(February 4, 2008) HidroAysen, a joint entity formed by Spanish-Italian electricity giant Endesa and Colbun, a Chilean energy company, plans to build five massive hydroelectric dams along Region XI’s Baker and Pascua Rivers. The Baker River, Chile’s largest, is in fact just a few miles from Tompkins’ Estancia Chacabuco, a massive stretch of pristine steppe land that Tompkins would eventually like to donate to the Chilean government.
New documentary examines the impact of carbon trading
(January 16, 2008) The Carbon Connection, a new documentary by Fenceline Films with support from Carbon Trade Watch and the Transnational Institute is now available at the New Internationalist online shop.
PI Policy: The problem with environmental impact assessments
(January 6, 2008) Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) are now standard practice for dam builders. Probe International’s Grainne Ryder and Patricia Adams explain how this seemingly positive development actually undermines citizen rights and harms the environment.
World Bank continues Philippines loan freeze; officials talk back
(December 12, 2007) The World Bank has said it will not approve a $232 million loan to the Philippines until it is convinced anti-corruption measures have been put in place to protect the project the funds are intended for. The loan, due for approval on Dec. 13, was slated for a road building contract but was blocked by the Bank after the Chinese contractor was found to have been involved in bid rigging.
Corruption is why we are so poor
(November 12, 2007) Of the billions of dollars Western countries send to Bangladesh for the purpose of economic development, an estimated 75 percent is "one way or another misappropriated by the privileged," writes physician and health economics specialist, Zulfiquer Ahmed Amin.
PRESS RELEASE: Belizeans seek court order forcing Canadian-owned power company to honour its environmental obligations
(July 11, 2007) A Canadian-owned power company could be forced to stop work on its third dam on Belize’s Macal River – underway since earlier this year – if Belizean environmentalists can persuade the Supreme Court to uphold the law.
FORTIS: Belizeans sue to stop Canadian dam construction
(July 9, 2007) After years of bitter controversy, the Chalillo Dam was finally built on the upper Macal River and, as far as we know, in conjunction with the Mollejon facility has been quietly and efficiently providing Belize with lower cost power for over a year and a half. But not everyone is thrilled with the hydro system and today a citizens group filed suit in the Supreme Court to halt construction on the third dam downstream at Vaca.
China’s Three Gorges Corporation vying to build world’s largest hydro project in Central Africa
(June 22, 2007) As China’s Three Gorges dam nears completion, the company responsible for building and financing the world’s largest dam is vying to construct an even more ambitious hydro project in central Africa.
Aid-backed hydro project in India sells carbon credits
(May 29, 2007) An aid-financed Norwegian hydro company, SN Power, will earn carbon credits from its hydro project in northern India, according to the Nordic aid monitor, Development Today. The 192-megawatt Allain Duhungan hydropower project in northern India received UN approval as a CDM project on May 17.
Probe International opposes World Bank financing for Congo dams
(May 28, 2007) Probe International tells the World Bank to halt all loans to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Inga dam project until those affected by the dam are provided with the water, sanitation, electricity, health and education services promised to them more than 30 years ago.
Nations worried about reform pace in Mozambique
(May 24, 2007) Aid to Mozambique would remain largely unchanged in 2008 due to the African nation’s poor progress fighting corruption and implementing other reforms, a group of Western nations and donor agencies said on Thursday.
EIB, AFDB add to bank funding for Bujagali
(May 14, 2007) The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the African Development Bank (AFDB) have approved loans for the 250MW Bujagali hydro project in Uganda close on the heels of the World Bank greenlight on funding.
Graft Fights Back
(May 9, 2007) A majority on the World Bank’s board, many of whom are directors from Third World countries opposed to president Paul Wolfowitz’s anti-corruption campaign, understandably want him out. But why is the World Bank Group Staff Association so intent on getting rid of Wolfowitz?
Predatory lending
(May 4, 2007) In the flap over Paul Wolfowitz’s "sweetheart deal" for Shaha Riza, World Bank staffers are demanding his resignation to protect the "credibility" of the Bank. This is rich.
Carbon Boondoggles
(April 26, 2007) To reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, Canada’s federal government plans to push Canadian corporations into buying carbon credits under the so-called “Clean Development Mechanism” (CDM), a system established under the Kyoto Protocol by which companies in rich countries buy “rights to pollute” from companies in poor countries. The poor-country companies, in exchange, promise to give up their own greenhouse-gas producing activities.
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