(November 18, 2009) Scientists have seen this one before: Fill a reservoir behind a new dam, and, oops, you trigger an earthquake nearby not long after the lake is topped off.
Aid we give to the Third World is more harmful than helpful
Many countries are going backwards. This is not surprising. The UN and British government—egged on by NGOs and activists—has bet the house on the daft idea that if western governments transfer enough money to governments in poor countries, health systems will magically improve and medicines will get to sick kids. As far as strategies go, this is a turkey.
A Damned Dam
(November 17, 2009) For fifteen years, Three Gorges dam officials have been looking forward to the day they could declare the dam – the world’s most spectacular, and controversial, engineering feat – finished and operating at full capacity.
Foreign aid on the ropes
(November 16, 2009) The Canadian International Development Agency is effectively dysfunctional, lacking the ability to effectively and strategically deliver its $3-billion foreign aid budget, says a recent report by Canada’s auditor general, Sheila Fraser.
Wind power dilemma: Money blows away
(November 12, 2009) Various experts have started weighing in with suggestions for reducing overcapacity and streamlining wind energy in China, which is government subsidized. For example, State Council researchers recently called for a “systematic” approach to promoting healthy development of the industry.
Three Gorges PowerPoint presentation
(November 11, 2009) A fascinating PowerPoint presentation by Song-kai Yan from Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure Inc., providing an overview of the Three Gorges dam. The report offers a number of stunning photographs of the dam itself, and the area surrounding the project—both before and after construction.
A closer look at the odious debts doctrine
(November 11, 2009) The Akiton Finanzplatz Schweiz, an independent network that monitors the Swiss financial system, has today released a book detailing both doctrine of odious debts and ways countries and organizations can challenge illegitimate debts. The book, “How to Challenge Illegitimate Debt. Theory and Legal Case Studies,” will be available November 11 at 1 pm Geneva time for a free download.
How to Challenge Illegitimate Debt: Theory and Legal Case Studies
(November 11, 2009) Despite multilateral initiatives such as the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI), in 2007 the world’s developing countries still spent a combined total of approximately USD 1.5 billion every day on external debt servicing. Amongst their number are the poorest countries in the world; these low income countries spent around USD 34 million every day on external debt servicing.1 In the current global financial crisis, many of the countries which have benefited from debt relief in recent years now face substantial risk of new debt distress.
When the Culture of Disbursement Meets the Culture of Corruption
Steve Berkman’s concern in his book "The World Bank and the Gods of Lending" is not that World Bank staff are corrupt, but rather that the pressure to disburse funds makes it easy for corrupt people in borrowing countries to divert and steal from aid programs with impunity. Essentially, Berkman describes what happens when the culture of disbursement meets the culture of corruption.
More landslides likely as Three Gorges reservoir rises
(November 9, 2009) The Three Gorges reservoir will face an increasing number of landslides and other geological dangers if government officials persist in raising the level of water to its maximum height, says a report by Caijing magazine. The report, citing a research paper by the Chongqing Political Consultative Conference, says the higher the reservoir, the greater the risks will be for geological hazards.
China to Lend Africa $10 Billion
(November 9, 2009) China’s prime minister said his country will give $10 billion in loans to African countries without any political strings attached.
Water prices to rise from next year
(November 9, 2009) The price of tap water in Beijing will increase from Jan 1, the Beijing water resources bureau said.
Dam’s Role in Earthquake Revisited
(November 9, 2009) A recent scientific study adds to suggestions that a dam built near an underground geological fault line helped trigger the massive earthquake in Sichuan in May 2008 that killed more than 69,000 people and left almost 18,000 missing.
Three Gorges officials admit they can’t fill reservoir, for now
(November 16, 2009) Promises from the Chinese government that Three Gorges would be the world’s largest generator of reliable power seem to be evaporating before the project can be declared finished.
More evidence the Zipingpu dam may be to blame for the Wenchuan earthquake
(November 6, 2009) A recent article by scientists in the U.S. provides further evidence that the Zipingpu dam’s reservoir may have triggered the devastating May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China. The Wenchuan earthquake killed nearly 90,000 people and unleashed a chorus of speculation that the Zipingpu reservoir may have contributed to the severity of the earthquake, or helped to trigger it.
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