Ministers attending the recent UN climate talks in Nairobi edged the planet towards a safer, low carbon future by agreeing to start formal negotiations on the next round of cuts in CO₂ emissions. But whilst governments said the right words they failed to make the further decisions needed for deeper emission cuts beyond 2012.

Just before the meeting began, more than 100,000 people in 30 countries around the world took to the streets and called on world leaders to take urgent action to fight global warming.

The next round of talks is just 12 months away and public pressure is growing worldwide demanding that governments take much stronger action. Find out more about the outcome of the talks

Whilst scientific information can tell us what the future may look like if climate change isn't tackled, you need to talk to real people to find out what climate changes can already be seen today.

Countries like Kenya and Tanzania are already affected by global warming even though have little direct influence on emissions from richer countries. To highlight the impact of climate change on East Africa, a woman farmer, a traditional doctor, and a former fisherman came to the UN talks to report about how they see their environment changing. Read their stories and find out how climate change is affecting their lives

A new WWF report has found a clear and escalating pattern of climate change impacts on bird species around the world, suggesting a trend towards major bird extinction from global warming.

Bird Species and Climate Change, reviews more than 200 scientific articles on birds in every continent to build up a global picture of climate change impacts. It shows that migratory birds are failing to migrate, and climate change is pushing increasing numbers of birds out of harmony with key elements of their ecosystems. Read more

If you're buying a washing machine, refrigerator, dishwasher or oven, make sure you buy the most energy-efficient model. They might be a little more expensive but they pay for themselves through lower energy bills and help tackle climate change at the same time! The same is true for office equipment like computers, copiers and printers.

So look out for appliances on www.topten.info (Europe) or those with the Energy Star label (US).

Photo credits: Windmill powering a waterpump in Patagonia, Argentina © WWF-Canon / Per ANGELSTAM; Demonstrators take to the streets of Paris © WWF / Edouard Toulouse; Juma Njunge Macharia, a traditional doctor from Murungaru in Kenya © WWF; Emperor penguins © WWF-Canon / Fritz PÖLKING; Washing machine © iStockphoto.com / Dajas Design.