(July 14, 2008) “The 500,000 foreign visitors expected to visit Beijing will certainly get to see some beautiful waterworks, such as the largest fountain in the world in Shunyi. No problem! But the question is: what will happen after the Games? How will people cope?” asks journalist Dai Qing.
Olympics suck up China’s already scarce water
(July 14, 2008) Beijing’s water transfers from north and south, along with a growing number of ultra-deep wells in the Karst Mountains near the city, are a recipe for environmental calamity, says Probe International report.
‘Odious debt’ recognized by British Parliament
(July 14, 2008) Debt Relief, 3rd Report 1997-1998, London: House of Commons The British House of Commons International Development Committee recognizes the concept of odious debt.
Chinese appeal for dams inquiry
(July 11, 2008) A group of Chinese academics and environmental activists call on the Chinese government to review the safety of large dam projects.
Asia: Wenchuan quake has limited impact on mining
(July 11, 2008) The numbers from the May 12 earthquake in China are staggering. As this edition of E&MJ went to press, the death toll in Sichuan Province had climbed to 68,000 with 288,000 injured and more than 5 million people homeless.
Belize dam trial: Victory, what victory?
True, Fortis narrowly
escaped an injunction to stop construction of the Chalillo dam. Three
out of five judges decided the Belizean government’s environmental
approval of the dam was not illegal, just flawed.
General strike in Belize
After years of alleged
financial mismanagement and corruption by the People’s United Party,
civil unrest broke out in the capital city of Belize in January,
provoked by the release of a new national budget with significant tax
increases.
Mayan world to be destroyed
A closely guarded and secret archaeological
survey of the Chalillo dam site reveals that hundreds of Mayan
structures, many unique in the Mayan world, will be totally destroyed
and gone forever when the ill-conceived Chalillo dam is completed and
filled.
Chalillo dam construction site
Chalillo dam construction site photos taken April, 2005.
Double whammy for 14,100 electricity consumers
Bills to increase as much as 57% for Belize Electricity Limited
customers who had benefited from a reclassification of the social rate
category in April 2003, which was discontinued after BEL claimed the
government subsidy for the program had dried up.
Chalillo dam report card
Overall grade:
"Fortis/BECOL has failed to meet its legal obligations in construction
of the Chalillo Dam and providing for the health and safety of the
people, the river, and the environment."
BECOL will build third hydroelectric dam
The new dam is planned for the Vaca area on the Macal River, about 6 miles from the Chalillo site.
Electricity rates highest in Central America
"Each year, Fortis/BEL reports higher and higher profits as our rates go up and the [Macal] river gets worse."
C.J. denies Vaca Dam injunction, but grants judicial review
Belize Environmental Law and Policy Office vice president Candy
Gonzalez argues for stay on construction of $105-million Vaca dam
pending fulfillment of certain aspects of an Environmental Compliance
Plan.
CJ finds for Candy Gonzalez on Chalillo challenge
(July 1, 2008) Chalillo dam developers did not meet certain environmental health and safety obligations after its construction, and the Department of the Environment did not meet all of its responsibilities in enforcing the Environmental Compliance Plan (ECP), rules a Belize judge.
Patricia Adams
Dai Qing
Fan Xiao
Lawrence Solomon
Mu Lan
Probe International
Lisa Peryman
Probe Media
Other News Sources
Probe International 