Monday, March 15, 2010
Protests in Thailand
Sunday, December 13, 2009
'Tis the Season
Friday, December 11, 2009
Climate Action For The Poor
The climate talks currently going on in Copenhagen will hopefully end in an accord that sets out real plans of action to combat climate change on a global level. These projects will cost trillions of dollars over the next few decades.
Does this mean that only countries economically capable of devoting millions or billions of dollars towards combating climate change will be able to reap the benefits of becoming "Green"? - Hopefully not.
According to the NYT, "the European Union will contribute about $3 billion starting next year to help poorer countries deal with climate change, Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain announced on Friday, a move that seeks to improve the chances of reaching an accord next week at climate change talks in Copenhagen".
Specifically these funds would be set aside to help poorer countries to begin planning massive engineering projects like building higher sea walls and converting their electricity systems so they rely on low-carbon sources.
Prime Minister of Britain, Gordon Brown said there were “few moments in history when nations are summoned to common decisions that will reshape the lives of men and women potentially for generations to come.”
No matter what the cost this is an issue that needs to be seriously addressed. I found this quote from a different NYT article about the costs of a Copenhagen Accord to be really moving.
“People often ask about the costs,” said Kevin Parker, the global head of Deutsche Bank Asset Management, who tracks climate policy for the bank. “But the figures people tend to cite don’t take into account conservation and efficiency measures that are easily available. And they don’t look at the cost of inaction, which is the extinction of the human race. Period.”
Thursday, December 3, 2009
A different view of the Afghanistan surge
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
World AIDS Day
Young people account for around 40% of all new adult (15+) HIV infections worldwide.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, almost 60 million people have been infected with
HIV and 25 million people have died of HIV-related causes.
In 2008, $15.6 billion was estimated to be available from all sources for HIV treatment.
UNAIDS estimates that $25 billion will be needed for HIV services in 2010.
According to USAID almost 5,500 people die every day due to AIDS.
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Citizen Interview : Invisible Children
1. In a nutshell what is going on in Uganda? Who are the LRA? What should the average twenty-something know about this region of Africa?
There is a lot going on specifically with this crisis Northern Uganda.
In the mid 80's President Yoweri Museveni took office in Uganda, he was from the South. The people of the North, the Acoli, revolted behind a rebel army, but this dissipated quickly. A member of this rebel army, Joseph Kony, was angry that the revolt was not working and formed his rebel army the LRA, or the Lord's Resistance Army. Kony was so mad that his people were not fighting the south anymore that he began to attack his own people of the north.
On top of these attacks he had begun to abduct children and use them as child soldiers in his army. For the past 23 years the LRA has continued these abductions and massacres of Acholi people. The situation is getting worse as the LRA has left the borders of Uganda and moved into Southern Sudan, Central African Republic, and largely in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
3. How did you personally decide to take this path, to work for IC?
I had many connections to Uganda. My sister had lived there for half a year doing missions work as well as my aunt and uncle have lived there for 30 years. Also, my sister was in the Roadie position last year for Invisible Children. The Roadie position is someone who volunteers about a half a year of their life to travel around the country and present our films at colleges, high schools, churches, and more.
4. Can you explain the humanitarian culture in America today? What is it like to be a young, global minded American working to end conflicts overseas?
5. Other than invisiblechildren.com what are some Web sites to check out?