experts’ viewpoints. The audience hears what I heard and can draw their

own conclusions. I chose to feature myself because it was a very personal pro-

ject and I wanted to include my slant as a teenager.

Was it particularly important to you that the film was released for free and

under a creative commons license?

Definitely. My hope is for the film to get the widest audience possible and I

think making it freely available should mean more people watch it that other-

wise might.

On reflection, since Cop 16 and the overshadowing of Climate Change in the

media by the recession and the arrival of the coalition government, what do

you think is next for the climate movement?

Cancun was not surprising – after such a flop at Copenhagen the officials in-

volved were bound to be desperate to publicize some sort of success.

Even so COP16 was a small step rather than the deal people had set their hopes

on in 2009. I don’t want to rule out the UN process completely, but I think its

limited real impact in the 19 years its been running, is a sign progress needs to

be made elsewhere. Those involved in the climate movement need to be pressur-

ing the governments of their own countries to lead by example. The discussion

needs to move away from talking about climate catastrophe to selling the bene-

fits of a clean energy infrastructure and low-carbon lifestyles. People are far

more likely to be driven by an appealing goal than a danger that could affect

them at some point in the future.

What did you learn during the making of the film that surprised you with re-

gards to the debate on Climate Change?

A greater proportion of the scientific community than I realized think that hu-

mans are largely causing current climate change. A scientific debate about

whether we are contributing to climate change doesn’t really exist anymore, it is

widely assumed we are.

How difficult did you find approaching the range of experts -from Sir David

Attenborough to Deepak Rughani and Dr Heike Schroeader- that appear in

Beyond the Brink?

It was certainly a challenge. Obviously the people I met know a massive amount

about the subject, much more than I do, but you still have to research lots to be

able to ask good questions. Thankfully all the interviewees were very approach-

able and generous with their time. Like many things, you get better at inter-

views with practice and in the end I was really pleased with the responses I had.

That’s not to say there weren’t disappointments. Sometimes technical problems

meant some of the best answers couldn’t be used.

How did the animations within the film develop and do you feel they were in-

tegral to explain a few of the ideas behind the causes of Climate Change?

Concepts like the greenhouse effect are difficult to explain at all, let alone

with a strict time limit and so animations seemed like the best option. The

problem is they take a long time to create. I’ve still got 100 paper Earths on my

shelf that I traced from my computer screen.

What fact or possible event as a cause of Climate Change shocked you the most

during the making of this film?

I found that the number of species threatened by potential warming was really

startling. One in four land animal and plant species could be threatened with

extinction this century.

Which five environmental documentaries would you recommend everybody

watches?

The Age of Stupid, The End of the Line, The Planet Earth series is brilliant

and Planet Earth: The Future is a conservation focused companion series. The

‘Jungles’ episode of the recent Human Planet series.

What conclusions have you come to since Beyond the Brink was completed?

Being optimistic is important. Working towards a vision of a better world with

a reliable renewable energy supply, full employment, smaller bills, and health-

ier lifestyles, has got a far greater chance of uniting the population than strug-

gling to avoid a catastrophe. You don’t have to be an environmentalist to want

those things. And working together is essential. In whatever situation people

are taking action, by joining forces with their neighbours, friends, schoolmates

or colleagues, they can make their voice much louder.

What policies would you like to see Governments world wide implement?

I’d like to see serious investment in green technologies, stricter regulation of

energy industries, and policies that make it easier for individuals to reduce

their carbon footprint. Channelling money into developing renewable energy

and other green products can create jobs. On the one hand if our current ener-

gy system is replaced by a carbon neutral one then individuals will not have to

make many changes, on the other, behavioral change is essential because we

need to start appreciating almost all the resources we use are finite. One poli-

cy I think is especially urgent and needs to be implemented by some South

American and Indonesian governments is strong protection of rainforests. The

rate of deforestation is mind-blowing and can’t go on.

“Are we really causing Climate Change and who cares?” (Question taken from

Beyond the Brink’s website)

It is very likely we are changing the Earth’s climate by changing the composi-

tion of its atmosphere and this is a stance that the vast majority of climate

scientists and scientific organizations around the world agree on, as far as I

can tell. The implications are serious and everybody could be affected, but im-

portantly the poorest people in the world who are less able to defend them-

selves against potential hazards are likely to be affected first.

Like many problems, climate change is easy to ignore and only a minority are

taking action, even if a much larger number might say they are concerned.

The next step must be to encourage changes that people want to see and which

reduce our impact at the same time, like demanding cheaper, better public

transport, or designing more energy efficient products.

What really makes me hopeful, though, is education. I’m hopeful people my

age will grow up with different attitudes to those of generations before.

After watching the film, what’s the next step for a viewer who would like to

be engaged in the Climate Change debate?

Well, for a start the debate has largely moved from are we really causing cli-

mate change, to what’s the best way to minimize the impact we are very likely

having. If someone wants more information, there are endless books and web-

sites. The Rough Guide to Climate Change is particularly good. But be wary

of blogs – it’s very easy for people to write anything they like and pretend to

know more than they do.

In terms of getting involved, the best thing to do is join an existing network,

of which there are many. There are so many organizations with basically the

same aims I sometimes think if they all joined forces then they could really

change things. If you’d call yourself young then check out the UK Youth Cli-

mate Coalition, some of whose members feature in the film. Other initiatives

like 350 and 10:10 are building the movement, making it exciting and making

an impact.

The

Bookshelf:

Eaarth

By Linda Schneekloth

“Imagine we live on a planet.”

So begins Bill McKibben's 2010 book, Eaarth: Making Life on a Tough

New Planet. Those few words powerfully contain the message of the book. We

do live on a planet, a very small one, interdependent one; there is no other

place – here is home, our only home. The point of the book is very clear: glob-

al warming is not something that is going to happen, it is here now. It is our

reality, and we better start figuring out right now how we are going to respond

to it. Doing nothing is only a short term option that will result in wars over

the last drops of fossil fuels, and after they are gone, we’ll still have to figure

out something else. So let’s do it now.

The book is divided into four chapters, each important to understanding

global warming. The first, “A New World,” in an unabashed accounting of the

conditions we find ourselves in today, “running Genesis backward, decreating .

. .” the only world we’ve ever known. It is filled with startling information,

such as the fact that the six of the 12 largest corporations in the world are fos-

sil-fuel provides, and four others build cars. Or why we have more fires, and

why fresh water resources are being depleting. If you wanted a summary in

one place about the unintended consequences of our spree on fossil fuels, here

it is.

The second chapter is called “High Tide” and confronts the most basic

ideological of modernity: growth and progress. “On our new planet growth

may be the one big habit we finally must break” . This section brings together

science and politics, offering insight into the political economic situation in

the world of rich and poor nations that will make any attempts to address cli-

mate change more challenging. Already wars are being fought over environ-

mental conditions brought on or exacerbated by climate change. We in the

U.S. have always imagined unlimited growth, and imaginations are powerful

things. We have assumed that the future will resemble the past. This is now a

fantasy that we must abandon and choose to decline gracefully, accepting the

challenges of being the grownups, and deciding what we don’t need, we really,

don’t need.

We have assumed that the future will

resemble the past. This is now a fantasy that

we must abandon and choose to decline

gracefully, accepting the challenges of being

the grownups, and deciding what we don’t

need, we really, don’t need.

What does it mean to reimagine the future without growth? In the third

chapter, called “Backing Off”, McKibbens offers some ideas: think slower,

smaller, digging in, resilient, and that overused word, sustainable. The book

recounts the trajectory that allowed us to believe that bigger and faster is bet-

ter, but cautions us, “We’ve got a lot of work to do if we’re going to survive on

this Eaarth, but most of it needs to be done close to home. Small, not big: dis-

persed, not centralized.” And we need to do it together.

One of the consequences of our energy power was the imagination that we

are truly independent not only of the earth, but of each other. We’re going to

need all of us, we’ll need community, and we’ll need a wise allocation of the

limited resources we have directed toward life, not war and death.

So what do we do? Thankfully McKibben doesn’t leave us without a vi-

sion, instead he offers a glimpse into what life might be like. “Lightly, Care-

fully, Gracefully” goes through basic systems of survival such as water and es-

pecially agriculture and food systems. We’ll have to start thinking again of

where our food is grown and how: in a real sense, all of us will need to be farm-

ers again in our regional communities. Energy, as well, will need to be dis-

persed and local, hopefully powerful enough to keep us warm and to fuel the

internet so that we’ll have a way of thinking globally while most of our living

and actions are local. And we’ll need each other – for what we know and must

learn.

This book is a powerful summary of where we are, why we are here, and

what possible alternative ways we might imagine. “Eaarth represents the deep-

est of human failures.” But we are a resilient and creative species, capable of

extraordinary courage and community. So let’s get to work.

Twenty years ago, with The End of Nature, Bill McKibben offered one of

the earliest warnings about global warming. Those warnings went mostly un-

heeded; now, he insists, we need to acknowledge that we've waited too long, and

that massive change is not only unavoidable but already under way. Our old fa-

miliar globe is suddenly melting, drying, acidifying, flooding, and burning in

ways that no human has ever seen. We've created, in very short order, a new

planet, still recognizable but fundamentally different. We may as well call it

Eaarth.

That new planet is filled with new binds and traps. A changing world

costs large sums to defend—think of the money that went to repair New Orle-

ans, or the trillions it will take to transform our energy systems. But the end-

less economic growth that could underwrite such largesse depends on the stable

planet we've managed to damage and degrade. We can't rely on old habits any

longer.

Our hope depends, McKibben argues, on scaling back—on building the

kind of societies and economies that can hunker down, concentrate on essen-

tials, and create the type of community (in the neighborhood, but also on the

Internet) that will allow us to weather trouble on an unprecedented scale.

Change—fundamental change—is our best hope on a planet suddenly

and violently out of balance.

Positive

Examples:

The

Netherlands

The programme

“Learning for Sustainable Development”

The Dutch Program “Learning for Sustainable Development” enhances

learning processes on sustainability in many issues, and helps students, pro-

fessionals, organisations and individuals to identify and make sustainable

choices.

Participants in decision-making processes work together to resolve prob-

lems, carefully balancing the interests of people, nature and the environment,

and the economy, in perspective of global responsibility, future orientation

and sharing of values.

Learning for Sustainable Development facilitates sustainable decision-

making by:

→ explaining and concretising the concept of sustainability (e.g. by publish-

ing essays or developing continuous learning strands)

→ bringing the parties involved together at all levels in order to work out

concrete issues (organising workshops, starting up networks, supporting web-

sites for sharing knowledge)

→ offering training and coaching to participants in the program

(participating in processes designed to embed sustainability in the structure

and administration organisations, for example)

The three pillars of the

“Learning for Sustainable Development”

Programme

Pillar 1 - Learning individuals: this aims to ensure that all school-leavers and

graduates are able to make an active contribution to sustainable development.

The program targets educational institutes, teachers, lecturers and administra-

tors in all sectors of education: primary, secondary, higher and vocational

education (within the formal education system) and the organisations that

support the education sector in the area of sustainable development (outside

the education sector). This pillar addresses ESD in all curricula.

Pillar 2 - Learning organisations: this aims to help civil servants acquire the

competences to make responsible ecological, social and economic decision-

making and prevent responsibilities being shifted to other places or genera-

tions (the global dimension and the future dimension). The target group is the

public sector: policy-making officials, administrators and administrative

consultants, as well as the implementation departments of ministries,

provinces and district water boards. More and more attention is being devoted

to municipal councils and businesses.

Pillar 3 - Learning society: this is primarily aimed at provincial scale. Work-

ing towards a sustainable society concerns us all, at local, provincial and

regional level. Local authorities (provincial councils, municipal councils,

district water boards), businesses, civil society organisations, NGO’s and

individual citizens are involved in participative policy-making processes.

How can these processes (and the specific learning and decisions making

within) contribute to sustainability? And, in terms of sustainability, what are

the key processes of change (transitions)? The provincial network of Learn-

ing for Sustainable Development directors allocates resources (money and

expertise) to facilitate this “voyage of discovery” and make the results

accessible to others. The type of learning processes between stakeholders is

defined as “social learning”.

Over the past two decades, “Learning for Sustainable Development” has

become deeply ingrained in a number of other educations, such as citizenship

education, world orientation, development education, environmental

education, health education, intercultural education, and peace education. It

stimulates children in their development and their orientation in a complex

world. In addition to this socialising function, it also contributes to the

pedagogical function of education by asking ethical-philosophical questions.

Leading up to “Learning for Sustainable Development”, the

Netherlands is fortunate in that the environmental education has always

received ardent attention. The link between environmental education and -

especially - basic education seems an obvious one.

During the first few years of primary education, the child’s orientation

on the world around him is basal, small-scale, and close-by. These young chil-

dren are oriented upon, surprised by, care for, and experience natural and en-

vironmental issues close to home and these aspects need to form the basis for

lessons in world orientation. As the children’s perception of the environment

grows and becomes more complex, these lessons can be scaled up to include a

wider world view.

However, children are also a part of their living environment: they see

and hear what is going on around them, on television and in real life. They

view a world that is far away and become interested in it. Therefore, a second

starting point may be Citizenship Education. Education is meant to prepare

people for active participation in society. Sustainable Development offers

youngsters the opportunity to focus upon their future roles as world citizens.

Sustainable Development is not possible without the engagement and partici-

pation of the population, including youngsters.

“Learning for Sustainable Development” and Citizenship Education share

important basic principles. In fact, one follows from the other. The legal status

of Citizenship Education (in schools) seems a logical step in the direction of a

broader acceptance of Learning for Sustainable Development. In addition, both

traditional and new subject areas, such as Nature, Life and Technology and

philosophy, offer starting points for Learning for Sustainable Development.

The concept of sustainable development provides a great challenge - as

well as a great opportunity - for education. “Learning for Sustainable Develop-

ment” touches the real, day-today living environment of pupils, parents and

teachers. Attention for sustainable development touches the very core of educa-

tion: to prepare pupils for their future, their role in it, and their responsibility

for it.

Liveable

Cities:

Stockholm,

Sweden

By Claire Moignier

I visited Stockholm last October, and was immediately struck (in the

most positive way) by its simplicity in just about everything, and most of all in

the way of life.

Being a city of residence for approximately 22% of Sweden's population,

Stockholm is located on 14 islands, on the south-east coast, where lake Mälar-

en meets the Baltic Sea. The website Stockholm Urban Adventures describes

this in a following way: " On the west side of the city, you will find the fresh

water of Lake Mälaren, and on the eastern side, the salty water of the Baltic

Sea. Separating the two is Slussen, the water lock. First built in the mid-

sixteen hundreds, the lock is used to control the strong current between the

lake and the sea. Lake Mälaren sits about 60 centimeters higher than the Bal-

tic Sea. Citizens of Stockholm have a strong affection for Lake Mälaren and

are invested in its preservation. Lake Mälaren is also the world most clean

and pure water source."

Basically - to preserve the ecosystems and the biodiversity of the lake its

water is allowed to flow into the sea, but the sea water is never allowed to flow

into the lake. It's pretty cool they were concerned about that in the 17th centu-

ry, don't you think?

Cont’d on page 92

With Stockholm being located on so many islands, it didn't really sur-

prise me when I found out that over 30% of the city is made up of waterways.

Another 30% of the city is made up of parks and green spaces. And then

there are bicycle lanes. :) Cycling is the preferred way of transport for almost

80% of the citizens (even during cold winter months). The city urban and

transport planning made sure to create a full infrastructure for cyclists, in-

cluding street lanes and parking places for bicycles. I was just amazed by this

- it's not a thing you see often in the cities in the south of Europe where I

come from. Just imagine all this low carbon energy, cycling its way to the ur-

ban future of no exhaustion gases pollution, noise and congestion.

The city of Stockholm added a helping hand, by introducing a conges-

tion tax in 2007, aiming to decrease the congestion and improve the environ-

mental situation in central Stockholm.

How come every city (or at least a capital) in Europe (and the world) hasn't

introduced the same tax already, I asked myself. Lack of funding, lack of

proactiveness, lack of political consensus were just some of the replies I got.

We need to do better than that, I thought. We need to take cities like Stock-

holm as role models.

Stockholm recognized that need and in 2010 the city launched Profes-

sional Study Visits programme, in order to share their green best practices.

The program provides visitors with the opportunity to learn how to address

issues such as waste management, urban planning, carbon dioxide emissions,

and sustainable and efficient transportation system, among others.

The same year, 2010, Stockholm , as one of the greenest capitals of the

world, was granted a European Green Capital Award (awarded by EU Com-

mission). Here are just some of the reasons why Stockholm won the 2010 Eu-

ropean Green Capital Award were: its integrated administrative system,

which ensures that environmental aspects are considered in budgets, opera-

tional planning, reporting, and monitoring; its cut in carbon dioxide emis-

sions by 25% per capita in ten years; and its decision towards being fossil fuel

free by 2050. (source Wikipedia)

These efforts are not a short term thing for Stockholm - the city's first

environmental programme was introduced in mid 70s of the past century,

and until today Stockholm had four more environmental programmes imple-

mented.

Today Stockholm is the best city in Europe in terms of freedom from

pollution. The water areas in Stockholm are so clean that its citizens can

fish and swim in the centre of the city. Just imagine if it were possible to do

the same in other capitals of Europe!

City of Stockholm's official website gives you a great overview of ongo-

ing projects, as well as the information about Professional Study Visits, in

case you are interested to visit Stockholm and find out more about its green,

sustainable practices.

Stockholm's Wikipedia page with general information about the city.

Lake Malaren information and details.

My advice? Come for a visit, have coffee or tea in one of the many

charming cafes this city has to offer, read up, and get ready to explore the

wonderful synergy of nature and urban areas - it will be one of the best expe-

riences you'll have!

World

Nature

Heritage

Site

Primeval beech forests

of the Carpathians

and the ancient beech forests

in Germany

The Ancient Beech Forests of Germany, represent examples of on-going post-

glacial biological and ecological evolution of terrestrial ecosystems and are in-

dispensable to understanding the spread of the beech (Fagus sylvatica) in the

Northern Hemisphere across a variety of environments. The new inscription

represents the addition of five forests totaling 4,391 hectares that are added to

the 29,278 hectares of Slovakian and Ukranian beech forests inscribed on the

World Heritage List in 2007. The tri-national property is now to be known as

the Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech Forests

of Germany (Slovakia, Ukraine, Germany).

Brief Synthesis

The Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech Forests

of Germany are a serial property comprising fifteen components. They repre-

sent an outstanding example of undisturbed, complex temperate forests and ex-

hibit the most complete and comprehensive ecological patterns and processes of

pure stands of European beech across a variety of environmental condi-

tions. They contain an invaluable genetic reservoir of beech and many species

associated and dependent on these forest habitats.

The Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech

Forests of Germany are indispensable to understanding the history and evolu-

tion of the genus Fagus, which, given its wide distribution in the Northern

Hemisphere and its ecological importance, is globally significant. These un-

disturbed, complex temperate forests exhibit the most complete and comprehen-

sive ecological patterns and processes of pure stands of European beech across a

variety of environmental conditions and represent all altitudinal zones from

seashore up to the forest line in the mountains. Beech is one of the most im-

portant elements of forests in the Temperate Broad-leaf Forest Biome and rep-

resents an outstanding example of the re-colonization and development of ter-

restrial ecosystems and communities after the last ice age, a process which is

still ongoing. They represent key aspects of processes essential for the long term

conservation of natural beech forests and illustrate how one single tree species

came to absolute dominance across a variety of environmental parameters.

The individual components of this serial property are of sufficient size to

maintain the natural processes necessary for the long-term ecological viability

of the property's habitats and ecosystems. Buffer zones including surrounding

protected areas (national parks, nature parks, protected landscape areas, bio-

sphere reserves) will be managed to protect the property and enhance integrity.

Protection and management requirements

Long-term protection and management is ensured through national legal pro-

tection as territories which belong to national parks or biosphere reserves. Ef-

fective implementation of the trilateral integrated management system is re-

quired to guide the planning and management of this serial property. A strict

non-intervention management applies to all component parts of the serial

property. In the framework of the general management objectives the key is-

sues of the practical management include fostering coordination and commu-

nication between the individual component parts, risk management, conserva-

tion and management of mountain meadows, river corridors and freshwater

ecosystems, tourism management, research and monitoring. The component

parts are engaged in international activities of capacity building to share best

practices from countries included in the series, and other countries with sig-

nificant primeval and ancient beech forests. In order to provide for local sup-

port to be available in the long run, specific public relations and educational

work are crucial aspects of the management. Cooperative management agree-

ments with local groups and tourism agencies are supposed to enhance the

achievement of management goals and ensure local community engagement in

the component parts.

The

Alliance

Of

Civilizations

The Alliance of Civilizations (AoC) is an initiative proposed by the

Prime Minister of the Government of Spain, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero,

at the 59th General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) in 2005. It was co-

sponsored by the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The initia-

tive seeks to galvanize international action against extremism through the

forging of international, intercultural and interreligious dialogue and coop-

eration. The Alliance places a particular emphasis on defusing tensions

between the Western and Islamic worlds.

Inception

Mutual suspicion, fear and misunderstanding between Islamic and

Western societies has been increasing since the beginning of the new millen-

nium. The heightened instability of coexistence between these groups of peo-

ple with divergent backgrounds has led to exploitation by extremists through-

out the world: the severest form of this being violent acts of terrorism. It has

been the opinion of many political leaders that efforts should be made to

reach a common ground between diverse ethnic and religious groups based on

the tolerance, understanding, and respect of the fundamental set of values

and beliefs of each group. In this way, and by the attempt to quell

"extremism", a comprehensive coalition can be established to work toward a

peaceful coexistence between diverse groups around the world, and thereby

support international stability.

Proposal

The Alliance of Civilizations initiative was proposed by the President of

the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero at the 59th General

Assembly of the United Nations in 2005. It was co-sponsored by the Turkish

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The aim of the initiative was to pro-

duce actionable, time-bound recommendations by the end of 2006 for UN

member states to adopt.

Preliminary work

To fulfill the objective of the initiative, the UN Secretary-General Kofi

Annan assembled a High-Level Group (HLG) consisting of 20 eminent per-

sons drawn from policy making, academia, civil society, religious leadership,

and the media. A full range of religions and civilizations were represented.

Among the members were former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami,

who proposed the Dialogue Among Civilizations initiative, Archbishop Des-

mond Tutu, South African Nobel laureate, Prof. Pan Guang, who obtained the

Saint Petersburg-300 Medal for Contribution to China-Russia Relations, and

Arthur Schneier, who is the founder and president of the “Appeal of Con-

science Foundation” and who gained the "Presidential Citizens Medal”. The

HLG met 5 times between November 2005 and November 2006, and produced a

report prioritising relations between the Western and Muslim societies.

The first meeting of the HLG of the AoC occurred in Spain in Novem-

ber 2005. The second meeting was in Doha, Qatar from 25 to 27 February

2006 with the agenda of aiming to find ways to calm the cartoon crisis be-

tween West and Islamic world. The third meeting took place in Dakar, Sen-

egal from 28 to 30 May 2006. At the final meeting in November 2006 in Is-

tanbul, the members presented their final report to Kofi Annan and to

Prime Ministers José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The report outlined recommendations and practical solutions on how

the Western and Islamic societies can solve misconceptions and misunder-

standings between them. According to the report, "politics, not religion, is at

the heart of growing Muslim-Western divide", although a large emphasis is

maintained on religion.

Report of the High-Level Group

The final 2006 report of the HLG was structured in two parts. Part I pre-

sented an analysis of the global context and of the state of relations between

Muslim and Western societies. It concluded with a set of general policy rec-

ommendations, indicating the HLG's belief that certain political steps are

pre-requisites to any substantial and lasting improvement in relations be-

tween Muslim and Western societies.

Part II of the report reflected the HLG's view that tensions across cul-

tures have spread beyond the political level into the hearts and minds of popu-

lations. To counter this trend, the Group presented recommendations in each

of four thematic areas: Education, Youth, Migration, and Media. The Report

concluded with outlined suggestions for the implementation of its recommen-

dations.

A key issue regarded by the AoC is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the

resolution of which is considered paramount.

The report also recommends combating "exclusivism" and extremism. It

defines exclusivism as, “those who feed on exclusion and claim sole ownership

of the truth". Thus, religious groups who assert one specific truth to the exclu-

sion of other religious doctrines are considered undesirable by the AoC. Fur-

thermore, the report identifies the primary global groups in this issue as the

three monotheistic faiths.

Structure and leadership

The "High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations" is the title of the

primary leadership position of the AoC, who is to function as political facili-

tator and lead spokesman, and to consult directly with the United Nations

Secretary General. In April 2007, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

appointed the position of High Representative to Jorge Sampaio, former

President of Portugal.

The Secretariat of the Alliance of Civilizations provides support to the High

Representative and implements developmental functions of the AoC. The offic-

es are based at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The UN Alliance of Civilizations' media program is based on two pillars:

→ GlobalExpertFinder.org, an online resource which connects journalists

with a wide range of opinion leaders who provide quick reactions and analysis

on complex political, social and religious issues;

→ A broad array of training programs designed to support journalists and

opinion makers in their efforts to report across cultural divides in a fast-

changing global media environment.

Youth

The Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF) is an international program that provides

small grants of up to US$30,000 to youth organizations advancing intercul-

tural and interfaith dialogue at the local, national, and regional or interna-

tional levels. Projects funded under this program are developed and imple-

mented in their entirety by youth organizations and primarily for the benefit

of youth. Projects last an average of 6 months and present a strong potential

for growth and sustainability. These projects both at the individual (youth)

and institutional levels (youth organizations).

Education

Through the development of clearinghouses, the UNAOC serves as a platform

for disseminating materials that resonate with its objectives of improving un-

derstanding among nations and peoples. Launched in April 2009, the Educa-

tion about Religions and Beliefs Clearinghouse encompasses learning about

the world's diverse religions and beliefs as well as ethics, tolerance, and civic

education.

It includes guidelines, learning and teaching resources, links to rele-

vant organizations, a journal, related events, an online forum and news. The

ERB Clearinghouse currently focuses one duration at the primary and sec-

ondary level.

Migration and Integration

The Migration Integration program of the Alliance aims to improve

integration, and thereby enhance relations between migrants and host socie-

ties. Poor integration of migrant communities can give way to feelings of al-

ienation and resentment, while well-integrated migrants demonstrate that

diversity brings progress and social cohesion.

Our main tool for this is the Online Community on Migration and In-

tegration, a website that showcases successful models of integration and

highlights good practices implemented by a variety of stakeholders. The pro-

motion of the site as a networking platform further encourages the sharing

of experiences and replication of good practices.

Delish!

Red Pepper

Kale Quiche

Crust

2 cups blanched almond flour

1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

1 egg

4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small squares

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients in a food processor (add in or-

der given). Pulse together until it forms a dough. Press the dough into the bot-

tom and evenly up the sides of a 9" glass pie plate. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or

until the crust becomes lightly golden.

Filling

1-2 teaspoons coconut oil

1 cup packed chopped kale

2 green onions, sliced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 red pepper, diced

1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese (I used raw cheese), or mozzarella

6 eggs

Salt and pepper

Cook the kale in a little bit of water, until just cooked (or steam it).

Heat the coconut oil in a large pan and then add the mushrooms, red pepper,

and green onions. Saute until just cooked (don't overcook, they will continue

to cook in the quiche). Whisk the eggs together in a large bowl. Add the

cooked kale and other veggies. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper (important).

Add the cheese and stir in. Pour the mixture into the baked crust. Place on a

baking sheet and place in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the eggs

are cooked.

Notes and Acknowledgments

Content /

Glacial Lakes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proglacial_lake

http://www.pri.org/stories/science/environment/climate-change-

enhances-risks-of-glacial-lakes-flooding-mountain-

communities-13096.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacial_lake

Alps and Sustainability

http://www.cmcc.it/forestry-and-agriculture/climate-change-

and-sustainable-tourism-in-the-alps

http://www.alpenallianz.org/en/the-alps-and-the-alpine-

convention/the-alps

The Bookshelf, Eaarth by Bill McKibben

http://www.billmckibben.com/eaarth/eaarthbook.html

http://growwny.org/whats-new/320-a-summary-of-eaarth-by-

bill-mckibben

Our blockbuster / Beyond the Brink

http://www.ameliasmagazine.com/earth/climate-change-

documentary-beyond-the-brink/2011/04/01/

World Nature Heritage Site:

primeval beech forests of the Carpathians

and the ancient beech forests in Germany

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1133

Delish! Recipe of the month

Red pepper and kale quiche

http://foodandyogaforlife.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/red-pepper-

kale-quiche-gluten-freelow.html

Alliance of Civilizations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alliance_of_Civilizations

Notes and Acknowledgments

Photos /

Positive Examples / The Netherlands

http://lorizehr.blogspot.com

http://commons.wikimedia.org

Our Blockbuster / Beyond the Brink

http://livinggeography.blogspot.com

Alliance of Civilizations

http://www.unmultimedia.org

http://sacrecoeuralonu.org

http://arabamerica.com

World Nature Heritage Site

http://commons.wikimedia.org

www.flickr.com

Delish! Recipe of the month

Red pepper & kale quiche

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pOiIBM5IuI4/USrg342MPOI/

AAAAAAAAMEg/jfJwirNNTy8/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG

Social Networks

http://p2pframework.com

Alliance of Civilizations

http://www.unmultimedia.org

http://sacrecoeuralonu.org

http://arabamerica.com

World Nature Heritage Site

http://commons.wikimedia.org

www.flickr.com

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Coming up

in March

World Nature Heritage Site:

The Danube Delta

Liveable Cities:

Graz, Austria

Connect Through Art:

Kunst Haus, Wien

Changing of Season:

Spring!

World Water Day:

Water Cooperation

5th UNAOC Forum

Earth Hour

The Happiness Project

International Day of Forests

The Bookshelf

Our Blockbuster

Delish!

Recipe of the Month

and much more

www.nektarinanonprofit.com

www.education4sustainability.org

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non profit organization registred in Croatia.

ISSN 1847-6694