• Asian cities climate change resilience network (ACCCRN), Rockefeller Foundation (2012)
• Climate change and urban resilience, Robin Leichenko, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, vol. 3, issue 3, pp. 164-168 (May 2011) [subscription required]

ENERGY SECURITY: Simultaneously mitigating near-term climate change and improving human health and food security, Drew Shindell and 23 co-authors, Science (13 January 2012)

Experts from around the world collaborated on a study of global and regional impacts and costs of reducing emissions of methane (CH4) and black carbon (BC). BC and CH4 emissions affect climate change and local/regional air pollution, with impacts on crops, mortality, etc. Climate benefits of CH4 and BC emissions cuts are large, similar those of an IEA scenario of CO2 reduction; estimated benefits of emissions reduction far outweigh the costs.

• Integrated assessment of black carbon and tropospheric ozone: Summary for decision makers, United Nations Environment Programme and World Meteorological Organization (February 2011) [PDF, 2.67 MB]
• Energy efficiency in 2012: Forecast is mostly sunny, Steven Nadel, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (6 January 2012)
• Unequal risks and benefits for citizens in six states on Keystone XL pipeline route, Lisa Song, InsideClimate News (17 January 2012)

GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY: Washington, Beijing’s relief over Taiwan election will be temporary, Jonathan Manthorpe, Vancouver Sun (17 January 2012)

The US and China expressed their approval of Taiwanese President Ma’s re-election, whose Beijing-friendly policies have eased tensions in recent years. However, analysts believe Ma has a weaker mandate now following his ruling party’s loss of legislative seats, while China is expected to push the unification issue. Chinese civil society praised Taiwan’s electoral process and some expect the CCP to face greater pressure to democratize.

• With Taiwan’s election over, China likely to increase pressure for reunification, Public Radio International (17 January 2012)
• Taiwan elections will ‘shock’ China into changing: scholar, Rita Cheng and S.C. Chang, Focus Taiwan (14 January 2012)
• Taiwan’s China-friendly president wins re-election, Associated Press (14 January 2012)