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| Pandemics: Fear of Stigma Aids Spread of Disease |
On 3 August, Siti Fadilah Supari announced "For the sake of human interests, the Indonesian government declares the genomic data on bird-flu viruses can be accessed by anyone". The Economist comments that Indonesia's Health Minister has chosen a weapon that may prove more useful than the best vaccines in tackling emerging threats such as avian flu: transparency. Similar lessons are being contemplated by this week's 16th international AIDS conference in Canada.
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| The Battle for Hearts and Minds |
As the world watches in trepidation as the dust from the latest Middle Eastern conflict hopefully settles, there is a growing realisation that peace can not come through military or violent imposition. While each side may lick their wounds with minor consolations, there should be a humbling acknowledgement that any violent intervention merely entrenches the conflicts further. Further, the romanticisation of violence is feeding unholy alliances between disaffected youth, power mongerers, and those that simply hate.
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| Time to Shake Off Environmental and Infrastructure Complacency |
While some affluent countries may be basking in their short term economic successes, their track record in failing to recognise and manage the environment may be going to come back and hurt them. It is becoming clear that water shortages could develop into a global crisis that exceeds the end of the oil age. This should act as a wake up call for those nations who have dragged their heels on the environment. The call to fix water infrastructure coincides with the call to restore health infrastructure in impoverished nations and reminds us to put the problems of fixing US infrastructure post hurricane Wilma-Alpha into a bigger perspective.
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| Can't wait for perfect model to prepare for environmental change |
A study recently appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences which considers the projections from 52 different climate models assessing the impact from climate-induced changes to the world's key ecosystems.
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| AIDS Women Key to Controlling Pandemic |
The 16th International AIDS conference opened with over 24,000 registered delegates and 3,000 journalists. Flagged by Peter Piot as a battle that could take decades, Bill and Melissa Gates have identified the special vulnerability of women in this global tragedy. The conference has given a timely reminder that AIDS does not respect the boundaries of "shoulds". If humanity wants to survive the AIDS pandemic it is going to take resources, pragmatism of accepting the world as it really is and acknowledging what really works, and the courage to embrace visions and conventions that can slow the epidemic until a cure is found. If we can not find this courage then humanity risks literally raping its way into extinction.
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| Exploring Agriculture To Reduce Poverty |
Five countries are meeting in Johannesburg on 16 August to investigate sustainable agricultural methods suitable for the African continent that would also help alleviate poverty. Elsewhere, a Global Horticulture Initiative has just been launched to build a network combinging the expertise and knowledge of horticulture experts in developing countries. Four key areas have been defined: examining the link between horticultural products and health issues; horticultural developments in an urban setting; adding value to products and distribution chain; and fourthly, fostering sustainable agricultural practices.
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| Self-Imposing Taxes for the Greater Good |
Once upon a time, taxes were seen as good and there for the benefit of the broader community (in the days before taxes purposes were seen to fund military machines, feed fat cats, and control the masses). While governments might be abdicating their responsibilities to future generations, some businesses are remembering that they are interdependent with the community and environment. So far more than 300 US companies have joined the effort to pay 1 percent of their net revenue to organisations that promote conservation and preservation.
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| Modelling Eco-Friendliness |
IPS has put forward the northwestern Italian valley of Vara as a European example of a clean and ecologically friendly village. It was the first community to receive the European environmental certifications (ISO 14.001 and EMAS II ) and also won a prize for "best rural community of the Old Continent" in 2004.
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| Opportunity to push for peace |
Two articles popped up on the internet today that give hope that some religious leaders are understanding that if you want to drink from clean springs, you need to go upstream and remove the sources of pollution. Rather than focussing on what has gone wrong or who is to blame for the past, some leaders are saying that now is the time to begin constructing a new solid foundation.
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| Sustainability: requires dance between people and authorities |
Two articles hit the internet in the last day that remind us that sustainability involves both people and the authorities. Marjorie Willison recently returned from the third World Urban Forum held last June in Vancouver. She reflects on how well Canadians are meeting the challenge of sustainability and what more could be done. In Colarado, they have launched "The Larimer County Environmental Stewardship Awards" to encourage people to be stewards for the environment.
A quick search of the BBC news found three articles to encourage further thinking in this area. In the UK only 10% of landfill is domestic waste, food need not become landfill and city planners can now play with software (Metroquest) to help design more robust cities.
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