Tous les articles et traductions

, by Infochange

Green reasons for red rage

By Richard Mahapatra

An expert group of the Planning Commission establishes a strong correlation between social unrest and the spread of Naxalism and poverty, landlessness and inequitable management of natural resources
An expert group on development challenges in extremist-affected areas (read: Naxalite-affected (…)

, by Choike

Oil companies in developing countries

A large body of evidence suggests that rich oil resources obstruct democracy and equitable economic growth in developing countries because of a lack of transparency, and therefore accountability, in oil revenues paid by oil companies to governments.
The human rights implications of the (…)

Export of electronics equipment waste

Joseph Ladou, Sandra Lovegrove, janvier 2008, 10 p. (pdf)

Electronics equipment waste (“e-waste”) includes discarded computers, computer monitors, television sets, and cell phones. Less than 10% of e-waste is currently recycled. The United States and other developed countries export e-waste primarily to Asia, knowing it carries a real harm to the poor (…)

Machhimar Adhikar Rashtriya Abhiyan

Discontent, unrest and agitation engulf the coasts of our country. Fisherpeople, under severe duress, have no other way but to launch a national campaign to conserve the coastal and marine resources and to protect their lives and livelihood. The campaign begins on 1st May 2008. A central (…)

The digital dump : exporting re-use and abuse to Africa

The Basel Action Network, October 2005, 85 p., pdf

The electronics and information technology industry is the world’s largest and fastest growing manufacturing industry. As a consequence of this remarkable growth, combined with the phenomenon of rapid product obsolescence, discarded electronic equipment, or e-waste, is now recognized as the (…)

Key social impacts of electronics production and WEEE-recycling in China

Andreas Manhart, Öko-Institut e.V., June 2007, 33 p. (pdf)

Both, electronics production and WEEE-recycling have major social impacts on workers, neighbouring communities and the Chinese society: While electronics production is a major driver for the country’s economic development and makes up almost two thirds of the country’s export surplus, the (…)

, by Greenpeace France

Blue alert: Climate migrants in South Asia, estimates and solutions

Sudhir Chella Rajan, March 2008, 24 p. (pdf)

Climate change is the biggest environmental threat faced by South Asia and may well be the biggest humanitarian and economic challenge that the developing world will have to face in the coming decades. While the world has woken up to the threat of climate change, the true enormity of what this (…)

, by ESSF

After Bali: Time for a Different Kind of Climate Politics

By ANGUS Ian

In a narrow and formal sense, last month’s Climate Change conference in Bali achieved its objectives. The Kyoto Protocol is due to expire in 2012: the Bali gathering’s purpose was to adopt a roadmap for negotiating a new treaty — and that was done. A new roadmap, called the Bali Action Plan, was (…)

, by Focus on the global south

Agroenergy: Myths and Impacts in Latin America

by Pastoral Land Commission and Network for Social Justice and Human Rights

Recent studies on the negative impacts of fossil fuels have contributed to agrofuels becoming one of the most important issues of the day. Currently, the global energy matrix is composed of petroleum (35%), coal (23%), and natural gas (21%). Just ten of the wealthiest countries consume close to (…)

, by Down to earth

Biofuel: good idea, bad practice

Sunita Narain

Now that the reality of climate change has been accepted even by its strongest sceptics, there is a rush to find answers. The latest buzz is to substitute the use of greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuels with biofuels-fuel processed from plants. Unfortunately, the way we are going about (…)

, by Down to earth

Persistent organic pollutants can render vaccines ineffective

Researchers from usa and Denmark have confirmed an association between increased exposure to persistent organic pollutants (pops) like polychlorinated biphenyls (pcb) and decreased antibody production in children vaccinated against tetanus and diphtheria. Action against pops was initiated in the (…)

, by Down to earth

Fuel inefficient India heading towards energy crisis

Energy insecurity is India’s latest tryst with her post-liberalised destiny. It began in July 2006. Crude oil prices rose to all time peak, at US $79 a barrel. In India, retail prices of petrol and diesel rose, respectively, 59.6 per cent and 78.8 per cent from 2002 levels. A compelled (…)

, by Grain

The end of farm-saved seed ?

GRAIN Briefing, february 2007, 14 p. (pdf)

The big players in the world seed industry are grumbling about loopholes in the plant variety protection system, which was the alternative to patenting that they set up in the 1960s. The Europeans want to get rid of farmers’ limited entitlement to save seed. The Americans want to restrict the (…)