Global News March 2009

* Barack Obama launches Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate to help seal the deal in Copenhagen, March 31 United Nations Environment Programme, March 31, 2009 Preparatory talks will kick off on 27 and 28 April in Washington DC, followed by a summit of the 17 leaders in July in Italy, in the margins of the G8 summit. The 17 major economies in the forum are Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. 
*Billion Tree Campaign passes three billion mark, March 30 United Nations Environment Programme, March 30, 2009 topic
* Earth Hour claims world’s largest demonstration of public concern about climate change, with hundreds of millions of people across 25 time zones in over 4,000 cities and towns in 88 countries taking part, March 29 Earth Hour, March 29, 2009 
*we20 - the people’s G20, announces the launch of its website at we20.org, enabling individual people and groups anywhere in the world to host their own G20 summits, March 27, 2009 - Press Dispensary, March 27, 2009 topic
*Mexico: A lack of water in Mexico City, March 26 Global Voices Online, March 26, 2009 Mexico City is running out of water. Daniel Hernandez of Intersections writes about what the local government is doing to address the situation, but officials say “drastic steps” may need to be considered including the possibility of turning off the water on the weekends.
*Extensive forest fires are affecting several of Kenya's key moisture reservoirs including the 400,000-hectare Mau Forest Complex, Kenya's largest forest and the source of water for at least twelve rivers. , March 25United Nations Environment Programme, March 25, 2009 Important Rift Valley Lakes, including Lake Victoria, the source of the River Nile, depend on the rivers which are fed from the forest. Noor Hassan Noor, the Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner said that between 25 and 35 per cent of the eastern Mau forest has been lost so far as a result of the fire. place, topic
*Brazil: A private nature reserve – Is it possible? March 24 Global Voices Online, March 24, 2009 
*Israel: World leader in water technology solutions, March 24 Global Voices Online, March 24, 2009 Israel is the world leader in water technology solutions with 75 per cent of sewage water recycled for agricultural use. Israeli water technologies are exported to more than 100 countries worldwide.
*Copenhagen’s seven mayors launch the city’s new climate plan, comprising 50 specific initiatives to achieve the city’s target of a 20 % reduction in CO2 in the period 2005-2015. With this plan, the mayors are also formulating an ambition for Copenhagen to be CO2 neutral by 2025. March 18 City of Copenhagen, March 18, 2009 topic
*President announces the government’s intention to make the Maldives world’s first carbon neutral country, March 16 President's Office, Maldives, March 16 topic
*Engage society in the transition, International Scientific Congress on Climate Change, March 2009 University of Copenhagen, March 12 2009 topic
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