A crisis is developing in Durban at the climate summit. Even as powerful countries work hard to ensure we take no action on climate change, there is a bold attempt to try and make the climate negotiations the global arbiter of international water policy. Already the UNFCCC is the most complex international treaty that has ever been devised covering a vast territory that spans, finance, environment, science and technology, trade and everything in between. Now a small group which began working on this in Cancun is trying to get water officially in the negotiations. Last climate summit this was being promoted by 8 countries under SBSTA (which deals with scientific and technical issues within the UNFCCC climate summit), these countries were Mexico, Ecuador, Sudan, Syria, Chile, El Salvador, Sierra Leone and South Africa. Read the rest of this entry »
Water and Climate – Proceed with Extreme Caution!
December 6th, 2011Pushing back against the false ‘Green Economy’…fighting for the soul of Rio
May 6th, 2011I am writing you from the 19th session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development meetings in New York.
This week we had a very successful event called ‘The Right Green Economy’, where the Council of Canadians and the Blue Planet Project joined Food and Water Watch, UNANIMA International, International Presentation Association and Why Hunger spoke out against something very dangerous that we all need to push back against. I wanted to share some thoughts with you about the importance of this issue. Read the rest of this entry »
UPDATE: The UNFCCC or COP 16 is now in full swing in Cancun
December 1st, 2010After the disaster in Copenhagen expectations are, unfortunately, very low. This negative feeling is being heightened by positions being taken by governments like Canada’s. Canada started the COP with the same winning ways of all previous COP’s since the Conservatives have been government, winning all 3 fossils of the day – this is not a good thing.
I’ve pasted the statement on why Canada won this dubious aware below, all things we have been fighting at home. As terrible as Canada is, the Japanese outdid Canada on Day 2 when they announced, never, ever, under any circumstances, would they inscribe new targets under the Kyoto Protocol. There are a few big struggles here – keeping Kyoto alive is one, as it is the only legally-binding instrument that we have to work within and it will be ongoing as long as we don’t allow a few powerful countries to undermine and gut this agreement. Read the rest of this entry »
Rio+20, Follow-up to the Earth Summit threatens to fail before it begins
May 20th, 2010We are still just over 2 years from the Rio+20 meeting in Brazil scheduled for June 2012 and the just finished PrepCom in New York points to a disaster in the making.
The UN is a gigantic, slow-moving, behemoth at the best of times, interspersed with some sparks of movement and hope. The first Earth Summit was one of those sparks. It created very real mechanisms on trying to deal with biodiversity issues, deforestation, desertification, sustainable development and climate change. True, these mechanisms have been systematically undermined by powerful countries, like Canada. Witness the attempted drowning of the Kyoto Accord in Copenhagen, an illegal act by countries like Canada, which are signatories to Kyoto. Still, the first Rio Summit inspired many new developments and a framework for sustainable development. Read the rest of this entry »
Ideology of water privatization stronger than ever at the World Bank
April 29th, 2010Dear Friends,
If you thought that the World Bank had softened its stand on being one of the main agents of water privatization, please see the articles and report below.
The push for increasing water pricing and the ‘evidence’ that water privatization is actually positive, demonstrates that the ideology of water privatization is stronger than ever with the Bank. Read the rest of this entry »
Video blog from Cochabamba
April 23rd, 2010Feria del Agua – Cochabamba
April 20th, 2010Dear friends,
Just wanted to share a few words about the just-ended Feria del Agua in Cochabamba….a very important moment for our water movement, both 10 years ago and today!
Ten years ago the world was a different place. We had not awoken to the dangers of the neo-liberal agenda and corporate power, let alone the dangers of climate change overwhelming our already fragile ecosystem. Today most around the world are aware of the dangers of water privatisation, even if some governments and international financial institutions continue to embrace this failed concept.
One major event served as a catalyst for this shift in world view. This event was the Water War in Cochabamba, Bolivia. I believe the courage and strength of the peoples of Cochabamba allowed others to believe they too could fight corporate control of water and other examples of these most virulent forms of capitalism. Read the rest of this entry »
Right to Water conference at Syracuse University
April 1st, 2010I just finished participating in an impressive 2-day conference on the Right to Water at Syracuse University. This was hosted by the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, which has been ranked as the number one school on public affairs in the US, since ranking began 15 years ago. Over 250 faculty, students and public attended the events for the 2 days, with presenters from around the world giving speeches and presenting papers. I was very pleased to be asked to contribute as a result of Maude being unable to attend. Read the rest of this entry »
World Water Day, March 22, 2010
March 23rd, 2010Just finished an amazing World Water Day.
The day began with the news that a committee tasked with assessing Coca-Cola’s liability in the Plachimada case had recommended 48 million US Dollars in compensation for the community. This is clearly a victory after years of perseverance, I just wish Mylamma, the women who was such an inspiration in this struggle, had lived to see this day.
Still, this was a great way to begin the day. We moved on to see the Council of Canadians deliver 56,000 petitions to the world’s most intransigent government on recognition of water as a human right, Canada. These petitions demanded action on water as a human right and on implementation of a national water plan in Canada. The pressure is on this government and is being ramped up globally. Read the rest of this entry »
Water Justice: the heart of Climate Justice
March 16th, 2010In Copenhagen, the fight for climate justice was dealt a severe setback. Attempts by powerful governments (including Canada) to sideline international norms and trash multilateralism proved to be a critical stumbling block and remain a major threat to any hope of dealing with global warming in a comprehensive manner. The struggle continues to unfold, and despite the setbacks, it was inspiring to see small island nations take a stand and tens of thousands of youth in the streets to defend their future and reclaim their power. The other good news coming out of Copenhagen was that the water justice movement found her voice in advocating positive solutions to the global climate crisis. Read the rest of this entry »
