Bolivia’s UN ambassador: rich countries fail to cut greenhouse gases

from Democracy Now!
August 10, 2010 

Even as the world faces a series of extreme weather events that scientists warn is related to global warming, international climate negotiations are moving at a glacial pace. The latest round of climate talks in Bonn, Germany, ended last week, and diplomats have just one more short meeting in China in the coming months to hash out their differences before the critical high-level climate conference in Cancún, Mexico, at the end of the year.

At the meetings in Bonn, the negotiating text got a lot bigger, and a number of proposals from developing countries were added into the controversial agreement that came out of the divisive Copenhagen summit last year. Some fear the new text could slow down talks in Cancún, but others say the concerns of the majority of the world’s countries are finally represented in the text.

For more on what this means for a binding global agreement on climate change, I’m joined here in New York by ambassador Pablo Solón, Bolivia’s permanent representative to the United Nations. He was just in Bonn last week.

Hutt network backs water protest, launches Council election bid

Media Release
VAN - Valley Action Network
12 June, 2010

VAN - Valley Action Network is backing a protest against water privatisation at Hutt City Council Building at 12 noon today.

VAN is expressing opposition to both the Local Government Act Amendment Bill and to water meters, and is simultaneously launching its election campaign for Hutt City Council.

"Privatisation of water is the last thing we need", said VAN organizer Grant Brookes. "Hutt residents are already facing the squeeze from GST increases, and from mortgage and rent rises, while our incomes are threatened by global economic woes.

"Water privatisation will only add to the financial strain facing grassroots Hutt residents. It won't save our natural water resources. International experience suggests that the profit motive encourages private owners to sell more water, not conserve it, and to cut costs on fixing leaky pipes.

"The so-called 'protection' against water privatisation in our current law is full of holes", added Grant.

The Local Government Act passed by the Labour government states that a council "must not divest its ownership or other interest in a water service". But a council may transfer assets to a "Council Controlled Organisation".

"Councils can then sell off 50 percent of the so-called 'Council Controlled Organisation' to private investors", Grant said. "This kind of "public-private partnership" is the most common form of water privatisation world-wide.

"As if the current law wasn't bad enough, Local Government Minister Rodney Hide wants to extend the length of time that companies can manage water from 15 to 35 years. The bill will also allow private companies, as well as the so-called 'Council Controlled Organisations', to own water utilities.

"But businesses looking to get into in water supply will want a customer base and a product they can sell. That's where domestic water meters come in. Water meters enable water to be sold to households by the litre. They're the linch-pin of privatisation.

"Today, there's a small army of consultants lobbying councils around New Zealand to introduce water meters.

Hutt City councillors, and the current mayor, have expressed interest in water meters, while distancing themselves from introduction at this stage because they know meters are unpopular.

But Capacity Infrastructure Services, the water management company for Wellington and Lower Hutt, is recommending universal water metering right now.

"Capacity is half-controlled by Hutt City", said Grant. "According to its latest Annual Report, the Council 'has significant influence over it'. What influence is the Council exerting over water meters?

"I don't think we can rely on our current Council to stop water meters and privatisation. Residents need to come together to take action. Protests, meetings and submissions on Rodney Hide's bill are needed to raise awareness and put pressure on decision-makers.

"In Auckland, where water meters were introduced from 1991, some residents engaged in civil disobedience by organising disconnection of the meters.

"But while grassroots action is needed, Hutt City residents can also use their vote this October to stop water meters and privatisation."

VAN - Valley Action Network, is standing for election in October with a policy of opposition to water meters and water privatisation.

For more information, contact:

Grant Brookes
Organiser, VAN - Valley Action Network
www.huttvan.org.nz
organiser (at) huttvan (dot) org (dot) nz
021 053 2973

Water: ‘When Federated Farmers asks, the Government listens’

by Pat O’Dea


Wondering what is behind the sacking of the Canterbury Regional Council over the control of Canterbury’s water resources? When Federated Farmers ask, the Government listens.

New Zealand’s biggest business pressure group put out their wish list in early February. Since then the Government has been ticking the boxes one by one.

Saving Public Water & defending democracy in Canterbury

Environment Canterbury’s (Canterbury Regional Council) elected councillors are getting the sack, to be replaced by a Government appointed commissioner.

This anti-democratic move will save supporters of industrial dairying from humiliation at October’s local elections, and allow industry and government to get on with their goal of polluting and privatising Canterbury’s water.

The Water Forum has called a public meeting to bring together water campaigners to discuss the next step.

Saving Public Water

Saturday April 10

4 to 6 pm

WEA, 59 Glouchester St

Christchurch

Don't dam the Hurunui River

A thousand people joined a lunch time march in Christchurch on Friday October 16, to oppose an irrigation dam on North Canterbury’s Hurunui River.The march was the biggest ever public demonstration of opposition to the environmental damage done by industrial dairy farming and intensive irrigation on the Canterbury Plains. For more information on the campaign to stop the dam here.

Water Scarcity 'Now Bigger Threat Than Financial Crisis'

by Geoffrey Lean from The Independent UK 15 March 2009 By 2030, more than half the world's population will live in high-risk areas. Humanity is facing "water bankruptcy" as a result of a crisis even greater than the financial meltdown now destabilising the global economy, two authoritative new reports show. They add that it is already beginning to take effect, and there will be no way of bailing the earth out of water scarcity. The two reports - one by the world's foremost international economic forum and the other by 24 United Nations agencies - presage the opening tomorrow of the most important conference on the looming crisis for three years. The World Water Forum, which will be attended by 20,000 people in Istanbul, will hear stark warnings of how half the world's population will be affected by water shortages in just 20 years' time, with millions dying and increasing conflicts over dwindling resources.

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