Tony Blair today pledged to make the plight of Africa and tackling climate change his priorities when Britain takes over the presidency of the G8 group of leading industrialised countries in the new year.

In an article for The Economist, the Prime Minister described the two issues as among “the most serious problems facing the world today.”

Complete article: Africa and Climate Change Top Blair’s G8 Agenda (The Scotsman)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The deadly Asian earthquake may have permanently accelerated the Earth’s rotation — shortening days by a fraction of a second — and caused the planet to wobble on its axis, U.S. scientists said on Tuesday.

Complete article: Scientists: Quake may have made Earth wobble (Reuters)

Russia’s ratification of the Kyoto protocol on climate change in November revived the possibility of a global response to environmental concerns.

The protocol will come into effect on February 16 next year.

Complete article: Now that Putin has accepted Kyoto, the real work can start (Financial Times)

By figuring the value of ecosystems, biologist Gretchen C. Daily spurs others to see the greater economic impact of conservation

For Gretchen C. Daily, a pristine forest isn’t just a pretty place. It’s also a provider of valuable services, from flood control to climate stabilization. A Stanford University biologist and author of The New Economy of Nature: The Quest to Make Conservation Profitable, Daily is a pioneer in a new kind of economics, identifying and placing quantifiable values on ecosystem services — the benefits that nature provides to people.

Complete article: How Much Is Nature Worth? (MSNBC)

In 2004 global warming made the covers of National Geographic and Business Week magazines, was the subject of a blockbuster movie, and was a theme in a Michael Crichton’s best-selling novel State of Fear - all signs that the issue has captured widespread media attention.

Complete article: 2004: The Year Global Warming Got Respect (National Geographic)

Pigs in Chile are doing their bit to help cut greenhouse gas emissions.

They are part of the Agrosuper project under which the pork producing company sells carbon credits, gained by producing less methane emissions than the company’s allotment.

Complete article: The Age (AP)