energy
Privatization continued
Submitted by ni-radio on April 16, 2008 - 3:49pm.
Inside the minds of politicians privatizing public assets...
Despite widespread and vocal global disgruntlement about privatisation, governments keep on keeping it on. They're selling public assets at ridiculously low rates. They're giving corporations monopoly control of a dizzying array of essential public services. And they're exposing education, health and transport to a profit motive delivering less quality at more cost. Just what can politicians who privatize be thinking? Radio New Internationalist decided to ask.
- Laila Harré - a former New Zealand Cabinet Minister - joins today's program to explore what goes on in the minds of our governments when they're making these huge and irreversible decisions: decisions that effectively let companies take over the functions entrusted to government. As she outlines the players, the politics, and the psychology of privatization, she paints a clear picture of what's coming up next on privatization's broad horizons.
- The privatization cheer-leading squad contains a colourful array of financiers and advisors who are driving the process behind the scenes. New Zealand researcher, writer and activist Bill Rosenberg from the Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa (CAFCA) provides some profiles, as he outlines some of the international pressures driving privatization.
- A massive 30 per cent of South Africans have no access to electricity even though it's a right given to all by South Africa's Bill of Rights. Silumko Radebe from the South African Anti Privatization Forum explains how he and his colleagues are reconnecting people with the energy services that privatization is trying to take away.
Today's CD is called Sabou performed by that legendary West African singer Mory Kante. He's a millionaire of a different sort - the first African artist to sell a million singles.
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Climate Talks in Bangkok
Submitted by Nicola Bullard on April 3, 2008 - 11:59am.
BANGKOK, 2 April, 2008: This week, climate negotiators are in Bangkok hammering out a workplan which will allow them to reach a new set of agreements by the end of 2009. Contrary to some reports, the Kyoto Protocol does not end in 2012 – it is simply the end of the first commitment period and all so-called Annex 1 (mainly industrialized) countries are legally required to commit to new binding emission reductions targets. Read more »
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A Green OPEC?
Submitted by Adam Ma'anit on January 28, 2007 - 11:37am.
Despite the underwhelming emphasis on climate change at the World Social Forum, there were a few interesting sessions and issues worth noting, many of which might not have been labeled as strictly ‘climate change’ sessions.
One in particular was a workshop on biofuels, organized by the Global Forest Coalition. Read more »
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Darkness visible
Submitted by David Ransom on August 15, 2006 - 11:05am.
This morning I woke to find the river flowing in the wrong direction, the barge rising at an alarming speed.
Reading a local guide, I find that the pub just upstream, beyond the next lock, is a traditional place for boats to moor up, beyond the reach of the tides. The mooring where I am now is on the wrong side of that lock, and as a result it is vulnerable to very high ‘spring’ tides, which lift the water level even over the lock downstream.
From the radio I learn that exceptionally high tides are expected in Norfolk, some way from here on the coast of East Anglia, in early September. If these combine with storm surges there could be widespread flooding. Though the tides where I am differ quite a bit, they are notoriously strong, so I await early September with some trepidation. Read more »
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New Internationalist (NI) workers' co-operative exists to report on issues of world poverty and inequality; to focus attention on the unjust relationship between the powerful and the powerless worldwide; to debate and campaign for the radical changes necessary to meet the basic needs of all; and to bring to life the people, the ideas and the action in the fight for global justice.
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