Global

submitted by Gigi Pomerantz

Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) will soon launch a new initiative to help off-track countries meet their WASH goals. The National Planning for Results Initiative (NPRI) aims to pool donor support to develop in-country planning capacity. SWA announced the initiative during their session on National Sanitation Planning at the 6^th World Water Forum in Marseilles. The official launch of the NPRI will take place at the upcoming SWA High Level Meeting in April this year.

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by Joel Makower - greenbiz.com - April 2, 2012

Nike is joining with NASA, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the U.S. Department of State to identify 10 “game changing” innovations that transform waste systems in both developed and developing countries.

The 10 winners don’t get cash or other prizes, but rather the chance to engage in a collaborative process with some of the world’s smartest and most connected people.

The goal of the LAUNCH: Beyond Waste challenge is to identify companies and organizations that have innovative designs for zero waste solutions, waste elimination, waste transformation, and waste mitigation technologies, “as well as waste reduction-focused education, business, and financial strategies that have the potential to reduce and/or eliminate waste at a household, community, office building, campus, or industrial level,” according to the program overview (download – PDF).

                              (CLICK ON THE MAP IMAGE BELOW TO GO TO THE INTERACTIVE MAP)

by Simon Rogers - guardian.co.uk - March 29, 2012

How can you map the world to show global data in an immediately clear way? How can you show two datasets at once to see how they compare? Kiln, a partnership of Guardian writer Duncan Clark and developer Robin Houston has come up with this beautiful new take on the globe. Watch the animated intro or click on the topics and see the map move before your eyes. Adding shading lets you compare two datasets to see how they relate – so you can see clearly how poorest countries have the fastest growing populations but the lowest emissions

• The map works best in newest versions of Chrome, Firefox or Safari
• Who made this graphic? Duncan Clark and Robin Houston
• Where can I find it? carbonmap.org

A man refuels his car as gas prices are reflected into the windows of the United Oil gas station in Los Angeles, California March 24, 2012.  REUTERS/Bret Hartman

Reuters - by Rodrigo Campos - March 28, 2012

(Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Wednesday as the U.S. and some European governments mulled the release of strategic oil reserves, while commodity-related shares weighed on global equities.

U.S. stocks closed weaker, though far from the day's lows, in the wake of economic data that was slightly below expectations.

France, the United States and Britain are in talks about the possible release of strategic oil stocks to help push fuel prices lower, French ministers said, only weeks ahead of the country's presidential election. Purchasing power is among voters' top concerns.

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