SciDev.Net

The environmental and social costs of producing biofuels on land can be avoided by farming seaweed, says Ricardo Radulovich.

Volunteer citizen scientists are an important resource — particularly for developing countries, argue Nigel Winser and Raghu Saxena.

The UN has underestimated the technological challenges of stemming carbon emissions, say Roger Pielke Jr, Tom Wigley and Christopher Green.

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

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

The time is right for Europe to change its carbon trading rules, giving Africa access to the market, writes Louis V. Verchot.

Dryland farmers are growing novel crops for biofuel, but domestication and research into yields and pests is still needed, says William Dar.

Strong international policies are needed to stop the biofuel revolution threatening food security for the poor, says Siwa Msangi.

Biofuel production offers a lifeline to sugar-producing countries hit by the European Union's 2006 sugar reforms, argues Maureen Wilson.

Biofuels offer huge potential, but pose challenges best countered with strong and coherent development policies, says S. Arungu-Olende.

The Kyoto Protocol has failed to tackle climate change and needs a radical rethink, argue Gwyn Prins and Steve Rayner.

Environmental groups should buy palm oil plantations to fund biodiversity-saving nature reserves, say Lian Pin Koh and David S. Wilcove.

To meet the challenge of climate change, Indian scientists need more imagination and vigour, and to stop playing safe, says Sunita Narain.

For Africans, there has been no justice so far in global action against climate change, argues Chukwumerije Okereke.

Collecting comprehensive national and regional data could thwart the spread of malaria in Africa as conditions warm, argues Suad Sulaiman.

African leaders need to stop ignoring climate change and incorporate mitigation and adaptation policies into development, argues Anthony Nyong.

There is a history of resistance to the adverse effects of climate in Africa — so damage isn't inevitable, argues Katharine Vincent.

The state, business and media are vital to tackling Africa's environmental challenges, says Rwandan president Paul Kagame.

Solving Darfur's problems means supporting new technologies to drive economic development, says UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon.

With the right investment, Africa could get real benefits from growing the latest GM crops, says Idah Sithole-Niang.