THE HEAT from Aufgeheizt on Vimeo.

Project Aufgeheizt (“heated-up”) brought together scientists and animation film experts with around 30 young people in Berlin aged 12 – 18  to make short films explaining the impacts of climate change. On 2nd June 2012, as part of the programme for “Der L ange Nacht der Wissenschaft” (The Long Night of Science) at Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, seven films were premiered in a klimakino (“climate -cinema”) and the following films were honoured in a prize giving ceremony:

• Geoengineering – overall best film
• “Aufgeheizt und weggespült” for the best/funniest storyline
• “Hilfe, Wasser!” for the most original set design
• “The Heat” – for the best special effects
• “Weniger Regen? Von wegen!” for the best character development
• “Eisschelf – De-iced” for die best dramatisation
• “Nordatlantische Strömungen” for the best cut and symbolic representation

Aufgeheizt is a pilot project funded by VW Stiftung to help scientists improve their communication about climate change with the general public. Organisations wishing to find out about future projects should contact Katie Griggs: k.griggs@aufgeheizt.org (EN or DE)

This summer, 20 years on from the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, government representatives will meet at a ‘Rio+20’ summit to discuss sustainable development. We need to keep the pressure on, says the British “Stop Climate Chaos Coalition”. Absolutely right!

Sometimes, all it takes is the right idea to kill (at least) two birds with one stone. And that’s what Mary and her husband Mike had back in 2008. They wanted to find a way to address hunger in their native county Jamaica. That’s why they decided to plant more breadfruit-trees, because the breadfruit itself can be used for several different dishes. And their plan worked: not only did Mary and Mike help alleviate hunger, but they also helped bring some green back to the region, benefiting the climate, too. That’s the concept that drives their organization, the Trees that feed Foundation.

With their project, they also boosted the local economy by developing a model for farmers to share. And their idea encouraged follow-up projects, too. In cooperation with another non-profit organization, the Compatible Technology International, they developed a breadfruit-mill out of a bicycle – and thereby developed a CO2- neutral way to process the fruits.

And since then, their plan has only spread further, from breadfruit to other trees that produce edible fruits, like the moringa and pigeon pea trees as well as mango and guava trees. “Our intent is to supply trees for planting in small farms, field margins and urban backyards. We will focus on plants that require minimal use of fertilizers and agricultural chemicals”, the Foundation explains on its website.

If you would like to support Trees that feed and help them expand to communities in the Caribbean, Central America and Africa,go to check their website to find out how.

It takes a village, goes the saying – and in fighting climate change, many environmentalists say it will take the world. A group of Southern African countries are teaming up to better respond to the challenges of climate change by combining climate studies across the entire region. Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia have all agreed to be part of “SASSCAL,” or the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management. The project is being funded by Germany.

Because climate change is affecting so many millions of people across Africa, SASSCAL countries want to figure out ways to adapt, to manage the wealth of natural resources in the region. to institute sustainable land management and improve living conditions. That’s no easy job, but with research institutes from every participating country working together to study climate change and its impact on resources, the organizers believe a lot can be achieved. And, it sets an important example for the rest of the continent and the world…

We already told you about how the world’s chocolate supply is suffering from the effects of climate change, but coffee is also under threat. At the end of last year, the coffee giant Starbucks called attention to the fact that coffee bean farmers are struggling to cope with severe weather, changing rain patterns and new pests that affect the coffee plants. And those problems are a ”significant risk” to Starbucks’ coffee supply, according to the company’s CEO. Researchers estimate that coffee sellers increased the price of the beloved bean by about 25 percent in 2010 alone.

So what can be done? There’ve been many suggestions, but there’s an interesting project called ”Coffee & Climate” that caught our attention. It’s trying to find constructive and effective way to deal with climate change and its effects on coffee supplies. The organization does that by going right to the people who are faced with those issues: the coffee farmers themselves. Coffee & Climate provides training and support for farmers, sharing their expertise and practical tools so the farmers are well-equipped for whatever challenges climate change might present!