There is a new tool sharpening California's renewable vision. It is in the form of a state-of-the-art system control center that houses the first dedicated renewables dispatch facility in the nation. As the state approaches a goal of generating 20 percent of its power from renewable resources, which escalates to an ambitious 33 percent by 2020, ensuring reliability brings new meaning to California grid operations.

The latest estimates on endangered species

* FAO says deforestation of world's biggest forests slowing

* Agriculture and population pressure still a big threat

BRAZZAVILLE, June 1 (Reuters) - The rate of destruction of the world's three largest forests fell 25 percent this decade compared with the previous one, but remains alarmingly high in some countries, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation said.

Areas where food supplies could be worst hit by climate change have been identified in a report.

Some areas in the tropics face famine because of failing food production, an international research group says.

The Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) predicts large parts of South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa will be worst affected.

Its report points out that hundreds of millions of people in these regions are already experiencing a food crisis.

As the U.S. sees increased severity and frequency of hurricanes and tornadoes, there is perhaps no timelier reminder that the world's cities face devastating impacts from climate change.