The COP16 climate talks in Cancun have entered the final stretch, but the prospect that the conference will conclude with a substantial agreement is more remote than ever. Generelly there's a sense among participants that there's increasing urgency to the issue of climate change – and a degree of astonishment at the declining importance of the topic in the media and in public perception – no matter if it's in the US or across the pond.

Among those, that are most vociferously campaining for rapid action on climate change is 350.org, a global network of pressure groups and NGOs. We talked to 350.org's Mexico coordinator Marcelo Quintanilla, who believes that there's been too much talk but that  the Cancun conference nevertheless offers a big chance for change.

Second, there's Dave Jones who works to "raise the environmental IQ of America" – the chosen tagline of his science-based communications agency StormCenter – dedicated to driving the urgency of climate change home to a US public increasingly unfazed by the issue. At the Cancun climate talks he runs a multimedia display in the US pavilion to educate visitors about the impact of climate change. Just two findings are: The oceans have measurably warmed down to depths of 300 meters and storms won't necessarily become more frequent but very much more destructive, he says.

According to an new UN report, presented at UN climate talks in Cancun, Mexico, glaciers are melting fastest in southern South America and Alaska. The communities urgently need to adapt to the meltdown. Many low-lying glaciers may disappear over the coming decades, with the northwest United States, southwest Canada and the Arctic also affected. The report was compiled by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and scientists. Read more here…

Or the whole report as an e-book here…

At the UN climate conference in Cancun we talked to water expert Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm of the Inter-American Development Bank. The expectations may be low for the present round of climate talks, he told us. But there is something noticeably positive about the COP16 conference: For the first time – and other than only last year at the Copenhagen talks – there's unanimous agreement that climate change is real and that humans are responsible for it, he told us.

Three GLOBAL IDEAS video reports were selected for screening at the Development and Climate Days Annual Film Festival on December 4th and 5th in Cancun, Mexico. You can check them out here:

Green Energy in Guyana

Deforestation is rampant in many countries with rainforests being cleared for industry and agriculture and the mining of natural resources. Guyana is trying a different approach thanks to the government's Low Carbon Development Strategy. It's a revolutionary scheme, which aims to transform Guyana's economy while combating climate change. The plan is to have the international community recognize the financial value of the rainforests and pay compensation for their conservation. The UN has yet to approve it.

Eco-Cooling in Swaziland

Swaziland, a small kingdom in southern Africa, is one of the poorest regions in the world. Most residents depend on farming and cattle grazing for their livelihood. Only a few own cars. They aren't responsible for climate change but Swaziland has been hard hit by the consequences – rising temperatures and drought. Appliances that keep food and medicines cool are hugely important. One of the few factories in the country now produces refrigerators and freezers in an environmentally-friendly way. And the appliances are powered by solar energy.

Energy for the Andes

Many villages in the remote northern highlands of Peru are not connected to the electricity grid. Alternative energy sources are proving a big help. The aid organization "Soluciones Practicas" has installed micro wind turbines in many villages in the Cajamarca region that provide several thousand people with a daily electricity supply. It's helping boost their educational chances, improve communication and facilitate the setting up of businesses. The NGO is hoping to expand in South America.

With the media focus on all the political bickering over a new climate deal at the COP16 conference, it's easy to lose sight of the very real concerns that people from all over the world are trying to bring to the attention of delegates at the Cancun talks. Their messages are urgent, sometimes simple and – some would say – occasionally simplistic. But never boring.

Meet Sri Sri Soham Baba, who's come to Cancun with a message that is certainly clear. Listen to what he told GLOBAL IDEAS about it: