According to doc: 
http://docs.python.org/library/curses.html#curses.use_env

curses.use_env() must be called before initscr(), curses man page also 
says so.

But python gives error: _curses.error: must call initscr() first

test.py is the test program, the output should change if your term 
size changed

test_ctypes.py shows the desired behavior.

ps. curses.COLS and curses.LINES doesn't change, but that's another 
story.