SciDev.Net

China must confront changing diets, more sedentary lives, and a 'plump is prosperous' culture to halt obesity, say Rachel Huxley and Yangfeng Wu.

The common image of China as a big carbon polluter belies the clean energy miracle currently underway in the country, says Wu Changhua.

Measures should be put in place to ensure that innovative scientific information is available to Chinese researchers, says Lan Xue.

Scientists, not government, should lead efforts to explain the benefits and risks of modern technology, says Li Daguang.

Cancer care in Africa faces the same challenges as general healthcare, but also needs local data and targeted solutions, says Twalib Ngoma.

To stem the spread of obesity, we must study the web of commercial interests and strategies driving it, says Jonathan Wells.

We need better global monitoring for chronic diseases before we can really tackle the risks factors and prevent illness, says Colin Mathers.

Developing nations must stop aping the North's mental health services and use strategies tailored to their own needs, says Vikram Patel.

Super crops won't be enough — the planet will run short of food by 2030 unless we invest to avoid an imminent world water crisis, says Colin Chartres.

Developing-world scientists should make every effort to pursue careers at home – and their governments should help them, says Mohamed Hassan.

African malaria research networks have helped scientists combat the disease, but they need more stable support and longer-term funding, says Thomas Egwang.

Renewed political commitment means China and India could set the pace for bilateral South–South collaboration, say Purnima Rupal and Dinesh Abrol.

By tapping into the increase in developing country scientists, US innovators could reinforce their market positions, says G. Pascal Zachary.

Thousands of traditional crop species could help break dependence on a few global food crops, and offer valuable environmental services, says Monty Jones.

Let's encourage the mood of political cooperation on the big issues during the International Year of Planet Earth, says Nasser Ennih.

The UN is inhibiting innovation through over-regulation of new biotechnologies, argues Henry I. Miller.

More research is needed to see whether the success of the WHO's tuberculosis programme is at risk, say G. E. Davies and S. B. Squire.

Based on current growth rates, China's carbon emissions will equal today's entire global output by 2030, warn Ning Zeng and colleagues.

Revised HIV/AIDS figures are a sign of better data, not that the epidemic is slowing. There is still much to be done, says Kevin De Cock.

The health sector must more closely consider the effects of climate change, write A. J. McMichael and colleagues in the British Medical Journal.