[en] The author outlines and discusses the various impacts climate change can have on agriculture, notably due to the increase of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, to temperature increase, to the modification of rainfalls, and therefore to differences in evaporation, drainage, run-off, cloud cover. He notably discusses the impact in terms of photosynthesis, of crop production in tempered or tropical regions. He also discusses the impact of extreme events (notably frost), comments how recent evolutions noticed by farmers could prefigure the future. He addresses the issue of adaptation which could mean a change of local practices or a displacement of activities

[en] Background: Osteosarcoma (OS) is an aggressive and often fatal cancer that afflicts over 1000 humans and 10,000 dogs per year in the United States. Recent evidence suggests deregulation in the signaling triad, receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B (RANK), its activating ligand (RANKL), and the RANKL inhibitor, osteoprotegerin (OPG) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of OS. This study investigated the expression of RANK and RANKL in osteosarcoma tumors and cell lines and describes an activating effect of OPG on OS cells in vitro. Results: Canine OS tumors and cell lines co-express mRNA for both RANK and RANKL. Expression of these proteins in OS cell lines was confirmed by Western blot and immunofluorescence microscopy. Expression of the soluble form of RANKL was not detected in media from OS cells. OPG-Fc incubation increased the phosphorylation status of ERK, AKT and the p65 subunit of nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) and induced NFκB translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in canine OS cells. OPG increased proliferation in both canine and human derived OS cell lines. Conclusion: RANKL is produced by OS tumors and cell lines that also express RANK. This data provides preliminary evidence for a potential autocrine and or paracrine activation pathway in canine OS. An activating effect of exogenous OPG on signal transduction proteins, NFκB and proliferation in OS is described. These data provide new information concerning aberrant signaling in OS and could be important to those considering OPG as a therapeutic agent for osteosarcoma. - Highlights: • Osteosarcoma cells express receptor activator of NFκ-B (RANK) and its ligand RANKL. • Osteoprotegrin (OPG) activates ERK, AKT and NFκB in canine osteosarcoma cells. • Osteoprotegrin incubation causes an increase in total NFκB and phosphorylated NFκB in the nucleus. • Osteoprotegrin increases proliferation in canine and human osteosarcoma cells independent of exogenous RANKL.

[en] Power Point presentations address the following topics: Thermodynamic solar realisations in France and the convergence of solar and biomass (competitiveness of thermal solar energy); Perspectives for photovoltaic solar energy (development logics for a subsidised market, identification of risks and limitations); The European and national support to photovoltaic to supply the planet with solar electricity (PV potential and competitiveness, benefits for the society); the solar prospective (resources, present situation, prospective by 2050 according to the IAE, thermal solar, photovoltaic solar, concentrated solar power); The DESERTEC concept for energy, water and climate security or 10.000 solar GW clean power from deserts in the world; The Mediterranean solar Plan (objectives of the action plan and of the road-map for 2011-2020; Status of technologies and innovations in photovoltaic conversion of solar energy (the solar resource, the different photovoltaic technologies and sectors, perspectives); An analysis of PV resource in residential areas by means of aerial photo images; Soil use by agriculture and consequences for climate (recalls on physics of relationship between plants and climate, evidence of the direct impact of agriculture on climate with the decision to move some crops southwards in Florida, example of modelling of the impact of crops on climate through a comparison between meadows and crops, experiment of the impact of a change in soil use, proof of the indirect impact of agriculture on climate); Constraints, resources and innovations in plant productions; Abatement costs, regulation and prospective aspects for CO₂ emissions by the agriculture sector; Impact of growing methods on climate (contributions of different gases to the greenhouse effect, share of agriculture in greenhouse gas emissions; reduction of CH₄, NO₂ and CO₂ emissions, carbon storage); Greenhouse gas emissions in farming practices; The effects of climate change on agriculture (evolution of possibilities of crop location, influence of climate change on crop efficiency)

[en] At the Earth Summit in Johannesburg, declarations by some States raised hopes that the Kyoto Protocol could be implemented in 2003. A reduction in the human induced greenhouse gas emissions is clearly the most sustainable policy to slow down the accumulation of these gases in the atmosphere, which is causing, according to a large scientific consensus, climate change. However, in the case of CO₂ emissions, possible alternatives consist in stocking for some time some additional organic carbon in the biomass and in the soil organic matter. Carbon stocks in the forest biomass (Article 3.3. of the Protocol) have already been the subject of international agreements, with strict quotas being imposed on different countries. Favouring a more or less long-term accumulation of organic matter in soils, through changes in land use and agricultural or forestry practices, is another alternative (Article 3.4.) which was accepted as a mode of application of the Kyoto Protocol. With respect to this alternative, there are no limitations as to the amounts accumulated or the land surface concerned, but no methods for verification have yet been defined. Worldwide, soils contain about 1500 giga-tons of organic carbon. A relatively small increase in these stocks could therefore play a significant role in limiting the net flux of greenhouse gases towards the atmosphere. Changes in land use and agricultural production practices could contribute to this, notably by increasing the magnitude and the duration of organic carbon storage in soils. The residence time of carbon in the soil organic matter is highly variable, as it varies with the rate of carbon mineralisation, through which organic carbon is finally returned to the atmosphere. It is therefore important to determine the potential offered by this pool, as a function of soils, their uses and associated practices. In order to apply the Kyoto Protocol, it is also necessary to know how and with what precision this pool could be measured, and which incentive policies could induce additional accumulations in soils. These challenges are not negligible for France in a European context, because of its large agricultural land and surface area. For this reason, the Ministry for Ecology and Sustainable Development requested an Assessment Report from INRA, which concerns the capacity for organic carbon accumulation in agricultural soils and its time-related dynamics. This Expert Report should be read in the context of a strategy for soil management on a national basis, bringing together the principal actors in a Scientific Interest Group and the implementation of a soil quality monitoring network. At the European level, this report is in line with the recommendations of the recent Communication of the European Commission on soil protection. The main questions for this assessment have been formulated by a Steering Committee and are as follows: - Can we, in France, through actions specifically targeting an increase in organic carbon accumulations in soils, contribute to reduce the greenhouse effect? The answer to this question is of direct interest to the French Inter-ministerial Mission on the Greenhouse Effect, and France in general, so that agriculture can be taken into account in the national plan to combat the greenhouse effect. - How could such actions meet the conditions of compliance with the Kyoto Protocol? It is necessary to propose solutions which will be technically feasible and economically viable. - Which economic policy tools would be effective to promote the changes required? In this respect, it must be possible to integrate the tools in the Common Agricultural Policy. - What are the needs in terms of research and references? What is required to further develop the research results and recommendations arising from MEDD pilot programs concerning the sustainable management of soils and the impacts of climate change? This Assessment Report was drafted by an Expert Group consisting of researchers specialised in soil sciences, agronomy, bio-climatology and public economics applied to agriculture, from INRA and from other French and foreign organisations. This report, through the assessment it has enabled and without omitting any debates and uncertainties, will provide an unquestionable aid for decision-makers. This 'Synthesis', more particularly drafted for Decision-Makers, forms a detailed summary of the report, with cross references to the chapters of the expertise which will provide readers with a more comprehensive information.

[en] This study aimed at determining whether carbon sequestration in agricultural soils could contribute to the reduction of the greenhouse effect through actions aiming at cumulating carbon from agricultural origin, which were the conditions of compliance with the Kyoto protocol, which economic policy tools should be efficient to promote desirable changes, and which are research and reference needs. After an introduction that presents the problematic and the addressed issues, the report proposes an overview of the state-of-the-art of knowledge, references and available tools. It proposes a critical analysis of published results and of data obtained during agronomic tests performed in France and under similar climates, and also proposes values of storage per surface unit according to main changes in land use or envisaged agricultural practices. Then, it addresses the agronomic feasibility of changes which would allow an additional storage (under which climatic conditions, with which associated effects, and with which sustainability?). Simulations are performed to assess a global storage potential of the French metropolitan territory. Possible economic incentive tools for the promotion of additional storages are then analysed.

[en] After the opening and closing speeches of the Minister of Ecology and the intervention of the Prime Minister, a first assessment of the Climate Plan is proposed. This assessment addresses issues related to awareness raising and to adaptation, to sustainable transports, to building and eco-habitat, to industry, to energy, to wastes, to sustainable agriculture and forests, to sustainable air-conditioning, to territorial Climate Plans and to the exemplary State, and to research, international action and prospective after 2010. Then, after a speech of the Minister of Ecology during a Mayor Congress on the Territorial Climate Plan, and a press communique on the Climate Rendezvous, contributions to this rendezvous are provided. For the first day, these contributions propose an assessment of Climate Plan implementation, presentations about the status of scientific knowledge, about climate evolution in France, about stakes and international negotiations to come, about a first assessment of the application of the Climate Plan in terms of emissions and projections. Workshops addressed road transports (clean vehicles and alternatives to road), renewable energy and energy management, territorial climate plans, buildings and energy efficiency (awareness raising, regulation, incentive), actors to develop a climate culture. The second day addressed strategy, stakes and actions for a climate policy. After an opening speech, round tables addressed orientations and actual solutions through the following topics: the factor 4 and new energy technologies, carbon finance and project mechanisms, air transport as a sector for after 2012. Another set of round tables addressed evolutions of our society: adaptation actions in front of consequences of climate change, ways to articulate climate policy and job dynamics

[en] A first report proposes an overview of the situation and perspectives related to climate change in the Provence-Alpes-Cote-d'Azur region. Based on various publications, it comments climate predictions for this region, proposes an overview of the situation of the water resource and of its necessary protection, describes various disturbances of the environments, effects of climate change on economic sectors and productive areas, and more particularly on town planning and building, discusses the objectives of an energy transition, and also health risks related to climate change. The second report presents some characteristics of the Mediterranean climate and stakes related to climate change (notion of climate-related risks). It proposes an overview of the past and present regional climate (main evolutions of the past climate, refined knowledge of the present climate with instruments and techniques of data spatialization), and proposes prospective elements (understanding of emission scenarios, climate trends for the region, first indicators for four towns of the region, examples of recent thematic studies). The third report proposes a focus on the situation of the regional agriculture in front of climate change (phenology of sustainable plants, risks and opportunities for agriculture, wheat cultivation, innovative practices to improve the sustainability of agricultural systems, scenarios to anticipate the adaptation of Camargue rice production systems, a multidisciplinary initiative for a better assessment of stakes of climate change in mountain pastures), and a discussion of the new constraint on the Mediterranean forest due to climate change (operation of Mediterranean forest systems, adaptive forestry, impact of climate change on forest health and fire risk, the difficult interpretation of signs of climate change in coastal forests, the future of mountain forests, and the impact of ozone on the Mediterranean forest).