Kyoto may protect Tasmanian forests: Lobby group, Environment Tasmania hopes the state’s native forests will benefit from Australia signing the Kyoto protocol. The newly elected Labor Government has begun the process of ratifying the protocol on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Environment Tasmania’s chairman, Phill Pullinger says Australia will find it difficult to fulfil its Kyoto obligations without doing more to protect the state’s native forests. He says emissions from logging in Tasmania’s native forests are equivalent to what would be produced by 4.5 million cars, and Australia will now have a formal obligation to cut emissions. ABC Online

Water shortages likely trigger for wars: A struggle by nations to secure sources of clean water will be “potent fuel” for war, the first Asia-Pacific Water Summit heard yesterday. The