Feature Article

The National Action Plan on Climate Change is only half a beginning that is neither fully vision nor plan. (Editorial)

In their reports in the 29 February issue ("Land clearing and the biofuel carbon debt," J. Fargione et al., p. 1235, and "Use of U.S. croplands for biofuels increases greenhouse gases through emissions from land-use change," T. Searchinger et al., p. 1238), the authors do not provide adequate support for their claim that biofuels cause high emissions due to land-use change. The conclusions of both papers depend on the misleading premise that biofuel production causes forests and grasslands to be converted to agriculture. (Letters)

At a conference in France's noisy capital, European acoustical scientists admitted that they and most policymakers are not close to meeting an 18 July deadline to develop action plans to shush the European Union's (E.U's) largest cities. The action plan deadline stems from a 2002 E.U. antinoise directive.

Rice is the staff of life for 3 billion people, predominantly in Asia. But does the food that sustains half of humanity also increase the risk of cancer for some? That question arises from three sets of findings-including data now in press-that report elevated arsenic levels in rice and products such as rice bran and rice crackers.

The present study was undertaken in the six major valleys of Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand to understand and quantify the contribution of pack animals in reducing CO2 emission in Indian Central Himalaya. The study has demonstrated that horses and mules provide direct and indirect services to the society and country. The direct services include communication services in far-flung and remote areas not connected with the road network, where they transport essential

An independent review of climate change in Australia has laid out suggestions for how the country might construct an emissions-trading scheme.

World leaders met this week in Toyako on the Japanese island of Hokkaido to discuss climate change

In your Editorial 'Two symbols, one solution' (Nature 453, 427; 2008) on symbols used to publicize the challenges of global warming, you caution against focusing on animals rather than people. But symbols can be powerful

Your News in Brief item 'Cancer forces Tasmanian devil onto endangered list' highlights the plight of this carnivorous marsupial (Sarcophilus harrisii), driven towards extinction by devil facial-tumour disease, which is contagious (Nature 453, 441; 2008). The animal will soon also be uplisted by the 2008 IUCN Red List from its category of Least Concern to Endangered. (Correspondence)

Your News story 'Sterile mosquitoes near take-off' (Nature 453, 435; 2008) discusses the likely release of genetically engineered mosquitoes to help contain dengue fever. It demonstrates just how close we are to a radically new set of strategies for managing a whole range of diseases and wildlife using genetically modified organisms (GMOs). But after assessing the risks and benefits, nations may reach different conclusions about their use. And that's quite a problem, considering that genetically modified bugs won't recognize national borders. (Correspondence)