SciDev.Net

Simply reducing livestock farming in developing countries will neither cut emissions nor benefit the poor, says livestock expert Carlos Seré.

An editorial in The Lancet highlights the extent of undernutrition in the developing world and calls for urgent global action.

After 2006's commitment to one per cent GDP spending on science, is Africa keeping up, falling behind or investing, asks Linda Nordling.

Six experts, writing in The New York Times, discuss options for ensuring food security in the face of growing populations and climate change.

Maternal health needs a new, pragmatic, research-led approach targeted specifically for developing countries, says Priya Shetty.

India should offer to make its national action plans part of a global climate deal in Copenhagen negotiations, says Rajendra K. Pachauri.

Rich nations should set an example at Copenhagen by committing to emissions reductions of 40 per cent, says Chinese scientist Jiahua Pan.

Practicalities of trading carbon and protecting forests make meeting high expectations for REDD hard, say Esteve Corbera and Manuel Estrada.

A truth commission can account for South Africa's past HIV/AIDS denialist policies and rebuild trust, says AIDS expert, Salim S. Abdool Karim.

Three Nature articles display mixed feelings about the success of Pakistan's higher education reforms.

Understanding the long-term consequences of undernutrition in early life is essential for health policy, says Cesar G. Victora.

CGIAR reforms take research decisions too far away, says Hartmann, director-general of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).

The Samoan earthquake highlights worrying shortcomings in Pacific early warning systems, says Richard Hamblyn.

Intellectual property must be protected to encourage technical innovations in agriculture, says Javier Fernandez of CropLife Latin America.

Aid agencies, under pressure to prove their worth, should seize the opportunity to make spending more accountable, says Linda Nordling.

A UNITAID patent pool could revolutionise HIV treatment and research in developing countries — if payment can be agreed, says Priya Shetty.

Establishing an effective science–policy interface is key to combating biodiversity loss, say Harold Mooney and Georgina Mace.

We must take responsibility for the costs of modifying tropical ecosystems for human consumption, says botanist Scott A. Mori.

Countries need to produce their own vaccines, and they need to invest in public sector capacity to do it, says Indian scientist Y. Madhavi.

Encouraging cooperation and aligning interests is key to dealing with global challenges, say Brian Walker and colleagues.