(February 21, 2011) Aging dams have become a growing problem in the United States, and a potential threat to downstream populations. Besides the perils of elderly infrastructure, putting off repairs due to belt-tightening in a time of recession can aggravate lurking dangers from internal erosion, over-topping, and earthquakes.
US House votes to defund IPCC in Climategate fallout
(February 19, 2011) The U.S. House of Representatives today voted by a wide margin — 244-179 — to defund the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The $13-million cut, which garnered support from some Democrats, is part of the House’s budget for 2011. It now goes to the U.S. Senate.
Battle lines drawn over carbon price
(February 19, 2011) The handout queue is growing, but when does transitional assistance become needless corporate welfare?
Beijing building golf courses despite disastrous droughts
(February 17, 2011) The latest edition of The Economist featured an article on the golf course building frenzy that is taking place in Beijing, despite catastrophic water shortages. Below is an excerpt of The Economist piece, and links to related stories.
Haitians becoming weary of NGOs
(February 15, 2011) Foreign NGOs in Haiti have been coming under increasing fire from both Western media, and from Haitian political elites. But as William Booth of the Washington Post writes, ordinary Haitian citizens are also getting fed up with the NGOs.
Beijing’s golf craze
(February 17, 2011) Beijing’s golf craze continues apace. The government’s ban on building new courses is flouted left and right while the city faces a severe water shortage.
Snap Analysis: Many CO2 auction platforms could harm market
(February 17, 2011) Multiple platforms for auctioning European Union carbon permits from 2013 could make the EU’s emissions market even more complex, drive up transaction costs and further dent security, analysts said.
Patricia Adams responds to a Cap and Trade advocate
(February 16, 2011) In a February 14th National Post article, author Dan Gardner argued that ‘command and control’ environmental regulations should be replaced with a cap and trade system. But as Probe International Executive Director Patricia Adams points out, cap and trade is just another varient of the ‘command and control’ approach that Mr. Gardner claims to oppose. Below is her response in today’s National Post.
Kenyans to protest Chinese involvement in Ethiopia’s Gibe III Dam
(February 16, 2011) Members of the civil society and other concerned individuals will on Sunday, 20 February 2011 stage a peaceful protest march to petition the Chinese government against the involvement of several Chinese companies in the ongoing construction of the controversial and potentially devastating Ethiopian Gilgel Gibe III mega-dam.
Deep Green: Debt, Human Rights and Nature
(February 16, 2011) In January, the bankers and corporate executives at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, presented a plan to create $100 trillion US dollars (about €700 billion or ¥7 trillion) in new international debt.
Lagos eyes financial boom from climate doom
(February 14, 2011) The article from the Daily Independent in Nigeria explains how governments can profit from the panic over climate change.
Vietnam, Laos cooperate in building hydro-electric power plant
(February 12, 2011) Vietnam and Laos have signed a project on building two hydro-electric power plants, namely Xekaman 1 and Xekamn Xanxay in the Lao province of Attapeu, about 75km from Vietnam.
China bids to ease drought with $1bn emergency water aid
(February 11, 2011) The Chinese government plans to spend $1 billion to divert water, construct emergency wells and improve irrigation in an effort to “head off a destabilising level of stress over water.” Current drought conditions are the worst that China has seen in 60 years.
Pollution fear cancels Beijing power plant plan
(February 11, 2011) According to Chinese official state media, plans to build a power plant near Beijing have been halted over environmental concerns. The plant would have been one kilometer from a canal that diverts water into drought stricken Beijing.
Prominent Chinese activist and wife beaten
(February 11, 2011) According to CNN, blind Chinese human rights activist Chen Guangcheng and his wife have been beaten and placed under house arrest. Chen had only recently completed a four year prison sentence for publicly criticizing government policies. Chen has been a prominent human rights activist since 1998, when he organized protests against water pollution from a local factory in Yinan County.
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