MAN AND

ENVIRONMENT
CONTENT
NOTES

Gontent Page
l. Core notes on Man & Environment
2, P1 and P2 Questions on Man & Environment
3. An in-depth look at the Environment
4- Food and Watel
5. Energy
6. Health
7. Population
8. Topic Guide on Glimate Ghange
9. Topic Guide on Environmental Activism
1O, Topac Guide on Food Security
11. Topic Guide on Water & Sanitation
12. Topic Guide on AIDS/HIV
13. Preparing for the Next Pandemic
14, Act of Man
15. Global generosity after crises must reach
people in need
16. No end in sight for flood stricken Somalia
17. Melinda Gatesr The Virus and Women
18, Was 2OO5 the year of natural disasters?
19. The Paradoxical Politics of Energy
2O. Sustainable Maths
21. Yeas in Review: Environment

p.2
p.36
p.38
p.43
P.4A

p.53
p,58
p.62
p.66
p.70
p.74
p.78
p.83
p,91
P.93

p.96
p.99

p.102
p.1O5
p.1OG

p.1O7

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a. what is ClImaf,e Cnangea

lo o chonge in the long lerm weolher pollerns of o region They con
become wormer or colder ond onnuol roinfoll or snowfoll con increose or

This refers
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decreose.
An increose in world's overoge lemperolure over lhe posl cenlury hos coused:
Arctic seas to thin by 40%;
'. the ice of the
sea levets to rise by 1ocm to 20cm, causing more ftooding and erosion of many
coastal lands, such as those along the 6utf Coast of the United States;
. increased warming that cotltd spread desert'Uke conditions in Africa,
destroying the ljvetihoods of hundreds of thousands of Peopte before the end of
the century.
Mony scieniisls believe ihol people, oncl nol nolurolcouses. crre responsible Jor
globcrlworming. The biggesl culpril is Jhe emission of greenhouse goses.

b. how does global wat.ming work?.

{

Wilh increosed inclustriol oclivilies oround the world, vosi foresls hove
been cleorecl, hozordous chemicols dumped inio lhe seos ond high levels
of unnolurol chemicols purnped inio the skies.

ccrrbon dioxide in the olmosphere hos increosed by neorly

olher greenhouse goses hove more thon doubled.

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c.

As

o resull, more heol from lhe sun

effects

i5

30%,

while

rgoching ihe Eorth's surloce

on Planet Earth

iemperolures ore melling lhe ice cops. This is expecled io moke

seo levels swellobove 40cm by 2080. Three billion people in Norlh Africq,
the Midclle Eosi ond lhe lndion sutconlinenl ore ol risk.

Al lecrsl 80 million people will be ot risk from ftooding olone, 60% of them in
Soirlh Asio ond 20% in South -Eosl Asio. Singopore could be hil; its smoll
sze ond low ground levelmoke it susceplible lo flooding crnd erosion.

Rising

Ihe omounl ot woler for drinking ond irrigolion could foll drosiicolly os
roiny seosons lurn clry ond rising seo levels coL,se soll io enler lhe
Ctrounclwoler of Cooslol oreos.

Projected Scenarios
. Plonei eorlh willrun oui of room ond resources by 2050. Populolion will be forced lo colonise oiher ploneis if nolurql resources
.
.
.

continue lo be exploiied os lhey ore ol lhe momenl.

ln 50 yeors seos wouJd be empiied of fish.
Foresis woulcl be complelely desiroyed.
Freshwoier supplies would be scorce ond polluled.

The impocl of globolworming is bolh positive ond negolivei

l) Posilive

lncreosed crop growlh ond more mocJerole winlers:

lncrecrse in minimum iemperoiures longer frosl kee seoson in mony pcrris
of USA: beneficiol tor mony crops ond olso offecls growih ond
developmenl of perenniol plonls ond pesls. The use of insecls ond olher
onimols lhol compele wilh or prey on cerio;n crop pesls, such os using
plonis conioining nolurol loxin cornpounds thol repelhormful insecis "biologicol conlrols" is o sofer, effeclive crncj less expensive oliernol;ve 1o
synihelic chemicols.)
lncreosed roinfoll cruciol for orid reqions
ll) Negolive:

Serious environmenlol, sociol ond economic problems more vololile ond

exlreme weoiher / sudden unpred;cloble or irregulor climole poiierns
record lemperoiures, heoi woves, very heovy roinfoll, or droughl,
iropicol slorms, eleciric storms, hurricones, biller cold, elc, oll of which
hqve sloggering effecls on socielies, ogricullure ond ecosyslems.

llL,mon ocilvilies lhol impocis on lhe climqie ond the environmenl:

Burning of fossil fuels, occelerolion of decoy of orgonic motier, ogriculture

ond ogriculiurol proclices, deforesiolion ond u.bonizotion, deslruclive
fishing lechniques, dumping of corbon dioxicle in the oceons, pollulion

Question: Are humon oclivilies, rolher lhon elemenh otlhe climole syslem
oulside of monkind's intluence, couslng climole tlucluollons?

d. what has

been doneu

ln I992, governmgnts odopled the Uniled Nolions Fromework Convenlion

on Climole Chonge. ll hos been roiified by 189 counlries, including oll
lhose in the G B.

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The Kyoio Prolocol followed in 199/ ond come into effeci on Februory
2005 wilh supporl f rom l28 nolions. ll seis oui more specific, legolly
binding commilmenJs 1o levels of greenhouse gos em;ssions. This together
wiih lhe recenlly concluded BoliTcllk in December 2007 is hoped lo bJ ng
oboul greoler cooperolion omong noiions lo reduce ihe domoCre done
io the environmenl.

The problem is ihol the world's biggesl producer of such ernissions - ihe US
hos refused lo rotjfy ihe ogreemenl, lls crbsence could jeoporciize lhe
effecliveness of lhe prolocol.

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e, what

More concerled efforl beiween lhe developed nolions ond poorer sloles
on lFdu :r g g oe.hou'e go, -n'.5:on\.

Shoring of lechnology ]h{rl is env;ronmenlolly friendly belween counhies.

Reolislic oplion of curbing exlrovcrgonl lifeslyles

More environmenlolly friendiy lifeslyle lo be inlroducecl ond promoled

e-9. personol corbon roiion, hybrid cors, bio fuels.

A susloinoble developmenl bosed economy lhol mokes Lrse of lhe

resources ovoilob e wiihoul eoiing inlo tuiure consumpiion of the comlng

g-nerojion,.

Limii populotion growih oncl.reslricling unplonned economic growih

ConJrol fossil fLreluse by

' ' or lrolr:ng .olos oI de'ore,'olion
gozelting foresl os "fores] Teserves"
bonning exporl of wood

Reduce emission oi ioxic goses Jhrough use of iechnology

run on pelrol ond eleclricily
lechnology ronging kom use of more efficienl devices (low-volloqe
lomps, e.g.) lo developing co generolion (ihe combined produciion of
heot ond eleclricily)
- conlrol occelerolion oi decoy which releose nilrous oxide ond melhone
- need 1o look closely ol lhe irovelond lourism incluslry's own conlribuiion
io qre-nhou\a qose,.

- eleclric ond hybrid cors thol

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needs to be done?

Environmenlol conservotion is seldom moiivoled only by environmenlol

concerns olone. Polilicol ond business inleresls, economic ond sociol
concerns ore conlending forces.

ln generol, much clepends on ihe polilicol wil, of governmenis. However,

lhe communily's righls over its noiuroi resources ond lhe role of every
individuol connol be over emphos;zed_

ln focl, lhere is o need lo recognize lhol indigenous knowledge ond

technology evolved over generolions hod enobled communilies lo coexisl wilh lheir environmenl. Much con be leorned from lhe indioenous
peoples.

f. environmental activism

/ lobby groups:

These groups ore formed io oddress environmenlol issues, lo drow otieni;on io

the need for proleclion of noluae oncJ chonge in volues.

Greenpeoce lniernolionol
- World Conservolion Monilorinq Cenlre

Friends of the Eorlh

The Nolure Sociely

g. global action - government pOliCieS and international

agreements
Governmenl policies: Economlc developmenf versui environmenlol
preservolion:
- Pollulion siondords ond legisloiion
'oLrrsm (^. o ond ogro lor./rism)
lnfrosiruclure {lroins over oulomobiles)
Nolure reseryes {or reclomoljon - e.9.. pulou Ubin)
BuiJding of golf courses in nolure oreos
Some inlernqlionol orgonizolions formed lo look inlo environmenlol issues:
Eorlh Summil in Rio De Joneiro, Bto7il.1992
Kyolo Prolocol, I997
-GB + 5 Climole Chonge
Diologue {Woshinglon Declorotion, 2007)

"Vienno Climole Chonge Tolks, 2007)

- *UN Boli Conference, 2007

- *Poznan Polond Conference, 2008

'Copenhogcn, Danmotl

2009

rPosl-Kyolo Prolocol

h. economic

negotiolions oim

is

la reoch on ogreemenl by 2009

exPloitation

Boih developed ond developing counlrje6 point fingers ot oncl blome eoch
olher for lhe slole of lhe environmenl.

The industrjolized counlries consider lhe ropidly exponding populolion of lhe

developing counJries lo be lhe rnoin conlribuior of environmenlol problems.

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They olso insisi on ihe developing couniries conserving their resources in iheir
drive for economic developmeni.

Developing counlries however, poinl lo lhe consumplion levels in ihe

developed nolions os ihe moin culpril of environmenlol problems. Ihus lhey
coll on ihe indusir;olizecl counlries lo poy mosl of ihe cosls of environmenlol
progrommes.

Ihe US however hos nol rolified ihe Kyoio Prolocol. ll is unwilling io do so os ii

would meon cuilinq down on induslries olreody offecled by downsizing ond
oulsourcing. ln oddilion, ii does nol wish 1o lose oul lo Chino ;ls compelilor,
which cloes nol need 1o rolify lhe Prolocol ond yet is ihe second greolesl
pollulonl on Eorlh.

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the solution:

sustainable development

"Suslni nble deaeloptnent menns meeting lhe nrctls ofthe present u)ilhoul jeopnrdizing
lfu abilify off tule generaLions to fttael lheir oun nee tls."

Worlcl Commission on [nvironmenl ond Developmeni

"lllere is a huge chasm of mistrust

corntries about how to do this..

dcveloping countries won't take on any carbon reduchon targets until they
bclieve the countdes that have caused thc problem do so."

bet1\,een

lhe

Stitish Environmenl Secretory Dovid Milibond

lnlernolionol co-operolion ond effort is needed:

. No counlry or smoll group of coLrnlries ocling olone con slobilize lhe climole,
or proleci the diversily of life on Eorth

Gools con only be ochieved lhrough globol co-operolion ihol recognizes the
in inierdependence of counlries

{.

The lerm hos been widely usecl in scienlitic, business, ond public institutions. lt
refers 1o "developmenl lhoi meels lhe needs of lhe presenl wilhoul

compromising lhe obitit of furiher generolions lo meel lheir own needg'

(Our Common F.rlure, lqBT)

L
L

Since 1987, vorious orgonizolions. ond counlries hove odopleci the concepi.
E.9. ln I993, Presidenl Clinion creoied lhe Presidenl's Council on Susloinoble
Development io promole lhe ideo of susloinoble developmenl. Some
slrolegies implemenled in the Uniled Sloles lo prolecl lhe environment in lhe
losl 26 yeors include o voriely of regulolory meosures, seiling siondo.ds ond
issuing permils for pollulont dischorges, ond then inspecling. moniloring, ond
enforcing lhe slondords sei for eoch environmeniol siolule-

The difficuliy wiih odopling the concepl of susloinoble developmenl lies in

lhe focl lhoi mony developed counfrids, such os ihe Uniled Sloles, meosure

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economic growlh using gross nolionolproducl (GNPJ os on incJicoior of

progress Ihe long lerm need for environmeniol proleclion ond sociol equiiy
i nol oddad i.lo'he equorio. lo goJgo e.onomiL progr6 s more
occuroiely. l-lence some negolive environmenlol impocls of produclion ond.
consumplion, loxic woste, for exomple, ore considered o credil rolher lhon o
debil when colculollnq cNP.
olso o d;sporily omong professiongls os lo the definilion of
developmenl. Business represenlolive5 oflen view developmenl os growlh
ond induslriolizoiion, while environmenlolisls ofien define developmenl in
lerms of whol is susioinoble. When o counlry exploits its noturol resources
beyoncl their renewoble limit it will experience growlh, bul nol developmenj,
The currenl economic indicoiors of success ore bosed on consumerism ond
moieriolism which do nol loke inio occounl ihe finile limiis of resources ond
There

is

people.

To ochieve suslcrinoble developmenl requires o new mullifoceled opprooch

1o monoging our environmentol, economic, ond sociol resources for lhe long
ierm. l1 meonr moking beller decis;ons ond encouroging individuols,
insllluiions, ond corporolions lo loke responsibilily for lhe economic,
environrnenlol, ond sociol consequences of lheir oclions.

(rlso meons using resources more efficienlly wilh lechnologicol

odvoncemenis, ond ioking o leodership role in lhe clevelopmenl ctncl
implemenlolion of 6lobcrl susloinoble developmenl policies lhol will ensure o
vilol economy, sociolwell-being ond o beollhy environmenl for iodoy os well
os lomofiow.
11

i(i).

The burden of reaching sustainable development musl tall on

developed, industlialized nations

Provide money ond ollernoiive iechnologies lo help developing nofions ochieve

susloinoble economic developmeni. Why?

They hove fhe weollh ond lhe lechnology

> The Third World need monelory ossislonce in order to conseNe lheir
biologicol diversity, promole susioinoble use of foresls oncl
rongelonds, ond experience posilive lrends in economic ond socioi
conditions lhqt will fovour populotion slobilily
> The Third World would be unoble ond unwilling to poy for ihe
esseniiol new lechnology, given lheir economic situoiion.

As lhe greolesi consumers of ihe common resources, they conlribuie

disproporlionolely lo ihe globol environmenlol problems, espec;olly io

ozone deplelion ond greenhouse effect. lMorol Obligotion)

I
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Need io prove Jheir sedousness ond sincerily in order lo persuode lhe Third
World lo lreol lhe issrres of populoiion growlh, deforeslolion, ond loss of
biologjcol diversily wiih equol seriousness. lMorol Authority)

,'
*

Unless lhe poorer

nolions' need for food, sonilolion, cooking fueloncl

olher bosic requiremenls ore being mei, lhey con horclly be expecJed lo
conlribule lo solving long-lerm globol problems.

f.

i.

i(ii),

Govemments of rich counlries must fulfill commitments made

and implement fiscal policies to regulate unsuslainabte activities
Eliminole subsidies lor unsusloinoble octivities
o Currenlly, governmenls subsidized mony of the very
crciiviiies ihot lhreolen ihe susloinobiliiy of lhe economy

lnsiilule o corbon fox

o Such o lcrx woulcl reflecl lhe cosl Jo sociely of burning
Jossil fuels- lhe cosls, of oir pollulion, ocicl roin, ond globol
1 i^g

^o

i.

laslilule o Personol Corbon Rolion Cord

o Everyone willgel lhe scrme ollowonce for how much
corbon dioxide lhey em;l eoch yeor
o Every ijme they buy some product lhol involves corbon
dioxide emjssions ciorbon poinls ore deducied from lheir
cred;l or clebil cords.

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ihey suppori fishing tleeis io the exlenl of some 954

billion cr yeor, even though exisiing fishing copocily
olreocly greolly exceeds the susloinoble yielcl ot oceonic
fisheries.
E.g.:

>

Reploce income loxes wilh environmenlol loxes

Tox environmeniolly deslruclive ociivilies - use of peslicides,
generoiion of loxic wosles, use of virgin row moieriols, ,
conversion of croplond lo non form uses, corbon emission

Queslions: Refer lo lhe lwo orlicles (in lhe Addif,'onol Reodings ol the bock) - .
The Parodoxicol PolilicJ ofEnergy A Susldinoble Malhs (Pgl05 & 106)
. V,lhy qnd how ore componi.es odopling lhe "green cilizenship" shategy?
. Do you know of ony "green incenlives" or compoigns ir Singapote?
. How efleclive do you lhink svch iniliotives qre oDd holy could lheyfu',het
be imprcved upon?

i(iii),
.

Developing countries need to play their part

Ensure lronsporency ond occountobility crs they build lhe inslilulions
needed lo monoge iheir resources.

..

Slobilize lheir populolion

o Adopj sociol policies lhol will encourcrge sr.oller fomilies
o lron. focing bolh lond hunger ond woier scorciiy, now limiis public
subsidies tor housing, heollh core, ond insuronce io lhree children
per fomily

Conserye resources even while ihey embork on developmenl

progrommes
o Economic developmenl rnusi be poced lo ollow for resource
conservolion

i(iv). Private seclors and industries

need to advance environmental

objectives while pursuing their interests,
. lhe, n .,' 'o-op^Joie. Lomp./ or forc^d lo worr wrll"
environmenlol objecJives.

i(v).
.

The backing of a well-intormed, committed public is crilical.

The power of the governmeni depencls on ils obilily lo oller the behovior
of inclividucrls through educoiion, lroining, incentives, help, ond
deierrence of individuols who nonelheless insisl on seeking lheir own ends,

'egoro'e\r of rrcler inrFra

ls.

For instonce, lhe lhreol of consumer boycoll in lhe

conning compon;es lo imporl dolphin,sofe iuno.

US

forced iLrno,

Quesfions: Reter lo lhe orlicle - Ilme is right for ASEAN lo tockle climofe chonge.
Whol rore does ASEAN play in helping to tock e lhis isiue?
Differenl counhies in ASEAN ore offecled in diflerenl w(Jys. Descibe ond qnalyze
thei molives fot being potl of lhe iniliotive. ,
Time ls rlqht tor ASEAN to tackl .limate .hanqe
AMID5_I in.reasing.ttention on.rimate chanqe and otobat warmrng, the Association ofSo
(AseaD) has vowed in thejoint coFmunique ofirs 40th MiDtst.riatMoell.g, to make con.ert.d efforts to tnckte thts

problem.

be herd rnsinqaDore in

Nove

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""**, ""

The Asean tnitraule @mes atlhe riqht time, Reoronalstates need to act now to coordinate their positions for
up.ominq internatlonal neqotiations for a post-Kyoro reqime,
althouqh qrobalwarminq poses a threat ro arlcountries,

som

lly vulnerable

dle to their

f4.ny south east Asian countries are ro.ated in iropicalarers and soDe of them are littorat, archipelaqic orisland
states witD rong coasdhes, one ofthe pmjecte.r manifestations of climate chanqe is a rise in sea level, which means
saltwater int.udinq lnto tfe surrace and groundwaterof co.srar areas. Tbis witl aftecr fisheries and desrroy
mano'o,e. Jno the hdbldr\
due lo , h"nq", in *inrry.

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cktrirrv. n.q al.o tr.re.ses th. rr.q&ncy

den!,ue aever.nd tri.rrnJ

and inieneity of

tropi.Jlstoifnr 4rr induc.s mor. .ardjovascurar aid

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riJo

Thf5. trvo.r.h peaqic ttates.re beheved ro br{remely

of.bout 17,000 islands. n,.y wiiness2,u0oof lhenr submerad
rry 2010 rue to sea eveln5es lhe.urrent |rend of o!ob.lw.rmtrq cDni,nu.e un.he.ked. rhe PhilipDlnes, wth
t'opnrl .y.lone5.nd noodinq thar dal
appror nrrk,ry 7,1o0 islands, r'rruirtri,,!, ,tum
'ro.e

Take nre Ph'rippin.t and

vrkirrb.to.

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i_

n.t.h.nqe rndonesin,.ons[r

no

B.rhrrr.Ph ppnes.ndrndofesi.hsvethush..loreate"nre,e5tn,t.klnqbs..vepa
.h.nq. r.qoLatio's s.ce the lJl. r,r30i

in nternation.r

cl mate

lhe phLpn'neswdi t,vdlvrd nsdunq!rirhclnrdrqovi,'icnlalNeq.tat'naCommitteealtheunitedN.tion5

teioparotio.al
Frirr.ao,k.onventon on arn.te rhan're (r.c.). rt w.s.5
rrnder thr 1997 Kyoto Protoc!1, the emis5ion .ut5 imposed

of i'nrunnalired .oufnies fo' 2003 2012

nvera9ed on y 5

tr,

t'

Th. nen round or tarks ror

bdr.sr,

at lre end ol thir

p
y..r

t.ke

p..e.i thr

uNs World chmate ah.nqe Confrn.e

h 8al,

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.t t. k5 nv.rvinq mo'e th.n ro0 cour

d,ve,!en.er .mon! d'rrer.nt .ount,,es .nd bloG

Ai' rridr.l.olntryrr.5toJ

lr
a,lre',"nt.ted r.sF.r,bil Ls
n.0oti.fuit.
the \:rotrp.r 77 ard ahi d

tj.s lenr

to liE time .onsdmina wrth 3lr.'p

srttiml.rstrrl.:ron,aqrry r!'oi.r,sopr!nrlDti.roi

*lrc p.rii.uany eiron!

rnlr naton5.nd fornrd

nd ns6ted on .ommon blt
d, vin0 ror.es

'n

the Kyoto

or .dqioral !rouli'ro,
has we.omed the proposarof s nq.pore. r',e ,rtnl.hrr
'.
^sernarm:re ahdnbe Jnd 5lstan,ab[ Dev.opmenr ihe theme ro' dis.ltsions
when
to nake Frqqy, Envko n.nt,
^s.an
ie ir pa ly br.au+ tht orga.,salion nnd. f ne.ess.ry to co

Ir,js rdi., nr. 10 member

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,vcroPnred, en!ironment.l Jlo

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ro!nd or tarks Ch, usin!

sPc.r.r dnd indPrdc'n

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(orc. - on the lssur

r.borb(r nrorc cros.ly with nsthre No h ast

p.finers chnra;raran.nrr

^siar
or cimate chanqe, Ch,na, the wond t se..id laroesi
oreenhouse q.s emjtter, is racil'q
in.reasina irtern.tional presslre lor mo,e emEs on.uts. S!ffeinq rrorn nrcurtrto rlomeshc pollution problems, China
is seekinq rnternationalaid, espe.i.lry through biatersrcooperaiion, ro baldn.e rts economi. developmenl and.
environmeni.l Drotedion. lt nceds ,tern.tionarsupport .n(l underetandrnq lrom other blocs io rorest.ll .ny cqally
South

b'nd-o.m

.on

rap.n, the bfih pac orthe Kyoto Protocol, has a sDe.ial Lntrest in.lmat. cha.9 talks be..ut it re9.rds
envfonmental protection .auses as.n efnoe.t mans to promote lts inre.nat onal tnaoe. MaivJhile, iapan also
finds t.rfi.ult to fulfil ts oblioation3 un.rr the Kyoto Protocolto cut emi5son5 by 6 p.r.ent lretore 2o12.
Expa'son of q obalc-rbon tradrq 3rd nio.c envronmentdln,v.stment inio develoDinq.ounties serve tlre intrest5
ol rapatr, whr.t' urqently.eeds policy.oordrnatioi and sLpporl tom Ase.n.
South Korer, which has been exemptd kom mandatory emission cuts under the Kyoto Protocol, may also be
pressured ro shoulder more strinoent oblioations in the nxt climate treaty bc.ause.l ilsnlgher lvelol
industrralisanon. seoul isan acnve psrtiopant rn the Asia Pa.ific Panne6hip on clea. Development and climote.
Equrpp.d with hioh end tchnolooy, it certat.ly wants to expand reqional.oorerbti.n r .neroy .onseruation and fucl

It is tr'n.ry and ol strate!li. importan.e, therIore, forAs.a. to not only devoie more altennon to th.
issue, but .lso to exp.nd ils broc noqoti.tions to incrllde China, l.pbn and solth Kora.

rmate.hanqe

j.

are we headed for

an environmental disaster?

There ore lwo schools of lhoughl.

YES

NO

.
.
.
.
.
.

Dwindling rqw/nolurol resources

Shrinking biodiversily/ norrower ecosysiems
Runowoy populolion orowih
Globolworming cousing climoiic chonges wiih devosloling effecis
lncreos;ng pollulion problems
Exploilolivelechnology

.
.
.

New le( hr o og o. \ rl ollow ^c onon^.. o(ponsion

New resources will be found when presenl resources ore spenl
Recycling ond more effic'enl use of row moieriols willnol couse
resources lo ciwindie so quickly
"cene Revolulion" will erodicoie food shorloctes
World's people ore increosingly owore of ihe environmenlol crisis ond
ore concerned

.
.

Iopping new source!

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Sectian

of energy:
energy
Wind power
Oceon iialesrnd rivers/ hyciro-eleclric energy
Geolhermol energy {heol from lhe eorlh's inner core}
Nucleot enatg/
Cieon-fuel : Lrse of nolurol gos cors which give off foa less cancer
cousing chemicols
Hydrogen (in oulomobiles)
Solcrr

II.

Water Isnes

Only 2.5% of the lolol omounl of wqler on Eorlh is treshwoler {lhe resl
moinly soll woler in oceons). Of this 2.5% only 0.4% of il is occessible
woler found in lokes, rjvers, ond oquifers

The wodd hos enough freshwoter resources lo cover most woler_

needs, but ihe dislribuiion of woler resources is uneven ond shows
greol disporilies, bolh sociol ond geog.ophicol.

There ore more lhon I billion people who lock occess lo drinking woler
ond 2.4 billion ore deprived of woler purificolion services.

estimoted thol 3.4million people die eoch yeor from diseoses linked
lo o lock of cleon woler ond proper sonilolion.
It is

is

r'

i,
t

Woler polluiion is henceforlh regorded os o mojor public heollh

concern. ll we foil 1o reocl, lhis could jeopqrdize the fulure ol lhese
resources ond wiih il. lhe quolliy of life oncl even jhe survivol of fuiLJre
gpn-l olio^

UN eslimoles lhot by 2025. up

foce woier shorloges.

The urgeni need lo deol with lhe woier crisis hos prompled the UN to
declore 22 Morch os ihe World Doy for Woler-

{.
f
{.

r
r
7

t,

a.

aspect of Water
. clobolwoler wiihdrowols hove increosed sevenfold, ond

lncluslry require5 woler lor cooling, woshing oncl processing, wilh mojor
uses lncluding power generolion, sJeel, chernicols, poper ond
pekoleum refining.

People oJso require woler for cirinkinq, food preporolion, sonilarlion

oncl oiher purposes. Allempls by governmenls 1o privolize wcrler
supply musl nol deprive ihe poor occess io il.
> E.g. Manjla's experience of water privatjzation in which the poor
pays more for water than the rich tiving in the city is an example ot
prjvatization gone wrong_

Proponenls of wcrler privoiizctiion soy woler pricing

ihe globol problem ol woler shodoge.

Bul crilics counler thot woler like oir, is life ond everyone should hove
occess lo ii. The morkej should nol diciole who gels lo drink. Wilh
privolizoiion, protil driven componies will provide woJer orily lo ihose
who con offord lo pcty ond ihe poor will end up high ond dry.

l
.3

l
1

i
f

t-

{.

{.

induslry-

reloied woler conrumpiion hos mLrlliplied 301imes in one century.

:l

iwo lhirds of lhe world's people will

economic

{
]l.

10

ihe solulion lo

oddiiion, couniries in neecj of woler ore oflen omonq the poorest

couniries. The Midd,e Eosl, Norlh Africo (MENA) region in porticulor is
omong lhe driesl in lhe world. As such, lhey con ill offord lo poy high
pricer for woler.
ln

b. water as a

is

money spinner

Singopore is going big on woler indusl4/. The Woler Technology tnduslry

hos been given o boosl when lhe Environmeni Minislry onnounced in Aprjl
2005, the setting up of W.olerhub, o S$32 mi'lion cenlre lo bring locol ond
foreign induslry experls lo troin people here to develop the technotogy,
pick up know how ond moke woler lechnology o money spinner.

L,

t,
{

t.

t2

Hyflux, o Singapore-bosed woler lreolmeni speciolisl, hos cutlom mocle 2

seowoier desolinolion plonls ond 4 woier generolion plonls which purify

river wcrler ond use less eleck;cily.
Quesiions: Refer lo ihe orlicle - singopore sels up two new institules to boost
wolet teseotch ond livob,e cities.
. It il only lor economic reosons lhot Singopore is invesling in ils "wolet
indushy" inhoslrvclute? Exploin lhrovgh lhe concepts of urbonizolion ond
sustoiroble deveropmenl in relolion lo Singoporc's iniliolives.
Singapore sers

uptwonry inslitules

to boost water .esearch and llvable citics

STNGAPORE S'nslpore rs booslinq ris capabili cs in ter manaoemeniand susl?in.bre u.ban deverophenl ttwitlbe
setring uplwo expen bodies lhe lnsrilule orw.ter Poucy dnder the Lee Kuan Yew sch@l of Pubric Polry, a.d lhe cenke

oponr.q lh. wD d orlies s!m,n,r 3nd rhe inrernalionar waler week, Prime l"l riner Le. Hsien l-@ns sajd every
a good lrvnO erynonment and efli.iert use or resources ca.iolbe a.hieved in iso ation

cLry s

goaloJ

Th.re's nodoubl colnlries pacehigh mpo aice on issus I ke waler managemenl nersy erhclency, atr qu.l{y and lrban
plann.q Th.rs ev'deil from the ovetuhem'no resFonse tom d"^ieqares Io tha Wo d C r.s Summir aid rhe r.lernatron.r
PMLee.oledlhallrbansrl,o.'sriapp--nirs!ranunpre.ednledscareSotoens!,ecries.em.rndyr.m'ce.qn.sof
q'ornh solr'l !rb.t m3n3qemenl DolcLes aren.edcd And lopp nq rhal lis( ls enerqy co.serval o.

MrLee$id "lo aclr eve rlsuns renllgytnclency.nd.onsetuaron.rr s

lvherhr erecl,icily or Delrol 3hould be pric.dprope ya.{J.d lbsidhed
J't lee nored rh.r R&Doncrednere.cylechnorolis
nrporlanl component ol,n.nkLnd str.sponse lo slobal warmrng

mpodanr.gelrheeco.otricsrqrrl

Er.rsy,

inctudnqs.le.uc.arpowq nedsrobean

Anorher .nlir eieme.t ot sLsrainabre lilinq iswaler manaOem..l Ttiepime MifisterJeets thar, onlhewhote, rhewond e
nol shod olwalerbl( whal is .ckrno.ra sou.d w.ler m.nagemnl practices

llesaid

Li snotenolqhlobuldlheb.slEterlreatnenlplants and lhen neglst io prolect lhewater catchrnents iom

sqlallds or polulion Enslingacl*nandreriatresupplyotpotableMrerrequnescilreslorrkea.inle!redapproach

lrcm lhe reseNoi.s, calchmenl areas and saler trea|fient planIs.lolhe relcular'on, sanilahon and sewerage sysrem
ln Singapore s

case lhe Naliona Rese.rch Foundat on has a 55500

m trion

pogranme to rinance resarcrr in env-onmedat

Dr Tony Tan, Chairma., NalionaiResearch Foundalion, said: These inveshenrs have yilded dramalic eductions rr rhe
cosl or w.le. rrom rcycino of used waler rnd desalinalrcn lhrough the use ot adva.ced memb.ane lechnology."

some.tsi.lapores sotulions may be relevanl lo olher eneroing o es,lhe counl,ys bro new insr lules on water poticy
and urba. pla.ning can play a ro e in collabo6livereseaEh prcjecls and infomalion shaing. CNAtm

As

sou-o: hg!i//r!.aet:.v!!!oo.!on/cna/z00s062r,,ra0-356oor-z"r

c.

political
.

foo-trrt

aspect of water

Water has also become a strategic issue- Around the world, a total
of 261 river basins are divided between different states, generating a
risk of "water wars"There have been 37 yiotent conflicts invotving water between nations
'in the past 50 years e.g- lsraet's 1982 invasion of Lebanon was
ptanned in part as a way of gaining control over Lebanon's Litani
River.

l3

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Closer to home there is the Singapore-Malaysia water dispute, whjch

hds been a thornv brldteral iscua for vedrs.

i
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I
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On the other side of the world too, a water row features at the
United Slates Mexico border over the shared Rio Grande river basin.
They have an agreement to provide each other wjth water, but
Mexrco has failed to fulfjlt jt and owes the US a massive water debt.
fhe livelihood of farmers on both sides is at stake.

the inlernotionol communily musl prevenl contlicl over woler ollocolion by

providing solid legol inslrumenls, especiolly in oreos where woler shorioge is
combined wilh polilicol lensions.

i
!

f
i
t"

d. how some

water shortages

colled Ne,voJer.

chil"
horvesled from c ouds by pulling huge neh on firounloins 1o
The colleclecl woier con beused forsmoil scole
iqolor ocd boihing.
is

oich lhe vopour

f
iI

are dealing with

singopore
Treoled wosJe woler is mixecl crnd blended wilh reservoir woler ond lhen
undergoe! convenlionol woier lreolmenl io procluce drinking woler

Waier

countries

Chino

tt.

-,.
Chino
i5 Lrrrderlollng cr huge projeci io chonnelwoler from ihe flooding
oLr'h 'o ory'nq 1 r ll'.
li hos bequn work on o mossive scheme io chonnelbillions of cubic
melres of wqler from lhe Yonglze River 1o the clwindling Yellow River.

lsroel

I
[-

Formers ore ploniing ]ess woler-iniensive crops ond replocing them wiih
cropt lil-e crpple cocius thol require lillle woler ond con proc]uce fruit for
I I monlhs of lhe yeor.

i.

e. conservation of

[-

otr. woler recycling

.
Ir,
E
L

Woler recycling or reusrng lreoled woslewoler is for purposes such os ogricr.jllurol

ond londscope irflgolion, industriol processes, ioilel flushing, ond replenishing o
ground woier bosln. woler k someiimes recycled ond reused onsile;for
ercrrnple, when on incluslriol focilily recycles woler used for cooling processes. A
common lype of recvcled woler is woler lhoi hos been recloimed from
muni(ipol vrosiewoler, or sewoge.

Water

I
t4

t,

e(ii)- Efficienl wolet use

Efficieni woler Lise enlo s the moinienonce of oquolic ecosydems, ond
proieciion of drinking woler resources. ll is one woy of qddressing woler quolily
ond quonlily, onci con olso prevenl polluiion by reducing woslewoler flows,
recycling induslriol process woler, recloiming wosjewoler, ond using less energy.

e{iii).

Sound woler resource monogemenl

ln order lo meel lhe needs of exisling ond fulure populoiions ond ensure lhoi
hobilqls ond ecosyslems ore proiecied , sound woler resource monogemenl,
which emphosizes coreful, efficieni use of woier, is implemenied in order lo

ochieve ihese objeclives, e.9The US Envircnmenldl Ptoleclion A,gency Ggulores mdny ospecls of woslelvolet
heolmenl ond drinking water quolily, ond lhe mojotily of sloles in the US Itove
eslobfished cilerio ot guidelines fot lhe beneficio, use ofrecycled woler, It h(,s
prcvided o f,omework lo ensure lhe sofely of lhe mdny v!dlet rccycling prcjecls
lhol hove beer developed ir lhe Untled Stoles.

While woler recycling is o susloinobJe opprooch ond con be cosl effeclive in lhe
long lerm, lhe lreolment of woslewoler for reuse ond lhe inslollolion ol
disiribulion syslems coLl be iniliolly expensive compored lo such woler supply
crllernolives os imporleg woler or ground woler. lnsliiulionol boriers, crs well os
vorying ogency priorilies, con moke ii difficulJ io implemeni woler recycling
projecls.

Section

IIL

AiTQlafrtJ

Foresl fires oncl hoze hove coused mojor problems in lndonesio ond il!
Aseon neighbours in the posl l0yeors.

200l, ihe hot spols were colculoled lo hove numbered 26,.561,1he

highesl since Augusl 1997 when 37,938 spols were counled.

Mosl ol lhese come lrom lhe loncl ond foresl fires in Riou, Jombi ond-Soulh

ln

Sumo

lr

o.

Mojorily of lhese londs ore peollonds, lhol when droined for logging or
ogricullure purposes, become highly susceplible lo combuslion ond foresl
fires.

Slorting o fire is q cheop ond mosi convenieni woy lo cieor bul wilh dire
consequences.

Siluolion is furlher inlensified when Soulh Wesledy winds corry lhe bulk of
lhe hoze over lo lhe region-

15

t,

a. tackling the

Convenlionol suppression opprooches - puiling oui iire5 ofier ihey occur

ore nol odequole in deoling wiih ihis issue. The frequency of
occurrence is increosing, os oie lhe cosls of firefighling. Thereislhuso
pressinq need tor more comprehensive 50luiions.

I
I

Queslions: Refer lo lhe orlicle on - ASEAN Agreemenl on ftonsboundoty Haze

why is il impo onl for singopote lo be poi of such diplomolic dnd muluol
agteemenls?
Moke o cosf-ben efi anolysis. wh.tl arc dilficvllies loced by o covnlry lo
ocluolly provide conctele oclions, progtess ond commilmenl in cartying
oul lhis ogteemenl?
ASEANAgreemenlonTransboundaryHaze Pollution

i
I

haze

The scole ond frequency of lhe iires, ond lhe hoze lhey lecld to, reqL,ire
serious consolidoled efiorls by boih governmenis ond 5c)c;e1y.

The Govern{ncnts of the ten ASEAN Mcmbcr Colntrles siqned ihe ASEAN Aqreement on Transboundary Haze
Pollution on L0lune 2002 in Klala Lumpur, Ilal.ysi.. The Agrcement is the fir5t regio.t I nrt nqeme |n rhc
world that bnds n gronp of contiqlous states to tackle transboundary haze pollution res!ltinq lrom land and
forest nres lt has also been .onside.ed as . Olob.l role R,odel for the ta.kling of t..n5bolDdary issues
The Agr.-emeni requires the rfties to the Aoreement to:
rn developlnq and inrplementing masures to prevcnt, monitor, and mitig.te trdnsboundary
haze poLlution by controlling s.!r..s of land and/or forest fires, {levelopmcni of nronitorinq, dssessment .nd
eany warninq systemt, exchanqc of trform.lLon and te.hnoloqy, and the provision of muiual assistance,

(i).oopcrat.

i
*
{..

{-

(ii) respond proDpuy to . request for .elev.nt infoflnatioD souqht by a statc or States that are or may b
the consequcnce of the
afiected by su.h transboundary haze pollution, wjth a view to
'ninrmisinq
transboundary haze pollution; and
('ii) take legnl, administr.tive rril/ or other measures to iniDlement their obli9atioos under the Aqreement
Th. Agreemnt establshes an ASEAN Coordinatinq Centre iorTransboundary Haze Po lution Control to
tacilltate cooperation and coordin:tion in manaqing the mpact oi land and forest fires in patticula. hizc
polluiion arisino from su.h fires. Pendinq tbe establish6eni ofthe centre, ASEAN secretariat and ASEAN
Specialised Meteoroloqical Centre (ASl'lC) co performed the interim turctions ofthe Cenke.

The Agreement entercd into rorce on 25 November2OOl. To date, eight I4eDber coLniries, ;ahely Brtner
Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Nlblaysia, flyanmar, Sinqapore, Thailand, and Vlct Nam, have ratified the
Haze Aqreement.

The First Meting ofConference of the Parties (COP) was held on 11 November 2004 in Hanoir Viet Nam-

COr /*dah-dontr"lolhl00/rrBdrddrsenB-Jaidn,B'unerDdtu.\rldmCOPJ'asherdonc

SepteDber 2OO7 in aangkol, Thailand. COP-4 ts scheduled ln V'et Nam tentanvely rn the lou.th qua.tdr of
200a, in conjunction with the 11th lnformal ASEAN Ministerial l4eetjng on the Environhent (IAlvllvlE).

d/misc& nh2 oho

Prevenlion Meosures
lhe risks of deslruclive fires e.g. .oi;ficoiion of lhe Aseon
Tronsboundory Hoze Agreemenl by the lndonesion governmeni.

oi)

To minimize

{,

Medio compoigns

f,

l6

Promolion ond odoplion of zero burning proclices by holders of foresl

concessions, limber ond oil plonlolions ond smollholders.

Cessolion of groni licenses lor lcrnd cleoring on peollond.

The consumer mcrrkeJ should respond by fovouring goods which ore

proclLrced through guoronieecJ susloinoble operoiions.

qiD
.

Shorl Term ond Lono Term Mqnoqemenl Prqclices

Governmenl boclies enforcing fire lows- such os proseculing lhose
responsible tor lhe fires- need oll ihe supporl lhey con gel.

Need for joinJ work by relevoni insiilulions ond NGos in Aseon counlries lo
help lhe ouihoril;es in cross-border evidence golhering, ond ihen firmly
proseculing lhe offenders in eoch jurisdiclion.

Would olso go o long woy 1o correcl ihe prevolenl "gel rich firsl ond
cleon up lolei' mentolily.

oiii)
.

Rehqbililotion oflhe Foresl ond Lond

Good ogricullurol proclices lhoi clo nol resorl to fires lo clecrr lond

crre

key.

Giving o volue lp lhe peollonds ond other foresis in line with iheir
conlribuiion lo sloring corbon ond moderoling lhe climole will creqle lhe
income oncl incenlive for lhe lndonesion governmenl lo moinioin lhe
peoilonds rolher lhon burn lhem.
Win

Sectbn

- win siluolion for oll

I'/:

Tfre

(fireat of Natura[(Disdsters

a. natural Hazard or natural Disasterz

"Noturol hozords ore o port ol life- But hozords only become disoslers when people's lives ond

Iivelihoods are swept owoy. The vulnetobility of communities is growing due to humon
octivities thot leod to increased povbrty, greoter urbon density, environmentol degradation
and climate ahonge-'
-UN Secretary General, Kofi Arnan, October 8 2001, lnternationaL Day

tor Djsaster Reduction

According to UNESCO,

Natural hazards are naturalty-occurring physical phenomena inctuding

earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tandstides, tsunamis, floods and drought.

17

i
I
Natural disasters are the consequences or effects of natural hazards. They
represent a serious breakdown in sustainability and disruption of
economic and social progress.

f'

l.

Many researchers and scientists betieve that the boundary between natural

and man-made catastrophe is often blurred: naturat disasters are not

entirely naturat , for people are agents of disasters.

i
I

b. the lmpact of today's Catastrophes

Backgroundi An Era of More Natural Catastrophes?

Ftoods and typhoons in Asia, the lndonesian and Kashmir earthquakes,

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the lndian Ocean tsunami - the world seems to
be entering an era of more frequent natural catastrophes. Natural disasters
are increasing in terms of frequency, complexity, scope and destructiye
capacity.

People are the fr'rst casualties of natural disasters. The number of people
affected by these types of disasters has increased in recent years:
.,"*,or r, .l(shJ\cre l,l.do) rJrurdl ..rbr.ophe. 40r l?r1,.,1 Ino io
I
,/!10I
L q p.", d .o b I I r IR |Flf l: lhi r .':9, !l !:
L

Disasters have a qevastating financial impact. This resutts in not onty a

loss of infrastructure and jndustry but also a loss of development

t
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i.

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o
o

In the Uniled States. Hunicane K!1rina rook orly hours to wreak devasralion esrimared a1
USli 100 biUion.
The 26 Decenrber 2006 l_aiwan qnake ruphtrcd undelsea data trinsnission cables aDd
caused ohssiv telecomnnrnicalioDs disnrplions th.oughorl Asia, as lnlemet services
slowed down or sloppcd, pbone lines Nert dead a.d financidl transactions ground lo a
h!11.

L
t

Disasters often damage environmental resources affecting environmental

sustainability. They exacerbate deforestation and soit erosion. Natural

disasters increase the liketihood of potlution, jncluding as a reslrlt of

{.

damage lo industrial infrastruclure.

Disasters affect poor countries and poor people the most because of their
lack of resources, infrastructlres and protective systems for disaster
preparedness and prevention.

L
I

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AccordiDg

lo tbe UN Dvlopmenl

Programme, 24 onl

of 49 of lhe world s

least

devclopcd counlries face bigh levels ofdisaster risk. Oflhese, six are hit by belween lwo
to eighl largedisaste.s every year.

Even in lhe rvealthiest counrries, Ihe people most affecled by emergencies are liom the
poorer sectioos ofsocity. iror inslance,lhe urban poor were wont hit in the aftermath of
Hunicane Katrina ;n New o.leans

t
l8

Exposure to disasters increases the vulnerability of the poor, deepening

their poverty and preventing them taking advantage of economic
opportunities.

r"'a*n.l"l.*
[" propodion
ot

the 2004 lndian Ocean tsunami is cstinraled lo t)ave inereased the

l'.orl livirg below lbe pove.ty line fiom .10% 1o 50%.

ln the long term, disasters pose a significant and growing threat to

development- According to UK's Department for lnternationa[ Devetopment
(DFID), the inability of poorer countries to cope with disasters makes it
difficutt in achievjng the Miltennium Devetopment coats (MDGS), in
particular the target of halving extreme poverty by 2015.
Reod more: Refer lo lhe two orlicles - Resources scorce, homeresiness persistj in
New Orreors & Aceh lsvndmi viclims dwdi, oid
Dead bod es

hdve be, n

Aceh tsunami vtctims await aid

litter the streets oflndo.esi. s Aceh province where it i5 feared more than 25,000 pcople may

l"l

tom jr ,d1, ,i1q dr- a.d I r' ln

Decomposing .orpses have spread a foul smell over the provincjal capital, Banda Acch, o. th!- .orthern np of
Sunratra isla.d. Fresh water, food and fuetare in shori suppty. Fear has becn mixed wrrh anoer as residenrs
{tucuc outsida lh!: few open shops quarded bv soldieE.
Banda Aceh resident r,lirza, 2a, cnticiscd the covernment

''Wherc i5 the a5sistance?,' 14irzd said. Ihere is nothrng. 41lthe governrnent are asteep.

Another.esident Audi, 24, haqbeen standi.g in line for an hour.

''There is nothrnq a! homc,'Budisaid.
Hund.eds of soldiers and volunteers have collecied corpss for mas; bun.l rn . b'd ro prelent disease in the
provinc, where troops are stationcd !o combat a rebellion which beqan in 1976
Whole battalions of soldieG and police are among the dead and misstng and separdtist rebels have
announced a cease'fne while people search for loved ones- aut foretgn aid agencies are shll waitinq for
officlat pemission to enter the aea.

rn Banda Aceh,

Dn a field about four times the size ot a soccer pitch, morc than 1,O00 bodies lay where they
died while watching a sports eventon Sunday.

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla s.ys the death toll frcm the tsunami that swept across the Indian
ocean region could hit 1O,OOO inthis one area of the country alone-

In

a separate rcport, state-owned news aqency Antarb has quoted him as saying he feared the tott could rise
as hish as 25,000. He says 100,000 people had beetr injured,

Ihe death toll given

by the Government lo. Indonesia is around 5,000. Families are fDnticatty looking ior
loved ones, thousands orotheE arc traumatised, tuarinq fresh quakes and tsunam
Banda Aceh resident Farzalhastold El Shinra radio he is worried.

"wete scared about the next eanhqlake a;d tsunami," Faizar said.
''It is difficult to find fuel oil. we need food and medicine.
rlrlirdry o.ilc'dl L'e!tencnt Colonel Bddi \antoso sar\ rer;ur,

*r,"r. hed.
"re
'riany bodies are still lyrng on the streeLs." Lt colsantoso said. Therejust arentenouqh body bags.

"'

'The eva.uation process is dimolt because there are not enough ttucks, another omcer said.

wallofrater up to 10 mets hiqh that followed the earthquake ofi the tndonestan coast has kittd more
than 23,2OO people acrcss Asia, Hundreds ofswotten bodies stitt tay tn a market in Bahda Aceh's oltskirts,
covered with brioht oranse Dlasticsheets.
The

''I m tired, Maimorl/ 22l

sid. "I'm lookinq ror my idther-

Please help me."

l9

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She says her father was . tlsh eciler a.d l.st spoke to her on Sunday before qotng to the market. Power
.uts mea.i Banda Aceh has been viftually bla.ked o!t. Few people ventured ooio the strecls, but sonc
a.tivity could be seen at the m.in mos.lue, whcre peoDlc from outtide town have come to ask .esidenls
.bout mjssinq relatives

aceh police clrief inspecior General Bahrumsyah Kasman says one battalion from the police mobile brigade
.re rnssi'rq as well as ai least 500 miliirry oersonnel.
Aceh, whi.h is some 1,700 km nonh west of.lakarta, is under cjvilian emerqency rule as part ol efforts to
quell the separatist i.su19ency
The United Nations has oifered to send d saster response teams and a Government otficial says Aceh lvould
be open to ald worke.s fioo Wed.csd.y.
The Government ha5 also rushed ald to the rcgton

i.

That effort may be aided by the fa.t that Sweden based leadeB of the separ.tist Free Aceh l,lovement
(GAM) have declared a unilatdar cease tire wrth sovemment forces

GAll says the disaster has displaced some 50,000 people and ii did not wlnt to add to the panr and

[,

Tbe UN has warned ofepidemi.s withjn days across Asia if hcalth systems.ould not copei saying the
eftects of disease .ould be as bad as the tsunami itseli.

i,

sour.e h]re1l!q4.q!!.re!!!,1!er45l!!r4rl!!]/0!1

Resourcs Scarce, Homelessness Prsists in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS

121!l?z!4?nt!r

..

Fayor C. R.y Naqin re.enoy luqqesled a way to redu. this .ity's po5t-K.t'ind homeless

populaion: 9ive thein one way bls tickcts out of town.

r,4r Nasin rater .srlrcd lhc orr the-.uff propos.r wasjLst a joke. But he has porkavcd the dozcns ol pcopre
camped rn a tent .ity under a qreeway overFss near Ca.ar street as recalcitr.nt drla and al.ohor abusers
who refuse sheltr, oi!. p.srefr bv lhc fn,qer aFd, woEt of a l, trail from somewhere else.

While many ofthe homeless do have addiction problems or mental illnesr, a suney by advocacy qroups in
February showed that 36 percnt were from the New Orleans area. Sixty per.ent snid they were honeless
because ofiluricane Katrina, and aboui l0 Oercent snid they had received rental assistance at one ttme from
the Fcdcral Emergc.cy t4.nagement A9ncy.

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Not iar from the French Quarter, flanking Canal Street on Claiborne Avenue, tbey are living inside a long
corridor iormed not ofwalls and a roof but ofthe thick stench olhuman w.ste and sweat tinaed with alcohol,

$ack and despcration

The inhabitants are natives likc Ronald Gardner, s4, an H.LV.-positive m.n who sai., he had ;ever before
slept on the streets untll Katrina. Or Ronald Berry, 57, who despite belng a paranoid schizophrenic said he
had lived on his own. ii a.ented house in the Lower Ninth Ward, tora dozer yea6 before the storm, Both
men receive disability checks ot $637 a month, not nearly enolqh to cover post-huricane rents.

''If I could just gct. narn room,"

stored,

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t4r. Gardnersa'd, slttins on the cot underwh'ch

allh's beiongings ar;

could take it from there."

Lurrene Newelr, 54, said lhe Federal Emerqbncy Manaqement Agcncy had paid her rent in Texas after the

storm, but when she moved back to New orleans, she .ould not find a place to live.

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Ay one very rough estimate, the.umber of boneless people in New Orleans has doubled since Katrina struck
in 2005, Homelessness has also become a much nore visible prcblem
late last year, Unity ofG.eater New
Orleans, a netwo.k ofagencies that help the hoDeless, cleared an encampment of 300 people that had
sprung up in Duncan Plaza, in full view ofcity Hall. about 2ao of lhose people are now in apartments, but
othe6 have flocked to tilr several blocks ofclarborne Avenue at cana,, ncarenough to the French Quarter to

reqrlarly encounter to!rists

Unity workeE arc hopinq that Congress will lDclxde $76 millio. in the supplemental appropriation tor Iraq to
pay for vouchers that would give r.nt subsidies and servlces to 1,000 disabled homeless people.

20

the senate passed a version of the bill that in.luded the vou.hers; lhe current House vers'on,
not yet approved, does noi include them without the vouchers, said Nlartha l. Kegel, unity's executive
diredor, even those people already jn ap.rtments will be injeopardy Thet cuirent vouchers, issued under a
''rapid rehousrng" proqram, expire at the end of 2004.
OD Thursdby,

New Orleans had 2,3OO beds tor the homeless before the ttom, now Lt has 2,000, Ms heqelsard Tho5e
beds are full, but even if th.y were not, ma.y oftbe people living on CanalStreet i,re not the sort who can
5tay in a qrcup shlter. Ac.ordinq to the turyey. whl.h was co.ducted before dawn one mornlnq so that only
those who adually sleep
the canp lvould be cou.ted, 80 percent have at Jast one physical disability, 58
'n of.ddictlon, 40 percent are ment.lly ill, atrd 19 percent were'tri morbid"
pe.cent have had some kind
they had a disnbility, .n addiction and nenlal illness.

siih 5!pportive seNices, like couDselinq/ has become a

prefetred method. But it takes time, patience, money and one thing New Oneans is short oi: apartments.
l4any .parthent develop.4 who .pplied for tax credits after Hurricane Katnna werc requned to set aside 5
per.ent oftheir units for supportive housing, but because oi high construction costs and other tactors, i:r
iewer unils tha. erpected are in the pipeline And witholt the vou.hers, even those units will not bc
For these diffrcult cases, permanent houeinq

Unity has akeady moved 60 Dt the nosr vulnerable people from the camp to hotel rooms, paid for with a city
hcalth department grant, including a woman who is etght months pr.gnant and a paranoid schizophrenic who
is diabeti. and a double.mputee. In the iilth ofthe c.r,p, the amputee's stumps had become infcted.

outre.ch workeB have tound cli.nts with c.n.er and colostomy bags, and one so disabled thaL he was
unable to talk. On averaqe, people bave stayed in hotels forsix weeks before lJnity finds an apartment and
.obbles toqether thc ncc.ssary funds.
r,like r,liller, the director of supportive housinq placemnt at Unity, said lhe camp had become a public health
h.zard since ihe.tty removed some portablc toilcls in February.
''Two olireach workrs have tested pos'tive fo. iuberculosis," I'Ir Mtller said. "There's hepatitis c, there's
aIDS, there's rr.l.V. Everyonerout there's had an ye intection of some sort r got one "

on Thursday, Herman rrroore Jr was ha.qinq out with a friend in the camp. llr Moore had lived in a Federal
Emerqency Man.gement Agency trailer, then a FEIlA-financed hotel room, but had not realized that he was
eliqiblc for further assistance after the 30 dny hoiel stay ended last fall. Tipped off by his brothet, I'lr. Moore
h.d ofly recently rented a house under the coergency management agency's program, but had yel to pay
the dposlt or turn on the utilities because he had no money.

"lf I had

a TV and some

electriciiy, you all woutdn't even see me," he said.

clara Gomez, 45, told .n ookeach worker that she had just discovered she w.s pregnant. Like abolt 14
percenr olthe homeless people under the bndge, Ms. Gomez had come to New orleans to work as a builder,
blt ack.owledqed thatshe had problems with druq and arcoholabuse.
After gettinq fired from onejob, she,ound !p under the bridse, where sbe met Patr'ck Pugh, 36/ a Naw
Orleanian who sa,d he had been rn dtug rehabllitaUoi, turnanq his llre around, wheD the storm hit. Their lDs
had been stolen, they said, nakinq it diffcllt to qetjobs or food stamps.
seated on a mattress, Ms. Gone2 shilted nervously, chnnginq pos'tions every few seronds, all the while
l-epin,l l.a. drm\ dn, hor.d d'ound Mr. Puqh's np,I

'wete

ready," she

s.id. we're readytogetoutofhere-"

sorrce:

gol@!.tytDelEoml

2009105/23/rs/28tent-htm

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c. who

takes the Blamer

The impact of today's disasters is exacerbated by a

of trends

and

are atl contrjbuting to an increase in the vulnerability of popuLations,

especiatly within deyeloping countries.

c{i). population growth

series

dynamic processes:
. globolisolion,
. populolion growlh,
. increosingurbonisolion,
. poor plonning,
. corrupfion,
- envhonmenloldegrodolion
' ond climole chonge

Natural disasters are likely

to affect more peopLe because

Earth's

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c(ii). increasing urbanisation

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l,'r ^ "' ',1"'"" A,r -"h

\,'.,l,e "nJ m.rF comrle. rhy.t.,l

ol rhc$^,ldqn,esJ.rr.llrshcrpopLl.r,on
polenrial f.r
rrlrr'rrucrur( N'll ,".rlr rn g(
'rcr
t.'rgc .rtcrmp.^r. Al lh( 'nn,c rmc. u,brn pot',lilion oRc,hr\eupou,unLie, r''ndr e

el'\"

"r]Ilrllrlrlv

c(iii). poor planning and corruption

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Poputation increase witt be made worse in developing countries with

overcrowded conditions and tow quality infrastructure and services.

Poor governance reduces the abitity of a country to mittgate and nlanage

disaster risk. This ranges from failure to address gaps in legistation retated
to risk management (such as quality assurance in the construction industry)
(such as misa
ation of reUef funds
to corru
Lack of proper buildirrg codes in senri'rural norlb west Pakislan is lhoughl to havc

1o1l ir the 2005 Soulh Asia eanhqlake. I}le

destdclion of infrastructlre, i.cludinS schools and hospilals. had a dcvaslating impact,
bolh d;eclly in deaths caused by buildings collapsiog, and indirectly, due tolhe resulting
absence of c.itical facililies

dire.rly conrribDred to the high dealh

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Countries that are in, or emerging from, violent conflict present speciat
chaltenges, both in terms of increased yulnerability of the poor, as wetl as
weak governance structures. ln such countries, tackling disa5ter risk is
seen as a low priority when compared to meeting basic needs and re-

estabtishing sociat services. Yet many of these countries face high levels of
disaster risk whjch are an addjtional burden to progress.

c(iv), environmental degradation

Disasters are also a consequence of deyelopment and industrialisation.

Naturat protection is being eroded with the gradual loss of coastal
protectjon, in the form of manqrove forests, and ftood protectjon, jn the
form of wetlands. as these are drained and develoDed.

Enrope, expens believe that countries such as France and cermany are more adverscly
becaDse naior .jvers, such as the Rhirc, have beeD straightcned
ro ease comncrcial t.allic
ID

.ffccled by floods roday

c(v). climate change

Climate change r's increasjngly bturring the distinction between natural and
man-made disasters.
Averrge lcmperatures a.e rising. This will c.use sc. lcvels ro r;se, inoeasing the .isk of
coastal llooding, and El N;no wcatlei p.ltens arc prcdiclcd to b
rcross
oflhe Pacific. lt is estitualed thar by 2080 clirrrrc chrnge lnd currDt
'nost will lcad 10 a teo-fbld incredse iD
social trcnds
the nlmber ol peoplc affeclcd by flooding
.cross ftral areas, cities and coastlines.

d.

strategies to ieduce Vulnerabilit! of

naturat

disasters
a natural

disaster occurs, the provision of disaster relief tends to

capture the imagination of the public. Disaster preyention often ranks
relatively low on public agendas, as governments tend to focus or} retief to the
exclusion of mitigation and preparedness that coutd help communities learn
from disasters and reduce their yulnerability.
When

i,

applying scientific knowledge

Today, there is more scientifiq knowtedge and technologjcal know-how than

eyer before to anticipate the potentiat effects of a disaster before it strikes,
Ahhousl! eanhquake predictioD is still nol possible, a conside.able ability exisls loday lo
make more accurate forecdls dd to issue early wamings on volcanoes dd cyclones
hours or days ahead and organise proper conmuD;ly response to sucb warnings, saving
many lives and preventirg s;gnificrnt property losses.
Owing to progress in design dd constnction enAineering, earthquake-resislant
slructures, iDcluding high-nse buildinss dd indusrrial facihies are lechnically feasible.
In comties such

as

Japan,lhey have become

rcal;ty.

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ii. education

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lncreased pubhc awareness about natural disasters is a vital element in any

strategy to reduce disaster risk, Pubtic awareness campaigns can be conducted
in schools, through the media and official, pubtic, professional and commercial
channets. There is a responsjbility for governments to promote pubLic
awareness of natural hazards and rjsk on a continuous basis- Creating a culture
of disaster preparedness at a community'level enables people to be in a
better posjtion to help themselves should disaster strike again.

Section

I'/:

l[he l[frreat of Diseases

a.

Human activities and changing environments have brought humans in

contact with organisms that are capable of causing diseases,

Despite medical advances that have produced hundreds of drugs that are
safe and effective, infectious diseases are still a major cause of death,
disability and social and economic upheayal for mi[ions around the \yorld.
ln fact, diseases such as tuberculosis and small pox which were once
beljeved to be under controt have re'emerged as qlobal threats.

The above is fueted by:

. poverly
o Overcrowded and poor living conditions make those living
in pove y especially vulnerable to coinmunicable diseases
such as tuberculosis and cholera.

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the Current situation

lock ol occesslo heofthcore

o Limited access to health care and drugs renders otherwise
teatable conditions such as mala a, and fuberculosis fatal
lor Lhc poor.

chonging envlronmenlol ond developmenlol oclivilies

o These lead to intensive hurnan interaction with highly
concentrated populations of animals ald birdt substantially
increased intemational trade in food, increasing human
movement throughout the world, and alteration of the
environment and the climate.

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Afu pollution resulting from modern industdal processes

has been implicated in a grol /ing number of chronic and

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24

fatal diseages such as asthma, lung cancer and resPiratory

infectiors.

.
..

b.
.

growing onlibiolic resislonce,

inopproprioleprescriplionotineffeclivedlUgs,
ond poor odherence io medicolion,

the Rich-Poor

gap

evotving heatth crises tend to be the

poor and marginalised who already suffer from numerous inequities and
rtunities
lack of o )ortunruesThose who are most vulnerable

to

ln 2002 75% ofall

dealhs dne 10 infeclious diseases occuned in southedl Asia and sub'

Saharan Africa Sourhern Ati-ica, which is home lo l0% oflhe world's popularion,
accounted for more than 40% ofdealhs due 10 infecliols diseases.ln facl, more than 60%
ofall dearhs in the regjon were dne ro irfeciious diseases

Children and women are especially susceptible to the impact of infectious

diseases.

o Childrrn in
o

developing countries, already lacking proper

nutrition, may also lack access to affordable measles vaccinations

and simple interventions for diarrheal diseases.
Wornen now accotnt for more than 50% of ncw HIV infections and,
among ac{ults, pregnant women are t}re most at-risk for malaria.

The repercussions of these diseases go well beyond mortatity statistics.

Poverty not only characterjses the circumstances in which infectious
diseases thrive, but the cycte of poverty is exacerbated by lost
productiyity, missed educational opportunities, and high health-care
costs for the affected and their families.
Communities and societies also bear an economic burden of caring for
those who are sick. Diseases such as HIV/AIDS, mataria and tuberculosis
affect those who are in the prime productive stages of tife, while
pneumonia and diarrheat diseases more often cut short the tives of chitdren
belore their fifth birthday.

Fear and ignorance stigmatise those who affected by diseases such as

HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, denying them much needed sociat support and
other socio-economic opportunies,

c.
.

what Needs to be done

Many countries have demo.nstrated that even in low-resource settings, the

burden of infectious disease can be reduced if there is strong political will

25

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and the basic resources and infrastructure to support use of low-cost

interventions.
o But such efforts reqlrirc substantial resources, often beyond those
available in thc poorest counb ies.

{.
Progress must also be supported by firm political commitments at the
international level. These commitments must be backed by resources that
are sufficient to enable communities to have the basic toots needed to
routinely monitor and control disease.

F.

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The scope is significant: there js a need to increase the world's supply of

djagnostics, medicines, vaccjnes and other Lifesaving toots. Effective disease
controt is possible, but witl only become a reatity vr'hen every nation,
regardless of size, location or wealth, has the capacity to recognise,
prevent and respond to the threats posed by jnfectious disease.

{.

ft.
Multi-sectoral approaches, inctuding partnerships between the public and
the private sector, are critical to provjding resources in the scope that js
required.
o Partncrships that have formecl to addrcss these issues include'fhe
Clobal Fund to |ight AIDS, TB and Malaria, bringing funding
and rcsources to countries battling thesc diseases,

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and the Children's Va(cine Prograrn, funded by the Bill & Nlelincla
Gatcs Foundation, seeking universal irnmunisation against measles
and other diseases.

learning from

SARS

The closest the wortd has come to the pandemic scenario in fiodern times
was the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) crisis of 2003.

over a period of live monrbs, about 8,000 people lvere infecled by a novel

coronavirus. Aboul ten percent ofthem died.

The vinE apparently sp.ead 19 bumars when infecled animals lvere sold and daughtered
in uns.nitary and crowdod markcls in China's Gllngdong Prolince.

humaD

Atthough the transmission rate of SARS pated in comparison to that of

inftuenza, it demonstrated how quickly such an infectious agent can circle
the globe, given the ease and frequency of international travet.
o Once SARS emeiged in rural China, it spread to five
countries within 24 hours and to 30 countries on six
continenls within several months.
26

Even with the relatively iow number of deaths jt caused compared to other
infectious diseases, SARS had a powerful negatiye psychological impact on
the populations of many countries.
o In a r.ccDl anrlysis ol rhc epidemic, the Naltonal Ac.demy of Scieice's lnslilule of
lvledicine concluded: "th. rchn@ hish ftttliry rdtt, the intntiJication oJ ssperUr.nde6, the naeness oj the disese, thc spee.l t its global spread. afi public

tne

ainly abott the abili, to cn trol its sprea.l may have conrrib!1ed to the plblic's
alam. lhis alr'm, in lurn, may have led ro rhe behaviorr thal exacerbaled lhe economic
blo\rs lo lhe lralel and tDtrrisn indtrstries oflh countr;cs with th hishest ntrmber of

SARS

provided a taste of the impact a kitter inftuenza pandemic woutd haye

obal economy
o The economic impacl oflhe sir montb SARS.pidemic on th Asia-Pacific region is

cstimaled at about US$40 billion.

Thc SARS outb.eak also had a subsrantiat inrpncl on the global airline induslry. Aflerlhe
disease hil ir 2001, fli8bls tn lhe Asia P.cific area decreascd by 45 perceni from lhe year

The SARS epidemic also raises questjons about how PrePared governments
are to address a proLonged infectious'disease crisis - particutarly
governments that are atready unstable.

Ihe SARS ep;demic crealed the mosr severe social o. polilical crkis encountered by
, 1,,n. s lc.,{e^\rp .,n.e r\ ' lo8r) lidnanmen r..ldo$n ChrnJ \ F,oblcn fl.h'bl\
r!Jrlrc'llc trom \cR\'prbli( hudlrh imrr.' r,'i1 I o,n rhe govcrnmcnt r IrileJ etlo'l
to .llty pxnic by lyilhholding iDtornrtion aboll tbe dtsease froD lhe Chinese
people. TIe effon backfircd. DDrnrg lhe crisis, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pointed oul
;. a cabiDel meetinA on the epidemic that'1he Ieilth and securny oflhe people, ovemll
slale ofrefonn, developmenl, and srabjl;ly, and Chi.a3 nalional inleresl and i,nage are al

Widespread infection and economic collapse can destabiUze a government;

blame for faiting to deal effectively with a pandemic can crjppte a
government. This holds even more for an influenza pandemic, '

Unfortunately, the pubtic is often indifferent to initial warnings-about

impending infectious-disease crises - as with HlV, for example. lndifference
becomes fear only after the catastrophe hits, \ryhen it is atready too late to
implement preventive or contro[-measures.

e.
.

Threat

of the HIV/A|DS epidemic

just
years,
ln
25
HIV has spread retentlessly from a few widely scattered
"hot spots" to virtually eyery country.in the world, infecting 65 mittion

the

people and kilting 25 million.

Global trends of infection emerging from the HIV/AIDS pandemic;

27

I
x.
a

Strb Saharxn

and

bcur the btunl oflhe global cpidemic. 6l% of!ll adulls

25 milljon people wilb tIlV globally livc in rb-Sharan

Afiica conlinucs to

childrcD .tproximaicly

Withonl prcvenlion efforts. ]5% ofchildcn bom lo ar HIV-pos'live nolhe! \ri1l become
infecied wirh HIV At leasl a.luarter ofDewborns infecled wilh HtV die belirre .ge one,
!nd up lo 60% rvill die belorc reaching lheir second birthdays.

{'

use and coDnerci,rl ser work are lirclina lhe epjdemjc across Asia .Dd
F.ast.n Erro.)e, and lerv counties are srfljcienlly reachi.g oul to lhesc harginalised

Inje.ring drug

t.

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In nrany regions oflhe wo.l(i. new HIV infections are heavjly concentraied anNng youtg

pcoplc (15 to 24 ycars of asc). Among adllls 15 years and oldcr, young people
r.. ned lo, 40o" ol !'e, HIV lnte.l,ons ;r -006.

tt.

Queslions: Reler lo lhe odicle on - AlDs drugs flood block motkef.

. why do block morkels for ArDS orlrbiolics exisf?
. Are lbese brock m orkels o vioble olletnolive for lhose poot ond ill-shicken
wifh lhe diseose? D,scuss.
'AIDS Drugs Flood Black Market
Harare Aids druqs some ottheD contaminated, diluted or faked are being sold at flea markets.nd

hairdressrng s.lons in the face ofgrowinq sholt-ges in clini.5 linkd to Trhbabwes cconomic otsis, says the

I'ealth ministry.
1

3.
F,

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Stat. medLa quoted r4inister ol liealih David Parirenyatwa on llonday appealing to people livinq witli HIv/aids
to buv their m.dlcines lron reqistered pharmactes, clinics .nd hospitals only.
lle w.s quotd as 5nynig: Thes. fake d.dgs rncrease chances of one becoming rcsistant to treatment and it
becomes even more expensive for that person io renarn on treatment."

n wns also rcported th3t the prohibitive cost of antirt.oviral drugs at private pharma.res had ftielled the
state radio s.ld that ihe illeqal mcdications were either adultedted with olher substances oreseless fakes.

&.,

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About 50 0o0 HIV intected patients were receiving tree medication from government hospitals in a natLon,
where an 6tinated f 000 people died a week lrcm Aids related condiuons. Il was reported that 3oo 0o0 more
were in urgnt need oltreatment.
Since a qovernment edict in luDe to slash prices of all goods and
medicrnes had bcen scarce.

s.rui.es by about halt, pharmaclcs said many

'fhe price cuts were ordered in an effort to tame the world s high.st official tnflatjon of 7 634vo. ln<Jependeot
estimates put real inilation closer to 25 000o/o and the International Monetary Fund fore@sts it rea.hinq
1Do 000o/o by the end ofthe year.
Local manufacturers ot HIV/Aids drugs had fatled to

obtlin eDouqh imported raw materials, whlch nrust be paid

for in scarce hard arrency,

The localgeneric drug costs about z$sm ior a mo.th s supply, rar odt ofthe reach of most rmpoverished

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HIV patients liwe in constnnt fear'

A tea.herin a top qovernment hiqh schoolearned about Z$3m a month. Where formal unemployment w.s
30%, an unskllled general hand e.rned halfthat adount.

At the dodin.nt btack market exchange rate ot 250 0O0-1, Z$5 worth oi medication was the equivatnt ol
$20 compared to $165 at the onicial exchhnqe rate of 30 000 1.
HlV/Aids support qroups said patients receiving antirerroviral treatment liled in constant fear of not berng
able to lind o. pay io. their honthly medicatton. lmported drugs cost up to double the local make5

lnterruphons in treatment alonq with poor nutrition qu'. yrnde'edsLffere'svunerabletorube.Lulosisand

othcr often fatal infeclions, accordtrg to support groups
Most basic foods had drsappeared from the shelves since thc governnenis p.ices edit on lune 26. The.orn
me.l staple, me.t, bread, mil!, suqar, e99s.nd even soap and tea fet.hed teo times the qovcrnmcnts filed
pnce it tound on the illeqalblack market.
Brcad shortaqcs wo6cn.., on r4onday across the country
down to their last emerqency r.serues ot flour.

sour.e: hl'p://!\ifu

aft$

the two r\ain bakery charhs s.id thy we.e

news2.1 .omlNews2r

/4l|.!/!rllit)liiwe10..2:Lr

_1122,?

)!3a3a!.Irr!,r

e(i). women and AIDS

. By the end of 2006, women accounted for nearly half of alt peopLe tiving
wjth

AIDS

worldwide, and represent atmost

60%

of infections in sub Saharan

Africa.

Social and cultural norms contribute to the unequat status of women in

societies, which facilitates the spread of djseases such as HlV.
o In their sexual relationships, women are often denied the polver to
make decisions that may lower their risk of HIV infection.

Social norms may restrict r /omcn's ability to negotia'te sex with a

condom, demand fidelity in a relationship or seek information
about protection, treatment or health care.

o The unequal power

balance between men and women puts

women at a greater risk of FIIV inJection. In some societies, social
norms may dictate that women remain monogamous, while men
may be allowed and even encouiraged to engage in sex with
multiple partners.

Poverty - 70% of the world's poor are women - and the reliance on men
for economic support cornpound women's risk of HIV t'nfection.
o Women might engage in unsafe sex or commercial sex work as a
means of survival or to support their families.
29

f
I

t,
{

Women's fjnancial and matcrial depencleDce on rncn often makcs it

difficult or impossiblc for thern to takc control of their sexual
r el,rtionships

HIV-positive women may transmit HIV to their chitdren durjng preqnancy, ln

chiLdbirth or through breastfeeding.

As AIDS ravaqes famjljes and communities, the burden of caring for ill
family members rests mainly with women and girls many of \4hom rlrdy
be seriousty itt themsetves. A woman affected by HIV/AIDS is plunged
further into poverty, tosing the abitity to provide tor hersetf and her

i,
{.

children. Combined wlth pervasiye sociaI stigma and the co apse of

tradjtional famity and support structures, HIV/AIDS is eroding the status of

women in many countrieS.

I

Reod more: Refer lo lhe two orlictes

HIV-posilive women.

Poitiyely Sesome St/eet & Giving hope lo

Positively Sesame Street

ln

South Afrca s war against AIDS, a cute and.uddty fivc yearord js prepartnq to mak. ar imporranr
debut. Meet Kahi, the wortd s first HIV posrtiv. S.s.me Srreet t4uppet rrkalari Sesame, Solth Africa

version of the ramous U.S. television series (takatanj mans get happy jn ve.da), has been runn na fu,

'ror'!'so'h-

ourhAlr',rF'odd'nti1

educai whLle .ntertainjnq younq .hildren thtuughoot the couniry.

Incorpodt ng

,o,,,,r'!6d1c,r,o,or,trL,.r.

.r,o,n

1d.d,.1. ..ind .,ludt,on. ro

allll

ofSouth Africa s officibt tanquaqes into its pedaoogue ap1ared sctip\., Takatani
halt-mtltion kids a week. Ir reaches basic skils and rutes of behavror, amt
trjes to help children undersland.nd enjoy South Africas m!lttraciatcuttrre_
Seiane

is secn by an estimated

Not 50 easy to etplain is the reality ofan AiDS cpidemic that affe.ts atmo.t one io ntne South Africans,
in.luding about 250,O00 child.eh. The numbcrof orpharrs who have tost their parents to AIDS is expe.ted
to appoach 2 miilion by 2010. And a major obsta.te in the fight aqbinst the disease is the stigma
assoclated with f. The subject ofAIDS is reqarded by mary peopte as raboo and sutterers, whether adu,ts

o',1lo.p,, drctrellFdd co'alou o,r,. Tt-c'cnrerpan-od,nre,.cir.on\lhdtdtrcc.tiddd,ess

J'IIV/AIDS for very younq

children. says Gtorin Britain, rakalani Sesadek prcduction managor. We saw

how we couJd help fill this void.'

After morths ofdlscussion, Iakalart sesaDe cane up wrtb kam', a qrnge.-ha,red. qotden yelow Murlet
*l.o lo.n\ rl"c ,how <tcrtr.9 S-pL J0,or tOah-h hoLr eoEodF!.rt hbd,lrnolomUDeDr.tmenrot
Education ahd spoDsors incllding USAID and Santamr one of the counFy s najor insurance companies, the
program willgo olt not only onTV but
- anorher fiEt for ! Sesame production on radto and througttan

outreachandkainingprogramthatinctudespri.tcdmateriatandpuppetshows,Wehoperoreachastdqe
where every.hild in our coln$y willhave access to rhe TalalrDtsesnre messaqe, says Ministerof
Edu.arron Kader AsmaJ.

The target audience for lakdlari SesaDe is chitdren aged three to sever, but pro<tuceB expect the new
HIV/AIDS focus to attract older kids. When Kami bounces onto the screeh, she wi come aiross as a perky,
tun loling and healthy HtV positive character with a weatth ofinformation about HIV/A]DS to share with
her inquisitive triends. Shet emotionatty and inte e.luafy inte igent, wirh an insiqht that aoes beyond he.
6ve yeaE," srys BritainKaml - from a Tswana tribal word tor "acceptance
wil ctralenge the stereotype of the Htv-infected
sickly child and focus rnstead o. fun aDd friendtiness.- she witt arso introduce bas'c informarion and promote
dis.ussion about such uncuddly rssues as death and sociat ostracism. h an eptsode next month, Kmi has
to dealwith rejection at school because of hercondirion. (amrwins ove. her ctassmatesr teaching the
other children a ressotr in tolemnce and undeEtandhg of her sickness. (am' is no outc;st rar rrom ,r,
says Britain. she's lovable, and she's roved.'

30

Sesame Sareet has been beamed to millions of cbitd.en h nore than 120 .ountries over the past 30 ycars
Thou9h Sesame Workshop has no plans to introduce Kami in thc U.S., says Roberi Xnezev, Sesame,s head
of international project management and devetopment, we wilt be seeing how the characrer unfotds and
what potential it mtght have in oth$ parts oi the wond.. Kami coutd pur new tife inio south afric. s Htv/alDs
awarness campaign. She may also have a bigqer carecr. If she s a hit in the new series, sdys scriptw.iter
Ntck Warren, she could be the star of a full le.qth South Ahlcan fitm to add to the propaqand. wEr aaainst
A\DS: Kami fhe Next
Mavie^4uppet

source: t'rtpJ/w*w riue

lod!rl!lrE93zrndE!!de]!-:!Zl 90to2oelo l5]-s?t

Givinq Hope to

ttMositive

oo.htmr

Women

I'lalaysian women share their voices with UNICEF to Bark the .ount.y Iaunch of The State of the Wortd,s
children (sowc) 2007 report on Interoationat women s Day.

Themed Women and Children - The Doeb,e Dividend of cender Equatity", the SOWC 2OO7 examines the
discrimination and disempowe.ment women face throuqhout their lives and ou tnes whnt mlst be done to
el:mrndra ac1dF. d'5.
nJI on dqd cnpoi-, wome , fd q ,ts.

'.'r

- Sraff nurse Zaimah l]ussin s patients know they can reach hcron the te,eDhone
at all hou6, .nd ven on public holidays rh.counsetling nurse atthe qovernrnent hospitatin Kota Ahaiu,
the capit.lolthe north easternsrate of Ketrntan, does not onty hetp her HrV/AtDS paiients come to terms
with therr infectton, but also assist them rn pracri.at Datte6 such .s seekrno financiat help to pay for th.rr
medicanon, dealing with adherence ro rreatmcnt .eqime and breakino the news to famitv menrbod
KOTA BAI-IRU, J'larch 20O7

Still, she could not quieten her nagqi.g concem at not donlq enolgh for her patienrs, t4any ot rhem are puor,
and have to travelfrom rural6rcas to seek treatment amjdtr fears ofstigma and discrtminarion.

Woment vulnerability

It is, however, the pttght of HIV positive womeD thai worry Zaihah the most. "Women are genera y more

v!lnerable to I'IIV infection because most llck rhe knowtedge and the abjtity to protect rhemsetves,,, Zaimah
expiains wth conce.n.

According to Zaimah il is even triclirfor married women wharever theirsociato. economi. sratus - to
negotiate ior safr sex, even when they know their htrsbands are e.gaqhq in hjsh risk behavioursuch as
inje.ting drug use. "In our culiure, women atways say yesto tbeir husband. He is the kinq at home,,,she
says when accounttng ior the three fold increase tn the number women qetthg jnfected with HtV jn i,tataysia

'From ou. sotuey, we found that women have a row sense of setfworrh and asserdveness
contrct of
thetr llves- They do not take care orthemselves very well, t4ost come for HIV screeninq when
'n;akinq
their hDsband,
or childre. or they themselves haye been admi$ed !o holpirdttoran ArDs related i nesses. sone ardtso
detected when they are sdeened for Htv in antenatal ctiniG," stresses zaihah.
Helpi.9 single mothers

patients .eeds coutd not be met by the bospitat s tacitities, zalm. h began seeking hetp tor them
frcm outs'de. After ten years of tappt.g on her network offriends informalyr Zaihah besan mooring the ]dea
of startjrg a non qovernmentalorqanisation to hetD HlVinfeded sinote motheE tn Ketanran.
w hen her

'lt

seemed a dlificult thtng to do, but then my son Zahrain agreed to hetp run the NGO,,, said the 51,year,otd
tor29 yebrs.

Zaimah who has been in nuGtns

zahrain zulkifli is well acquaihted with the hardships ofHrv anfsted shgte motheE because bts mothe. has
always enlisted the famtly's help, "My mother woutd refer needy stngte motbers to our NGO, prihatin, and we
would helo them w,th financial ard. We arso set up counsetting seNices tor these women because some ot
them Jre 6ore comrortable comtnq ro Prihahn than to theqovernment hospttat." Zah@in exptains. "We atso
started income qercrating workshopsto help sinqJe mothers,!

31

Althouqh Prihatin st.rt.d sm.ll, the thrce yc.r old o.qa,riration has quickly 9ai.cd the attc.tion ai'd 3upport
of rh public and qovernment aqen.ies. They recently .noved into a house that was oriqinally buit for lh.
{iistnct health of']cer, and dow oftc's shciter to tllv posttive sinqle rnothcrs and their ch ldren who h.ve

'The number of HIV-positive women n Kela.lan is o

ofihe h'9hest

rn

the.ount.y

ALout crght out or tn of

'. left to deal with thcir rnfe.tion, and fend for the r
then are infected by iheir husbands. Thcy are also olten
passed
poor, a^d cannot turn to their fdmily for he p,' snys
husbands
away.
flany
are
childrcn when their

pra.ti..l aid, the orqanisation has more impo.tantly qiven lnfccted women hope. Belore Prthdtnr,
many oithcse women sutfer in sjlenc and desperatbn. At the shelter, they do not only acqlire income
generatirg slills, but also qa]n and offer suppon to ea.h other in a saic environment

Aside from

'About 70 percent otsinqle mothers registerEd with us live below the poverty liDe, So, there is a dire need
rorour serv'ces. other states have also looked at whdt we are doinq, and have asked us to help establish
Pnhatin the.e, s.id z.ihah whose jnitiation into HtV/ArDs work 12 yetsE ngo was aoidst mlch tear and

Overcominq fear, linding satisi.ction

"1. 1994, nurses were we.ring atrons, q oves and masks when .arnrq ior Hlv posrtive p.tients. But then, I
was scni to Bangkok to work in an AlDS ward dhcrc lhe nurses were not ntr.rd of tho. pati.nts I .ame
back, dete nin.d to em!late their po5iiiv .tiitude, .nd start.d treating my p.tients wfthout fe.r, str.

I
!
l-

E'qlrt to ten new patirts.re di.gnoscd w tlr HIV at the Kota Baru FosPital ..ch week. zaim.h recognises
th.tl,crcouDselhnglsvtalinfhaDinqp.tients.csDonsctoiheiri^fection.llcr.altnnessand..'npa.sion.s
she expl.ins aboui the diseas and ireatment options .re olt.. patienLs fnst inkling th.t th.ir liv.s are not

r
t

t,

'Most patients do not evc. know that treahnent is avail.ble; they all think they are qoinq to die. aut we tcll
thcm that treatment has become afford.blc wLth Government subsidy.

fiost erperienced HIV/AIDS counsellinq nu6es in Malaysia, z.imah is alsD actively involved tn
trai.inq other health.are workers. There is slrll a shortagc ot Hlv/ArDS counsellinq nursca N Malaysia, as well
as a need to address 5tiqma and djscriminalion towanls HIV positive patients anonq healthcate workers
As one ot the

T"

'I

["

find immense satisfactior in helpinq my patients. it allcomes from the heart, said

Sour.e: ht!!://www.uni.ef ..ro/m:l.vsia/.eallives

I
L

t
t
{

t"
g"

zaima\

6!qLlllrl

e(ii).What is Being Done?

There is no known cure for HIV/AID5. There are medical treatments that
can stow dolvn the rate at which HIV weakens the immune system- There
are other treatments that can prevent or cure some of the iltnesses
associated with AlD5.
Life prolonains anriretoviral (ARV) lreahent dntss h.ve besun

1o

kansform HIV from

dealh sentencc inlo a nanageable condition for those fo.lunate enough to

have .ccess to lhem- h 2005, 250,000 to 350,000 dealhs wer avened because ofrecent
scale un ofrreatmcnl.

a. inescapable

i2

t"
{"

o A numbcr ol

drugs such

moller to child transm'ssio

clinically provcD

as

(MTCT) when

lo significanlly

rcduce

preenant molhers ard childrer

shorlly afier birlh.

A global commitment to turnjng the tide on this disease js nonetheless

buitding. More resources have been devoted in recent years to research,
preventjon, care and treatment for those infected \ryith and affected by the
disease. Simultaneous and sustained expansion of prevention and
treatment efforts are needed if the Dace of the eDidemic is to be slowed.
a 'fhe Global Ftnd to Fight AIDS, Tsberculosis an.l Malatia. an indepcndenl

organisalior, was created ro increase rcsources to fighl lhree o, lhe norld's mosl
devastaling djseases a.d lo direcl lhose resorrccs lo arcas ofgrealest red-

The World tlealrh OrAan;sitio. launched the 3 b! 5 Iritiatiw in 2003. ]l'e campai8n
.ims to have three million Hlv'posilive peoplc in developi.g couDlries on anliretroviml
(ARV) d.ug lrcahcDt by lhe end of2005.

committed to vaccine
greatest
bopes the world has for
development, which remains one of the
preventing transmission of the yirus, but a successful vaccine is tikety to be
years away. Clinicat triats are ongoing in severaI countries.

Top scientists from around the world are

Governments have increased their health spendinq:

'l'hailand has $lccesstully adoprcd effccrive iontainrenl measures (such as massive
condonr dislribulion and public cducdtion) lhat have broDght the epidemic utder a
remarkable deBree ofconlrol, bolh in lhc counlry's military and ils civilian population.

Thc Nalion.l A]DS Prog.an of Br.zil has successfully otTered univeBal access to
rrealrnent while conducl;ng ao aggressive HIV prevcDlior campaign. lD lvlay 2003, lhe
progranme w's presenred wirh lhe
ailobal I lalth a'onferenc--

us$l nillion

Gares Award for Global Healrh at lhe

ABc stands for Abstinence, Be faithful to a single partner and c6ndom

use. Certain organisations and governments promote the ABC prevention
message as a means to stop the spread of HlV.
ln many countries, it is civil society which remains at the forefront of AIDS
prevention, care and support programmes, particularly among the most
vutnerable and hard"to reach DoDulations.

These iochde NGOS, faith-based orsanisations, women's groups, bEiness ertcrprises

and labonr onions, priv"le foundations a.d lhe media.

33

r"

lr
o
I

r
{.

The mosl aclive menrbers ofcivil society are often those with personal rxperjence ol the
epidehic, eilber as people ljrins $irb HIV or members ofmarg;nalised and vulnerable
populatiois, such as sex workers a.d dnrg lscrs.

Section'/: Ifu Etfrics of Ai[ anfI{umanitarian R7sponse

. ln recent yearsJ global interest in humanitarian response is high.

,
t,

Tacktjng these issues has become an interest of many privbte individuats

(e.9. Bitl and Melinda Gates, Warren Buffett) and a key feature of many
nations' foreign policies, for a varjety of reasons:
. Some *ee rl as,r mr'rrl rlui)
o others see it as a form of public diplomacy;
o some individuals see it as an investment in sclf-protection.

I,

l.

However, humanitarian aid tends to fayour high-profile emergencies at

the expense of other crises far from the media or political spotlight,
They tend to reflect the interests and concerns of the donors, not the
recipients; must be spent accordinq to donors' prioritjes, potitics and
values; and come wjth strinqs attached.

r
r

Posl September ll, while counlries lraeled in lhe war on leror' huvc altracted
unpiecedenled levels of humaritariau and rcconstruclioD aid, oLher arguably nnte
pressing criscs Ianguish in thc shrdorv3. willi' weeks ofonsline Saddam Ihrsscin, lhe
US Derarlnrenr ofDclcnsc,eponed lhal it h.d raiscd US$ 1.7 billion in rcljct for the
l.aqi [)ople: l.ess than half ol lhal ano nl h.d bccD plcdgcd tor ,10 rnillioD slrrving

[.
Humanitarian aid often arrives late, Even if the
eventualty provided, they often arrive too late
sufferine and death.

{
$,

ma

to

jority of funds

are
prevent avoidable

'Ihc 2005 food c.isis ir Nige.

was prediclcd monlhs before il hi! lhe beadlines, and mrny

de^lhs could have been prevenred iffinrding had been n.de available al lhat lime. Il look
lelevision pidures of slarviDg children in Jrly 2005 lo prompl 0deq!ale'tdnds by w[ich

L
L
L
[.

t
t

timerbe shondge had llrned inlo

disis.

Thus aid should be adequate as wett as fair. Aid organisations and donors
must agree on a standard way of measuring global needs and ensure that
aid responses meet all priority needs. A ctoser integration of humanitarian
and development responses is needed to tackte recurrent, chronic crises.

)-.gunnino'tJp

|
t'You have read the notes on hovy man'5 actions have had an jmpact on natural ,
i dirurt"r, and the spread ot disease. Drawing examples and evidence from the i
lt articles, discuss the following:
?
ii ls the human race in control of its destiny?
,,
\TPJC CT 2004 - modified)

14

{"

WeE Qgsources on ltfaturafDisasters st Diseases

Medecins Sans Fronl.ieres
http: / /www.msf .orgl
Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters
http: / /www. cred. be/

lnternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (lFRc)

http: //wwvr. jf rc.orgl
Populatjon Connectjon: Education and Action for a Better Wortd
http: / /\,r'w\ry. populationconnection. orgl
Wortd Health Organisation
http: //www.vr'ho.int/en/

ctobat Heatth Councit

http: / /www. globatheatth.orgl
Gtobat Heatth Reportinq
http: / /www.globatheatthreporting-org/
Globat H lV/AIDS Timeline (interactive)
http: / /wwvr', kff .orglhivaids/timetine/hivtimetine.cf m

Bird Ftu
BBCNe\r's I Speciat Reports
http: / /news. bbc.co.ukl 2 I hi I \n depth/v/orld/2005/bird-f lu/def autt-stm
Relieflveb - Ontine Gateway to informat'ion on humanitarian emergencies and
disasters
http: //www. relief\ryeb.int

l5

t
t

Relevant P1 Essay Questions on 9l an

{,

tlie Etwironment

Do you egrec tb cnvironment.l protecdon should take precedence

dcvrlopmcrt? EIC Cl 2002)

rhat ways can econonxc developnenr bc sustaincd rvithout cornprofusing the qrality or
or:r living cnvronmentl (SRJC MY 2002)

2.

1d

3.

Assess the

'Nnsfortune teaches

5.

"We ourselves fcel thit whai ve dc doi.g is jDsl

ibp,d

of m.tcnaLsh
Ds

o.

dctcdorari4 environmenr 0JC MY 2002)

Prclim 2002)

ao aLcady

tuuch.'I)iscu$.

(SRJC

a drop

ir

an ocean. But dre ocea' would be

lcss b.c.Dse of that missr,rg drop." fMorber leresal Discu$

ro help improve our env;o.ne'r roday. gJC CT 200J)

l];s tn rel2uo. ro rhe attenpts

Is it ever posslblc to n,eet tbe deminds of rhe consuher

e.*onoeoral costs? (SAJC Prelm 2003)

class without incrunng great

Are co.cerns aboul the rced for us ro consere our envronmenr exaggerxted? (RJC Piehm
200r)

1s

it rxile to consider . glob,l

plan lor consewatioo aod prorectlon of the envirormentl

(SAJC C'r' 2004)

,.

''There is enough for ocr'- nrn's nced blr n.rr for every nan's greed." Disorss thrs
ir ielation ro d,e ilv'Joorncnml corcchs tdne us roday. gJC IfY 2004)

statenreDt
{

10.

"I he futu.e ofthe hnman iice secDs blc,k.'\x4,^r xre yofi views? (SIUC MY 2004)

11

''our moder.

\,fi

lilesryle js

.r oll.ls qjih ihc prcscnario' of

the env;onmenr." Drscuss.

(NyJL

2001)

Human beirgs h^v. hore to fiar froh rhehcel\es rlran rrom the Dan'r^l

orld. Do

yon

rgree? (iJC Prelim 2004)

I
r

11

llow td would you agrce rh'r despjte Nlan's arrehpt ro co.irol Nahue, Naruie h.s iNtcad
been more successtul in contiollins Man? 0\lJC Pie.Ir. 2004)

en

1'1.

Is poverty largely to blamc tor

15.

'Economic deelopme.i w l ,lvays be calned oDt ar rhe expense ofd,e ennrroomeor.' How
far doyoD
vith this sr.tene.ti (IPJC P'etim 2004)

16

"Wc have not been good gu^rdidns ofthe l:2fth." Do you

t].

'Tbe effotts oa the indrvidual arc jrtsi as impor1a.r ,s the effofts of the goverrmc'n
.onsemtion and presesrtion ofthe envfonment.' Discuss. (qC promo 2005)

18.

The

ronmental dcvastatlon fodny?

olc

PreliD 2004)

^gree

c'*o'hent

ths stateheot

I
t

agree?

(l,II Prclin 200a)

'
ir

rhc

is therc fot us to exploit, not conscrvc. To vhat exre'r .lo you agtee wnh

(,l.UC Promo 2u05)

19.

I0hat 2re the main environhental problems that your country f,ces and how an rhey bc
o\ erome) (Jlc CI 200s)

20.

"Ooly the foolish will focus oo environmental consdr on in Third World Courtries wben
the people thde do not have enough to eat." Do you ree? (TPJC MY 2005)
"The prcblem of the envionmcnt is a pmblen) of consumptioo." Discus. (fJ1lC MY 2005)

I
36

yr[

22.

rgJee thll it is t])e responsib

rrobl.ms? (AJC Prelrn 200s)

23.

'fhe .nvir.,nn,cnl should be Il,e soverihcrls

2+.
2\.

"flrc Earth is rloored 'rherc

16.

'We are oDr ovn vorst enrmy.'ilow true is rhis srxtcDent

Do

rty ot ncher n.dons to iaclde glob,l environlnent.]

'00\)

is

marn conces.' Do rou

.glecl

(SAJC Preli'n

rothrg mxr .an do nbout tt.' Comoent. (lv{C Prelio

2005)

Il]e worl.l is lrcrcishgly m.iked by rlrprcdictabiliq'. To vhat cxlent ;s this true? (N'IIC
PRlln 200s)

ir

today's worl.l? (SAJC

Prclin

2005)

21.
28.

Is recycling

th. rnslc ro our cnwonr.cntal voesl (Ml Prclim

2005)

Is it tn,e thar 'thrre's enough oD this planet for cveryone's reeds bDt nol tor.!E4one's
grced?' (VJC Prelim 200s)

29.

'Their: is no*lng opr'tusdc abour the fururc of onr environoent.' Do yor: agn? (M.lC MY
2006)

l{1.

'Large scrle

nrruril rlsasters brirg out thc chtitdblc side oi reoPle.' DiscDss. (IC Prelin)

2006)

31.
12.

agreel FIC Pieh! 2006)

pessihism rh2n opunrisrr." Horv fir clo you rgacc rvlth rhis

"Nriuril drsrsL.rs.r. L.yond

our

control.' D.,

yoD

"'l'he future hol.ls nbr

st,teh't? (IPJC Pich'n 2006)

3l
Cnses rvlJe clev2sr,ti'g, c.n le,d to posjdv. outcomes. l)o lou agicel (MJC Prcln, 2006)
1r4- Discuss the inrpact ofre.ent worl(lcvcnts o! siirgapole's ftitDre. (lvlJc Prelin 2006)
35. Ijxtrehe co.su..nsb is $e m,h c,use of cnvirorment2l dcgradanon Do you ,gree?
(SAJC Prelim 2006)

36.
37.
18.
39.
40

Flivc ivl^n's actlons ilrcady doomed his dcsccndants? (SRJC Pre.lim 2006)
Nl.nkrnd is r canccr upon th. Earth. Do you agleel (VJC Prelirn 2006)

Thc prcseration of the environncnt is a luxury. Discuss this in the light of c.v;odbcntal
issues facirg us today. (AJC l,relim 2006)
In your opinion, is the goal ofavoidlng ccological disasto hopeles? (CJC PttLa 2006)

"Humin swiv.l v1ll depe.d oo effective rneisurcs to cope wilh ecologcal problems-"
D,scuss. O.JC Prelin 2006)

Relevant P2 comprehension E\ercises on 94an

1.
2.
3.
4.

dtIfre Envkonment

HCJC ?relim 2002: 'Ihe Use ofViolence in the EnvnoDental SltDgg e

RJC prlim 2002: The

lss

of Global Wahing

RJC Prelim 2004: The ProbleDs Caused by

TJC Mid Year Common

'Itst

l"ivatc Car Use

2003

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AMitioM[ qgadinBs
An In-Deplh look at the Environrnent
Human impacis on lhe nallralworld are both more apparenl and more widespread than ever
before in human hislory. li is increasingly more difficult to clean up existing environmenlal
disasters and halt furlher degradation of important naiural rcsources. But public awareness about
the key role that we can play in proteclrng nature and natura' processes is growing. Deslruction
and protection hang in the balance al lhis cruciall'me in human history.

{.

As we scan the globe, signs of environmental degradalion are everywhere. Almost 40 percenl of
ihe Earlh s surface has been converied to cropland or paslure and hall ofihe kopicalforests
have been destroyed or degraded. Past productive pasturelands are lurning into deserts al an
alarming rate while low lying coaslal areas appear 1o be lhreatened by flooding from the etfecls of

qlobalwarming
ln the almosphere surroundinq us, the protective ozone layer has been damaged, but nol
irreparably. Power plant and automotive emissions creaie widespread air pollulion; in a number ot
lhe world's largest cilies, ihe air qual;ty is frequently below international health siandards. Fresh
waler is declining in qualily and quant;ty

Globally, an eslimale.l lhree unique planl and animal species go extinct every hour. As a result of
over tishinq, many species oI fish exisl only in small. isolaled pockets in the oceans of the world
Planl species that form a natural pharmacological laboratory are disappearing wilh the kopical

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As world populalion qrows, 3ne oI the blggest questions we must ask is: how many people can
ihe Earlh and its environment support? This carrying capacily' of ihe qlobe is atfected by the
way we use ils resources and protecl {he envionmenl uliimately, the envitonmental ioolp rinl of
each of the Earth s inhabilants will delermine how manY people the qlobe can sustain Today, ihe
average human toolprint is estimated to be just over 7 acres, while the available ecological space
is onty 5.5 acres. The collective human footprinl is bound lo have a s'gnificanlly negative irnpacl
on the environment.

The current environmental crisis ofters an opportunily for lhe economic engines of the world to
convert to environmentally sustainable practices thal are, in facl, good business. As a rcsult wele
beginning io craft approa;hes to prolecl lhis fragile naturalworld. This means add;ess,ng lhe root
causes of environmental degradation:
1) Economic and social policies that promote the over'consumplion and lhe unsustainabls_
production models of rich counkies; and,
2) Economic and social inequaliiies in poor counlries.

A remedialion economy offers numerous benefits noljust to the environment but also to allof the
Earth s inhabiiants. lt brings with ii the promise of improved employment and a narrowing of the
gap between rich and poor as well as enhanced lood and waler security and adequate health

care Environmental remediation is a major leverage point for global change.

First Decade ol the 21st Century: Major lmpacts on the Environment
Human hislory has recorded our impect on the environmenl. Whether wete clearing land tor
agriculture, damming rivers, or ex.tracting ore from lhe ground, lhe nalutalworld is always
affected by our aclions. But untillhe 20ih cenlury, the most destructive envircnmenlal praciices
were usually local in scope. Today, even the local is global as acid rain and global warming affect

the enlire world A web of inlerdependence assures that lhe smallest action by a cjtizen of one
counlry can impact everyone else

World population growth has fueled an increased impaci on the environmeni. Uniied Natjons
experls predict lhal, at lhe current fertilily rale, lhere could be as many as 13 bitUon people in lhe
rxorld by 2050, more than double the present populalion. Nearly allofihat groMh willtake ptace
in ihe developing world, where rnany counlies are doubling their population every 30 years. We
also know lhal the number of people living in citjes has iriplect since 195O, and now constitutes
more lhan 40 percent of ihe global population. Dense concentralions of peopte place intense
demands on lhe envionmeni.
[,4any would argue that the Earth can absorb bjllions more peopte, but onty it its resources are
both distribuled more eqLJitably and used in a truly sustainable way. We're aware of ihe huge
appeliie of lhe induslrialized counl es for energy, commercial fuels, wood, and steel products as
well as all other nalural resources. lf those patlerns of consumplion prevail, natural rcsources wi)l
be exhausted and environmenlal deg.adalion will be irevilrsible.

Compounding that problem is the fact that, drawn into ihe globaleconomy, many otthe
developing countries are approaching rich nations standards of consumption and waste We
need Io pay allention to lhe harmlul by-products of what we produce_ Today s emphasis on freer
and more open markels can exaceabate the problem, because it often places a lower value on
Eadh s naiural resources and lessens lhe perceived need to manage them susiainabty
The induslrialized nations pride themselves on their productivity; in tact it is usuatty the sote
measure of economic success The production of food is a good exampte, in lhe pursuit of
quanlily and bushels-per-acre we use fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicjdes whose neqative
rmpacl on the environment have been proven scienl ically. cenetlcally enqrneered fo;ds may
provide an abundance of mlch needed food in ihis century, however its lono term environmenlat
and health impacis are yet to be determined
ln the cleveloping wodd, the cultivatio; of singte cash crops lrke cottee is often promoted over lhe
application of smali scale mixed agriculture. Overuse of marginal pastureland as wett as gtobat
climate change has also led 10 rapid desenification in 70 percent of the dry tands of lhe world.
Slalisl;cs on ihe deplelion offish stocks in allthe oceans of theworld offerfurlher evidence ofthe
permanent damage done lo one of humans most important sources of nutrition.
A good indjcator of balance in the environment is our fiesh water. Wfh the exceplion ot the
occasional drought, citjzens ot the industrjalized world take cJean drinking water
qranted. ln
Iacl, more ihan 70 percent ofthe wodd lives without it, and 25,000 people die each day as the
resull ot poorwaler management. Because almosl90 percent ot drinkable water is trom
groundwater close to the surlace, it is especially vulnerable to environmental potlution from
ind ustrial waste, excessive irrigation and overuse of lertilizers.

f;

A secondary impacl of poisoned water and waterways rs lhe depleton of flora and fauna, which
contribule to the balance in the naturalworld. ln our need to develop tand we often destroy
valuable wetlands, which play a crucial role in maintaining healthy water quality. As wiih so many
other resources, the wasteful use and inequitable distiibulion of water must be addressed if we?e
serious about protecling the environment and our health.
Our personalhealth is directly linked lo the health ofour physical sur.oundings. Ranging from
rjsing skin cancer to respjratory ailments, our sick environmenl is making us sick as well.
LJncontrolled harvesting of lhe rainforests of the world nol onty has adirect affect on the
greenhouse gases but also directly depletes the diverse slock oftrees and plants, which are a
source of bolh traditional and non traditional medicines_

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Froblems arising from improper diet are another indirecl resull of poljcies lhat are environmenlally
unsustainable As traditional agriculture is replaced by cash crops, ihe usual dependable sources
of nutrition decljne. ln addilion to lhe obvious impacts of air and water pollulion on our health,
careless disposal of bolh nontoxic and toxic wasle poses a major threat.
An unexpected resuli of an environmeni out of balance is ihe increase in naturaldisaslers. Many
of lhe extreme wealher events of the past 50 years can be traced lo environmenlal and climale
charge Floods, resulling in nearly 50 percent of alldeaths caused by naluraldisasters, are more
devasialing because of clear cutling and other deslruclive land use practices Overcrowding in
cilies has also meant lhat urban dwellers are more vulnerable 10 earihquakes and mudslides.
Most countries of lhe worlcl have extraction-based economies. Many supply the raw materials io
dislanl industrialized nations while their local environment sulTers the most damage Leading
economic thinkers have suggesled that lhis rate of supply, also known as throughput," must be
reduced by a faclor of 10 in order to establish a sustainable use oi natural resources. Therr
govemments are ollen influenced primarily by considerations of profitabilily and shortlerm
political gain and tollow policies lhal are harmtu{ lo the naturalorder.

Given poor countries economic vulnerability and dependence on weallhier nations they are often
unable lo overhaul their system, which condemns lhem to a dependenl relationship wilh the rest
of lhe world. More disappointing is ihe fact thal even when national or iniernalional laws do exisl
io prevent pollution or dump'ng of toxic wastes, corrupt officials will turn a blind eye to such
behavior. Wiihout consistent and fair enforcemenl by representative qovernments, all such codes
and laws are clearly ineffeclive

Concrete Steps Toward Protecting the Environment

Many people have grown aecusiomed lo dire prediciions about lhe environmenl. There is
cerlainly ample reason fo. pessimism, but there is equally good reason to celebrale the
accomplishments of a slrong environrrrental protection movement. Non-governmenlal
organizarions iNGOs) have made tremendous progress in eclucating the public and leading
governments to more sustainable policies Bul global change will require a fundamenlal
restrucluring ot our current economic syslem thal favors an unequal dislribution of resources and
exploilation ralher lhan prolection of the naturalworld.

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Despite allthe projections oI increasing populalion, ihere are some heartening lrends. First, the
ferlility rate in many ofihe developed counlries continues to decline Reproducljve health

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programs ;n some ot the most populous developing countries are beginning to male a d,fference.
Experimenls concerning transportation and housiog in densely populated cities like Curitiba in
Brazil have shown that urban populaiion centers don't have lo be cenlers ot pollution
There are many ways to change our economic relationship with the environment one is to
explore innovative lorms ofcapitalism that are non-exlraclive; anolher is lo insist on new ways of
accounting, which include environmenlal impact as parl of a calculation ofthe bottom line. A thitd
way is 10 include anti pollulion and resburce proleclion clauses in all contcts with substantjal
consequences f or violations.
Since the pioneering R'o Conference in'1992, a number of agreements and prolocols have been
adopted by the United Nattons with the sole purpose of setting environmental standards for
industries. Each ofthese agreements, ranging from lhe Convenlion on lhe lnlemational Trade in
Endangered Species (CITES) to the Montreal Protocol on Subslances that Deplele the Ozone
Layer has a secretariat charged with enforcing il-

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Almost every practice lhai is harmful to lhe environment is covered, including dumping ol
hazardous malerials, destruciion of weilands, and overfishing of endangered marine species
The most recenl addiiion is the Kyoto Protocol on cl'male change that sels clear standards for

Each of ihe above organizations is beginning to exercise the authority necessary to identity and
penalize otfenders, and to gain the cooperation of naiionalgovernments Once bolh developing
and developed countiies respecl these iniemalional environmental regulations we can begin to
reverse ihe decades of damage already done by uncontrolled production and consumption.
Probably lhe most importanl aclo6 in this process are specialized nalional and iniernalional
NGOs ihat do ihe research and lobbying necessary to protect specialized resources like coral
reefs, tropical rainforests, and mangrove swamps W;lhout the dedicated and determined service
of NGOs, international institulions wouldn t be able lo accomplish nearly as much as they do.

Afterthe proliferation ofenvironmental NGOs, the next mosl encouraging developmenl is the
growing respect for the natural world- Tree planting programs, recycling, promolion of car pooling
and bicycling and aulojree zones are bui a few examples of a changing consciousness. This
change in attilude is lhe essenlialfirst step in achieving the politicalwill necessary for
kansformational change.

Wilhout the clear accouniability of governments of all nalions, no real progress can be made

towads long lerm environmental suslainability. Recenlly lhere have been some encouraging
examples of national-internalional cooperation, ofien with NGOS being lhe catalyst. Control of the
sale and prodlction of chlo.ofluorocarbons (CFC) in developing and developed countries shows
us that, wilh polilicalwill al lhe national level, slandards can be enforced.
Pioneers in lhe agricultural!,/r'orld are showing that we can produce tood in environmentally

benefjcialways. OBanic farmers are proving that they can compele in lhe global markelplace
while not relying on chemicals; consurners in Europe and elsewhere are refusing lo purchase
genetically modifled foods until theyle convinced thal they won't be harmful lo lhei environment
and heallh.
As lhe wo d economy gradually swilches to suslainable praclices, healthy food production should
follow. lt is essentialthal the naiions ofthe world be able to feed themselves, balancing the
production of cash and food crops. Appropriate lechnology in agriculture, which balances
mechanized with non-mechanized processes, wilialso help to safeguard the environment.
Raliflcation and enforcement of the United Nations Convention on the Law of theSea and its
successor protocols is crucialto the protectjon ofendangered food fish siocks.

The skengthening of international law and iis enforcement would bolslerttre environmenflt
movement tremendously as wellas protect the rights of allcitizens ofthe globe- For exadple,
indigenous groups whose very existence has been threatened by oil exploration, mining and
logging will benefit hom lhe Convention on Biodiversity, the Convenlion on World Cultural and
Nalural Herilage as well as other human righls documents designed io protect their culiure and
unique way of life. The Basel Convention on lhe Transboundary Movemenis of Hazardous
Wasles a.d Their Disposaloffers important prolection to developing countries lhat have been
dumprng grounds for toxlc subslances.
:

ln the industrialized countries, poor and minority groups have mobilized themselves against
polluting faciories in theh neighborhoods and insisted on equal protection by exisling
environmental standards. Local Nctis from Nigeria io California have delailed knowledge about
specific problems and a passionate commjlment to advocacy.

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Cornpetiljon for the conirciof natural resources is oflen al the root oi many conflicts in ihe wortd.
Wilh the gdual acceptance of internalion a I standards regarding the environmenl, there s a
grealer chance that one major source o{ con{licl would be removed. Naiionat service

'?,.

organizations dedicated lo tree planting, sho.eline restoration, and endangered species

protection provide a powerlul example oi how resources miqht be redirected to peaceiulends

Conclusion

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As citizens and consumers we can play a tmnsformalive role through locai action to complement
the work of inlernal iona I environmenta I orga nizal ions and NGOS. The way we lead our tives rs a
powerful stalement in itselt: are we conscious of how much we consume and how our eating
habits determine land use and availabilily of food for olhers? Buying consciously contributes
direclly to rebuilding the environment; this includes selectjng products that are recycled,
patronizing companies with proven envircnmenial records, and simply consuming tess
As aclors in lhe world econornic arena we can also have an impact. There are many investmenl
opporiunities lhat a environmentally screened and promole positive land and resource use att
over lhe world. Even lhe largest corporations are vulnerable to sharehoJder aclivism and many
have changed environmental policies as the result ofdemands made in their annual meetings.
As voters we can make a huge ditference in local, national, and intemational environmental
pract;ces. From ihe preservation of wetjands and development of pockel parks to lobbying for
higher emission standards we have a powerful voice ;n how the commons-resources which
belong lo allof us-are being used

Al the beginning of ihe 2lst cenlury, we are at a turning point in our relationship with the naiural
wond. There is ample evidehce of a strong determinatjon on the part ol ordinary citizens to forge
a new way lhal respecis nalure and conirols ourtendency to oveproduce and over-consume Bul

old habils don t disappear easily, especially when the economic benefits to be gained trom
explollalion are so alluring- Bul the beneiils irom such a chpnged relatjonship to the environment
could be lremendous We do have lhe abilily 1o play a substantial role in protecting lhe

hnp://ww\r f?cir

sth efutu rc.ordG lob4!Issqeslntrodu

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lntroduction

,Well fed people have many problems, hungry people only have one. This tradilional Chinese
proverb reminds us thal, even though allglobalissues are linked, nothing is quite as basic to
human survival as food and waler. An estimatec,2 billion citizens ofthe world lack access lo
adequale nutrition, and nearly 800 million are chronically hlrngry. Our supply ofiresh waler is also
severely limiled: 31 couniries are currently suflering from scarciiy or slress and for more than 1
billion people clean drinking waler is simply unavailabie. (UNDP)
The human costs of food and waler insecurily are high. Drasiic shortages of food and waier
heighten the gap bet\rveen r'ch and poor and often lead to conflicts on both sides ot the borders of
a partlcular country. Waler wars are almosl inevilable, as more people compele lor that scarce

The push for incased agripultural produciion lo meet growing needs leads {o environmental
degradalion from habilat desi.uction, chemical pollution f.om fe ilizers, and oveFfishing River
syslems and aquters have been seriously depleted by water wilhdrawals. The inlrcduction of
genelically modified organisms (Glvlo_s) in an effort to increase food production has potentially
negalive environmental and health implicalions
As the environment suffers, so does the health olihe millions who lack adequate sanitation,
potable waier, ancl daily nuirilion. Children who go lo bed hungry are vulnerable to disease as
well as delayed physjcal and menlal developmenl. Dirty water is a majorculprit in lhe spread of
diseases like cholera, which are especially deaclly for children.
Populaiion grolvlh has a double impacl on food and water securily. On the one hand, increasing
per capita food consumption bywealthier nations of a proiein-rich diet further skews distribulion
of resources. On lhe other hand, a rapidly growing and more prosperous developing world will
iead to their demand for a grealer share of lhe word's food. Grealer numbers ofpeople also lead
to expanded agricultural, induslrial, and mun;cipalwater use that eventually comprom;se both
water quality and its availabilily.
The structure of lhe world economy al the beginning of the 2lst Century conlributes significanily
to the current problem. Developing countries, akeady deeply in debt to induslrialized countries,
are forced to make difiicult decisjons that often tavor cash crops over food crops and exporl
earnings over self-suff iciency
It is possible lo provide adequale food and waterfor everyone. Farmers can convert to proven
sustainable agriculture by improving harvesting, trcnsportation, and storage technologies that
currently waste as much as one quarter of alltood produced. It's also possible lo use water mrjch
more efficiently in agricullure, industry, and residential.applications. Thrcugh education,

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fundamentalchanges in consumplion patlerns and diet in induslrialized couniries and a move

lowards balancing resou.ce use worldwide are possible
Food and water securily for a,l of lhe world's cilizens direclly addresses lhe rool causes of
poverty and conflict. Hungry people who begin lo eat heallhy diels become aclive and productive
members ofsociety, coniributing to a robusl international economy.

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Food Security: The Current Situation & Predictions lor the Future
The UN predicls that ihe world population will increase 10 8 billion by 2025. Accompanying that
growth will be a dlamaiic .ise in per capita consumption ot food and a growing demand for more
calories lncreased consumption will make more obvrous the huge Inequ;lies rn lhe drslnbution of
food to the people of the world.
This is nol a new problem. ln the 1950s, population experls sbocked ihe world with thejr
projeclions; many were convinced lhat, unless we made fundamenlal changes in agricultural
produciion, widespread famine would resull. Agricultural advances of the '1950s, called lhe
'Green Revolulion l" raised lhe amount ot food per capila through lhe developmenl and
inlroduction of high yield, pest resistant seeds, and increased irrigalion techniques Green
Revol!tion I was an impressive atlempl lo increase food produclion in rich and poor countries
alike. But lhe environmenialand socialimpacts oflhis agricullul revolution were significant:
tracts of land were deforesled, c hemical ferlilizers poisonecl soil and groundwaier, and
'arge
peasant
farmers losl control oi seed stocks
Most importanlly, at the beginning ol the 21st cenlury, il is clear that Green Revolulion I dicln i
aclually bridge the gap between tood producers and food consumers; it kept up with populaiion
growih ior only a moment in lime Poor people don i eal well; the result is that about 20 percent of
the world's populalion consAmes loo few calories to supporl an active working life As a result,
the productivity of both agricullural and ind ustrial workers sufferc greally in undernourishecl

de,eloprng cour1.e,
Recent advances in the area ofgenelic engineering, olten cojned "Green Revolutior ll" is the
Iatest attempl io address the probiem of insufficientfood for a growing population. Genetically
modified organisms (GI\4Os) represent to some the ultimate answer lo food shortages and to
others a serious threat to the naluralworld- GMOs rnciude seeds, which are resistanl lo cerlain
pests and have built-in genetic characteistics that promise higher yields and rcsistance lo natural
pests. But, tinkering wilh the genetic make up of lraditional crops can threaten organjc seed
slocks and produces crops, like the Terminator, that have the polenlial ofmonopolizing
international agaiculture.

Conversion of forcsls and other arable land to pasture for cattle reduces ralnforests esseniat to
the environmental health of the globe. The cycle of enuronmenlal degradation has also ledto
unnalural disasters, especially droughls and tioods ln the flrst lew years of ihe 21st century,
floods in Honduras and lndia and droughts in A{ghanistan have made those countries heavily
dependenl on intemalional food aid
There are many trouble spots in the world where food and water security arc compromised rather
ihan protected. Civilwars often threaten existing tood and waler suppiies lora variety of reasons:
laud mines and unexploded ordnance interfere with potentially produce agricullural lands, military
service of youth and farmers means a smallerwork torce, and iniernal displacement (refugees) of
rural populations results in more mouths to feed. ln tact, il is estimated that 10 prcenl of the
world's hungry people are in thai condition because ofthe clisrupiions ofwar and othe. civilstrife.

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ln the process, lhe health ol many oflhe world's cilizens sutfers. Proper nutriiion is the foundation
good health. but it is estimaied lhat abou140 million people die annually from hunger and
hunger-relaled diseases. Lack of a balanced diet and an insuiticient daily caloric irttake teave
many more vulnerable to olher diseases and unable lo resist the secondary aftlictions associaled
wilh a disease like HIV-AIDS At lhe olher end of the economic speclrum, 30 percent ofadulls in
the Uniled Stales over the age of 40 are obese and sutier from a variety ot serious health
problerrs ds\o' ialad w lh lhat , ondrlron
()1

Water Security: The Current Situation & Predictions for the Future
Water is one of the most precious commodiiies on the earih; its ownership' and use-tike foodare not equiiably distributed. The least dire predictions for the future are that by 2025, two-ihirds
of lhe world s population will be ljving with waler shortages or absolute water scarcity. These
shortages wi,l affect lhe poorest first, both in terms of domestic consumpiion and irrigalion.
World history is filled with hundreds ol examples of how water suppty delermines the success or
failure of civilizations. Every greal river system like lhe lndus Valley, the Tigris & Euphrates, Nite
Valleys, andthe Mekong lo namejusl a few - has along history of conflict and cooperation
over its conlrol Water use has determined the very nature of the civilization itgelf.
Already in this century, neiqhborinq countries have come io the brink of war over the use of river
waler shared by them For ihe mosi pad, potential conflicts have been resolved cooperatively:
157 water treaties have been signed over the pasl50 years But as the renewable suppty
deciines and world population grows, some predjct a ditferent scenario Even though onty onequarter of water- laled inieraclions were hostile in the last 50 years, there were 37 insiances
where shots were fired or some sorl oI milltarv aclion occurred

Water can be viewed, like fdod, as a commodity, which can be lraded on the world market and
produced eflicienlly with the applicalion oi the very latest technoloqy. Some multinational
corporations are interested in making water an item to be bought and sold on the world market
Poor people akeady oflen pay more lor their water lhan those in affluenl countries

ln a giimpse ofwhal could easily happen aa privatizalion of resources increases in lhe next
decade, Bechtei Corporation, backed by lhe World Bank, doubled the price of water in ihe city of
Cochabamba, Bolivia in 1999. They were unprepared ior the violenl reaction of the mostty poor
citizens of ihal city who slillsaw access to fresh water as a right and not a privitege.
lnlemal,onal law is even more e{plicil concernrng how waler should be usFd ln d;temrning vital
human needs , special attenlion is to be paid to providirg sufficient water to sustain human life,
including both drinkjng waler and water required tor production of food in order 10 prevenl starvation (Article 10 UN Convention on lhe Law of the Non-naviqational Uses)
Many of lhe most debililating diseases like.cholera, typhoid and less severe forms ofdiarrhe&are waleFborne; lack oI adequale saniiation and an unpredictable waler supply are major culprits
in h;gh infanl moriality. Irany experts claim lhal provision of clean waler both for drinking and
other household uses would be a major leverage point in assuring adequate and equitable
Planntng tor Food & Water Security: There is a Way
Despite the many worst case scenarios, we wilt be able to provide adequale food and waler to
9lo 13 billion citizens of lhe world fifty years from now Br such a goal can only be
reached lhrough a lransformation of our syslems of production and dislribuiion. We will have to
choose to use ihe resources of lhe earlh jn a more equjtable and sustainable way.

lhe esiimated

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A good slartlng point in achieving this goal is lo stabilize world population grcwth al a workable
levei. Reproductive health educalion efforls in rural communilies can have dramatic results,
especially ln convi.cing girls and women ot the wisdom of reducing family size. This will slow the
process of land fragmentaiion that is having such a destructive impact especially in Asia. Since
ihe poor oflen count on larqe families as a form of insurance, it slands to reason that as food and
waler security increase, one of lhe incenlives ior more children disappears.
This vicious cycle of poverly can.be broken in a variety of ways, but one ol lhe most effeclive is to
provide ihe food and water required for produciive work. The Worlcl Foocl Summii Plan ofAction,
adopled in 1996 by nearly every nation of lhe world, slates lhat poverly eradicalion is essenlial
lo improve access io food " l\rany stldies show thai increased caloric intake increases per capila
income dramalicallyln alnrosl every country of lhe world ihere are grassroots NGOS devoted to reducing the gap
between rich and poor. Many ot these olganizalions arc largeling rural farmers and making selfsufliciency in food their number one priority. The Bangladesh Rural Advancement Comm'ttee
(BRAC) concentrates on poor ruralwomen and promoles home based income generaling
d.lrvrles. i\e {ood procescinq and pourlry reanng
Heifer lnternational, a non plofit organization empowers locai communities by offering heallhy
animals lo the rural poor and injtialing an ethic of mutual assistance.
Cooperallves and olher local organizalions ofler an imporlant antidote lo the impoverish'ng
effecls of globalizalion Anti'WTO aclivists claim thai free lrade and open markels musl be
balanced with programs lhat proteci and suppori indigenous agriculture and resist lhe lrend
lowards privalEaiion of commonly held resources like waler, for example
Competilion for scarce resoirces like iood and waler can eilhe. be a source of future conflicl or of
peaceful cooperation Recerily lhere have been concerted efforts internationally to eslablish
processes ofcooperalion which have led to the Nile Basin lnitialive, lhe
Waters Trealy, and
'ndus Food Program is
a GlobalAlliance ior Waler Security, to name just a few programs. The World
often lhe most imporlanl agency in areas of conllict, providing foocl lo refugees and the internaliy
displaced They are eager lo turn reliet into redevelopmenl and, ihrough lheir Food for Work
program, allempt to address some of lhe root causes ofcontlicl.
lnternalional orcanizalions are also working hard to prcmote cooperation between developing
counlries in food produciion. For example, Ihe UN s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has
a Special Program for Food Securily thal targets lhe 86 lowest income food deficit counlries, and
pairs them wilh another poor country lhat has made signilcant agricu,tural advance's under
sjmilar conditions. NGOs like OXFAM foster small-scale local assistance programs, which bring
logether rivalt bal groups for seed sharing or developmenl of appropriaie technology

covernments, which are responsive lo tbe needs ofalllhen cilizens, willcerlarnly make food and
waier security lheir top priority. The numberof democratic governments in lhe world continues to
grow; this trend is encouraging. Bul even a democ.acy as large as lndia, in ils efforls to foster
economic groMh, can failto listen lo the grassroots. Anti hunger activists make a strong case for
politicians io balance globatand localeconom'cs needs.
Consciousness of the tragility ot the natural world is growing and citzens and governmenls are
beginning to adopt measures io prolect our naturalenvironment Susiainable agricoltural
practices are an essentialfirsl step in this process, since mechanized production farming can
lake a toll on soil and waler resources In the induslrialized world, consumers a paying grealer
atlenlion to what they eal and insistinO on healthier diels. ln response, many farmers are
converting from heavy chemica I depe ndent praclices to more sustainable method of prodLrclion
and are remaining compeiilive in lhe process. Altemative approaches to growing food and

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models oi appropriate iechnology are being disseminaled in the developing world with some

As lhe enormity oi the water crisis sinks in, a'ternaiives to wasteful irigation ate being explored.
For example, lsrael has pioneered a waleFsaving method of d.ip irrigation lhat is being used in
other arid climates. OXFAM has also supported the wider use ol a locally developed plow in lhe
Horn ofAfrica, which cullivates lhe land in a way that uses rainwater more eflic'ently. Atthe high
lech end of the scale, desalination and complex waler transpori syslems are being explored. ln
indust alized countries domestic waler conservalion is emphasized in schools and efforts are
being made lo curb waste

All of these solutions have meril, but efforts to reverse lhe climale change broughl aboui by
carbon emissions are among lhe most importani Rising waler levels caused by lhe melting of ice
caps and genera' overheating oI the climate are akeady having a devaslating effecl on
agriculture Reduclion of carbon emissions is critical if we wanl lo reverse the negative impacts of
globalwarming
The healih of the enlire populalion of the world rests on the availabilily oi clean water and
nutrilious food. The epidemic of HIV-AIDS in Atrica is a good example: ;n many countries, the
farmers who produce the tood and could pass on lhe agriculturalskills have clied. Ugancia has
taken exiraordinary steps to slow lhe ,nfection raie and restore healih lo the rural areas. The
World Food Progm, in iis many food assistance piograms to refugees and viclims of natural
disasters, I'nks food and health care in an eftorl to break ihe cycle
The World Health Organization along with NGOs charged with reforming health care in ihe world
has focused on clean waler as the best way to prevent debilitating disease in develop'ng
counlries. Village wells and a guaranteed supply otwater lo the millions who live in the barrios oi
the world willgo a Iong wayln reducing disease and promoling health.

Conclusion
As we enter 21st century, we are beginnang to realize that we do have the ability to feed ihe world
and io provide each global citizen with sufficienl clean waler. Even though we iluctuate belween
hopelessness and optimism, we are aware thal we must make some dramatic changes in the
way we eat and how we use waler. Until resources are more equitably distributed and we
conlinue to develop and implemenl sustainable processes into ihe way we grow food, lhe basic
problem of hunger willlikely persist.
When poor people have enough lo eat and waler to drink and wash wilh, they enter the global
economy as partners and consumers and business lhrives- When communities lake charEle of
lheir own food production and protect theirwater sources lhe environment lhrives and the land
begins io recover- And when everyone is receiving lheirfair sha.e of the food and water oflhe
world, one ofthe most serious sources of conflict is removed.
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47

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After Iood and water, energy lo cook or heal or move from place to place is lhe most basjc human
need. Whether we microwave a pizza or cook ihe evening meal on dried cow dung, energy
impacls every aspect of our life. ln fact, modern economies and cullures are often defined by the
cycle of energy production and consumption.

ln ihe pasl we ve worried about how long supplies of energy will lasl; our consumpt'on patterns
have been driven by a fear lhal some day we ll simply run oLit. Recenlly, we have become aware
of the imporlance ofsustainable use of a varieiy of energy sources lrom tradjtional loss il fu els lo
pholovoltaic (solar) cells. A{d we know thal our eney models are not susiainable because of
environmenlal, economic, and oeopolitical issues.

Al the beginnlng ofthe 21sl centLrry, despite a slowly changrng atLdude concerning wrse use, we
are siill reliani on tradilional sources of energy and on unsustainable palterns o{ consumption.
Hydrocarbon tuels (oil, natural gas, and coal) slill provide nearly 80 percent of lhe world's energy
even though iheir carbon conlenl leads direclly lo the development of greenhouse gases and
global warming. l\rore than iwo billion people in lhe developing world coniinue lo use lradiiional
biomass tuels like wood whose overuse has led to land degradation, deforestalion,
deserliflcation, and air pollulion.

Al one pornl rn our recent hisiory, beginning in the 1960s, we lurned to nuclear ge;eration as lhe
answer lo all of our energy needs Many counkies in bolh developed and developing coua:tries
have built nuclear power plants, and must address the safe disposalofwaste producls of nuclear
energy as well as polential lhreats io lhe humans and lhe nalural environment from operational

Renewable sources of energy like sol.rr, wind, hydro, and hydrogen powerconstitule a miniscule
percentage of the total energy package, but they are receiving greaier ailention and emphasts as
sustainability gains creclence.
As with all the other major issues facing the world today, we have lhe means to reverse the nonsustainable trends ouilined above ancl to prcvide non-polluting energy to the world s people. Such
a change however, would require an inlernalional effort, redesigning the world energy system
wilh the tollowing key goals:

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1. Efficienl use of existing energy, two thirds of which is curenlly wasled At Ihe same time, a
global program of eificienl use would also slress more equitable distribution;
2. A shift lrom hydrocarbons to renewable energy sources including wind, solar, geolhermal, and
hydrosen,
3 Redesigning communlties, businesses, homes, and modes of lransportation so that ihey use
less-as well as different torms of energy;
4 Transferrinq sustainable energy iechnologies directly lo developing nations, enabling lhem lo
'' leapfrog ' beyond the unsustainable models currently used by the developed world.
5. Adoption of international treaiies and binding agreemenls concerning wise energy use.

There are many encouraging examples ol sleps being laken in the direclion suggesled above In
many countries ot the lvorld, the urgency of climate change and the impaci ot environmenlal
degradation are spurring individuals and governments 10 aclion
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lmpacts of Unsustainable Energy Policies on the World

Al either end ol the economic spectrum, ihe way people use energy nol only impacls their lives
bul also affects the world as a whole However, within each one of the impacis mentioned below
is lhe seed of a so'ulioni suslainabilily is the iesl of its long-te.m etfectiveness
As mighl be expecled, energy consumplion patterns and economic status are direcily linked. The
United States and Canada, wilh only 6 percent of the world s populalion consume nearly 30
percenl oflhe world's energy while allof Africa consumes only 5 percenl At lhe village level in
Africa, such a statistic means that women spend a signif'cant part of time dudng lhe day simply
gathering the energy requue-d lo process and cook their Iood. Consequenlly, lhey have less time
lo spend on rncome general,bn or efforls lo relieve their poverly They would pay a significantly
larger amounl for the same energy as a more affluent indiv'dual and have less capiial available
for heallh care and education

ln ihe rich nalions of lhe world, energy tor cooking, heattng, hol water, and light are readily
available at a relalively low cosl. They have invested in both the cenlralized sources and
extensive dislribution systems to make that energy available lo cilizens and businesses. At the
same time, il is estimated that almosl two billion people stilllack electricity in their homes.
Providing similar, inexpensive energy to the village woman ot lhe developing world would
transform the economic siatus of ber family. One of the foundalions of a civil sociqty is the
provision of a reliable and cheap source of energy.
Provision of clean wate. and adequate food tely heavily on the availability of an inexpensife and
reliable source of energy. According to the United Nations there are nearly one billion people of
the world who are undernourished and musl increase thei daily caloric inpul lo 2,160. To do that
requires more efficient production by even peasant farmers who rely on energy for irrigation,
mechanizalion, and oiherforms ot basic agriculturaltechnology. Transter of harvesled crops to
market requires noi only a developed infrasvuclure but also a kuslworthy system of
lransporlation, which again relies on cheap energy. At various points during this cycle of
production and consumption, ihe processing of food also requires energy, wheihet il be sun for
drying or electricity for elaborate preserving operalions.
Most experts claim thal potable water is an essentiql key lo development. ln viliages as well as
large urban areas, energy is crucially jmportanl bolh in the drilling of wells and the development
ofwaler sources and in trealment and supply. Food and waler securily, in turn, impactthe
general health and the quality of health care ofworld citizens.

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But world heallh is also impacted negalively by careless ploduction and use oi energy. At the
producer level, the health of coal miner, refinery worker, and wood colleclor can be advetsely
aflecied by lhei activilies. ln the processing and cooking offoods, many ruraldwellers in the
developrng world are exposed lo harnful smoke and other by-producls of burning organic
material ln developing counlries where large refineries are localed like in lhe Niger DeJla region
of Nigeia, the health of lhose living in lhe vicinily is di.ectly affected. As lhe scale of ploduciion
and fossilluel use increases (in manufacturing and transpodaiion sectors, for example), so do the
harmful emissions thal are breathed in by large populalions ofihe world Finally, andmost
significantly, increased carbon in lhe atmosphere is acceleraling globalwarming with resullant
skin cancer and respiratory problems.

Local and global environmenls both suifer in the face of unsustainable energy policies. Acid rain,
a direcl resull ofthe burning of iossilfoels, .enders large bodies of waler lifeless. Globally, the
greenhouse effect already threalens lowlying areas with tlooding as ocean waier levels rise Arid
regions oflhe world like lhe Sahel in Africa are threalened by increased desertificalion. Pipelines,
dislances from oilsource to convenient porl as in Chad and Cameroon,
which strelch over
effeci on the local populations and lhe environment Oilspills resulting from
have a devaslating 'ong
lransporlalion in superlankers and lhe pipelines lhemselves afiecl localflora and tauna in a
variety ofways On the locallevel, when ruralpopulalions must rely on wood bolh for processing
and cookinq food as wellas for heal, the ullimate result is defo.esiation and land degradalion.

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Sustainable Solutions to the World Energy Crisis

As individuals we can make decisions about our personal energy use "policy which, combined
with similar aclions ol othei cilizens, can profoundly affect ihe iocal and global envjronrnent. As
world cilizens we can work'for national and internalionalpolicies, which favor equitable and wise
use of resources and non-pollutjng forms of energy. ln both cases, the guiding principle must be
sustainability For each otthe solutions meniioned belowwe mustfirsl ask these questions: 1)
does ii take inio accounl lono term impacts on all relaled issues and 2) will it preserve the
resources tor fuiure generalions?
On lhe international level, rich nations can transfer sustainabie energy lechnologies to developing
nalions, thus allowing lhem to leapfrog beyond the deslruclive energy models used by lhe
industfialized regions. ln order 10 reduce global warming, indusirialized nations might agree to
limit their carbon emissions while otfering "crediis lo developing nations wiih a much lower rate
of resource consumption Any attempt by the rict] nations io reduce their dependehcy on fossil
fuels will Lr'tamately benefil Ihe poorer countries as well as reduce their own rising energy bills. ln
a sustainable approach to eneryy use, reduction of wasteful practices musl be linked withredislribulion olwhal rs alreadv ava'lable.
Nationally, extending the power grid to rural areas will have the etfect of slowing flighi to the
cilies, reducing inetticienl use ot biomass energy and freeing women to engage in income
generat'on and productive aclivities. Development and xtension ot renewable energy sources in
areas of poveriy would have the added impacl oi creating jobs at ihe local level. Solar, wind, and
waterpower technology can lransform remote parts ot counlries into valuable assets and provide
cheap rel;able power to ftJraldwel'erc.
Significant steps a.e being taken in developing inlernational energy policies thatwill prolecl lhe
environment. The latest vercion of lhe Kyolo Prolocol, approved by all ofthe developed nations
exceptlhe United Siates, includes ai elaborate tormula for reducing greenhouse gases by
agreeing to limii carbon emissions to prescribed levels. Many industrial nalions have teduced
waste and actively promoted the development of renewabte energy resources.

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The use of hydrogen and other non-polluting fuels would have a dramatic effect on lhe
environmeni. lf hydrogen can be ef{iciently isolated (eilhe. ihrough solar power or other means)
and distr'buted cheaply it could provide a clean fuel for inlernal combusiion engines and
revolutionize transportalion as well as power generation. Other atlempts at de-carbonization of
fossil fuels and crealion of synthetic fuels could have similarly positive effects on lhe environment.
Tree planling on land already degGded by heavy firewood cutting would not only increase
oxygen production but also provide cheap energy to peasant tarmers.

Enelgy policies that are envircnmentally friendly will have a direci eftect on many world health
problems as well The shift from fossil iuels to renewable energy sources means that individuals
directly exposed to g.eater risk, such as coal miners or lhose living in vicinity ot nuclear power
plants, would automalically live healthier lives At the village level, women engaged in arduous
daily wood gathering and families exposed lo haimiulsmoke trom cook fires would benefit greatiy
from alternalive, clean energy sources.
As po'lulants generaied in powr and indusirial production and lransportalion are reduced so are
the many heallh problems associatecl wiih them Skin canceB associated with the greenhouse
effeci and many pulmonary problems arising from air pollulion would be dramatically reduced as
conservalion measures take ef{ect and solar/airlwater power replaces fossilfuels

Smallsleps have aheady been made in promoling appropriate technology in agriculture,

especially in irrigation With the advent offuelcells and other allemative forms ofenergy.
mechanization on a small scale will be more atfordable and friendly lo ihe environment As
photovoltaic cells become more affordable, small farmers will be able to raise and move waler to
arid lands and inc.ease iheir produclivity w;ihout harming the environment
Cheap energy allows for fobd processing and prese.valion al the local leveland/or efficient
transporlation to markeis Ground waler pollutjon from the extraction of lossilluels will be
rcduced sjgnificantly with sustainable energy policies
The sooner we reduce our dependence on fossilfuels the sooner we'll redlce polenlial regional
and international conflicls Some obseNers of the international scene argue convincingly ihat
over reliance by developed counlries on Middle Eastern oil has heightened the potentialfor
contlict in lhat area The construclion of pipelines aeross parts of CentralAsia and lhe neeci to
protect them thlealens peace. Similarly, development of the petroleum industry in countries like
Co,ombia and Ecuador has brought conflicl as well as disruption and loss of nalive cultures
As we move towards renewable energy and away from fossilfuels we increase ih'e possibility of
building truly responsive governmenls Manyoflhestales on the Persian Gult, especially Saudi
Arabia, conlinue to operale as oligarchies where an economic elile, which conlroJs the sosrce of
oil, also has absolule political power. lnduslrialized naljons dependent on fossilfuels apply a

diflerent standard ofgood govemance lo lheir suppliers, accepting human rights abuses ard antidemocratic practices. Once energy is diskibuted more equitably lhe political powerlhat resides
with a small economic elite becomes diluled. Again, local, small scale renewable energy
programs bring with them undeniable politicalpower.

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Where Do We Go From Here?
The kinds of energy we use and tbeway we obtain them have a pervasive effect on our quality of
life, whether we're aftluent city dwellers or rural peasants. The saying you are whal you eat"
could equally be applied to the kinds of energy on which we rely. As long as the developed

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ln Lhese ir.sl years ol lhe 2lst cenlury there is some cause for oplimism. Fist, lhere is a growing
awareness of Ihe tragilily oi our environmeni and ao apparent willingness to make changes in lhe
way we l,ve Io protecl n More ciiizens are aware of lhe impacts of his or her aclions on the worlct
as a whole Gradually, cilizens ot the cher nations are reahzing lhal they must change the way
they live and change ihe'r consumption of scarce resources.

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Second, many nations of lhe world are translating ciiizens growing personal awareness into
polrtrcal aclron. The general agreement reached by mosl of lhe induslrialized nations of the world
to drasticallv rul lherr greenhouse emissions by 2012,under the Kyolo Protocol, is a gooct
e,mple of a progressive energy policy. There are a number of olhea internaiional agreements
governing energy production and consumplion which signal important changes in the way the
lool\ alhowwepowFrou, vehrcles and unourrndusl,rFs
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Th;rd, lhe innovative lechnologies of the pasl few decades are beginning to ofter us some very
alkactive allemative forms of energy. As inclividual consumers begin lo truly understand ihe
rmpo.lance oi susta,nabi|ly and tenewabiliiy as well as the evenlual afordabjlily of solar and wind
power, fossil fue]s will begin lo lose lheir edge This is aheady happening in places like San
Francisco, California where voiers recenily supported a measure to inslallas many solar panels

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The remarkable lhing about energy is how it afiects every aspecl of our lives. As a resull, we can
male personal decisions about our energy use ihal have the polential 10 afiect lhe wond as a
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lntroduclion

Good heallh is absolutely essenlial for social and economic development However, despite
progress made lowards the materiai well-being of many in the industrialized world, the majority of
the world's citizens continue io suffer from poor health
There are many reasons for this disparity, but population growlh, globalization, and inappropriate
development have had a tremendous impacl on the developjng world directly. ln the .icher
nations, over Donsumplion has caused serious environmental hea:th impacts. As an indirect resuli
a much higher priorily has been placed on curative rather lhan prevenlalive health programs.
As with all of the major issues tacing the world al lhe beginning of the 2'1sl cenlury, healih cannot
be considered in isolalion We can see its impacl on eveMhing from population, to the econony,
io peace and conflicl. By the same ioken, heallh is profoundly influenced by economic lrends,
environmental degradation,ror the budgelary priorities esiablished by any national government
A,ihough the news is filled with shocking stories about epidemics like HIV-AIDS or the lack of
health care coverage for poorer citizens in industr;alized counkies, recent reports indicale a
number of changes for the better lmmunizalion programs are expanding in ihe developing world.
There are certainly many opportuniiies to break the cycle of poor health care, including the
extension of reproduciive health faciliiies to women, as wetl as access for all people lo a
nutrilious diet and clean water

The benefits of a comprehensive global 'wellness" program are clear Heallhy cilizens arc more
capable of economac productivity as well as social and poiiiical engagement. 8ul $rch a program
would require a reordering of priorities by all nalions, so that preventive public health receives as
much suppori as the more expensive curative programs currently given lop priority in the affluent

countries. Health care, ot necessily, would take a niuch larger bite out of national and
intemalional budgets; a reordering of spending priorilies would need to lake place

Global Heafth Gonnections

Epidemics have shaped world hislory. One has only to look at Black Death in Europe and the
devaslating effects of smallpox, measles, or syphilis on the indigenous populations ofthe New
World to realize how ihe spread of disease alfects human deveiopment. The lndustrial Revolulion
of the 1gth Century also offers important lessons about the impacl of industrial pollution and
adverse working conditions on overall heallh, especially of urban populations.
But the siluation has changed dramatically as we beg,n the 21st century. The increasing
population densilies and globalizalion of the economy during this century have magnified the
impacts of disease and environmental degradalion by speeding communication and virlually

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erasing bo!ndaries, which previously might have slowed the spread of palhogens HIV-AIDS,
Wesl Nile Disease. and Ebola are a tew examples of the many potenlially leihal dlseases lhat are
scope
lruly iniemational
'n
By the same token, acid in and othe. environmental conditions pose a similar ihreat lo public
health worldwide Jusl as the outbreak of an epidemic in one corner of the world ullimately aflecis
us all, so is lt linked direclly or indireclly to allihe other majorworld issues such as population
growlh, governance, lhe rich poor gap, orthe environment
Population groMh and movemenl have had a profound effect on lhe spread and genesis oi
disease worldwide For example, those who move from ruralto urban areas are susceplible to
new diseases; increased populaiion density in urban areas also guarantees that disease will
spread more quickly. One of the mosl faFranging developmenls of the 21sl century is the aging
of the world s population. lt is a well established fact that population grows primarily because of a
decline in mortality rather than an increase in tertility. As lhe population ages, priorities in health
care change accordingly and di{ferenl kinds of services are rcquired. ln weaithy nations result has
been a marked decline in public health prcgrams and increased emphasis on chronlc diseases
and diseases that affect the aqing population
ln poorer nations lhe needs of pregnant women and newborn children are quile diflerenl and just
as pressing The major goals of lhe World Summit on Children for the year 2000, which tocus on
the reduclion of the tive year old and under mortality rate and the maiernal mortality ratio, have
not been mel, especially in the pooresl counlries of the world. The resulting impacls on
popu,ation irends in ihe developing world are profounct lfwomen in lhe poorest countries had
access to reproductive heallh services and could be assured ihat all of their childreo would
sLrrvive beyond iive years of age, the nurnber of childten born into those families would decrease
dramatically
Limited access io adequate heallh care only widens the gap between rich and poor in the world
and intensifies ihe vicious cyc,e, which leads to further impoverishment. One only needs to
compare lhe impact of the HIV-AIDS epidemic on lhe poor nations of Africa and South Asia lo the
United Slates io see how money lalks when it comes to medical treatmeni. Even so, lhere are
millions oi U S cilizens who have no heallh insurance and many more in the aging population
who conlend with substandard care and inadequate provision of drug trealment
As the medical estabhshment responds to the needs ol ihe rich countries and lhe afilueni
members of society, more emphasis is placed on ireatment of chron;c illnesses like caocer and
heart disease, and less on preventjve public heallh. ln medicaleducatjon, specialization is lhe
walchword, with precedence given to more expensive diagnoslic processes and end-ol liie care
It's been estimaled that currenl'y ihe per capita health spending in rich counlries is $2,000!
Exper{s contend thal if we sel aside only $38.00 for every person in the world we could reverse
many ot lhe neqalive Iends in hedllh ca'e p'ovision.
Poor governance often plays a critically important lole in the failure to deliver adequate health
care to all cilizens. As we've seen in our exploEtion of other issues, globalrzation has increasecl
the indebledness of poor countries and given multinationa I corporations exlensive power over the
decisions of governments, which are dependent on their investments. When govemmenls must
decide between laxing cigaretles to limit smoking and the prolils to be gained from lheir
deregulated sales, lhey frequently opt fot the latter.

Corrupt government practices inlluence everything from lhe funding of public hospitals lo medical
education programs, especially in the poorer counlries. When you combine lack of accountabiliiy
ai all levels with pressure from international lending institutions like the lnternational Monelary
Fund (lMF) to p.ivalize heallh services and remove the safety net, it's nol surprising thal only the
privileged few in most countries have access to adequale health care.

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To a growing number of people, the failure of governrnents to acknowledge their AIDS epidemics
and to provide low cosl drugs is a gross violation of the'r human rights. Following the lead of
Amnesty lnlernational, firosi international human righls organizations are insisiing that lhe
governments of the world must adhere lo the major provisions oi the lnternational Covenant of
Economic, Social and Cullural Righis. This means lhat pharmaceulical companies, ior example,
need lo provide afoldable retroviral drug ireatmenl rather lhan guarding lheir patenls and pricing
drugs oul of reach in those countries Accepling the universality of human rights also means that
'governmenls and lhe internationalmedical eslablishment mustwork against praclices that have
negalive consequences on the heallh of young women such as female genital mutilation
Food and waler security are key links in the chain that leads to good health at all levels of a
sociely and in the family of nalions fhere are probably no rnore essential elemenls in the
prevenlive approach lo disease lhan good diel and a clean, adequate water supply. Both ends of
the economic specirum are affected by diet: affluent count es suffer from the maladies oi
afiluence like cardiopulmonary disease and other diseases associaled with obesjty and unhealthy
diel and those who live on rice and beans are simply malnourished. Goal 3 of ihe 2000 World
Summii for Children was to cut in half malnutrition .ales among children under the age offive.
Weve fallen iar short of lhis goal. and, in facl, the absolule number of malRourished children has
increased in Africa. [,,]any predicl that, uniess pr,oriiies are seriously reordered, waler shortages
wjllplague most of the world, especially ifwater sources are privalized as part of lhe process of
globalization.

A changed envjronmenl challenges good global health. There are counlless examples of the
connection betv{een environmenlal change and increased disease. For example, the anopheles
mosquiio has moved into larger and larger areas in response lo global warming, and lhe
increased rainlall in many parts of the world has led lo a higher incidence of cholera, dysenlery,
lyphoid, and other walerborn-6 disease. Everyone is familiar with increased skin cancer due lo
our depleted ozone laver l[e harmful impacts of herbicides and pesiicides on both agricultural
,or[ers a.d con(umers. dnd rhe .n pacl ol a r pollulion on young and old a|he. ln lhe
induslialized world, workplace-related mental illnesses often associated wilh stress are
becoming commonplace. Allhough some scienlists are convinced lhat genetically modified
organisms are ihe only answer lo world hunger, olhers argue equally lorcefully thal they pose a
profound threai to lhe ilora and fauna of the world, as weli as pose potential adverse impacts to
human health. Al lhe beginning of the 21st century it appears that an ailing environmenl is having
a protoundly destructive impact on the health ofworld cilizens.
Finally, ill health is a security threat lo the world Healih problems have the polential lo reduce
economic output lo the point that entire regions mighl be destabilized. The HIV-AIDS pandemic
has had this effect on Africa where, in some countries like Uganda, Botswana, and Malawi, nearly
an entire generalion of farmers has djed, crippling the ability of those counttes lo supporl
ihemselves. As we have seen in our analysis of food and waler security, unhealthy peopldare
more vulnerable lo mililary control and more likely to become involved in intercommunily conflicts
oul of despe.alion. A healthy population is more productive and less likely to become involi/ed in
ihe civilconflicts which plague many parts oflhe world today, as in SriLanka, the Middle East,
and Afghanistan. ln a destabilized world, it is also possible to weaponize pathogens as the
ultimaie chemical biological weapon available to teforists or rogue states- There is no more lethal
lhreat to global security than fast-spreading epidemics againsl which we have no real defense-

Health Care: Priorities tor the 2'lst Century

Not only meci,cal professionals butalso many development experts argue that, like education,
health care for all is a goal worth working towards. There are a number of concrete measures,

each ofwhich moves lhe world's population to belter health. The l\rjllennium Development coals,
adopied at the Millennium Summit in Sept 2000, callfor major improvement in the health ofthe
poor. The delegales recognized the importance of improving the healtb and longevity ofthe poor

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as an end in ilselJ, bui also as a means io achieving the other development goals relaling to

poverly rcduction. For example, immunizalion progms dramalically reduce infant mortality as do
provision of oral re-hydration iherapy (ORT) io the under live year olds who sufter from chronrc
diarrhea While there is no quick fix" for lhe heallh problems of lhe world, il is possible to reverse
many of the irends meniioned above that pose such a significant threat lo world health- ln this
seclion we will explore both what is akeady being done to address lhreals to global health and
also iocus on some ofthe ambilious proposais designed io bring adequate health care to all.

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Worldwide access lo rep.oductive heallh care would be a gianl step lowarcts population
slabilizalion. Not only would il reduce the tio oipopulation to health care infrastructure bul it
would also signilicantly reduce miglation. The capacity lo conlrolfamjly size permils women 10
safeguarct lheir chosen c hildren s' health by focusing on lheir improved hygiene and diet ralher
lhan their survival Stabilizirg populataon movement, especially trom ruralto urban areas will also
slow the spread of diseases like HIV-AIDS associated with lransient groups such as sex workers
imporlantly, reproduclive health services are by their very nature
and truck drive.s.
preventive and reassert
'\,4osl lhe imporiance oi public heallh and primary heallh care as opposed to
privale, curative approaches.
Does the narrowing of lhe rich-poor gap lead to improved healih or is it the other way around? ln
iacl, boih are probably true. Jl ce'lainly makes sense ihai affordable treatmenl and access lo
lools ot prevenlion like immunization and family planning contibule lo a more economically
produclive pcpulaiion. Sirong heallhy indusirialand agriculturalworke.s and studenis certainly
wolK with greater atleniion and efficiency. People wiih a siable income will be abLe lo afford

adequate health care. Experts in international anti-poverty straleg'es often link improved heatth
care for the poor wilh educalion al all age and ability levels as a key ingredient in reducing or
even eliminating poverly The GlobalCampaign Againsl HIV-AIDS gives equal emphasis to
community education and clrug trealment.
On a more global level, reduction of lhe crushing.nalional debis of the poorest nalions ol the
world is essenlial; ihese counlries can then budgel for basic heallh services. Jeftrey Sachs, Chair
of The Commission on Macroeconomics & Health recommbnds the crealion of a Close to Clienl
(CTC) system in which the local healih post is given higher budgetary priority lhan hospilals and
expensive medical facilities. The ef{ecliveness of such prog.ams binges on the efiiciency and
accouniability of bolh localand nationa'governments
whrch civilsociety plays the key role.
Good governance guarantees ihal local primary heallh'ncare as well as massive immunizat'on
programs like those currently supported by lhe Bjll&
Nlelinda Gates FoLrndation are efiectively and equilably administered.
Rapid communicalion and lhe widespread use ofthe lnternet have led lo ttr" gro*if, ot
consciousness lhai good health is indeed a human right. ln the World Health Organization's 50th
anniversary siatemenl they reatfjrmed the right of all people to have adequale health care:
Human Righls Watch and Amnesiy lntemaiional have also pledged io expand their advocecy
programs to economic, culiural, and social rights, recogn;zing ihat, wilhoul good health, freedom
of speech is almost a luxury. At the beg'nning of lhe 21sl century, the Global Fund to Fighi AIDS,
TB, and Malaia has underscored lhis commitmenl by targeting these three diseases, which affect
ihe most under-served populaiions oilhe world.

lndeed, recent courl decisions in South Africa allowing the manufaciure of a generic anliretroviral
AIDS drug suggest a shift in
aititude towards the rights of ihe poor to affordable drugs.
'egal
Given the urgency oI the worldwide environmenlal crisis, it's tempting io give precedence to
programs that address pollution and globalwaming. But the inter.elatec,ness of all global
problems reminds us lhat we can'tfocus on CO2 emissions without also lookjng at the habits of
ihe truck drivers who are prime carriers of Ihe HlVvius. Prevenlion is as importanl in lhe
environmental arena as jn lhe lransmission of djsease Most nations of the world have signed the

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Kyoto Protocol, agreeing to reduce carbon emissions significantly before lhe end of lhe first
decade of this cenlury By reducing global warming we will also narrow the talge ol lhe malariacarrying anopheles mosquito,lust as more prediclable weather patterns willevenlually moderale
ll'- rn pacl o'cl'olera
Food and water security are obviously key links ;n the chain of health care for all We continue to
equiiable dislribulion. We
make impressMe slrides in lhe production offood but not always in
'ts
tesisting the pressures to
organic
agr'culture
at
the
local
level,
while
must encourage suslainable
orow cash crops and overuse lechnology There are impressive examples in both ihe developing
and developed world of the application of appropriale technology lo food produclion. Emphasis
on a more balanced diet and belter use of available land for the produclion of food grains inslead
of catile teed will make a tremendous difference in internalional tood security. A reliable water
soorce at the village level kansforms the lives ol a,l ils inhabilants; organizalions like OXFAM and
Uniled Nalions Developmenl Program are promoting relatively inexpensive small-scale projects.
They lead direct'y to nof only a changed allitude aboul what's possible, bul io the mobilizalion ot
civil society. The village health posl is lhe next step.

Health For All: We Can Make a Difference

All of the above measures are componenls ofwhat we can calla globalwellness program. lvlany
oI these sleps are preventive in nature and are not lhal expensive, even on a global scale.
lmmunjzation against smallpox and olher campaigns in the pasl against diseases have been
lremendousiy effective. We can conlinoe to achieve ihe same successes bul ii will require a basic
shft in altitude as we recognize the increased inlerconnecledness of humanity and rea'ize that ill
healih and the resulting insiability anywhere in the world can affect us all. Only by reaffirming the
imporlance of public heahh willwe be able to achieve these goals Preventive and holistic
heallhcare clearly the foundallon stones ior global wellness.

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ll mlght be argued that withoul lhe mulliplier of population none of lhe p.oblems we confront
would be of sutiicient magnilude lo qualify as global Certainly ii population were slable, many
Jlobalissue5 ,!ould bF'dr mo'. m.ndg.ablp

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World population exceeded six billion in 1999 - doubling trom three billion in 1960 and is
currently increasing by 80 io 85 million people each year. Depending upon the choices we make
over the next lew decades, demogmphers ai ihe United Nations project world populaiion in 2050
could be anywhere 7 3 billion lo 10 7 billion. lt is inrportanl to nole thal these scenarios assume
fertility willdecline significantly in lhe idure

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A number of taciors drive lhis growih. At lhe mosi basic level, ii is because iar more people are

born each year than die. Advances in nutrition and health care have increased survival raies and
longevily ior much ot the wgrld, and shifted the balance between bidhs and deaths.

Another is populalion "momenium". Even though terlility rates have come down worldwide from
an average of six children per womarj in 1950 to 2.9 children per woman in 2000 - lhere are
many more people of childbearing age today than eve. befoe Roughly half lhe worid s
populalion is under age 25, so as those three billibq people stad families over the next few
decades, world population will likely increase by several billion.

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Another reason for continued high levels of population gtowlh is that fertility rates remain
relatively hjgh in some populous regions like Atrica and Soulh Centml Asia Broadly speaking,
population groMh is higher in those regions because levels of income and education are lower

Decisions about family size are often based on economic factors, and in poorer socielies,;aving
numerous children may be an imporlant assel. They provide support and secur;ty in parenls'old
age, help ise food, haul water, care for younger s iblings, and gather fuel wood Child ren may
also work forwages outside lhe home, be indentured, or even sold lo help support the family.
Birrh rates are also closely l;nked to educat'on The more educalion people have, the more
economic oplions they generally have, and the fewerchildren lhey are likely lo wanl or need. ln
lhe areas ofthe world where education levels are highest- Europe, Japan, China, the former
Soviet Bloc, and Norlh America - fertility is correspondingly lowest.

Population and Ecological Footprint

Population is about far more than numbers, however ll's also about ages, abilities, litestyles, and
consumption. One approach scientists are increasingly using lo study population through the
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concept of "ecological footprinl pioneered by Mathis Wackernagel and W'll'am Reese The
foolprinl Bodel calculates the area of the Earth's productive su.iace (land and sea) necessary to
supporl a particuiar lifesiyle or levelof consumption
Viewed lhat way, every person has a "footprinf'lhat Ialls on the environmenl Al the most basic
level, it includes enough land lo produce food and frber lo raise crops and graze animals and
grow lrees - and enough clean waler lo drink, wash and irigate. We also need enough land to
supply some sort of energy for heating and cooking, and to safely dispose of lhe wasles we
generate
As indiv'duals hfesiyles and consumption expand, sodo theirtoolprinls As.nalions become more
indusirialized and lheir siandards ol living increase, lhey consume more resources, and occupy a
larger footprint. They need more iarmland to suppoil higher protein diets, and may clear forests,
plow prairies, orfillwetlands lo provide il. They need mo.e waler, and have to lap more lakes and
aqui{ers, and dam and divert more rivers. They need more energy, and have to build more power
planls, burn more fuels, and release more pollulants
Growing populations and higher levels of development also require additional iofrastructure and
increased levels o{ social and communily services- More people need more housing, hospitals,
roads. schools, parks ancl piaygrounds. More highly developed societies, because their
consumption is grealer, use more land and resources per person To supporl lheir economies
and produce consumer goods, they require more factorles, offices, businesses, and shopprng
cenlers. To dispose of lheir wastes, they need more landfills, sewage syslems, and ioxic
conlainment siies.
Each oi lhese needs is met by extracting resources from lhe environmenl, often \,rithout
replenishing them. The mole people on the p'anet - and the oreater the averaqe level of
consumplion by ary individual or group lhe more resources are required to meel ihose needs
and lhe larger the human footprinl on lhe planet. The larqer the human footpinl, the less area
remains for other spec'es and naturalsystems.

Carrying Capacity and Population

The iotal human foolprint the Eadh can wilhstand is expressed as the "carrying capacity" oflhe
planet. Carrying capacity is the maximum numbe. of people the Earth can supporl without
enclangering its ability to support that population in the future. A population thal does not erode
the resource base or otherwjse degrade lhe planets abilily to srJpport lhat populalion in the future
is considered "suslainable"
Carrying capacity is difficull lo accurately assess, however. ln recentyears, lhe Earth's carrying
capacity has been suggested to be as low as one billjon people, or as high as 40 billion people.
Environmentalists and biologisls typically pul forth lower numbers, while economisls and
busjnesspeople ollen pul forlh hnher i,gures
This divergence appears to be rooled in philosophy- Many growth advocales argue thal
increasjng population is necessary Io provide more workers and consumers to expand the global
economy. And they suggest lhat the natural ingenuily of people will overcome the problems this
growlh creates.
Some indusirialized nalions, such as Germany, with slable populations already tace shortages of
younger workers, and groMh advoc?tes argue that iheir economies will suffer as populalions
age. Not only may there not be enough workers to keep up prodlrction, lhey suggesl, but there
may not be enough workers to pay inlo retirement and medical plans lo support older citizens.

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Advocates of "sustainability argue ihat increasing population and consumpiion are already
causing damage to the planel, and that deforeslation, soil erosion, exlinclion of species, and
pollution of ai. and waler are all indicators of exceeding carrying capacity.

Populrtion Conneclions
One way lo view the issues and impacts of populaljon groMh is through ihe "Global lssues
Itlobile" Essentially il shows thai as our populaiion increases, human needs food, waler,
energy, liveljhood, etc. increase as well. We attempt lo meei lhose needs by consuming more

When populalion levels reach a criticalthresbold, we then see both a decline in lhe resource
base, and damage to the environmenl. which supplies allthose resources These trends reinforce
each other the damaged environment provides fewer resources, and lhe shortage of resources
causes us to further damage the environmenl. At some point, when lhere are nol enough
resou.ces to go around, we see signilicanl scarcity,,ancl poverty, which is lhe human iace of

Scarcily and povedy underlie a number of problems. One is discriminaiion. When resources are
scarce, lhose in power ollen decide who won t gei a fair share, and may discriminale against
women and girls, or other races, religions, or economic classes.
When resources are scarce, people may also move in search of more resources. There are
hundreds of millions of migrants in lhe world today, seekrng food, waler, land, and work. Scarcily
drives legal and illegal immigralion into the US and other induskialized nations as people slruggle
to survive and supporl their families.
And when scarcily is acuie,'people may engage in conllicl over resources. As world popolation
and consumption grow, envrronmenlal impacis multiply, and resource scarcity worsens As
environmenlal desiruction and scarcity spread, and as more people compete for limited
resources, social, ethnic, and po litical tensions increase This combination drives political
instabiliiy, declining social health, and greater mag.allon.
The combination of populalion, consumption, and scarcity has fueled more than 150 amed
contlicls since the end oJ World War ll, and driven tens of millions ot people trom lheir homes as
economic migranls or refugees. As shortages of essenlial resources such as water, farmland,
and iisheries reach critical levels, many security analysis expecl conilict over thosg .eso!rces lo
intensify.

Ullimalely, our own numbers, and the lifestyles many of us choose lo live, drive all the crilfcal
issues we confront Left unchecked, the combinalion ol pop!lation grc$,th and consumplion along with increasing inequjty between rich and poor individuals and nations will ultimaleiy
ihrealen not only the well being, but also the lives ot a majority of people on lhis planet.

Personal and Struclural Solutions - What Can We Do?

ForlLrnaiely, a future of scarcity and conflict is not inevitable. Expeis poinl lo stabilizing the
population as the key step. Solving the problem of population groMh will lhen help solve the

environmental, economic and socialproblems we confroni

lnterestingly, solving cuffenl environmental, economic, and social problems will help solve the
problem of popu,ation growth. As the Uniled Nations Conference on Populalion and Development
reported, "Efforls to slow populalion groMh, to reduce poverty, to achieve economic progress, to

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improve environmental proteclion, and lo reduce unsustainable consumption and production

patlems are mutually reinforcing_
On a personal level, there are a number of Ihings each of us can do l\,4ost importantly, we can
ferlilily This is especially important for citizens ot industria lized counkies,
because people in those count.ies have large. ecological footprints, due to lifestyles ad
Lonsdmplion levelq
cons ider ou r own

We can lower our own consumption and envjronmental impacts by making informed choices
about how we live, and whal we own and use. Consumer preference is lremendously powerful in
shaping producl manulacturing and markeling, and is aheady beginning to lransform many

There are also a numbe. of structural solutions io lower population groMh rates. An important
struclural solulion lo populalion grolt'th is univeasal access to reproductive health care lf every
couple in the world could reliably and affordably choose ihe number and spacing of their children,
world populalion growlh would slow by nearly 20 percent almost immectiately

lnvestmenl jn community health care is also necessary. Adequale heatih care woutd significantty
reduce intant, child and maternal mortality, and allow community members to be more socialty
and economically productive ln some parts ol the wo rld, parents expect one or more of thetr
children 10 die of hLrnger or disease. ll they have a reasonable expectation that their children witt
survive and be heallhy, lhey won t need "extra" children to oflset those deaths
Educating and empowering women is exiremely imporlanl Women with higher levets of
educatjon tend lo marry later, bear children later, and have fewer, and healthier, children. More
educated women generally have higher incomes, more econornic oplions, and more power in
their families and communittes
We can supporl structuralsolutions that stabjlize population through voting and active
participalion in lhe polilical process. While individuals can't implement politjcaland structurat
solutions on lheir own, lhey can help raise awareness, promote discussion, and influence jocal,
regionaland national policies. Many ofthese solutions can be ;mplemented at state, county, city,
or even neighborhood levels, through land use actions and budget priottjes and attocaiions.
Many are akeady being implemented at some level around the wodd. lndividuals can support and
contribule to groups involved in ihat work, lobby tbeir representatives to support and fund tbat
work. and toin rn lhat work as volunleers.
We know lhal these sojulions work Since 1950, totalferlility has fallen 50 percent worldwide.
lnfant mortalily has declined by more than half in lhe last 35 years, and ave.age tongevityhas
increased from 45 to 65 years. More people are literate, more live underdemocratic
governmenls, and more environmentally sensilive areas and threatened species are undei some
sorl ol proleclron
The choices we make in ihe next few decades about our own numbers and lifestyles will
determine whelher the world of the 21st century will be one of hope and opportunjly, or of scarcity
and deslruction.

hftp://w.facinghefuture.ors/cloballsuslntroduclion/IssueslnDeptvtabidts2/Defanlr.aspx

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Topic Guidc on Climate Change

Millennium Development Goals and cl'mate Change

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Governments and big business were not the only sectors to wake up to the ihreat of cl,mate chan8e
during 2005 and 2007. The intern atio nal development community t'nally absorbed the reality th.t
strate8ies to achieve the Mjllennium Develo.pment 60.ls {MDGs}are being stabbed n the back by lhe
impact oI dimate chanBe For xample, the Glob.lcalltoAction asainrt 8qvs4y{qc4q) belatedly added
d'matechangeto its lislofcoreissues.This procesr of enlightenment culminated intheuN Human
Development Report Jor 2007/08 {HDR 2007)whicb for the tirsltime focused on lhe imonct_o_f climale
chanpe on p9!9t!y. The Report i5 unequivocal'n concluding thai rtabilisation ofgreenhouse Eas emjssrons
is an "e5rential pan oI the overall f'ehi asalnst poverty and for the MDGt'.
The interdependence ir

alltoo paintully obvious.

mp octs, Ads ptotion

ond

vulnerobility,a section ol the 2007 4tb A$essmenr Repori of the lnterSovernmental

Panelon climate chanse {iPcc}, confirms that Ilctb!!!!Elqilqb!lily and crop yietds,
rhe flndamentak of human development, will berr the brunt of climate change.
Africais notonlythe most vulnerable reSion but is also the onecontinent for whkh
IPCC otfers quantified predictions .s early as 2020. ll says that between 7s and 250
m'llion people in Airica may experience water strers, whilst crop yields in some
countries.ou d be reduced by 50%. rn Asia, Blacicr retr.at in the Himalayas may lead
to water shorrages for abort 1/6th ofthe world\ population by 20s0.
Pressure on food securily and water resources will undermine development nrateSies
Ior improvi.g education, health 5eryices and opportunities lor women. shiltinB
patterns of m.laria m.v ieorardise efforts towards
elimifation. The whole pack of
cards assembled by

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built on shaky climate

sesea.ch bythe UK based loternationallnstitute tor nvionrneniand Developmentshowsrhatrhe 100

countries most vulne.able to clima!e change together account forjust 3.2% of Blobal carbon dioxide

crissions.li'sinconceivablelhatnnyinternationalagreementscouldbeblindtotheiniusticeinherntj!
dimate chanae that tbe pooren countriessufferthe greatestimpact whilst being the lowest

"Adapta!ion" is the term given lo remedial measures which might attract

internationalreparations fortheinpact ofclimate change on poorcountr'es, for
example the provision offlood defences, improved irrigation, drought-resjstant crop
varieties - measures which many richercounk'es are increasingly adoptinA
themselves atvast expense. The HDR 2007 estimats that adaptation in deveioping
countries requires the sum of586 bill'on pr, almost as much asthe entire current
Elobalaid budget. The uNt new adaptrtiqlll4 wbich held its fkst meei'ng in
March 2008, aspires to attract totalincome ofjust 5300 million by 2012, a sum lhal a
European country might contemplatefor a singleflood defencescheme. rbe UNJunded Nation.l
Adaptation Programmes ofAction {NAPAs}prepared by each Least Developed Country (t DC) recoSnise
financial real'ties by remaining extremely modest
scope, seetinEooly to identify immediate and simpie
'n a changing environment.
steps that indiv'dual .o mmunities can take to combat

:
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Afrustration Ior pove4y

cam paign ers is rhe

tendency for big;deas emer8inB in the

climatecrisi5tocreateyetlurtherinjustjceforpoorercountries

nonemoresothan

the craze for biofuelt. These can be produced from crops such as sugarcane and
maizeandused as add itives o r su brtitutes Ior fossil fu eh. Whikr developingcountries
could benefit from demand for new cash crops, ambitious biofueltar8ets announced
by both lhe US and EU may have been conceived with minimal rsearch either inro the potenrial imoact
s!_clsb,a]los lllqty or to verify du bious cla ims of n et savines in em issions.
There is furthe. injustice in the concept adopted by Bovernmenrs and some
campaigninE aEenc'es oJ a "line in the sand" a tolerance th res hold for global warming
of2 degrees beyond which iheworld stepsat its peril- Whilsr tbere may be an elemnt
ofpraBmat'sm in this suggesiion, the IPCC 2007 report shows howthe richercountries
may be relatively unscaihed up to this threshold indeed croo producr'on in remperate
zones willjncrease- wh'lst crops in topicalregions are already at thet limitof
temperature sensitivity. Smallisland staies will also feelag8rieved by a tolerance of 2
degrees; lhe rPcC reponstates that, whilst more scientif'c investigation is needed, "sea
levelrisewill ... compromisethe socio economic wllbjngof islaDd communities and
states'. Related concerns about inundation ot delta regions such as Bangladesh expose
n funherd'mension ofclimate injostice thestatus of people forced to leavethea
home5 willthey be allowed lhe same rishts as politica I refueees? The UK stern Review Report pLrblished
in 2006lentatively ru8gested a number ofup to 200 million clinr.re refueees bv 2050.

Beyondthe Kyoto Protocol

The Uniled Nations Framework Convention on Crrmirte ChanBe {UNFCCC) ihe inrernabondl rreaty agree.l
at the Rio deJaneiro "Earlhsummit" in i992 - did acknow'edge rhe chmarejustice principle rhat rich

countriesalonesfouldlakeinitialresponsibilityforreducinggreenhousegaiem'ssions.Thesecountries
are known as Annex 1co!!tl!g! and it they who are subjecr to le8ally binding trrgets underrhe Kvoto
P rotocol whic h was negotiated in 1997 's
as asupplementto the UNFCC and evenruatty ratified nr February
2005
AlthouShihese countries in aSSregateshould achieve the Kvoto tarRet of a 5%
reduction in their t 990 level of greenho use g:s emissions by 2012, this no more
's
than a p'nprick in the menace ofclimate change. The figures exclude emissions
from
aviation and shippins- aodthev also excludethe US which accounts forabout20% of
world emissions but refusedto ratifythe Protocol. 6lob al Sreenhouse gases have
therefore been risingsharply in reentyears, defyinAthe scientistswho plead thatthe le;elmust peal
and stanto fallbefore 2020 in order to siabilise the climate.
The key quest'on for the future ofBlobalwarming is whetherthe Kyoto Protocol will be
followedbya more inclusive intern ational agreement, whilstretaining the viraldiscipline
of binding quantafiable tar8ets. lfthere is ro be a replacement after 2012, the detaits
have to be agreed by the end of ?OO9 to enable the logistics ofimplementation. The
purpose ofthe Bali Climate Change Conference in December 2007 was to obtainthe
agreement of allcountries to a roadmapforthe 24 months ava ilable fo r ne8otiations.
The politkal envi.o n ment for th e Conference was relatively favourable in light of
initiatives taken byCalifornia to pass a billio cut emissions by 25% by 2020, th EU which Dr. Raiendra
has committedto 20% cuts bythe samedate and tha UK wh'ch is co ns'dering leg'slation Pa.hauri@
to cut by 60% by 2050. Th year 2oo7 also witnessed the award ofthe NobelPeace Prize IPCC
jointly to the |PCC and the climate evan8elist AI Gore, and rhe collapse ofrhe lasr
bastions ofclimate chanBe denial. Humiliatinp recantations bv Enon. the downfallofthe Howard
Ausiralia and a U-torn by President Bush on the existene of global warming symboiise th e
Sovernment
'n
end oftwo decades
of obstructive abuse ot power.

63

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tn the evenr tbe Bali cg!lqE{'-Se-did-pl.o.!!!q_{o3d!]!p for indusive leSotialions

which reco8niset the need for "deep culs" in emissioos and in wbich developing
countries a.knowledge the need to take measurabl "miligating actions". But the
process wa5 so tense and the wording so stran8Ulated that doubts remain over lhe
core disirusi belween the U5 2nd the deve loping coun t ries curently exempted from
Kyoto, each demandins prior Iirm commitments ofthe othr.Talks willcontinue
throlghout 2008 leading up to the next crucial conterence in Poland in December.
utco me 2t Baliwastheestablishmentofthe Forest qrrbon Pannership Facitrty, ;r
schemeto explore how 20 developing countries might be compensated for "Reducing Deforestation and
A more co ncrete

Degrad.lion(REDD)",avitalneedgivenitsconlributionofabout20%lowardsEreenhoutegasemissions
Pledses of 5160 million have been lnadetoward5 a larget of5300 million.

technology Iransfer

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Apan tom the soft touch ot the Kyoto tar8ete, there is concern about the methods,
known as flexibility mechanismi', by which the rich colntries are permitted io ease
their painful task. ln padicular the Clean Development Mechanism tCDM) encouraEes
Annex l countries to installmodern clim.t iriendly technolosv in developins
cou.tries in return for c.rbon credits towards lheir own emissions tareets.

a renewable

ln thory poorer countries cJn then leapfrog dkly and inefficient power technology in tuture
their energy evolution. But the CDM ojfers technology transfer as suflicient in itselt
with no underlyrng reference to the re.l.ncrgy needs ofdevelop;ng counlr'es. rhese needt are

increasnrglVdesperatewithl:6blllionpeoplelackinEaneleciricilysupply,theirschoolswitho0tl'Shtlns
and he alth c ntres una ble to 9p eraie ectuipment whi,st the stern Review suggests a figu re of 52 0 30

t.

blllion pa to meet this enersy sholtfall, CDM credits tor efficient energy produclion amounled lo onlv
rboul 51 billion 2006. Afric. has qu.lified for only 18 out of7o8 approved projects. Not sulprisinSlv, the
'n
to lhp
Bclr(onlerpn,FrFqup\rF(lll'p(DMddrrnsl'"ror,ro-\plo'airp,ovPm'nl

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th erefore n eed to acco m m odate a vision for enr8y

provision
of elctricity to the worldS people. Meanwhile, developing
etticjent
.ountries willcont'nue to take the line of ieast resislance, represented by
con5truction of coalfired power stations. China plans to build one ofthese every
week and willbe doing muth rhe samefor its newfriends in Atrica. The latent demand
for enrgy in the developlng world is movirgtowards an exponentialrelease of
ereenhouse sas emissions, exactly the opposite ofthe intentions of ihe KYoto planners.

Climate cha n8e n rategies

The mechanics oftradingcarbon credits underthe cDM have been hijacked tor the
veryditferent purposeof "otfsetting" the emissions ofcorporations and indaviduals
concerned aboul theircarbon footprint.The apparently cheap ava ilability ofsufficient
cred'ts has enabled a succession of businesses and m unicipa I authorities to annouoce
plans to become carbon neltralfor a modesl financ,aloutlay and, perhaps, equally
modest behaviou r ch a nge. For individuah the d ilemma ofcheapfliShts is thereby
"solved" whilst gllp4rlde! q! 9ll!c!j!bc!09 governed by the great and sood ofthe
UK environm enta I movement, which promises European car driversthat less than
Ssopawill neutralisecarbon emissions.

lhis unregulrted "voluntary market" in carbon credits

trading

G)

is prone to bucca neeriDg trad ers,

64

badscience,philosopbicalanxielyandmuchcoDfus'onoveritsvalueeitherloBlobalwarmin8orto
poverty reduction. The carbon offset marketis viable largely because the extreme ditference in spnd'ng
powerofcurencies between rich and poor ountr'es yields cheap credits- lf ofket payments are invested
in renewable energy schemes in the home country, the mathemat'cs is somewbat transformed.

China and lndia preseDtthegreatdilemmaforpost 2Ot2 n egotiations. Should theybe

classitjed as developins or
counties? Both a.e hoslto hundreds ofmillions
'ndustrialised
lndia's ind ustria I lycoons nowadays make takeover bids
ofdesperately poor peopleyet
for major European companieswhilst, according tosome repons, China has akeady
are
overtaken the U5:e ihe world\ bi8hest emitter ofcarbon dioxide.Ihe
's5ues impons
complex, not le.st that China's dominance of ma n ufa ctured goods Ife.t'vely
carbon emissions from the consumer countries in 200514% otChina\ emissions were
djscharged on goods destined fo. the US wbere they could have been manufactured in
more eff'cient factories and without iransponation costs.

ruralChina

Extraoolations from the cutrent low per capita consumption inthesetwo hiSh population countries
creaie clim ate cha nge sc enar'os more akin to disaster movies than a scientific basis for policy making. Yet
neither country is prepared for the foreseeable future to compromise econ omic deve lopm ent with
nfo.ceable em issions targets. Manmoha.Singh, the lndianprime ninister, has said that social
development is the first priority and that 'the developing world cannot ac.ept a Jreeze on global
inequity . lndia's per capita carbon dioxide em issions 3 re l.1tonnes per annum aga'nst 20 tonnes in lhe
us.
An imponant inlluerce on thqpolitics could be the spec'f'c impact of climate change
,n these countries. Both face alarminB risks from the thaw of Himalayan glaciers;
resnicted tlow into the River GanPes could ilnpact 500 million people aDd 35% of
lndia\ irrlgated land. Boih are dependeni on stable monsoon rainfallfor ag.iculture
.nd watersupplies, stabilitywhich is alreadyshowingsignsofbreakdown. Both
countries acknowledge the serious ihreat of climate chan8 and have started to put in
place institut'onal skuct u res to add ress the issue, a longsade som e qu antifiable
energy related objectives. Nevertheless the.e is no current prospect of e'ther lndia or
China be'ng drawn into a post-(yoto a8reementwhich involvestargets for carbon
dioxide emissions, unless the Annex 1 coun!ries make commitments on a qu'te
ditferent 5calefrom those to date.

lf the driving force beh'nd apocalyptic lndo-Chinese em'ssions scenarios is aspiration

to western ,ifestyles, then the surestsolution istomodify them. Climatechange is not
the root problem; isjust oneofsevral critical environmntal symptoms attributable
't
to unsustainable lifestytes.
Theremedyto climatechange lies wiih the cultureof
perconalbehaviour.
ln some developed countries there are signs of awareness ofthjs reality at the

level

cui5ine, Guyiang,
China O Tami a

which matters most- that of ordinary citizens. Many people havecome to realisethat Hetd
the fate ofthe planet lies in their own hands. They are disillusioned with feeble
governments, seltin terested bus;nesses _and inetJective campaign Aroups. They see through the fahehood
of structura I m easures ofsuccess - 'ieconomi. growth" and profit.

65

indiv'duak are striving to meet their Chinese and lnd,an counterparts halfway J
vision in whkh poor families should not be den'ed the right to many ol the comforts
considered eesential in wealthy countries, whilst the latter reco8nize that any
correlation between happiue$ and consumplion is at best doubtful.
SDch

Jhe search is on for an underlyin8 philosophy ns welias pracli.almecha8isms forsLrch

iundamental chanBe. One helpfulvision is of a lifcstyle which consumes no morelhan
a fair and equal share of the earth's .apacity lo irbsorb Sreenhouse 83s3s. ln direcily
addressing the curreni injustic of climate chanSe, the philosophy of arbon
citizenship becomes the antidote to the imperfect world of carbon neuva'ilY.

i'
Topic Guide on Environmental Activism

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fightingto

save the planet

Environmentalactivismisthecombinedpoliticaliorceofpeoplewhotakeactionto
protect the environment. Unfulfilled by mcre complainine about environmenial
problems, activirts follow ihe advice ofMahatma Gandhi, "belhechangeyouwantto
se", and workio brinStheirvision ol a betterworldinto reality, cven iftheir nctions
sometimes involve pe.sonal .isk5 and bring no marprial rewardr

rhe instrlutional proiije ot envkonment.l aciivism embraces !ctors ransinB ftoln lDqLl
Frassroots 3nd community-98e!lldj.o-!: to large intern.tional pressure Sroups. Some
of these focus on !!qdf!qE!!t!! while others such as WWF and Friends ofthe farlh
{FoE) tar8et the f!ll r.nge of env' ron mental proble ms. Environmental NGOS oblain frndin8 from different
sources: for example, Grecnpeace, FoE and many grassroots organDations rely mainly on individ!al
donat'onsi olher NGOs accept corporate, governnrent or aid agencyfundinS.
5purred by environmental problems linked to nuclea. technoloSies, pesticide
pollution, nnd overex plo iiation of natural resources, environmenial a ctiv's m first
emerged as a w ides p read movement i n the 1960! Th e publication of Ra ch el Ca rson\
Silent Spin1in7962 is Aenerally considered to be a key milestone. The maio
achievements of the movement over the last 30 vears have been the raised elobal
awareness about eco logical p.oblems and integration of the sustainable develoPment LbBging alongthe
concept into inrerDationalpolitics. Environmentalists now aspireto be a le.dingforce
in sha ping intern rtional agreements.

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It is larEely accepted that these advances have not translated into high standards
policy making, stillless to any t! ndamental ch. nge in behaviour of ind'viduals and'r
society in Beneraltoward sustainability. Astbe UNEP Global Envionrnental outlook
ZlqZ clearly indicates, environmental deg.adation continues at an alarming rateAlthouEh one ofthe Millennium Development Goals lMDGs) is labelled "Ensure
Environmental susta inability", !he official MDG proaress indicators offer litlle

substancefor enviro n m enta I cam pa iSners. Ihe negliaible attention to climate chan8e
which could undermine every one ofthe otber MDGs - symbolizes the need for a
fiesh approach to environ menta I activ'sm at the stan to the 21n century.

amazon watch

New media lechnolog'es emerSing over the last decade could providethe catalyst to shake up the

66

t"

nvironmental movement. overcorn'ng potir'cal, geogra phica

t,

censorship and communicarion barieF,

!Y!!L:a-c"!yl:D lte!?lIe?dyrtshieved subs!ar!!4lyE&!r:. orsanisations which depend on youthfut aciivist

membe.ships have not been slow to explore rhe porenriat ofp.qputar sociat ntworkinp websires to

communicatetheirworkaithoughitistoosoonroassesswherherrheseareappropriatechannekro

dllrd I nPwr.-ber\or \uppon lor (dmplrBn\

A wade r.nge ot trad ition al s trategies and took remains ar the disposatof
enviro nne ntal . ctiv'sts
the search for democratic change; some NGOS, such as the
'n provide policy and scienl'fic advice, white broad based
world Resosrces lnstitute,

membership Brou ps w'll engaBe in peace fut orotesrs to stimulate media and
.onsumer campaiSns, public educ.tion and research; advocacy, tobbyins and tirisation
for politic.lnd legq!le!!B!Ltt!! of environmentat vatues and rights.

IogginB

c.mpa'sners tackre a wider ranee or:,cro.s - not onrv buenesses and sovernments,
but alro intcr sovernmentrl or8anDations, fin.nciat in5titutions, investors
:
consumers. LobbyinS and enBaging in alJiances with these new stakehotders is olten
seen as thc mostpromisingofthe reto rm ist n rategies. For example, the Forest Stewardshio Counci(FSC)
trademark is widely adopted tor labelling ofsustainabte t;mber producrs and invotves workins

and

relationships between torest camp:igners,logging companies, tocal

co

;ilf;il H:,
G;;i'::

mmuniry erou ps and retaiters

similar partnerships focus on rhe rhe use ot E4&9! !9qI!!EI1L9 qlb ?relDcaI investment to promore
sustajDable consumption and production.

ln thepast, radicaldirect act'ons.nd "no saying'prorests were rhe main insrruments in raisiDg public
env'ronmenta I ;l waren ess. However, as pubtic rrust and support for rad'cat environ m enraJis,rr dectined,
NGos have incre.sinBiy turned toward moderale, sotution,o rjentcd straregies thit seek to address the
undFrlyinE .r..- ot -nvlonmpntotdFErdde.,on
Nevertheless, thedays of l!da!fnsd:bitt!!B!!9I9!s bysroups slch as Eanh rjrst!which
lake direct, som etimes even violent, act ions aga insr r hose a businE t he envkon menr a re
far from over. Often, such actions remain rhebnty eifective means of resisting oppressive
governme.ts or corrupt .orporations, partjcutany'n devetoping countries. yet, to resist
corporate power, buttressed by the WTO rutes and the evercrearive co.porare
Sreenwasb strategies, rrdical environ mentat activism strategies haveto be toushened bv
new communication tools and stronger attiancerwirh socialjusrice at'vists. Fo.exampte.
iD lndia lhe fo! nder of the Save Narmada Movement, Medha patkar was abteto exptoit-

Elobnlnedrdrorp.&agq!r!!!hunper5trrkp.dtlcdrorhpcdureotpoorpeopterh,edtened

O 6abrille

with displacement by the Narmada dam.

Socialjustice issues come to the forein local cam paiBning. Over recent years tocat com mun'ties have
become increasjngly active in finding their own sotutions to rheir immediate envtonmentatand socaat
problems. However, typically lackiDg financialmuscte and awareness oftheir rights, tocat activists aI too
often face prosecution bv corupt eovernments and bu5inesses. Thefight forthe environmenl especia y
at grass.oots level, is ;nseparable from the fjghr for the human rights.

67

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link5 the goalof environrnntal protection to the Soals

peace,
and
the
recognition oI the riEhts of allmarginalized
lqcjallLrstice,
underprivileged people. Environmntal action has to be driven by a

Ihe e.o jL6lice novenrent

u.derstandingofwhat isjustandfair,
institu tions, srch as re pres

en

and
strong
andbedeiivered t hrough dcmocratic

tntive E.assroots oBa'1,zations which have a n im

oI

DealinB with

wasreintndiac)

eCdISJg!5!&!!e
and Envnonment

ediate

srakeinlhelocalenvironmnt.Thereareioomnnyexamplesotsolutionswh'chmerelydriverheproblem
aw.v frem rich to Poorygrn!,qlltjq
F.ilures of eco justice Jre also to be found al international level, in the abuse of the developinS world by
ricb countries From toxic waste dumped on the beaches of Somalia, a counlry with no government, to
the attempted decommi5sionine oi an asbestos ridden French w.rship in an Indian dockyard, deveioping
countries tind themselves !reated as second dass environmental citize ns. Climate change, the foolprint of
the rich oD lhe ooor, is the ulljr ate ex p resslarl qtnviro nmenl al in iur!i!eIn the last three decades, environm ent a I activis m hrs emerged 3nd streDgthened in
developing countries, symbolized by the aw.rd oflhe 2OO4 NobelPeace Pri?e to Wangari
M.alhaiforherworkwith the Green Belt Movement in Kenya.However, manyoflhese
NcOs arc {inanci.lly dependent on governments and multilateral organDations, raisinS
5omedoubt as lo the inci5iveness of thei campaigns. Nevenheless, acrivistsfrom
developlfe countries increasingly participate in intern.tional environmental neBotlations,
often uring the lnternet !o collrbor.te with inlernational partners or receive uncensored

informrtion not accesrible in localmedia.

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There is however a growinB sense of lrustration among5t NGOs in developinB
counnies, a.d indeed marginqlized communities in Beneral, who feel thal their
interctts nre not adeqdately rep resented. Ihey pointto the transnational
environmental NGO domination of inl crnation a I process es, inter se.toral
partnerships and media coverase- For ex;mple, the majority ofAtrican NGOs did not
have sutficienl resources to participate in thewodd Summit o. Sustainable
Development in lohannesburg in 2002.

G8 Edinburgh

2005

(c)

Peter

Armstrong
AltbouBha proven mechanism formonito nB the internation al system, the increasine
presen.e of environmental NGO5 in nationaland intern ational a renas has created difficult conflicts of
interest5.lt is undeniable that the complexity of negoliatio ns on m.rllilateral environmental agree ments
demands ihe resources ofhiBhly qualiiied scientists and campaiBners; yet the typical northern'based
centralized organn.tion necessary to sustain such resour.es can be accu<ed of lacring leBitimary io
represenithe interests of Srassroots activi5t5, ma r8'n alized societies and those seeking eco justie^ Such
uncertainties are seized upon by those politician5 who feelthreatend bythe new plural'sm and who are
quick todraw attenlion to any shortcominss in vansparency and accou ntability wjthin the non_protit
sector.

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Similar dilemmas have emerged in recentyears through thegro\ring n umber of Pa rtnersh ips between
environmental NGOs and industry, donor agencies and Sovernments. Advocates ofthese pannerships are
driven by concerns overthe abilityofthe environmen tJ I m ovem ent to daleffectivelY with the challenge
ol globalization and the growlng financ'al and political power of maior corporations. OPPonents ofsuch
close involvementwith ihe private sector feel that it fundamentally undermines the kaditional.ole of
environmentalactivists as watchdogs and Suardians of environmenta I justice.
NGOs are iherefore under pressure to strenethentheir lesitimacv by pushinB through much-needed

retorms in their own community andto practicewhai they preach in empoweringthe poorto sPeakfor

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Most environmental indicato6 in China are moving dramari.a[y in lhe wrong

direction, on r scale which tbreatens ro denabitte progress achieved etsewhere. yet
ihe live5 ofhund.edsof millions of poor peopte remain desperatety in need of rhe
benefits of industrialization tn a country wirh one of the most represrive
Eovernments in the wodd, where the concepr ofcivi'society is retatively embryonic
and where treedom ol information is at a premium, whar hope can there be fo.
striking r balance between the needs of citizens and rhe protection of both locat and

Against these odds, there are promising siBns ofroterance of environmentatactivisrs

in China, far more so than human rights o. soc'at ca mpa igne6. There are betieved ro
be over 2,000 environmental NGos capable of mounting protest aDd te8atchaltenge,
with a track record oI some success in prompring environmentat regutations. There is
speculation thatthe Chinese governmenr wetcomes a degree o f jocat activism to

compensat forits own failureto imptemenr nationat envirop menta I taw! at

Demo in China @

Cl;matechangewillbetheissueonwhichthecurenrgenerationofenvironmenrat
activistswillbejudSed Theyears2006and2O0Thiveseenanastonishing
kansformation in the rt!irllgglsqvernmenrs and corporations iowards the desperat.

nee.lforaction, mostremarkibleoiallintheUS Thejury'sstiIoutinassessing

whe!herthistippingpoinrwa!reachedthroughyearsofintrep'dctimarechanae

campaiEninE orsimply rbe inrpact ot At Gore s powerpoint presentatjolr timed neartv in

lheJftermdrr.olonFor lwopdrli,ut,rtVnd(tvhu i.dne,

A,Gore O

Nevr bfore have tbe poliricalwinds beenso favourabte for ctimate change
campaigners but there is a sense rhat rhe a8e;da is be'ng sejzed bycorporarions and su b,narionat levets
otgovernmenl. Envkonm ental groups are ftounderinBwith ditemmas presenred by the era of cheap

aviation. nuclearpower and the headlong rush for biofuets. Manypeople are abandon ing faith in
established campaign groups.nd turning
to indjvidua I actions in the home. often find'ns a sense
'nstead
ofcommunity throuEh online networking and
btogging in preference to traditiona I forma.t memberships.
There is talk in the U5 of a new civ'trishts movemenito address globat wa rming. Active cirizenship may
be the only hope for overcoming the impotence ofwortd governments and corporarions to acr jn the Iace

69

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Topic Guide on Food SecuritY

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Millennium Development 6oals and Hunger

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Food sec!ritv is the condirion in which everyone h.s access io !ufficient and
affordable food; it can relate to a sinSle housthold or lo ihe global popula tion The
ii6t Mill-"nnium Development Goal (MDG)ialls short of food secutity aspnrtions in

to reduce by halfthe proportion of the world's populatioR experienc'nP

hunser. Furihermore, governmen!ssigning the Millennium Declarationwere
overriding a com mitment madejust4years earlier at the World FoodS!mmitof 1996
Girls wairing for
which applied the 5ame tarBet to the numberof people- Rising pop!lation fiSures
food in BurundiO
mean that 170 million fwer will betargeted bY the MDG programmethan would
otherwise have been ihe case.

seekinB

o n1y

Thc first oftwo benchmarks for measuring proEress is the "minimum dietary enerBy
requirement" loreach person as stipulated by lhe UN Food and aBriculture
Organization (FAO).This naturally v.ries by age and sex so that a weiShled average is
cal.ulated for eacb country based on its population p.oJile; iypically this avcrage is
just below 2,000 kilocalor'es per day. Despite the promisesotthe MDGs, over 50
peo_plqEtqleC! ?!!ded to the 800 million falling belowthis ben.hmark in
'nillion
2000. Malnutrition impairs the ability to le.rn or to work and reduces resislanceto
dise.se, these problems increas in8 in s everity with the shorttalltrom the ninimum
dietary requlrement. Hunger is therefo.e a cause as wellas ,r consequence oI povenv

chrldren! [ealth and cosnitive dev-"lopn]ent it cspecially sensitive, to the extent that
rhe majority of chi!d monalityt\ attributed to malnuirition The second MDG ;ndicator

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lhereforeihe proportio^ ot children un.lcr age5who are underweight in relation to

their.Be. This fiSure has reduced only iroll 32% to 27% in the period 1990 2006
is

Unicef says that 5l co!ttries are unlikelv lo reach this MDG tarEt by 2015.
Moreover, these pro8ress assessments predate the explosion in world food prices
lhat has rocked Clobal development a8encjes in 2008. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has warned
that "hi8h food prj.es threaten to undo the gains ach'eved so f.r in fiShting huneer and malnutriiion"

climate Change and Food security

recently as 2006, progress repons on malnutrition publ'shed byuN agenc'es made no
reference tolimate change. Yet was nosurprise when, in pteparation for the Bali
't
lntergovernmentalPanelon climate change
climate change conference in 2007,the
(IPCC) painted an almost cataclysmic picture for Africa in which "for even small
temperature ancreases of 1-2 degrees..... yields for rain_fed agr'culture could be reduced
by up to 50% by 2020". ln addition, the predicted increase in drought and floods will
aggravatewhat is already a 5erious shortterm cause offood insecurity lnSouthandEssl
Asia cl;mate change tbreatens to upset the stab'e monsoon oattern around whi.h rice
As

x_

p,oducrion in parlkuld, ha\ evolv.d.

The UN supporls lha 50 Lei l De!eloppd Counlrie\ (LD( sl ,n p epdralion ol Ndt'o!4!

Adaotation Prosrammes ofActions (NAPAsi and the B3liConference launched an
Adaptation Fund which may in timesupport these programmes- Re.o8n ising that funding
is likely to be scarce, NAPAS limit theirscope to community-based low cost options for
dealingwith climate va ria bility- Adaptat'on of agr'culture willinclude the use of
alternative seed !rieties, improved soil management, mainten:nce of water

Erhiopia O
Crispin
Hushes /
Oxfam Great

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management synem5 and rtorest:tlon. These NAPA repons convey u nive15al concern for the sensit,vity
of food security lo a less predictable climate andfor the very limited capacity of poor com munities to
respond. Seed s.jstLts ack.owledpe the extreme difficulty of dirnate adaptation even where research

Biofuels and Food Security

Under pressure to take action on climate change in the run up to the BaliConference,
politicians .eso r ted to kDee jerk policymak'ng, seduced by the claims ot the bioluel
industry. Petrol additives such as ethanoland biodieselare manufactured from piant
crops.s a me.os otreducinE dEpendence on fossil{uels and cuttingtarbon dioxide
emiss'ons. Apparentlv obllvious to the mathematics that one tank ot ethanolfor a
Spons Utility Vehicle consumes corD that coold feed a man for a year, the EU
announ.ed thal these biofuels willcontribute 10% oftranspon fuels by 2O2Owh'lst Corn, th raw
the US plans to quadruple output in that period.
materialusedto

produce ethanol
Quite apart from the fl.wed assumption that rhese products creat a net reduciion !n @ Networkfor
Ereenhouse gat emissions, the use oI land ard food croos to cnter tor rich motorisis New EnerPy
ata time ofglobalfood insecurity has provoked outraSe amongstBroups campaigning Cho'tes
Ior poverty reduction. Oxtrm predicts that biofuel targets could creare 600 million
ndditionalhungry people by 2025. ln 2008, one third otthe US maize crop willb divenedto biofuel
production, showering corn farmers with subsidies offar Creatervalue than US food aid. As these realilies
s nk in, there arc initial signs of back pedalling on biofuel targets and subsidies amongst EU and U5

ofticialt

Promotion oI bioiuels has been cited as a breach of the flBht to (utf,c,Fnt food enshflned h the Universal
Decla ratio n of Human Rights a nd other internationa I treaty comm ih ents. The U N Specia I Ra pporteur for
the Right to Food, olivie. de Schutier, has urged lhe UN to respond to the food crisis as a human rights
emerBency and called for a freez on new investment in convertingfood into fu|.
ln contrast to the half speed MDG vision, a human riehts approach to lood securitv places immediate and
inclusive obligar'ons ongovernments to create capacity fortheir peopleto feed themselves.ldeally the
right to food shouldlake its place iD national laws or constiiutions, w'th guarantees of Boi1,d'scriminatory
and n on- political sirategies. Many ofthe world's food secur;ty problems stem from the absence of an
overr'ding goal lo honour the ri8ht to food. A set of world trade rules might look very different if soverned by suchan objective rathertban the focus on abso lute volumes of rrade.

causer of Food lnsecurity

rhe aftermath ofthe Second WorldWarsaw strategieswbich did indeed award priorityto
tood security. The European Common ABricultural Policy and the US Farm Billcombined
subsidies and !ariffsto supporithe pattern ofsmallfamily farmswhich were dominantat
tbat time. tbe5e poli'es proved successfu l, Beneratjng colossa I intern al food surpluses.

Nol surprhrngly. lhe poorer (ount' ie\ ol lhe modern ;vorld are keFn to copy this cuccesful
protectionist model, not least because ot t heir sim'lar profile of agriculture - there are 500
o 9IEI!
millionfarms ofless than 2 hectares in developing countries. Such ambitions remain
America
unfulfilled largely because in 199s the richer countries were successfulin thirefforts to
include agriculturein thesystem ofopen market rules governed by theWorldTrade

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Organisat'on, whilst simultaneous ly ref!sing to onraveltheir own proteciionist model. Attempts by

developing .ountries to build lheir agricullure se.tors have been undermined, both in domest'c markels
u.dercut by cheap imports from nch countries and in exports which encounter trade barriers erected in

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Countrie5 ioAfrica and SouthAsia are aho ro bl;rme for their proloneg4,bgLglnvestment in rural
economies whict] account for about 75% ofworld hunger. Forxample, African Sovernments are yetto
their 2003 Maputo Declaration commitment which called for 10% ol national budgets to be
'neet
dedicated to agriculture by 2008. Ruraleconomies have thereforefailed to grow. Poot farmers, often
holdinE uncenain land lenure and lacking capital, plant lor a mix of subs'stence and surplus for market, a
m od el c hron ica lly vulnerable to fluctuating prices or u nJavou rnble weather The m ajority of develo pinB
rountrie5 have lo-glkhkllt a rerlous problem for those lackinB foreisn curency to purchase expcnsive

whikt overall popul.rion growrh creates pressure on food security, it is a relatively

min or fa ctor since 1961 world prod uction of food has trebled whilsl I he population
has doubled Feeding more rhan halfoftheworld'sgrain produciion io animah is the
more siSnificant indicator. As 7k8 otSrain is required to produce lkg oibeet there is
an nrBument

that meat produclion on lhB scale impedes the Soal oI global food

securitv.Anotherhumanweakness-forviolentcornicr invariably le;ds lo ex!rem-"

food inse.urity.The 2007 GlobalHunger rndex reports thal ".lmost all" ofits wo6t

rankinE countries have been Involved in violent corflict in the last.lccade. Coll.psed
economies such as North Korea and zimbabwe also generate food crises.

The Sear.h for5ohrtions to tood lnsecu.ity

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UNICEF

feed'ng

O Derk

Dis.greement overirade rulei reflects the two longstandinE and opposinS

philosophies for addressins slruclumlweaknesses that lead tolood insecurity. The
neo liberal m odel a dvocates that lood should be subje.t to thesame marketforces as
manufactured Soods with minimumstate involvement lt denie5 any value to
"romintic peasanl farming" which siould be consolidaled, with aiternative
trvelihoods found forsurplus tabour Largertalmscanrhenraisecdprtaland.omp@ grarnsofhope?O
incxpori m.rkets. Fore;6naidwould havca rolelo play in rleveloprngtrarsportrnd "er""no"o." ur<

o,rgernI'd.rru,'1,p.',Fdlr.8"' nrerr1oL"lmd,Ie,\dndimp,rvirS rdndc,d,ot

BoverDance advocates ofthis modelputa price ot58-510 billion peranDum on doublitg farm output in

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Africa.
The alternative philosopby of "food sovereignty" restoresthe priority for food security overlradevolume
Ihis model favours localownership and conlrol ofihe fullchain of resources acceptine smallfarN for
what thev are and encouraBing thet sustainabjlity throuSh subsidised inputs and credit ashasbeen
followed successfully in Malawi's.ecent transfo.mation from shortageto surplus. New communications
technolosies can also play an innovative role in su pponing small fa rmers.

World rood Prices and Food Secudty

These com peting ph'losophies are under8oing intense scrutiny in reaction to recent dramatic increases in
world food prices - the FAO Cereallndex doubled in theyear to April 2008. As the world's poorest
households already spend 60%'100% oftheir incomes on food, they have no mechanism to cope with
risins pri.es otherthan to reduce the volurne or nuvition al quali\ of their consumption. The World Food

Programme (wFPlsays that 100 millionpeople willbe added to those below the hunger threshold, takinB
the globaltotalto almost one billion and creating a rew class of urban poor unableto alfo rd s ufficient

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There is llttle consensus as to the unde.ly'ng cause ot 5uch sudden p.ice adjustments.

IachofthemostlavouredexplanalionsisopentochaUenge:globalproductionof
grain increased by 4% in 2007, casting doubt on claims oI poor harvests; biofuel
production does not involve rice or wheat;nd thereaore should not
those
'mpact
prices; and the increasing demand for meat is neither new nor confined
to China.Ihe
parall I doubliDg ofthe price of oil does have a sjgniti.ant impact on the cost of farm
inputs and transportat'on and is a reminder thatthe lastserious world food c'isis of
lhe early 1970s coinc'ded w'rh the oi'price sho.ks oI lhat period. The IinSer ofsuspicion h also being
poinled at speculative.ich countrytraders in commodities. The
complex and opaque world of
'ncreasinCly
dr'vative financial products has been exposed as rotten to the core
in ihe context ofthe globalcredit
cri!is. Governments lndia iJnd Ethiopia have banned tutures t.adins in the'r aericultu ral comm odit'es
'n

although ihe llllbasE!!! a task force and world laders promise discussions, national inlerests have so
fa. dominated the response to a crir's which requiret coordinated globalaction. Manycountries have
resorted to stockpilingtood and blocking exports in or.ler to keep down domestic prices. The US Farm Bill
currntly under d'scussion iEnore5 the golden opportunity prsented by h'gh prices toabolish farm
subsidies Without Slobalfood security today, adaptat'on to future climate change willhave no
foundation on which to build

RisinBprices creale a pinccr movementon foodnid proBrammes byincrasingthe

numbers in need whilst redu.inB the amount offood that can be purchased withfixed
budBets. Although food aid alone is not a susta inable s olution to hunger, it has. vital

hum.nitarianroletoplayinthemostcrilicaicircumstrnces.Monito.ingthebalance
of tood sLrpply and demand thfoughout the world is the core mandate ofthe FAO,
delivered by its Globallnforrnalion and Ear.ly War!]ila syltell. Based on this
informalion the World Food Programme (WFP) drnws up its programmes, givinB
pr'ority to regions wherethe depth ot huoEer is most ser'ous currently the aSency
supportsT0-100 million people and aboutthe same number is assisied by
inte rnational aid agencies.This leaves overT5b million dependent on highly variabi
or non existent domestic safety net arangements such as rhe lndian Public Distribution
Despiie the d'version ofsurplus maize to biofuels, the US remains thelargestfood donor country.
However it
noionly in donatinp surplus erain from US stocks rather than cash, but alsothatthe
'nsisisto the recipient country must be handled entirely by US contrators. The result is otten
chaiD ofdelivery
monthsof delayforaservjce which is time critical- Development asencies preter donors topurchase food
direct from the beneficiary country - high prices typic.lly beingthe deterrentto the poor ratherrfian
availability. This scenario has creatdthe u nusual circumsta nce ofcountriessuch as Zambia and Malawi
Frdntinp tood.id tolhen own peoplevrd the WfP.

B'otechnology and GM Crops

modified crop O

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Ihe curent crisis in food security willnrengthen the hand ot lhosewho belive that Canvan (lCC)
biotechnology is the way lorward. The great advances incrop vield5 siscethe 1970t,
!ymboli5ed by the "gren revolulion', haveto be we'ghed aBainst their ecologicai and strudural
of the
cons equ en ces. The rAO sitys that 75% of food biodiversitv was lost in the 2otb century whilst 80%
world's dietary energy is now supplied by jun 12 industnalcrops, such is the dom'nance of a small
o!m ber o f very latEe internation a I "agribusiness" corporations The green revolutio n has also been
responsible for significant deEradation ofsoilquality and severe depletion ofwaler resources, a worryinB
loss of environmental ca pital wnh which to satisfy the proictd doubling oldemandforworld food
produdion in the next 25'50 Years.
ied {Glvll croos. in which a Sete of desired characterislicis transposed
and controvers'al output of the
biotechnologycompanies. Offering higher Yields, lower che mical inputs and hiSher
nutrltion a I va lue, GM crops sound like the panacea to food ansecuritv Led bY Brazil,
south Africa. China and lndia, m.l)v developinB countr's have adopted GM crops
However, there are doubts as to whetherthe poore. have the capacitvto establish
regu latory fra mew orks lo manage inevita ble con flicts of intcrests betwen the loca,

gqlltqllv-modif

trom one plantto anorher, are the mo5t extreme

srakeholde.s (farmerr, consumer', andsovernments)and Elobal shareholders who

control.lhe intellct!al propertv riFhts.

lol_snglIqa- ! d

!]]vlrs!rII!!l

Topic Guide on Water and Sanitation

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I

Millennium Development Goals

Wdrp dnd(JnrtdlonldisPl'lFdtureu.dp'elvrronm'ntdl

u\laindbrl'rY OodlT olLne

Mill.'nnium Developmeni Goals {MDGs}. The wording calh on governments to "holve, b/

2A15,the ptoponionoJ people without sustoinable occessto safe drinkinq woterond
ronlrotio.". Taking into account population Srowih from the baseline daie of 1990, the
target necessjtates the introduction ot safe waterlo an estimated 15 billion peoPie and
basic sanitationto 2.0 billion overthe 25 year perjod.The logislica I challenge beh'nd
m ense differences oftopograPh, climate and
these stark figures mun embrace
cultu.e, as wellasthe gulfbetween'm u.ban and ruralhr,man settlements

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A proRress mon itorinR reoorl jointly released by UNICEF and the World Health
Or8anisalion {WHO)in Asgust 2004 suggested that, althoughthe drlnkingwater target
may be achieved in terms ofabsolute numbers, poorer countries are beinSleft behind.
1990to
Forexample, despite advancing from 49% coverage in sub saharan africa
'n
58% in 2002, this rate is far too slow to meet the target by 2015

O RachflStabb

/oxlam Great
Eritain -

improvements arefailingeven to keeP pacewith

elobal population Srowth- A!thouBh morethan a billion peoplegained accessto improvedsanitalion
between 1990 and 2002, the n umbers witbo ut sanitation coverage decreased bv only 100 million Millions
oJ people in lndia arecondemnedtothe indiSnity of open defacation; 76% of Pople in ruralSouth Asia
whilst in urban areas oftndonesia lhe tisure is s0 million
!4I i!!e!!f9 ? bI !

the sanitation targelis more fundamentally al r'sk

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Amon8st the many measures putforward to bolsts thas flagging proBress, ihe mon
consistent recommendatlon centres on the concepl oi waler as a human r'ght,1his
hav'nB been omitted from the original Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
'n
2002, the UN Committee on Economiq Cultural aDd social Rights adopted a proposal
reognise
water
as
a
human
ripht,
placing
to
thereby
considerabJe obliSation on
countrje! io fulfil individ uals' rights to saie drinkinE water and sanatation. ThrouCh
2007 the UN Human Rishts Councilis engagedin tak'ng this i5iue funberforward.

Gualemala

WaterforLife and the vea. olSanitation

Parily due to unclear definii'ons of "acce5s', therehave been considerable difficulties in placing a
on deiivering lhe water and saniration targets with est'mates rangingfrom 59 530 billion
'nonetaryvalue
pa. Nevenheless, cost/benefit va luations invar'ably show that benef'ts in terms of economic output and
health savings outweigb the costs, a crucial consideration for internationa I dono6. Such equatioDs do no
more than reproduce in fin ancial la rguage whdt development protssionals have been saying fo. yars that provis'on ofsrfewaterand sanitation is the lynchp'ntohuman and economic development in poor

Poor access condemns women and children tospend

hou6ln water collection; time

lhat could insle.d be utilized for income gneration and edu.ation, espec'ally for
temale children. And unsafe drinkingwater and poor sanitation areihe cause of
teverc heaft h problems throuShout the developinEworld. Millions of the world\
poored people mainly wamen and children die from lygtrllglAlelk!!!C!5C! each
year. For exampJe, diarhoea can b both prevented and cured by the most simple
means Yer this disease is likelytoaccountforthedeaths of2.2million children under ln Chenna'O
aqe.5 during 2007; its cont.olwillbea determining lactor in MDG skategies.
Access to clean water and safe sanitation therefore corelates closely with other critical MDG targets such
is child mortality, Bender equity and enrolment in erJucation, ;nd severe poverty. rn China there is
recognition thatpollution and scarcity otwatercould undermin th courtly's s pectacula r progress rn

poverly reduction, and inded stall its economic boom. Governments are beinB encouraged to rcoBnise
that, w'lhoutsuccess in water a nd sanitation, the entire MDG concept may be jeopardy.
'n
To reinforcethis message, the UN has procJaimed the peraod 2005 2015 to bethe blg!ta!!S!?l_!C!!dC
for Action - Water for Life. and the year 2008 as the year ofSanitation, with ihe aim ot injecting some

urgency into5vategies for achievingthe waterand sanitation targets.

Water and Sanitatlon in GlobalPolittcs

otthis hish leveluN suppo4, the favourable cost/benefit analysis, and p;erful
rights based advocacy has not yet gnerated the desired sense of urgncy. The NGO rommonity \,tas
p.rlicularly frustrated at the apparent neelecr ofwater and sanitatior jssues at the 2005 Global5ummit
to review MDG progress, and at the lilqidlpproach ofthe 4th World Water forum held in Mexico in

The comb'nd pressure

2006
A necessary correctionwas provided by the UN Buman Developmeni Repon (HDR) tor 2006, qqyA4i
scarcitv: Power. poverw andthe elobal water crjsis. a title reflecting the view that poor governance lies
behind water problems ratherthan any shortage ofthe rsource. ln an unusually hard'hitting analysis, the
HDR asserts

thatthe "Blobalcrisis in wate.....reinforces the obscene inequalities of life that d'vide rich and

poor".
The HDR laments the absence ofany clearglobalplan for achieving the water and sanitation targets, nor
sutliciently deta iled nat'ona I sttegies. lt also calls for higher priority for water and sanitalion in rich

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countries a'd budSeis which currcnlly allocate nbout 53 bitlion pa lo lhe sector,less than 5% of all aid. ln
rhe4 yeaB Jollow,ng the Millennrun Declaration, the pt-o-p!r!!! SilSIg]8! 9 gdjc ?!eJi lq-ryqlgr !r!d

:Cnrla!ra!j4!!Ollylell .nd only

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17% benefiled thc poorest "Least Developed Counkies". Furthermore,

campaignersJeelrhatlhcconditjon5imposedbydonorscanbeincompatiblewiththeunderlYingla5koi
creat'ng access to dean waler for poor people.
This particularconcern atlracts its most torcefularticulation on the subiect of priv.risation
ofpublicwatersupplies, typicallybutnot exclusivelyin nr aior conu rbal ions where
miEralory populations are mushroominB beyond formal recognition by city service

providers ln sucb.n environmenl, i multinational utlliiy corPoration willtend to target it5

se icesto middle dass areas and selprices beyondthrpocketsofthepoor.
The subject is complex and lends it5elfro ove6implification and slogans. Neveriheless,

whilstthere.resomeexamplesofsuccessflilwaterprivatisalioninthedevelopingworld,

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the balance ofevidence points lowards failure, oflen al the hands ofsome of thewond's
m ajor co rporations. There are signs tbat some dono r Bovernments and even the Wqt!
!4! may be p'rllinB back from their u n q uestioDiDg stance on water privatisation and the
water companies are said to be reducins investment plans for devetoP'ng counlries. Butthe
D ult!aBency u N world water Deve lopm ent report for 2006 warned that " it wou ld be a
m istake" io write off any role fo r th e p r;va te s ector 3 nd ss !1rq!CEjC! !!qr!qttb- lltg -q l in
many major ciiies oJ the world

privatisatioD
protesl in

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Plasencia
AP

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Water and 5anitation in Locrl Politics

1

D.veloping countrics thcmselvc! have n tar trom passive role to play the MDG tarBels
are to be.chievd.They too are s!ilty of anachinE insufficient pr'ority" to watet and
rven less to sanilation in natimal povedy pl.ns. Of particular importance rs the need io
nrcngthen local governrnent c.paoty to deliverinfrastructure projecit and to reform

rrp{r

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Governance i$ues in water and san'lation stretch allthe wJy lo the benefici:ry
communities themse'ves. lt has bcn demonrirated over and again that success in

watcrandsanitntionprogrammesdependsoncratingasenseofowneEhiPamongst
the beneficiaries themselves.

Catholic Rl'ef
Seryices

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in cookinS, wash'nA and tending livestock andwilloften plaY the

key roles in oBan'singvillage level5tructures to ensurethe sustainability ofa facility. tquipment needsto
be properly maintained, user fees collected, and hvqiene behaviours chaneed. often involving difficult

Ijtgllllrt{t1$rMltryllq

culturaladjustmentNevenheless, community levelwaterand sanitaiion projects in both roraland urban areas have aconsistent record olsuccess, in painfulconvasr to lhe history oflarge m unicipa I programmes of both
public and private sectors. Wh'kt it is difficuh to convert small-sca le develoPments into nation.l
programmes, th improvd undeEta.dingoftheir righrs to safewaler amongstthe benefic'aries could
translate into wider citizenshio movements to bring localand national governmetts to account.

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HumaDconsumpt'on'sobligedloshrreitsdemandslortreshwatersupplieswithlhe
needs oi asriculture and industry Even if the donor community met all tbe funding
demands of internalionrl NGOs Ior water and sanitation, the MDG tar8ets could still fail
through inadcqu.te integration wilh the bigger water picture. This inteeration is not
limitedto understanding these other use6; it must ext.nd Beogr.phically across
separate but inter related watersheds .nd rivers, acros! natio n al boundarie5 and
oceans. Water presents a global.hallenge of unfathomable difficulty.

Carrving water

resource
its

in NiSer GJ Josh
To botrow popular businessjargon, water is a "zero sumgame". lt is a finite
EsteY/CARE
over wh'ch compering interests are condemned to squ:rbble. And in an unfair world,
beneficence is distributed by nature Lrnevenly. water sc.rcitv describes an environment 2001/IAEE
lqlA
which demands lorwaterfor domertic, aCr'culture, and industry purposes exceed
'n
availability.
Th significanceof waterscarcity for the MDGs is ihat poor peoplc tend to
lose out in competit'on for scarce resources, typically th rough the pricinB mechanism. Allprojectrons

'ts

susgest that, under pressurefrom rapidly risingpopulat'onsand continred global dem and fo r mear
production, water scarcitv willdeteriorrtesisnificantlvin the period covered by lhe MDGs.Those who
applaud the world! achievement ofxpanding tood production xponentially overthe last ceneration
tend lo forset the paralleldemands placed on water resources which themselves arei'nite. !ry!:l9,r!!i9!
is seen as an obsla_qleto world hunger and the water MDGs.

Waterdemand management is thc opposiie side of the waterscarcity coin. Nowhere

is the ned for demand management more acute ihan the Midijle Easl. ln add'tion to
educationa' programmes for raisinB awareness of water conservation, wise and
cff'cient water us,. measures embrace water pricinB, pollution prevention, ard
fegylEd wa!!q!!tgr.
The uitimate;rony of water manaEcment in the 21st century is the increasing ;nterest

inrcstorationoftraditionalstorapelech;oloRies.manyolihemdat'nEfromantiquity.
Anumberof lndianstates nowinsistrhat new buildings be fitted with rainwater
plants O

harvesting equipment.

climate change

Ihe 2007 Report "lmpacls, Adaptations

and Vulnerability"

ofthe lntergovernmentalPanel

on CIimateCr!anee (IPCC)brings home the niBhtmare prospectthat climatechange could

unravelthe assumptions u nderpin ning almost every drinkingwater development projet.
Cha nging monsoo n patterns could disrupt tiny village level systems whilst the potentia I
impact on the flow of the River GanRes caused by retreating Himalayan glaciers could
unh'nge rnd;a's ambitious 9200 billlon riveilin k'ng project.
Too often associated only witt! risin8 tevels ofsaltwater and extremes of weathet

climate

Glaciallake'

chansecouldfundamentallyalterthedelicateecoloe;ofthewaterrycle,withdevastalinB:lutanO
impa ct on freshwater dependence. Ihe lPcc

Re;;usserts

tha t as ;a rl; as 2020, 75

25;

Piervander

Po'l

million people inAirica could experience increa;ed wai"rstress. railure to synchronrse ttre
planet's freshwater resources witb the demands of humanity mav be the cri5is that f'nallyspurs
Aoveroments into decisive action on climate change.

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I&.

HIV

Mrllennium Oevclopment 6odh rnd Hrv/AlDs

AccordinB to the 2007AlD5 epidemic update p$llehed by the loiRt UN Pro8ramme otr HIV/AIDS
(UNAlDs),2.5 million peopl were newly inlecled-with HIV during that year' Despite the widerange oi
potenlial etror concded in the report,lhere is consensus that the 8lo ba I rate of infection has fallen from
a peak in the late 1990s and th.i the crisis may be levelljngoffin themon seriouslY afiected region of

Beneath such optimism lie5 a lqtt of !!c!li4iU!!gr not least that the rale of inlction,
known as inc'dence, i!justoneof a bewildering range oi indicalorsthat have been adopted
to assess pro8ress jn the fiBht against Hlv/AIDS The oriSinal fr.mework fot the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs)focused on the reduction of prevalence as the measure forthe
targel (in Goal 6) '1o halt and begin to reverse the spread of Hrv/AlDS" by 2ol5 Prevalence
refers to the percenta8e ot people aBed 15-49 I'ving with HIV/AID5; for xamPle, in 2007
rhere were 33.2 millionpeople livinswith H!V/A|D5,95%i. developing coun vies, implying
it,
Elob al preva le nce of0.5% However, modern dru81hrapy, forthose fortunate to receive
exteDds life erpecta ncy without removinB the presence of the virus, an oulcome which
increases prevalence and suegsts neg.tiv proBress

clin'c,
50uth
Atrica O
ArDS

EiiY !4!rl &

rn theevent, theinadequatewordrngoflhe MDc and ils flawedbenchmark w-"re 5wiftly
oveNhelmed by n ew politica I reso lve in res po nse to civil socie ty activists who a rBu ed that
failure to combal HIV/AIoS would undermine thc entire MDG prog..mme The Declaration o{
commilment on Hlv/AIDS siBned at a UN General AsscmblY Spe.ial session in 2001 related targets lo
rights rather than pJpulations, for erample 2cknowledgingthe riSht ol all voung people to have
'ndividual
to
inform.lion
nece5rary to reduce theirvulneriibllity to Hlv infection By the time ofthe
.ccess
EdinburBh G8 summit in 2005, this principlewas exlended to thb provision oflreatment forthose alreadY
infected,50 that a uN Polltical Declaration approved in 2006 committed wotld leaders to work "towards
the goal of universa I a ccess to.omprehensive prevention programme5, treatment, care and support bv

2010".
The oJfidalUN MDGfiameworkhas now beeD supplemented bya new ArDS tar8et for universal
rreatmeni by 2ot0 blrt, in the context of Hlv/AlDs, the MDG agenda has had minimalimpact TheU!
Hieh Levelmeetinson HryAq5 due inlune 2008 has been calledto review progress aga$stthe
Decldrdro. ol ( ommrrT"nl r,'th-r rhd. the MDU(

t
Such

{.
[.
I

matic scaling

of targets, toEther witb

tight deadline, requ'res unpreceOenteO rinancLt

commitments from the internationalcommunity. spendinBon HlvlAlD5 in developing countr'es has

indced increased exponentially, ris'nglroh 5260 million in 1996 io over 510 billion in 2007, wirh fuDds
sourced primarilyfrom eovernments, internalionaldevelopment aBencies and Philanthropists The largest
s'nsle5ource is the Us Eovernmenl which appears likely to approve fqltdilpil3qbilll9ry.l4cIllc4!
to m 2008 through renewal of tbe President's E m ergency Plan for AlDs Rel'ef (PEPFAR) About 25% of all
globalAlD5 projects are granted by the Global Fund to Fight AlD5Tuberculosis and Malaria, establ'shed in
2002 to "attract and disburse a dditional funds"-

t
t

'18

fu2liljqll

UNAIDS says that annualspetding needs to quadruplethe 2007 t'Cu'e to

bv 2010 Co ns idering that the entire 2006 toreign aid budget forsUb 5aharan Africa

was lessthanS4Obillion,itisclearthattheAlDS lobbvaspires to a seneroussliceof

the funding cake. Other human develo pment sectors sometimes 5ugSest that th AIDS
priority has been overdone, compariDgthe 2 million annualdeaihs caused byAiDS
with 10 mill'onlhroughhunBer,5 milliondueto un5afewaterand 3 million dillborn
babies.Ihere have even been accusations th.tArDS aEencies inflate estimates of the
number oi people living with HIV/A'Ds in order lo attracl funding There are indeed
sispificart difflculties data collection; the most recent UNAIDS report absorbed new
'n from lndia and other countries where sratisrical analysis has
lower preva lence fiSures
been improved and the agency has aSreed to review its finan.ial need5 estinates.

Olayinka JegedeEkpe, N;gerian

HrV activist O

Prerana

i4s!q!lcte qEO!A)
Ihe reason why

HIV/AIDS has anra.ted generous funding is that90% of its victims are carried offin the
prameoflife, ripping the heaft out of a countryl socialand conomic fabric. Life expectancy, oneoflhe

three core measures determining the UN Human Development rndex, has fallen dramatically i. many
airican countries; women in zimbabwe and Zambia are rnore likelyro die before ratherthan after rheir
40th birthday. Th loss ofteachers, health workers and even MPs in sDb saharan Africa has disrupted the
functioning ofpublic life and undermined pove.ty reduction plans. Donor agencies have been re5pondinE
lo.n emereencyas much as develoDment.
The less emotionalanalvsis ofcommerce conveys rn equalmessage ot urgency. The
Wodd Bank has estimated that HIV/AIDS prevalence of8% knocks l% otfa ountry's
rate of economic growlh. ln zambia business research has valued the loss ofrn
erperienced workerat S9,00owhilst an HIV prevention progra mme .osts just 947 per
employee Major companies lbroughout southern Africa have invened in HIV/AIDS
etu\p. Io' \rdfl and lo.dl _ommunrtie,.

Wh'l

ub\dhJrdnAlricddrrrdrr5heodInFctor'o(oboullhFtmpdcloll,V/AlOS,the

latent th.eat of HIV in many other regions of the world is of no less concern.There are
many countr'es where low prevalence dirguises a rising rate of infection, the reverse
ofthe pos'tion inAfrica. New infctions in Easlern ELrrope and CentralAsia ancreased
150% overthe per'od 2001 2007, mostly
Russia and Ukraine.ln southeastAsia,
prevalence is increasinBin V'etnam and in'npart'cular in rndonesia. UNATDS atk'butes
these lrends to the combined iDfluence of 5ex workers and injecting druguse.s,
aggravated by increasins mobilitv oflabour and leisure.

Nat'onalAlDs

Centre for

Development and
P_ooulirtion

Activities

19

i.
L
I

Women and HtV/ArDs

A dntre5sing charactristlc of lhe nnpact of HIV/ArDs ha5 been its cruel exploitalio n

I
{

t,
{
I

{,
I

ol

the unqualSender relationr andthe tjr:pat-qflqtrllti! yj9l!!!9 that exist in many

developinB countries Thevirus has no sympathy tor lhe weak poeitioDolyoungwomen
to negotiate safe sex or no sex. Maffied women are expoted to the infideiities of,their
husbands, especi.lly those whose work takes them rway trom home.As il these
rela!ionalrisks were not enouBh, women are ! ucb !Ilqlq!!!!9p!!lC rha n men to
rrrnsm'ssionoflhev'.us duri.8sexw'th an infected p: ner
45 a result, inthe 15 24 age group in sub.Siharan afr'ca, 75% of people livinB with
HIV/AID5 are women. This protile.nd lts underly'ng causes have ealvani5ed the efforts
inrern.!jonal vvmen's eroup5 and strengihened the crll ior fllV programmet lo

ql

inteSrate with broader reproductive health services. ln con5quenc a conkoversial

moral'ty dimension unsetdes the hurnanitarian fiSht again5t AlD5.lts most eitrem-"
mJnifeslalion is the continued refusalof the Roman Catholic church to countenancc the
Lrse of co.doms And US PEPFAR f qllll!L :!Lll.!!! 19!l9l4r !9!!li!1q; impoEed by
religious conseNativs which biJs its preven!ion programmes towads abstinence rather
th.n5afe5ex Apart from naively, the {law in thes inPositions istheprcsumptionthat
tire b.lanced Aender relalions found in the west are repli.3ted in poor counlries.

lamilies

G)

!!Xed
N!!qE"
1!lc&|:?tld
Rearonal

ldorr!!!s!

children and HIV/AIDs

{

!
i

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t

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I

chilclren livingwith HJV/AlDSrrethe most heartbr-"akin8ly innocentviciims in thatalmosl

allwereinfededduringpregqancy,bi11horthroughbre.stteeding over 40o,000 new
inteclions occutred in 2007, mosllvtr sub 5aharanafri.a.Thescienceofpaediattic
rreatment lags rhatfor aduhs; only about 10% of infected children receive proper
rreatmenr and one sixlh of allAlD5 deaths are children Dnder Jge 15.

tnodledeeolprnvcnlionol morher lo(h'ldr,dn

Fr ionrP\4lCl)Dmo'e"ordn',d.h

rich corntries a combinaiion ofspecialdru8s for bolh nlother and child, caesarean
delivery and fo rmula milk reduccsthe risk tojust 1% 2%. ln the comPlete absence of
treatmentrhe risk is 30% 35% and this is the position for the majority of babies born to
mothe.s with Hlv in the highest risk coontries. Althougi! increasing etforts are madelo
dillicult
provide at leastsome treatment, many mothers are faced with
'mpossibly
water in
presence
and
the
ofcontaminated
between
the
risk
of
breastfeedinB
choices

There is perhaps sreater pu b lic awareness of th e problem5 ofthet2 million children

in sub saharan Africa who have escaped Hlv brrr who have lostone or both paretts
Although cu ltural tra ditions often support the security to be found in extended
fam'lies ortoster parenting,lhere are naturallimits lo the capacity ofcommunities
devastated bv AlD5. For example, in zambia;t is estlmated that one third of all
children willbe orphans by 2010.

Zambia O
'n
!r!!gd
&1!e!:

Children'!

I!D! -

children at the

Human Rights and HIV/AIDS

ln many countries the vtus often takes hold initially amonBst high riskgroups such as
sexworkers, men who have sexwith men, and iniertingdrug users. Association of
these sroupswith HIV has aSSravatedthe prejudicethal they

Uganda O Nyaka
AIDS Orpbans

80

.lready experience in both rich and poor countrier alike solhat accessto Hlv/Alos
prevention and treatment services has been veiy low. Quite apanfrom leaving the
disease unchecked, such an approach offends orincioies ofhuman rishts.The 5ame
appliestothose who experience discrimination directlyas a result ottheir HIV posit've
status; a combination ofstigma and ignorance has often resulted jn loss of
employment and public services.
There has been res'slance to the inclus'on of human rights lanEuage international
'n
in counvies
Hlv/AIDS commitments and AIDS activists themselves have been harassed
such as ChiDa. However, tbe 2005 PoliticalDeclaration includes a clause'n wh:ch
Soveroments unde nake ro introduce legidario. to ens ure " enjoym ent of a ll hu ma n
rights and fundam enlal freedoms by people living with HlV".

aBainst

lnternews

Network,lnc.
Prevention ot HIV/AlD5

Ihe hunon immunodefici ercy v,rur, first identified in Califo.nia in

1983, is transmitted
bv bodily flu'ds exchaneed in sexualrelations, or bycontaminated blood, orthroush
mother to child transmission. Despite prevention services absorbing 50% of HIV/AlD5
spendinS, in 2005 only s0% olyoungpeople in developing countr'es were assessed to
hrve sufficient knowledBe to lake controlofthe risks. Achieviog universalawareness
is a formidable and expen5ive task although the challenge of communkating
effectively to young peoplc in schools and in loca I co mmunili es has provoked endless
creativily, with new technoloeies ol.VinA a oart where oossible.

Advocacy of behav;ourchange must tackle the strong bonds thar exist within local
custom, Aender rel3lions, lhe stigm. ofAlDS and ttre realil'es of poveny. Althoush
can only be effeclivethrcueh localcommunity groups, there has been

'nteruention
broadapplicationoftheaBCconceptofAbstinence,Befa'thfulanduseCondoms,eachprinciplehaving
prior'tyoverthe next but not to an unrealistic extent. Concerns about unavailabil'ty or failiJre to use
condoms are such thar the Wond Health brganisation (WHO) has added male circumcision to ils list ol
tollowing research showingthatthe risk ot intection was reduced by
9.pplelrd pleycqlll
60% for ckcumcised men. For similar reasons great efforts areEoing into rhe develoome,llqltl!!!
resistanr microbkidesels which would restore a degree of control to women.
Early successes in lllV prevention have been attributed to lhailand. Uganda and
Senegal and more recently in Rwanda and Burkina Faso - with a commonfeature of
deternined politica I leadership at the highesr level. Bycontrast, publicdoubts
eroressed bv President M beki con cernin8 ihe link between HIV and AIDS denied the
natu ra I opponunity for South Africa to display regional leadersbip and lo tackle its
slatus as hom to the world's largestnumber of people livingwith HIV/AIDS-

rreatmenrofHlv/ArDs
On average a patientwith the HlVvirus can live a

y;"lj;r,,
normallifefor 10'11years

without

HIV/AIDS

leade6hip rn
antiretrovtal th erapy {ARI)should
Thailand
commencewhen the immunesystem has weatenedto a measurable threshold.The
virus is not eliminated byART but rhe rBk ofonset of Acquircd lnnune DeJiciency
Syrdrome (marked by tbe establishment of one of a range ofserious illnesses associatedwith
'mmune
10% of
deticiency) is reduced by about 80% givingthe prospect of a reasonably norma I lifespan. ln about
pat'ents the treatmeni fails, and an alternative "2nd line" therapy is substituted.
treatment-A cocktailofdrugs known

as

counties.ln poorcountries ckcumstances often

conspire againsl the progress ot modern medicine. The pEtient may be unaware that he orshe is HIV
Sucb isthe position for people livingwith HIV in r'ch

8t

t.
I
I
t.

poiitite, or there may be no rvailable tst for theART threshold, or lheremay be so sovernmenr firn.ls lo
pry lor thc treatmnt Other obst.des induderhe lS|plerlltC! SllChCr-.!l"S:E, often dormant in people

by the viru5. For lhose receiving AqT d!p!!lj-ale5d!4!!ce!

in Africa aftrjust 2 years betr.y the shortase of skills for prescr'binB and monilorins

tivingwith Hlv but liableto be aclivated

!!lli!!lli5%

dnuretroJ|dl lreJlmell
ot 2006, only 2 million people were receiving lreatment in developinB
countries out of T.l million in need.50me enimales suSgestthat 14 millionwillbc in
need by 2010, the targt date for universal treatment. Prospects are much dependent
on il,e price ot drugs which is a constant source oI tension between lhe humanitarian
ion.crn to save live5 and the prolit motive of multinational Pharmaceulical
companies armed with 20 verr oatett prolection AlthouEh World Trad Organisat'on
{wloirules permit the least developed count.ies {LDct lo acquire ormanulacture
low costgenerics until2016, middle income countries such as lndia, Thailand and
Brazil depend on less concrete concessions in wro ruletfor heahh emerqelcjes
By the end

{.
1

L
{

{.

Zambla O Cent.e
'lhere are concerns thattbe curren! Iashion ior regionaland bilateral Free Tta de
for Development
Agreements willcl05e down the5e conce$ionary .lauses, prventing the development and Populalion
olgenerics for proh ibit'vely expensive 2.d lineARTdnrgs. These painfullessons about
if ihe dau ntnre p@h19!]!
equitable distribution of drugs may pro!e
'nvaluable
q:-sgddgd !!4L\ ij!di!&s y..ciqg lor Hlv are
eventu.lly overcome.
Towards Universal Access

Achievementofthepromises for 2010 willrequire. fLrndamentalrevision in the Prioritiesot AlDS donor

whose reports btray a narrow "vertic.l'world of AlD5-related intervention. The Global Fund boasts of
Jl ovid ing d.u8 treatment to !6 millionand HrVleststo52 mjllion beneficiaries but, however .dmirable

I,

rlresefigures, they tellliltle ofthe progres towardr univrs.lacce5s.lt is exclusion that shotld featirre in
reports such astheestimated 80%ofpeople livinSwith Hlv/AlD5 in low and Diddle incomecountries
who ere not even aware of their condition.

{,

This concptual adjustment would illum in ate the pra ctical rality th at u niversal access
to HIV/AIDS services cannot be ring tenced from other health issues. For example,

f,

t,
L

uptake of voluntary counsel'ing and testing (VcT)mi8ht improve if inteer:ted with

less sen5itive clinicsewices. More importanl stillis the need forsufficient numbers of
qualified health workrs and adequ ate facililies. The mo5t recent plans publkhed by
PIPFARand the GlobnlFund do refleclthis shift awavtrom a sense ofemergency
towards "horDontal" developmeut supportforgDeralpublic health faciliiies
Strengthening the infinstructure in which other d evelopment seciors operate would
reconnect HIV/AIDS with the broaderMDG and development agendas.

Nairobiclin;c
The

Globt

Gag

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F'OREIGN
AFF'AIRS
/ rww
tcreiqnatralrs c{q

hrlp

Preparing for the Next Pandernic

IJI

Nlich.cl'l (lsrerhol,r

t\on

Fmign

Alatt,llly /Augusi

200s

http: I t w.loreignoffoirt.otgl2nsoTolf aessoy81402l nichae(t-atterhotn

t preparing

for the-rdt

pan

teni.,htnl

tf an trfluenzi pindemic struck today, borders would dose, the global economy would
shrt r},wr, intetnrtional vacche supplies and bealth care systems sould be overuhelDred, aod padc
woutl reigo. To lirnr the frllout, the jndustrialjzed world must crerte a detailed response strategy
tnroJnng tbe public aod prjvate sectors.
Srrnrlary:

M.hdl 1 (rl.rhaln t Dtftdqr oI lht Ce"tuJbt hJe,/iry! Dtea.ft lt/l/,rth ard P,liry, Ar!0,'aE Di,e'/or oI tha
I>!a,b,4t af llolre/ard SeBnU't Na/tur./ Gnktfu F|ot Ploh.tia, ard DeJe"ie, ard Pnfeilor d/ th. Uri,ed,
0[

Mn,t.tota'J.\'.k|t oIPabtit I kath.

IITIAR

ITS]]I-I-

Dathg back ro andquty, urfluenzr pmdemics

have

fose.l the gle.tesL theit ofa Norldvide c,ladty

oused by trtecrtus dse,st. Over rhc past 300 years, tcn inlluenza pandenics have occured anong
hun.ns. The mosL rece.r crme in 1957 58 aDd 1968 69, a.d ahhouBh sevebl tens of thousa.ds of
An.rlcirs .Lcd in cxch o.c,these were.onsidrcd dnd cobp^rc.l ro othds. The l918 19 pturdcmic
w2s not Accord,ng io lecent analysis, it kmcd 50 ro 100 lniltron pcoplc globally. Tod.y, with i
population o16.5 billior, oore than thrce tioes $xr of I9l8, cveo a "rild" pandemic could kill many

rnnlors ol peopl..

A nrmbu of rcent vents and fxct,)!s hive signi6caotly heightened co.cern that a specific r..r
rcrd pandcmc may bc imd.eni. lr could be c,nsed by H5Nl, rhe avian inlluenz. strain cufently
circulanng in Asia. ,\t this iurcrDrc sden'rsrs omot be cert^i!- Nor ca. they kros .xacdy when a
pandcmic will hit, or rvhcthc it v 1 ;v.l the experience ot 191&19 or bc more mutcd hkc I957 58
and 1968 69. The rolity of a coming pindcmic, howcvcr, canrot be .voidcd. Only jts impact cao be
lessered. Some imponant prepalatory cfforts arc r:ndcr way, but nruch more needs to be dooe by

instinrtioos at many Jevels ofsociety.

TH E RACKDROP

Ofthe three qryes olin0uelza;ns, iDt'lucnri rypc A initcts and kills the greatest oumber ofpeoptc
e^ch year a.d is the only t?e that causes pandemics. It originates in wild aqurE;c bnds. The vins
docs rot cause illness in these birds, aod although it is widely E,nsmitted rmong theh, ir does Dot
urdergo any

sig tcant genetic.hr.ge.

Drect uansmission ftoh tbe birds to humds

has not beer demoDstnted, but when a vins is

transhitted from s,ld birds to dohesticated birds such as chicke.s, it nndergoes changes th2t.llov it
to infcct hunrans, pigs, and potenn,Iy other mamnals. Once in the lung cells ofa mammalian host,
the wirus can "reassort " or mu genes, wi$ hDmao influc.za vinses that are also present.'Ilis
process can lead to an eotirely ncw wiral stain, crpable of sustained human to hman transmission.
Ia sr.h a vins has .ot circulated ir humans bcforc, dre entirc population vil be susceptible. lf &e

83

br . nullber oflea.s,

p.r,th wilt hck r.sjduel

vrDs l,rs not cilculated in the hnDraD populruon

inrr:

I
t

Orcc rhc novrl strih bcrt$ id,pG ro hudaos.rxj ,s easily txnsnrtc.l lioo pcrson to pcL or, tt is
.rprl,l. of caushg " new p"ndcdc. As rhe vin,s pisscs repcatcdly trom onc huhrn ro dic nc\r, ir
(vcnftr.llv be.1' cs lcss virDlenr.rJ j.ins th. orhrr hfluerzr linscs rh2t crcllirc rlrc globe rxch
lcrr Ihis cyclt cortirucs und inorhd ncw n,flu.ua virus cncrgcs ftom wnd blrds ind rhe process

ft
(,

most

ry frcn prrvtrrs niectn;n.

tr bu.h h;gher ratcs ol inlectlor rnrl dexrh Lhxn othcs. Sclcrusts,,o\v

urdcr*and rhrt ttrs vanrLio. N x rcs,lt olthe gcneric oakeup oleich sF.]fi. viros,..l *,e pr.s.ncc
ol ccrmin virulence fictors. 'ILrt is Nhy rhe 1918 l9 pandemic killed many nore ptople thm eitht'r
Sornc p.ndcmi.s rcsuh

thc 1957 58

{,rtht

1968 69 pandemic

A CTiITICAI DIIJFERENCE

Inlc.tious clise.scs rcnfur drc nunbd onc lcller of hurrars worldwidc. Ciircrd!, moic than 39
L,ve with IIIV, ...1 list yer xl,ouL 2.9 Jdl]lor pcoplc .ljc.l of AIDS, bfurgrg thc
ennulrtivc total of deeths from AIDS ro .ppionnxrcly 25 dUor. Ttb.rculosrs |lB) ..d
'!n.!i^
i,lso r.r,.ri Daior ouses .rl dc.th. 1,, 200:1, rbout 8.8 milLion pcoplc bc.rDc nLcic.l \uih TR, an(]
rhc drsdsc liLlcd !r.r. tl)in 2 rxlLto.. Ercl, r.ar, nxlfia r2uscs hoic thx'r 1 m Lo' d.rdrs dd clos.
tr, 5 billron cpisodcs ol cliricd ilhcss ID ..ldiror, !.wly cridglrg hf.crons, dr.rrL.d .nd other
r.ctor bcrne <lisars, and igcrts ,csist..t to ilribioircs posc r scrious rnd growbg publc heelrb

nlillor pcopl.

,i

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I

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a;!.n

so nrxnr other s,:jniEcanl !nlc.flols discrscs, why docs droth.r

hflu..,r pi..lclr. !'enr

rrntg: rncl urgenL iLte',ronl lrrst, ol thc rrrc rhan 1,500 microbcs lnrorvn to c^!sc diserse b
humnrs, bflrcnzi conhu.s ro b. d,e ldng ln rems of ovenll nortality. Ii.r'en tr r yerr sAen ody
rlrc grrd.n vaneS' strahs circul.tc. in cstitrhr.d 1 1.5
p.opl. lvoildvrle.he fro,r hfluen?,
'ndlon
inti.ilons or relrtd .onplic.tions. ln . pxD.lcdc hsfi,g
I2 ro i6 mondrs, rhc nlnrbd of.,ses in.l
.l..ths lvould rjsc dnu.ilcaly.

RcceDt clinic.l, cpidcnriologic.l, ...1 hl,.,rat{,rt evideoce suggests Lhar thc ihprct of r p,n.lc!!c
c.nsed by thr cnrent IJ5NI srrin lvould be s nir ro Gnt ofthe 1918 19 p2nden!.. \,Iorc dr.n half
of drc pcople lill ed ll thit pxDdcmic w.rc 1 8 ro 40 lefs old and largcly hc2l LhI. I f 1.91 8 I 9 mortality

.lilr ir.

extripolrtcd to $c cDnc't US. populrtn,n, 1.7 dil]ron people .ou]d .le, h.lf of thes
bdwccn thc,gcs of 18.nd 40. G].,b.lly, tlDse sxne esuhites yield 18U 360 m lon dcaths, Dore
rhan fiv. tincs the cu.nrlativ. mnrbcr of do.unre.Led AIDS .leadrs. Is 1918 19, nrosi dcadrs were
c.used by a vins ilnluccd rcsponsc ofdlc vlrrjm's lhbrne systcm
srom which led to
^.ytoki.c
a@te rcsplatory distress syodronc (ARDS). ln othrr woi.ls, i. thc proccss of fighrig thc rli..r.r, a
petmn\ imnune system severely dam.gcd thc hxrgs, rcsulting in death. Victios of I I5N1 hive .lso
suffered ftoh ctrohre sr.,turs, and the ea,rkl is
nDch be$er prepared t., re,t hrllioG of cas.s
'rot
1968-69 pandehics, tle pnm.iy c^use
oIARDS roday d).n rr v,s 85 ye,rs ago. In the 1957 58
^ndlungs rveakened by i!fllenza. Ahbotgh
of drLL vxs secoj,ddy bactenal pneumodas that infccted
soch b.ctend hfections can often bc treatccl by arrbiotics, these drugs woukl be eitber uoavrnable
or nr shorr pply foi m!.h ofthc globxl popln2do. duing a pindemc

ofx p^.dcmic n!fluenzi would triggr a reaction tbat would chaoge $e vorld ovunight.
A vaccxrc pornd .ot b. available for i number ofmo.ths aftd the p2.demic sr,ned, xnd there are
very limited stoclipils of ..ti*al dogs Plrs, only i fee pnv .gcd arcas ofthc world beve 2ccess Io
vacche prodDcron facililies. lbreign tr2de and havcl would be reduced or even ended in rn atrcmpt
The atival

t"
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84

fron errer;rg n.w ()DDrries cveD though sDch efforts lvould probxbly tul grvcn
th. xrl..fiousr.ss ofDi]lcnza.'.1 rhr volunL ol rJJegal covng' rhrt u..uL rr m,'\r h, ers. ltis
likelr'firL lrr'sportaron rvould also bc sjgdfic.ndy cut.n.d doncsrically, as yna]ler commurunes
sought to kcep the r}sease co.taired -Ihc sorld reles on thc spc.dy disiribution ofproducts such as
f.,od .rd rcplacciDert parts for eqrnpment. G)obal, rcgiooal, and oal]onul cconomies world cohc to
,n rbiupl h.h sohethjng drat h,s never happcned due to HlV, ozlana, or TB desp,re thdi
d.irniL. lrD^cr o. th. dcv.lopbg world.
to srop rhc rirds

'Ihc

ck,sest tht vorl(l has .oDc ro rhjs s.enario iu nodern umes w,s the SARS G.vcie .cute
icspiratotl syr,lrome) crisjs of200l. Over period of five nonrhs, aboot 8,000 people wcic xrfcctcd
^
by a novel hrman coronavitus. Abour ten percent of them .Led. The vjtus apprcndy spiead to
hlDans when iofectcd arimals Ndc sold ,.d sl^ugbtred jn unsanlrdy dnd dowded m.rkcts ir)
Clu.'s Gu.rgdoDg Province. AltloDgh the transmissior rxte of SARS p,led in compxrison to th2t
ofnUr:cnze. jt deoorstrated how quickly su.lr an iofectious agent can citcle the globe, glven the.asc
and frcqucrcy ofintehatron.l rhvel. (lnce SARS emcrged iD n)ral Chin4 jt spread to fi
withn 2,1 hours and to l0 colntries on six cortncnts vithiD several months.

llic

Sr\RS.xpcricncc te,chcs r ctitj.,l icsson abour the potertial global response to 2 Fand.mic
rhc rchrivly lorv Ntrber of dcaths rr caused conprred to other ;,fecuous
.Ls..s.s, SARS had x poscful .egatile psrchologr.?J Drpact on the populadons of many c"unues.
ln ^ rr.enr n.rlysjs of the tpt<lernic, tlc N,ti.',r] A.^deniy of Science's lnsdn:te ol Medicine
conclurhd: "1}e relruvely high cas. f.rihty.xte, ihe ide.tlficxron ofsupc! spic^dcrs, thc rcwrcss of
Lh. dlscxsc, $c sp.c.l .,f jts global sprerd, .rd public unccrtainty about the abiiity to contol its
spr..d
hrvc cortibrtcd to the public's ahm. This xlim, iD turn, may have led to the behavor
'nay
rhat cx'cerbatcd the ccodonic blovs ro thc rrivcl .nd toDrism indusiries ()f $e cor.t.ls wirh the

r,fluerz. Ercn vit}

hig,hcst nurnber

o{cases."

SARS prouded taste of the rnpact a killer irflucnza pardemrc would have on th glob,l economy.
^
JoDg X/lM l.ce, of Kolca UnFcsity, and u/aNick McKibbin, of the Aus[rLan Nauon.l Uillcrsity,
esrimaterl the econonic impa.t of thc si{ month SARS epidemic o. thc Asii Prcitc i.gon ar about
$40 billon. In Caoada, 438 people eere infected aod ,13 died after an infected person tr.vcled froD
Hong Kon!' td lbr.nto, and thc Canadian -I ourisn Conrmissior estimat d th2t drc ep'.l.nxc cost

dr. nauoris cco.omy $419 million. Th. Onrdio he,ith ninistcr estimated th.t SARS cost *,e
province's berlrh care systcm rbout $763 Diltion, money rhat was speot, in pan, oo speci,l SARS
cltojcs rnd suppJies to prorccr he2hh care vorkcrs. The SARS ourbleak also had a substanEal ihpacl
on the global arJline industuy Afrer the disease hit in 2003, fljghis io &e Asir-Pacific area decie^scd
by 45 peicent from the year beforc. Dur;ng the outbrcak, the .uhber of flighs bersecn Flo.g Koog
aDd the Uniied States fell 69 pcrccnt. And $is jmpact \rould pale in compdson to that of{ 12 to
t6 rnunth uurlhvitle influFnzi pa,,dehr\.

Thc SARS cpidcmic also rdses quesrions.^bout hov prcpared govemments re to address a
prolonged infectious cltse,sc disis .. particulaily govemcrts thrt ale already unsiable. Seroo HaI
Unjvers;ry's Yanzborg Fluang concJuded that the SARS epidemic ceated the rDost severe social or
political cnsis ocountered by China's leadership since the 1989 Tianmmen crackdovn. Cbi.a's
problems probably rcsultcd less from SARS' pDblic healh impact than from the goveinmenfs fliled
effon to allay padc by witbholdiog irfomxtion about thc disease Fom the Chinese people- The
effon b'ckfired. Duriog the cisis, Chinese Premiir \yen Jiabao poinrd o r in a cab;oer meciing on
$e epidemic that 'rt}re health and secu;ry of the people, overall st,te of refom, devetopment, ard
stabfity, md Chinars natiooai intdest md image are at stake." But Huang believes rhar "a faral peiod
of hcsitation reguding infomatioD sbarng and acrio! spaMed dieiy, pdic, md mor monger;g

85

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rcross rht coorrry xn.l rn,Lldnmc(l ihe gorcromeflas.fforts ro.re"te a

I ld'r !n'ge ol

itscl{ in dic

,tcrn2ion^ltcnr."
W'd.sprcxd hlccrio. ,,rd cccrroDic colhpsc can rltsrabilize r governnrenq bl^rne lor fdlhg ro d' J
cffecdrc]I with . Pandemic crn criPPle a gorc'nncnr 'lhis hoids even nntc lor an t'tl'rnza
penrlemc In tl,c cventolapddcnic mllucnzr, rhe levcl olPailc vitnesscd d!d'g thc SAItS o$]s
.oukl sl,ml o"t of coDtlol !s illlcsscs and rlPirbs .ondnrtd ro drolrnt ovet monrbs and m'nrhs'

i.

tlnlinrrrrtcly, tht Publc is oltcn hdlliirert to liiual Ir nlls ab"!t inrpen'lin!: hf'ctlo!\ 'Ise'sc
c,isc as Mrli lIIV, lor .lahPlc. lndrtfdcncc beconrcs lear only alter rhe c't^stroPhe hiLs, vhen it
is rLc.dy too l^tc n' imPlcr.cnt Prcle lllt or contro]
'rersur.s

ITEADY FOR

\urxt shoukl the nrdusttlalzecl world bc dolng ro prcparc for rhe nexr pardcmic? 1he smplc answet:
tui Dorc. So far, rhc World ll.alth ()rg^'jzxti(D.nd sevdal counEes hrvc flnalizetl r" dnried
-ll]e U S DcP.ltnenr ofllealdr arcl Hum'n S'n'ices has i"'rc:sct1
usctin bur ovcrly seneral Phns.
ghat
res*rch on trllucrza va.ctrc Procluc.io'l ,',d .vailaLrhrr these cflbrts re conrmcndablt. bot
is nc..lc(l is . .]cr.n.d oPmuo'd bhePnnr for hoN to gct x PoPtlirion rhrorgh o'e ro thrr tcars of
r prnJcmic Such i inan must inv.,lr. all the kcy comlxrneDrs of rcierv h rlr' Privatc stdd the
pr," 'nurt..",r,lr"^t" rbe res|onscs ol rhr fucdrcrl c.'nFunlry medicll $Pplics, li)od fro'(lers'
fd rhc t,o,'sportanc,n s$Lc"i. In tl. g-crn6enl s.cror, rht Pl.n shOukl rikc into rtr:ouI't ollnirls

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frollpubllcllcrlrh,lrrvcnloi..n]tnt'rl.lclo.Igl'cy'lanxgceltrlthclnte']ali()na]'fc.l.liI'5lrrc'

Ar the s2tr' tinrt lr nntrt bc lcknovlc(lgcil that such mnstct bluePr;)ts 'ni]' h2ve th'ri drxrvbicks'
ro,. Rcrl<lcy's Arron wil!avskv P.rsnisiv.ly irg d rhir relljcnct s ILc rcil ket r" 'IAL
nld,rgdnlr ovctly ngrl lll-* crn do auc hatn d!.n gooLl Srill, fla'd'g s cnounrrslv rselirJ

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Itgi*sgov."l"cltoi'ci^ls'lrn\,.t.sc(torPrrtIres,ddlhecolnnuutyLIrcoppoInr
tr'i;k d';""sh pol.aital (lile;nas, purchast nccesst'y equPmcnt' and sct oP orsr"iTati'Jn'l
rcsporse n blucprnr forccs lexders tii r'hc^isc rheir resl)onsc k) '
srrucrorcs rbr i2 ro16
"","th
"
c'an t''c
crisrs, prepxrhg e'ron(nally i..l ;ntcll..[,ri]y so r]r2r whcn disaster stnles the
'r'
'ohmDiq

lnfiuenzr ra.clie producror .liscnes sP.cral irrc.tron Ar rnitiative to p'ovide viccjie tur the
.ntr." o,otl.l mrst Lc cl.'vcloPcd, lrih r wcll dehncd schcdulc ro ensurc Progless lt is laudzble that
courucs srch 2s tl,c United St"tes .nd VtL"r,n lre fursdLnu lroP]im\ wrth l-ng t'rm goals r"
dev.lop and tro.t.ce II5NI vrcche for rhit rcsp..uvc Pulllitrons FuL rf rhc ri'r ut ih' vorld
vl L'e dcv'statc'l vhe. tbe global econonry comes to a! al']rlpt
l"cks sirpptics, cven the
',cdnarcd
hrlr. Prni.nc influenza PicP.r.clness is Ly nanrre a. intchxtio'al issuc No one ca' trulv be
,

-, .J t,on. rJ"J, ',i

-fhe pan.ierrc rehred colxPs. ofwi)rl.lwi.lc t'ide rnd its tlpplc elfecr tliroDghout;r'hrstflal'zcd and
<l."eioplog cou"tn.s woul<i tepLcsenr thc 6nt rc:J rcst of the rcsiliency ofihc modern slob'al dcll'erv
ryrt.-. C,"",' ihe .xl.nt to which trodcrn cotuncrce ielics on dre Precrse and rcadilv avrtJablc
int..".aonrt trarle oI goorls rnd sen'lccs, a sbutdovn of the giobal ecouomic slstcn would
dfumatrcally harn rhc woild's rbrlry to meet the sugiog denand for csseodal cohhodiris nlch ds
foocl and metlcmc during a cns$. The business commudry ca,i no longer aflotd to plav a ''tror tolc
in phnnirg thc rcsponse ro a prndemic For the vorkl to have critical goods x'd senices during a

p."ae;c,';ausr,1'-r,e.as msi stockpne raw matef,als'for Production and prcplar distni'rtbn md

fansportation suPPort. Every e,mP"nyts selrloi na'.gets nccd to be rcady to resfo'd nPjdly t"
.hr.g"r i" lh" rvr;talilty, pt"auctron, distnbutior, and inventory mmagemenr of their Prodtcrs
'fheti is ro moctcl for how to rcvjve the cl,renl s,lobal econony wcrc it to be devastxted'

86

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'Ib truly

be comFliri, atl planning on hrtrrrnonal. reg;onal, r.donal, aDd locd levels mrsr consider
three dillerent scen.;os: \\ftat il thc lxndtmic t)qlDs torighr? \1lrar ii jr :rrrl\ onr yerr from now?
\Mnt jl thc world r so forurrtc as to hrve an cnrlrc .lcc.clc ro pi.p^r.l Al .re possible, bur none rs

STAR'I'ING'I'ON TCH'I'
Wh^t would h.ppcD today in thc ofhce of every n,tio!'s l..dc if s.vcral ciries in Viernam suffered
frorn rnior outlrreaks of I I5N1 !,le( tun, virh a iv. poccdr rnorr.Lry rxie? First, tiere would be an
imDredi,re effort t., lry to sort out drsparxi. dlsc.se,sureillance data from . v,ri.tl of govehmcnt
rnd public hezlth surces to cletcrmrnc which counries might have pandemic rdated c,ses. Then,
tle clecision strrld tikely be macle to .kse mosi internarional and evcr some shte or provinci.l
bordcrs vjthout
pred.remined .drcria for hov or whcn rhosc boi{lers mighr be reopened.
^ny
Bor.ld scc[ir], vornd
b. made . priolty, .spcci.lly to p()rect potendal supplics of pddenic
specific lac.Des from n..rby despe.ate counrncs. M liary leaJers vould have to develop \rrireg,cs
to dcfcrd thc courr.f.nd also prorect agahsr clo'hesnc insurleocy with amcd fores that vodd
Lkcly bc cohpromiscd by Ge disease. Evcn in unrlfected countr;es, ieai, pi c, tud chaos would
spread .s inrerniuoral h.d12 reported rhc .l.nt x.lvrnce ol the disease around rhe soild.

r Thc co'n,r,u.luc\ rnLl \en,ces counrrcs vould

necdtc,'univc"thcncxr12ro36Dx)nrhsNouldh.vcrob.iden!fi.d.Currendy,mosrbusircsscs'
corrinuity plxns accornt tb. only i locrll,ed disrupror i shgl. pl.ir cbsu,e, for iosrmcc and
h.vc not plano.d rbr cxrcnsiie, lonB rerm onagcs. Thc pnvare ind pnbll. se.rors would have to
dclclop cmclgcncy plaDs r., susrdn cn0cal d.ri.s!. supply chrns nn(l Drarrfacrd'rg aid
rgricrltunl prodrcnon and djstnbutlon. I he labor iorce woui.l bc scvcicly affecreJ when ll vas lnosr
reedcd. Or.i th course o{{he ).ca!, up ro 50 perccnt of afleded l,opularioDs cornd bccohc rll; as
J.xny .s livc pdcer t coll(l die. I he disci sc rvoulcl i senior mar rgrmcnt as h dd .s $. rest of the
wolk folce There vould be najor shortrg<s Jn aI cou.ties ol . vide hnge of commodiues,
including food, soap, prpcr, Lght L,i,lbs, gasol;rc. pairs for rcpdtng rnfitrry ecpiprnent and
municipal water pumps, and mcdroncs, including vaccircs uffcl.tcd ro rhe p,ndenic. Mdy
indusdes rot critic.l to sutriv.l-- electroDics, automobile, ..d clol,\ing, for example vodd suffer
or cvcn closc. Acuvitr.s rlu! ie.}ue close hun^D corlxcr -- school, seenrg movjes in tbcaters, ot
.. woukl be avoided, mnybe eveD baoDed
e,ti.g
^tesriurants
In shon order, th. global ccononjl !ra)ul(l shDr do\

ofthe vis io rhc tust

dd lvould likely play..
'nonths
extremely li'nited role rvorldvide .lDn.g rhe folto$ng 12 ro 18 months
of ine pa;demic. Despne
maior ionovatiors in the producrio. of most othcr vacci.cs, inrdnationzl production of innuenza
vaccine is based on a fragile
limited sysiem that utilizcs rcchnotos/ from rhe 1950s. Ctrrendy,
^nd
anoua) production of in{lucnzr vaccine is limited to aboor 100 mliion tivalent doses which
protect aglinst thiee different infllenz, str2ins io one dosc or less th.n o.e bilion nu;ov, enr
doses. 'Ib connier a new sfudn of pindemic irfluerza that hes nevc crculate<i throughout the
popuhdor, each person would lkcly need lvo doses for adcquate protection- Wilh roday's limircd
prodDction c2pacity, that meaDs tb^I lcss lh^n 500 million people about 1,1 per.ent of tne world's
populatioo would be vaccilr2t d wirhin . ye2r of the paodemic- In addrtron, because rhe sftuctDre
of the virus cbaages so rapidly, v.ccine developmeot could orly stad orcc the pb{}ehlc began, as
manrfrcturers wolild have to obtain th. ner pandemic strai!. It vould rher be at leasr ,lnothcr si\
monrhs belore mrss produ.uon or rhe \
inc
Vaccine would hzve no lrDpaci on rhc course

"(,

Even if thc system functions to the be\t ofits lbdity, mfluenza vaccine is produced comelcially in
just nine couotries: Austr.lia, Cd1d4 F arce, cem,ny, Ir,ly, J.p2n, the Nerherlaods, the Unitcd
Kingdoo, and the United States. These countdes coDt4in ooly 12 pcrcent of the iorld's populrtion.

87

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,nfh,cDzi t,i.dcs!c, drcy wolld prob.bly rxhonxl2c th.r clom.strc p,otllction

rs
D.cu,r.,l
;n lt)16. Nlie. rhe U.itcd States, lnh.ipat'g i px.d.nxc ol swrnc ,nilucnza
l.,rLur',
I1N
l),
r.1os.(l
i(,
ll
'h^( rts 1i.c,..

ln r)rr

re.rr.,l.n

l1 . ti'drrnrc s[u.k rh. w.'kl tod.y, d,crc wou].i bc inothcr possiblc sc.l).,. .g.hst lrllDenza:
anrivurl rrcdjc,rc \\rlrcn txlcD dii]I dlnng rhe Lrme ol exp{rsure ro tlilucnz., aDirvirils have
-lhcy h,ve also redur:cd thr s.vcity of ill,ress a'd
p.e1.e.rc.l i.dffxl|xls lrom bccomiig tll
srrbsegucrt complicrrt,ns wh.r Irk.:r Mdrx, a8 bours olonset. Aldrin,gh rt,.r. is no dnri for H5N1,
n js assumti .Dtivirxls wouLl rlso p.crcrt ll5Nl inlecLron t.kcr before erposure. 'lhrr. is no
cvidcrLc, Io$evcr, rhir cD'rent intiviial nr0u.nz. drugs voul(l'fhe\r lf thc piticnt developed rhe khd
,,f.iLinnn. sro.nr rhai h.s .hiricrerizcd !L'cc't Il5N1 infcctions. But bdri'g this corlt[cadon,
II5N1 slFlkl bc ncar.blc $nh lanutlu (oscltanivir phospharc), whi.h is Inrnufacrurcd by the
Ro.ln' tlrrnnic.u!.ils .ompxn) jn i shgl. plinr ir Switze.land

Io rcstDnding to r pandemr, 'l amilJu could havc a mersurable;xp.ct ln the limited rumber of
courrcs lvith si7xl,le stockpilcs, l,ut for nrost of the worll u lvornd not bc ,vailible. ,\lth.Ngh d,c
.ompa.y tians on opcnrng inorhrr lacility jD the UDitcd St,rds Lhs ycar, rnnual product,o,r voul.l
rdl corc! oDly r small perccrblle of rhc woild's popuiation 'ti, dxk, ,r tc.sl 14 coD.rrics have
,,rd.i.d I?,nilhr, brr thc rnount of tlcs. ordcrs is enorgb to rre,L olJy ,10 nllio. p.ople Ihd
,,rd.rs ul{. co.siilt'xble nme ro l). ploc.sscd
rlclivcred nrmuf:rcnu,rg cao rike up rc a yexr
rn,l r. rn r'r.rse,.r rb. co",pr.l's ibjl,ty ro^n(lprodu.e n,re woulcl bc Imilcd r\s wjth r (.jrr!,
cornrrics."oulcl probr yfurjodxLzcthcii irtejnl srpplies r]Luing r pddcntrc. Evc. rfthc medrcbc
r.cr.,,La iblc. most ounrirs (oukl nor rlli,nl t,J bu! 1r. Cr;dril in br.rtlcs. lo1 ircxrrl.nr of
sr.on(l1N br( rrrirl ,ni& t,{r1r, Nonl,l ilso be in short sufph dring pandcmic 1'lven norv, supplies
ol .irhL {l'lLre'r rn!r,fc.ri"c is. r, xre lidt..l n dre U'rited^ Srares due Lo Inir!l.cturint
to nrcer rhe s!rge in thc d.nr.nd
As'.lc lio,n mdr.itro11, ,nany .ounrics uaNkl not h2ae thc
^bilry
Ir lhe tjnltd Sr^res, ii)r
herlrh
care
supples
rnd
strvi(s
rl,rr
aLe
notmally
trkcr
for
gnrtcd.
lor
erarnplt, tlrtrc arc 1115,000 r,..hrr'c^l r.!ril.rors, 75,000 to 80,000 ,)f lvhch are h usc at inl Ei\.,,
tise ior cveryd,y m..h.il c.re. Dunlg x roud.e hflucnza sc.son, the nuhbei ofvcnd.rors be;ng
lscd shoors ut t,) l{)0,0{)0. ]n rn i.lluenzz trndemic, the U r.d Stetcs mry neecl rs t,my rs several
Lun.lrrJ tl,ous.n.l.dditronil !crril.tors.

siRr.tior cxisrs in rl' (lc!'clop.d countrjes Vinuzlly every picce of med;cal egLLiPDcnt or
protcctivc gcii wo d be ir short supply w:thii days of the recogntron of a pandemic. 'IltoughoDt
rhe cnsis, nr.ny of thrse Dc.cssjnes would snryJy be DD.vlihble foi host hcaltb care insunrtrors.
Curcntly, t\ro U S based coi,paDics supply rnost ofthe respir ory prorccrioD oasks for hctlth care
vorkos around the world. Neither company vould be 2ble ro nrcct the jumP jr demrnd, in part
because thc compoocnt l)dts for rhe hasks come fton trltiplc suppliers;n mllriple courtriis. Wtrh
ir.vel xnd tr2rsponxton iesrncrdl, rnasks rmy nor eve. bc produced at !ll.

s! hi

Ileelth care provtle.s and managed c{e organizatiorrs de ako unprepared for an outbreak of
pandcnric hfluenzr todry. lhete lvould be a tremendous d.mand lor skllled he.lth Professionals
New "hospit,ls" h lxgh school !}mn*iums rnd comrunity c.nters vould ll.ve to be st,ff.d lor
one to three yeds. Ileal$ ciie vorkers lvoDld prob,bly gct sick and r}e ar rhe saDrc rate as the
gcner.l publtc perlaps at an cv.. higho r.te, particuhly ja lney lack access to Potective
cquipmeDi. If tbey I'ck such luodameotal supplies, it is uoclear how DaDy Professionals woold
.ontbue n] pla.e tbehselves jn high risk sirDadons by cari.g for $e infected. VoluDrcels vhd are
n2tui ly ihhLtr,c .s a icsrnt of h.vhg snflivcd influcnza infecrioo wornd thrs bave io be fou.d and

L
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.Dployed 'I hxr means rh,i tbe ocdicll cornJnuniry! srrong resistan.e kr usinB lav voluntcers, Nh;ch
is grounded in both Lrb rty concerrs and professioial hnbns, s{,ul.l nccil ro be .ddrtssed.
Orher urple.sa.r issu.s would .lso need ro be rxckl.d. Y.4io woll.l l,avc pr'orrry x.cess ro thc
cxLremely Ldit(.l .drvjral supples? lhe public woul] consi.ld. ) ad hoc pdonb2abon Dnfdr,
cr.xlng lui$cr drsscnr aDd .hstuprjon during a pandchic. Ir .ddrnon, thele woold nol evcn bc
.letajled plans ibr h.ndLilg thc mnssive oumber oi de,d bodrcs rhar vcDld soon outsrjp drc ibirrl io
process theD Clearll, !n influcn,. prn.ledc rh.r srrlck tod^y lvould de,nard ar unpicccdcDtcd
oedical and nonD.dr..l response.'this requilcs planning well beycrrd My*rng devised lhus 1,. by

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A YEAR

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fROM NOW

Evcn ifaD H5N I pardemic is

a ycar awry, the woild bust pl.D to! tbe same problems with the same
feivor Major campdgDs Dust be idd,ted ro prepare the no.he.lic.l .nd mcdicil s.crors. landemic
plandng hust be o. the ageoda of every school board, nrnufacrunng planr, investmeot trm,
st2Le kgrslaturc, md food distribrror ir the Uniied States ,.d beyord l]rere is an urgcrt
'norruary,
need to re2ssess the vulnerability of the global cconooy ro ersure that surges io deniand can be rnet
Cntjcal beath ore and consumcr pbducts and commodines must be stockprled. llc.ltll
professiorals must lerrn hov to bcftd c.nhunicare flsk
must b. .blc ro borh providc Llie {acis
^nd
and acknowledgc the unknovns to a frighl.ne.l or paruckcd population.

]f rhci. js . ycir of lc^d tune

before

^.

H5N1 pzndedc, !'2ccbe could play a

[orc

ccdtral r.]lc in

$c giob.l rcsporse. Ahbough the worid rvorid sdl have i Lmitccl capacity to manuf.ctur. hfl!cnza
va.ciic, r.chriqlcs that could,llov sciendsrs b gt muldplc doscs lroD a c.tcDt singlc d.,s.
'ra}
increrse the supply. In,{ld{on to htirtcr rcseirch on this issue, efforts arc needed ro ensDre $r
avallxbilry of syturges Ld equiphe.r lor delivering vaccine. 'Ihere must :tlso be ,n iat.rn,tonxl plin
for how thc v^ccin. would be.Iocrled. It is far better Lo stiD*i. with dlc cthcal issucs nrvolr.d tn
cietermining srch priorities no!v, jr . pDbttc fonn), iathci thad ro vlit until rhe crisis occuls
Prevenoon must also be lmprovcd.

lnoriry shodd bc

placed

on early iDtenention and

risk

.sscsrnent. And an

and conpreheosive research ag.Dcla must be launched inxrcdi^tely to

^gl+cssive
stDdy the ecologtr ald biolo$ of drc trfluenz, dars ,rd rhe epidemiologic role ofvarious.lnnal and

TEN YEARS LATER

If developed coDnrics begh to transfolm radicatly the curent systo of influenzivaccinc

productio., an hflDenza pandemic ten years ftom now could have a much less devasla6g oltcome.
The hdDstn.Lzcd voild must iniriate an i'tdDatioDal projecr to devclop rhe ability to produce a
vaccine for the entire global popdation vithin scvaal months of the smn of a pandemic. The
idriadve must be a top pnority of the group of seven iodusttialized n,tioos plus Rlssia (G 8),
bccans 2lmost nothing coDld inllict more death
-d disruptio. th.n a pindcmic irflEMa.
The cuFent Bioshjdd lav aod additional legislation recently subhitted to Congtess vill ,ct to
enhance the
of vaccines in tbe Udted States. This aih is laudable, bui ir does litde to
'v,n,b;iity
addiess idtehltion3l needs- l'be ultiDAtc goal mut be to develop a nN cell ctlrDie vrccine o!
compdble wac.ire rcchnology that sorks oD all iofluenza sDbrypes ard that can be made available
on shon notice to.ll ihe people ofthe vorld,

89

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WHAT COUITSE 'I'O 'I'AT{I]?

t,

I he world mlsr fonn a bettc! Dnde.shnding of lhc potcntial {br the energencc of P,ndcixc
^ strdn. It
i.flIenzi srixr. A prndcnric is coming It could be causcd by H5N1 or by anothr novel

corld happ.D ronighr, next year, or ercn

reD

)ears from .ow

rft r1ardrg: r|c nunrbo oI huD', and animrl H 5N I hfccdo.s hrs bccn i.crc,sing: snall
olc.s.s
h.!. becn docunreoted, slggesnng rhir $. aitus mxy h,vc comc close ro sustained
clusters
hrmin
transmissioni .rd Il5Nl conri.ues ro.volvc id the vithral ge.ctic
hunr,.-t.,
i.borarory pr.,vided by thc !.pic.cdcDt.d number ol people, pigs, .rd troultry n Asja 'Ihe
population explosior rn Clnni .nd or|o Asjan counE es hns ffexrcd a. incrcdible mirrg vessel for
rhe vints. Consider *!s s.,beiing bfomr.tlon: Ihe most recent trlluenza pandcmjc, of 1968 69,
Loni roday it is 1 I Lillion. I. 1968, rhe .uJ.ber of
eDdg.d D Chjna, when irs popl ation sas 79{}
'n
(ihn,a
rs
*as 5.2 nillion; roclay ]t 508 million. The nr:nber of podt--y io China in 1968 vas
pigs in
l2l tullio.; ro.lay it is 13 bi oD Cha.ses in otncr Asirn.ountries are sim;lar. Giren thcsc
well as the expooenbalgrorvth in foi.lgn travcl over tbe past 50 years, rn infl't.n?.
devclopn.nrs,
^s
p..dedc cortd be more doastating than evet Leforc.

The signs

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avoided, irs in,pacr cm be consideiibly l.ss.rL'i]. It depends on how d,c leidas oI drc worl.l from
ilrc hea(ls ol tl,e G 8 !o local .]fficids dccidc to icsp.nd. They nusr i.cognizc thc ..o,,omiL,
sccurjty, and healrh rhrert thxr rhe ndt hfl.cnz. pandemic poses and nrvcst .ccorclinglt. E.cn leader
rn6r rcalrzc that even ;f r counrry hrs cnough rrccine ro prlte{:t its cilzens, drc eco.omc inPa.t of
C.n diastcr be ivo'dedi Tbe rnsver is

r worl.lw c pandenic wrll intlict sul,srrodal pd. on cveryonc 'lhe

,.lcquatcly vjll be extcrsive, But they nlsL bc .onsidered in Lght ol
gloL,l worl.l .coDoml tbat lemaDs in

2 sh2nbles

resoures requed ro PrcParc

the cost of faftng ro lrvesr' n

for sevcil yca's.

lls s i cnucal ponrr;n history. Iime is runnirg out lo pr.parc for thc ncxt Pandemic. Wcmusta.t
uith (lec;siveless and purpose. Soneday, aftc thc rcxt pandemic has come ard gore, r
'orv
commisst,n nuch lkc t}e 9/11 ComJ ssio. wrl be charged wiLh dcrcn'l ng how vcl go!e!nme.r,
buslne$, dnd publc h.,lth leaders prepared tbe woru for drc catastophe vhen they h*l .l.ar
!v.!ning. \I'}it !v l be lhe v.r.li.rl

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Act of man
The impact of last monlh's earthquake on the people of north pakislan
demonstrates how the crippled state machine has only heightened the
vulnerability of its citizens
Dr Kamal Munir
Friday November

'1,

2005

Guardian Unlimiied
Everywhere in Pak'slan, loudspeakers on top of mosques are btaring only one message: the
devastaling south Asian eadhquake of October 8 was divine punishment for the moratsins of ihe
viclims and a warning for the resi of us
Pinning lhe blame on God is a convenient way of absotving ourselves and of perpetuating the
socio econom'c and polilical framework that lec, to thjs devastaiion. The catastrophic aftermath of

this earthquake has litlle to do with divine or even seismic causes. but serves as more ol an
indicalion of lhe crumbling siale apparatus and changing potjticat reatity in pakistan.
Nobody who vis'ts the earthquake;ffected areas tarts to nohce one thing whrte many pnvate
buildings are slanding, almost all government constructed buitdings - chitdrens schools,
hospitals, colleges and offices have cotlapsed. years of state sponsored corruption stare you in
lhe face.
And much ljke ils buildings, the slate apparatus itsetf ties in ruins tndeed, the eadhquake has lajd
bare the piliable slale ot lhe civil government The civit bureaucracy in pakistan has over time
been crippled by lhe army's continuat jnterveniions jn aftairs of the state. iheir numerous
"refo.mations" have destrcyed civil institutions and glassroots potitjcat slructures_

The inhabitants of Muzatfarabad are only the most recent group of unfortunates to disclver just
how ineffectual the slate has become. When lbe earthquake struck, the city's Civil Defenee (CD)
departmenl was unable to provide even rudjmentary digging toots to the citzens
A Muzaffarabad university professorlold me of his vain slruggle to rescue students trapped under
collapsed hostels and universiiy buildings. 'There wasn'l a singte crane in the entire city. lt was
left to the people io dig oul their loved ones using hammers, chisels, picks and shovels, even
screw drivers. For over two days no relief arrived, civilian or mititary. My students died before my
eyes and there was nolhing I could do," he said_

His experience was replicated atl

ov-er the quake,hit region. The civil government proved utterty

impotent, and the mililary was cteady unable to tilj the void. The latier tacked the capacity t;
coordinate or even communicate witb the people. And no wonder: for ihe last SO odd years, the

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armys priorities have ofien been in drrect conflicl wilh those of lhe civil slaie, resulling

fhis

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numerous martial law regimes

is nol to belittle lhe army's contibLtion to the relief effort Their aviatorc are slill risking iheir
lives, flying helicopler missions in darkfess. The Frontier Works Organisation has done a sterling
job in clea ng lanclslicles and rubble. But lhe army has limiiat'ons and it cannol eve, subslitule for

civil administraiion. lt cannor bring ilself to hold the hands of survivors and ofier words of
sympalhy

The absence of lhe civil stale, and lhe indifference of the military one, is taking rls toll on the
millions ot victims. Thousands oI villagers sit where their houses used lo be Everyday brings
new, often conllicling, reporls about compensaiion, relocation and help. Given lhe absence ot any

f;

communily-based governance mechanism, there are no communication channels.

fl

Their plighl is unimaginable most have lost many loved ones and do not know their immediate
futures They have almost no say in lhe plans being hatched in lslamabad. And most impodantly,
they have no trusl in the promises being made or in those who are making lhem

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The only people in whom their iaith has been renewed are the orclinary citizens of Paklstan, lhe
real heroes of this lragedy. They came in droves, helped to pull out victims and bury the dead
Doctors came from Lahore, Karachi and other cit'es and set up iield hospilals Coordinating with
international NGOs and numerous privale donors, lhey did eveMhing from arranging for X-ray
machines 10 treaiing the wounded. Others broughl medicines, food, clothing ancl bedding, even lo
qovernment hospitals.

Dr Yasmin Rashid, who heads the Pakistan Medical Association, was one such selfless
volunteer. lt is perhaps ironic lhat the good doctor, who set up an emergency fieid hospital near
Balakol, had hvice been sabked by the governmeni tor protesling against heallhcare privalisation
in Pakisian, which has rapidly reduced the common man's access lo medicalcare and led lo the
underfunding of lhe public hospilals in Pakislan
Dr Rash'd's case, in a microcosm, gives an insight inlo the sheer scale of lhis disaster Wilh
unbridled privatisation, access 10 pubJic services has markedly gone down and poverly has
increased. And with inequality reaching new heighls, much of the socialcapital in ihe country has
been desl.oyed. 11 is even thought lhai in absolute numbers, illiteracy has aclualiy increased in

ln the mountainous north of Pakislan ihe tsk ol naiural hazards has also increas;d manitold wrtn
deforeslalion. The nurnerous falal Iandslides, which followed the earthquake, were largely the
resuli of ih's

The decimation of houses and other public bujldings, and the unnecessary dealhs ot thdusands
of chlldren, women and men have less lo do wilh the earihquake than with their highly vulnerable
stale. The real culpriis - poorly constructed housing due lo a vi.tual lack of building codes, publ,c
buildings wilh corruplion as their mortar, low lileracy levels, lack oforganisation in civilsociety, an
ineffective civil defence and above all, liitle or no access lo public services - reflecl the crippled

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The only way we can come out stronger from this enormous tragedy is if we stop blaming divine
forces and slart quesiioning the policies that have silently been increasing lhe vulnerabilily of the
vasl majority ot Pakislani people
Kamal Munir, who leacbes Strategy and Policy al ihe University of Cambridge, travelled to

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Pakislan and Kashmir to offer aid in the immedjale aflermath of the earthquake.

92

lDtenotionol Federotion of Red Crass dnd Red C.es.enr So.ieties

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clobal generosity after crises must reach people in need

bv Mohammed

ode. llukhiet

In 2005, as never before, individuals and qovernments reached out to people in need around the
globe. Ihey responded to a string of sudden, large scale disasters that include the Indian Ocean
rsunami/ the South Asian earthquake and a record hurricane season along America's Gulf Coast.
Last year, disasters ki'led 99,425 people, affected 161 million people in some way and cost around
US$ 160 biilion.

rhe response was record'breaking generosity. In 200s, funding irom individuals and governments
tor humanitarian aid reached at least Us$ 17 billion outsLripping ary other year on record. Of
this, individuals qave over US $5.5 billion for survivors ot the tsunami alone.
The suln is more than non-governmental organizations had ever collected in a year, according to
ihis year's annual World Disasters Report, which focuses on neglecled crises and was launched
today (December 14) in Geneva by the Internationa! Federation of Red cross and Red crescent

there is much lo be proud or in this generosity- The donated funds enablecl millions of peopre to
eat, drink safe water, tind shelter rrom rain and snow, and start rebuildnrg their lives and
livelihoods after disaster.
BUL

what about those in the shadows?

Few know of Lhe silent trasedy of maternal and neonatal mortality in Nepal that has claimed over
25 times more laves than the conflict. Discr'mination against women in Nepal leads many of them to
suifer ln sec.ecy during childbirth. An est'mated 35/000 women and newborn bables dle each year
due to unsafe childbith and neonatal practices, and d'scriminalion agains! women. l,lountains,
confljct and poverty prevent their access to adequate healthcare. Yet this crisis goes virtually
unnoticed. Such humanitarian tragedies hidden by politics or culture must be exposed in tlme to

help people.
The brighter the media spot'ight sh'nes on bigh-visibility catastrophes, the deeper into shadow fall
more chronic - and often more deadly - humanitarian crlses. For every high prorile cata6trophe,
there are others ignored or simply not adequarely funded. llany millions of people miss out on vital,
potentially lire-savinq aid because crises qo unrcorded by mosi databases, media or donors'
No one records, ror example, how many migranrs die in the sahara or in small boats in the seas
surounding Europe while attempting to reach Europe to make a better life ror themselves and their

In Guatemala, as ln many countries, the ma'n disaster databases fail lo record Lhe vast number of
small, localized floods, mudslides or earthquakes.
Ye( these small (rises ddd up lo more deaths dnd dlfpcl many more people thdn d few malor
events. Recurrent crlses create a cumulative impact, ratcheting up vulnerabtlity to larger hazards ln
the fuLure. In smallr crises that erode the alreadv meaqre livelihoods of miltions of people, lie the
roots of future harm. They also provide an opportunity to mittgate lhe impact of future disasters
Long-term support is neded to build safer commu4rues through disaster rlsk reduction
programmes so people can cope better with everyday. small'scale disasters.

93

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rast year, food aid prevented lvidespread deaLhs from hulger in 14alawi. But donors provided just
one-fifth of the funds requested by the United Nations (UN) for agricurtural support seeds and
fert'lizers so smallholder rarmers could recover and reduce the risk ol another food crisis the
Few donors seem prepared io invest in sustajnable agr'culture Lo avotd continuinq deadly cycles of
food crises. During the 2001 2002 famine, some households were forced to sell or lease their land/
Peter Madeya, kom Dedza diskict told tlre World Disasters Report.

"Many people had rented their fields out for five years in exchange for food so they had no I'elds
left lo cu'Livate ard had to rely on piece work only."
Delay in responding to a iood crisis in Niqer led not onty to an avo'dable loss or life and livelihoods,
but also increased the final cost or a'd a hundrediold. The international community must learn the
lessons of Niqer and inte ene in lime with the right measures - or watch similar sulrerinq in other
pla.es such as the Horn of Airica.
Wben funds are raised for an identified crisis, are they evenly allocated? When we divide the total
amount ol humanitarian funding the UN raises per emergency by the number or peop'e tarqeted for
that aid, some revealing statistics emerse. chechnya received US$ 281 per benetlciary in 2005, the
.south Asia e-rthquake attracted Us$ 310 and sudan Us$ 431 per head.
Far and away the best funded disaster was, noi surprisingly. the tsunami, which raised at le-st us$

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1,241 per benefic'ary in humanitarian aid a!one not including an extra US$ 8 billion for
reconstrucl'on. At the other end of tbe scale, according to Lhe World Disasters Repot, the UNs
emerqency appeals in 2005 lor chad, Guyana, c6te d'lvorre, Malawi and Niger garnered an average
of less than US$ 27 per persor in need.
Some might argue that clifferences of fundinq amonq mergency progra'in'es reflecl differinq
humanitarian needs and tbe costs oi meeting those needs. But comparc the exLent Lo which needs
.re met and a similany wrrped plcture emerges. while UN appals ior the Republic of Congo,
Djibouti and lhe Central African Replblic were on average less than 40 per cent funded. the
tsunami appeal was 475 per cenL tunded and the south Asia ea(hqlake appeal was 196 per cent
funded.
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lhere are siqns that lessons are being heeded and erons made to reach those neglecled.

UN launched an expanded central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to provide

funds will go to neglected crises and
lunds for rapid humanitarian response to crises. A third of
'ts
in the Horn of Africa. By June, the
its i.st month, ihe CERF arlocate.l USq 13 million to agencies
'n
fund had ra,sed Us$ 36s million towards its halr-billion dollar target.

In l"rarch 2006, the

Simildrly, the Internat'onal Fedration ot Red cross and Red Crescent Societles lnitiated a similar
Disaster Relief Emergency Fund 20 years ago, which dispersed over US$ 8.5 million of rapid
response funding in 2005 half of lt for mlnor or forsotten emergencies.
And while women's needs are often forgotten ln ahe urgeny ol an emergency, this isn'i alMys the
case. In Pakistan, after the South Asia earthquake, IRIN news seruice reported on a camp in Puniab
province set up within a week or the disasler to house 300 women and children who'd lost male
family members.

"Unlike other camp settlements, where familles tend lo huddle together in scared clusters, young
sirls and children run freely throuqh the area, vyinq for a turn on one of the swings, and women slt
outside in the sunshine mending clothes or knitting," reporte.l IRIN-

Such efrorts are well worthwhile- The common tbeme behind all neqlected crises is social
vulnerabillty and chronic poverty/ compounded by governments' inability to cope. These factors
expose people Lo a wide range of disaster risks and undermine their abil'ty to cope and recover.
Much work remains lo be done to ensure that millions of people suffering in cases do not remain
neglected. In many cases, the first step is to direct political will towards c.eating the condrtlons in

94

which humanitarinns can operate - in the more neglected, bidden. secreL, dangerous parts of
world. Among the priorities ror ban'sh'ng neglect everywhere are:

Lhe

'Attracting adequate donations tor large, common emergency response funds that are not
md'led 'or parl!uld, dNasters,

ed,

.Developing a Slobal measure of the sever'ty of humanitarian need/

.Ersuring the right kind of funding and response for chronic crises, such as hunqer, rhat fatl
between developmenL and disaster and. finally,
.Agreeing with donors and host qovernments on appropriate triqqer points for acttonThe continuing cycle of neglect and misery musr be int;rr!pted by governments, donors, the media
and aid orqanizatjons willing to th'nk and act differently to address negrect.
I'lahammed Omer Mukhier is lhe head oftlisaster prepdredness and response at the lnternatianal
redp dtb- at Red Ctosi and R?d fies.ent tacieties
web 5ite is copyriqhtiorhe rn
rmarion rom this ueb5ite, plea
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Red cres.enr socities- An

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No end in sight fo. flood-stricken Somalia

by Onar val.:Jimarsson jn Naircbi

photos Ly

Pldran

Yazdi/ICRC

Flooded roads and lracks contlnue to hinder the

delivery of emerqency rel'ef supplies to some 350,000
people affe.ted by the worst floods Somalia has seen
in a decade. ol these, at least 70,000 are children.
UN projections indicate that the number or affected
could reach 400,000 by the end oi the yedr.

The floods are compounding what was already one of

the most severe humanitarian situations in the world,
After 1s years or armed contlict, tens of thousa.ds of

families are

displaced

in a

country thal

'nternaliy
lacks bas'c health
services and infrasLructure.

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And the situation is not getting any better, The

Shabelle .nd luba rives on the border with Ethiopia
have now joined aL Kamsuma where the Juba has
diverted from its natural course, pos'n9 serious risk ot
ificreased flooding to the areas surounding the
converqence ol the rivers. t

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Projechons suqgesL that the El Nino conditions that

hdve be'n ,n erfact .,n.a 56pl mb.'

ausi,,9
mass've dispiacement of people and destruction oi
fields - have a 92% p.obability of lasting through

The Somali Red crescent, suppo*ed by

the

International Federation and the ICRC, is significally

s.aling up its response in the areas where lt has the
lead role - in the Hiran region in central Somalia - to
save lives: provide clean water and promot hygiene,
as well as distribute plastic sheeting, blankets and
o'her rel,Fr item\. the,F are 9'owrn9,onrerns rn
Hiran that the bridge linking north and south somalia
is about Lo collapse.

Pte dEPE.ed

an

te.s of
by 15

thousands

yaE

afhones have been d.stared bvthe

af @nfhct attt a hztd'hifths drcuqht

1 6 s ) I Pldran Ya2di/ t.Rc)

eattier

thi. vear. ( e 1 5

The town of Belet Wayne in Hiran is one of.the worst

aftected towns- While wnter levels have somewhat
receded in the last few days, a number of streels in
the to!,vn are still under water. Some 70vo of the
population have rled to higher ground.

The remaining population lack water and in many

places the water is stagnatlnq and mrxing with
sewage becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes
and other waLer borne dlsease.

oulbrpdl\ ot didrrhoed hdve been reported in mdny

parts of the country. some 45,000 people in Belet

96

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Wayne.nd the surroundin!l areas a.e

rece'ving
drinking wnter and othe' items throuqh the efforts ot
Lhe SCRS an{l the ICRC arrlift ol supplies from Nairobi.

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Yazdi/ tcRc )

camp set up a few kilometres outs'de Belet

Weyne people are safe trom lhe floodnaters but their
conditions are still horrendous.

In a

''We djd Dot receive any assistance", a woman told

qroup of SRCS volunteers and JCRC wo.keE. "Just

look around, we are 20 families (from my commun'ty)
installed here, our children are sleeping outside
exposed to mosquito bites. Ihe town is down there,
but we had to come here to higher qrounds with our
children, but rook at all lhis, we need assistance."

''All of our houses are surounded by wnter,"

she

added. "We cannot 90 back to take a.ything includiDq

food. We don't have access. The problem we ran

away from is siill with !s, we don t have pots to cook,
no food, not enough plastic sheets. We are all
displaced, we don't have anything/ but we help each

I p 1 5 1 6 2 ) ( Pidt

an faztti/ rcRc )

The iloods in southern Somalid have destroyed crops

and farmland, disrupted iood supplies and cut oil

entlre villaqes from the oltside world.
Hundreds or lhousands or people are an urqent need
of humanitarian assistance. ln some areas, people are

siLl'nq on dykes, completely surrou.ded by water, stall

lackinq shelter an.l drinkinq'water, despite relentless
efforts by the Somali Red Crescent and its partners to
br'ng aid to Lhe needy.
The floods, that also

ared

Kenya and Elhiopia, began

in late October and have seriously

the food
insecurity brought by the drougbt earlier
'ocreased
this year. Io
many a.eas, the so'l was so dry that it could not
absorb the rainwater.

The lew crops that survjvecl the d.ousht are now

destroyed by the flooding. lt has been reported that
crocodiles unledshed by ragin9 waters have devoured
at least 24 people along the rivers.

Since October. the rains in Somalia have been 300

600 per cent above normal levels. The rains coincided
wlth lhe slart of the second ''dyer" crop season, which
accounts for some 20 to 30 percent of the annual
cereal production. Floods washed aivay recently
planted crops and seed distrlbutions will be necessary
ror replanting once the $,aters recede.

pastoral areas, "dyer rains" constliute the maln

rainy season and, despite the severe damage to
rnrraslruclure dnd livsto(k losses, the heavy rains
will replentsh water resources and regenerate
pastures after last year/s severe drouqht.

"Our blggest challenge continues to be access, both

due to the ongolng conflict and flooded roads," says

97

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local

orquni.utions that have managed to strcngtben its

dDd('lv durinq th'r'^dt' ol the 'onill r' lh' \o(rotr'
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dlrerL.d teqrons ol H' dn. LowPr Jncl r'tddlP'rraoplle
vloot. ond I owp, r|bd,drduPdo
volunteers are alreadv enqaqed in rescue activities
p'oprp LUt on by "ood wrte,5 dno rn drsnrbut'on
"' rFl,Fr
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rescue and assislance Over thc last few weeks, SRcs
lo, n"d bv lwo
t'n'.' hdve mobil,/,ng 'edms
(lalr',a drd d,d hea
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Melinda Gates: The Virus and Women

The next front'er: For many of the world's women, marriage is not a refuge hom AIDS.
risk factor. But new technologies coutd chanqe that.

It's

By Melinda French Gates

Piay 15,2006

to Africa, I
qroup of
Kibera, the
biqgest slum

range.t in

aqe

Gates (here in calcutta) betieves sience can jmprove prevention as weil as trearment

from 16 to 45 but had one thing in common: AIDS had devastated Lheir tives. A woman I'lt ca
Chanya told me her story. Chanya is a mother
her 3Os trying to raise four chitdren. She
'n
does not fit the typical profite of a pe.son tivinq with AIDS
- at teast not the Drofite that
prevails in the West- She is not a man who has se)( with men; she is not a sex worker; she
does not use IV drugs. She has engaged in no behavror ar a that ,s hrgh nst f;r A]DS, except
for one - she 9ot married. Her husband, tragicaly, did engage in high,risk behavior: he had
unprotected sex outside h's marriage. After acquiring HIV, he passed it on to Chanya. She
spoke in a hushed but matter of-fact volce about her situation. ',My husband ctied of AIbS. I
knew we should use a !hird te9 sock,".she toid me, using the co oquiat phrase for a condom,
"but he rerused. Now my children wrtt be orphdns."
Chanya's story is not rare. For many women, marriaqe is a risk factor for AIDS because of
the'r husbands' dangerous behavior. Wortdwide, 80 percent of women newty infected with HtV

are praticlng monogamy within a marriage or a tong-term retationship. This shatters the
myth that marriage
a natural refoge from AIDS. And it shows that, more than two decades
's
into the epidemic, our f'ght against AIDS has faited to address the unique circumstances of
women

especially women in the devetoping world.

99

Why are women so vulnerable? Physiological differences make women twice as I'kely as men

to contract HtV from an infected partner cluring sex. In many countries, sexual inequalily
compounds the hazard by making it difflcull, if not impossible, for women to erforce their
choices about whom they have sex with, or to insist that men wear.ondoms. But one of the
deadliest problems is that women sirnply don

r
d

have the tools to protect themselves. Despite

the array of breakthroughs we've seen for AIDS treatment. prevention efforts sLill rely on the
three practices described by the abbreviation ABC ("Abstain, be faithful, use condorns"). These
approaches work, and we must encourage lhem, but they dll depend on a man's cooperation.
For millions of marr'ed women, abslinence is unreal'stic, being faithful is insumcient and the
use of condoms is not under their control.
Throuqh our foundat'on, my husband/ Bill, and

are working to develop tools that can put the

power to prevenl AIDS into the hands of women. Ilicrobicldes are one exciting new prevention

tool in development. These are colorless, odorless gels that a woman could apply vaginallywithout her partner's knowledqe to prevent sexual transm'ssion of HIV. 14icrobicides may
also prevent othcr sexually trans mitted infections, such as syphilis and gonorrhea, and some

act as contraccp-t ves as well. Mic.obicides are now being tested by wo'nen in several
countrius with large HIV brdens, inctuding South Airica, Uqanda and India. Researchers are
also studying other promisjng mcasures thdi could qive wornen the polver to protect
themselves with-out depenrling on their pa.tners. For instan.e, trials in Botswana, Ghana and
other countrics are study;ng whether drugs now used lo treat HIV nray also protect people

kol.l b-rnq r''fe. tF1 n rh. rir<l plare.

When we consider the mlllions oi women who have d'ed, it's tragic that the world has been so

I
I

slow to invest in HIV prevention tools that women can initiate. We know why so many women

are get-Ling infected and we know what we can do to srop it. Here are some of the steps
needed to make the most ot these llfesav'ng opportunities
rrst, governments in both developed and developing countries must commit more monev to
study'ng new prevention tools. Although funding increased from $65 million in 2O0Oto g163
r

million in 2005, current spending is only about half of what is needed to advance the most
promising microbicide candidates. Pharmaceutical companies have liltle incentive to invest.

the women who most need t'hese products can't afford to pay for them. But
governments can encourage companies to 9t involved by providing direct funding for

research, and by promising to purchase new technologres if they are successiulJy developed.

because

At the same time, developing countries, with international support, need to build

the

infrastructure to host clinical lrials so that promising new tools can be tested in the settings
where they'll be used. If developing countries can't run trials, lifesaving breakthroughs will sjt

I
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in laboratories waiting to be tested. By some estimates, 100,000 people will be needed for

r00

HIV-prevention studies over the cominq decade. Yet most of Africa's trial sites are now filled to
capacity. Countries need to invest in more facilities, and tra,n a new generation of doclors and
nu15es

to run Ihem

The challenge is not just to develop new tools. We also need to ensure that scjentific advances
reach the people who need them. Today, fewer than 20 percent of pople at high risk of HIV

have access

to exlsttrg

prevention methods, such as condoms, education and HIV test'ng.

Health ministries, NGOS and businesses must combine their resources and ingenuity to
improve rapidly on that .ecord.
Ten years ago, 1 percent of women in South Africa had contracted HIV; today the number is

25 percent. These women are I'vinq a nightmare, but we in rjch countries are the.ones who
have to wake up. We need to develop prevention tools thal can give women a chance to
defend themselves. We need

to deliver them as soon as they're available, and we need to

deploy now the prevention tools we already have. Sadly, nothing can come fasl enough for
Chanya. But ii we hurry, we can deliver these new advances in time to protect her children.
Gates is co-chair of the

Bi

& Melinda Gates Foundation (gatesfoundation.org).

101

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Was 2005 the year of natural disasters?

Why do nolurol disoslers seem io be incleosingly lrequenl ond increosingly deodly? Poor
ond vulneroble people ore usuollylhe worst hii.
Tsunamis. huricanes and typhoons, earthquakes, locusts and now th threat of a flu Pandemic Will
2oos be remembered as the yearof oaturaldisasters?
lhe year 2005 saw the aftermath of the 25 December 2oo4 earlhquake and tsunami waves in Asia,

hurricanes in central anij north america, notably Katrina, which trigqereti flood'ng in the uS ciiv of
New Orleans, and the 8 october eafthquake in Pakistan and India The year also saw lamine after
crops were destroyed by locusts in Ni9er.
Virtually unnoticed by the outside world was tiny El Salvador where the countrv's highest volcano,
Iramat;pec, erupted on 1 october, displacing more than 75oo people and killing two A few davs
Iatr Hurricane sLan swept through and killed about 70 PeoPle with floods and mudslides
rroD lanuary to october 2005, an estimated 97 490 peoPle were k'lled in disasters globallv and 8a
117 oi them in natural disrsters, accordinq to the center lor Research on Lhe Epidemiology of
DisasteB (CRED), a wHo cdlaboraling Centre thal oPerates a global disaster database in Eelqium
According to CRiD, the number or naturdl disasters - rloods, windstorms, droughts and geological
rccorded since tgoo have increased and the number or people affected bv such
drsaster;

disasters has also increased since

1975. - Li4,l"^

Is lhis as bail as it gets, or could it get worse? why do natural disasters appear to be increasinqly
IreqLrFrr dnd hc'easingr/ dPndl/1
[a*.ro-d
global
today's disasters srem from a complex mii o'r ractors, ,ncludrnq rouLine clmate chanqe,
poorer
people
to
live
in
factors
causing
behaviour,
socioeconomic
warming influenced by human
risky areas, and inadequate disaster Preparedness and education on the part oi governments as

well as the general population.

Som disasters experts reject the term "natural dlsasters, arguing that there is Stmost atwavs a
man made element.
''I don't I'ke to use th term 'nalural djsasters'," said Dr Ciro Uga.te. Regional Advisor for
Emrgency Preparedness and Dlsaster Relief with the Pan American Health Organlzation {PAHo) in
washingron Dc, explaining that natural drsasters would not hav such a devastatinq etrect on
people's lives if they were not exposecl to such risks in the first Place
Natural phenomena do not always generatd human disasters. ugarte noted that in 2005, several
earthqu;kes that struck in souah Amerita were of a higher maqn'tude than the one that devastated
northern Pakislan and parts of India in october, but thse hit sparselv populatd areas and
thererore caused less damage. The same goes for severaltsunamis ln 2005 which were not deemed
"d'sasters" because they didn't endanger anyone, Ugarte said
Natural pheoomena are likely to affect more people because Earth's population has increased'
Accordin; to the United Nations Populalion Fund, this stands at about 6'5 billion PeoPre and ls
projected to reach 9.1 billion people in 2050.

Marko Kokic, spokesperson for wHo's Healtb Action ln Crisis department, said that some
communities are more vulnerable to the effects oinaLural disasters than 1o0 vears ago because ol
ecological degradation. He said that, for example, when tropical storms hit the Caribbean in

i
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Scptember 2004, there was norhing to stop storm waters q.therinq and wreakinq devastatioD jn

riirlr b.cdu.e ot detor /\tdtion

"We need to tackle the underlying issues, such as poverry and inequity,, Kokic said, addjng:,,tn
mdnv.ounrie, peopl' (ut doqn rre-\ berdu.p wood rs the rherpest iuc,,.

.Disasters are/also:a:coesequenca otudevtopmentlan.L,industrjalization

In Europe, experts betieve
that countries such as France and Germany are more adversety affected by floods today because
najor rivers, sUc.h as the Rh'ne, have been straightened to ease commerciat kaffrc.
Global warming as well as routine, cycticat ctimate chanqes a.e causing a higher number of srrong
hurricanes in the Caribbean, meteorotog'sts say. Add to thar the
nirmber ot peopte livin;

in areas such as coastlines, in subslandard housing and rhe destruction

'ncreasinq in a crisis oi essentiat
irrrastructure, such as hospita,s, and you hav., the potenriat for more devastatiDg disasters tban a
There have always been disasters. rhe bubonic ptague wiped out more than 25 miltion peopte, or
37olo of Europe's population, in rhe t3oos. More recenuy, the 1918 19 ftu pandemjc kilte., between
20 and 40 million people worldwide. qne oi the eartiest recorded disasters, rhe eruption of Vesuvairs
79 ADr buried the ancienr Roman city or pompeii kiling abour to 000 people. T;day, two mi ion
'n
people
live within its possible range,
one major dinerence berween tleo anrj iow.
'ttustrating
Abor,L 75 disasters were reported gtoba y in 1975, accordrng to CRED. rn 2000 rhe Rgure peaked dr
525 anc, d.opped to just under 400 in 2004. By far the htghest number of fatatitie; _ abour 450

00-0 o(uned in

1984. In 2oo4 nearty 100 0OO died in disasters, but the nomber oi peopte

atrected has soared since 1975 with about 600 milion peopte affeded by disasrers of
2002.

kincts in

So complex and
are the iactors behnrd these disasters Orar some expets betieve rhe
'nte.tw'ned
most practical approach
to prparedness may be to focus on reducing the risks raiher than racrors
Dave Paul Zervaas, regional coordifiator for ratin America and the Caribbean at rhe Unjted Nations,
International Strateqy for Disaster Reduction (lsDR), argued rhar preparation shoutd focus on
makinq people less vulnerable to disasters
"We think it's much more important now to took at vutnerabi ties, because you have factors you cao
conirol," Zervaas said. "You can work to tower vulnerabitity Iro disasters].,,

Hurricane Katrind in the United States is a good exampte, Zervaas said, A number ot tactors
contributed to the damage and loss ol tife. The storm was huqe. rt st.uck a cirv whose tevees had
not been maintained or strenqthened for vears, and qovernment aqncie; response to the

emerqency was at first inadequate.

ln central America storms such as hurr'canes Mtrch and Stan have wrought damage with ra,n and
landsl,des rather than wind. The poverty rssue and the sociat inequiLy si-tuat'on h;ve not becone
much better in mosr ptaces, / sard Zeruaas, adding that migratJon to c'ties conspires with a tack of
urban pldanrnq ro pur people rn ddnger.

Clearly, climate change whether helped by human behavtour or not

ptaying a rote. Hurricane
- isthat
experts say the wodd is jn the midst of a routine, cyclicat ctimate change
caules the Caribbean
to heat up, increasing the f.equency of poweriut storms. The effet oi this is greater lhaf, lhat of
globai warming, according to Srantey cotdenberg, a meteorotogist at the US N;tionat Oceanjc and
A(mocphpric Admrnist rdtion rn M'dmi.

Wb'le eathquakes represent some ot rhe mosr devastating disasters in recent years, these are
diminishinq in strength compared with ean'er times. Uga.te said. Nowadays an e;rthq;ake wirh a
magnitude of 8, 9 or 10 on the Richter scale is rare. the one in south Asia in Otober 2605 was 7.6.
Ugarte_said, addhgi But yes, we are seeing a lot or damage. you wil probabty find more damage
in the rulure for phenomena lhd' Jre tess ,n maqnrtude than in prevrouq yea,s

Experts agree ihat

'

the poor are disproporuonately hit. "tn severat or rhese counMes, the poor

people are look'ng for spaces to buitd their houses or their commuDities
[and] they find spaces that
are not already used." Ugarte sald. \And lhose spaces that are not atr;adt use;, are usuatly the
spaces at higher rrsk for naturat phenomena. There,s a huge retationship berween this k,nd of
damaqe and poverty."

For this reason tlnancial services ptay a rote in both prevention, and damage Imttauon and
reovery. A report entitled, Climate change furures; heatth ecolog'cat and econ;mlc d'mensions,

103

in November 2oo5 assesses the risks generated by cliBate chanqe. One of several
scenarios "wou!d involve blows to the world economy sufficiertly severe to criPPle the resilience that
enables affluent countries to respond to catastrophes," according to Lhe repot, whicb was published
by the center tor Health and Global Environment at the Harvard Medical School and sponsored by
published

reinsuranc company Swiss Re afid the United Nations Development Proqramme. While lt is
importanL to ercouraqe people, governments and.ompanies to buy insorance, not everyone can
afford it or see the needMicrofinanc'nq is a.other avenue, giving poor pople the means to improve their economic situaiion
so Lhat a disaster .,oes not hit them as hard as it would otheMise, and also by lend'nq them money

lo use

recovering from it,

'n

r.jany counlries are working to lmprove their disaster prepaledness, but more needs to be done,

r
1

"countries are nolr better prepared in comparison to 1970," he said. But now the level of
preparation and risk redu.tion thal you need is huge in comparison to that year,"
The Michoacan earthquake in r.lexico in 1985 showed that beinq well prepared was not enough
because hospitals
the disaster zone were destroyed. Lrkewise, in Grenada Hurricane Ivan
'n much or lhe Caribbean island's bealth system, makinq it difficulr ror health
damaqed and disrupted
workers to respond to the needs generaled by the hurricane.

its programmes to locus not only on preparedness but also on mitigation. This
involves reducinq secondary deaths and destruction thaL can occur in the aftermath of a disaster,
and
bui'dinq codes that require hospitals, schools, military bases other vital sLructures
to be'mplementinq
built to withstand such disasteE.
f4any countries say they can't afford more preparation, but some measures are simPle and can be
inexpensive, such as a tsunami wa.ning system, Uqarte said. "But from the.e to Banda Acelr, lhat is
another step," Ugarte $id, rererring Lo the capital of tbe Indonesian p.ovince that was wo.st hit by
the earthquake and !sunanri of December 2004. "And from Banda Aceh to all the llttle communlties
on the coast, that's another lssue. That last link of the chain is not in place. And that is the system
thai we need to build "
Disaster experts say early \'./arning sysrems and erluation are esserlial to prevent and mltigate
aqainst the effects of natural disasters. In its World disasters report 2005, the IDternational
Federation ot Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies .otes that a simple phone call saved lhousands
of lives when the giant tsunami wav;s hit India in 2004. A risherman's son named Vijayakumar
Gunasekaran, who lives i. sinqapore, heard about tbe tsunami eady on the radio and phonecl
relatives living on Lhe east coast of lndia. Follow'nq his warnjng, all 3630 residents evacuated their
village lbere beiore the waves arrived.
PAHO has expanded

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.hJnoe /\nvamrudldeJ{w;UprobrLly.n\ohe.\meri.
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tndians to ant emjdoDFthrouglr r qlobil svstem of

lol rn L'n\g,'rworrY JLoot ere' gy -h"n rl.e o'l pr,.F

f i' t"eh.
rl'.osrgy(d\i\o{ .008willbFqu e Itid.ble eDis;ons permil!
ur)il<e lbe oil cnses ofthe l970s ind 1980s for l /) Brrr do nor qpe, r rhe wo' l.l,ldea ro move mui h
b/ b-yond e.r.,ul pt,n,iples,n i00s- lhe Ch,,,6e
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$e very b.rvotrs rbout r8ring ro rryPiri. over Sloba_l ]{i,alring
nns rhat rheworld now faces
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ricr'v- Tbe ilrsr reeolyes

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)rld\ l.!d;DB cconoies reed to iind rerv

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,nvbc;ng oouSh .lremaio o;l rrd Irs Son 97%

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Br thenst de.l oD cliDate choge Dusr irdude dm
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hior, lnil;a and o$s doeloping orr;ons. Tbir W
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soDgh,Biro rhar Chira is nrpas -7 1 .uoond
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ro s.ue

to,c rer.

r'ooMo"l qrn"ritdn um Ih'

Bigtounlryle.rders
'n
wlllspcnd.r IOt ol ll'iLr. rjon ul "^ ctuns!-8 .b us8h ,u
lltJ a:@"reirnry o\er rhetu, .. ]h.
Unre Lr).rng lo sr(trrc i-u.;,.,.,"j"a" n"*"r,".j.,,
4Derica, Notua/ Dd DnDark. Alt
access to,lhe very
of $ese coDnr.ics are iDlereskd iD
fossil ftiels t1rey are ll-,,o*ty Bprorll;.s sbe,.hcs ;;
rx),drJ brnDse Blobrt wrr6,ne,s
trying to forswear
n.long tt si$ tD narigajerhe$ai-s

deals ro

suplty Dcrsr wnhj; rhe EU. white

. bunnF i.'1,6 rr.n.,l;y
comFJnr.s
rl'c rn,on _rbe qovemmenis
'nsnlc
vcqem Jn.l ..Dndl furoDe wiU
oJ
Iry r., 'rLiu.r rhtrr depend$cE on
l(ussra. Rnr drrir rarioral dtlistuns
rdill m Je $6harder
6t, rn roos. ho,eve'. Lhe !u miy

1i

/rBre uro,' )LnM)oD

RDsskn in!c.lmeDr !,

poL,cy ro

tjmjr

(n.rgy Js
re Russjus asrie ro
EU

scr-uDless
ot-n,p rh, oh n.n-, g] ruJrkers tu,,ho ro to,-Cn ii
vesnrsLTlcw}ote rhNr ofRusid doBsrj. s,ssy
ptd n jqenr )h,'lL- be- ro t*,m lne i,trot'ue;
of lo,,,Un, mpdni* ,n d,p r{,rsd elern, t', ror. And
whd,-\-' rr" u ,loc\ x\ poticy ,. t,ket ro ronliru.
700t Otrp,l"il ro w.,,,Jl uur to, b

'D
and

g6feld,whd. Rusia

Day

rhc caJ<LID

q'!o

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r ori
p,sre on

ot
turn. . 6d to ger r',.3' ro rh.
\
'hc
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,^I
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ru, '-roc r(1iob) r&c ih. n Lt.ss in

n.'

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pofirj..oftudgy

perfcrt rymbololr}e

Frddoti.J
;n r0n8 fbc wo, tJi tdh8
,.d,,. u,!j.,doD befr" o
global hlamn8 jnd Lhe ins,t fijpls L\rr het, ro (ruse jL,
aur rhc] rLo srJnd rhdy ro pr oh, hom gLb,l wrm
I
u8 t'v
und", rhe t,,ls tor -o,e lo*it tucb
"I

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l

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companieg need5 teeth

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rrn in ,,008. Lu' 'r Ed ts"r --=-A
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I r"' dd
rnd pe' Ldp\

FerDe,
{
.,."* w',[ -'"u,r .*.-- j"l 9E-.'
rin[ina lo,ptDeate poljrjcal rl;ossior,
.orrprdes will be rDore ers6 rlan aer
Lo offtr op envjro;me!rdl indr.arors ro

citi"rrL"hip. A l,rdtulo,
Lio*
uf Spajj, NoMi' wor ro ieporll h woul,l be oo srtr-pnsr ronon noo abGd ril}y orgdi.-a
8oKlruorF
dd cdaJ|mons lnm-ody . rftre it o.e dJy Cllifotud whiLh hd.bady 1) MeM"bite g,"""
or ,

\bow thcir

Bood

.
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psed a 6p oD c.bon ru;oos_ne lGt ror omumi*;"-elqrsteq
i"l4e
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;;BfromnoublemF
indusrrs.
cides
Lo
req*e,
rnn.orporrre
mrelabets,b.t d,nnifu;;G;
_
g,s J Brge rcpons_sys tbfl nasmrlnbof-lLGrFm
tubm fooDrinr ofp,odocr5hom shos
O)
19
conloro
ro
one
'
rbewoidR*orcrn.rituta
*j
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'rbd'
rd. Tbe CJob.l Rrporb's !g"r!+
one b;& probto is ihat Dost -!sE $.h; puch"-*.f sffit"e, io
9
l5)
or Bdistioo b*d in lne lldler ldds,
l;lsrainab iry repofts de Bor au.tirrd by ;latrr rre6, wh;d dbsorb olU" a;Aa"
ha be! i$liDs r+ortr-n8 sddelines lo"r*a-.1"amcaro.;
i.a A-ai"* *"t".p r..s.".s"-li"g
".pe.iat1yEe;
o! sNraim- tilh.y si'e 2ooo. Ur-mdudes lAm-siG), Tbi, coutd cb.+
as iDvetins behayiobr_witl t*"i""diq:ie!eri
h@a-risbrs a,'d vorldore
*
".*r"i.,ble .oopo;ei- grows. tui ,007 c","."1trj.tui;;6'ffi;"
Nerrd .*'-htzl
on*.)c!L'*'*
repon li"
lviro*stalisrs d puttina pre$ure oD ftdjt 6dilatbt' s ca*on offsrslrirh

,oBhdp.^:

tne o,EoBadoD ef,pccl{ lA'do's 5ffid6 uJ exJrd8e co'- rebE d poiirr, dd poc qimidts wirl
r,7.0 globJl {orpri.s ro i$c repons lm*.joo ro rquif (oopmjs ro-disto* sue)rMir in 2008.
bJ*d on jl. Eujdetns in .{0& yiple lhc Lheir a boD d;-s;orl! r5 tE[ a ro qda_
I
i\"1 B;r 6e ,at br.,k[hro'Bh, olt (onf
. ormb-i-o 1005.
lrry(for rbe bseEr
,n homhe,a ueee
.ba,ebotddt
America,
the
."#"" *"",
W.orldt
I or
-----'
Deepersl'adei oirreeD
lpo*ot. *p.i of --- -. -----'
sbow1alti
ror8 wyro.go. rhonsh
rDo-ogn' "oiilil'"r,,-,""!'.'#
cnlDate ch:Dge oD gre"t eoergy
(;d Lh
.olrsMptio
6)
b/ r !r rexcrpL !d aiku*rroso.
corsMpti@ (andrle

rle h

"s-*

rnJ;;+**

guzzerr
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$o lhecu, io mosttgllqqglso rc .hdtrcd ot ;(cess
pte, peopte
be

;{Ha#ffi

are Voluntarv,
-iI
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;bh;;h"--uch
coopai* ro
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dd se*izl ruopeo
ro nonro cone-'e' setu dai*l ,ashs d rfe drye- This ;fl encourase
sooc tnre nqnned rcponin8 on matr6 rn 2oo7 dAseffi websire caXedlqi (oDg:mtioD dd-otr_peak orgj. tse.
\
u<e(orponre oers,
)rae.orpone
be,y usa.e:
Dsrse *)
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oDl;np k;;4
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(dri.
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tund@rD;n
l{.\ .s+!ec4!egcar.d
Eieo_b"i;;s cdti,
dd th, nre! rarse,orpoturjoru r.h i-ri"o 1-go'-"i-uea
-94q!er1
,
J Ab.l -->-E
rrro, iiabour
Sq1i+:
suz16, $stznrbrlrrrPorrs evolut- as Applq DeI od Nike on their efforrt to broailen iis horizons 6om.odsdcjal
I {tttr_ r,ry-ttBn@roiernhow
rom6 ot ro redrce @rboD o;siods tn 2008 $e blndiDss io boDs_And rh
S*lrr ldre re^.zgded ar ups,many
-r"''
Jrorodrhar gm beoaednqdia wilt srdr iDranigar co$DD;5 be.ome o{ their or, 8reo
?roclbr & Gamblet Pdpss.de geLLDg ing corponre wiromeDral daimr Are. foorsinrge nore pressw tlrtuil p"t
S
sli''-o{soo.ing1sm.rr;a]).Burwhar.ompo;sredb,rcdr.;ngdretreDdy on coDFnies to .ome .leaD:, '
I
coubrq bs

"q".t

tne

ts

reet.

i$!$ l}at.omp@is dorit

use

6 mrchasuer srl,l"d

is

!rsd,.: xlr

6rrb,aidr.m,m?Dr.or'jb',4

tttktuoniq rn^

Oec

f1,

2007

IN REVIEW: ENV]RoNI.IENT
Busrness.rf ctojnq llreen burns briqht
YEAR

climate change moved trom belng a frinqe rssue lo a mainstream concern, /00/ wi
the year of the environment. Wiih the green business becoming the
world's ldste5t-growing indLrstry, JESSiCA CHEAM looks at.the rnilestones rn 5rnqapore
for the year
As

be remembered as

Clean energy

blueprint

lN IYARCH, Si.llapore herdtded rts entry inl{) the clean enerlly race ds prime Minister Lee
ilsren Loonq a'rnouncecl a $170 mi ro,r rcsearch fun.j for the industry.
The Econorn c Developnreni Bo.rd ( EDB) soon unveiled a more detaitect
5-]50 rJliIron
blucpflnt lor rese.rch and development, testn.J anal prlot p.ojects in clean
energy,

i!:-d,m:

2015.

Io credtc a nr;rjor rndirsrry v.rorrh g1 7 I,r /!r

Sinqapore's 1'or;y ioto a{eirn

i.'

\rr
.r.r..rlw,.',
qr
mdss ve owth.

enerqy lhal

.o|F

tr,.t d\

dr, ch

w cmpl;y

/,U00 peopre by

i9, oner.Jy gcner:rleai 1..,n renewabte sources

, ul,,L, t,t]d,, dllta/..
.^r I, cnlo, ,g

Leddilg, (seJr.h lii'use alean Edqe has reported revenues in the inrJLrsiry climbjnq irom
U!g4u b,il/ol (t958 rrlll ,,,r) rl 2tl415 lo LIS$55 b'llio. last year_ This is projected to hit
US$226 billiofi by 2016.
Mega qreen investrnents

l[]

OCTOBER, Sjnctapore wns propetted into qtobal timetiqht \/hen Norwea nn sor.rr tirm
llenewable Energy Co.poratron (REC) arlr ounced thai rL wrll set utr the wortd,s biggesL sotar
equipmenL flranufactunnq ptant here, wo.ih 96.3 bit,ion.

'fhis was the fruit of 'nine

monlhs of intense courtship between EDB'and REC. Singapore
trumped more tlan 2O0 tocations to emerge with the prjze. sd,d EDB managing director Ko
Khencl Hrva

planl, which witl begjn operations in 2OtO, is expected to ernploy ;p to j,000 staff
with an initial 1,5OO setectect to be htred next year. A qood number oi these wafi be sent
to Norway for extensive trdinjnq:
The Tuas

Earlie. this month, oil qiani {.,leste Oil said that it would build the wortd,s biggest biodiesel
facility in Singapore at a cost of 5SO miltion euros (Sgi.17 bj jon),
The plant, ideally located near Indonesia and Malaysia , the wortd's two largest palm oit
producers willconvert the feedstock into flret for vehicles_ The anvestmeniwit, creale 1OO
lobs and boost the Republc's 4oal of expanding its environmentalty frjendty andustrjes.

t0'1

ilnn

i
i

!^

Lr'vllon"re"tally lr rcr'.lty I'ohr ics

Ii

I O REALISE SJn!J.iDore s afirt)Lljon of becominq a ma jor ctean encr

ljy player, a Ctean Ener gy
Proqrirnme Office (Cepo) w.rs announced in tlarch to drivc the qro!/th of the sector.

t_

sir governore.t a9encie5, includin!l ttie EDB, the Natronat Envrronment

Aqcncy (NEA) nnd the Buildinq nnd Consrruclron ALrth(n iry (ACA).
Cepo coDrpr iscs

s firsl /nrti.rlrve \t/ds to set rlijde a g 1 7 fliliion kitty for the Ctean Enerqy Resenrch and
lestbeddinq (Cert) p.bqraor.ne, whi.h wrtt prov de 5rle5 ior torciglr .rncj loc.rJ corn pirnies to
lest all krnds ol.leaI technoloqy
Ir

r
t
i

t,
r

t.

In Oclober, (:epo launchcd .r 950 rnrltiorr research fund ior the next live ye.rrs Lo accelerate
the indL'sny's resr.ar.h.r'r.l rlcvetopfitent efforts Thi5 !./ns soon toIowed by a g25 nliition
scholiJrslrip pr o.tr arrmc to .Jr oom a wor ktorce to ser ve this industry. Cepo plans to award
olaster's or PlrD sdlo{a,5hips to dbout 110 stuclents over the next irve years.
Th.r NFA nlso lauf.h.rcl a En.rqy Efiicr.:ncy prograr me Ofticc {E2pO) io coordinal-e
nalronwrrle ellorti to streaml]'te 5!nr.tdpore's major se.aors of energy use, na,nety in power
(tcnciilion, indLrel'y, trdnsportnrron. burldllrr]s and hoUsehotd5.

worlrl (:irss rrji.rdrrh c-o

rr.

rli.rt yriti tocus on envitonricnt:rt

:tinq;rpore r:i dl5r) |kcly 1o l)l' s,rt 1jl) 5oon 1t uri tikely to
a:eritrc lo' Glob.r tnviro]lrne' t.rt S!sr:.rinabrtity_

tssuet lhe frrst ot

be c.r e(j the S nqnpor.:

t5 ki.r.t

r'

F-Tll

Tlrc res.r,r.ch h.!r5rl will be a l).rrt erthip bt$/een tlre N.rtLonal Reseirch FounrJ.rtion in
'rlirilJpore and n top Errropear' .lroup ol re5e.rch .r.]Ll tead)inq instrtLtes fro|r Sw/tzertan.l,
ETFI I)orn.in
6
'l

IC,
t.
$-

Carbon: a new commod ity

WITII the Kyoro Protool crc.Jlin,:l !r new market comrJlollity in carboir, Sirgapoic !s
positioning rt5--ll b become the re!)ioD j cnrbon tradtng hub ltiven lts standir(l as a iinanciirl

A local con)pdny Asia (.rrbon Grolrp sard tdst month that it wds workrnq with the
5rn9aporr, Fxchar)qe lo lJun.lt a potentially lucratrve aalrbon creclit t.ading lacility-

Catalst listed ecowise Holdrnqs, a ]ocal cnvironmentat solutions company. also s,gned a
de.rl Lhrs year with lap.rnese fi'm Kans.ri Etectric power to se up to 95,000 cdrbon credats
over five years - rnaking it likeJy to be the flrst cornpany Singapo.e to se {arbon credjts
under the United Nations' Cledn Devetooment t4e.hanism 'n
The tr.rdlng carbon credtts is dejiqned to timit industry corllon dtoxide emtssjons, widely
bldm-d -\ d .or t'tbulot to glohdl wdr,rrtnq

Solar: Option with most potential

THE solar industry has been the rising star of Sinqapore s burgeonrng ctean energy sector
this year anal looks seL to rematn so in the near term_

The Government has sinltled oLlt solar as the clean ene.qy with the ntost DotenLral for

I
L

108

Singapore dLre to rts ex:stinq strenlllh |, the s nil.I ser riconductor indu:rry, ancj its
strategir location ilmong the sun-bell aountries,
Big pJayers such as Norway's REC, Germao solar firm Conergy, United States based
Solnrworld have been courted to set up manufacutLrrinq facilities or req,onal offices in
Sinqapore; while local comparjes such as Sotdr Energy power In.rde nrirory by becomrng
the f'.st Sanqapore company to manufacture solar cejts th's year.
Cepo has also called for proposals from iirms to test a
selecled sites.

r.j

qe of solar technoloqjes

BCA lasl montlr unveiJed a gtO million zero energy bLjit.jjng

also h.ve sLrch test facilities

at

Singapore.s tirst , which wi

The cornplex vvjll have a net zero enerlly coDsumpLion over a typical year, macle possible try
a maljsive arr.ry {Jf solar p,rnels coverinej dbout l,jOO sq m - the bjqllest rn Srnqapore
which wlll be rnte.Jraled or) the roof of one of th-. buildin,rs8CA rxpects diFferent generations of sotar techllotogy to be tested here, pav,ng ihe way tor
ltrrtlr.r rnnovati.rng nnd adophons of solar energy in Sing;po.e

The greening

Illl5

of.orporate S'pore

Yeal, cf icl rlecullves h.rve found thal envilonrlentat i5sUes, once af afterthou(Jijt,

r. . .! roroordtp I.dt,qr'.

Firo)3, foreiqn d rd loaal alike, have been JLrmping on Lhe tlreen trandw-agon, nitiatin.l
.orJ:rorate social I esponsibiIty prac|ces trorrl tun(ting environrnenint qroups to
'lLrrrre.ors
stre.r,r'lrn ng thLr'J operations.
Thosc wiLlr !te'lurne rntenLjons hnve ofteD [ound recorrnition for thei. .]ftorrs

I'r Apni. ior exarnple, properry firm City Devetopments (CDt) became the f|si pr,vate
(leveloper to be .rward.d BCA'S Green Mark ptatinum the hiohest accoJade tor oreen
L.r.ldl a\ ror ir' O.ednfronl{OSentosa 4ovp proJ,. l
reputation anci experience as a green developer atso in some ivay led to its clinching
of a l.5ha prestigious sile at Beach Roact from the urban Redevelopment Authority in
Seplember, whach fealures an eco- friendly mega olixed devetopment. r
CDL'S

fhc numbe. of local companjes joininq the race for environmental sotutions-have atso
swelled, wilh more diversifying into the green business_
For relari investors, 2007 is also the year green rnveslmenL fUnds went nlatnslream.
Fornrer US vace president and environmental crusdder AI Gore, who c.lme to Singapore tn
Auqusi for the Global Srand Forum. gave a separate talk o.t the growing range of green
,nvestments in the market that could give high returns and urged investors to .plt your
money where your valus are.-

jcheam@sph.com.sq

r01

lsc

,milu,
,w

%ffi
qtw

WORST

BEST

SPI](--IAI. REPOR'': ENVIRONMENT

Green C-ountries
A GLOBAL REPORT CARD ON NATONS DOING THE
MOSI AND LEAST, T0 CLEAN UP THE ENVIRONMENT,
j

By FRED GUTDRI,,?d BARRETI.SIIERIDAN

RF.i.'NS COI'I,D ],Ii],{RN A LOT I-ROX{ !'R,ANKI-IN ROOSIi/EIJT ASOUT

ho\r to tack inninent en\ironmcnt l djsa{iers, lt may scem hard to

believe in this age ofdaLl oyerload, but on the eve oI 0re Great Deples-

sion,

theU

ted Stater had no broad mellsure ofwhettier the economy

I{as growing, or about to (xash. Roosevelts ill-fated predecessor,-Ilerbert Hoover,

was leli watching rrndom bits ofdebatitble info lihe the size of{ieight-car loads. Tl,

co

eLt this prcblem, Rooscvelt asked economjst Simon

Iclzjlcts to comc up

{ith

broad, stindardized accountins s)tem, whai is Dow kmwn as the gross national

producl ihe univelsal mcrsurc of'national economic performaJtce- 'Ibday the battle

to prevent global eDvironmental catasimphe

random, vaSue

sufi'ers

data andbegsfora sirnilfsolution:

ftom the sarne pmblem-

some kind ofgreen GNP-

Tbdays equivalent of Kuzn.'ts and the team wbo invented GNP is the research

stallworking on the Environmentnl lerformance Index, or IlPl Joindy prcduced

t
L

c0UmrIG

TBFES:

Crri',

h/

to

d.aud gcn

CNP. aad got d

btuhlth todXl@ah-.fitslti

ftE

GOST oF

by )ialcJ

wEALItt Rrci, dtioFl;ke

Certer lor Laiv &

Ilti{:y (led

t mk

Irnvi('hental

llstr) ard Columbia s

(tnter for Intcmatnhal lrti Sciencc ln'
formitjon Nctwork (led by Marc Le,y),
by Dani{,I

EPI aims to be a comprchcnsivc assess

nent of the woridt cnvironDental chal
lenges and bow individurl counb;es are
iesponding to thenr. It is rn elTort to hoil
all rhe activitie ol a Dation that relate io

i|e eDv;omeDt doq to a simPle Detric

tlai tuB from loo (tl,egreeD6t) dosl to
rero (thc lc6t sreen). The l'.le Colunrb;a
tcm released thetust complctcversion of
the index in JanDary', dd il is tic statistical
backbone of tlris spccjal issuc oD the
world's mosi dd 1c6t greeD natiqN.
Fi6t, tbe obvious cv@t the ElI is still

nowhde ncar a ac4rat t $easDle of na

tional pcxfomalce as GNr 0ror its sc_ce$or, $oss dondstic pmduct). Thc indcx

tle b4t avdlabledahin 25 critical categorles, lioD fshens to c_arbon

includes

tc,llto h@. enrilo"nntsthat4reli;@du

to

htm* b t kot to pl'ats all

emissioDs, forcsts i(J watcr qualily, dssdrs

ing thc lospitrbility of a Dahonk nvnon

ment to ],u',ans, and plants od mioals.
Mu.h ofthe data.rc sirong c.rbon cmis
sions, fo! instancc, are well documented.
thmks to 20 _vc s olwork by the Il ited
Nilions' lDiergovemmeDtat Pa'el or C]i
matc Chege. Sone of it is no!. listy, a lor

mcr oflidal for the U.S. EnviroDrtent..l

Prctection ]\g!nc], sals that jn some ()!Is
dat e "dislressiDgly thjn in terms ol@vcngc, or poorly construcledl
Slill, fie EPI is the Lest m6urc we

ofhov nrtions are fding in the battle

diDgs
ro save rhc cNircnment, od ihc
are strikins. As one might dpc.t, dle over
aI raDLings plaL! snall, wc.lthy S.andina
vim socicties rhe top, and P(Dr war torD
^t at the bottom. But one big
Afti.nn nations
hale

dht si4 is no encDse for p@r

dd small nations (mrpy
both the top dd bottom rarlqs. And b;Kler
surprise is

pertbtmdrce; big

suTnses

@intak

comclh.,' )ou compde nrriom

qith p(.r 0i sm,ld in,ume, or

srth
ncighbors. ID tlE follosii)g pases, you'I
6nd chaptd on thc

6oN

bst

h dery inome

middle .la;s md ine

mdwo6t-na_

gtoup: dte ri.h, the

rDor

China in partjculd hs long a4!ed

that ii ; too poorjo afford rhe V/enten
lNry oI cNirotu-nental at?.renss. Tbe
E?I expos this claim to bologus. China
nrks last mong l5 nations in its incodre
arorp (ihe fifth decile), bchitd l,tetnam. If
Colonbja, the grorpk leader, on allod

cst chinat
Icmss the boed, Chinas eNironmotJ perlonnece is subpd. Compared with
iLs neighbors i! Souihca+Asia, sllich harc
snnih popdation densitig md grcsth
plses, China larcs slighdY bettr in
proicdins its hcbitdt bDt much $ork h
m.-rqrr*oa indNtrial ilts. Tbe o!e'-,I rmpact olits cnvimnmenr on hman halth is
enviroDmental coDmm, why

CHINA HAS LONG ARGUED THAT IT IS TOO POOR TO AFFORD THE WESTERN
LUXURY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS. THAT CLAIM IS BOGUS.

I
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hnt a,,-rxd\mr(, D^d 'tiu ',aJrL;nE, r ''nrl,rrur l'rr'i'lPUPltrlrils ri rr hr' "- $ ll un r"lFxD!
ri'irr(n\rtrrtr
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l;.:: ,i; i.;;;':;, ;i:'^", ,i ?r1," ;;';;;;:',
t l :l-"T: lll*:
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rukrlg
to,this
disrnal
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Frcent),
Pcr
'scs
irhe . i' I tdill\r'rn ' o'rroic{ in'l
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,elobL"ri^n c'm- i.
.."."'sco"'n"
'nr',g-l,r'r"'e-lr',-;i.g
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ltrxvil)
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ii'1,'""',i*ril'":'i'ili;,i,."*'gx"o''
*:y '*:' :
\ldrv ul' srr' u 'F'':'9.n"-"::ll::
rrrl inkine.
n.renr
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-- er.iu. n"ed
l v un uPr' Jnt-li
ir(
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ir,".tr ,l'
l:s'J::
"mi
t@ brok tu \diirrdr r'.thl].i:l'L11,'ill
t -ss ;n flre storl of chinat i nvimnnci tio* o' co.l. In the EPI, tlr Uuired
thenethroushoutthcstudvishovanv
i;iv g".-"tidr, @npded wirn -an 'atio'' tstudlcss, 6f 'nc-*-lY:::: "coal fircd Pwer pt-r.
;"
'J;:il;;
r le|crit duurSlrL"A'dolrmrn i;.,.
l' ounhtu ur
i,.k,\,r rbid_.",, r,'r ", bor, J,uri,l.. "r""t
"",'g-.i"d
!dr wr';r:'lfrc':r:i llo:':::: n,5..,i.'l:
:i. ."" , r'.1, ,", ri . ,r'o"q ".',.,^J ".trr,
rn. ',uri,h{P, Lh.us.'rmtl
oemdv tnds to
i"-**""r,*c"oi.,, whicr] \deputsat rvccrse than nuorre'
:ii"iH:,iff;il'? ili;.;;]-ii"r'
Eurcpca' Peere'
iis
dd1
o]l":rforn
uf
rv.ragc
74
(ldaging
ihe
pc.cgroup
frr b.lor
,.""".
-,'r,"
-" lclr drqn,r" to 56, tlr.ir,
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l
Pl r-m irrvi Al u ru
wl''
th'
i""1*i"
ounthb
a:*r'p'l
..E
,,i,i!. Dlxnts Jn,l
"r'ich
'
''" '
rtureil'm'rnr1"rn-r'hrI'rsd'nrP ar
1"",r'--.*'..',u,allvhiphi'
'"n,1 o,,'d'fit I'e.lr}lia' -nffonmPnts
","".
rr do! h1r'r o'n nrrrv
* "-'"or*r. "hry. it prchds,r'r ror InJrl' fi' lc* Je\cluFd ''l{'9!'
'F'lnJlior'
;n ,"n lil18
n$er
natioN
ri,1'
r.a,rh,un, Lhe .un: olmnohr ny.. Bu, a, n-iLtlir ior pt-r "na ,.imrts. wtaldrl
?::l']j',:
crnrrnrrlevelwh.rr.oalDlmrs,el"aenuriorF"s,fiord.1rlrrrflnnologicsdrdmd'ginargfl'r'rh''ar
,,. n." soo.l-,,,r,,i". -dmt:ryr".o". al o, n er, rr Uo,,lrorrinc.irbon erusron:
p_pi;;;; rl;;
i".,- "*a..,"
borl qld rnd ,romlU,,re,l. r-h nJs \Frid on u'er .rs' bu' de\elopmcnr nd murnnrn'A high l.'t"-q"-Y.t-l
sco.esinthcE}I,smm$.esofgrcud-t'Ies.tolonthce'viroment.lAsde]oflevek!lsootjnttsLltlG.Gmsylls

rr'

'];:;:ffi;:'iil"ffi;;;iffi.ii-

iil;;rs;"J."";i""i.*r'm

lelopcd lunlJjs oft"r I lack both dirtv in

thcworst
h ils envircnrnenhl pnorins, thc a*ti*.*i.r.." L"u"g watd s;d vO
uniic,l strte is ;n one -ays *--Ur'ry g"t" r'ill ,'rk Lr smttcf,on; Ilnzm'a

lcvel ozoDe arc among

"r

'

See

the
irhotos 0l green courndes arumij

wodd at

tfo Ncwsek:com

Green Leaderc and Green Laggfards

i@oJB'nd^n atdzgdndim

meeMAiJ d aoo,na'ls betveatheoa?athofdarktnafttrh.t

L,nronnnta]Mo;dne tnn'*tu ";""t

i;'

6fan-'M.,*bir aisit, vat

to

'th.

Jhtudhon tuti,&*hich?atlL

-za'-?+--7=

overall Country
EPI

Md z,n@ebhbinings@rn''nheadinrbitiry

rc'os,B atulhdtitat P'otcdion

ig

Bankings

1 swit2erland

95.5

9at

!t3l

countrles has low enis-

91.4

905

theworld's best sysiem

a9,4

88.9
88.8

No. 59 'Ihis

88.4

rt6
86.6
86.3

14- Unitedxingdon

lvealtlv utder-

achiever scores well lor

rater and sanitation, but

ar.8

its higi oileonsunpuon

means hlgh eO, einissions.

rifirfirfitl

..

:_rF, _

86,1

86.i

16.

Lithuania

86-2
85.0
85-8

85.2

?9:.9ry!1" ., .9q

. jL!
4 4!e1
??:_,lc!qqe" , .,!4,!
?.!.:,!!!3L ,.--9!f
...p14
?1.. rtaly
25. .D!!I34 ,, 9i4
840
840

29,
30-

Chile

5I Gaorgia . 422
Iq.lreslirl,.. ..- . .--9U
39.

united

states

41. Cuba
42. Poland ,

Brail pio-

8O5
s0.5

83.9

a0l

85t

80,0

Spain

8i.t

S.-s!rrD!qn"4
34- lrel d

,,qI

48.

.._-4.
Bosnla./Herztovina-79,J

a!- lsmel

?S.6

42.7

79.5

Bra?il

8,-7

Urugxal

See all the

82.3

rtrd N.*wcik

ndagcd

its

well, adopting gmd

ed investiDg

'sources
pnctices such
as reqcliag
in altemative nergy.

France, too, Ianls Yery highly No,1o

ovenll ed second in its i!@me sroup
(the secoDd decile) due laryelyto its long
dd caF.irl devotion to nuclw power Indccd, the generally high soEs ol nations

N'

o. 55

80.7

tB.1

15.
16.

al.o
80-[

mnkings at

c6n

EP|SCOEE

that reh oD nudmr oDerpy, including

nany in E6tcm Europe, is testiDoDy io

its value s a non-lossil'fuel souce. By

coDhas! Br]giun and the Netherlands,
vhich share mtch in teltr ofpopdation
ad geogr"pbyrith their ncighbors, sDtrer
liom neglect o{tire e'viromcnt-partio
hrly in pmtecting native habitars-

100-90

I89.99-80 g 69.99-60 149.99-39

&] ru-gs-m E 59.99-50 ai: No data

Thc nations that find thGelvs ;n the

tod to have
t}}e vorst of both wo ds, vith medicrre
scores on hunm hc-ahh dd poor scores
on the Hnds otneasurcnmts that woild
indicate hary iDdusL"y, such as Poor an
quatity- I dia, for instance, is jn many rc-

middle of the income band

spects a poor

@utry. Millions ofits citi'

NEWS\;IEEK

JUIX TlltJL\ 14,20!J4

j,
,er

#
sR

Money

Mafters

rc7,E
Io.28fiisgood

more rn ts habit ol

pro!idinBnlsleading
en!imnnentafdata

L-

ro rt5wldsDread
ol emission_curbing
"rclear Power Planls

"use

."dPl to.the rest ot

I
'I
'!,

I
f
I
t

most meastrr?s. including

Fr.n faster thd those in

t,
What lt
Counls

'np F.nim,ndtdJ
" "o'ue1t

w,.

Pcrfmd

ao" i,"

in"

'v,

lndatuhB i,to 6cu"nt aeid. rbsc afJ@M e dnn'i'i"8

ofthos' n@ ob'ture rdtesti't

t/'

wt M.tro t ?'afm6 stune

ouatlrY of ,latu8r BEs.uRcEs

rei pu rrgerrn
Ildstplse-

L
{"

BtsI

New

llonst Etlriopia

zDs lac} addtuare seit tion. Dd clem

ilnnkina water, odgy spply is sPotry
even in citis aDd the buming of. biomass-wood md duDg-is wid.sPread,
Nirh rleleterions etrecls on hmm health
(lms disde) md the envircment (soot
md caibon emissions). O'r i])c othq hand,
mpid gro$th has broDght a; poltution

L
$

t.

100

Zealand 100

Fiii

won$ Cambodia

0-

wil only gerwors ,s

in s@tes for automobiles-

and other itls, whrch

citirens L-ade

Brsr

Even at the botton ofthe incomes.aie'

in tbe most cbalengdt region of the

workt-sub Salann Aftica-there {e hig
diffarences in how coDtries perlom vis) vis the environmenf- Niser

6 out lhe EPI'S

100

point

scalq_ which

99

44

makes it the mostiniospitable courtrv on

ot bmt 6te[as the
thc nlmet for
rt
ba<llv on a IcY masurc

.**r
'ott'o*

rw
soe

tiletv is p"opt" .rc to be afilided

illness$ related to eDvironmental dslc'
s;ch s p@r watcr qualjty or rirpoUution
Its sditation is poor, its driDling mter $
tull of nsg micmti.s dd its citizens con
bv

&

,l

'att,ha!!m!.J rytun, tb Sahtaa Afri@,Ihfie at

bi8

dOfrn';:in

h.t

oDnent.l qTc is.aDotlar intbrasdns way

d.sert poveny od politici idstability

ud Dcglc.t can lud tu enlironneDt.ll

supplics with the ne&Ls of indusbl turd

lurg disass_iiom cooking :tucs- li's

a place where a,@nbination of envimnnartrl wealo*-rhe connt.y is largely a
dcgradrtion and so.ieLl collapse.
Ily .ont dt, 'I$zania, with a r.rJ<

of

ll3, landsjust ah6ad olthe fd richer UDited SJab Emimles. Tbnania also ranks
frst d)ong those nations in ihc poorcst r0

pcMnt. Thc r@son h6 to do p.rtly vith

the counbyt biologi@l inheitanc! it in
dt cs nuch of the wililljfe-rich Seftngeti
Plain-but also a slable govenrment that

hd

gdded .dvelopnent

od

.onircllcd

poaching ard pollution.

. Comparing coDtlj8 of thc sme end

of slicins the dat . DBert rntjoDs; for instanG, have simild p.essDrs md chrl-

leDss thcr must jrlsile

i:]imii.;d.

f.mnig, vjthout hdriDg ftagil.

rdter

desert
ccos'ystms. Although Ismcl doeqlt score
wll compdre{l *rrh courEic in iisrvealth
clds, it looLs nlch bettcr conpred wiin
desert Drtions sch as Saudi Arabia, E&?t
and the United Anb Eminttes, ithici have
more severc mtcr problems.
In some cd6, thc Yale dd Calumbia
Borches had to do some catite anrrysis. To 6ss how r'ell routries d pro
tcding biod;vasiq, {rey overlaid a map of
mtionat parks md otherwildlifc ee$1tith

satallite inasar

slonirlEtow much

dcvel

opineDl had dcro cheil'Dpon thse te

sioDs, illo$ins *rciu io identify rhich
.ountries have kcpi trote.tcd ar% tnJy
wild (the United Statds, Nw Zralmd add
Botsw a), md which had allovcd tlteir
mrks rosntr r ft,m l,dm.u eLcrcahmot

iIFImd,DemaJk, lrrm, lDdraed South

rsro), Aid sith their'he.'lth oaDe'inditor, thc mearchen had to rely on n:tle_
maii@l guarswork, blsdl on satillte

mcasu.ements, to set a rough sense Dfhow

snoB-infesied tne world's ciijes h.ve becone. (wlile thdc are g@d c.npmtive
data on oenc, smog also inclDds Ditrcgln

oxids, crbon moDo)dds and other comt}lti dc poorly trdcled in mosi na

ponents

W}IEREITHE DATA.ARE IHIN, SOME,COUNTRIES.SIMPLY MAKE,UP THE

FACTS. TODAY, RUSSIAN BUREAUCRATS MAY BE FUDGING THE NUMBERS,
48

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-1

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[,,
ELtilsY.ih;nuat6 badhJb; tuB!

t
{,

ind*ffidl

tltt, dre it Pat

t_

Abtu)

w^rl4 rL J$irult. \lthouglr &L

^pDg
i..nn,'1,,n in\DlveJ F ruldtilelv smprr

laPd, south Korea, Bi?il,

L'rdrupusr.,lms tlrurL ,s I vtsl ldrd

bi.-s"e,l wrrir

not

nuclcF fmgnn)- Among the $oFt oi

l}&il is resting on its laur:ls. De.ades ago

it irvestcd heavily in promoiing bn,auels
(ethanol made:lion sov)

dd

btilding

rbrn,ldr'cc of\, rter, Fhi.h

enersf rcladvely ch$plr with n.J

ii.lds
!$bon cnissions. Thcse lactors buoy
Bruilk score. but nr rc{:elrt y@s, despitc
the

cxhortations ofPoliticidq the 6uDtry

h.s bcen hacklidiDg on tnc Amv-on Ibr-

stt

lasi

ytr,

by dcsign or neglecl, ihc

cause

tres

e a

reserojr for c&bon,

a$instils economic pe.6 lit r$ks 28dj

oicrrll. rn,lhich rmorg nations olsirnrl*

carbon, tDainiy duc to the lellingof

fldsinq

iLs

income). "l .to;'t belici the Russian dati,"

'rys Esry.'Ibelisc ir:sijllmrdc,,1.'

Bruil c suthcr codfy wl'ose high
!_BllisrvLIIK L Jtil-v t/JUI,Y rr, 20o3

dr

otbon dioxidt;nto $e
rr, @ntnbuti,'s ro sluh,l \vming Rnzrl
is nolv rhe world's foulth biggst emitter of
rinq ihcm rulrrceq

be

nte

of cied oning judpe.d rB percent. tle

en*onmenral figurcr.
l'lnt's why YJe rsarclrcrs de suspicjols
stitl

of Russiat shmkingly shong po{omJnce

i.

ot' d sned
Ptio, oJ {oodt,l ike thL nathfrboanls NttzLt'"t

ti h.L\ to I edcllovcd o\er

nlire.o;unc,'Ls on .-con\ siu nt bsis Be
.nse- d2ta .oll{tion md.rmonitonnA is

.wL),

mnk 3'lth. is decepiivc lt, nidry v!ys,

tie Udtcd Shts, It ly sd IhnguI

$'h.rc the data rre.drin- one .easoD is
{
{mDlc: r!'bJrnsroeDi- Sun'e cnuDtic\
s,npiy lie or n.I. uf th. f,.ts. Thirw'5
commoD Pradrce eong Soviet rlPa
mtchiks 1'lro, yeai aftcr yw, tuDrhow al
T. vrvs stned to ra,l, Il'e rn'lu'tnd dd
,-'firMmm$t coJrs set fortl, ty thc
KR.rnlm. ft day';Russd bureaucrrts Day

h,se

tions.) ,{nong t]1c bet iddustriil suntris

were Malqsia, the U ited Kingtlom.Dd aU
o[ Eastenr D!rcpc (a legiq of the Sotiet
fenders werc

ds

'o

tEs.
.onchsion io be dnm tom thc

One
Yalc-Cohmbia pmject is the need for bettLr (lrta, vhich rcquir6 fiDds. AcqDiriDg

hish quality daia. eq)ecian"v in i}je derc'l-

in'li,k\;ssire,
t

norly s scxy ar irsue ast sav' saving

r.rnda' or p"l,r h.'n, \rrppon r.n't
lndll.n,'n, lt'llhout hctttu dtodn ^n.
ooli.luJk;i dt tnil Bo"d policres
iroooo s lrke th< ac.nrbi' rloels surge.
istlnqnqrp looJ I'ntcs shuwho\v
'vlirch
treachcrous erin rcll"intcntioned dcci
sioN abour the ervironment

la

bevhD

theyt d,nfomed. lhe 'de hold5 f!'

.nns'n,ef who somebms Lhink nq4ng
s,,mrbodv to LlDi r fe$ tres wilJ @m_
prnsate lur llying irounJ the $orld in ajr

r,h,es. [ur "u.h d-isiont, d aaressetu

tn.\nid rluddermg

riJ. lfMa.e aoins

.d

Daiural

Goucs,

the quicLer we

gin to rely morc ott lads

smptions, dre better.

bd

sd lss on as'

49

N0T L0NG AGO:,BERl-l N'BESISTED:EVERY PUSII T0

BEffi

ranks-I3th but itiwas quick to-turn its cconomy green.

BY STEFAN THEIL

H\Rr,TOIIT CMTIL\TNO|SO r.'r\C AGO.CFRMA YrrASO\L

I-Trs

I
I
I

U,

"uroo..
r

"'.,

.nvii onm.nLd lagsaros. b, rhe ro7o.. rhr

ri\e'

Rl{ne

pui"oned by herv,y i, lusr). G.,mln rFsobarurs

"n" "tnL,;ng.esspool.
."u, -,,," *.r"* ur,r,.,
i,,'*.. -d rn" scandi-nan.rn,ounuies
"i,",r
to cut sullirr'dioxide emissions or b:ln ozone-depletilg'+LvdrochlorofluorocarLons. lnd'rsrl l{,bbyi<6 and labor unions arguerl t}:r*relrnrdon wouil llll
to prove ihe etrecis dfl)o ution. (Sounil

nnre

plDs

climatc ..haDge and eneryy

continue to drive the global

bug6ningcnvi-

ronmeDtal novcDcDt, and :th

\ o':l,t\ fiat mri,' cren

r"'tu II ^34

n'i',"-*ff;t*ffifi

\l

eonomy, no coDtry now

seems better poiscd to

PIofiL

Thc Germm' sucless at

. grccn ag.da lrst

bonq tbcD in the EDmpm
Tbday, Gcnmy:nay .be .rhe worlds
Union, lnd nor worldwidc stems frcm
grenst mutry-md .noi just b@use the ddisioD to rork jn tardem wiih iF
salmon once.gain rctlm to spaM in the dnsby lrom the staf, not,againsi iL 'Ihe
RhjDe. Af@ !ado^!. score beter overall coDiry's 66t EnvironneDt ministeror Yale aDd Columbia's E rnornenbl KaDs Titpfer, a consenative, no ls-forPerfo4ndce Indd (EPl), md Germany nulated a blueplint in ihe 198os that stjll
sti]l lags in prote.tinghabiiat dd;rctrb- ho]ds roda] Cls;er tehnotogy, Topfer
ing gas-gDzzhrg tiN. But.:mong corn- saw, l@ a my to modemire Gennany'$
uies naking then*lvs.g@n by dsign, rnetaLb%diag eonony. lThe idea
Gmany is No. l,! sa'sYale'sDdiel E.sty, war to creat !)wkctsdd businsses that
Ge.many's nassi tummud gB
profit from hisher enviroDmental slanfar beyond its erfironmental clernup,

its

pushing
at

dards," salB Andreas Kmeiner, direcior

of

fmrn economjc the Faologic Institute, a.thini tu*,in

grorth md a suge in mewable Tlowei BdliLlAnorherkey\r%stoplanlongnem
More importmt, b@ue of theweight of dd give iDdDstry tine to adapt.l lntim'
iLs economy dd intenational clout, cer- st@dilytighteningsr.rdedsonpolution,
decouplilg of eneqy

Dse

ndyhasb.n setting standads iDpolicy . ra*mdre.TcliDgvoDldaddlptoaradod technology that are making the world ical ovrhad ofindnshy dd the e(:ororny.
A

19805 BLI,EPBINT:Irrr@rred the

50.

netif t;ghttu;ngofruLt on potlutim;

ea'te and

w|cl;rg

tI
I

iliil

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t
I

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I

t
t
f
I

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I

'l.]r etrcct $as nrassive pr6$rc on Gr

icss ene,tsr- dd
-- .o-pr'*" Itol,Lause
,,'ore ton,
b&
fqcr reso!r.-s

'nir

tir'ver\ r,d\ull.
Th. c."', s ajs,'.ner d ubje,t Les
son lr loo r., ma,.strclnr gree lohcl
'l ijDlirt cdneDt $,ccessor, SjADar
crL,i.l, \a\s thrt krce,' policy i5 mtre\
sootl ,ndustJiil pnl,ct .imql !t t,uLtrng
s..n.u', "n!,"'es rt ih( hrdrr^ltirthc
says is a "thnd iDdusirill revolDtion," dria'
rn br sreen teh an,l Lln cncrry' Much
ut c".-.'trt g,*",nment is t*l'in]i the
1n,gLrm. the Rser.b M,n,stry linJs
n,

I
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I
[-

R&D, while tbe Eenomjcs MinisEI mar-

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l
[f
it
I
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L

keG

Ccmar Sre.n-t{h e{|ortds abrcr,l

Thc FrneLe tuidstn. rhrodah the strt.

ome,] Raonso'uction credri astr.1, financs cdmm rc.wabie cnersy IrO

rt\ .roruLl ll'e qorlJ \vl,ile &e

nvcloomeut Mustrv introduc6 Gcr

mm e.een tech to chrn.', tnd,a mdafrio

gleen policy, but it's also divcD by
GemaD econonic inteets,'sDs Sr-(l,a
tl,tuller-xraoner. d,rector of the Natc

"ltt

Conscrvarcv in Berl,r'.

From tire stdt, the Gelm s pushcd

their Eorop@ Union prtnea to rdopt
sm r stailuds-nut lest to ]cvcl d,e
playing fielLl lor C"ms firms. Forqd
ple, when in 1983 the govcmment of the

llien Chancelktr Hcl!]ut lbht lorcerl pow

er conrpanis to phase
snrns

mr.s

lon

olt sulfd. emis_

tnc-ir r:oa] fired plarLs; thc Ger_

p.$sc(i llrlsqcls io Pass a sinilar

EU widc direciive oily one ]car later UD_

lile rhe slill $ccner scdxlinavims, Ge'_
mady is big orugh to st the agoda for

ils ncighbors, says Mihnda Schrcs, an

eDvironmDtal

poliq dpot at BerInt

Iree Universj+ TaIe thc feed it tdi{l a

sche e ti.t lor.es po{e. compaDics to
buy Dp rcne{ab)e eD.rgy at marked up
rats froF aiyonc who wants to generato

it, 'lbe I]ans invented it, but Gcmany

adorted it .nd,alhosi ore.night 6Fted

il,e mrldk biggst marler for wind drd
sold powel Dozens ot otner .ounlris
Gon Broil to Indon6ia have since pNed
s;milar mcLsu.es. Tlanlis io $ee feed in
hrifl's modeled arourd rhc vorld on the
c(man dmpk, tlie global ,dket haq
cxpdded drd pnces are conillg dom.

The ipple eiTects ofGermdyt iader

shiD rcle N Glt far.nd wide and djsPutc
the conventional wisclom that highe. envi'
ronment l stddards ju.,t scnd dirty ploduction olfshorc- ld 2007 (hina adoPted
the EUk drectives thai prohibit

h@dous

substmcs and mandale recycling of

houseiold applidces ud conmmer elm
boni6. iror China,

says

Schrctus, the

ide

InmD INDUSTAlAL

qt:'
vu

BEVOLUTION.

Wth iPPk

:^4'.[!:!':!:4!!:"!r
o'\

to dcan uP its owr comPa

not
nies, notorio!s for ignoringproduct safeil,

bui also to .Dsure that Clircsc FoducLs

couki be export.d to the ErroPed Unior's
490 nillion consumers (conrPard wi$
Anericas 3oo million). Since itt usually
more efiicjenl to inanuhcture to a single

slandrd, Asiar co.,irdrjs olteD choose

the stricier GdmJn or EU tegllatjons

Nni,nodorJly. GcmJny's rionc.rir

firms a h@,1 5L1rt in de

role has Aiv.n
\clopins Lhc techn"lagyto meet urt en{
,Ls

ronmenbl

siddddeiial ire oftEn copieJ

htc b\ oljred. rvl,en the EU rdoPtsl

c.-,i,v\ q'llirriraidc st2ndanls in tle

resus, iomp$ies l;kc S'emtns aLerdy

l,ad the.lsnrp tohnulogy rcrL! to instill

on t}Ic cortjnent's mal-6red Powr Planb

Tbday, Gernld companjes re leadels in
photuvulLl,Lq. wind rlrhinc. mste mM
r,emcnt mJ (cylliog. ALtording to a
2oo7 stldy bt the Rolrnd tle.ger consult_
,nA Amup, G.md compdr6 sleoalir'

ina in ecofnndly iecn aLeady have a

tumover of 15o billion a Year tirh
srcEth averaging 8 percenl a year- Grem
tech. the sirdy sat, til] pass @s to be'

BERLIN SEES ITS GREEN POLICY AS GOOD INDUSTRIAL POLICY, A WAY TO

POSITION ITS,COMPANIES TO PROFIT IN A BOOMING GLOBAL INDUSTRY

::Tdlr"#'rr1li;jirT,*
of
HeMelnantr

sel)s Gennany on ihe

"sreen cLononic mirade."

'ist

'etge

rtcentlv. Gcmmv hos stcpped uo

iis ;forts to t2i<e its cnviromcrtal leader
sbit beyon{l Euopt. Al tit Sali climrte
confercn(e last DLtember, ChrnLello. An
sela Mdlel promjsed a unilalenl redDc
tion of Geman carbon cnissioDs by 36

Frcent below 1990 lwels

by

Not in Our Park, Mister

2020 MerHe

WHEN THE SWISS PBOTECT LAND, THEY MEAN IT.

WILLIAM UNDERHILL

3]y

crt by 20
j'dcint, to he mistd to 30pocentifan in
lematioral agrecment ms reached. ln
a

pu\hed ihe 1-U

lso

wholc tu

Mar Gcmany ple(ked 5oo nilion a

to ielp developing coutr;s protecl
.lylrer

ytr

forests and habit^ts.

ihe EU this

ya

began a]]oving mernbr stats to auctioD ofl emissjons certificats (imtead of

giling then alvay frce), Gemmy w3 the

onty .ountry to spmit that the vinclfall
wolld not go into the general budget but
to pay for specrnc sreeD tech projmts. of
thai, one tlird l20 millon ihis ye.r bui
dsins sharply as the auctions gear rpwill go to renewtble-energy proj@ts in de-

Theft

are some serious

blotehs on il,e

cemanJ record. It scoc badly on rhe

EPI on biodive.rsiry, aDd iLs hiSbly subs;
djzed larnrers and fishernn h.vc dory.
nore than dreir shm of hm. Cemars
de grca! i! stuq iD tc.lling rhe Bdjlids
to plotect tiei! indignous speci6, btri last
year,
en . wild bed retmed to ibe Ccr-

dar

No.1 in the green index, scoring near-perfect marks-

:'l5$iEtffilEranks

AIps after ar absoce

ofn+ a ce.-

tDry, a Dalionwide hystria bmke out, nnd

A CIJMPSE OF

OR

ENpe, hetd lor

PRIMEVAL
the high noun-

taiN oI eadcm S\'ltzdlDd. lD

ihe wnd s@ne.y oathe Swi$ National Park, ihc authoritis havc
sought to re-create th mnditions ihat pre_
qiled 5,000 yeals agd No tre6 are aelled,

no

nadors

ed.

thc

mown

dd

no uimals-

hut

ibex and the beaidd qr-lture, once

dr;vo to neu

extinctioD, now 0ouish

.sain after their rdntldD.tion in the lst
rt!ry- WolB liare retumed to the re

h6 the ocmsional btd.

A .are geshft to nature conse{ation
Fod a natlon fmousiy ddoted io comme(ei Not so. WhcD it comes to oviron-

BoarElJrThe poactioN go b@L to t914

DenLd protection, the Swiss .an po;Dt to

tradition. As fs back 3 r91.t, the nation
creaied the oklest natjoMl park in the Alps

b:EiN wiih history

sjon, $rd so

or aryvhtre jD

cirtral t]ll.ope. And thc

tndition peEists vitli a hdp oflegislation
th^t Gtablishes more thD 20 ne; national
plrks. Snall wooder drat the country took

-I.st place in Yale Dd CohDbia's Ennron'

rnenrrl Perform,n.e Index with a set of

'no perfetnals.
Itt e achiftment-

mgcrs sllot the "intruderl A similar

that few
ls so far lot G(mDy chrg to
m old ageemnt to phase out nuclw wor d challense. Moie thdna]f
polver by 2030, despite the rappnisal of the forests that cover 30 percent
h)"ocrisy

nuks

as a

carbo.'fe enersy sourcc.

Critics also say Gemm policis donl

alwals pronote effctiveness and eficier

.y, espccially if c6G ca be handed do\rn
to tarpayers dd colNnels. Sone polides ft oubight nutty. fbrseholds de re
quired to sod thdr trash into six .liferst

containers- ryen rhough noden rccyciing plmts sort glrbage vith gqter cficienca md preision, dd nnDins p&a]lel

collcction Estms is a trcmendous rste

of cneryy

ad rsouce.

Dspiie occasional orcrze*ousness,

'liewewr, Gernany's gEat corbibution is

to show that enviromental progras dd
ironomic dselopmeDt ned not be mDhr
aliy dclusive. A bit of it, of ou*, is
Iuck-the counby wouldn't b at this set

pnB

spot today ;fnergy and commodity

had stayed low. 3ut lor deiding edly on
that gren is an opportunity, not a threai,

olthe c1)Dtry
esr

anct tre inPortdce of

th;,r,lpiDe ]d,Gqpc iD the nationai Psy_

.hd Th fou original .utons that .-me

togeths to lbm the nDcleus of the Swiss

Mtion in the l3th century en@mPas sP_

iacular moutain ludseps "The Alps

ire pln nl the $hol. Swiss dF}lology,"

\4s R.to Soler, Swiss reprG.nt tiveultl'e
thc llotedioD of the Alps.
where switerldd was bom

have gotten For'

m@res,

vith a averrge worldb longst dd del6t rail ilmcl

dd 51 lor others of hene,th rhe St Ciotthlrd ml'rif in $"

similar weatth. This is aI the more jmprs

dr considering its poprnation density
people per

sque kjlonetr,

more

thd

Mce the figm for cretre, largely oncen-

in the ellets ud lowlands. The

.outry hs naMged tojuggle the neds of
psple vith thc needs ofiLt rAdife, qmiDg it more thd double the areEge Eumh-nted

pn sere for bodircrsity. "You

in

m sim

oy ofou lales, and tun on dy tap and

mtcruith plea.sre: sqs Hans-

driD} the

Pcter Fricker. h@d

World wide

w]ry

ofthe Swis ofice ofthe

for NatM,
dedic?tion? ODe explanitjon

Fud

sc}

"

tal'

comp?ftd

of25 for its Deislbors

176

EnvircmeDtalsts have

en ad@tage of Swis dircct

denomcy, which a]ll'm citi
?rns to demmd a releEndm
on the issues ofthn choosing.
The oneirt @nstmction ofthe

Stewalilship Coucil cerbfi-

caiion, the intemational halt

lldk or g@d pncti(g In the
EPI, Switzqlmd sored 65 in
ilie efitiveness ofits mnsee
iioD

-"hon'l comision"Itforis

t"h

AlDs to.liven

heaYy

lioght b-afic otrthe

-"a.-f"tl '* rationai "ote. So, too, drd

movstob6n herry loreigD trucks.
a

More

tlrd 40 yeas ago Pelamsl

pNed laws to prctct edmds. modows

;mr Ainine strms 3nd slacjs cm for
the enviMmot is now vlitten ilto the
Crnstitrtion. Ar artide added in 1996 ex
nlicirly obligs the governrnent to pmmoie

sustaimble fcmins dd tlte uPkeP ol tbc

tural lmdmpe New pdks. scn as a boost

f^r r.,'rism amldnsetraboD. wiU b st_

tered

acos tie co\Dtrt On

rnent, lhis Dation isnl stdding

t}le envimn_

still.

t,

il

ich Farmers First

WITH FOOD PRICES RISING, THE U.S. CONGRESS DOES JUST THE WRONG THING;

scores better than Europe on agricultuml subsidies, but it's backsliding quickly.

I 3}
I
I

DAVID G. \TICTOR

IGI] FOOD PBJCES H-{VE BEEN B I ND''9'S FOR CONSUMERS, BUT TI]EY IIAVE REVI}\LIiD DVEN WORSE
rcws about the tendencies of govenmenl Soaring rop priccs o{Gr a tremcndous oppotunity for smart re
lorms and leal economic development. In ich countries like Westem Europet and the United States, high
price$ could, in iieory mrlc ;t easir to wean fam)ers tiom lavish subsidies, plugging holes in dre public budget
rnd putting tne world's farmers on a rnore ler..el playing field. That, alier aI, hes beer rhe slated goal officFmarket-oncntcd
lpvernmenrs iD the United Statea aor manyyears. I-oweri ng subsi(iies ltr)uld als.,lightcn l|Inrers'fooQrjnts on tlre lardscape;
bsidizxl and protecied farrne$ usually plow ioo much land and trcad heavily \vidi f.rtjli7.c.s and pe-stlci dt:s- \\4lich nakes

'I rll Lhe mor surt'n.rngtnilurcre new EU !,rml,E,; ..,.-t, ds

poldd, do .iuci Letter on the
sponse ofthe ltDited Stntes in lirticu
Lrto rhe lood c;sjs has been to do the EPI'S flbsidy score lE-ause tldr

menis

.rc squudenng thc op

prtuniry

mllu,

'w'

tlre I;rce

01 high food pric6. In

oaix)d riots and uDr6t.

marry hare pa .kd by dmF

olp..,teotwhdl$.,ut'th.hr-r,,,rrh, {"(omcnt,dorth,ve.onu.}
.n,"u,"
atrf,o.,gh $"
ing dom on ery.rLi on the ihc
1t_t
rorl.l e.onoDy' Clvcr lhc last monti the t U-t"A Stt"" lar ii-e.'ila,l ,
ory ihft kecpntg prodrcts otrthe
U.s. consress l,as tasse.l new legislation sodl record on sisilie, tte
world mdler will lve more at
tharvill heap even morecash on farner$ EPI stldy sh{m that U.S. fam
honc India, for dmplq for
L The
biil will enend r progrm that pro- prcg]lrm m not ne{ty u lavish
Lade ils f,'nd fmm 6?orhng
tmts U.S. strEar troducers froft lvorkl 6Elropc's.Ameriqhowdd,is
ri@ edlier thjs yoi'l}ral ofered
{' conpetition by gdardieeing dut thet nou(a&iingup.
a icmponry fix for high local ;.e pnc6 but
lt is Dot !D aidcrt that t}lc lat st U.S. deplscd the price that lndie:s rml faD'
[. rlone can keep most ofthc U.S. markct. lt
channels money io a widc range of fim- thm bil mse jn b election yd. Da?ite
ds gt for leir pro{lucl. Mqnvhile, inte.ers regardlsss of whether ii]ey need it, its hugc a.d nnnGsary ost s well s a natioDal prjcs rose, .Dd other govern
I drd it indexes ns subsidis to already rvdll'delred veto by Pmidcnt G@rse w. Dents havc ben tcmptqt to follN sit As

[.

high dop prices, which puts thc sovem- Busl! $e le$slation is so popdar with
ncnt oD thc i,ook for mssive palDcDts politiciaN ken to (xm rc,electon that it
pri.es eventrally declire.
passed by a large enougb naJgin ro oreFide
'vheD
'ftis is mcrly the kind of thn,g dDt $e theveto, The fann lobby kepswinning be

UdtedStateshasdcoriatedEuopefordo- 6usmostfarmpolcyissiftda@rdingto
Envi the age-old l(r$n in potitics: the boefits

ing in inepast. Yalet md Calmbia's

L
r"

omeDtal ltrloman Indd onnms are chbndd to spftial intcr.sts, ud the

qhat bat l,eer lm(Jm for y@6: drc Euro- cosL3mdiflnsedtopsple$iodon.tnotie
pean.omties etlre lDrst ofiEnders in tbe or cant do mu(b to chdge the poucy.
hrnhing ofagriontral sdrridies. (TIre EPI ADoim taxpayers and tas IEy a sau
tr:m m()Nrd shsidie Ning a merhod pan of the total Gi, but mril Eotly tney
rpplid at the World Bant: theyl@k at ihe didn t notice it. EveD wo6e, f.m6 in the
ditrertDce betetn ihe m d narket pri rqstoftbevorldsDtreruderthispolicyh,lo. pmducb dd tie a.tual price inside qch caBe they nI sel d nuc}l ofthei!pr(x],

rufty.)

I
L
t'

Tne ncher

nernbs ofthe

Ellr

uct iD the U.S: marker; subsidies have

al$

oed Unjot, suc.h s Fmce, cemany and dmpeoedvodd prices dd nade ithard to
B;tzin, have maintained thse p@r pnc plo inBlrnmts in imlorialt mps like
tiG b@aB their ftm lobbis m strong comaDdsugd,
)ut also b$aDse they N ricll The pooE
Anoss t}le dseloping wrld, gorcn-

each

govemmot

takes Datters into its oafir

hdds, the onlerly globrl trade in Iood,

which hs hf,en a nain clcnent of a more
prcdD.tjw md st1Ie rtrrld fosl slstm, is
coming DMveled. Thc Chinese govmment is now retting piatis to date its i)m
ddliatql glob.l Iood-suptly chaiDs to ensue that China gets whaL it !dds.
Faced with today\ high food prics,
sc.h gove$nent has tendcd
tssDes

fiom ;ts

om n.now

uDdestodablc, but tho govmments haw soften togethe. in efforts to

dql with rh6e pmblens in concert they
haven t done \re.ll either The Doha ltoud

Tbitt

of lnde illl<s ;s alt but dd,

havins
foudered mainly on the inabiljty of suv-

cmments to agrft on fam poliry. Agriolture has been pildal to those t"lks because

LAST MONTH 1BO GOVERNMENTS MET IN ROME FORTHE U.N. FOOD

GUSHING BROMIDES BUT UNABLE EVEN TO AGREE ON AN AGENDA,

look at thc
pmpective.

ao

NDWSWEEK

SUMMII

JoLY TIULY 14,2oo3

I
l
I

sovemmcnls have .lreldi nade sch

trogress oD reduciDg trnde-brtie.s on
other goo.ls and serviccs, .nd boaue thc
Doln ltound Ms aimed at hclpjng thc

s'orldt poorst, vhic]} requirs he.lping

l-he,J f.lineE belum( more proliFhle.
SuBJidi6 bv nch counrrie-s arc r , hi.ant\
stacE to

flrcs-

prqram vill nale

and the ncw U.S. larm

progls

ever l]ardei-

Even \vhcn gorernm(TLs satl,eriust to

rlos on fooJ ths lnrE hid i h.nl

r'me

maliog progrcss. iast moDth lso goven

menLs met in Rolre for the united Na

snnit. 'fiicy gushed bro

mides about tle nee{l to address the
tions' aood

ernent crisis, bui they vere unable evcn to

,grcc oD ar dgcn.la. 'flre Rome stmmit

made

!o prcgiess

ise

on the
of bioftelsj
rrhich aG pushins up {bod prices, bec-ause
the gowmments d,at have backed biofdels
nost heutily, notably thc Uuitcd Staies,
re.en't willing io erTose theirbad policiq.

to ;ntematjonal smtiny.

Periodicalv the vorldt {bod narkers

hnh into qisis. crops fail; demand dd
supply dorc in Dexpe.ted wls, BDt

mdkeLs help rcctiry drose iDbaldc6.

'lbey deate lood secuity tlrough fldibili

q, and

they be.lp even the world's p@resr

lame6 get their lait share of cconomic

opporldnity. 'Ihe bad ne$s about the cDr
renl food crisis is that most ofihe Forld's

SWEEr

DEAt-U-S.famtu get b;g etbJitli5.

najor somnents de actively Dder

mining lll thc; main tenets of liee, global
markets. ADd the United Shbes.

indis-

peNable forcc ir the worid, has abm.

doned its role 6 champion for narket
lbrce. $4En the EPI tr)m updatr its
s.or6 ndt fe2r, the Unikd States will
probably move doil'Il a notch or

t'tcmR{Ar b

oftha

sutainabb D*Inpnflt

I'togldn

an

at Sta4fonl

tro-

Encgt d,tl

Urijnry.

rsnio*tba,zt th. ancil on Fate;gn

R.trtiw ad h6 d4yiyd thc US. gwntudt
Hc n

73

f
,

DECADES OF INVESTMENT IN CIVILIAN NUCTEAR

eowrn puTS FRAN0E lN THE ENEBGY 0ATBIBD SEAT

lEHffiEB

ranks t0th in the

EPI because

ofits snpply of clean energy

:l
1

EING POOR IN OIL AND CO!I- MIGHT ONCD HA!'E BEEN CONSID
ered a disadvantage, but

notfor

]r-mnce Forty years ago necessity Ied

prLr"uc nude.ar power agglessn.lv aq 3 ctucl

t
t
(

srd

heding

over thc nc\1 50 Yeds,

vith

prolisions for. theiseue disposat,of nDdd mste. adE ced roctot deEIoP
nent.and possibl fuel sho.t2gs. It is'a

kiDd oI] so-yes-long rspIhigh'avlwith

rlrious oD- dd ojillmps llEtgiee it the
fldibiliV:to handle . changing technologies. OdEr nations would do well to mu-

plo

vas begu in the

1990s .oD the assmption:&ai nuclear

Fmce's drrent

hudrcds of$irNands ofyea6, makingit

difi.utt

tordispose of

bury it, the Frenc h

sfet

plm

is to

R.tber'6an
stta(t pluto_

nnrmfron l}lc tueldd oixitvidLNo'

nohedrrj iln to.make ar.w tuel caled
MO)L or nihed oxide- 3ecaw'Mox
yields alout one third $e enew of the
;nginal en,iched uru ium. thjs *ep eff(-

tiveh.inlEss t$e milE se F@ gets

ftoln the on_ejnal eeicled Lruimtuel.

l he left@cE fon this pr6lis DDst still

pover will remm the mainslaY of be isolated for hundrcds oi thoNmds of
Fmce\ ele.lr'icii seneotins srstem tor yl]s, hot tbey dont pos the pmlifqatim
the lons tem. french ptlNers,e also haa.d that plutonium dos.
positioning its:Duclerindustry to tate
aah"ntase oIm expdsion in the world's
gcneration of nuclear powerr which

'TbeFrench bave trepared

a gpoloCical

repos;tory for safely disposing ofndio(tive qzste. Unlike tne Us repositoryrn

h6 bes
Ff.n$
$e
politil
oppositr@.
in

Yuccr Moul ain, Newda wnjeh

nird

rcnosiLtd is lDDded The s'te qrr De

.*l to *. nrel tmpolirily vjtJ] the
option to rcErde it aL a lats dite Bv
abotrtthemiddl. of the century Ment
trenils ar.ry iniLlcation, a worldwide
short ce of tllaium maY dise Th?reeent
thct p;ssibitjty, FmDce is now doing rbe
a&n on.a nev eencratim of ad!3nced
Hctors. ;aled bredels, tht can
"".le,r
produ@ new tucl ,or itself or other'r@ctors. Ratirthm buryingiitst stcPma
noth ard then facina a tutl shonage'
Fmc'e will bc in D cn iablc positjon ol
NEWSWEIiK

JULYZJULY ]'T'

2OO3

N:UKE* lttunt n

bein;nCnorc dahts

matlers at lmst ihcy scem to be ronsider

rbly rnore mtioDal. Their loDg-rdge nu
.lear'eDerSf plm v6 devclope{l 1vi$ tie
involveDelt of their cledric Dtiti9, t]le
colnpey that builds theii nucled rsctois
nld thetr CEA. (tho equivalent oa the U.S-

Departlrent ofEncrgy). The contrdt bc

twen how Frma od the Unitdl StatE

handled thc @ntrovelsial isstrc ofnuclear
wa.ste is stdk. 'rb scttldtthe wLde issu,
France relied on thc Parlimentary Office

for Scintific sd 'lbchnological tAssess'

nent (POSTA); ajoint .omrnittd oftlrcn
two boNes olPdilid;roE 1'tiose membd'
ship is piportio;at to thc repr6eata.tion
olthc loliticrl panie,s, a civil-senmt stng'
and a high-levei cnedul scientifc adeisG
ry co]mittcc lF 1991, ihe FrenchiPA:liament; on iic aaldce ofthe POSiIi! pdsed
a

lav giviDg ihc govemnenl l5 yetrs to

re_

lFn back{ith tbejr prop6al for hddling

nuclea. Fsh:. In 2005 POSIA begu a sc'
dcs of hclnngs on the govemmentk Pro_
posal (I t$ti{ied at one), inclddinA hcir.-

i.gs in the a.ea wherc their

proPosed

repository woold bc loted: The re$lt

wrs t]E Act of 2006 blessing the nuclea.

m{d

,nap.

Thc

F.ench Public never

p(aic+.dd n6.orernuclarP,iweri Prrhaps becausd ol the opcnless of Fiench

ddision nakingi ln contrst, the United
Stats hs.no coharnt long-tetn: policy

dd h6

not becn able to site a rePository

cvon after 20 yees oftryingr.

Ttre Unitcd Stats stiu

n!mb(.olctors (lo4l,

ha +c li$e-st

whrch *upPly 20
petcert ofrhe nation's electricity. It is still

the b6t in iie mrld ar opdating'nuclm

power plmts*uptine has dsen ftom'60
' percnt in tlre r98os io morethm gorpercent todan ldding 50 percent to nucle.r
el@ticity g entioD capacity ' wiihour
huildirg any ns plants. But die Unjted
-sbte; ii no iongo bcreader iD matters of

'rpolicy, ttrh.ology
a virtually unljnited sdpply oafuel:
Brecd6s, of .oNq ee rot new. They
lvcrc lirs1 derelope.d 20 yff ngo in tlre
United Stlts, but shclverl for lcr that the
pluto.ild l}ley crcate would causc prcb
lclns io.Lspos.l dtl proliJ.lraLi.F. Tbe

havinA

t'_rE-eds tecnnology

thitIFn.. d?c(ts

to

in 30
Tbc rac-

havc lcady for commercidliation

yeds addr6s6 tbese coDcems.

lo.s could bc used to .lesboy tle lorg-lived

tulio.ctire cothponcnts of spent reactor

fi,el, creating a lcw way ol dispnsing of
this hazadou!

nltend

more efie.tively

drd sfely tbao is dow possible. waste

beared by m id'lced bEeder wodd
Ded to be buned o y tor a thoDsdd
yds, grody sinplifying the safc8lards
ndcd in a repository
Americes tend to see the l'renc}l s m
cnotio;al people. Howwer on tcchnictl

t.

nmtfaabningj

Frmce bas assrDdl drtrole, and it is pG

sitioned veit lor a futdre ofgletn energy.

9.1c1ttE1\

Nabel L&r.ate, i' ?tufeso,

of?Lrn6

it st4frd anl4naibd afnt us. Dqrimer

ofEtdsrt Ntuten E rs! A.ttnMJ CoMitE .
I L h6'me.l 6 an ddwn to theF@\ gMndt an nnkn p$a bdf@ Ndnbd2oo3:
to Mdrrh 2oo\ eB M thc bMit ofdiftctfi ofrt.
US-

tultidia ofFffih r.tut da&fAREUA.

]w sq ti6 totht ntu.Lsir.tutl!,

Hr no rhq6

AMERICANS TEND TO SEE THE FRENCH AS AN EMOTIONAL PEOPLE. HOWEVER,

ON TECHNICAL MATTERS THEY SEEM TO BE CONSIDERABLY MORE RAflONAL.

tThe
I
I

I
{

fr

AT CURRENT RATES,
THE MEDITEBRANEAN
BLUEFIN WITL SOON BE

cotvttrlrnctlLLY ExTlNcT.

,"o"". ttigh over all but

{o m! protea
marine wildlife.
fails to

DOZEN'OR.SO.LIRY,\N'IUNA

boals mooled

in the French

Meditcrrd@D. Port of Scic de a

bider reminder to Frencb fishcr'

man Dois tsiN{maro of ar

necked , aMr sd an indNt-Y sone {,! .

_ll'e

bobts cirry

Libt

fligs. but it's com-

,non knoslelgc tl,at they

.rDt"Ds. fts
n ,ind. ljbw
rrc mde

lhe

rrol

FEnc}l

'ittl \Mtlr tl@hed

qtcrs m @mpellhF tNi
dld

@'

dd rbat fwpoticePa^bun.Itl
cd be bnbq! saF Birs(jmmo.

s@

businNl offishbg- flflost. a

lor of money the
he

l6t

two

sls.

)e{s:

'

Meditemnem :fisbermen
hurtiog: siocks of blue[n ",

l
I
I
I
.

tlm, b'"far $e se.rh dost ']@

mrnicaly inpodslt, 6sh,.@,,
dngeioDsly lo* .\lthoush
@unti4 she $e
'nanv
btane, ihe.chief cdpii!.say fishcries d'
DcrG, js Frdce- lts Mnual qDoll acomts
ior onc Iffi the cntire lesral qtrotd ofAF

lDtiel

for'alrcoDtries;Saetor in

illt

gil otchs, hd Fmceb tal@ climbs to

aboutoDethiid of all AllMbc hm ught
last ,season, ultDding ,to Glmpace
'wlen
it ores to btuenn hDa in the
Mcditerid@, "Fmce

js the worsti says

FEnch biolosist Dariel Pauly' dnector of

iic Fishaies CenEe at de Univsiry of
Brilish C.lunbia.
, Bead an inirviet $,fin marine
Daniel Pauly at

blol0gst

strdN*seeekcoi

76

Ii!- D un'leacr ' aB(s ro nonhsbrnt

wH(h.bke rle riJ"'":91:::vcstl"
s.rvine
'op '-2s r^ir,."'"r,- wosr,r iuv'triJa. Lo oinhor p s $h@
i'" ij'ii"Ti"i#id."-;r'.
.".-doos ha"e rhqy''eibtoed ror s'le
i.lifi"'.
*nrlrl , m"st (]ffnsrvc fith -a

(u 6ili

loo-t4.ld

largetv

dnKn

luna

-1"'"-n.r,j;- L-., *.,;*

it'" uu.p"- Lommission rdstrvrB
ii"" ",'';"ii.
'auJ "i*
ld(e tor nedlv rea'tJn8,
The
chasbsed
i..
o, bi".L tl'" ruls

'".r..r'
.',rcnl
dE ol

ovcrGshins rs

drMn8

quoLl lo dr's ;nlo LIle

scsn wno a'

\.'l.djkrtrFd blupfin hDa rotl"l",*of gm in Mry. flEl niJn'r ''oP in-E^r:D:l'

ommerial enjnftion. Scienusb ar the goEnnol rrom sPeedrng
lnlematiooal (ltlm;ssron lor lhe Coosn
utionof ar-foL;.rr,ns, r-t'F Mailrid rrgu
r,on umiauon. orimalP thal ihr '
.ar qsur; an m,al, auch ot lS o0o totB

ilr,iililii'i.iJ-;;+!;il..s.i

lionaid prcliSe to the Lqtungrnousrv' al

rer h'\Pmen r@k ro the bcrisol Han'n)

Pro!{q high tuel nr;c's dd Bres

ils grEo Moal lrmc-F st'u dn r seeiD @
Despile

19-E:-ry"*:'1

wirl to drb ;mpot

The Mad Experiment

DUBAI'S ECOLOGY MAY BE A WORK OF GENIUS OR
INSANITY, BUT IT'S NOTHING IF NOT ARTIFICIAL.
alone,butaspart of tle

U.A.E.,

which comes i$at112th,

,)TCHIUSTOPHERDICKEYT aldgas-bmingplmtstha!.Iadyh:Mm
ifialled

dcrd

capaciry or l.2b bilJion l,ters a ddy.

fewyrns ago. Threehuge desigaer

dclripelasG hare erupted in die sea, inclding one rhat foms a map ofthe world.
'Uie qDestio4 envimmeniilyspea.king, is

whether this mad,. visioDqiy expeimcnt

reprseDts athr@ttothe world:

The Envilonneotal Perforndrce lndex

for i,\c Unitd Arab EmiEies gives a aair
ida ofthe impact that Dubt hN had so
the En mtes, lideration that also
incllds AbD Dhabi dd five other states,
d*s way dom the IIPI jist at rl2, m ap-

tu

palling per{onnae for a

fdlls xnong the worldt 30

peison,

ahe

Nlnty

richst.

that

By com

vorst Duropu nation in the

sme income Foup, BelgiurD, cones in .t

5Z morc than 50 places .nead ofthe nnintes, whicn scores as poorly as ene of

the world's 30 p@rest nations. No rich !ation dcept Ku'ait lags its peeru so badty.

And

iI llubai alone wcre sure]rd, &c

rumbrs would be 6r

Mrs.

'rhe nain prcbleD is not environdental health forllDn beings. Therck plenty
of ilrilking Mter, dnnls to the ldt de
salinaiion plmts' md smitation is g@d.
The rea1 poblem'is vhaCs beirg doneto

PLA}]TG TtlE DESEm GEEI$

the nat@I. 6os)stms, The,EmiEted

score-on tliat Fort is, a:miserable 38.2while rhe tlimat cheg" score ftom all
the oil

entsiaimmttrmps

lmd, rhe deve.lopeB tel us, tbe slogaD js

"Thinkbiggc." Snowwoddwi bc grander

tho

the en'

tha indoor slope aheidy operating in

Dubai: 'the only ptace in the world sfidb
;t snows at 40 degEes CelsiN," bng &e
dellopss- Thert also Bio world, a rut

viFmot evqlvhw ]ou hrn! imitathg

jt
ad r.onstitutinA.iti Onlha ir

ofDubai

and edge

stupendous,thme.park

sdE."onpl.r ,now'

u"d*

"o;'
sddctio; aihE$siLself's,186

ed

'

rain foicst nnda gts, od a

wild-animal peL -IhiDL @tourism, thirkbigs!" iDtone

,/d

",il.;"q;;;-:;;;

ilffitrffilT;:TffiY
/J#
qid@ mlls it "a lt r,sy
t ond uiil@
Lond
(----J;
t sy U:a-

the, videot lr:rmtor.. "Eco'

*:ffi,ft1*i-i#jj )K
lM,l ser riqhr in rhe

he* ril r \'

dteftdiinnt:ttn?tii elniivndtt.

enorrnous malls will sboll along 5%lkva]s mong guJgling sttt]ms-" At Dubai:

andg"s bming is an ablsnaL26.6.

In Dubai,

E ey;thm f odt;okl

./

iouismr? ThiDlchutzpall
If you:go to Dubai dd get

stuck'in trafic (which you :i.

most nainh wil)i you'[ see
insrandy, md fe.l in you lst
ine b.lcling; bntal impact on

conld see mile after.mile of llat bottoiit. A

spokesmm for Nal$ed, the doelopment
fiim building the Palin Island complss,

icentlr responded

to

criticisln Fon

grens by claiming.thairhere
nore

eti6

aJ

actually

morc fish and more wiof lile in the sbaliercd:satds of the

sea slasses,

Paln JimeiEh the'oldest of'the artifcial

arehipehgoes, t}Ian:iherc trlerqbefor:-But
of @urs6 that is:the poinq: drthc problem Many of-those grasss od 6sh may
notbe nnti\ to theregioD-Dubai js lj@tr
;ng m ecology tha! is lew-beyond the

spctm of hunm erpsience' or nalurc's-dd whqe th.t wi]l lead nobody

I

CLASS
I MIDDLE
I

I
WITH SIMILAR INCOMIS.

i
mtion rvithin thegoverlmsLi l

,Chinat ennircDmertrl hadaches ru

tl,e e_dul but most can bc linted b$c
so;hins Dae 0r eonomic grosah. Fa(

toist}latemit.opious amoutsDf smog,

s@t dd rarbon have sproutd q.nc.Hy md
cheaply. .PollDtitrg, unsaG coal mines

dc

sobusa (dd luctivc) that.orl cza6 rF

loath to Nb Chintc overidins depn(leDe on coal,as aa energy soucdlAs a:re_

srit, China scores-?ooiy

tey etegoris

in some es*is linled io the llsalent{se

of bunnc_o".
@al brick for wdmti duins

*"r".\

rh'nt of. china:

rivetr

md three qu,rters of jts.majorlakes e

-':'hishly
potlutediaccodin8-totieOECD,
vbich late last yqrreported that up io3oo

g,
78

t.

on

as watd,polludon, indDstrial Co,

em;ssions ed iDdoor air Pollution (which

sch

i'

I
i

'

million peoplc dr;rk cont@irite{t ratei

Hu Jintao md other lmdeB have E

sct'go

ti

ioljvest in iqmvins
ofthen opantions oDt}le enviretuscd

tlre imp.ct

ho,ted:tic mss4:to .rdte a "Esourc_ rorment "ODe hs.to pav a big Pnce" to
s.rns. cnviomcnl Gsdb.!(trr.' But FalizeGrcen cDP savs ctunge AcldeDv
,,m;Uinq lo.al ,fpmrcbils ro lo ow of so(iJ scre n.6 Lsearher Li shi
rl,is:lo*d is i huse.on"nJrum ha aus' I n'e I i rcport on Lhe Dtdun\ G"o
lor tloarle tlrc biggst lactor in thcir GDPwd isucd in 2006 bl'whatvddEn
Drcmodo$ ha b*n $er loulitics l-he Sl,lrc envircment l Prols tion
,,ononii-rmqh nt.. ll,ishastumtrl3 cgenryand d'c NaLioncl Bu @u of SLius
h!,se.ostithemiromot.&tordingto tic (NBS)' lt qwtified dle cononic
rh;{orld Banh polhtion and othd ePi- Iosresre"sdting ftdm nviroment'labusroment l duag msts the ChiDse @n_ s in 2oo+ at 3 peftent of GDB
I

omv as much s 12 D"trnt of GDP.mual- b,,L,lueroclskoiJMLbe r,_

lv (includbq -"a;a "*p"o* md tu dmdge ms Lhoughr tu be
higherj Almost asr'sooD aa,the
d.magetocml,sdd6sh).TheGl1dGDP

wrsdpposdltoincorporateihosecr.sts. teport'cmeoug thetwo:agen

PD iue, a Efolmist vice ministerin ci6: bcgan bi.kding over
Beijins; vas d edly cnmpion of the no nethodolbgy, fiDdins and, ofl
tioD

ofusins

Green GD? torank

o6i:ials

cowse,

politiel ftictioiFs_

punishing thoe Petially as top CommDdst?d.

lound ]rotins,ld mmaged to vin the ty oficials vied for promotion
r.(n qpDon;f hrs bosss h BPijins. bul ,head oft-he 17$ Paif Clongress thar ru$e proien wa a nonsure ir r-6e prc"- tum. Crsn GDP r{)m leader wdgJininces.-Arrthoritis ;n.hadsmbble rcgions ne. blmed. foot dngging local govem'
with.a lotbfpoluting in&stries'such as mmts- shortly th!ller, rcprisentatives
Ninsiat Heb;, Sbsrxi dd Imor Mongo- ofthe National Bu@u ofstadstic' noto-

by:thei|sEnness

lia-. oppondthcGreerGDPideaFomthe iiousfo!undereportinggrostnfiguesto

Y*Y!:v!Y6:Y:!t-YtYY
nD.lercDt

fws of @Domic ovdh@dng,

slopped attrnding Gren GDP meetings

Wlthout uy nunrb.r to cruncl, the ini'
t arivc Isg{6hci}. Th ndtydl.s rePon
vas postponed jldefi nitely.
'fhe.G@n GDP fiasco PutrhebureaD
cEtic rsistatce to rcforDs dd tbe need
1dr.@rdimlior uons sotemment m'n-

istns ;Dto fc;s

C\EentlY

rerc's a-ministry_level unil

Iraniltin{ dimate (h gei 4other for -ocers; Yi mother
iackling sDdstoms ed defor
esettion. md thre minisriies
rsDU.srblc for soil andHround_

wier

villases

md lrnnlmd,

md laks and xivers, re-\PectiveIt wlten th toxic-algae eisis

emDred in 2007, devasbbng fish fams in
ssiem Chinas tihu d<, Prcviocial iu'

ihoritid imted to release Mter upstrea$

to cloar out the.algae dogging thelake, but

fiFt had, to'naligate a b@ucratic m22e

They appeled to r}}e Agricdture Minist )a

COMPELLING LOCAL APPARATCHIKS TO FOTLOW THE.GREEN DIRECTIVE IS

nrFFlnrll T RFnal ISF PROMOTIONS,DEPEND:S0LELY 0N'EC0N0MlC GR0l/llifH,

. nich is in (hdgc ol llsh fam\i rhc

I ""+"'hm l\4inis1r. which conrols
I watd-t'aheDt tldts; the Scicnce oil
Thdnology Mi stry, od d!. Statc Dwel. )meDt ud Reform Commrsion, bcforc
I ca,tinsvitJ' the Minisby of 1,1htcr l(c- THE LEGACY OF THE SOVIET NUKE PROGRAM FORMS
Lsourcesi whicb opmed the floodsates
h m etrort ai strearilining, in Marci THE BAGKB0NE 0F AN ENVTRONMENTAL G0MEBACK.-9.
iheftmer State Fnviron'
elelted ucrurx
r etJtng erevarcq
Ascnq to full mh,stry
cnr.l Prote.tioD
II .slrtus,
.l4ce

The New Scandinaviam

Mini\ter Ptu, n,ot

s,tra

r
iI

cloDt to c@rdinaie.environmental:plio/.

hc r'ew MidsEy

l6th overail and is second, to Latvia, in its income group,

nf Enviror'nslil Pm

r Di n isiries ro
dion ,s nov lobbi ng otJ
'e.
'sha.e p.tlutiorrSat4 a key ti, iforcimenr l
It ha, hop.s of, a l'al'1}tmlgh in:
f lers ddstrstrns::?an isralso $oriloring
I rhitous smeinuce projecr,c .uch s a

'i,aiionwjde wctEr Pollulio,' Map" sd

'ting

hish profile in batdng polutio

iiersencies sich .s tle-hihD.algae-diis-

i.

]atcstiDitiative.is a "sren eolon:s:

[ .-jis
'proer-m tiat'woiild p;ide
prefer.Ttial '
ails to iDstrdcq credit:and lPOs ior

instancc, so far ihe ministry is havirg a

- {rgh tinE I'ersuadrrg Chitrbs bus,re$

[ "nsfie ructr .s conmerce, FrDOtr
[.ud the L]r Btrredu to pDsh forr^@l
foi car buJrs dd polDrion
,. E6 lor enlcrpljss. But Pao is regsded
I s r rhaismaticlqder od sk nl lobbyL$L "He co do rhings otl'ers Ld t," srls r
emission

bxa

source who rcqusted monymity bmLs

e ;sn t clrdEd to talkwitl forcign mcdi..

f
TIE Gftn
I!- gal\mi;ns

vicr burh

Du.lqr Ectur-es|.ec,Jly

lh:+*T:[i::L{TilT$i
loi lo
st argc my the Baltic stals
owe a

tbe lgnalina nud@ power plmr in lr6agin6, Uthuania. }-or one, the preence of
the pldt, plunted iD the middle of tl,e

GDPprojert djd $caed in

sorne li-kFdinded provincial
counttlside:by I the strDke of a:,litosow
l@des, partid]]dlynayols of moilest'sih
bueauaratt pen, helpd ignite LithD iat
fledgling ero.movement ir.ther lg8osity
I itis 1'+rdc cMn indussis baee been ,iirlspi;ng
activjsts to oppose itsrpldDed
ILrl&ingrcot. ln Chdgslu.for iGtee.te
pldts harc reently laNc}led r.ctcling
nrojects and r a-:carbon-dedit sc.hei.

f idn adv@t6.iso took hean that rle fi- ndvmcnt to Soviet@pation.

nprt at last autm\ "l}le envircment was one of
I rl political worl
-Party Crngr$ plr.d sMter mphrsis on the first things to srface dunng
.usLlinaltte derelopDent md enviromenl'.: corbachet's ,.la'ot bduse ii
wr tfor(. E t.hinJ ms . nFural t*uc. dd ir \6
f 'l polmon rl,an
('M
.a
vidim
oiits
slc ess. Onc,eson n n .' R.dls lns's LisLs. un[-'nnks
"
Isr in ils income drile saboBging J(r sardary rr d. Ufiunie
-

;'s "we rc loo p@r to be

gIeo" argDent

Epid sDeth,Party ledL_-s 16 $ar goit'g too green too {an vill
hut iheir busiDs parnrds dd their rreolq.who are alr@dy faeling ine lain ofin:

itr adLliction

{
$

Ministry ot trnjronmdl "Io

Lithumia, envimmental consciousness
p@oled iDdepodence."
Pedoxjml . s it may seem, tlE
Chemobyl-cn gimt is nov al{ey elemot
in the Baltic st.ts' ompdln to roch the
world-batiDs levels of ecological heald.

isins prcductioD costs- Baling

,nDst forge in.ntives i
iin its om bu,
raumcy befoie itican convi*c thect of The Baliics' green movment may hare
ie outry that $ e trice ofaoinS g]1n is ben bom in :rrti-rudtu rciivism, but
p.1ying.
I now many eilize that nucler power crt
ation ald

r
L

to

".th

fl)'

have moved to a Dore sddinatian *o

'no;ic.ad social modd, with dl lhat tliai
inplies fo. tle cnvironment. Liihuznia
s@rs higher tlh average in n.atue of
agriculture, fisheri6, irisation, pBticide
regnlalion and mrer pun+ 'wele nling
to reac}l not only the Scmdinaud stddad of living, ,b!i. also- its envjmnmental

standanls, too," s.'s Daim SemeDien.,,di-

re.tor of
Policy in

tle

Center

vilrJN.

Lr

l-uckily for Lithuania,

E.vircnnent

Iitvia dd

'Esio-

nia, their S@diDavjs Deighbors have

ben morc.tharrj$hle mcidelsi Since the

dly dals.otthe Baltic states' indepddcn@, Nordic coDtnes have pored huge
,mnnnfq .i mnnFv i"t; .ll rlFF lr1l6t:

Call

it . gianl gieDoeDtoring

schenei rhe Swedish. govem-

mdli allomted

about 200

mil-

.lion .to firnd Swedishled eoprcje.ts in the n ticstater.nd

aorthe<tem lrnssid .finland

-Iocused on listoni vhileDenmek spent 48 million on
Lithudia betrcor r99r md 2oo2- Wattr
prnfication ms d @ly prioritr:becaNe
of.oncems ovq pollutioi in the 3altic
S@. The DDropee U ion did jts bit, too,
prcviding frnding to h+ the Baltie mmply with stri.t Eurcps! emissions codes
pnor to $enjoining thc Union in2004It wo*d. Tbe prcsp{t of EU nem
lEship Fovcd to bc a p@erfn incentive

NEWSl!.Eri(

JULYTJULY 14,2003

I
i

k a;^danitactzfud'dUtn MJ6IiliMn;Acirk(W6i\)dtartu;nn;nginohk'(alN)'aalltftPh'ttuT h4'"l don't thi* peotle$ould bc doing a lot ]@ian govemmeDtnwoN about EU de' !6onable;l sa)5 '\bmmavicins- -"Energv
fbr t|e dviro ment: tithout the legal mods Io ctose down lgnalina by 2009. priccs Fould tise an.t that vornd be ver/
p.cssMd s.) r\rtMs Abronaticins, who duc to its adv&md .ge. Thc.Pldt pro Painful tdthecoDnt v-"
lh long rem N't. 'aB Kir kJas. is
lld hsddi Swedish technology consil- J,"6 /'t nercenL of dre,ounrr'.;lr
forse
m inl({mrPd, rcstonqde cnergy
L1tro
ri.i,'
1a
;ell
rs
sone
oI
r!&iJs.
LrcI Sh(nh Lithu.lia opentjons sincc
'P.ine
that;s'clem and e$cient (and
is.'h6
schen;
I\rs
Godm
Milister
tmsfomation.first'
vjd
sen
the
1993 Dd hN
hmd. Duingthe r99os, Lirhudia's emis' .ffed dr.r clu.urc wo,,ld cad"e po$t|losn l rly on Rdssicn gas) Liduania
sions ol nitogen otid6, sulfitr dioxide ,l'orrfalls unl.s\ the Brtri* furd alcma- I:rqa, Eslonia dd Polaod :r lalking
Euope hs poured: about building a bifiea 3,2o0'm-gawtt
{4 tetrolatcr ,Lr.pIEd norc t]ftn 2-5 tive enersy sout6:
ractor, atacostofs billion to6billion'
iim.s.r rhe.-"nld rc-stmctmd dd de- binios.cli euros into,safeity
"pg'.des.t.
ro epply a nai6c-wj.le psr Srid'
yff.
i.
plsr
dd
ih;
UK
r(sr
nw
enviln.
in
veloped a serdce eJonony ald
The hird pan i( gettints ttircdgh lhe
romental reg atioDs. took hold- And tund;ne. c".sodm of.otE:actoF $l,o
th"
I'ed
few yws. o UrnLmial middle
Lill1umia;s dDe to rdeive 1 billion bc- N,l;;u'ling sd de$ntmin.ting
tscroE.
clN
pub lllr:se on the poMr gnd
The
re
,
lgrau;as
two
the,Empem
olde'
l
dd
2ol3
ftom
tween 2oo7
Union to lund enftonmental. clemup m.iDins ;(tor, Dow 2l yeffi old. ;s dre That shouldnl be insurmosrable for '
cttwnacl/;d|en"

'lhrt suc(s, od tbe cballenge

meetins fijiDre EU idsets, nake the

sl,',t bM in 2ooq, bul Lidrusian count L\rf' gon. &om Sovicl-em ' tt's_
ftime Minicr(r CrJimin,s KirLnJs has trcphe ro i SmdiDivid olrurcol ec'lo-

ro be

prcjccts to meet new regulatjons-

in

Lith

tEcn 6shtins for

a stay-

-The EU should

be

gyin

gener.tion-

8l

i.
h lvlay, the slitd md mdiciPal
govcnmots bickeial over wherher thc
siatek islq scwo pipes or-the ciryt
closAed s$.r dmins s ere to blame- "rlav
ing demmcy ai thr bt but nat having
g@d democratic institutions od institr
tion.l sh,.hrre-q at rhe bottom is z tunda
nenLll Drcblo: sil i nl'dsbm.
den;c

BICKER OVEB CHOLERA AND

I, DELHI'S BUREAUCBATS
CITY DRAINS AND STATE SEWERS.
THE BOLE
i Mscoresl20
OF

on the green index and especially

3:yJAsoN O1TRD0RF

cmcy

mot

Wf,r*. Cn-i. toLJrisid

meDt has an casier

poorly insanitation.

eDsr6 ihat it renains

comption aDd l!c[ of ac.ourtabilitY

pla$c bd;a's eforls lo enforce regr a
tions and sct pionties- Agrjolturrl stats

"mere slatc'

like PDnjab, wnere d,d water table is drcp

ping dogcrously fast, still otrr tamers
frec or $bsn];ed ele.ticity to pmp wa_

of inient," ac.odiDg to TERI- Rc

sponsibility for m.nagjng the coDntly!

t-

Mter rsonrcs is
mots

I,

ftagmented

mong

miDistries dd depdt'
without ary coordination. "You

dod iliferst

have nrntiple,,agencic* with

go!S;

tine enforciilsits rules,

t.r for inisadon, encomgilg: ihen to

srov mt x-iDiensive fiops-like ;ce ad
;

ro qndgy

use

inetrcient iEjgition icchniqlG Small

t,

i
I
{
f,

L
{

L
L
L
I
i.

ile.othcrihed, der?erarerpovqitJdvs rtben," says Chmdn,:Bhl'3hanressoci.ie l&king'lhe .capitali to.jnvest: iu:tnailm

d;cctor of the Cntor for Science ed En' technologies are ill quipped to deal vith
most ofits populatr'ot \rinerable to etuiroment'relatdillnesses'Ned 5y:@ter viromcnt (CSE)j a Delhi NGo.. Thus, .in tbe..conbminets theyrpradu@ dd t@
rmemus to be rcgulated:t5",the'mtrat
states like;Ra:jasthan md:.Ktu'
nat l(a, pnblic @ter scberne dd state polluiion-control.bolrds. "The
'laDcheid by tbe Ministry of mlhrtion-ront.l boards lhat wc IaE N
'' luiilDcvelopment.didlt m@t portv etatrert; tl,eir trlmol%ical @poity
-thek targeLs -bsaNe tbey ;s inadquate. Combine thatif ith: poor
. sercn't coordimtrd iwith the ' sataries ad sone level of @rupiioryand
M;nistry ofPlwels prcsam for you have a real Foblernl' saF Lena Sri'
vdrava, dmutive dnedor ofTERI.
nrzl electrifition.
.coDsidenng thse finddnenlrl shortT}lse
have @no
to a lead "Ioblems.
in the YmDm Rive. .ominss, .it} easy to s@ why the Ilhstrn
:IDdia:s m6sy dol)@cy ispa*iculaiy
llhe stat -gwerrment-ontrclled.vater obseqsion eith cdboD misions 'BrlHB
i equippd to handle the con0icting pres- board hrihrhe new w"stemtd treltnent Indiars- Evo ihc EPI iaps India's lI}rick
se of.tmpid rgrorth.and povrty. ..A1- ptdls, but tharntrnicipai govennent has hs witn a !@r score oD rmisions Per
faited to .1@r gebage fion.tne drains- As neeawtt of elEtrioty. Ity lelling tllat to
th@sh the national water poticy,F8 re
the 5oo millon or so Indids vho blm
vi$ed in -2002 io encoMge.@lmmiry
a rsul! so litde.Badeeater atrhs tk
prnicipation dd daotraliemtE md- pldts ihat they (a operate arabout orily dung jn their homes b.ause thcy're. Doi
II
agernent, rhe coutry's brzlDtiDe bu@u30 perent cnpacjty. AJter a cholera epj- den conndted to thc qiid.
.

82.

c...
&_

user hcomc irom sgar paln (a biofucl

souru) to wd loc.ls fmm logging.

The Threat From?ees

In the long lut ihe most prcmising.dcvelolmeni is ftboD trrdiDg-thc only rvay
to gener.ie ftnds on a nrfiicient scale to
addJs rdnpant deforebtion in thc tmp'
i6 dd its contrtbntion io greDnousc.gd

GLOBAL WARMING ISN'T JUST A PROBLEM OF CARS

AND SMOKESTACKS BUT OF THE CHAIN SAW TOO.

ffiFs*ores
l:/

a rvhopping

emissions- The bautyof@bon tndirg is

that fimds @D lddrly flN to the people in
the forcsi rcsions who orrently have Do

li'

zero on the lren index for forestry-

TIIOMAS LOVEJOY
EMIS'

nin'ibMt

dBtruction,

Aithough

ruch of tbc

due to

ncts,

foct prod
d@d6
lorsiDsrhs bm.nollwidesllad-

iiaFeslng fortinber

partiondbpirrood,

insal

scoB d 82.)
lm iritia$/

Lrrss

nsc;aLiDccntive.to stop lopging: Cftbon

Irading, ofcoume, h6 many citics. one
con@m is "lc*.gc"-the notion that 6n
trclliDg ihsdabago in one forest woild

aDd

iDieceDt

Epid sprud ofoil palm plantations is a.

relativijy new thrr Palm oil ha3 lt!rtly
bm rerosni,red as a sorlre of biohels:

The

Frcm 1990 to 2005, 56 pIlnt of

thesponsion in oil-pann planta?

iioN in In lonBia @Drred at

the.dpnse of biodii$ity'rich

tod

foFsis, lnother.listdbing
is the con$ion of p6lfoG_ts,
&fiich hold hnse momis ofcrrbon, into plaitatioB by inierna-

r IIn

ffi

L\

hon would be

oBt

ofihe atmosphere.
Co irtivc nanagement ofthe

rcrld's.forcsls nrust besmitive

tion^lr@npaDisr ChinaS','\5ia

& Papr: pin

ip!.I: amorgi
than. Orce thafors-t is crt :drc pet'dri6

eig{ty. Dono

Mmy etrorts dc uaen{ray to siem the

deforstatiorl Emil Sali4 Indonesi/s ftst
ninister of the Dlrvnommt]r@idprc

cs1

Pulp

'odoidone-time

1,il
q lll[ \l H]llr.
"il"'.'Hrx
."f"*'
in rcnm":;:
ro,
-a-------t ! .,ri.
,.-^-,-'- cdbon
i^,*^- in,- the
.r- forestdd
r^_- --,
keping
to

Dational aspimtioN

for its dJ1)on is.likeraluinFa]]rmputer

tetted:ms ind lam. md iLriatidns.to

c.jntror loggjng. Cons@6on lhtema'

chip

ridnal ;s @rkins with otree producers"to

mrld s fomswul<lbe

Daintain uplnd: forsrr in.Smaha.

of

partiolar promise.is the imomtiE Smi

boja Iestari pojeeton Kinimutan,which

ddwer.

;shq it:cornd hm miD-fotst

naliols: inio powafi foRx. for-eNiron
odtzlgo<rl- Aithe l}ne tine,:we shouldnt
loryt ihe.Den to 6t,blish ilinti!s to
@l]sflc biod;rrsiry as wll; \zluing a for

foriissilior Comp&edwitlidrealtern@ in preseryins thc

natrsej lNestina.

bargaii.

trr.'Etoy.n Fendeit ofth. E ;Ece,ttn.fur,

S.i.rtc, Etofontx; dd ti. D,rttu"Mt-

ofWatc
MAKING THE NEGEV DESERT BL()OM ONCE SEEMED
LIKE A'GOODIDEA, BUT lT'S KILLING THE DEAD SEA'
|

. mranks

L
t
t

49th on the green index

3} KXVIN PERANO 4"dJOANNA

butfit'st among desert nations'

CHEN

I,

I
I
r

L
I

L
I
$-

t
L

Nrlwsw0uK

lur,Y lluI-Y 14,2o03

griculhtnl FDrpose5,

wter e4ert

says Hilt6l Shanl a

at Jeru.nl.m's Hada.ssai

denic Colege: The

sbsidis

Ae

help Ismli

1:mers fport nuch of their .prcduce,

mter for adculrre risrnts in iiEtidnal

Nq nr g]odlS uops.,which othwise
woDidn't be mnomicaly feasible," s]$

Blts llllg:

Wat6

i wt j;n ImL

HillPl
several.tims.tbrngE nD-made ponds
s.se in
The Negev i.s th labonto.y for nw for grcwing fish induding sa bass, tilapia
.n did .onntry. Fiporiing onc liilosnm of techDologies Ismlis hope My solve their and bllt]lnundi,
then {imeled to fields of
wheat is equiraleft to erportiDt t,Ooo water trouble$ Some.of t})e mosr ambi- wheat, olive ed jojoba.
"we Mote the
iites ofwate, vhich mans rsrael iE e.trect tious rtcrling e{periments e found book on this stDff
sals Ziv,
cxports 1o0 million obic Deters of mter therc, just minutG ftDn the cabiD where
Fiprts, drough, mndr how far thacl yed, about as mucn s its desaljnation Ben-Gunon retired to the deserr, In a sun- nology crn boost spply- Dnp inigation
plqts prcJuL!- 1\lo
ago IsraeJ inaubleched sddtor mDndeJ by date dd deralhation (fu... oDly do so mucb.
grJd-tcda nrassive desatinrtion
pldt in the pdms and dse.t smb, 4r-year-old Amir Making the desdt bl@m ws a gmd idea
'1:s
@dtd city ofAshkelonj butd$lination is Zis dplains ho1'9 his kibbutz pumps "iir its time," saF BMks, but noF"the very
crosily and enersy interisiver each @bic neS0o,oo0. cubic meteB of rzJm, bEckislr ida of derclopins the Nesev is wongl
ter of d@ wtr 6ts rougfiV 60 ents to
water each y from m aquifer 8oo mo The day to rethirk Isnel's rcmarc widr
pDduce, mrdingio Adar: "Subsidizing ters beiovgrcDd- Themter is first cyded
I
dsert famiDg may be hG.
lvhich Jmles litde ovimDDental

ONE.KILOGMM OF WHEAT REOU]RES ].,OOO LITERS OFWATER, SO IN EFFECT

ISRAEL EXPORTS AS MUCH WATERAS ITS DESALINATION PLANTS PRODUCE.
85

?.!

t(rsni 'lichr,l d'e Snte

a,,",".ift-e 16r tbe llnvrronrnent\ 5,0011
s"nre pcnod,

WhenGraylnoks Green

I
I

I
I

RATHER THAN TACKLE ITS ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS'

TtTOSCOW lS CRACKING D0WN 0N ITS EC0L0GISTS'

Wranks

28th on the Slteen index, but

B} O$DN MATIHDWS
HI] I.USSL{N

GO'!'ERNMENT

tales maironrnental violations

senoNb-smetimesr Just ask

oles Minol, dePuty hetd of
Rnssia's Federal

f'
i
{

En romet

tal Monitoring Servi. Ist 'vw'Mj!_ol

..,nDiled a dl)5s rc t on rllesd .nvirome n
tal ioirtjons br r oil md gs drnhng
c.Nortrm led by Rqtl Dn t l Sbellunthe
n", iti. ishnd of Srkhalin An intignrnt
Krcmli{r pronptly uspended shcl\ opeF
ations. i\s soon as SheI ald its paitDcrs

its

too good to be

ins.cton to 800. Therers no agdrcv left

in;e c,unlrv tt' proqd. I fl(.tvt {ologi
cal ,nspcit,nns," sJys Sertc] TsvPlenbv.

rhe.hr..tor of Ctce nD.! e Rrrssrl

MrkhailKrerdIn, crcenPaei ror ir
suc"hr, a oty in sluth Buss,r ihrtis dlrlo
lnst ih. 2or4 Wintcr OlimPics. san-he

*.

nfrhe ruthorit;eswhen he fJdl a

"1,''t
repon l$LNolrmbtr k' t}lt lntoiation'l

true'

.lisbelicf of orvone who's ds opened a

wioilow iD alrv tilv ln the lomer souii
tln6n- ODe rm!; for the ilrscomect is
thevfl%stnss of Rssia, vhich includs
Diistrn! vildemss thit drluta thc .lldt
;f hsw n,l,sEv lt dsii, alore r mong big
natioN, nay alsD be cookirg $e nunbers'

olrmnn C.mmitte tboor thc neArhve

,rnprJr ol Crlrmlic c,Les-espctiailv tlre
thrcugti
tFbstal incks-ol.Ned tu
"

lMr}lir dars, DePuryPifle

Minister iAlelsanilr Zholov, vho hcaded
$ersochi 2ol4 smpaign' sent a letGr
I whicl NEws&'I EK l ai seen ) to drc FSB
dril lntenor sn EoR iAn m inrstrjes ask ng
lhem to gather tufomation on posible d'
nature resewc.

,.1

.:i

!i

r cort.olhng stikc in
"-.J-.
om.,l GJ4roD lrqt
iilt "tl" t,,".ir
"trtt

i
ii
.:

il

lt!

1t

[.

ii

ii
i

sbte seftet; it's almost impossible io ac

.ess inforsation.on radiation .lups, nu

.lar'o@er.siations md ritircil nm.ld

*bmirinesj sart fomer N&tl CaPt.
Aleksddr Nikitin; a ftseaK}ler
for tne Nongie.tunded eco-

lndeed, o$cialdoD nov semsto sPend

moe timc craeking d(rm on cotagists
tackliDs sotogidt Probtcms'
,Rnssiab Ministry otEmcgmcy Situa-

thd

dons

t.ntlv qithneu infornation that

. BJUona requested fora studY of
.

the Arctic o.f,3n, sals Nikitin

Iosicalgoup Belona.

ilts ro

And:members olthe EuoPt{

?ailiamentwere denied ently to
a nucld-qste slongB site at

tonder rhat RDssia

scores imptausibly

wel

on Yale

d Colmbiat xnvnonmeDtal

Andreyera Bay on the

Pertormdce Ind* On nany

. criteri!, ftom air particld to indDstrial .pollution

ofpurity. For instance, tbe munEy scos a 99

un srosd-ldel ozone, a FJs produced by
ruJ plmts and otber hsrv iDdEtrv, dd
s6 on a mesrc otair Pollutioo-to thc

8$-

sea,

qen thougb

rhc

wlite

ENPean

Union had paid to ut oad the

md wter

qnality, data provided bY RDssia

$ssast almost Scodinavim le!'els

.i"'t* *i'-*"" i*"#,t"

\%ste -"OnlY North. Korca and

lnn de

rtrore

secretive,'Nikitin

sls.

S;!ce rooo, env;onnental violations'

such s tonc qastc relased fion oil lnd

gIoM iom l4'5oo lo

39500, aRordjts to GrenPerc. ln thc

s$ plrts,

have

olatioN bv GrtenDenLceir Soirhi.Soon'aF

ter. rsvOentov re;'ea pr'one calls Jiom
rh.

r';];d

dins

Reslstrition Chmber

to.close: his

drdt

Nco. ahfth led

to

dd

buerdoatrc
oonths of inspcctlors
ontinucs
(tl!ous]'
Greenped(
Droblems
ia work in Russia) fie fSB dedLned to
colmmt on XreDd[n's alleSrtions ]n.a
Februarv meetrrqFnth GrfDpeace Russa

roresenutives. Zlutov erplained riat $e

Nho "hart misuderstood the sitxabon" ;n
Sochi. ,RoFrdiDg potential darnage ft'rn
tl,e OlvmDic sits, Yunv Tiutnfl. musitr

n."-"t noou."s

"r
;There'i[
rcnmntl,

b Do real

blt

md EologY.

tbcre mav

imDe of our @nntrv: As long

.*_-tt'-

rft*t

sLte's prionry,

the

as

rt rs rm-

*6"tdo, llLich

RNias

sa)s:

eNibe dmage tolhe

dmase lto

is the

r6-st sPcs

isttcepgettingdirtier.

wil

Coasting on Past Glory

THE AMAZON IS STILL LARGELY INTACI BUTTHE
FUTURE HINGES ON DECISIONS BEING MADE NOW.

ffiranks

:t

showed that 5,850

sq;e

ROM

T]tE

W]NDOW

OI.

lk,eing, fw countdes are gidr

er than Brzil. Since nu.h of

Et

this
temtory in dre hetut of
Soutb Amen@ is still uDpeopled
aDd

unbloished, it's not surprising t}lat

sood against the backdrop of

a Disileated pldet. It rsks 34th oI 149
nations in Yale md Colurnbia's E viron

Bdn look

mmld Itfornocc lndei gI@ner rhd

lre.irnd (35*r) md tie Unitdl stats (39th).
Aut how long

the {runLT be able to

Anu on, Pating the

loSsl F J,,d ltrd gbbrc.
" Ti ,eqe ,.e nlt rh. mrkl of rDsla;n3ble de

(d mn l&ger thdn Bmnei) had disapp6Jed fti'm August 2007 to April 20o8-a
r? prcent spjle Gom the yetr before the
pldd tcek notice. "Bnzil hd a fmtastic
ddo,ment from naiurc butis failing wben
it comes to masing iq' sa,ts Judi.ael
Clereldio JuDior, head of eNimnmnLd
shidie-s at rhe R@ilid Institute

hiehmys thotrgh the

hold on to this l;voEble scoE?

To qet e betrer look, you have to go to
9,ooo mcten, the altitude ftom rvhic.h the
NASA remote seDsing stellite.s step the
enlth. Every yqr sciendsts at Breilt Na
tionai IDstitule lor Spae Res6ch (INPE)
pole @o satellite images to produce the
mosi detanci survey ofdefoBtation oaany

&iriotr in the wrld- SDch ddor {s wD

Brrzil kudos, but also diticisn. Bllzil is the

fouth bigest ontributor of greenno*e

sas.r globaly, of vhich 75 pffint cons
iom the fellng dd bming of foftsts. so
when data relded by INPE in late May

My lorsdde6.

velopnent," sq5 Cleveluio.

Bmzil will have to find somc cteative
wa15 to iliscipline its fio.tier, ihere the
poptrlarioD h6 riso lourfold, to 25 million pople, sin 1960. That is

G@gnptry dd Statistics
(IBGE), &e ceNus buru.

t1

Broilt glee! laNls are nol

.n ;ilusion. Fou fifths of its

til

eldtric power

comes

Major cities m maned by open sfle$

and chokng on mog; dspite the ien*d
interest in ethmol, nerly 70 pEmt ofthe

e$

md tucks din brm Itsoline

a score of 60, BEal ;s one
ine hemispheEt {o$i otrcldIs on the

or di*I. with
oa

inpcssible. Th nation stnl

he!-tNs of idle
77
ldd otrtide the rain
anble 'nillion
ibresr- (Diltilers say they ln

6ily double ethdol output

withotrt topling a single he-

is the

not a1wqts folloved thqn up.

country's

Dot

h.i

fiom hy

vorld
leader in bioftcls-nesly 30
trEr.dt ol its (rm Nn on et})anol. Thc trorble is that t}lse
virtlB rcfl@t sound disions nade in tbe
1970s, during the mbitio s miliiarf gov.
elm@t of Gen. Emesto Geisel- B@il hrs
drcelectic plmts. It

hora16

soutl, aording to the cctsLs. For dec

ads. Dational laders ha\ b(n buildins

kilonetds of ibr

of

taliz.tion r"te for illnsss due to ia;nted

mter (diarhe4 hepatitis) is five to lo
tim6 hishd nr dre impoverishal, l1nl
nl dd northGt Lhen in the afllucnt

cst
A

dne,

E?I fo! leveis oflowlying omDq a bprcd'

Dct of bumins fossil tuels md a care of
r$pimtory illDss. Only ,16 permt 01 3ra
homcs harc runnnlg water or senage
"iliaD
nains, .cconting to dre lBGIr. Thc hospi_

3dth in the green index,ahead of the United States.

-B} MAC NIARGOI-IS

ofsst

BtoFUaLtAfuA

tare of min loisL) And thqe

de ndly 40 million more hc'

tus

of desiadqi pastureland

in the Am@n itself that could

be

wooed

back into production.

Fonmitcly, B@il hrs oPtions. Its

boonins @nomy

is not beholden to coal-

povd plants, ed the rain foftslis still

ldgelt iDtacl. "Bzl lL6 a rm opl!)rtui.
ty to rafflom ,tself into a nch couiry
fired

it

natural capital'says
gobackto its old habtof
nakins the risht eneironmeDt l mos. r

md stil rnaintain
Cleveltr;o.

Ifitcs

BRAZIL WILL HAVE TO FIND SOME CREATIVE WAYS TO DISCIPLINE ITS FRONTIER,
WHERE THE POPULATION HAS RISEN FOURFOLD, TO 25 MILLION, SINCE 1960.

The l.,east Green

on Earth
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ENVIRONMENTAL WEAKNESS,
POVERTY AND POOR GOVERNANCE COLLIDE,
fffiEflscores

6 on

the,l0oipoint tlreen index,last among allnations.

-ot SCOrr JoHNSON

EVI'R-AI IIUNDI]IiD IIEAD OF C,{MEL, SIIEEP AND CATTI-II STTOA'ED

and b[srled n! the blistring aitemoon heai lo-get closrto t}le we.ll,
Many oftlcni \rc.c crying and b.nying Gom tlirst. Nearby, also waiting
fi, ir rum. hdifu do/en Tou.u.g nohldr sir on
c,ny;ng empry
'io'L(c'.
r yclkrw watcr contlinlrs: Some had traveledh day or morejDst to getto this weu.
But th(] hws tlnt govirn water access in tiis vast nnd nrhospitable strctch oftle
Nigrr Silrd dictate tl]at everyone, man and beast alike, wait his tum. "'I'hislife
h# to end," said'MohammedMousa, a craggy-facedi 6o-year-old dan chiefs/ho
ha.s been

t.

fceding his herd ftom tlis well for halfa cennlJy. He knol{,s th+desert

is advmciDg, and tlat lLe ains de ro tlEt lie on re volnmblc 6ing6 of the
longer reliable. "Or life is blo.ked now dftlopmmt spectrum, enr.mmotaLdebecalse of mter- we have to find a wy to gnd^tion md societal collapse oflen go

endihcthirsd'
Ii! dil6d rto.imagine.a

hand in land- "Ii tbeE is sltttitg calcd

mo filda- dtftfte wlnembility, ifs whatI sryin
nenbl hunrn ned: the watdi.Its ab Niger,' els Jd EgelaDd, tbe Unitcd Na"
nnnqr srcc,al irlviseron conflict
sdce in lddlo.ked NigE,
who is orlu;tins the impact of
whidr dselopnent: studisl
iddniit as: theirorldk. p@Bt
envircmenbr dease aid, cli_
ounby, is ielcnds, It als,
nate change;rii Sanel Egion
partly {rlainswht in Yrleind
on tire Sahm's boftler-'
r.Ige hs netr ban aI that
Crlumbiat Envimnrnent'I Pd
fortndce hd*, Niger cmeiin
gren. M6t of the @ufftside is
lasL: the woild's 16r gr@nan imcnse rcp'ot inferdte
munirt lroor,scors, eros!,the
winds(Ttsmbland PoloDgdl
pdiods of drcushrand fl mding
bDard. Iiom the burdeD of'dis'
(rN ia o()jlsrc of.ilJn6s toE enviton- ha1 b@ prcL'lcms hm lor aslongcay
menLd (6s) to wa'er quality dd edum one .,B to femmbd; alrn.ar oo pdcert ol
tton mte.r (DnfirmNgd as,d ()]mple of NigemislireinrDrile$dddependonei'
the disasteritlEl crn:Bult*tld enrircn- thtragrionhft org@ingtorwilaLsince
nenblvknsqp@ertyddpmrgover, thel96os;hoq^:E,R\eaich6ha!re.ord'
nm.e co ide (Nigr soB a pitiablc 6 on eda25peMntdecreainninIacr6sthe
the loo-point EPI scale).ItFs ale arc Sahc.l, r4rft desert sd16*s l2o,o0o
nindd of h@, in tho* peis of the mrld h{ta6 of aEde land och yatr. Nigmis
.

rotttEwfJr:InN;y

peopt|lom6tim4 na"ellong ilina,c6

toflt,? bottb enhfeshearer

8S

{_

d'npels.tc by ovcmsng Uien shinking

Gml2.d, 6.,.ning crosio. .nd caa(rbating
th. ld.l loss. This procese is why Nigcr
s.ofs iow on e ircnD.rtrl be.lth nr thc
EtL "lti dicmety difianlt 1or l)@ple bcre
to diDk Gom y@r ro yu or nronth to morih
o. @cn day to .laf,' sla Jun Bernad
I t rnmlh- dircctor ofthc S,,hel Mdical Re
sdch ticiliq'. "'Ir,ey ec jn $naiv.i mode.

Jl

drc tin,e, cvcry snigle

dar'

rGER'S IIEI'DSMEN

cope
fdmN might tE able ro ^NI)

the emtic rai tU by the

time hono.ed method 01 diversifying t!'eir cmps md herds if

vii}

itwer.n't fo. anorhi.r dinEgiDgtrcnd: rising

popDlation. h thc past 40 yws, Nigc*
y,pulatjon hd quad.\)ld, tiom 3 mill;on
in the 1960s io rnorc tl,an 13 million ioilay' lt
3.,1 Pernt a y@_
laster than any oLhcr coddry. Thatk patly
l@us. o tu.l Doms falor big fami1i6.

is still .rparling at
brt

also beoDsc pa.edLe L.y to

comp.nste

art molt^lity nte ofotc in nve. ltl

. big dton Njger d'd vorsc on th. llPI
thrn Salel Deisbbo.s slc} as Burkjna 1160

for an

2n{l Ma1i.
Nlost

whft

birrhratG arc los

olNigerk c'tjzcns do

aderitis like

e.
basi.

'itjrclt
\ter,

clan drjnkn,g

and

sDtrd from eterbome ilhEses och as dii

arrba, fesit6 aDd vrious stomach ailmeDts. In thc smalt setdement ofThldarbolka, a gathding ofa f6v mud hlLs intie

nnkle ol a rast ul<y plain nled vith thc

ffNs of goats Dd (]me.ls, a herld
nded Amadour rsendy spcnt lour hous
halling muddy lvaitr out oI a 23-meter
dp homemadewell to {aed his sm.ll herd
otfiE lNs drd 1o goats-'lhe bnckisb m

ter ws all that rcDainel ofldt y6's wtershed. Tbe cl@-1fater tat'le lay mother r20

mete6 below t}ld

sdfae

too far to djg,

Dd thc nqrest deep ve.ll is 20 kjlomters

awy, t@ far {or Amadou to tnwl safely
his Dinals. Alter fdins his co6s he

'ith
brought the buckei to his lips od drdnk
deeply of the bom nud. "lhase pople
dont have zl@ss to den one gla.<s of cltu
Ariee Krtley, a Yale Mher
vho spnt y6s in Niger working to im
pDve mter condjtions- 'They don't Ioov

wterl

says

that they ned to boil the mud thcy driDk"

build inWithout \rater, the ldals

(ut

tastructuft that would bdng du@tion,

hcalth nrvarincss rnd nds shockei lry ihe

rcs,lts "Not one ot the peoplc I inte.
viewcd had hmrd ol il lV/AIDs," shc s.lys.

onc litdc girl's licc |ad eclled up so

mlrch shc had trolblc brearhirg.l'hc o,l'
prit; Ar dDlrashed pinrple.
Nutntior is lacking, too. ?Ls watcr diminishes, liv6tock hcrd! hdve shnnk,
ub;ch mars les mot ancl nrilk to go
rouDd- With fams ta;hrs, md,y Nigercis
rely on \rild pldts. In tie vjllage ofsdokj
Soddy. vendors at a local maket werc unloadhg a tnck ofl,uge sa.k oflars, f.on
lrhi.h people nrale a staplc sarce 'The de
perdeDce oD wild producis is an eileltive
indic-*or oalow lerels ofeel-beingl sa)s a
r!rcnt U.N. re?on on dre Salel.

with

s'Lrch

@t chdlengB, ihe goverl

a sholgun app@ch to de'

vc.lopmcnt, witr some sdccd$. l} d nortality liAtG havc drcpped slightly, a@ss to

ment has iaken

h..r q! , Nimntu\.r r,r '\' r.'r

sinlt snrru t lrnr6 lLlvr
"tr
thc mosi inaccsible a@s. lhe gov@r

n.,'.

nent woukl altu like to s indrNtrial's.ale

fimrins, modcm

machnrery and larsessrle

tLEAt* Ghand scts

DoingMore

\ 4th Irss

IN AFRICA, BAINFALL AND

A LACK OF CORRUPTION
SPELLS SUCCESS

'ffi

ranks 86 in the lreen index,

near the top among African nations

nng'Jn

pl()jqrs replacc sm.ll'sjle rgn

cultre, whirl' no[i6 somc cxprts- tltts
cnrmeflt ofiici.ls "l'eliere thc mdien,iz:tion
of tire agf,.ulturrl setor is tbe pdlwy ort

ddetf|n bbo da,ts

i'

B./

NDRTIW IIHRENKRANZ
I1SI AI'RICA IS ONE OF

of porerq'," sa]s Ccd l lerse, diMtor of thc

drylands Plognm nt {re Irternational Insti'

rhe lcast grecn regions

"Thre's l* edphsis on ho' do yo! he.lp

t]r small famer that Npressts 80 perccnt

goished itself

tute

ot Ghda lE

li'r !:nvironmerit rd Dr]opment.

of thc popul3tionl AnJ w,li jdst ovcr r

dcLl" of drmu.rl unJer,ts bclt Nig(r is
stDgglnlg to stly ]rolitiol]y sliblc. Even ar
chnra iflesred $5 bi ioD in JuDe in dt oil
dploration dd prosprdiDg
dcal, Tbu.Eg rebels in the nonh
tbstcncd to atta&, bnefly kid

neishlDrs, adrieqng

ud

s@n have

tippingpoint in whjch

yoD

hare

jut t@ ndy p@plc, too mucb livest@aeF the Unitcd NationS lgeldd. "Thm

you win sddsly see cbild norialiiy go

fron nomally uacceptable ldels to e(ep

emplo]tnal lifty prcnt tionally horriGc lellsl As global \'aniDg

ofNiger's popdation h4 no access to ba' threateos lood supplis thrcughout the
vorld, noeiere is the hDgu disis edgiFg
sic he.lth @re, aeoding to n 2006 study.
Kirdcy onductcd an impmused survey of cl6ertocatastropheihminNiger. I

health caE or

rdk

distin

mong ils

of 86 or Yalc

C{lumbiak Envircnncntal Perfo'ndce lndd. In sub-Sahaw AfiiG, only

c.tnn
ihc island nation oaMauntids
'nd rnd Ghana is bieger dd
mk highq
poorer than @ch ofthern.

Mdy lactom contibute to

GhDa's $ccess. Situatd on the
Gtrif of Guins, the couty is
endowed with anple minGll,

nappins four &encb nationals

eorking on urannm mini'g to
protest tbe go1r mentk reftsal
to negotiate witi UEm.
'r'heret not rhddr relid on
the hon?rn. By 2050, the pop!lation is expeted io have quadruplcd again,
ro 55 millioD. Bdole dlaq "you could very

in

ilrc rvoild, but the nadon

ag|arid conony to enjoy nearly tsic ttre

ps cpitt output of its West
Afti(n neighbors- Jrst s irnwhic.h cnatles its

portant, chana has been relativeFypeacefri

ed stable since its hdopendence in 1957
md has avoided nuch of t}le @rroption
that plagues AficL As a result- its instrtu_
tions hcve bcm anstile to tegulating de

vlopmen!

'fhe omtry noB

requiFs

environdrental-impact revie{s for

tlopment proj6ts.

Its

aI

de-

ENironmentt

I'roteo-tion Agency, opsed in 1974 coordinares dforcenent vith the Fot6try Re_
sear.h Institute. The ]\kosombo Dam prc-

pdmt of$e coutds electicity

Eent oil fitrd, howver, rill gire'risitors
to the United Nations climat-chdge

lides 80
A

RAINFALL IS DOWN 25 PERCENT SiNCE THE 19605,

AND NIGER IS LOSING ARABLE LAND TO DESERT FAST,
g)

Ld1G, to be

hdd in GhalB in August, plenty

tEssoNs

SavcthePlanet
JUST BECAUSE WE ALL SIN.AGAINST THE
ENVIRONMENT DOESN'T MEAN WE
SI.IOULD BELIEVE EVERY "GREEN]' IDEA
,ByJESSE ELLISON
O GF,T A SDNSI] O!' HO'T WELL'INTENTIONED
peopl, , an lolt rh( ir tlernnrs ljr thc 'er ol grcen

h}?e, colsider the cise of Fiji Watr. W'ith its bot

.

tles featuring images of pristine

topical flowers'

F'iji company shrted to w-orry when critics began ba.shing

the envircnnental impact ofwate. botdes; which i!'ill pile up

tie

morcwoi'i&*len it
io'crlcr ate &e carborr

in lanrlfills for thousands ofyears. It got

beiame fashionable for consnmeN

looTrinl oi rh, P'odufls Ll cv buy dre xmounr of grennolbe
gas emitted in msnufacturing anA'disiiibution. The bouled-

business has absurdly big feet' udikrap:vr'ater''bottled

'vater
water doesnl low fteely to the p'eoplevlordriok iti butimust
le carr;e,f by go-girzzling t ucksanda]ades in;otdes rnade

of plastic (which is made f om petloldim) So latclast vear

Fiji prsidnr Rob Six dcci.l('i ro meer rne warer backtashhea.l-on with a plan to reduce tle ose ofpackaging, s)r'itch to
more c{Iiciently rerydable plastics and compensate for other

mrbon sins by buying o$sets

thll $ould

reduce etnissions

elsewherc- His goal iwas io make Fiji not only trndily "c'arbon

neutnl'bul

carlron neg?rivc. \ever mind ihat most exPera

tle whole premise of carbon ofllets is based ondubij

ous mrii (how to measure a carbon fooQrintl) and morals
say that

canE

GaEJJ/x Ind4tr;6 are

rdmbl;"x ftr b.o'fr;dAv bragi'yight'

93

lraying utl'ers \o yo'r ur' itrlllott)l Corl

s;,mins r l,^ttlc nlFriilvate' will nt lu.ll)
rcddce the dnount of carbon bcins re
leasd iito the.tmosphcre. d,e comPanit
oarkdi,iA now clanns
cu,ll;!tr thc r,'vircnmtnt ts .t I his'
to.i. hiqh, seNmting a fl@d of makGhiJi

false clr;ls and doome.L schem6 to

achicve rcdemption NlDy ol tir6c !]6n
id6surcrndnly1;o @crh)])e, and con-

tus-

1,in

then the kemel of a sche.rc dni

work verl wel. Il] thc folloving chap

ttr, we l@k at how hne has oversold sa of
the hottst gren idcas. aDd how re.-e. @
sah-.'e the vorkablc bils- That Pr@as is al
for biofuels, vhich were
rqdy

co

mdo*y

onsinJry mbdced will, lvil,l cnthtbiarn

d ii its loms t'h,o'su!nJs sun.urt mu\r
besood,rishtt)bDtisno facingablcHasl)
thai btulaily distingxishes elicient soltes

(@m). t hai
{cclhLlose) 6on the ine{ncidt
sane sdity .h@k neds to tE aPplied to

ocqthrg lmm rL$,' Ddrktts 0\l'icl'

work onl ,n thc |ght toDditionsr h' tl,c

qr

(orJy harthe tuodels

tucl-ecr,nomy sains) urd the

hse for hybrid

'""pt*;,"ral
of g.. rndkcting lu,,e studl
find( wcrrh'n I rEm,tollhr Ll]imstob(
lcgitilnate). All de* cass ,nler ,trportant
lessors on how pople dd govcmrent-s
sbould nove foNdd or gen isR s.
'll,e ,mportanl qoest on is lt'w Lr|d
omtuce

rsnli jII a
tDdcial \indfJl for E!rcp&n Pove'
ronpanis- I hc slsl{rn, ]'h;ch giv6 grq,n'
lrotse gas mi$;on credits iway fr@ ol
enrissions

trjdirg

schemc codld

charge, codd lcad to a {iJ4 billion gain for

Gem,anys coal rcl;ant pomt generatore'
Many elterLs qu.stion the cxtent to whici
it *ill lorer.dboD cn;ssions ove.all'l

he prolifention of g@n ndketi

h)pe rnay be a srnpbm of dle sher mD!

pldiv of strhg thc global ctonomy to a
firturc in which per c.pita dbon ernissions

de 80 perent

lottr

than they de nov nr

dselopd (nuntria, . widely

discussed tar
cost?Niciulaq
itm, tome rchieionomist for thr world
Bdk od an adviser to the Brilrsh gorem_
meDt, has put the cosl ofmaking dmstic clts
in emisions at r ptunt of GDP H mivcs

rct. Hw mdd' \qll sdch.uLs

at this figue by LssuniDg dre! a 50 Pc.-

.ent prcbabiliq lhat glob.'l lempmtures

will rise by 5 deglle, Celsis id the ndt nhry, lsdins to md3Ne and os& dnru]}

tions. "Thc basic wy of Iookng at it is,

wo0ld yuu F! rourd I prr tolGDP l'l

bnnsdoM dut trobibility frcm rLotrnJ 5r'

permt to 3 or 4?" hc s^F.
'Ihe queston of what it will @st to re

d.bon nr thc atmospberc is dln.dt

beduse the dwer depods on now bad we
erTe.t thc ctd$ oqglobal @'.iDg to be.
Some e@Don,ists asSme tlEt global Em
du@

d6,

dre other

;Dg vill be l* disnptive tho

problen.)

efectiveli nisins the c(xt oftaking actioD

now to 3 to 5 pe.enr of GDP. Another unlooM js vhat te.tnologies trught disc to

sre{' Lltums) lR.rore 8o,n8lF}

turtber, let's agree that bDyDg rrolc F i
lv^ier w.nld Dot solve dre worldt climate

lf;t

vere irsly

as

er\y

5s

mdy

compaDis claim to eme our carbot f@t_

p;nts. why is everybody in a ti?zy aboxt
climate chmge? The inswer t, ot course,
t-lEt itt not ihat easy. The similarity be
iwD sals oacarbon offsets ed rnediflal

cbuc}l indulgences is stikjng, not l4st

b@aur tberet about c4ual pr(X)f that thc

MarketiDg deparhnents

dont have a

rnonopoly on nonsolutions. Gr@n eneigy

gm

Ioins

has b@r a$ertiDg all

his liae that it costs less to be greo than nol

Amory

to be. Althorgh lrvitr's ri@s are mw

"paiqfinly respe.rable," 6 he puts it, .om

panies that have tiied to put tbem into
pmcrie have found it tough gong. Mmy
prcblms also dise fron that bme of envi-

tN of
Biofrels,'+ich
driven up the pri@ of food rjthoul

romentalists md economists, the

unintendd @nsquencrs.
have
doiDg rnDch to slice

6e

disions,

is a classic

in point. Carbon tnding, the back

boDe of most plds to rslure worldwjde
enissioB, als sDjfss fron this ploblem.
A

rent

@
s4

WWr. repoit lound that the EU's

- 0r is it an eco
itrdjle$S elccm

China !s saving pandas

scam? More at

nukea6bon

Stem

n@ tutDre more palatablc.

Eadr +ep oD the path torud a IlFn

aree tutE wil biing more reatisrn to the is
sue. As gorcmments dd cnmpdi6 get
more experieDce with how to s.ing efiicicn_

cie fton t}e ecommy md how to raulate

grfl marketing chirns. tle l^Irld wect
dtrJc1fr of tbe gEn businN wil setiJe
d('m to something a bit more reli.ble Evar
D@, some gr14 claims

qtdd (s

ft

legitina&, of

like Tolota! ftios md

I londa's Civic Hybdd get dmonsd-abty bet
ter gs nilege than ihei! non]rybrid eNtrparts. Insuladlng bom is a surefire my
of wios eneryy. Slond-gderation biutuels such as jatropha hold the prcmisc of
naking a re2l dmt on tanpiP emisions.
Facrories, c2rb dd indusltis oDld vo*
nore e$ciendy thm t}ley do nM, to the
bndit of the eFirctnenL Btween now

muse.

eil

hat
and the\ nDy uneatstic ides
atiempt
be smppd- What folom is

sepanb $e grbage

sho

d be

ttt,

Mrcl4

fom

Watch Thoselabels
REEN MARXXTING COMES IN
'r'he Iast big one h the Unit'
ed Statcs hit in 1992, vhen "recy'

wrs,

"biodegndabld" first b@de

bu@ords and the U.S. fe(lenl Tlade
Connission issned its first geen gDide,
clei&ins horv tems like 'recyclable"
could bi used Ihat wave faded as t}le
nri.e of oil {all i. the late r99os. 'Nov

chu" md

iherck a nc'" *a'ei says Jamds A. Kohn,,

ihe dirmtor oft'he enforcement division at
thc @nsumer trotectio. .d of the U S

I,hdcral ltade Conmission-

"ltt

really

It $rrc is. Koht sa-vs he kncw lhe

tsDnMi wa1 coting when he saw ads for
the fi.st "carbon-neut'al Super Borvl,"

'tarlEo neltral NASCAR race" and

''NBC'S Gren Week." Nw claims de visible in the aisles of dy supemarket or
hardlvarc store. The llood ofpromotioDs
prompted tl,e FIC to bump uP its scicd'

uled review of cDviroroend-mdketjng

claims to last Apnl, a y6 e?ilier tbd
pldned. Th? Euiopean Cnmmission re
cendy toushened voluntary guidelines on
ecohbcunq, and now xudits green claims

IIs nrlc< ,re -not volunLarv. dd

could l@d to prosecltions, *ys kot'"We try to gt the wrst otrendes and
Dakcthem an dmple."
There sho dnt be much touble fiDd'
ine candidatB, Scot Case, vi@ prBidcnt of
ThF

'llrrachoice m envimnnmtal-mtchdog
group in Ottam, Gnada, saF that while
few bmds tNd to tie themselees to ?obat issusi now it seens "weryoDe is naking

$s

daims," often "using these terms

to

to
the idess that

pernaps in new forms.

,sNDiEw B;sr, lttNY

GurERl,J,lsoN CrlloxDoRF, rsFlm
'wENTwoRTlr @d cHxrs-roPHDRwERis

The estimated

$+s
billion

monlhly spendintl
on gmen con_
sumer products
and services by

and U.X- consumers in 2000'

Thafs equal to $500 billionperyear.
U.S.

Il,
'noNirs lhat tiey haveD't be. dcfnred"
$t ra! -letrachoicc se^l rcsearchem
t rnio ;g box stores in Nonh America to
evaluire tic grccn clairs of 1,018 co!
.!mer producis, ddlbnnd that l,0U werc
llegjtidate, indudnrg beaDtv P.odlcls
that urom6rd d "totf,llv urAanr dpen_
.nLt'blt rDcluLLed "7cro evtdcnLe lhJr t}e
nodnct .oniainei dy olSuic ingredi'
Jrts: says Case. ('Itr.choice woD't nlen
nfy the rctlilers for far of lilJel-) "We saw
absolutely- .jdiNhus clains." case savs.
'Ard vague, t@ $ftat lle bcck does
mern?"
I eafth'fijcndll
Most claids vere not Alse so much .s
misleadins. Sone g?$ase bags' fot in
rhnce, rre promoted 6 'compostable'

iimotile industns. widr

n'u'lucts 1,e r0tly dcsigriateJ

ihin' lhat l!rachoicr

cont

t
I
I

nt

riB

recYcled.

aEij$Utg vJhtchdos aeencies should

have the power to Prosecute false
claims: clearer definitions rcquired-

the

dirrDn

'Beryqqflrq1fo Flyb!.lt
HERE AXI' FE$T s\ANBOIS OF TBR

so.al grecn virtDe more PoPulr

rhan rnc hvbnd cu. And some like

th; lbyoia Piiis (more thd

million s{td

worldwide, gtting 46 Diles to thc gzXoD)

de the.sl deal. Butjust b@use a vehicle

;s a

hbnd dosn't nean itt green' lbrry

Pcnney sals his PiDs gcts a 50 pdrcnt efll

cieDcy boosl liom hybdd technolos'/, vhile
go in_
some copycar.s get or y lo Prcent.

th" U.S. Nctiunal Re netrrble Enersv Lrbo

nrory- ln lacr, half of dll hybrid vehicls
.unently on the Ddket are Do more ftel'
etrcient tlian iliei. Donhybnd vefions, ac_
cordins to thc Union ofconcemed Scid

bcls, and call tor a clcarer legal dcfinirion

ofwhat constituts 'tco- friendly." A'other
tm is also trying to lend credibility to the

iDdustry by creating a "Greentarhing b

d6" lveb site, there con$men cm mte
$ed ad mptgN for accurdcy oa
rhealajms. The site, established by us

t fim
t s;

inaurheniic green adeertising,

dd

luunchn in lanuaJy, some lr3

aals

coDtries have been posted

lrcm

dd re

viNed. Among the Web site's most cgF

gous 'srenivasheB": the energy md auNEWSWEn*

sincc

JUTYTJULt I,1,2003

lm

eovernments need to tliink

about what kind ofhybrids they are
buying for their own fleets, or pmmoting through tax and other incenlives'

othfl I'alf arc phonjs.'Ftollow

I'ybhds'livr ncrths tbe hybnd red,nolo
lists. T"he

gy

a battcry that boosts the combustion

engiDe-nor t}le e.ficiency to qardrt the

iin, Tt-{as-bdd environmntal-mdkt

EnvnoMedia, h mltaboration
ing
with the Univrsity bf Oregon, ajms io
help con$ne$ und6tdd autheDiic md

Ciric HX- rvhich hc .onsnlers simPlcr

technolosr lhat gct's almost &s goo(l
nrilas- Js tnc hybnd. n.r a muth luwer
+r.rrpr .i,,. "ln *r. nrd tcm. iti tie
s,mpl.r r.rl'nolo$ rhltgcts us firther," le
.."4 " tl, rrk rh. ,'\tensk to dl of th 6.'

'l

se ofp.ocNed oil de;mtivs

tbat the

do6 rot undermiie thcir "rll naturil" la-

sa)s H.ndo hac

' rhc n,,intsefiiircn, v. Pcnnevison lxs

fouth irj"s n scvo yiars, and turns ;n
thc c^rs every tlvo ye&s before the td
;ailit rurs out. InedDaa drives a Honda

to car dealerships and they by to led ne a

linc of ctp;' sqts Penney, the tecbnology
nrr,gtr ror admnLrdrehi.le. tu,dtuels aL

say

!nfrruld. Ii(

Lhdt Dr.ved

olefin slfonate, a petr@hemical, md thar

Avllon "Olganics" contain rhe pcEochd

ical Amdiopropyl Betaine. Thc defendants

tned to balDce

l.1med fr.m rl,r floo anJ rs nuw f@\ins

l,vbnd do.l.ls s"leh on iueldfioenc.v

'nto
products mrrketed as "or'
Mmy beaoty
xa.rc ,'r 'n.t,'tu1- r.tuJIy LonLrin ln$il

sssively Orpitnic" cl%nsrs contained

says thc vebic]e

tucl econony and lErfolrnuG in a mY

ti.i' ont

FricakDan. Cha cs Thtrito, spokaspmon

lor thc Allidcc ofAutomobile Meufaclrn_
cE. s.y\ U,at rn thr pasr, bbnd ostomere
*w lielell-root1* only ont olmany tm
porbnt,rcto6, nnd ruiomJkers Mre sim
pV m*ting $osc vred de mds in the
pst i]rce months, he sals, a "very d.nmatlc
shift" in consmer delnmd is prcducing a
much d@tr locs on tuel economy.
Consider HoDd!. last year it ditched iis

hyl,n,ls. Spokcspe6on Chris

lags away, tnnrkirg they wiU ntag'cally

dcmate.ialize

2rru7 h)bLiJ. Chc'f:

'run,i
2oot Srlv.mrlu d,d $e :oo7 CNlC Sicm
lrybrid pich,p de examPl6, sayr Daud
Frierlmu. re*dh dired)r for the Union
ol Corccmed Scientists' Clcan Vehicles
Pn,gtu I l/.n tl,re.'r- musrle hybnils,"
'.
whr.Jr us. rhr I'atttry to ho'st tl'e t.ofr r ol
a bis cnsire tuther than to itroease tuel
econ;my lle Lms liie md hybrid Hon
da Ac@r.Ls fal iDto ilis r:ategory savs

dsienrLr^,'. s

kaushto

deatc hat an.] sPdd decomPosition

Ilost(D$n,ers dont do rhat-'I heylbrcN

t,

onlY

impliing thai you crn throw tliem into the

bin and by sPiing rhey']l bc lir.til_
izci llasric bags, of outse. t.kc thousan.k oI1aA to break {lowr, ul6s t}ev
aresentto an institutional composting fa
cilitl thlt snrs vaste with hlgc tradors to

t"

lhe

r^nsidcre,l legltinate came froD a bmnd of PaPer iotcls,

\vlrich ndde indepe.dcntly cerrificd
cl.ims and specified ho$ nuch ofahe toial

comlJost

lircl". IYo., prtloLorm ic the prorluLtofde

.ayed plJnL\ inll r ,L,iils L,ul tjrJt\ n!r
*hn .
1,"!( in rfi, J $h.n tJ cv
'^h'n.,b
pay n prcmium for orgxdic. ,And because
I DetJochcni.als are nixcd wit]l so maDv
'nonorganic
chemicrls, it's eve. a stretch to
call then "natDmi-" In April Dr Brornerb,
aline ofbearty producrs, filed a la suitiD
califomia Supcrior court againsl 13 PG_
sonal-care brands, lncluting Aldon, Jl
soD, Kiss My Face and llste Lauder, i)r
Jeceptirr Jd iak. advertising A,nong
t_ ihc;Lims we.e tl,al KrEr Mv FaLes Ob-

bott-lcd vate.

close behind. CnnsDD.r electronics dld

roewable oe.gy d fanng betic.
Sofaritsce,ns tiat fcw g.en consuiner

2,296
perCent

HowtoEatGreen
RGAN]C FOOD LoI'ERS ?REFER
Iocatly sroM vegetables in Frt because tnev aslme local is greenei

of
hJbrid-car

Growth rate
global

salessince 2000.

h the

U,S.,

the

world's targdst

hybrid market, sales are forecast

to rise 286 percent thmugh 2012.

lnvel feeter "food

oil-tueled vehicle to gtt &om
field to tabk, nsht? lt sounds lod"l, but it
dost't hold filtered water "Food Inils are

smly

local tomatos

in

35

'

a grcal indicalor of locahess," but rot of

endronment l impact, says Rjch Pjrog,
Lssocjatc di'ector of lhe liopold Ccntcr
for Sustaimble AS5iculture at loea Stalc

prorides the {)lkets to ContirreDlal, sals

that whilcthe package do hxle the smi.

A big shae of Iood exPo.Ls are lnrits

and regctxbls shipped bebeecn the
nonhern and soulhem he'nisPhers to
takc adqntage of altcmating wiDtrs Aui
src{ing i}en locally might tlke nore cn_
ersy -to hot, lighi and ifigate vinier

.blc de'clopDc't.'A metJic ton is a met

ric ton," hc says. "But how it\ geDclrilcd

csr;matcd

baDsc

piece,"

The method of tmpon matters

much :'s $e distmce froD fitm to iark.
Sea-liciglrt emissions ar 16 thaD half
.hose of arlieight, tnins arc clcoet than
tncks, dd a bactor tmilc! is a Sree. na
chne comparol with m old pjcllp. II you
lilc ast of [ltDnbDs, Ohio, itk actxr]ly
reener to dink French lloldead tlun
uinc from california. whid, is bucled over
the Rdkies, says oDc sru.ly- How food is
groM @d i,rreted is ajso key: Ncw York
stati appl$, fbr instance, {s bc less
oLieDdb' *F those jnpotcd liom Nov'
Ze.land, *l,ere groting corditions -pm
duce grtater yields vjth less energyThe meat cquation is also emplicated.
Somc stud;es show ilnt cattle fed on gE-ss
at local orranic farms cmjt 40 percett le$

.t3.o
percent

2012. ln 2007

66

impaclsl

.r

Predicted grov!'th
raieofthe global

market for orFlmic and local food

drinkthrough
alone, the value of this
and

market rose by l0.g percent,

pmnote longlctD slstai*

ditrdcnt bcnents. wele tryins to gi*

custoirers the option."
Thc commo! hlla.y lbr offseis is that
they lead diicctly to activi[s i]rat conpen'
ete Ior the carllD released by thc activjty
ln qustion. In thc d$e oldre plme l]ighl,
that is tne only for the &eapest option: re
forestation, the planting oftft6, v}ich ab
sorb orboD. Bxt figuring ou. how much
i.volvers a sens oI speulative as$np-

q&*

sals Gail Feenst.r, a lbod analyst at lhe

Unive.sity oI Californja, Davis. "lt's one
Dic ofdE vhole ptzzle. It nisht be a big
piecc, bnt more likely itt a small pjet' of
the food chaiDt entironnental

thq

has

Eenhouses-tiran to shjp the food "YoD

cd'ijust look at the tr2nspoiarion

impacl the hgher-Pi.ed o!

tjons havc a pote.tirl "'DDltiplie. efect

tions about tlE eneqy @st of planting

CarbonQmfirsion
r_r-t
H. nr77rF:sr oE
GrdiEN
' I .r.".
^l,L
,. -.r'""
Th. rlc-l is
"r.era

p.ry someore io (um

rr'", 1""
per,sate Ior your ompolluting wals. ({n'
I'a ns lJ.e Tlrm?ass ind Climates.rt +ll

""'

custoners certifietG for prcj@ts that will

supposedly shrink their cdbon foolpnDi
an nldividud rcrcion of the widely touted
carbon markel ly-some estimatae. t]le pr-

solal olket

ddklMs

worlh $10 nillion

in 2oo7 and

is

fast.

bc

gro;ng

Th.t

nray

.ot

good thing.

It's er_lreftely dificDlt to a.rudtely cal-

d,l'fc eiher the rmonnt of carbon to$cd

or by ih q?ical household oi aiiine
fljght, or thc mount of cabon absorl*d
by otrsct prcjectr like plddng 1]es, fdnd
ins green .esea.ch and the lik . Itb also
very hdd to figDre oDt where the DoDey
spent on ofliets raly goes. 'Ot a ftndame4lal

]Ad, ofscts arc frauduient

cause it's impossible to

be

quDtify how nDch

of an oFset any project genentes: sqts

Kevin Smith, a Hwcher at CdboD llade
Wat.]r. "Yotr end up having

to spe@late

the nee, the tutn.e grcwth ofrhe tm dd

so oD. "lt's very unprcductive to leavc Pcople with $e nnpression that se colld pos
sitrly tlant odr way out of dre problem,
salsjoe Ronn,, d cr?crt who bas t.stified
before the U.s. Corgr6s on calboD ofliets.
Thepncieroptjons 6orn fi rmsl;kesus
Lanrable Tnvel ;nvohr
t , undertale somc

paying

othr linns

adnily d@clolrnq a
poel, lor instece drat

winddil or sold
one day may l..d to rtubon emissions !c
ductjons- lhe .ustomer bqts m offset,
and jn retum gets .n abstract ard o{icn
unprolable plonisc b redu.c ct,issiots.
Auden SchcDdlr larned aboul what hc
calls this "wild wst" m kel thc hanl
way. As the id housc 'torpontc sustain
abilitr" advocate for the AspeD Sk;ing co

$sel

value in dollars of
the global marlet

for voluntary
carbon otlsets in

million
2007. T]}at represents a 241 percenLincrease from
its S97 million value the vear before'

on

in Colondo, he pjsnaddl lis mployer to

mcthdc (a potent gmnhouse gd) od
'-take
have
iespnd $42,ooo dnDrll, on Renelqblc
the caae ofairlins, which
consume 85 pr.ert Iss enagy than cow
EDersv Crdits, or RECr, but changed his
c'ently ju;rEd on the ofiset bandwagoD.
mised on concdtEted fed at indusldal
nnches.l hen it @ns time for slaughter, Airlines like Delta now ofi'era flat mte ofl mind last y"r rhen closer study ieve.ld
howevr tle orgeic fams nu-st often set $5 for domstic flishts, $r1 for inter- that the cheD REG be had bought prcba_
bly wernt h;ving nuch impact. "ltvasn t
national flights, Others, ljke ContineDtal,
ship cows to and fton ce ]alizd slaugh
tdhosB belore distibutjng the m@t to otrer options: oD a New York-LDdon my finest hou: schendler sa]6. -Thcre de
retail ma*ets. By the tine tocal beef flight, you {n buy e olfset for $r2.4r (re good od bad REcr atd the public has no
forstation projects), $32,51 (rcneffible clue, rlou'rc a busiD6s, n+ly would You
reaches tbe plate, itt ncked up more mjls
tnaD industrial beef Regional fe)d- endgy), $36.20 ("gold srandad" renew- buy the sood onesiwhy spend $lTowben
tnn{rcd systems de eight to 17 tines able de4y and enersy eficiency) or rou rculd spend $2 dd et ihe same IR
morc eficient thm loc.l ones, says the $23.38 (a combinadoD of all three). That Dneasel_ Jn d ws ated industJy. the
liopold Center- So 1o@l tomatoes may tot tirree rildly direrent pnc points ud 6bon cowboy is kiDg.
pack ges och spposedly prodDces tite
be as gr1n as they appi
same total redDctioD in carbon misions ruKimunu there is an agreed
stares neet to encourage
ffi
spealG to the lack ofagreement on what method for delining ard calculatlng
effideDcy market by market, ralher
de6ns m otrset. Bnd MDllis, prsident ofbets, goverhmentsShould consider
than assuming local is better,
of Susiainablc Tlarel, tbe mmpany that limiting, not promotiDg, lheir spread.

ss

NEWSWEEK L JULY ZJULY 14, 2oo8

! comtary! takjlg doncy f.om theCDM

Lo close doM a pllutiDg fa.tory and us
nrs it to btrjld doiicr one. Grjurat Fltro-

rochemicals, d Indian comPaDy, nade

e27 nillioD in tle last tnrce months o1'
2006 (triple ils tor'Ll Lomlany (.ming{

nJrtlrum thr
sale ofcarbon crcditsio EDrope. The bRxt
,' trofits,e{pnssoy I L.l) l,elpe.l i, hn,l
r15 consl.ucbon ul r ns Pldt tu make
'reilon and caustic soda. which are ldlt

,,vcrthlrrrbdbrclin

lalH.,

|oll',Ld'G. {GttuBt riluorcLhem .ak

,onl'lnl be roJtrd lbr Lommcntl ln

shon, oveFight js p@r. "Thsct a lot for

!s to learn," says Dan Esty, m etviron
mcnrrl.la\v profes.ar ii Yje Unneisiq
'M.+ nor,hlv $E leLd to l,ate ,L n,Jrkt

grelter auditing u,.l the

"'u"i'
io really make ste thal mon
ceriiJicadon
ey iswell speni andprciccts eautheDiic

th"t t,s

NlarketforGrhn
CANDIDA'|ES FOR U.S. IRESI'
dent have corne out in favor o{ a cat_
O'T'H

bon-tmdjng scheme to Prorde r

{ice na.ket iD.enlivc to ftduce the P'o
duction olgcenhoDse gases Utde. these

''caD

rnd tnde arnnsemcnis, govem

nerrs imposelinits on the2mount of.ar
bon ttrat fa.torics or companies are al'
loaed to em;t, and require those who want
to dcced thc linit to buy ctbon credit-s:'
Since 2005, developed conntdes like Atrs

tali.

and CaDada havc hrd randatory

ndkets nr llace, and the Eurcpean Union'
has becD tndnlg crrbon crcditssin.e 2oo2
under it-r \oluttary Pilot Pmgran Sinc
the U.iied States lrasn't ntfied ihc Kyoto

Value

I
i_

{_

t
L

the globalcarbon
marketin2007.
Tbe key ddver of

$64

in dollars of

billion

carboutrading s

growth was the tu's carbon exchange

Nhich doubled in valueto $S0billion'

a-ftemnt, carbon

;s

t'aded instead on the

Chicago climate Dxchese [CCX), orrently the worldt only voluitary carbon-

[videD that 4n liuropek hig]rly rcgulated scnene is vorking is veak at bst.

One idea bhiDd the Uiited Nations' CleD

Doelopmmt Nlechanisn (CDM), $e

plgg1m tleIU rd othrsthat hde nti
de-d Klobo defolowing. is thatindusris
lion countiis likc Fmce dd Britain wil
pay tbeir couierparts in lndia
to

enit

less

ed

China

carbon, fnancing technologies

a1low then to build nore-eflicienr

factories. Thc problem is ihat cven &ose

tlDt

t.

ddeloping couDbis that ha'e ntified Kyoto dent expqted to redu.c thir emis-

sioDs.s

{
$

ch meaDs there's nothing to srop

and

Gasoline Substinrte
SrlKlN

! F.R^L S-fLrIriES

IOOn

^ND tl,. l,cf rhrt

^
hrvc ,l.hu*ed
\prics
\ J.thJxol. m.Jr h'm lcmcntrractu!s,

. grrn subditure for saul,ne Ethrnol

lll trom ArJcc bE ausc ir ielJs at most
only a lhnd more enelgl than ir takqs to
nmdule- Thc 5e&Lh is now on for nore

is

.m,,-

ol biotuels |ke
' '.'tnna "ou..""
iatropha and sl]gd me. one Promjsing
.,bdi.latc is cellulose- a sdbsto@ foNd iD
About 20 fims in the United Stat6 are
trriLA to d(ri\e edDnll frcD vlste croPs.
Ii DcDarinre, t of tsnersy ns edmuked
'
'e
$385 nillion over four yes for six priEte
llrns. one of t!em, IllueFirc Dthdol, is
bujldins i pilot plant in (]3lifomia alons'
side 3

lddfiI,

which supplis celtulose.

rerifed."

The U.S. market, being volutaq! has

hecn ,cllng its drbon .red,ts lirr tno

che'ply lor $l tu $s pt, lon rumldetl
vitb De CDM, wherc credits trade lor l0
times more.'fhe d;cr cpdcy is dDe to lax
st nddds ih:It donl,rtnply widl irtcma

tional ascenreDts. ltli4ts Guch 6 db.

estatioD) that are coNidered l.gitimate
offscis or tlle CCX are not reognized in

wth n'^re crcd,rs inil,L,le

EutuDe;

;l i

and

demtu'd fd, tl,em. thev re scll;ns

cheap. Still, tne uS. Clngrss ;n NoErn
ber dnDoDD.al thal it 1's going to beomc
crrbon qeufdl by buying enough ofscts
on tie C(X to Degare t}je imPact the

rr-*

r6ushly 3o,ooo nebic tots of arbon

e$itteJ drnuJly I'y iLs duqutten.oal
bl,mins power phnt {t $2 'r7 I'er ton

Cr.srgss spert Dorlt $9o,ooo on ofl:t-s

that rcluded plmting Deq', urderground
sroruee ofro6on ,lIoxirl., Dd wind aDd
sulrrDowcr-B rsbscqDdtrudrtfound
tnat; number nfthc prolc.fs w.uld hNt
happencd .gadls ofwbethei thc offsets
had b@n pMhded or not. For mnP]e,

tamers iD North Dako&! who were paid

io til dleir lud in a way that baps crboD

udrgromd, told .lv,shingtot Posr reporle. t})at they would have sorked ihis
mv er en .ntiout ofse rs.
ir
l.l i2ke 116 ro hamms out s ef

re]EMT
1n A
I Z.-1
percent

production of
ethanol. th; badingbiofuel, could hit
27

Dr"ont aft lnalins

like BP GM
^nd
explomtory investrDenls. Verenium. dr in-

rims

deDodcnt fim. last month oPened a

small plrntthat us bagzsse- . b}?rcduct

C-llulose is spetialy rppeiling be'

it is drived from wrsie, but its un'

cause

iDtoaffil rwulrtory sructN. sitb

l,at

scheme' "fwe'rc ge
ins to be s*iot's, ive haE to put tbat rurket
manda

@luctionsl sl$ &tY. The

loiDtary ntuket in the Unitql Stats, for
instmc,'does not ha'e any degre ofEgulations, artd d a ruult it's more or ls ju.+

nd misions

pmcticing for thc r.1 d@l to cone

2017.

billion gallons per year by 2014-

-'
ftia crbon-tnding
'

Pmlected a;nual
crNth rate or
ine 4olal nioruets
market throuah

sactly what bpe of ffite wil work

commmiJ s.le.As a rsult in
v6to$ de eutious "A lot ofmonoy is sit- '
tinc on rhe sidelins,' savs Utrivssity ol
llli;ois Geanher Dr. Chris Somwi e.
"Ihe potmtial is big enongh to see dp

lltr

on r

"

carbon trading couH wortq

bd.only if participation is mandatory

ald reg[latory ovet'sight is strict.

ffi

Finding a world-beating new

of

biofuGl ouictlv will take lots

and lhe nerve to lose some of

iL

ony

Suson H. Greenberg

'

I'm So Tired of Being Green

\VIIEN CONFRONTF]D RXCENTLY WITH AN EMP1Y
belbre placing it
i ar of Deanut b utter, rether than sodr it in hot water to remove every last smear
(and
quickly covered it with greasy
1n the-recacling bin. t simply tossecl thejar in the trash can
towels to avert the wrath ofmy eco fanatic husband) In my mind, I made a quick-and
paper
-unscientific
calculation: saving the planet from one little plasticjar wasn't wortl my time or
highiy
the hot water necessary to clean it.
'LLADMIT IT: I AM

I-APSED RECYCLER.

I may bee'rong about that. But the fact is, I don't ktov what to
belicve d\nore I'm sic.k ofdervone lrod Al Gore to the guv who
mo's my smss telling m to "go gr@n." I'n tred olsiftins through
tlle "ec. Mfe".laims ofproducts as diverse s .ledsers, (:{s and
c@kics: recycled, recyclable, reusable, organic, all naiural. envi
ronmcntn\ ft iendly, environnentrliy preferable, environnentd
Ir safc, biodesr{lable, compostable, ozone_ftend ly, zcro_orbon,
carbon nentral ... the list js linited only by tJre ituaginations oJ
!,1etue droqints;n
Lh. md, \ptincBFnru. tu sl,c d.vdoPrlir'
many vaFe, dubioDs or breath
icsslt hri'cd assertions thrt sone

a ftatler oftiDe be{brc instatce con,panter rdog

ircatable t)syctrological ailmmt. "I comPare it to PISD
" Yeds xgo. $ere\trn r
, Doe-rmumxtir stre5. drsonie, l. .h( say5.

]ieles

itt

niE jt 6

only

l.ibel ror n. l he,.

n ra

dksno'u"

chanssl

sticly pslut.})utier jar away.

''Confrrsion crmres in!dr shock,"

says Suzande Shclton, CEO of
ihc Sbelton Group, a U.S. mlrket
ing trm that moaitors Amerie s

ofthe olynpjc m.rathon be.ase

olBejjins'stCLt. pollubon The

ILS F:ryironmelt l ftot.don

Ascncyr*ently foud tha.345 of
7oo Amdi@n counties monitored
1o

ItrOUI{tAlNS

OrT[OUEU: ro 6 /eqclingftd]l! naht a

gy-edicienr adivities consuners

sa;dtheypairiciparedir! such s rccycling or riding a bike to

rdxk instead ofdrivhg-dropped liorn an avengo of3.63 in
2006 io 3,o lst y.ar. tr\rthlnoE, the nunber of GPondents
who .onsided energy etrciencT "important/dliemely itnpor
tdt" in doiding wbethq to buy a prcduct fe.ll ftom 72 to 67 per_
ceDt. "We e relly s@ing a backlsh to the whole green thing,"

/eve tes-ted envirommtal mas.saging for some

ddve get a lot ofeye rols od deep sighs. We hear
things like'I m s tud ofthe green l.be.l being slapped on derything,"I'n e tired olbeing gdlted iDto bitg gen'."
A nw 6dd, @o-psycbology, h4 even ariseD to help p@ple

"r

cope with their motlnting "e@-udieq/ worisnotjustabont

d)e planetb health but also about theit oM enviromqntal ;nadea

qualig considered unsafe

breathe. "The discusion about
c}lalogi ngou r light bulbs. about
had air

efii.int producrs dd scnicer fell

amss the boald. ADons its fiDd

quacies. Mefissa Pickett,

notwitlNtdding.

only norc dire EtbioPid rDner

rhile Gebreela.sie bd pulled out

study, Enrgy Pulse 2oo7, rd&ilcd

that betveen 2006 and 2007,
nmocN' enthusism for cncrgy-

psident ofthe Sornwais

dd
czy-dd

t|e earih's predicmett grosts

I an not alone in my gteen

fatiguc. The Shelton Cruup's latst

sals Shelton.
clierls lately,

few b@t to tDcands

YetjudginsftomthedaityDe s,

confDsed, thcyjnst

ings: the ntrmber ofgre-en or eDer-

denn alntajncrs

envjronndtal pdsc.'^ndwheD

f"dgu'

cent bccause the tirne delay

cold light.lrove me
recyc.le fairly rclisj ously, haJd'to-

tirrs it: csjerjusttothosthe

.onstmers

lab, l l now l lortsr*n

or eco-aNiety. At some poidt ther pobably will be."

wc can only hope to live so loDg. The gowjng seBse otsreen
fatisue stems iD part arom ll,e feeling that no matter ulatv do, it
rvili nerer be enough. t ow. aToyota Canry hybr;d, ha\e repiaced
rcushly a 6ird ofour light bDlbs with compact fluorescent ons
thoush 1 should confess I''e

se]f-proclaioed oo-psTchologist ad
Center for Conscios Evolution, be-

bfi?

w.shins

ou r

laN(l

ry

on arowcr

setting, al! seen to be very PettY

$har,s heinadsmibql usa glsr tl;marc easdo'

Parron, eofouderotUre Mdiltsro club. s hich
prer
enti ng rolosical dl(asra wi $oul linjtj ng
is com mtt e.d to
apDroachs

pie,- sars

ro

lme

hurnan potential.

"Cheg;g a [glt

bulb

isnttheffiy fornEd."

what;sl DNironment cPerts sean to agree thai &e

wy tojolt.onsumers out oftheir green daz is to instigate

So

best

relorns fiorn the top donn, tjke putting a pnc on @rbon 5nd
iDcluding ailtine missions in CO, redlctioD t rgets. "ftlere

chdgs, tben you vould have a

dd mnomic lade6hip ofour s@ierv. and you q on t hrve thal kind ol fatisue,_ saFlim Bastd
mtive drrenot of rhe U. K: climate Ouu each and tDlormrion
Net'ork. "Itt individuals who get demoralized. ThG has to be
collective action." It taks a tilage to re(,fcle a perNt-butterjd.
wi.t AN^ F.I.EN^ A7PURU. dd C Rl$oPtrRWEmH

were strorger inFdtn,chr.l

cl{r lead {ion the political

ONE RECENT POLL SHOWED THAT AMERICAN CONSUMERS ARE INCREASINGLY

UNLIKETYTO SPEND MONEY ON ENERGY-EFFICIENT GOODS AND SERVICES.

98'

Ey ffirtry ffiTemswreo ffimm.trfu $s ffiff..

:;j

l]rt

necned 290lal14 exploded t}lrough

no.rheateb ILst.Jia

lt ertainly lekd

d,at way last yei as cudaitr offire dd dlst

tumed the skis of lndondia oftrtge,
inank to drcught-tueled bl.zes
*eeping the isldd natior It @rtainly looks that wy s se.tions of
ice the si@ ofsmall ouhtries olve

from the disintegnting Arctic

od

nnhictic. And ir crtainly lools

rhat way a the soddeb @kage
of New Odns @nbrues to dolil,
er, while tne waters of the Adarhc
gather themselves for a new huri-

ane seaon just tve fuodlls

,e)r

plure of billowtng stam. Melr

enough Cr@nlan.t ie, ed you
r.h the poinr at wiic} rDu re
not simply dtppinB melr'arer.
nrb &e sea blt ddmpDg *bole

glacieF By ore re.eDt nefu,

se!nl Gmrldd ice shets h,w
doubled rheir te of slide, ed
just lan week thejoumat scn@
published a stDdy su&le$ins
liEt by the e.d of tie century

&c world .ould be locked in to

aneventualnsc ina lewLof a
huch a 6 m- Nature' il seem,
hds

fiuly

got a

bell,{xl

oI us.

Dis.rters have alwys been with

os a.d $rely alM/s will be. But

Things are happeniDs a lot

tuster tha. anyone pEdicted,"

when they hn this hard dd come

this fast-when the emcrgency be
6mes @mmonplace sometiing
has gone gievo8ly \mng. That

Cbareids, chjd seiotist for the.dv@q

sooetling

F globat waming.
s o.gan
rrm-FrrnoLlslv dubbecl Ca6 br en

The image of Eartb

qronmenta|<t Jrmes trklod

has probablr been oveNorked,
butthat s not to say thc pidet @!it
bchave like , liviDg [,n{, snd

tb6e days, it's a iiving thing fighr

ing a fever Fbm heat Mve to
sto!ru to floqls to fires to ma$fue
glacial melts, the global cltmata

sems to be cnshins around us

SctcDtists have beD elliDg Lhis
shot for deGdes lhis is prisely
what they have been wming
wodd happD tf we continued
pumping greennouse

gls

into

the

eys

B'

group Enviro.menbal Defe6e and a former

p.ofesr of ah;s?henc chemistry- rhe

iat 12 mondB havc ben alming: Adds
Rurh Curry of rtrc Woods Hole OaDo
gEphic Itrsrirution in MlFchBens Th
r,pple thrcugh the scientinc .omniuniry is

' And its not j&st sciefisrs whoare tak

ing notice. Even s nature $osses ite iip
ping points, tl,e prLlic seDs to hrve
rac]led its oM lror ycarr popular skepd
cism aboul climatologrct sierce stood
the vay of ad.lrcssing the prblen! bur rbe
'n
@ysayers many ofvhom wre on the !ayroll of enersy .ompanies have becor,c an
incr%ingly marginalized bre.I Ir a new

TrM4,{Bc

Newvstdford Unjve6ity po

457. ofreslDDdentsag@ thst global mm

ing probalrly is baplEning Momvei most
res?ondenG ey they y@t some acnon bk'

tEppjng the heat en. Oftbose polled, 879, belieE the sovem
'tmoQhere,
that fiows in ftom the sM ed dn- - mot sho ld eiihePen@ungeor. require
tng global tenpeEblrd
lowering ol power pl.nr emlssiors, and

Environmentalists and law-

yqB shoutjbgat one

mother about whether lhe grin
for@ts were true, but in tbe part
makers speni

five yeds or so, the sertous debate

ha quietly eDded.

Clobal

wlm

mct skephcs hare conclude4 is the @l deal, and huDan

activrty h6 been Gds]ng it fthere
ing, even

Ms

dy

cnBolation, it srs rhatihe

ofnab rcutd give us
d@ds or eveD bentuns b so.r
glacial pace

O ONE CAN SAY EXACTW 19HAT IT

looks like vben a planet takes i ,

but it probably l@t! a lot like

Earth. Neve. mind wh.t you've
henrd .boDt global warming

as

slow-hotion ehergency thar

would takL decades ro play out. SDddertv

and unexpeciedly, Lhe cris's is upon us.
It ce.tainly l@ked rhat liay last rek 6
ihe nnnosphelic lbfib that rE qvclone

La.r'

a Category 5

sronn eidr wtrd bnrsrs

But glaciers, jt hr.ni oua, can move wrh

srprising speed, and so on nahle. W}ar
few people r*koned oD w:!s that global cli
mate systems are booby trapped vith iil>
pfirg poinB aod feedback leps, thBhdds
past vhich the slow fieep of environme. Lal decay givas way to sdden aDd selfperpehrating collapse. t\rmp enoud Co,
into the sky, and that last pan per million ol
S.eenhous Sas behaves Lke the 100ti d%ree
CelstDs dMt ttd a por of hor rvare. into a

857, rhmk smerhing shorrld be done to get

@6 Q re less gasoline Ern EEngelic.l

Chistiais, one one of ihe most reliable,.-:
@lulrs in L\e colsen?tiw b6se, are de :
mnding actio4 most notrbly in rebdary,

utFn 86 Christie

leaders forised the

EEngeliol cliftate Initirtive, demding

that Congre$ resulate sr*nhoNe gas.
A collectioD of new global-v:min8

books is hitiing the shehes in response to

that awakening interesl fotlNed closely

by Tv and tleatncd ddcuDerbnes: I'be

nrost notable of them ts .{n InMDe ient
Arutri, due oui in May, a profile of fomer
vie P.esident ,41 Gore aDd his climate
chanae mrk, lvhich is geneEting a iot of
prerelmse buzz ove' an unlilev topic and
2n eqoally unlikely std. For all its iack of
Hollravood fl6h, the.film compeDsates by
convqang both the hard eence of global

waming and Corei p3rticular I)rsion

Such public stirings re at ldr gethng
the lttentDn of politicis and Ldrnets

lade6 who trhy not

dm's rdpond to

s.'en.e btrt havc akecn

nose

Ior

eeloSy at the UDivedity ot Alaska [an

bdrLs "Aut eventuallt rl,ey gcr flBhed to
tle Iimit of toleaDcel'

where votes and p.ofils lie U.S.

state and lo.?l lawnaken haae

narted taking adjon lo

curLr

em'ssions, dd major @rpora

tioni are doing the eme W.l
Mirt 16 begun istallirg wind
turbiir6 o. its stores to genetulc

c02 AND !Hi

parking lols. HSRC, the wodds

s.cond la.gesi bank, hd pledsed
to neutnlize il5 @rbon ortputby
invcstingin wind fams ad othe.

(p p n.) in dre

Bdsh, hardly a favorite of geens, mw ac

kDwl.dgcs clnnaie cldnge and boasts ofthe
steps hc is tahrg b tighi it Mo$ of tlro5
siepl lowevc., inrolvc Bach a.d volun
tarv .srissions .$dlrols, not eFctly dre lalB

so drar U,c

alnosphere

ar |c.l is,

of KaLes, analyEd

180

olt

p.p.n., puning

Ear

intoadep
be-

for. tre daw of rhe modern era, rie br2t

had risen k, a .omfodrble 280 p.p.m In

just tl,e pdt ccntury and a hatf. we have

puhed the level to 381 p p m., ard we,'re
teeling $,- elfe.is. Of lne 20 hott6L yen.s
on reo , 19 oeued in the i980s o' lat..
Amoding io N^sa sci.ntnLs,2OO5 w6 ode
oi liE bottest year in nDre than a cenhrry
Itl at $c Nonh .!d Sorli pole5 rhai

Dulh

gencr.ijo.al.ormitment "Eosyslcrns

Iiom iadiahng back

fteez. After dE glaciers retreated lrut

rientisLs are olling for

k it ioo late lo r.ve6e tbe chdrgesglob
11 wa.nnrg has Mought? ]t'ati still .ot
clar Ileduc'ng oxr enisions output year to
rea. ishard enouglr Geuing ir low enough

glacioloEisr Enc I]tgrot

of dr Jet l'ropllno0 Lab

.ratory in elsdem, Califom'a

and Pannir Kanagadt.am, a rc-

w6just

$ih le&

sard, a\r5t?,rt profLsor dt the Unj!ersiry

ltud ice

is

ofwater is 257. nore than the entire city of

Ieve.ls wher they nrelt becausc

they're floaling, which nreans they have
displaced aI t]lc wrter they re ever going to.

But

J:iltliiEt fgE

b6rhE 6

rlE:r aroE_

quive.s for
s.iedisrs have

&!'-FRi35TD

: '!!:::ii

li]!;li: :

tnis tiriy resident of ihe

sorthreslear !.S. has ronE:
;ked oj: iis living,n jlniFer

:2rr

;;ii

!{.dlard:. iut ii

Caliiornt. fi is
nealti.g :or highei, 6cter
axitn4es:n the Bigh Sierra

i.

onc of reveal
jdall naEr$als in the r,.giotr
ihri have nroled lhet ir4rei

:ldrl e t. l.ooo m niEre.;i

.rl.\,-rllr. .a.f lre 9n.t..et!a,

GOOSE

vaminA.

Half are seabt.ts

whos food supplies arc
dimnrished bels oi
clioaie changes. The rcst

if.\lrling seyeal

.i,ti

!iii

twenty six bird speci6, including

thisg@se, which breeds in rne
Arctic, are lisied by lhe wofld
Conseryation Union as

.t:::t l::,. .
+P; .j://

or.er

e,e9h.nl s nge
wilhin Africa lrul may also greaJr
h.voc with the arimalr lov.i
life. Th relaltve abundance
.r s.adity of lood rtlecls ltre
social hierarchy of the herd,
which in rurn en delcrnrn.
uhich animals eel io breeil.

i3

ou:e

on land, like

shrink lhe

Ihjs slriking eia.t al@ *e given

itsnme by the S.n peopte oJ
souuiem Afii@, siio 6e fia t.ee s

i;

ie

Irnd!, E a different Daner

1bu that into o.e.ns L\at

rir.arl' JiEr !p!i|s 1!r tintrbizr t 6rtd,

.i. i^a.-.,'i n:i .ti:cli,r,dtrFin8
rii:.- ttr!,. n.ray r.rt.. i!'!i 1n. *a'riti yetic.rt:3

. ,'a:

dont nbe sa

aru

hoilow

$$il

ye2r
Dhping lhat much vater into thc SFBi
,rFn is a very darg&ous ding. lcebcrs 1111
ngeles uscs n,

Los

FEEUTGTHTFg[&T
t.ri !:!': jri:rt:

::i?
s fs! with 220 cu lm dnini.g iEii

notjustneltingbut doingsomore

d)& twie
aMy inio tie s.a lalt yea. alone, compared
with 90 qr. kD in 1996. A cubickilometer

lo,nairtair thenrselvesl $)s

'|c.ry Chapin, a hiologisr isd
trofe$or ol

;.r

dah ftom Canadje ard

tru.olqD steliitG and found that cree.

usDallr able

.a!s cnrnl

ovenl air blanket, but they rc

p@erfJ palts bemuse tneij' alow suntight
to stJean in but prevent much of rlE har

Dunng dr last ie
age, the atmosphcrel CO, co.ccntration

g.en pniects Even Pcsident

1cc

PO'"E5

i5 A TIN'Y COM 11]NENf OF OU

a.boD dionde belpe.l wam liarth ro com
fortlevclsweareall ucd b. Bu oo n,.r, df
it do6 d awf,n loi of damage Tlre Eas .ct
rgents just a few hxnd..d pans per miltun

cldtricity ird is talking abort

putttrg solar reflectors over iis

gla.ie.s and

hling io slush. Ou.e the thaw

lreglB, a number of

whose coastal

hibilnts.re3r

risk because ot

j:i r-f:rrtnil:

./.

Globnl rvaminc nraght nol oniy

researche; hale clo:ely

tBcked the movements ol ihe
Dlde,ny kr')cwo 3s Ednh s

buledies ariSbt b.

w'l

nor

,tuive the

imp..i

j#r

a, alrsdy rishs (beca,r.

hy.r

vam

laise p,iis oI

@ast.rJ

FEED6ACt{
orn or rttt

1(r

deliiien ; hnd rar |a.

corlinuoull fcen lor tw y6 or
more- Thcrels a lot of&irthly real stite rlrt
qulifies, and nruch of it hrs been fman
much lorge thar two y6s ence ihe e.d
ol the lart ice age, or at lcast 8,000 yds ago

LOOFg

-i
nd,m, ,-',n^, ,... ".
1i i:; r,t."a ,.p.ov., shir-cu,L'
tl,"por-ib,,sh'
hnnL..,.
lHi:;.
irl;r,'r.rs^
,,

Sealed

layers

insdc

ti.t

cryonic time @psulc are

ofparlalty demyed organic

ri..h id carbon.

rnauer,

higb altitude rcgioN ol

U-,clatiol.hrp o' 8."+ 1n,' U. Alaka, Canada and Siben., the so islm,
::
pori,i."E.orn^.-tiv.rl,Jr,0e,ord,. ing dd dmlrposir& relding ges Lbar
"',,
rl1r": sr',1'sli rhJr ' "ril - ir e,nulv., ,n,--br1 will tum into me be ad CO,. Thrf in
I'loaamL.ho.L n ,fvw l ,l tum, could lad b more Mming dd pcr
Ii/. lil::,"
"'o'""
rnaftost lhaq e)s Bereh scientist David
I ;" ": | -arn ertn do-. I Ar rh-opl,o,i..,b.o,l

;i

bc.

Fr6don6lty.mupr

.ontincr,rs wtlLjn a hoaer dobe. o.prn

curenls
berween mm and olrr
'r,nninl
regio'la s.rve asinaruml themoregutatoB.

"Itemove

been

nise ser

Mmr.r oe$.in

rhar circD

flondt rEmaII6! !$aXy

and most of aatrdad.sh. The Ant

arctjc lokls erouglt icc

l.vels more thrn 65 n'

h dep

ed .ut oi ine 4dDlid

thc re," says woods Holcls C!nr,'anil t}a

sdter starls trlkng to the atmo$bere rc
leasing its helt Thisj3 noa t grDd dii;s:.
A snnilar feedba.k hop is mellins

sheet would be .aoueh t{r njse

global se lcvels 7 n, saeuowus

nt

of wate. about 180

]!tqi in

rvate. expafuLs), and you

deh,gesLorelir*s. By some estj
mates the erlire Gftienland ic.

hdt

.drsirib[hrg

drepola

fmm ihe equtor towald

GrllJsh.eanr anling warn{t

up l.om the trod6, js what keps Eump!
clirFte rcl,hvebi mild. wienewr Europe is
l he

tie CdfSheam
lhF,.nd.t rhe tast ici ag. $e
wafur .uFent w,s t.mlEnrily blocked, and
tenr!.htlres in Elrqx, lellas nuch .s 5"C,
cut off 6nm

pl,rn'nrL

Ar

locking the.ontireni in glaciere.

n/hal usualv kceps the culf Shcanr

tunning is lhat iyarh Mter is lightr ihan

I .':

! ::i; In {ro%,tri-enargyir
th-r n..
'Ficr\.. k.hu
AF's),r,,Lxn, rh, Mmn,rEMmfl,rEk.hU
I l:"aj
l:"1j.,F'g),r,,Lxn,
m,t*or,,r- h., m"t,...,,..l
I l !; ":,. \ul, uri 4, t, m,t*or
-5 3i: i er lsipr rJu' rl,c ',,dr tt'dt nrLrded rr
lh N wl .'r s.i, ,,ti\ll i
i " :: il
' .".b !
'r
i,] l;rt"..,",r r\ i,turyooe.\D-.o.r. . i,1,.
;rrI: oJ m|lrh.I^tjc ()!c d,

ili::;"1*,"" ',';*
'ou

l,wencof

tne U.5- NariondCeDrerfor,\r

n,oslheric Rdmr.h (N(tr{o i. Boulder. Col
o6do. Ard f,ow much carbon is seked av.y
in Ar trr snrls2 L, MencF furs drc tiF rF rr

200 aia.rt,nr ro 80u gl!,Lrnns Th. tLtal hu

rnan

erbon outpll isonlyT

ffi

.Eces

/n \
i 'J

teal

ri_17.

sonth Arrjca,jnst one anong

amphibirns rJ* rreen

I'.pnine, swimmineJfuiI

members ofrhe hrgc tamily

ro.35o njllion

It is thc nalional fl.wer of

'

a1g,?rons a

craudin about the

of llow.riag phnLs named

aiter Proteus, a Greek dod capable ot ch.oging his shape

at d'rr. s.,enliqrs tear rnat

nk'e rr'an a rh'rr nr rr
P.otenceae species could

praaet ,.1
autth.tr I

years.

rurue islardtasured. A elotar

asse;smentof lr'esrnle of tn'i
enlire cla5s of verreb.arcr r.Lrnd
rh3r trearly
and drougnt wake.ed rees that
act as perfeci hosrs for this

:?M:Srlf?tF

v lrc.abie

al,

kindsof r|i.gs

o.erbd ofthe

:il '

5,743 knoM speies are tn

serious trouble- Climaie change '
may well be the cllprit an mosr
c66, enhr dtectly o. indirect
ly.

Ihe ridbe. piDe dwert

mislletoe is prolifs.!

' \

!E
r \..

Ihe home habitat ol rhe

gokGn road (at nghr,. bo!!rom)

in Costa ni nred np the
mountain qtil'trohe" diep
pearerl ent.eriL Mde than rvo
thirds of tlie ll0species cf
colonul harlealin ldgs centr.J
and South A'Bi- lwo '!shbpn
ab@e, have lso {nsarrearei|, ,:
Scicntisls believe rlrt whar r(irr:,:

n.ny.l

the harlequins nni

wnal Lttreateif, a grc.i m3ry
oth:r amohibian specie: i3 a
dt:ease caused bt $e f(n8us

BaLacltelrytt un dendft Dat i4 i :

arininte.hange seems to b::
nriing tpg'. nr4ri v!niiEr::rr.:
v) infection b! tha i0ii.i'i
!cae.lists e35eti::r: :
ft^i ir we ira 4r:i, lrl

I $e e:ntslaz.i.:

e.lj2!::. i:'
r-riiil
i-te iis! a1',r-"'!i 1'
lrti

2.'rl

ari:mal: nri<ii

irn3

;ltri! t.:Jrr: :

::::'_

'--rE ih.r. _ rriliij. ij;: ,i

?.,ritlirtn- .Qit i:::ij;L: :i

ly t.= i lzt: i:.

tirlri
ii:ii}:t .:at;:.::. . 'l ..
-l:
, ..- E.z1i'zrt 4--ei.:
::

i::.n):ata

Itlis,ir i. aiisoiti.J ofir'"

Ediated baci out as IbaL

asei rirecrrbbh dbrid. hp thar

and kep it froh teaking iiiio soae

hear

Inars what kedr's us waflii al oighr.

Bur as humans pour cver i;rceasang

amou.G of ercanhouse gas6 inro the

atmospherc, nrore ofthe sun s h.at sets

tratrped,.nd tlie p,anetgers

tuver

.t/

!{ow

flot

Trfil!

lt Get?

s5.79'l
rr3.77'cr

l'tzt-;*.r.

s7.97.F

I lra.atcr
L,,- -'
I'
,

t'

,t6'cr

el.lwrte-! so it lloars oD rhe ar

it rch6 ltluoDe
F
*" leas*'iis r'ea1 rtre ome"t and
grcm
''''d.Beriiia sir16, flowirs back to
' d'e.outh and.rossing under lh.
' norlbbound culfsrream unil n
' reaehes re.aropics a.d stads
to wm agajn. l}le cyde work
splendidly, provided $e water
remains salty enolgh_ 8ut ii ir
. ta..,As

bccbmes dilured by fr\hwter,

the salt concentntion drops,

and tbc warer gets lighler,

idljng on top .nd

sLdln,g the curen r.

tsr

Decenber researcbers assoc'at.d

. with B.ilatn: National O@.o8nphy
Ccntcr

thtrt one @r',truoelt

'pporred
ot UE \sten
rlut dnFs

c,,rr

'h;
Strcam h6.slovcd about 307,.in.e
1957. lt

.i U,e

indca*d rel@ ofA.ctic

and Greenlaad

mcltMt..

that

app.as

e6t,g th problcn,
a
'Dhoductr,g
6tsh ot lre Mter thati ovcMhelmtrs
:. the nah,Fi cId.. ln a elobal wrmrns
tL)

6F

be

',world, jt s,,nlikely rlrat any amour ofcool

jng, thiit n$lbd frotu dis would be $fli
- cie.t to suppo.t gl,ciers, btri ir ould
make

'f

drn,'19

a*'{i

T}r

ly ln.onfotable
l,ig rvotry is tbat the viole clihate

of Eutope wil .hangej'

says
Lu.k
^.Lirn ar tilc
Da.r:senior l.{lurer in geogaphy

University oI Wales, Sw.r* We in rhe

lJ,K *t rtr the same llhtude r Al:ska_ Thc
.a$n wc cD live- iere ia rh. cl f sr]em '

oc@!s ard the ice .at!! iti having a.

-th_e
eleiirnore immedialc eff.ct oo la.d. Itople,
animals and plants Udrg nr dry nountrin
o,,s regrons lilc thr wstem US nule it
throug6 q'mmer rloJ,LL to eoqrrck thai

_ trg

collecrsoqIkall lvint .andslddlymelts,

off in warm moBths. tately the arly aFi!.al '
ofspring aDd ihe unuMlly bliste.t,g sum
men havc our-"d $e snowplck to melt too
.nly, so drat by lhe iime it's nded, it!
largely gone. Climrlologis! Philtp lUore ol
llt UDiversi.y oi Wa5hington ha @mpa..d
deades of eo\"ack leve! in WashingtoD,
':Olegdh tnd Califolita dd found that rhey
- !re.4 llndion of $'hat thev werc iD the l94os,
and :bme sdoN?ack havc vanished entn el.\l
Clobal l^Iming is tipping otlEr rcgioDs

,,.

1.'

of the:lvorld into drouglt in diffaent i2tr.

Hrgher rehperahires bale moisbrrc olt oi

'

sonf;iercailsingdryregionsthatlneattii"

to
thelrrte rnto tull blorn oi
'na$6 crcss
sis. Mdn@hde. ElNino evFnts Cr. wi,nr

'

pooling of tlrcific $zte6

:

tlnt peri&lj..l-ll

drtes wDrldwjde climate paltems and has

treen q.mRing nrore fuqu.ntiy in gloat!
warnnrgyea!s-hutier inhjbiipiecipii)iion

rtMr-a3(

$:w\ i.r.\Bio4D tr.,lri:r?st1y poL:

$EEII{S THE PROBE"EM, zu(}T TffE $OI.UT{SNU

ITORE

PEOPI!

iHi,vl. h

eGc.

HtrmansE'4IEiaFE3r%
N&re EEB& le%
ot by barh

sdhEglteFe'EG4s%

eauat'P

Do FU lh,,k n,5t 1.,'pDl,sls 3J.e.

w,1^ o4e .,orher about g,ob,,

do wn think dDre i 3
dis.Erercn. on t.l''s t:sue?

||znnint, or
lot ot

;:nH:ffi

#m@3s%

:. '..,.'. '.

:.

..6a%

*.'','-^3

'

^e,*Ler@t-.
rndFilGHWqF 'i""

cu, d

HJ,d\

anJ4hrc :11

lncrcaseta.s on etecrricity so pcopte use less orn

to dc.t \|^h etabat wa'nljnE?

ln.re.se tax.s on gaetinc so pcoDte use tess orir

...:::.

'

@ffig*gGs%

3r%

els%
rs

doiig rhe ,itln nmoun now

&Iffij!

2s%

i
I
in dJy areas of AJ.jc-r and Lad Asia. Ac
.ddrng t, r rec.nt stuJy hy NH the Der-

f
{

Fnt se ol !ii1h\ su.fi.csuff."nr,sdroupl,r

ndino,cthd, doublcd since the 1970s.

.LORX AIIE FAVIJA

and l,ur d. rnd troih rre tak.s i b.d hrr

Wl4Ii,es in such rqions as rnion-:i1 rh"
w6tem U.s. and rn inhnd lra5ka;ve

L
t

)een incming 6 rimberlads dd foresr

fioors srow no.e peched. .rhe btazes cre
ate a fedback loop of thcir om, pourins

more 6bon into the atnosohere and e

ducing tl ntrhber of tres. whici inhate

CO, and rcl6e oirgeh.

'I hose fo,erts t_hat don
r su@umb ro 6E
d,e rn otl,er. \lower
Cor,nre Mil]lr. a

ay\

pileKoiosirt tor rhe

L
f't.

t;

t.
t

{.

U S.

Io.ed seM.p

shtdjes rbe history of vesetation jo the Sierl

, a fJevade Ove. tle p:6i 100 years.
she has

founal. the fo.ests haw shifaecl rheir ne

liness much as l0O E trpstope, r.yitrs to escape lhe hear aDd drosebt of the towlandr

5lowjr otion pqcu. hon n,av \eenr trke

stDsibl. lrFigy, but v.hen vutrre." ,
mouDrarn,yo,, c& go onty so taiteto,evou
rdn oDt of r@m _Sohetrnrs we sav rhp
S,uci

i.s are going ro heaven b@!se tlE/rc

\rlking off the mounrrintops," Uinar sars.
Acioss Nolth Americ, eming retatect
"a

.hangs de mowina doM otier flora rm

MJ%nll] hrFlL6 L UF Wst uc Lluns
ba.h omc pn.kly ,,ar crh hd@ lon $e;
sjgrDh,rcgeer, d,lJrF,nst.Jd a sjctriv Dntq
rrnF beptls,n qe+pn, Gnad, Jnitrrr; r, s
arc chNj,g rhpir wry rl,F,uetr tLnt of
!It,
lronc ot ads ,+ loral. tl,rnk to;-".
qnte.s abe beetles hay ewn b@ch the
once inshourtable R@k",, lvtounrain .li
v,de opcMg up a pa th in ro it
ti^t"r",ict
rns land5 of the Amenc,n smdhpd
wiih labjt rs darh'ne, aamals that live
the.e are sueumbing roo. [nvirormenr,I
gmups o n hck offscores o f (l)tries thai hdve
beenderemrnd ro he ir fl;k 6 a ennr or
Slohd wmitrg tst year, BearcheB in
costa Rica anounced thar two-ttiRts of ll0

rltrics dfo Jortul

ha,

teq',in f.oss l6vc v.n

Ehpd in the pan 30 ycrrs. $rh the ever v

of each
cle-oftto oeinE in lockre;

qth

qori

dre

to

r!enry o[rhdt rca.!

\:nn,n,
-ooputatrons

f'kkr,

satmol

.ire
"t
dsk 6 meltiog pernaf6sr Dours mud inro
ivers, buningtbe g.alel the tuh neett for

spaMing. s,lail aniDiats su.[ as b,rshv-

tailed wood rats, alpine chipnbnkqnd prDon mi.e are bejng chased updope by

n\,ng lempenrure\ iollonl,,g lie p.{h of

the hecjng irees. And Mth sea rcc vanish
ing, polar beaF-prcdigio!s srtmmers btrt

nottne\haustibleones arcsrr.rirytohrul

trp drcMed -lteE wit he no r{tu ice by

2O00l sals t2rry Schweiger, prestdent of $e
Naiior.l Wildlife Fcderarion. "Somewhcre
along dnt patlr, tbe polr bear drops outt,

'TVHAT AtsdUT: Us?

tr FffllJNL pclk,st,lsrTa rHl spL.,F\"

o6,ng alt the probhmr we re n ferin ln
derdoion otou lubrr?t r@ and we h"i
-vrriPn"ea $,1 loss in r^dbh wvs

O"en

wte61'rvclmpd

Fa}lrenhe,tenrelgTq rnd

bva tuI deriec

*^".-;,

,.

like r@ket lirel for ry"l,oo,s and huricanes.

T@ strd,es ist yerJr,und that in U,e psl

35 yea6 thp numher uf Catesory 4 rd .i)

IB doubted white
thc wiDd speed and duration of a hud
enes has jumped 507,. Since atmospheric
huricaD6 worldqde

heat js not ch@sl:

alDtt

rhe water it wanns,

tropi@l storris .ould sra.r ruming up in

sonredecniedly noht opicll places.
a

Thoei

shool ol thoxglt dht sa e.face temper

$arning!itoward Canada, says

CreA Hollandr senior s.ientist lnr Ncan in
Bouldei If so, youi-hkely to get
o/clones there, brt we honsrly don ! knowl
aiuresare

tropica-l

!irlea

:r?

i, . .i! itc

so ]"rucH ENwAoNMtNr,r co n?sr lr-{ppeningin so nranyplacesat once I.sai last

a\lakene.l huch oi rhe \,o.td, pznjcuiart,

.1.. l1J nJri,n\t-h"r hav"r'rfi,

ll,rXv, o I
B.rl-lprrhrn.-tfh".tonAtouEJ.rd|n
COt rencenlndois fod climbn,!F/ onds (fu.on dJ r'ncclto | o'"m. iJ n8t'l Iur rrrhebet'l.croxI, ing lo 450 p.p.tu.lor 70 pp.m.
.o'd rn l- $'F . blr an aft od aI rh" rD,p | .ai,l fo, mo'r I'\n"t"F ts
Lh, J d ff
hiEhei 0i.D ;lr&e tl)ey.re now)
l l'. U s. hos"r", s'ri, h L hon- 'n le . L r.'Jtv e ogtuzi"s rl, siobai 'na,
\em,,,q pob
from dice,.howeycr. we should
rr.r \o''.J r-- d'i pop,Jruo,' l{,r 'od,"" r, T. dr.r.\ rd\ur' In
wh"t]ra d-y. ' be able to stxbdize rher and stdt
"^.d.r rr. b,.,.d. to dial tli.m back dom.
2,?, olCO. Fn',sion . rn,,'Jirs i,'l'.,nlLpnl J MU ha\" rlF tuurL-,o,"vcr\"

\1rn/ pnqr unm, n rJi\L ,r' cbnn rh" SrBl' i,ng,v.rl.r,Frndlo,-'Lov"rnmrnsdn.fi .nt
AJ,dnrhiri,,n h.|-l6( fr uF Lh r.r. a,. l I thp void Th. m,.,,^ot mo,' rld z00,.iba
rldl-ll,rrm,vl,r-L?Fnpamllr',.'r\ur l hJve gr., Ll U,, lr- \.4ayor, rlirndtF
J, nrJbl, lh,r U'- wrril" H^u'" F' q,o, l l1o'"i!on AF. "m. r'. plplsbs
,,.ncl '".,{d hu ih" -hrd.nm nr or Iorh4d'q'g\ $' $a {ll meFl UF"monr
t)o u
Xvo,o 'n tl " h6id^n'\ LrJlq ,rr t.'rt | -rl o, ., ,l .cir,r a*nhousF-gtu " risron\
pl.d;, r, ..{,,rolrJ LunLUi,Jrr. r\-rpl.,\ lr, ja. iuar, t /'0 .c\pk bv r0t?. NinF
a on .r FmF.,o,, \DlJJrus l"r, b-,. JF
\,"m .,ar6ha./-rdbt, herJ $- B.gl.,nJt
In.!r ceo.8, wBu.li'p..r.rrh-t,{.. r,od
ro An,cnc'i vil JJLL. ion J d h, I nt , ot

]':recnl,tu\.cr5tnrrdbr.rorti"pud..ol
I i,u.lor",'" " 6p Jnd haJc prcflJn, LrJ'
.u.h.,,r'T'riv, tu,l.oLr," r ,sr,\Eji. l .,outd *r.Al,n&
on rnJ6rridl .,,,1 ,.n.
h.'\' \,rt^l,.follow.Jbv,^'l,n,h.nv". | ..nd.X.u ompan,4 th1, or.rp. dnm rn
ra-d,g- urcur,din8Jrhr, "r"lorl" r I ,-tt poU-LoD n..t, . ro ti6. tl,ar unde,.
,-.'1, v q l,p,' lraa opdl.., lin ll,tuF',. l"-dom, Ur".rm' -ri.,n, nmr,uvi r',sed
d.,aro' olll'e La lddd Lrrjlul, In. spi,
F.regvd'argot .ulh,,.Ioudc,Dd",6,,Lol
.adrFJ,r.Ja,iJ,.',n {ndCattotuipsd
..u.I,\ anLl a longt,n, h,,ln 1 lnr"
,I'a,.8e rp -..r"h rcmplaur"d 0'a' h. hr,l u," nJhor,i rouet,. I rurnmobrtF pmsrorl
u..,,hr'ruq'1vwh,,e ou.Fdp ui,r,.-1 I r.,Lt",r,,mm1
hF .pd o ,u, I n" alobJ am.
I
th..-,,e,{t.oll Ln* ut b,nrs rhr
,o .\o,t. | ,r-mo,t\nr. u,.r I.Fop. lmr ro -,1 rd
rlr \J. , rn.. rd. . F ,rr "d ':.lrn
d'^pr6uT.'o'LLb l'Fplhrr' wll , | .r"rtU!:. r..,-,n,n r,14: nJ- tr,d
to,n,-r'hprol l'lMr'T1,Fvn @',rr,,1" | tuJpr t,-,d"nr'. nq..nnpnht D.r.,s"
n. lnFi.pn,- (r0Jtsrn rqr.l,r...'m, l(n.pnJn.tothq LrL, \. :nJr qc -lrodtJ
rr.:,r'/ .nnrcr'.r', r'l'l gtuLt .h1 ^h,Jr"n,h.blvn,,,nr.h.trt.'o.tar.ionFr-nt

sinply

to wait out this

tuinishation

&d

sometiing belter

Id

Thnl gnd shodd be .ttan,

abli. Ctibn,e gl(jb:'l wamdrg

ma/ be an ordcr of magnitude
hddcr Uun, vy, emdioti.A

smallpox o. putting . nan on

tbe m@n IJut is i monl not to
by? We did not $ much fta..h

toward the cnvtonment.l pre

cip'cc 6 dnnkenly reel tlerc,
snapping at lhe scientificscolds who rold us
.we had a problem

rThe scolds, hdwever, knew whai they

we talkingabouti In a solar s'stem ctulvd
ed qih iister worlds that e'ther energed
sbllborn like MercDF,' ind venus or died in
infancy like Mari, welre finally coming to
ap0reciate il,e ldril blade na.gins withi.
which life can thrile. Fo. nore thln a cen
tury were been monke}1ng with lhose
margins.:lti long past tioe we set lhen
ught ,w,tt rcponnte by Davin Bis,Jk nn
.tun]je. DortMlN.w Y.de Dai cnylL6 Aneete.,
'G,eC Fuh.n/A|atu, AldB eutin/t nton, aib
llcdylDew*
Eft R6bnlwa.hkebD
'hd

hop for

ii

2009.

'Ihe Republian domi

natei CoDgrs has not

been huch nore en@DngSenatos John M.Cain

2nd
'ng. J@ L'ebeman have
tvi.e been unable to get
throuEh ihe Scnate even

mild meau.s to limit

crboD. SenaLo.s Pete

Domenici and Jetr Bingaman, both oi New Mdi@

and both mnking menbed
of the chamberi E.ergy
Committ@, have nade

glotral $:rming

high

p.ofile matier A whjte pa

per issued in !-eb^'ary will
be the subject ol an n,vesti-

gatory SeDate confenG

next weeL A House delega

irl-tion sently lrxveled: rto

Antdcticq ABt,lia a.d

Ne\r

Zealand

to

visit

researcheF sttrdying cll

mate change. "Ol the lO of
us, obly titee we.e beitev-

els: sa}f' neprsentaiive

t,

T'S A FAIR BEI''I'I'AT ELOBAI, WARMTNC IS COTNC 'I'O LEAD TO A RTSE IN HUMAN
sickncss and death. But whal form they \rill take is difficult to say- we can be

prclty sure that as avemge ternperatures climb, ihere will be more frequent
and longer heai waves o[ lhe sort.that contributcd to the death of at leasi
90,000 ]luropeans in August 2003- Other lredictions are more tenuous. l'br
example, rising temperatures could if ramfall and other cc'ndilions are
right result in larger mosquito populations at highcr elevatioN in the tropics,
which could in rurn contribute to the spread ofmalaria, den8'ue and other insecl_
bornc infections- tr Early indicatrons are nol encouraging. The \r'r'orkl Flealth
Oreianization (wHo) believes t\ai eveD the moclest increa-scs iri average tempera
ture that have occured sirlce the 1970s have begun to take a toll. Climate changc
is responsiblc for at least 150,000 exira deaths a year a figure that will double by
24130, accoftiing to wHo's conservative estimate. .e As.with so marry public-health
issLres, a disproportioDate parl ofthe buden rppears to be Falling on the poorest of
Photrsruph lor TIME by,iamis Naahluey-Vll

n,.joriry otw,terbo.nc dise.se

ottbraaks.'n rlie U.S. over d,e
prs!60 ycaB, says Dr Josailh
' Pab..of.the
Univc6ity of Wis

DEArlr BY MOSQUTTO
M.r..,. iils d.re
d.r" trran
u,a" il nri[ion
;;t;;
pe'pr. .ach
p"op*
tu.h'y r"i
?'. sc.t
sr.' nel
n; nl".
nke
,t".rFbp,,,Ed.rdrop'ot..r
rn:nit:,.,. ov-' \Lb-s'hMhat,ia

ger\ s

"
l.-_";Ucer+wate.
ats
I obe!+t.'te. patrerns als
pl," a ;oJ, in numa,, health
hk'rh
]lplaiu:a;olej;.humaD
1 M"rcpdeq ftwuJl anJ hpr Nt.
I tFaR,6 al r1... I,nrv.r$tu or

I M:,.hrsan bd.. DPa,, pu,,,r

rc" H,Ehprlprl ol I dp, noF Lbr,' 1 c.ntuDs

o'Lo" J'o,i,l" l""or rh" Ciowd ol I wo,rh oi daa o,' .hotem olr
,. s\FpJ Ind Lri -r pollen pro,lu, | 1,,-rks rn 8i .st" t. \h ,nd r).nL

,,s or^, od,-' nlJnts. rrcording ro

I rheD ro dph,t.J r"mpeEru, .

Et(-,na' llimrd's, "l lrppodsof . u,r,F@rer\o,
rp ro, Henld, Jnd lh" Ciobal Fn Ith. Pa"iti" O,""n true. Bai BlaJ"\h I.nr
4ronn"nL la rddrl,on. ngw.Fd | .nywher" n
"r $F Fltcrfic. but $. re
.1,u,,r our mop pollpF asbO,)c.
.l,u,,r
as COr )c\ | \s'.hqraru,,nyrh-r.mp"orurearrras
\s'.hprs.aru\,nB th- t.mpporu,e dlrJ as I
.1...i.. S.ientkl5 hrv- Lpd l@l I an,ndreto.r or r ldEe, w".d,e, pJtt"m '
.prl,\inr thmaanJrllprgyarra"L I ,.Ied rhF FlNi,,o/so,,$em O. L;,on,or
lo,n',ed.\inh.ld\lndemisnos I nNsu wlEI th"' h,'e lound is rhat tbp .
::nl';Hl;l;.:1,::';:':t"ff
;:-:?"::,:" b;'r
;li:*t:
rold"
dL,a-h ri"m+ i'e" r" .t's"l II t"nrntuie
orl' ,n"'.1'l:'"1'";;:t
v"J. ot hrgh"r
t. r,cl. . trl,r 'h 'l"li\F, $"m norc.1I U, 'n ni,mrl rFmp. ur. ^, rhe oFani
ciliciently deep into tl]eluner. Add surfacc. More llarmiDg: s rlf rNso pata plc.tiful helpilg oi duat storns tem bas bccoine norc pronou.ed sn,ce
(from, for instance, tle desertitca ] the r970s, t}c associatn; wtn chotera haj
rr.n or NlonCol'. or nrrrhrmAh!ar
lt'..une-wr,,ro,3-r.
and J i,\c rn d,n',glt Jrj!et, bru\h I
fies tu, l\uuh,vF3mrd"'o o.,JF' I rt{s..:.; Tl- ,'.h lprp I nor ,tl bdd
,p 1rp lor i,,.,' a:,ris," r,F.or I l i,.lr. {.. p\'mpl.,,.,,,or l "rL,lF ro,,,diskes! worldwide .
I vive houer rempa rh,e in the southwesr
Dr.Paul

ern U.S- ADd slobaliwarmins iJ udikely to

Esrdenr\ of rh. L.s. uull I hsve n,u.h ot M rHe.i on malafla s lonS
,od"r .lonr l,aLp ro bp remind.J $ fu rocs on lodtdd ar.1\ (b.uLse
|
th.t water can be a ktller. You can I those regioB alre.dy have so maDy mosNually evacuate p@ple ahead ofa I quitoes). l}at pictri.e may c}anKe, bow-

r'1,.

:.

ri:l*ri:".{::i:: iffitt I :thd

I
il*;t#::il1}#"';xl,*::.;
Malar;
dmnatic
ha! seen a

upswing sjDce

liislilad cinei'like Nairobi

he lo.and dr rFJ level.- eyr Dr. | (abnut 1.6s0 n; aLove s"a l,\el). How
.,ndv PrrkF.olthFJ^hns llopluns I du.h ol Lhr can b" ried to lempFmiure
S.hool oi Publr Healt} in Edlt'. I indes.t d uppo:ed to popubbon mo@
lg7o3.in

moe. MiL Thrl mqDs thal whAe

rc@U.Upr'dfuno5'J'n\}rc'l'tl@Us|spl@ool@BFs6tolpadn4}Aa
soarnho\pit'Jsrdlvatpriraun"nr
dre poor That doesntmen, iorever that I plants.Aswehavesc.uinNryO.leans,$e
I'e .ompnnrNplv w"1lby $ho a', uunr I hpdld, .RFcLs ol lo,ins tho.- ,Jc'h,iFs per

I menl

lap6s

'n

mosqurro

onbol or rhF

I mrrter of,l,bari 8ur bpou." Fd.h ypJr

I there are at let 30o miltion 6es acI o,"ting tor n or rhl,' I miltion deirhs.

mo,.thrnrlpr sharcofs,,pnl'oL. l,,s,tonsdJr",rheMr"rhs,.""d-d lpvpnsm" uprrkindir-,prp,do,,pr.,

sr5emissioB will ercape h&m.- .. I _,AnorlEi predjcred consequence of I ity of malana muld be devastahng.
AA Iook
lookr|hrr.l
at three key
atrc'06"fle.r^Llr.v
ractoG affected by ] slobai *".--g
ra,m,nd i"
r. l'""'i".
h-avia ,ti,*p.,^
ao*pou's, |
The,,,.karhinEahourr rioiep,r,dnwat,,rgottpr'"l,rnrollh,ng lo.om.. ]stobrl
lsJinE
lo
muF
floods
lh"
imn.dLre
rions
is u,i,6u dnl noinr toalyolrbrF.k
I
I
I'a-,J r dro\qinE.b,,rln-t'rseiisFir'oranyindivjJur'lidFarr,andav-'1hr.,..
I
\t",- , FJ r,, rh., 1.".1ur r,lus.Ft I wa,q q,,"liryt To rJl" 1u,r .,ni ef[fle. | -,.ot t--." ot ai."r. "lHnBc " I,,r$p
. nd, ,
Ahaun"rc-1,,m-,,. ho,p rhrn ZOO U.5. .,r,e\ mu\l or rhcm I koow rndt soo,l p blic hprlrh;li6 u,, A ?
'fl,-I-Ullu, un
in. rhe Norrhcsr. rons risr orfd ror.-$"_avaihbrrtvorrro.. i
ili-:rll"l,,"-.- li, ,l ,h,nErFn,pFraru'-Lv
tllly. 9ll :ll 'h:' I :ldii rcTmu:r'ic
I
rhin3.Lein"e,t',dl
lNorrh"p.r .,od cr"ar.L,t.s area t",. lr",i,na nurF.. "fr.crivF rr,.drirrp ;
- \.ll In.r-i.p, rl. "no nt o' s'o'"a | "-'"r - .r"m. rhar rsut,rt! o,.ltrow n,ro I -. ,.r", prc,rer s,,iron .,,,a rt,,i i
r.ii
lever roD".
ozone. d
a ndror
,,,dro .cunstrtuenr
unrr,,u-,.r olrog
oI $,." I wirpr einrDlics in,ino lr
I ^-;- '^r^, ;ir;-" ^. --^^L .rt- ----, i
lwir.,\,l,ptFsduri.ihea4,arn.rom!lc,onroaaroilionsotp-opte,Ji"ae,vI
r"
,',"ru.rlinr ed h,rh"r o-o," mur,g dntu an.t cr@q sarp,
ypa, dr wh;r ,houkt r,- l
lo T
I
.
:
"
l.\-t.,oJ-rrhFr,.f,oml,pJ,rnndtu.,"
i,,d con! r,res,eq, rinsm*...--:+ffir+*;
orev"r,ubt"d,pce. ryirn j
tn.p,iL
ihar
.,,,os
a"Lory
boil,nr
rt
, ,rr jI
m,l;
gtob,l
*armrng.
gruud
sdrn,!,B, Jvu
/
).ou !d!
'
ffiffip
nl-' r. ro vd, n rhoi.-1',i\t,o L'\,',Jbo, .. r,mtnar"a iap,w;ln rtn. "o.
A
expect the deat} toll to be :
i
F.pp, r Dro,e
rbtr
\.r',,'n
can expecr
I o...,'.ndd ronser
lonee' alerts.
,,ler s
I hea., mirrati;receded tr," .;:l:j'?. :l\,-.
lhe-vr':i',trttn'c.prtp.lrha
oI
riigr,"r
'ur

"*"

$APffiNLX$TTO(}IS FOR S[JTflruG ffiS?

Al6d b nt H.atl U,e rock b,'rt
didril wr'rt llic alhrrlt prod!.
tio,r

!.rl,l

srJ,l)LrioJ, to rdd tu rti.

Arrinl,ore ga!r,, tlLM,,g,,,1o rt,. atno

st,hc'. 50. rvorkrit:\,irtj aenrtt IJlr!5lr
firnr, rhe a:arb.rrNdrtrilCo, rh.r group
Sorghl ll) 0Lr{) l.rgot,re\t .jlhg.r,rj
lii,.,rrrki. t,nlii S,n.p !rtrn15 bie.rhc jrj

{
!

.r l!n o.klr.,sUtr' q,,, ,,,tdtt.,,

rf,,! Ltp'r,., L8olr L | |L\L'rr!.r \
r.rtrilrz. ili th.r coj..te .d r. the
i,j j grnd rcttinq ot jrl CDs
lLr rFtJr t. I r ,rs Ltdft,J
l" t lo :l'r I \ rlLp .1,orr,[,rr lhe
Df!1,,, sl,ed In(1,,n 1,tir'1..r
rl,. n,a.go.! btrt

,,or oD\.s.r

rrll.t5o.arr nr)ne./
ftD,', ti. COr lo.tpd ,. th. r, rr"
rr".r.""
3rs r r[lorir str:,,,g nor rrarkct onc

d,xt hal.!,,^rbon ixled 10, .a,h)i butrEd

(rrfn!iLr is nothing iI ror rda!riv.,
rnd,li.lrrf\rn r hrve r esporderl to EtoL,:,j
wirn ns rrtha rrr.k.t brscd tuturi.n tL. t
f r ovnlcri l!Llrtr'.i !vrdr r t..lit ir jcf rrr!e to
mend lh{,i wrr! Iric.!.xl.aparrtrtulp,

.rd rt sthe nrcch.rnisni ir{in dr.n)

c,!Irl.di)o,, tririi*G sr)r*red Lr rtie
}itok, l.I.rc.ol

r:irnrs iJrdevetop.dorD

lb.t prin4ro t nrorc (--(1, rlr3I ttr.y ar.

ilio$ed under lirnrt5 inpose.iby Krororre
byrl 3 Drno.rol to .ifiier rtrr
'.,qunrd
polutnl.
L,v b!vrnr.re.lits or thc.i,hfr
h res

nu'lrt

Tlro\. rlui.ut co.,.nnsi.iri

r,.1, \ th4, . o . nre u, l,:lu,- , r. .,,,
l' \rl, t' .-, rno' . lFi. uD Lber, r!r rr nl

ttltlF.r,lrtr

r rl!touL, rhrr
l)1, a orr! othe, rIi.s\.

gr.crholscqas.s

pli.t,n

r&,s

SiBreldury 20{i5, carbo. narkets n

tle Euiop@ Unon have hads-i .t least
450'inili6 nekic iols of eoq B@use
theS6h Mminisbaiion droppe{l out of
KFto, the U.S. d()($t padicjpxte jD this
bc,o:ding global tEde. Bua state govemments are sr2niDg ro setlp regi.n.l erbon
mdkets based on @ps they BlaLlish under
thetr oM authonry. b Dftehbe' se.ven
Noriheaslem U.S. stat6, led by New York,
agred to cut power-plant ehissions na ap
and tade bcginnnrg jn 2009
For no\y US. fiIm that
ro tFde

eflissions mEi ioin the Chi@Ao Cljmate

rchDtarybut leg3ly binding

boure whos membe6, accodng to
Exchange,

founder Richard Sandoa acodnt tor 87o of

ihe g@nhouse emilnons ftom st honary

soucs ir

the U.S. Itwe wec a@untry:;

'lwil Le
the siz, ot
BrLlr:n: Menbea'ougbly
of the Ch'cso ex

tre sarq

changq indudinA Fbrd Motor Co. hd

DDPong have plersed to cut their emjs

47, by the eD.i ot t}lis yenr lrom rhe
levels they areu8ed fron]998 to 2000-

sios

.ledy t ken tes ofmiliions oI

inctiic tos of g.eenhoue g66otrt of play,
Irey

have

lvhich sounds jmpresivd inibl

Lrmped with rhe 5 5 bitlion hetri-ror
'tt

plme

of COz spewed into the atnoslheie

qchyear
Manwhil., the oppoitlbiti&

by the U-S.

to

forlrealing, no motonsr will beobtjged to Ge

Igasolinelas rhe sole opt'on avaitabre_"

Probibt

perd
'

outside Sw.deh

BelrtjappGciare

w?y tml
77ol4 e@nhenis are
o ir\ .np,Lt I'om rrt. Bv 200J. sen ihdeh ind6ub. pn@uagcd b @hd up r,th
p'odu.t,o. r-d
d6n; ric;li. lJi"i ieirc h&r
rnen M dEre6p\ ror
drop- I r' Jz. .'\Fn
tdn or Lrt; comuri . rrpr*^rn
n,-ertCU,e nzbotut CoJl. to,
Cao Sweden do it?

lhe ft5t

anck !n 1970,
Mtd.lle Easl ener$/ crtsis, SwedCn gol

befo.e rh;

.eccrd.ones cou,'*),oril'-ii;ii;dai;:t::t
resources ^We h.ve access to tae

':A;!i;i'.tr'j1y6;i$.']i"**Jf;i".

gai mbde rrcm gdlbaee

and orher org-.i.

.- ;asteftn hoosehotdsandrcarbyfams
"laqeamd.tsolbiomNn4dg.iidc'9n:.-.|i!iajiofprociMbatdats.b;

adounts of hydroiorer," addiftasahlin,

ditio.sloriic.eaed@otumdpo{br.:l'.1-290o,..!vhelrgjtydfticiatsdciderrthey
BLi rhatl nor the onry re6 !rye.len riro!,qeer 20% or:nunicipar vende
wJ, r.r-d rhn
\ spfondgrnF\r
runn,ng o^ ,e4lstblp tu-t or, )ulo. B/
^oiu N'
tulio. ,iu . b-r.,'r
/patdndr i' ;
ibor. rr,"v n"o d"ch"a r,c, w. .,.,_

- |}i\ vrc' . Wor,d t.or.omc uoDed od la.teth.I 5Cr, o jh-,rD

ron'm in
Io1'm
rn Dava
Dav-B, sMnstJnd.
swjEsland. St
Swe.lF,n2
e+ris
.;ia,:rais
eA. v.ns a
dr,d
d rncks
uuci! shouu
shoutd us.a
use ec
'tud! | \urn

leadert nave passed

rM

rh"i

worrtaib4 ;6tabre
.r

'rlh'nkdbl.ro, omppor,t'.'nF . L,p5o

rnat

ruet

bi

iolo

la'Fd.- . ds,U

and we

w I

tnCh. t'..r.L

o$si

-And Coldplafdid more than erough to

offset its l,st album, Xd-X by protecrirg
forests in Mdio ad DcMdoL intemer
vehhrres vith names like TenaFis.

myclimte ed DdveNeuh-J

colruuteB rnd .J tErele6

lhei. emisioN

ed neutraliz

Some e!n nim to

Hw

enable
to

nh

olsulaie
danage

the

profit

vork? Tdle the non

prcfit CaJbonfurd.org. It selis abelution
do oflEts

for penonal od commercial emisions at a

hte of$5.5o per U-S, ton ot COr- (A fitl
rar ofcarbon neuhaltation r'?ic,lty c6rs
$99.) carbonnDd illow buye6 ro choose
where then moDey vinds up-in
altemabve enew foresr conseMtion or
ene.S, efrciency. cGfoDDder trric cadson
els Carbonturd h6 ollset aboul 36,000
metric tons oI CO2 $ far- Thar! not much.
But iti ultimate aim, he srs, is to channet
what suppo.t it gets inbo driving doM tiE
.ost ofclear ererg/ aDd in@ae
aweness of climate change "Ihere is an
eduetional !2lue in thse tl'jngs: $},5 Judi
Crftnulld of tle Pew Cetrter on clobal
Climte Chege. "Peple realize thar what
ihey do en tul a difrere'cel so,

ot

apparentlt do

rDck stars.

- By tt1tuh

KtE

frjel and cO2

tMeB

siss;ons to irdr.e

to tde ic ihen

g6

gt;;;

i6r

lrybri.ls, 6..ian!ie, and ta :iaiatic.s

ior hone ordeB \io sritch irqr oil
teatng to rerewabl. energy- lnde-i

dherea: oiiers :$r!liin ahtut bign:r

i es o. innrDg+rerts s rhen ng.G,

noqsredes

s:e

:n.mlfacethsi4ea

e"e !i riane:_
Iar, i.re\2otre SweCen-s narjoo,
w;(le ru.-h to.o.ve't.a6 trff gastine tc
ot telping

air like .inan4l .nd bicee tejl:Bted

tch .lznt y6ie. siatic tnaa sel alts
istive aJ.ls ae sringtrg up

cqnlrli,

illly

att

.rs th.

i3"n .t ne{ rutG sctC

Feaniaiy, tn'- hosi :e.cni m.iti for
'c
and

borg s assistaot dteclor of envnorment.

Similar prcgrdms aG md! !y acr.*

:te c.!n'J]I h lhe nollrenr iDlri ol -+rpui.

a u/ind tam .pe&d j6! rast so.th
lhanris to

lt.al Eidenrs

who began IrbL.!

lof ctticials fire yeas agcj tt shoulc

$Fply 4 ctA6!!a!elecldct!/. The oki
irrg

cniv:rsif=r a{ LMrl gec 3o"l ct i:3

he.i ii.nr : g.othemal plani. ru.-l Firs,

ir rh: 3Dulhwesr.jGi openei a $lar

po,ie.rJ health .ster Srde oi the:e 3n:
.@li eri'.li. 10 be sxe, but llrer
=n
e.i;ie rid embrae a pi..ri.r t JJ:ar
a5.ti ::nb rr, Lhere s FJ ea!r: :: r:.: i

x.4r.2.

-.8

It tu|t.a rjt

,, ,28 ..;.:'.
t"$itt"_!.it:th.:,:

Eiaha.l

a)tta

TIIFGREENING
OF,WAI.MART
,s 1l around ih $\o,lLl. sl,ooDers {lNk
AB b wrl Nlrn rol,v ev.'"ti'""n.*

ffi,o.ks ro mii h"d'-In M.Kn;r

P HT"\.E, rh"y "o,ne fo, rnotner re{on
krseethewind

trbine

Rising 120 ft.

the greund, itt lhe tallesistrucrurc

in toM and !,ppln,! 57" of the storei electriciry lts not the.Dly thing that mrkes
lhis wal MrnJ$engiani There are
photovoltaic shinlles on lhe rool exterior
rmlls @zted with heirt .elle.tive paint and
a bigh te-ah system lhrl autodatically dims

xl{ve

or raises lhe lighlr deplodirg on whether

jt's sun ny or ov...6i. Bre l Allen, vlD
nanrges ihe exp..iftrent.l store, says
.ustonc6 rell lln,, all the ti e that thei
d.ovcotrt ofthaiL wlyto shopat thjs wal'
Manl'Wrich nrakeslyou wonder: If folks

,l,j.F frllhF' h,r thtsyh vpk',Jr.atd'.y

Lr n,nrc\t,.' :A'l,i,r,r thc,r Ji.taps
a.d suvs?AnJisrn rl,xt ollscttirg thc

t
i

l
i

n^o L, cr'l -rL I \n4v\rn p".,id

14
\::. ''Lo--vl ''t.cl L. ^.''ir'. .dl . "lo"r
:-l6v/ronrt So ror Nicker! anrr his co stituents.
+y'rt'clnr:1e .hange is abolr thc Cascade Morntatrs,
when: the

.iiy

g-dl5 ita

waler 3nd hydropower.n.l

where

.."l
P'l vf
..-r.,"l .b'
/'.'canrivar ic s.lhtlres and
dn ice solrball lqrnrne.ls
in

r...ftyars

beaause

storct cnerg/saLm6?
The laws of !Diritended conse.tuc.ces
can be.ruel for cornpan ics kying to do
thc right tli.g.TlLell.\a oi econoni.s
snggest that Wal N1:inisso bigvith
5,200storeswo.l{ivlnl., at iti!flunces
,-verylhiig iio; thilrice oflunber to

ot

tic $Ewp.ck has shtunk by ll.riov.rihe plst 50ye.6. irsinc lenrperailj, ir usirie
ia. a5ovt tb. crb.l of Pu|el Soun,, s watmerwater3.on . blo'nas tt..l po$er plant
wild snlrmn runs. usaboii hotrcr sumne6:cooking up n'both hear atul erkrr';iiy.
'nore

s'irog llis abour

oo' . l\n .

.' ,bc.rly.
..ir.

".

a ;ise io
,.

sla

re@l that

, . .'t1
r.,r "wend to aartie ..y..

ioulil trpod l(id';r MH-. is

erob, r .'1J

harnbssrne

-.,-,",.rirt.r.
tslil\drinio
n n,,ar,-",.
nfi. ge

ll ill:;i1ll:;J "j llil':,:rT:1".' 11i,"\l;."r"1,,'rc I

r'ffi
1.1^.i:il:.i:"
Andrlhr.i" ,r'"

;ffi

I,lnl;;1t,ffiffi

::::"':;'j:[:ilh|,:t,jii;:
"1::;lr::tv.j1",;-j'];;
"r,:^,fffl"l,'l
;;;d,-;;
;il;;1illill;T:l;li;:::
.,Tl"i,l,"J;li|rSl,i,".l;,1'''
|
.o'v^
p,ocn.o
rTtr
r'ci
r'urb -rhe
'i
"
i

o'

otal i

^onv.nr'onlt

'a
'de,, 'c
'pr
ni6iniL^."h\oro\o.'prndrrd,gptro'ra,
Btobatwdm.'Co,'eLh),dtirr.,"...'y' i m1 +n'rl/'l-l
'

,-',
' ':l!"',Lr'p',no \-/d,-mi
.u. rl-n".1 i
.. r!. L,,L Bo,,r:p.iJ ..,4
i4..,-:.,r,.tr1',n.aro.d.nrnBtoh-

cle"&dnd.an.n.rtu
q;pn"club,whrhrd.rd""l. a ..r
(,ri..-q-brp.
a, rhtuBhndru,.,.^,pi...r,rn,r.,y

\v.nr:i',! ir.ltnnins in 1s33. ras

rhe

ake.cy

^;::::..::'#:il.l#:'.-;;;"..
ri,:.: :f, .r'i-.r c.rit'!.iioi .i a 5:ro r,!L,

::,ii,

r,:. f.*e.cranL ,ri,ii.r;

..r,irlrD

ii:nie3

io on\4,
inanks !n pa': iq 3n

lrrai
r:i.r:r .,:ir8! .Jnc,ercy au.jir3 ro ari
:i",:rir rlrri!\vriries:.5. J3iaiiis -ir.!
, ,..,..',, " ,' d-..,-..'
:.r ::r'i. ;,:;tilgnl F io,+i,r.cn1e l!-rs::r:
i:ri.i:;i!1' ;teer rruiiding pog.ni:

ro

i!t. ri i !r::.'ate.ilryihe lr.k.i 4:ihtri:

ms*

,yaiig,

rigriing 6to5-.,r
,rbrd, cn.. | . bn i..r, . I i .
or

.. t

,1ii

li;-l1lliltjj,llllli,llj..;;::,..1f'1
g**!.-*!"."-h}
".,.,, "..i.i.i,"

y.a,

ral.her'ne

".,j,,,,.::. "
r,r,*
"',-".a::,
Joh. Lo Lten
eqc s

r:nrbsi.r:j ny
h.eer-trj;e^.rtairig
!.'f;1n_j,rua..,-!uirt.-.;i i,r!r?oI,rd ;equire srashi.tg

a::l,oao r.n<

i:r nj6?ay iolis a{l rn./c:r5,:.t

rz3i^q

I olotqJr'i"Drod I
' r\ FPallor
Ii rha'd,p,,rh.,l
|,lle,twilh,,,, trn,

tittt"

"t "ng"
,,orluLl,

"

I
|
I

I
rl

_
I

71mf@, $irl

- lr,-"s:"]vd-"+*""eess1,',r

ieri'-boilvj-ve'r.5q0hesor50barelsot
i o,l r r,the end ol t[e:.lav you have made a
luge ditr!'xa.el i

I
i

\lanrs\lhliMxd to do i(5 part too.

:
piomised to.urgreenhoL6e gas
H. hs
'.qn
n n, i..,"n. ; r.i,'.rn,; *r6*s 2O9" oler rhe

,,",,,*.r"n^,.y,ir_rqFdro.on"n,(+
1,._.,..;"..j",r".",-".*l^rno"-^,"

tlut slo$ Wal M.n they

rnnhdoi.

even

thtse in

re {xrtting

air

ChiM will

get

prefercnii.l keahre.t in the spply chain

rv.l Man e)s itt Mrking with @Nrmer-

tleir
dd !{iI ward tice that do F

product manllfaatuas to trim

packaging

wilh prime reii:estiieon tneshehe. Scoft pledged to enlistwal Marr's amy of

lobbyists !o puah for pcenvnontnenbl
policy changes in Washington, indlding in
centives for utilitia to cut tleennoe g6e.

h6

Crnics night ca1l it a "green%h;'a

bid to degeci atiention fiom Wa]-Meti
conhoversixi lalor and health insuranc
pncti.es. But itt notjNt window drcssin&
because W.l M&t sees prcfit in going
green "We d not being altruistjC say;
S@tt " Ihis is a bsiness philGopht not a
s@,nl philosophyl' Some iop enviroDrrenlal
ists seeh @nvinced hei seriou, nrcluding
Andry lrviN, head of ihe Rocly Mountain
lnstihrtc, vho is a paid adviser. "We don t
go wherc we don t think there! a genuine
inlerest in changd sys L.virs.

Tieret no questio. that @nng eney

costs are tueling WaI Mrni; c!ffervahon
drive.

tte .onpdy now iGiits tbal hxck

ofi tlrcir engincs when stopping

break, yrelding estjmated saqrgs of

ers shut
a

$25 mniion a

y&r, Bydoublinglbega

Dileagc of thc neet dlrorgh better ae.odyDamics and lower-frictio. tires, Wal Ma
cipcls to pocket $310 hillior ayed. One
of the biggest itetN on its energy bill i!
lighting. ldtead of going wiih the cheapst
bulbs, the @mpany is exiqin'enling with
.osdie. r.ED sLrips for reliigeEtion xdts
..:that last longer dd use 16s eners/-TmTf
also waDts to sell.more orsanilly stuwn
- fgad dd cotioo clotling, partly becaue

..:

f(r

:..itigoodfortl,eplanet patly b@use he

Llievele can get pries cion, and boost
sales to lo*income customers.
Like Bill Gates, who st ned his cbaritable foudation shordy aier Microsoftt

dbtrun rial, Sotl happes

bo

be

brmish-

ing Wal-Mari:t image at a iime wlEn hjs

compdy's reputation js ude. siege- He

achrowledg6 that he launched drc plan
t[rtly to shield wal-Mart ftom bad press
about its contributjon to global qrming

i,::'

''By doing what we'e doing today you

avqid the heaalline dsk that are gotrg to
ome for people who did not do an)thiDg,'
he sa!s.'At some poini businessesMll be
neld a.countable {or the actrons they

take.' Meanlvhile, sbould Wal Mart

suceed at sh{inkins its environmenral

footPrint nnd lowering prices for green
products, both thepdlet-and ihe
comPanyvill pront. Sam Walton \vould
have li!(ed that.

-sy

D,.n

rodj,

R,rorred

Srde aafttaeDforvirc, fi'lz lteatftD.net

znd add" Pi8,klM.t{jtuef

by

ASKIilGM BEIA}EII

NND REGUIAITO

n dpo^pl.omndrv Lh.r ropb 6?

i- ou,F a,n,o.phei'
hr[n, ru . d, l-. ,,fo
'o.
.
. 8n1 B'{ v^ou
,
d
o,
o
s'6nr6u
:" l.'
p4 w.n t t'nJ
hi' , o'i
I
I
'p
.r!sade.5. rhe CEO of Ci.etey.
a ublity wjlh nine coal
ol'o Jid h;dui l,v, Ros-.. E
'n i
t rt.oo\pn advo,.re orr-BU,atin urbon d1d impo{,'8
o i 4 o', /mr "os. hN pu on mdqps hli a
'
'eneedd.
uiinin iis in.lusi4, v/lrie ofiicialjy
apposes airt iedulalory
\LaFn'e rhn suJld brLp pow
poEF' . rn' a i"clv ro t'- m,'Fd ro
4n'r . 1
l,
'f!l.Siera crub ire.dquaiecixa!
io iir While Ho!s;; tsNe'i
: that Presidelt Aush hasn:t c.ned tor aru,tliing rmre
S

ni' RUgFA

Sl

st'n,Eenr than vo,untary cuts

in

greerhouse gases.
Whal is Roers rl'nlr..g? For one
thing. he s pe rsally @nied ab@l glol,al
lr.rnnrg aid beli:ves thai lhe scicnrifi.
debat. .b.{t whai causes it has Iong
ber settred. He lhi.l6 th6r lhe u-s. wilr

asnosl
have
dcn+vnhnr tk::rt frve yens, if ipt
s.onel r\id as the cEo ofa publicly
traded conDtry, he lEs toffake
.lecision; lhrt
attet slarehotriers
aecr.?! !n the 'ill
rurrrr. oiiai ila'rls Rv.
llt e sD?rs nf 50 ye.r:. .nd rt calbn. Js
t red, ti ;Lei .alcllur .ittho* pl:ni;
be i.{ce.{ to }egllale cilbon
o ixer ia.lusl ria lDrd .iorn lrie s

i.vestine in

!.d liv anpre I

.i^n' rpd'q, L'nc.er

lu

rJ, npnr 'r Lr,L.on

:,n F/q. .\ ,-\p.ilnertruni.e narual
A . r..,udrnE 52oo m.
rolro fo.Fd a r o.l.rrr-4
p1"4. d4d RoAe s h,
r

Ciner8 s relian.e.n coal

ro n

az6o

7J\

ol r\ rupr r.

Hp h ,- Drp,lg",J .n

.educe

ci.e.gys co?

bmi$ions 57o bclcw

2OOO

p,,iiif iJj."";3:il".fJ,

in to@srs. Rogc6 b

eruat ng.oat

gasitication technoloEly tor a plani in

lndiana, which 6ull dramatimlty .ur

carbn enissi.{s ftoft b mirg

coal, snlt
the least expecire and mGt st unaari
tossit fuer in tht u.sEven i, hc srcceds, Cnergy s e.u.o,r
meoial racord willbe lar trom peri{|. A
91.4 lrition se reme.l rviii tlre :nvrJon

nental Prdtecrion A8ency ovei.[ege.l

viorarions ot th. Crean Ai. Act ieil ap3rt
dhe. CiEr$/ bi.keri alvay trom ihe deal.
rlre crignrd sDjt issiowly r,orlanE !i5 !2rj
iirroleir the .ounj Aml Cn:ey sr ppc(;
Rrsr

f.

ej]ofii io

roli

bacit pr.vi3ioG

.l

chatlg6 rarlialjy "W. .. ;e.y. {lepenrierr l!,e Ciean An r\.1rhat Sovern ul;lit:e:.
o.csai, says RrAes "anil):f torl re
Bli wilh erob.lwama.g. e.lers v.e!
ii{reei *e he.i onh,s c.rrreaelei ir tiLi:
e.rne r. t.ve e2dinEs :rd*.lh th?ras
su,<ianr:ir;s olej a IMg Ddrlad..l.tile,
.':eiay ii.isiry eid an wi:h'r4io,
i{! ineedj :i,rtai.ty cr tlrp.a;Don :r:
!.linci;^:. 't , greasl iear i5 thni te
lcnh i". It1.v.l lisr hrlltl! hy
i!trrt na2i iviih tr. p.drletr i.ra x4 r.Yl
'and qc a.l(e !rm. a.y anil dcn ! r:i.
Ci'e:g! r :rz'ij ii
*/itir Duite
^:ae.,r
;:8,9,.. n,;g\:'s ir rJorjr.i
l. rur. c.i
.nofe,'r 4ne !, !),8 Fte.-t ec !:t ,2r':i

i\nie:;.i ! iafre:i :rtii:t;:r

,..j f;..iiir

GLOsAT WAii !!1rl

':..:;.

l
afM

RflVARDING G()OD BI]IAUIOR

.arbon diorni. rh.r.pc\vs ho,n tailpiler iDdsmokc

rtackt Blt wlt is thc Drc\i.te, r ol ED !,ironme.ral I)elense look
irs lor soluiions irr trot)jcxl r.iD iortsrs and KaNrs .omtiet.!s?
8ecr6e iorcsts and fictd' |rtts,ee.hous. g,Lscs funr tt a!: So
I

rirl}rf,5?, {ent ro tk.zilro,uge p,otecttun ott}cAm,an

basn,
and lo t'a! sas to proDde no h! tunniDg. I,t{nving fiekls releascs

U(j.- itJarnre$ !],nrr s.(1tj \\ltlort til1j.g,jr6t urder two tonsoi

.a,t,of p.r he.t e corktbc i.ne{l every ye?r.

iilirti

iir rl for 8r rzilii ns nnd ii,lnsins?

[|

yiror nenr,l t),.

-t

./1

fense is lobbljng the U.S. Cong.css kl ap!tuve a srajtem rhat

qoukl nlr;date rcductiors in ehiss(,ns a;d

iltd" rl,.

s.rt. of

perDlsiorele.s.specincd,rno!nt,,.tcart,oi Cd,tpenieshav
irg uoul)le c!tln,g emisio,rr c. kl bly altowrn.cs fio,n firns
tha t liave un uscd

fermitr. {)r rhef ror

r1d p.ry

hnncrs lo siorc .,at-

bosa d de\elofnrg nationr ro prc\eNe fo ests I he nlea coFe

tuo., a cotrcejtt der.bttrrl b) [,rvi,o.D.nrit D.]Gnsc Nher
Kxpp helpcddrift Urc U.Sl5l9il0 (it--.n,{ir.\ct.ll ret upa rrndI

di.rnle Knipp L,.t,evcs sirnilx.

lin.D.ial in.entiles.o!ld sllry :lobal \vi' r,ing Onceyo prt
i v.lue on ..nFn .edu.rio,ri, he sa!s. vou Drke $iDtrer o!r
.f nr novatori Yo! off.r i por oi S;kt:' ,sy cr,r$ nr*""dr
ing systenr lo coDtrol$lf,,L

(Optrt

!!1

t.fnrl

tu tr,1tnn

!,

Glean Power
ffor ffihina
IIKEJII T^I]OM

E\'ENY

INI'AT CHIN^s

^Mcdly t!80s,
Univc*itrin thc
U Zh.ng had his hriscrrn th9
bigh t.ch, high profile elecrro.ics {iekl-rp unr't r}c day he tonbed
Tsinghua

elcctrdriG exam. llnt his u..hancter istic ctain@d shrinbte I..t r.i
lo a Iiekl ihat @uld play an even largcr de in Clinat tutu re: e.eigy pr.F
on an

duction "I diink the choi.e wa a very foduoate one in thc end,'eys Li,
whostudied thenal engn,ee.ing dd h 2000 became a fo professor

'

T n'ph.,d' Ll

ini . M.l t: "l Ur. ,.mr Lbtv

.o,,ng agp ot J".

Energy is iDcedibiy nnportrnt for a growing s@iety like Chi.at

Art eDer$/ means 6boa, and China:! boonnrg e.onony puts jr on
a |r1tl to be.ome the wodd s No 1 greenhouse gar emittcr
6 @rty as
2020. Li knoq6 that China ,,eeds clean ene.gy s lradly as the devet''

.'pdl world nee.ls

Clhina ro

'J ,oG),u1

8Pclp'nI

poiect is

.lean p. which

jr-.Fa.l. tu,J
'.r'gJ

js why be

joined ihc

j,'j,,n Cexrd rs.lr

ecto. when jt opened in July9003. The cenrer's most pronisins
'
I,d

ncw technolos/ called potygeneEijon,

rry

which

coal

..til

is.onveted into a clcrne. gaseons li,el rhat can tDth g.rerare

eledri.ityan.l bepro.essed iffoa peholeum substjtutc pdygeneF&nr @uld cui rhc cn6on ernGsions China gencntes
L,y b(r.nrg its colious .oal res.dcs and redu. fts d.pen
de,,ce on oil inrporrs- white his ternr conrbues rd renne

tllc le.hnolos,-its sriU more er?eDs,ve rhaD diEct Gd

conrbustion Liis lol)bying rl,csovenrmert to consrnda
$600 hilliotr deDro.shlbon pla.t ind he:s opbifstic he wiltsee itbuilt
''China is motivated to dcveto!
this rcchnologi Li sls. And rh. rsr of
the wor ld E hopir r{ it docr
Er sryan watshrtont x6,e

:.i

,
1
I

i.1iilr:i:ii:
{lgthi
lft*ItlF
ll'
;ij

:r ':i,:'r '::':-, :- .il:.r

./m'"

r rrrrreftovs
i;;:,':L'irlri:;:iil,:t:.:'iit,t,:;;i,ii:l
r......i]\::,1 conPJrrc\
:,';ll-no,ti$
ori--r.dlou,ll . rl ,urI{1. l .nn,.IF
Lll an.l Nrhin, ro crrforcc ic irklsmenr
Tle unlikcly duo nn.redi.tclr ran i.to road

led by
Sn

nita N& ain a nd Bl,u.e

I.lled

io

blild

ti,e

world's

i,:",h.H;:j:::rxi#:::l$:i5,:::ll
I ffi;,:ff:'ifl:";:t':ril'Jffil"lll':,i:11ff
Nadin,,13,
olLldias Center
fomcd rt U. h lulofgijn.tions\vithcNc
'
i

'

lT..@ffi
-W

StiNiTA

death," says
director
f.r Science aid r.lv'
Finvirotrmcnt
polhtnrn
!!r!'rr Ai. poxunon

!v:E
^r.
tiIn,io,Lrl]rcpL'hoi AddsLal.li3,tl'crrsenbr

sovernme,,tarln,iDit,rro,: 'fhc ;epital wr5 one ol

it'" n,o.r l,otl,rc.t ,,n tt) d,. crrr of the dry,

1 ;i,i. :il,:,,.
hJiv r,crrri.|I ,lirLe, rhe ?'rl.i

pnmps. uu
Oil Le.!rr.d'cs
Le.llr.dics ftotrcd olr s.,.nhst! lvho
elaime.l rlrr (iNc witJ$r as poUuri,,g a!.lie'el Brr
N,ntr
lalloughr b.cl( Dy Dece,r,!e, 2002, rlr.
rdr .li6satb[! r,e.l I.{r Dcuri]an.r 10,000 tui5, t2,000

"r ^r
oLr'",rr "- {,p rr8ur,00.,.r.1 'r r\- rr !
,,'i ]re Nliil,{r.l,.r'rbLoncl,it,,irndrsthma]
Altl,ough an rrtlution in D.ll,i ha5 stal)il,z.d.
lnrl,e'i rl l,llo5 Nlernliledalawsui oforce dre nght fo..ledr air is far honr wotr Some.10{l ro
.,-i.i1 1
D..'r 1r.",
l..1 ,,,,.\"'r ro u00,.,1,,"''.,'.'otlor'o,h..rr'
rtrrrl'r"'nj
': '!rL! csscd nal,,rl g \-.i,) In dal Nanin an.l L{.t(h t chnr b hl. sloq{l slob.l
Jl ly 19!)S, the 5 upr eDrc Cotrrt nLled lar qelv nr her
lla dnir rg. 8u t iher r effor t1 h dlc i i.te{l r.]ucns
,.-.11 r.rr.r"', .r r.,r,o-.,, rr .
o,/.nnr,..,.J,,, 11,.,r....,,,.,r F,',,,-,.
.Lr',lrr',,'nr.r,lFrllurl-(N,ernonolalldicsel Delhi lerpfrog:e(l, Na..in ri\s \)th i grnl
ri vp,Fl lu F5 u crL rn{t tle scFppjng of ol.t ..peoplcnoriccd _eJ,,,e, penl/^rri o.,hi

;I{AFAIF{E \'-r''\'rI''
I E[.liJR[":g_A[.
Tha,tt4ed
r'ou". .ulbn L"
'I d-i .., " drk\l',t '
i ,;.:;,::' . :;;;;,1
DrEsre ,ijlu'al

sliaws

t r I

G IHE

evnng.liel Ch.isiirn lead.rs

r]ler'denlGeorgeW:

inl

FUIURE

cnlle.J o

Congres.lo reeD,nle carbon diorirle

enrBsttns.-_:-::

.. Ballj4a, pRcl ces what

$=:=

eieculivc direclo, oi thc Evangelical

,Envir.n.rcnlrl NctMrk h 200O

v,.1n rni,lers l,Ie BiI anl
:izikof lheli.tionalAsso

irajidta. {rtaiiit.r a. energy3Faiana lianbiriiEv!rerlicilt'.preseni

and h. c.fi. to lrisenvdonmcntil bcliets honerllyj

loy.l.l'riu!)

!nbornchild B!i

the A.lii,i.i;sir.tLon.
enviro'rnrenlrl polrcr.. str k. h,.n rs

throueh

.fr.i.Jtosay

vrrnnl.g relaled dieaste.!, heleqrn=]

rno.a lywronghearled. rnd lF nql

so. rlp le.llh.2l)1,2 What_
Would lclutDr v.? ..4rDdgnaga nst
gas glz?Ji.g c.rrs rnd dlonc or lhe
orgrnr:.r, ol lhe Lv:ngel,.r Clidrtte
lnrl,alrv. rn February v/lr.-n 85

Scriplure.nd conce.-rl-finli!
I'vinC.ndthe unborn. Fe;ringthaL .
million! or lives coukl be lost'nglobiil-

.tudy rg cnvtronment.lisnr al Drew

Unryers tyln New lersey in 199;2nd .
mc,ged lhrc: years l:ler wrtha Ph.D
ro Ih.olosi.rl ethic5. He be.dme

signilrL.nt pol ti.rl lrrbilrly for lhe Bdth

Administralion and itsarlt.s
't
lbtlgrcat-. sls,n thrl lh.'renergy
pali.ies have pul thc;r on n colIsion
cor;ise with a c.,..onn Iuen.v. Pav
audrtior' (o our mcssJge, uall.rE!e
beaa!.c clim.te chanAe i. nol r lell
wing. tiee hrgsrnE

iisu. 'lt

5a peop.

probienr lt s.boutlovnrg your

neiEhbo': -6y tc Rbsld

ERYAN

'and'lndi

WA

TSH

destroy it
-or
lUr5k.l;onlor

'

TIME by Y.n Na<imbrc

tEditjonal energy souce lheY

Iveinabuddte BarbmFi@'
more- dt@tor oi the Natural Iie
soures Detefe Council s China
I Clan Ercr$/ Progm, estimates
that Chinal toLJ electiicirY de_
m;Ddwil increisely 2,600 siSn: watts by 2050, whtch is the
eqtri@lert of adding for]r 300megawtt Power Plantr evcry
weekforthenext4s YA lndiai
enersy consumPtioa rose 2089,
from l98O to 2001, even f.sbr
than Chtnas, bui n@rlY half the
populaiion still lacks regular ac

electlicity a hct tie govmment is

workine to change- 'They ll do vhat thcv
can,bui ovenli emissions are likely to rise
much l,igher than they are nov," saF
Ionaihan Sinton, China aD.ltst for the IE 1'
Environmeirtalism Devitably rakes 2
cess to

climatc .laDge efforts for y@rr but that ir

beginning to change and $me of the
push coming from Beting. ror most of
the rent
's
Montral climate @nferercq

Dcvet@ment Meclianlm, a part of dre

ryoto Protoml that all@s developd

ountries to sponsor geenhouse cuthng
projects i. develophg coutries iD ex
the U.S- resisted @y sdous di$tlsion ot change for dbon crcd;ts that@ be Ed
*lMt should be done aJter Kloto rPi.es; 'for neeting enisioDs t rgels. TnGe prcj
Bur several major dereloping coutiies, in" ecis dorir requie dy teclDdlogidl lrre2t
cluding ChiDa as ? quiet but present forcei throughs, A 2003 study by the co@lting
s.pported turrber talk md helped b@l(: Srm cRA lnte.dtiodal found ihat if Cbina
dom U.S. opposition. "At ihe momeDl; Dd IDdia:inveJrdi firly in telirolos/ ..1'
China seems more intosted in eryaging- '@dy in use in lhe U,S- the total @rbon
on this ise intematioully than the U.S. savioss by 2012 wodd tie @mpmble to
does: sars Elliot Diringer, dir@tor of rn- shat coutd be achieved if ev6ry country
terrrtional stEtegres for tle Pev Cente. under the Kroto Pmtocol actully met its
t igets.
on Clobat climate Change.
But that windN of opportuDity Ls rlos
Ttats becE Cbina od lDdia in_
jng
c
a
rapidty, Every slep foMrd tlEt th&
ctimte'dfuge
creasingly see
Policy
My to add.ess some of their immdiate cnurtis iake today ($dr a, {hiBt hove to
problems slch 6 enerEy shortages dd nEl<e its autGemission regulariot! drictr
lo@l environmental ills-while gettingthe tlta rhej u.s:s) ddc beirs.s'?mped by
intematioDal emmunity to llp foot the' g@;rl' tornorow (ftrremple, Clina @dd

eould rise ?S%Sy 2E25

!rldie's gr*erlli0etse'ga$ cmEssiens souldsise
& The ilncrease in China's emissions from 2000 to 2030 will
nearlv e0ualthe increase from the entire industrializedworld
@ #Bainais totaE eleutric!$ demrand will rise arE estiEraated
?"tiS& cEgawaEts bv 2S5fi, iqihieft isthe eq*ivalsaat ef addiilg
fsarn 3$''slcrBegawafit power plamts every uueek fon the next-A5
'rear$ @ lndi-a's eneisv con-sumption rose 208% frum 1980 to
200L even faster tha1 China's, ind nearly half the population
stili licks regular access to electricity
tn I bill. Thank rb Doorly ruo planLs ed uti- | h:F i40 m ron lm on the road bv 20m)
m I wl"t chi"' -d r"di" 'o v'"d P.''-'l'
;;;;i""; ;.."i *'y see! adrcetes I q*r"a p"** g'ias' chui od lodiaus
* " k's | ."t'"."tv "n.isv inerncieoL china
;;;. "il;;'.r'"il;;-;
lsrendtrroPm"ntiswhatrhewtrdnceds
presincnrobhm tha; au and Mterpol-lu I rlu.e ume c m"ch .n'r$/ a5 thp U S I'o IabMdtv arpted P'st Kltto pr'l lhar,F
*-..r' ;tp'r' But thar I s'i't "nougt' ro'at* ir *nomierrv 'rcr th
;;". ii'.i":;;.";;:;;.,a r""iii-,t |
li
"1
'
siileroel'rua'9Ttu1:1N"*
'he developc'i world. which g* ""t' l "-a,,*
-*^ t'. $ a lot or r@m tor ihprcl.is I etud
E-ii'n8
@ts re ofi l}F tdbl' for now 'lig
*il. i."i'i **"" "", u-. sh-outd L.ke
I menr- od svinrenerxvby@ftinswsre
I
"rr'"i,"'ia*s **
D"rht seem $dri'e q d'"Y
Md
Nry
r*
r.;
li
,iJ'*p.?",uri;
I
1l
-i.i
"i'-"'"
ro' Ilertarges och as low'nna@bon n j^Nw'
ir,lso
depende'c" on "."r
Io'. lpbu"'p"*'*
.i"i"". "o'. "',i.i.;t'"r firsr aod
'enue
mosr.-th. U.S npcd( to Fdure rtsem I ergn en"rgy and .omes @rboo and PoUu lSulthevhFldEr\'lhdrngtonmusltareriF
.i""'-: *'. s'"it. r.r.-i". drector of rhe I rair r'.e:emciencv reallv is rbe sw'et I bd 'lr i' Possibl" lo' thde o@tn6 ro
center rir screnc" and Enqrotrmpnt in I loL srs Dan Dudek.3.tuef Nnomrsr ar I acnie* t}" glo*{h $cv d5ei4 Yyiul
'ft"v
;il i;. I d"'i'"*"""r Dprense. Beiiins as,epr. I wking iI" d,^atel e* Drins't
;;;;;h, :;; ; ';;;;iJ;
t" to
It
has
om
j*<
their
moFl rhar rhe U.s. does t Lt" rt'e t""d on I rt gou"--"nt oi* ro ,edue Fder$i in I
-;t ao rt on
ha.,tse.r ro deteloomcnr in chrnr rn,l

"
rh" mounr of enerevwd rel,tive I t!@EhtheUS:
{ rensitv
rFs na
bcsinbv rrnlns
2arc' I
Mavbe Ameflm can t'cpnDv
20% by
bv 2AlO.
ro *".i- ot th.
tt'. Nnom\
*no.\- z,qo
Il torhesizof
^merim
chuae.ot
arem8e
the
Mrlingambitiourpled86iseat thal lbt' mot' like
dpveloDroe counr, ip< were-xempr l,om I
iswhat five vear plsnsare ro' -but nnding I lnd'" b'foe they stttr buns uKe
I
"-"",o*irr..
I he standotr between the U.S. and the I rhe will and ilre frmds to nale them stick is I nmerics. -r,rn 'aid't Dt s|gn "res
"
I trickin One source oftuDding is the Clan I end todi x'/a'nine
rtian giants has stymied
cl,matechrnEe: The BBhAdmin'nation.
,nlum l;;r"cted
hd;iecred a*4".".,i"
Kmro oartlv b"cuse

;i;;

l"*"."

'nterBational
48

9I
1

INTER{NG

'L]MATE

t\f t-f or

C}TANGE

Innovation,

The fillorving i: Pqisne lliniste:'i-=e llsien

Loong's :peetfi ai the Ujii ciinrate change
ronference in Bali vesie+day
CLMATB chanse is aD eror
mous long temr chlilcnSe con
lrontng maJrland

Scientists Jo nol know

huw cruicklv it qll haPpen,
how s;verelt w,U be or JU of

conseouences- But the

rgis are gr6wg -melhng po
lar rce caes, vanrshrne glr_
crers- hottar and lonaer sunr-

irs

mers- more intense typhoons

lf we iail lo address clinate

LhaDge, ecosystem-s-a.d human soctetres could exnen
ence maror d6roPtions ovPr

n.{r 50 to 1O0 \e36. rnd

oute
' DosrblY \ooD;r
,hP

Th; Kvoto Proto(ol is a

tirst colle;h!e attemPt bY the

world to deal witb climale

chJnPe. lt is an i,nPortJnr
5iart,'bur we hJve to bu,ld
aDd do morE
Kvoto
-

oD

DteiDboul con',nutu_
ry mun work otrt r Pra.trcrl
ind effeciive rPIroich atler
rh" tir(t.omdtment Deriutl
The

under Kyoto er?nes in 2012

Let me ptopose thrcc Prin'
oples wbi.h l hclicve 'rE cs
cPnr'"1 lor f, Dost ZOt2 lrimP

Coiletiive cffori
FIRST. the f.ameworh must
ha;e the comitrnent and Par
hciDatroEof rll cuutriries, un-

,r"; r r"'r.d Nrtions Frch.

work Coovenrion on CliDate
Change auspices. The dcvel
oDed Lountries rre rc<L'ons,_

ble for the bulkorofieirt and

tnstori@l F@n-houe gas emit

w l have ro take
the leal in cuttn8.mr$'ons
The deveLopLoA countnes.
:sDecullv the emftsine ecnno
-i.s of Asia are aiso becom

c,ons Th6y

itlsmcior erutter< TheLr FoP

dl;l'oi's are equaily, ir not
m6re u,lncrable lo clinrrtc

RicI o! poor, alLeountri es

will hfle io Co their Dart tor
tbe environment. Cotlective-

Iv. we share this Problem and

irust solve it tosether.

Second-thit-Jtamcwotk

5bor d re.osnse rhe qtJl im

oo.tance ot economic arowtl

lovenv is nor J solubon to

elobal wamDg The problem
6f climate chatee has a long
tcad tine, ar do any countcr
.

Meanwhile, soverrments

must deal with other Prioi_

b6. includils alleviating Poverw, Esbtin8 die.ses dmal.
nutntion, aod improvints t!c
lives oi thdr people.
All this reouircs economLc
rjrowth ind r;sourcs, which

;F:n(

Dnhnxcd deDendence

on ercrsy and, in P;.tictlar.

on tossil tuels. This r.ality Mll

noi chanBe ,n tte torseerl le
n'hIe desDite our h.st el'orL\
to su Ureeir.

IJ actjuns

mate chaiae

to mrhEare.lr
de to Prese.ve

prdwrh thev should not

un

Eeroe slo6atsrhon and th"

Jivisiun ol la'ntedation!i
ID ihe world econony,

some .odnttres sDecrahse in

prodMins sooab, ivtule oihert

iupolv more services Thos.

.loins more tnanutacn,rrn8

will mturrllv have a lrraer
ca'bon footDrint. likevise for

transDoriation hubs. which

supply bunkers for shrlc and

airplan6.
Penatitinr these couqhes
would be c6utet!rodu't jve
would
i,.".
'." theto:criuires
other coEtries
iLst mowe
less well suited for ihen we
world have taid an economic
tuel for

'

Drice

ulhorit

re3prnA 3nY eD

;F,nmentilbeneLrs

SinsaPore has a vesled D

teres!.in this .s manul.clur

,nB, porr and !irPort \crvice5
.P"llrmDo.tantto ourcc.no
mv.
But;e rre not dlone
'Third.
lle {ran,eworL dust

accout differences
t.ke
h nrtbnal
'nto eirdmstancd dd
mnsttuls. Countrres.viry r
!zc. populJho; iod develoP
ment Some cre endowe
v,tl ablddart clern .nd re'l
newal'le enersy eurcci iuch
a5 wnd, hvdro or Eeotbennal
nower whilc olhe6 hrve no
ilrPmit ves ro Iosil tuels

Smal states, especiauy de' '

veloDne ones, Iace the most
erci. aoGtra ts. Tl'eY are
more vdreIabte to external

a.d natlfrl disasters

Thef are often heavily de
shocks

on imported fosil fu-

"ardent
i:ls
md ururot'easilY diversifY

sourcs Evcntu_
eneiiv rs rnlea\ibie ior
lack of safctY distancc
G,ventiis wde ranxe ots'l
their encrsv

etear

uations, the Post_2012 frame

w.rk camot

rll aPPtoacb An quitrhle solutioD must lr[e ac

.nnnt of diveF. n2ticinal ciF
iits

-,-(rances. The smaller rnd

more lrllnemble countnes in
narriolar uLl need techlicat

itislance to Put in Plzce ajfective adaPtation m@sues

Lnergy etficitncv
RASED on tiese broad Ptinc'
Dles. let me su8gest a lew el_
lective aPProJches io mlrBate

Frrlt. wd 'l'ould

PUrsue

rraem:'hc rnd Losl_ellechve

*ars to te<iuc. gr.ennouse

eri enis:r"rs

Th15 rncludes

THE S TRAI'IS 1-IMES THURSDAY,

ECEMB ER 13 2OO7

ihrs while lluinsine dN.uplrons t. thc Elobal sonomvl

No coutry can vol nteer
1o cut its om eoissions if oth-

explofinB technologY to im
pror/e.dergy ellrcreocy and
cut-irastaA.. lor eirDP'c, bi
sDP mor; publr tDnsport!_
ri6n:instexd of cni 1nd noi

dJ;ltoohne or ovrheatDg
buildiEss

Wc should rpply- econon

ics to pnce cnergy ProPerry

dd

avoid subsiJisiDs over.on

sumorion of foss luels
S;cond. weaccd to Protelt

ers do not joio in All coun

iries musr vork tosether, bu!
tbe major econonreq b,ve to

siow leadeBhip,

3s
ble solution requircs

rny vi3ib.ir fDll

Founh. climate chanee B a

dlTamrc problem. Tec6nolu-

Fy b cbdistrs, the elobal dj

mate B dratreils sd oDr understandinq of clmate chMee

atso chaisiDs.

d the loss of forested are6.'

Tliisrreo ires the conlmudd

llence, we need not tust a

onc-timc, comDlete eolution,
but as evolvini, creative response that will erplorr Dew
technoloBies and adapt to
nev suedrlic discoeenes.
This re?onsc mtlst irclude
a nalor rnvestmcnt m re
search on climate change ard

vell as responsible pol;cies

nu.lear energy or other low

rb,:

world's carbotr

sinks.

slash.Md-bum Drlctices

JnLl

i:rce.scale bmihe ui oert

l:n-rlsretease huc iouuLq of

rrrbon rnro rhe'rtm^sphere

We rDust

sL

,n $ese Prd.tr..s

atteDtion ;Dd ;spport.of _.the

nrterDarional comunity as

rnn .ffecbve enior.emeDt

bv

the coundcs which ot'n thes;

Siiraapore supports the

itlea of redlcine enjsaions

forest

frorD de{orestatioD
desradatjon (Redd) proposed

urbol wavs to oowcr our tu

hlrc wP ilc. l'trvr to fin,l
ways to pack gc and .obed
such tcchnolone\ in.vcrv.t y
LIe, whetber 6alr4 norc etticrent ensnes or dereuB
md:buildiDs more eco heE&

ly ciliq:'Cliinaie
m riii r^

neo project, which

covers

kd oI forcsts in
lndonesia dd Malay-

220,000 sq
Brunei,

sra. We are also workite witb

lndotresir to lackle tsdand

ensineeiinB

e are

rhie

r.<F.rh Pff.n

invertins considenble

slDs to develop clru tecltroloeies such assola. and Mter.

We are also Daitner'n! China
10

build m

eccity

iD

Timjir
ei-

to tgtbed md demonstnte

uronmentallv s$tainahle and

lmd<leanoe pEcbce!.

ecoDoo[v'viable aDproac]
es for urbaD devcldpmcnt,
wuch @n be rblirated in oth-

melsures, I believe ilitne.6

sary to set overall targets to re

be hostiDq a World Citir Sum-

tues aDd develop sustaieble

Third, beyoDil ind'ndua1

aluce emissions Cotrnt.ies

necd to asree to t}lis obiective, Deeotiate a dedi od put
h place policies to achieve
This

Eill rlise oany

com-

Dler i\sxer How m,'.h (hnuld

;e

cut emissios bv? How do

we share the .osd? wtat s

the best way to

ctrt

quantita-

tive cortrols, cafion taxes or

cap-md-trade schenes?

Should the measEes be

based on .ountries, or indr$-

trv sectoE such as avialion

d;d shippins on a worldwide

basir, or individual coDsuers? And how can we do all

DEAr-rNG Mth alobal mrEus wiil bc a lons fd dilfioil

Dr?,cess- It v l-need Dolitic.l
lupport ftor the popidations
ot our countDs. ror we rrx
I..F. loEh .fiotcas-

ln

Eo"roDe.

dmrte cbdee

Dolicv is ah;ady a major Polib

;il n;.ntv
In Austtalia- Dub'
l- ',.ssrire torced fo;ner
nnni" minister John Homrd
io chafee hrr a^vemcnt's
dind ,frer a sevue de@dc

enersy tecbnolosies, be it car

bon stoEge, solar power, sle

shoiild be explored tully

SDerpore s stroDely coD-

by llndonsia, dd resronal iiritiatives like the He-rrt of Bor-

Political will

Next

yar,

Sin8apore will

mit tbat will foc|li on envisn-

mental issues itr urban ser

iiftb, we sbould work on

adaptatio! stmtegis ClitDate
chanAe will take place despite
ou best efforts. We cm, at
best, slow down tbe build-up

of greenholse gases in the almosphere over tbe Dext dec'

ads. but we caonot reverse
elob;l wamiDs aod restore
aonditions to the pre-bJusFi

ife mst

therefore .itaDt
to sMvins s a
wdmer world and apply our
inreiiuitv md resolve io llui
oisiEs ibe Desalive eifects.

ou socielis

Tte sooner we strrl doinP

this. the rnore affordable rln:
task wil be.

pa.t, but D'se lre en@wgurE

srms ol

DroarySss

sinsaDoie atrd all the

in;nbcrs. w l do ths
^.u We de IdlY comitted
Drnio an ambitious Bali roadm3D
d,rt Mll d.tiver an cftecr'v;
post-2012 rcgime.

Ad'"ii;i;s:D;;";i"" :rj'r' ":r'r'r1}

thF,'^ral sen

tus'sfdnn

by

narilowr ..rr l.ndcd wrh

.t-

U l,uiolc of Lhe t5 n,ost foUuteil;Ucs

in theworld uin Asir OIthes, 17.tu
in alhin, r;xl liv.irrP in In;ii

Asta's

m6l pollred

, ;;;;;;;,

rhi

aao,

ci|l:es