(February 5, 2010) Africa’s fight against corruption is being blocked by gangsters at every level of administrations and the campaign is doomed to fail unless presidents themselves spearhead the battle, a top campaigner said.
Ethiopia prepares case for megahydropower project funding
(February 5, 2010) The Ethiopian government is preparing its case to attempt to convince the World Bank to fund a mega-hydropower project in the Horn of Africa country.
Dams trigger stronger storms, study suggests
(February 4, 2010) Researchers are sounding the alarm that dams—along with their reservoirs—might also trigger more frequent fierce storms that could be the dams’ undoing.
The South-North Water Diversion project: in the Chinese government’s own words
(February 3, 2010) After years of delays and setbacks, construction on the South North Water Diversion project is now moving forward at “full capacity.” According to an official from the State Council, in 2010 alone, the government plans to invest a record 48 billion yuan ($7.02 billion) in the massive water project.
Afghanistan and dead aid: is it becoming a reality?
(February 2, 2010) In a recent piece for Foreign Policy, Gerard Russell, a former British and U.N. diplomat and now a Fellow of Harvard’s Carr Centre for Human Rights Policy, looks at the disturbing effect foreign aid is having on Afghanistan. With over half of the country’s licit economy supplied by foreigners, Russell says—referencing Dambisa Moyo’s book "Dead Aid all too often "foreign aid undermines society, encourages rentier behaviour, siphons off talent, reduces pressure for reform, and undermines democracy. Does this sound familiar, Afghanistan-watchers?
Bolivia takes action on debt audits
(February 1, 2010) Following on from Ecuador’s path-breaking precedent, Bolivia will set up a commission to audit external debt to assess the legitimacy of past loans. Bolivia’s current heavy debt load dates back to periods of dictatorship when loans were borrowed without public consent.
Three Gorges Dam Hydroelectric Power Plant, China
(Febraury 1, 2010) Overview of the Three Gorges Dam Project.
Greenwashing Hydropower
(February 1, 2010) Big dams have a serious record of social and environmental destruction, and there are many alternatives. So why are they still being built?
China grows thirstier
(January 29, 2010) Next to air pollution, water scarcity looms as one of China’s largest environmental disasters. Beijing consumes more water annually than its water resources combined, according to the Chinese Statistical Yearbook 2007. Without intervention, the city will face a massive shortage.
Behind the Red Curtain: Environmental Concerns and the End of Communism
(February 1, 2010) With the environment in such a problematic state, and structural and ideological problems precluding effective responses within a Communist system, it would have been remarkable if environmental problems did not play a major role in bringing down the system.
Haiti heads for debt crisis as emergency loans pile up earthquake
(January 31, 2010) Anti-poverty campaigners warn emergency funds loaded to Haiti, at the height of crisis, will become a heavy debt burden for the quake devastated country. Already caught in a cycle of repayment for loans racked up by dictators from the western governments that kept the country’s looters in power, Haiti can’t afford its future in the present form of help.
IMF Proposes $100 Billion ‘Green Fund’
(January 30, 2010) The IMF won’t allow its climate change plans to be sidetracked by a lack of scientific consensus or domestic political will.
Another foreign aid critic says there is a better way
(January 29, 2010) Brian Griffiths, an international adviser for Goldman Sachs, is another voice in what is quickly becoming a chorus of foreign aid critics that are heralding the use of private markets and funds as way to promote economic growth on the African continent. In a recent lecture at Oxford University, Griffiths said churches already working in Africa should help promote businesses and markets in countries across the continent.
Breathe of fresh air: banks pull out of carbon market
(Jaunary 28, 2010) Banks and other investors are pulling out of the carbon market after government leaders at last month’s meeting in Copenhagen failed to come up with new emissions targets beyond the current Kyoto Treaty, which ends in 2012. According to a recent report in the UK Guardian, a number of carbon fianciers have already begun leaving banks in London due to a lack of activity and a pull-back in investment demand.
Sturgeon farms cleared from Three Gorges Dam area for navigation safety
(January 28, 2010) Sturgeon farmers in the Three Gorges area of China’s Yangtze River are dismantling their fish tanks in order to keep navigation channels safe and clear.
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