The Security Council has indeed voted -- unanimously, nonetheless -- for what the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has long needed: more troops. Even that, on its own, of course, will not be enough.
The spate of piracy on the Somali seas has set pundits galore a-commentin'. Before I survey the blogosphere, though, let me highlight a particularly keen -- and under-discussed -- recommendation. Professor Peter Lehr (he edited a book on piracy, so he must know what he's talking about) is adamant that fighting pirates can only ever be half the solution.
sex appeal lure of piracy as a quick-fix to disastrous economic circumstances presumably draws disparate actors into this high-profile banditry. Throw in legitimate grievances about unregulated fishing practices -- plus far too many easily available guns -- and you have a pretty straightforward explanation for the uptick in piracy.
Now, on to what some others are saying:
The other is to protect Somali waters against illegal fishing, thus giving local fishermen a fair chance to earn a living without turning to criminality. With all the focus on piracy and the "lure of easy money", it is all but forgotten that the majority of Somali fishermen do just that - try to earn a decent living against all odds, and now more and more often in the crossfire of pirates and navies.What people caught up in reporting the exploits of "the pirates" neglect to mention is that this is not a select coterie of the same criminals, over and over. While pirates certainly do strike twice (and thrice, and more), the
Costa Rica's NatureAir, which four years ago became the world's first carbon-neutral airline, has now signed on to the Climate Neutral Network, an initiative of the UN Environmental Program.
"With the airline industry contributing an estimated three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions - nearly as much as the entire African continent, it is vital that solutions to the climate change challenge come from within the industry itself. I welcome NatureAir to the Climate Neutral Network as a trailblazer on the path to zero emissions air travel," said UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.NatureAir offsets all of its carbon emissions -- no small feat, even for a small airline with efficient propellor planes -- by purchasing credits from the government, which go toward protecting the country's hundreds of acres of tropical forests. The increasingly popular airline has found that flying green is not only environmentally friendly; it's also quite profitable, as NatureAir has grown an average of 20% annually since 2001. So if you happen to be travelling in Costa Rica -- a country aiming to become the world's first entirely carbon-neutral nation -- hop aboard one of NatureAir's colorful, climate-friendly planes. And unlike the even smaller prop planes of its competing "puddle-jumper," NatureAir can also fly in the rain. (photo from flickr user Matt Stratton under a Creative Commons license)
by John Anthony
In what can only be described as a bold challenge, and an even more surprising upset, Congressman Henry Waxman (D-Beverly Hills) today toppled the Dean of the House of Representatives, fellow Democrat, John Dingell (D-Detroit), for chairmanship of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee. The Committee's jurisdiction is expansive, including health care, environment and energy, all areas where President-elect Obama is likely to seek comprehensive legislation early in his first term.
Waxman is best remembered recently for his numerous hearings and oversight investigations of the Bush administration, most notably on issues pertaining to Iraq, and the faulty intelligence used as a precursor to the U.S. invasion. For most of his life, John Dingell has served as the auto industry's representative in Washington, fighting passionately for the interests and concerns of both automakers and their workers. During much of this time he also opposed meaningful increases in automobile fuel efficiency standards. 2007's spike in crude oil, rising concerns over global warming and national security considerations proved too much for Dingell and the auto industry to beat back from their Alamo-like position, and modest mileage improvements, 35 miles per gallon, fleet-wide, by 2020, were imposed.
Given today's results, it's clear that many Democrats weren't looking forward to another round vs. John Dingell and the Big Three. The U.S. transportation sector accounts for almost 30 percent of annual carbon dioxide emissions, and many climate change and renewable energy advocates are confident that Henry Waxman will wield a more progressive gavel over alternative energy and emissions reduction legislation.
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA -- In the United States, we often hear politicians rail against the degradation of our manufacturing sector as "good jobs get sent oversees." In Ethiopia today, I saw the other side of the equation, though it was Danish industry that moved abroad. And surprisingly, the Danish government seemed quite pleased about it.
Engsko is a Danish-Ethiopian company that sells mill stones all around the world. It was first established in Denmark in the late 1800s and in the 1950s began exporting mill stones to Ethiopia. By the 1990s, Ethiopia was importing about 16,000 mill stones a year, which are mostly used in agro-processing, and Ensko formed an Ethiopian branch to produce the stones locally. In 2007, Ensko shuttered its Danish factory and moved all production to Ethiopia.
As an American, I was somewhat taken aback that a government would want to draw attention to this fact, much less bring reporters to the new factory! Not so for the Danes. In fact, the Danish Development Minister Ulla Tomaes keynoted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open a new wing of the factory.
In her speech, Tomaes hailed the factory as a development success story. It is a $2.5 million business that makes about 50,000 stones a year. It employs 122 locals, offering them decent wages and health care services. Also, Ethiopia has saved significant sums by being an exporter, rather than a main importer, of mill stones. Finally, the plant has yielded excellent returns for the (mostly Danish) shareholders.
Since the Danes have fairly robust social welfare policies, I would imagine that the workers whose jobs were exported to Ethiopia were pretty well looked after. The Ethiopian workers who inherited these jobs, like the cement mixers pictured to the right, have certainly benefited mightily from the move.
The UN Development Program is seeking to answer that age-old question for residents of the small nation of Comoros: how can we best use a volcano to improve our economy, provide energy, feed us, promote tourism, increase biodiversity, and, um, not cover us with liquid hot magma?
Comorosers Comorosans people who live in the Comoros will hopefully actually be able to benefit from their geography -- instead of having to flee from it in terror.
(image of lava flow in the Comoros from flickr user maeli under a Creative Commons license)
Experts in vulcanology, natural resources and disaster prevention are gathering today in the Comoros for the start of a United Nations-sponsored conference examining how the Indian Ocean archipelago can better manage and profit from the active volcano that dominates the main island in the chain. The Karthala volcano, which covers two thirds of Grande Comore island, has erupted about 20 times over the past century and four times since 2005, displacing thousands of locals in the process.So now, in addition to being able to brag about the coolness of living on a volcano nation,
(cross-posted at On Day One)
A sneak preview of an ad, signed by dozens of Republican and Democratic foreign policy luminaries, that will run in Thursday's New York Times.
In today's rapidly changing world of interdependence, globalization, and transnational threats, the United States must balance a strong military with creative diplomacy to secure America's interests. We must recognize that the United Nations is a critical platform and partner for advancing international cooperation on today's global threats and challenges, such as poverty and disease, nuclear proliferation, terrorism, and climate change. The UN cannot succeed without strong U.S. leadership and support. The next President has a unique opportunity to revitalize the U.S.-UN relationship as a symbol of America's commitment to constructive international cooperation. This investment will pay off substantially by helping to enhance our standing internationally and strengthen our ability to keep America safe and strong.The letter, sponsored by the Partnership for a Secure America and the UN Foundation and spearheaded by former Democratic Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Republican National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft, also includes the signatures of various high-profile Senators, Representatives, and officials from both parties. These foreign policy experts express a UNanimoUS (UN-U.S., get it yet?) consent that the incoming Obama administration should, among other important steps, pay U.S. debts to the UN on time, seek a seat on the Human Rights Council, and provide concrete support for UN peacekeeping. If you can't wait to see the ad in tomorrow's Times, check out coverage in WaPo and Reuters, or take a look at the pdf version.
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA--After an incredibly uplifting morning observing a meeting of young African social entrepreneurs, I caught up with the Danish Minister for Development Ulla Tomaes who was touring a number of innovative economic development projects here. We stopped at Muya Ethiopia, a compound of four buildings that produces high-end crafts like pottery and decorative scarves.
Potters and weavers are drawn from lower castes here in Ethiopia. They barely get by, typically earning less than $6 dollars month. But Muya Ethiopia strives to be something different. For one, the products manufactured here are high quality and sold abroad. But more importantly, Muya Ethiopia takes care of its some 150 workers, paying them a decent wage, providing meals, and offering a clean, safe work environment that celebrates the culture of a socially marginalized caste. They even have a on-site volleyball court to encourage exercise during their mandatory one hour lunch break.
Muya Ethiopia does all this while turning a nice profit. They are operating at capacity and export their products all over the world. This is the epitome of doing good by doing well. Muya wants to expand, hire more craftsmen and women but needs the capital to do so. In today's volatile market, investors could do much worse than putting their money behind projects like this.
The UN has announced its target goal of $7 billion to fund its humanitarian projects in 2009. That seems an impressively large amount, until you consider the extent of need across the world and how little it would take for wealthy countries to make game-changing investments.
"Millions of people continue to struggle with long-running conflicts, natural disasters, the effects of climate change, and high food prices. The 2009 Appeal offers concrete help to these people in distress," UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes said, stressing that the $7 billion sought amounted to only a few cents for every $100 of national income in rich countries. [emphasis mine]Responses to the "flash appeals" that the UN makes whenever particular humanitarian emergencies arise -- such as the 2005 Indian Ocean tsunami -- are generally overwhelming. Yet last year, donor countries only provided $4.7 billion out of the combined $7 billion total UN request, from both its original target and the flash appeals for catastrophes such as the cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in Pakistan. For just a few cents off every $100, let's hope we can get off to a better start in 2009.