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Environment & human rights: Sep. 2001 |
Sep. 2001:
Celebrate the U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement:...because the agreement includes provisions to protect labor and the environment, some members of Congress and the American business community voiced their opposition to the deal. As two people deeply involved in negotiating the environmental provisions of the agreement for our respective countries, we believe that a closer examination of these provisions counters their concerns. (Ambassador Alia Hatough-Bouran [headed Jordan's environment team as part of the negotiating team for the free trade agreement between Jordan and the United States] and John Audley [former United States Environmental Protection Agency Trade Policy Coordinator], Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 28 Sep. 2001)
Federal Agencies Failing to Reduce Pesticide Use [USA]: Federal agencies can and should be doing more to encourage farmers to reduce use of toxic pesticides on U.S. crops and farmland, according to the General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress. The agency's report finds that despite federal promises to slash agricultural pesticide use, pesticide use has risen over the past eight years. (Cat Lazaroff, Environment News Service, 28 Sep. 2001)
EPA [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] ordered to assess pesticide health risks: A San Francisco federal judge, acting over the objections of pesticide-makers and farm groups, has approved a nationwide settlement between environmentalists and the Bush administration, speeding up a review of pesticides in the food supply. (Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Sep. 2001)
TOURISM: U.N. Organization Approves Creation Of Watchdog Body - The World Tourism Organization yesterday approved creation of a watchdog committee to ensure that member countries observe a code of conduct...The role of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics will be to monitor implementation of the organization's Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. The code promotes tourism that is respectful of all people, cultures and the environment. (UN Wire, 28 Sep. 2001)
Senate approves former timber lobbyist to oversee national forests [U.S.] (Associated Press, 28 Sep. 2001)
Company directors must show zero tolerance of pollution [UK]: Pollution is still being treated as an acceptable risk by too many businesses in England and Wales, the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency said today. A culture change is needed across management, Barbara Young said, with zero tolerance for pollution replacing apathy and acceptance of poor environmental performance. (Environment Agency [UK Government], 28 Sep. 2001)
Inmet says Ok Tedi copper investment preserved [Papua New Guinea]: Inmet Mining Corp., an 18 percent stakeholder in the Ok Tedi copper-gold mine in Papua New Guinea, said yesterday it was pleased with an in-principle deal that would allow the project's operator BHP Billiton to exit the environmentally challenged mine. The government of Papua New Guinea said overnight that BHP's 52 percent stake will be put into an arm's length trust which would hold the interest on behalf of the Western Province and the nation. (Lesley Wroughton, Reuters, 28 Sep. 2001)
Economic man, cleaner planet: Shocking as it may seem to most anti-globalists, market forces can help the environment. In fits and starts, they are already starting to (The Economist, 27 Sep. 2001)
China: Capital Steel Plant [Shougang Corp.] to Remove Main Source of Pollution...By 2005, Shougang's steel industry will accomplish a complete nonpolluting production. (People's Daily [China], 27 Sep. 2001)
Questions follow factory blast [France]: Concerns are being raised about the safety of building chemical plants in residential areas following the explosion in Toulouse that killed 29 people, writes Jon Henley (Jon Henley, Guardian [UK], 27 Sep. 2001)
Waterlooville Company [construction company Brymor Contractors Limited] gets fines and costs of over £13,000 for illegal dumping of acid [UK] (Environment Agency [UK Government], 26 Sep. 2001)
Environment ministry to open regional offices [Japan]: The Environment Ministry will expand its nationwide reach Monday with the opening of nine regional offices to be manned by squads of local inspectors. (Japan Times, 26 Sep. 2001)
China's Iron and Steel Industry More Environmentally Friendly:...Weng said the promotion of advanced technologies such as converters, continuous casting and tandem rolling has greatly reduced the industry's consumption of energy and raw materials over the last few years, and cut down air pollution and solid waste discharges. (AsiaPort/Financial Times/Hoover's Online, 26 Sep. 2001)
Illegal logging in Amazon exposed - Brazilian Government fails: Greenpeace presents evidence to Federal Prosecutors - Greenpeace today released fresh evidence of extensive illegal logging deep in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Photographs and video images from a recent aerial reconnaissance by Greenpeace clearly show sophisticated logging operations in lands belonging to the Amazon's Kayapó Indians, an area where logging is strictly prohibited. (Greenpeace, 26 Sep. 2001)
Mining and Sustainability: The Case of the Tulsequah Chief Mine [Canada] - This report develops a model for assessing the compatibility of proposed mines with the requirements of sustainability. The model is then applied to the Tulsequah Chief Mine reopening project proposed by Redcorp Ventures Ltd. (Environmental Mining Council of British Columbia, 25 Sep. 2001)
Building the future: Sustainable building materials come of age - A revolution in the way we build is underway as architects, city planners, government officials, homeowners, and others embrace green forest products. (Stacey Fowler, Environmental News Network, 25 Sep. 2001)
Corporations struggle to answer global protests: Branded villains by anti-globalization protesters, many of the world's largest companies are casting around for a fitting response. But they are finding it tough...Executives tackled the topic at a recent meeting of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in Malaysia..."We think that the violence is totally crazy, however, we think that the protests are not all irrational," said Al Fry, a World Business Council program manager. "Although there's a wide spectrum of protests, and sometimes internal conflicts within these movements, there are some serious and genuine concerns." Shaun Stewart, international and government affairs advisor at mining giant Rio Tinto, said no company appeared to have built a workable strategy response. [article refers to Shell, BP, ExxonMobil] (Patrick Chalmers, Reuters, 25 Sep. 2001)
Gaseous pollutants spilled in water can become airborne:...a team of geoscientists at Texas A&M University has discovered a portion of the mechanism by which the chemicals travel. Gaseous pollutants spilled into water can evaporate into the air and travel long distances from where they were produced or used. (Environmental News Network, 24 Sep. 2001)
Asbestos Related Cancers On the Rise: Industrialized as well as developing countries are under threat of asbestos exposure in the workplace, said researchers at the 11th Annual Congress of the European Respiratory Society today in Berlin...millions of people, largely in poorer countries, continue to suffer daily exposure to asbestos. (Environment News Service, 24 Sep. 2001)
BRAZIL: Controversial Logging Law Moving Closer To Passage - A joint commission of Brazil's Congress has approved a bill that would change Brazil's forestry code, permitting owners to leave 50 percent of their property open to development, instead of 20 percent as under existing regulations...In order to become law, the bill must now be approved by both houses of Congress. The bill has been criticized by environmental organizations both in Brazil and abroad. (UN Wire, 24 Sep. 2001)
Address by Klaus Töpfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to the Regional Ministerial Meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development Geneva, 24-25 September 2001:...Through the Global Compact we should work to ensure that the private sector becomes a full partner in the efforts to secure lifestyles and development patterns which are environmentally sound and sustainable in the long run. Jointly we should develop a new culture of environmental accountability; one of a full acceptance and rigorous application of the polluter pays principle and the precautionary approach in investment and technology decisions, while promoting cleaner and more resource efficient technologies. (Klaus Töpfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, 24 Sep. 2001)
Kenya's court stops Tiomin from mining: A Kenyan court issued an injunction last week preventing Canada's Tiomin Resources Inc. from mining titanium on Kenya's coast because of possible environmental damage. (Reuters, 24 Sep. 2001)
Protesters' long battle to move blast factory [France]: The death toll in the Toulouse chemical plant explosion could rise to 40 as rescuers desperately search the wreckage for 15 missing workers. Furious locals said they had spent years campaigning to have the plant relocated to a less populated area...In a statement, Greenpeace France called for 'total transparency' about the chemicals that had been released into the air, and said 'the events prove that we're never totally protected from an accident'. (Stuart Jeffries and Sam Taylor, The Observer [UK], 23 Sep. 2001)
IBM Praised for Fighting Pollution: State officials today are hailing a switch in manufacturing methods at IBM Rochester [Minnesota, USA] as one of the most creative ways to combat pollution from hazardous materials last year. (Post-Bulletin [Rochester, Minnesota], 23 Sep. 2001)
Chemical waste threatens environment in southern Russia: Rostov environmentalists warn of the threat of ecological disaster. Many tonnes of toxic waste and hundreds thousand square metres of contaminated soil - this is the result of the 50-year work of the Volgodonsk chemical plant. (Text of report by Russian NTV, 22 Sep. 2001)
Mirant Pledges $50 Million to Establish `Progressive' Policies on Environment: With a commitment of $50 million to help curb global warming, Mirant Corp. is seeking to develop its own "progressive" environmental credentials apart from former parent Southern Co. (Matthew C. Quinn, Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 22 Sep. 2001)
course: Human Health & Global Environmental Change: A multi-disciplinary course designed to meet the demand for a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between human health and the global environment for future physicians, policy-makers and public health experts (Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical School, Fall Courses 2001)
CHIQUITA - Sustainable development - Chiquita, which produces a quarter of Latin American bananas, has spent eight years working to ensure all its banana farms in Latin America meet labour and environmental standards that are independently verified by an international non-governmental organization (Ethical Performance magazine, autumn 2001)
Environment: Ecuadorians file U.S. suit over Plan Colombia - Ecuadorian Indians are taking legal action in federal court here, charging that a U.S. company that was contracted to carry out fumigation of illicit crops in neighboring Colombia recklessly sprayed their homes and farms, causing illnesses and deaths, and destroying crops. U.S.-based attorneys representing 10,000 individuals living in the Amazon rainforest near the border with Colombia filed a class action complaint against Virginia-based DynCorp Corporation in federal court here Sep. 11. A DynCorp spokesperson said the company has not been notified about the complaint and declined to comment further. (Inter Press Service, 21 Sep. 2001)
Change in the air for SA pollution laws: South Africa's outdated air pollution laws, last examined over 35 years ago, are to be overhauled next year, according to Environmental Affairs Minister Valli Moosa. (Independent [South Africa], 21 Sep. 2001)
Sustainable development group aims to aid miners: Independent study group Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development (MMSD) aims to help miners to solve the paradox of how to supply the world's demand for minerals while addressing the social, environmental and community impact of mineral extraction. (Andy Blamey, Reuters, 21 Sep. 2001)
UNECE [United Nations Economic Commission for Europe] Environment Ministers to Revitalize Rio Spirit:...over the past 10 years, the UNECE region has made progress in economic development and environmental sustainability. Yet problems persist, in particular underdevelopment, poverty, ill health and weak governance in many countries in transition together with high unemployment, social exclusion, growing waste volumes and the build-up of chemicals in the environment throughout the region. (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, 20 Sep. 2001)
Bill would give Export Development Corp. new name, more environmental clout [Canada]: The Export Development Corp. gets a new name and more environmental clout under a bill introduced Thursday in the Commons. The re-christened Export Development Canada would be required to look into the environmental impact of projects it is asked to back. (Canadian Press, 20 Sep. 2001)
Brazil forms eco-friendly timber certification unit: Brazil's environmentalists have created an organization to certify for consumers that wood they are buying was cut legally rather than taken by illegal loggers in the world's largest tropical forest, the World Wildlife Fund said yesterday. The Brazilian Forest Stewardship Council, or FSC, would certify local timber and work as a unit of the international group of the same name. (Reuters, 20 Sep. 2001)
Bush administration backs 'green' farm payments: The Bush administration gave its support yesterday to "green" payments to farmers who practice land, water and wildlife stewardship, adding momentum for a historic shift in U.S. farm supports. (Charles Abbott, Reuters, 20 Sep. 2001)
Malaysia to license two renewable energy plants (Reuters, 20 Sep. 2001)
Editorial: Bangladesh acts to prevent ozone depletion - But when will the world act on global warming? (Daily Star [Bangladesh], 19 Sep. 2001)
Ghana Faces Sanctions And Trade Restrictions: The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Dr. P.C Acquah has warned that the rising levels of Ghana's chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) consumption may result in sanctions and trade restrictions by the international community. (Fred Abrokwa, Accra Mail [Ghana], 19 Sep. 2001)
Large Antarctic ozone hole forecast for 2001:...This year's ozone hole is already larger than Antarctica, according to scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (Environmental News Network, 19 Sep. 2001)
Sustainability and Profitability: Conflict or Convergence? Report on the 5th European Senior Executives' Seminar, 17th to 21st September 2001 [includes summary of presentation on "Health and Poverty: The social challenge of sustainable development" by Sophia Tickell, Senior Policy Advisor, Oxfam] (HRH The Prince of Wales's Business & the Environment Programme, developed and run by the University of Cambridge Programme for Industry, 17-21 Sep. 2001)
Air pollution cuts 'will extend a million lives' [UK]: Air pollution controls planned by the Government will extend the life of about one million people a year by six months, health experts have told ministers. They said that cleaner air and a reduction in poisonous chemicals from vehicle exhaust fumes will significantly improve life expectancy for many, particularly those with breathing problems. (Valerie Elliott, Times [London], 17 Sep. 2001)
Environmentalist group renews protest against Starbucks (Puget Sound Business Journal, 17 Sep. 2001)
More Action Needed to Guarantee Recovery of Ozone Layer: A range of new chemicals, used in everything from fire extinguishers to cleaning fluids, are appearing on the market to the concern of scientists studying the ozone layer. The new substances, with names such as n-propyl bromide and halon-1202, are not controlled by the Montreal Protocol, the 1987 international treaty that lists ozone-depleting substances that are to be phased out. Studies indicate that some of the new substances, which are being used as replacements for banned ones, may have the potential to damage the ozone layer. (United Nations Environment Programme, 14 Sep. 2001)
GM expect to mass produce fuel cell cars by 2010: U.S. car manufacturer General Motors expects to mass produce fuel cell cars by the end of the decade, said Matthew Fronk, a senior executive at the company yesterday (Reuters, 14 Sep. 2001)
Don Issues Alert On Unsafe Pesticides: Dangerous pesticides are still in use in Kenya, despite a government ban years ago, a university don said yesterday. Prof Shem Wandiga of the University of Nairobi and the National Academy of Sciences chief, said a study done from 1997 to 1999 along the Indian Ocean discovered concentrations of banned pesticides like DDT, aldrine and dieldrin. He called for stringent enforcement of rules to protect the health of Kenyans from the toxic substances. Some of the chemicals were discovered to be the cause of several types of malignant cancer. (The Nation [Nairobi], 13 Sep. 2001)
{português} Código Floresta [Brasil]l: ambientalistas querem ter voz - ONGs fizeram reivindicação ao líder do governo, que quer fechar um acordo (Sônia Cristina Silva, O Estado de S. Paulo [Brasil], 12 setembro 2001)
Administration's Energy Connections Elicit Concerns [USA]: While the Bush administration reviews whether to pursue lawsuits against companies accused of violating the Clean Air Act, some of Bush's top officials working on the issue formerly worked for a law firm that lobbied on behalf of the very companies involved in the suit, the Washington Post reports. (Power Report: The Power Marketing Association Online, 12 Sep. 2001)
New Nike panel to tackle company's factory issues: Nike, criticized for working conditions at its factories outside the United States, will create a committee to oversee the company's labor, environmental and diversity policies. (Bloomberg News, in Seattle Times, 11 Sep. 2001)
Certification used to protect forests: Amid growing concern over the rate at which forests around the world are being destroyed, WWF Japan and the Japan Forest Technical Association recently held a public seminar in Tokyo on an international scheme for sustainable forest management. Domestic and foreign speakers, including professionals from the forestry industry, were invited to participate in the event, whose main theme was how to promote the forest management system run by the Forest Stewardship Council. (Takeshi Kuroiwa, Daily Yomiuri [Japan], 11 Sep. 2001)
Defender of sustainable development murdered in Pará [Brazil]: Ademir Alfeu Federicci was gunned down at his house in the city of Altamira, State of Pará, on the night of August 25. It is believed that the crime was politically motivated, because Dema, as he was called, was the main leader in the struggle against large landowners, lumber explorers and the construction of dams in the region. (Socio-Environmental Institute, 11 Sep. 2001)
UNDP launches two new trust funds to strengthen energy and environmental contribution to human development: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today launched two major thematic trust funds to help countries pursue environmentally sound policies and promote energy as an engine for economic growth. (U.N. Development Programme, 10 Sep. 2001)
US firms pay $120 mln to clean Texas dump site: A group of refiners and petrochemical companies has agreed to pay $120 million for cleaning up a contaminated dump site in Texas, the U.S. Justice Department announced last week. The second-largest settlement in the history of the federal environmental Superfund program will go to the U.S. government and the State of Texas to cover their cleanup costs. The firms accused of wrongdoing include Exxon Mobil, Shell Oil Co., Phillips Petroleum and BP-owned Atlantic Richfield, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Occidental Chemical Corp., the El Paso Group and Rohm & Haas, a provider of specialty chemicals. (Reuters, 10 Sep. 2001)
WWF leaders urge quick action to save the Arctic: Quick action to save the fragile environment of the Arctic was urged last week by a summit of World Wildlife Fund leaders from eight Arctic nations. (Reuters, 10 Sep. 2001)
Inco, Falconbridge under pressure on emissions [Canada]: Under pressure to act against growing industrial pollution, the Canadian province of Ontario said last week it would order nickel giants Inco Ltd. and Falconbridge Ltd. to reduce harmful emissions from their large smelting operations in Sudbury. (Lesley Wroughton, Reuters, 10 Sep. 2001)
'Green' US farm payments may run afoul of WTO (Charles Abbott, Reuters, 10 Sep. 2001)
Texaco Left Toxic Legacy in Ecuador: A group representing more than 30,000 Ecuadoreans is suing Texaco in U.S. District Court, charging that the company dumped some 4.3 million gallons a day of toxic oil waste water into the Amazon. Texaco also left behind more than 300 open waste pits contaminated with heavy metals and other carcinogenic hydrocarbon compounds. The Ecuador plaintiffs have filed a complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission alleging that Chevron has not adequately divulged the huge potential liability of the lawsuit to its shareholders. For those living in the shadow of Texaco's shining star, the company's toxic legacy in Ecuador will never fade. The SEC must insist that the company settle its liabilities in Ecuador as a condition for the merger. (letter to the editor from Kevin Koenig, Amazon Watch, in Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2001)
Nitin Desai: 'We have to spur action now!' [interview of Nitin Desai, United Nations Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs, regarding Sep. 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development; Mr. Desai is in charge of organising the summit] (Pranay Gupte, Earth Times News Service, 8 Sep. 2001)
Congress body may sue White House: The US congressional investigative and audit agency said yesterday that it may sue the White House over its refusal to name the corporate leaders the administration consulted over its controversial energy plan. (Julian Borger, Guardian [UK], 8 Sep. 2001)
Court to decide on herbicide: GM [genetically-modified food] multinational Aventis yesterday went to the [United Kingdom] high court to try to stop the government releasing information on the health effects of one of its herbicides to Friends of the Earth. (Guardian [UK], 8 Sep. 2001)
- Environment (Boise Cascade Corporation)
Heating Up the Globe? See You in Court: Taking a cue from broad-based, class-action lawsuits like those filed on behalf of Holocaust survivors or against tobacco companies, a group of environmental lawyers is exploring novel legal strategies to adopt against global warming...The lawyers, representing groups like Greenpeace, the World Wildlife Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council, envision winning damages for people or whole countries that have suffered adverse effects of global warming. (Katharine Q. Seelye, New York Times, in International Herald Tribune, 7 Sep. 2001)
Green Great Wall [China]: With Beijing all set to host the 2008 Olympic Games, the gigantic city has come under focus a year after being hit by several sandstorms. Politicians appear to have woken up to the formidable challenge posed by a worsening environment. They have acknowledged that the environment is as important as the economy in improving people's living conditions, reports Yang Jianxiang of Gemini News Service from Beijing (Yang Jianxiang, Gemini News Service, in Daily Star [Bangladesh], 7 Sep. 2001)
Mismanagement of wastes causing serious environmental pollution: Human waste - Municipal solid waste - Industrial waste: In order to improve the quality of life and for that matter safeguard the environment from the deleterious effects of pollution, it is essential that these wastes from different sources be managed in a proper fashion. This article considers these three major sources of wastes responsible for environmental pollution in Bangladesh, briefly reviews their management situation and suggests measures for improvements. (Dr Md. Mujibur Rahman, Professor of Civil Engineering and Director, Centre for Environmental and Resource Management, in Daily Star [Bangladesh], 7 Sep. 2001)
Developers win first round in Brazil Amazon battle: A Brazilian congressional commission this week approved a bill that environmentalists say could accelerate destruction of the Amazon jungle, the world's largest tropical forest, if it becomes law. (Marco Sibaja, Reuters, 7 Sep. 2001)
Government Gives Oil Firms 2008 Deadline [Nigeria]: the Federal Government has issued fresh directives to oil firms to end gas flaring in their oil installations by the year 2008 (Isichei Osambi, This Day [Lagos], 6 Sep. 2001)
Monrovia Breaches UN Sanctions - Whilst Its Logging Industry Funds Arms Imports And RUF Rebels: According to a report released today, the Government of Liberia continues to import armaments and to support the rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), responsible for gross human rights abuses in Sierra Leone. This support is made possible by profits of over US$100 million per year generated by Liberia's timber industry, which is integrally linked to illegal arms importation...In 2000 France and China imported 71% of Liberian log exports. The UK, Italy, Denmark and Germany also purchase significant quantities of Liberian logs. (Global Witness, 6 Sep. 2001)
Government Launches Sustainable Environment Project: The Ugandan government on Tuesday launched a US $24 million, five-year sustainable environment management programme, the semi-official 'New Vision' reported. The government-owned newspaper quoted Minister of State for Lands, Water and the Environment Maria Mutagamba as saying Ugandans had recklessly destroyed the environment, exacerbating the problem of drought-related hunger in the country. (UN Integrated Regional Information Network, 6 Sep. 2001)
EPD fails to devise system to provide information [Pakistan]: The provincial environment protection department (EPD) has failed to meet its legal obligation as prescribed in the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997, to devise a system to provide information to the public on environmental issues. (Asad Ali, Dawn [Pakistan], 6 Sep. 2001)
Committed Environmental Champion Receives Volvo Environment Prize 2001 (Volvo, 6 Sep. 2001)
Global warming may further disease spread: Climate change associated with global warming is already increasing the spread of infectious diseases, researchers at the New York University School of Medicine maintain. They predict that world-wide climate shifts will create growing threats to public health if not reversed. (Karla Gale, Reuters, in News24 [South Africa], 5 Sep. 2001)
Christian Association Moves to Reconcile Mosop, Shell: The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has joined efforts at finding an amicable solution to the lingering crisis involving the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) and Anglo-Dutch oil firm -- Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria...Speaking on SPDC's new Corporate Image Campaign yesterday, Berg [Shell Nigeria's Chairman and Managing Director, Ron Van Den Berg] said the initiative is to open up a new vista of understanding for the company, which he said will give rise to the idea being replicated in selected countries, including Malaysia, Ireland and South Africa. "The thrust of this new corporate identity campaign of Shell is our sustainable development programme, which ensues that Shall conducts its business in an environmentally and socially responsible manner," he said. (Yakubu Lawal, Guardian [Lagos], 5 Sep. 2001)
Brazil Environ Minister says bill puts Amazon at risk: Brazil's Environment Minister has warned that the future of the Amazon is at risk from a bill which would allow farmers to clear up to 80 per cent of forest from their land for agricultural development. That is four times more than the existing law allows. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 5 Sep. 2001)
New Study Analyzes Seven Years of Corporate Investor Challenges to Democratic Governance and State Sovereignty Under NAFTA: Challenge of California MTBE Ban Shows How NAFTA Grants Foreign Corporations Greater Rights Than Local Communities and Businesses - In what is becoming a growing threat to democratic governance and state sovereignty, corporations are using new rights and privileges granted under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to challenge a variety of national, state and local policies and decisions, a new report has found. (Earthjustice, Global Trade Watch and Public Citizen, 4 Sep. 2001)
Malaysia loggers consider turning over new leaf:...some timber barons are beginning to realise the benefits of branding their timber with the globally recognised Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificate of approval...But Malaysia's approach to certification has critics, who say the process fails properly to address native land rights issues. (Patrick Chalmers, Reuters, 4 Sep. 2001)
No caribou for oil: An Arctic tribe struggles for survival - In early August, the US House of Representatives passed an energy bill that included a provision to open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. If the bill passes in the US Senate in September, multinational oil and gas corporations stand to make billions of dollars in profit, while the Gwitch'in people stand to lose their livelihood and their culture. (Nadine Pedersen, Alternatives for a different world, 3 Sep. 2001)
UN forum in Rio to set up "environmental" market: Business executives, government officials and environmentalists from all over the world converged on Rio de Janeiro last week under U.N. auspices to discuss rules for a new "environmental market" to fight global warming. (Andrei Khalip, Reuters, 3 Sep. 2001)
Farmer, 'green' goals converging - USDA's Veneman [USA]: Often adversaries, US farmers and environmentalists are "coming together" on land and wildlife conservation, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said last week. (Charles Abbott, Reuters, 3 Sep. 2001)
I can now see environmental damage, says astronaut: The view from space of a bright blue Earth is becoming marred by smoke and dust as environmental destruction grows increasingly visible, the commander of the International Space Station said Friday. (Associated Press, in Times of India, 2 Sep. 2001)
Experts Warn On Agrochemicals Health Hazards: Except more stringent measures are taken to control and analyse pesticides and other agrochemicals, both from imports and the locally manufactured, Nigeria may be in grave health danger. Pesticide residues from agricultural produce and those applied in control of disease-spreading insects in public health activities have been linked to possible cause of death of a large number of people in sub-Saharan Africa. (Fabian Odum, Guardian [Nigeria], 2 Sep. 2001)
Locals worried about impact of power plant [Thailand] - Will petition PM as he pays visit today: Civic activists are prepared to greet Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who is scheduled to visit the province today, by handing him a petition opposing a biomass power plant project. Plueng Khongkaew, a leader of the civic group Trang Assembly, said local people were worried about the adverse environmental impact. (Bangkok Post, 2 Sep. 2001)
The business case for sustainable development: Making a difference toward the Johannesburg Summit 2002 and beyond (World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Sep. 2001) {···english} {···español}
Big Oil And The Bank: Clear And Present Danger:...At base, say critics, the issue is that Bank lending for fossil fuel projects runs counter to the Bank’s stated mission of helping the poor. Lending for fossil fuels actually harms both the poor and the environment, they argue. (Stephen Kretzmann, Campaigns Coordinator for the Sustainable Energy and Economy Network of the Institute for Policy Studies, in Multinational Monitor, Sep. 2001)
Shrimp For Brains:...a huge – and some say destructive — land-based shrimp aquaculture industry has expanded rapidly in the coastal regions of Asia and Latin America, often with the help of the International Finance Corporation (Charlie Cray, Multinational Monitor, Sep. 2001)
Honey-hunters to face Kenyan government in court: On October 4th, the Ogiek will face the Kenyan government again in court to protect their land. The Ogiek (sometimes referred to as 'Dorobo') are a small tribe who live in the Mau mountain forest overlooking Kenya's Rift Valley. As former hunter-gatherers they are looked down on by their pastoralist neighbours. They still partly depend on hunting, and gathering honey and wild plants. Ever since colonial times, governments have tried to evict them from the forest, allegedly to protect the environment. Yet at the same time the forest is being taken over by logging companies, tea plantations and farms. The Ogiek, however, have always trickled back. (Survival International, Sep. 2001)
East Asia: Ministerial Conference on illegal logging and trade: East Asia Ministerial Conference held in Bali agreed to adopt a 13-point Ministerial Declaration, which will commit them to, among other things, taking immediate action against forest crimes. (WRM Bulletin, World Rainforest Movement, Sep. 2001)
Bolivia: Shell and Enron Gas pipeline in the Chiquitano Forest: The construction of the gas pipeline between Bolivia and Brazil by the Shell and Enron petroleum companies has affected an area of 6 million hectares of Chiquitano Forest, inhabited by 178 indigenous and peasant communities. (WRM Bulletin, World Rainforest Movement, Sep. 2001)