The United Nations' latest Human Development report argues that the world is drifting towards a “tipping point” that could lock the world’s poorest countries and their poorest citizens in a downward spiral, leaving hundreds of millions facing malnutrition, water scarcity, ecological threats, and a loss of livelihoods.

This report is published by the Economist Intelligence Unit and sponsored by the Carbon Trust, KPMG, SAP and Shell. Part one sets the context - the Copenhagen conference in December - and then outlines and discusses what actions are being taken by the main GHG emitting countries to reduce emissions. It has sections on the US, the EU (counting as one entity), China, India and Japan, with extremely useful summary boxes bulletpointing for each the main energy/climate change related initiatives instigated. It also gives a view of likely approaches in coming years.

The European Environment Agency has published a report which aims to assess whether the current distribution of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funds is likely to favour the maintenance of farmland with high nature value (HNV). It explores the extent to which CAP funds are likely to support the long-term economic and ecological sustainability of these HNV farming systems.