Every year there is a conference to discuss progress in climate change. The aim of this convention is to stop global temperature rising above dangerous levels as a result of man-made emissions. This year marks the 17th conference which is taking place at Durcan in South Africa. A total of 194 countries have gathered to discuss ways to tackle climate change. About 15,000 participants representing governments, charities and media are there. For years, the US has been seen as an obstacle in building a consensus on cutting emissions of gases implicated in climate change. Not surprising, negative news have started coming out of the conference. The US refuses to negotiate cuts on carbon emissions. The US and China cannot agree and that can lead to the collapse of the talks, and so derail the summit. The US is supposed to lead in global cooperation on climate change. But that has never been, because of economic interests. One fact that emerges at this year’s conference is that banks continue to support the coal industry with big loans. This is bad news for climate change because the coal industry is one of the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. For years vested interests have denied climate change and form the nucleus of climate skeptics. But as evidence continue to pile up on human contribution to climate change, I thought they would modify their selfish interests to protect the future of the planet. But no, that is not forthcoming. The EU is to be praised for taking on a leadership role in the fight to safeguard the planet’s future. At this conference, the EU wants a legally binding agreement on a timetable for all major polluters to cut emissions by the year 2015. This is not enough but if acceded to will be a major step forward. And it is necessary because many believed that voluntary cuts agreed by countries at previous summits were poorly implemented and are not even sufficient to keep global temperature from reaching the threshold of 20C increase at which model suggests the impacts of climate change would spiral out of control. Records show that 13 of the world’s hottest years have been in the last 15 years. We have to act now to secure the Earth for future generation.
Friday 2 December 2011
Saturday 26 November 2011
The Dismissal of the Head of the Anti-corruption Agency in Nigeria
When I heard the news
about the sack of the head of the Economic and Financial Crime Agency (EFCC) in
Nigeria, I shrugged my shoulders and whispered ‘humbug’. My immediate reaction
is understandable. Corruption is a way of life in Nigeria. And government is
the most corrupt institution. You may say this is not peculiar to Nigeria. But
I assure you that in Nigeria it has been taken to an incredible height. Forget the
rating in the global corruption index. Politics is the biggest business in the
country and is a magnet for the most corrupt. Social structure, behavior,
recognition and role models are all geared to corruption. For somebody to have
the opportunity and yet refuse to dip his hands into the public purse is the
highest measure of stupidity in the country. So what has been the work of the
anti-corruption agency you may ask? Oh that’s simple; to fight perceived political
enemies. And yet Nigerians in their utterances continue to blame all their woes
on corruption. Sometimes I wonder at this disconnection between their actions
and statements. Are they just parodying statements from the developed west and
international agencies or they are really convinced corruption is bad for the
development of the country? May be sacking and replacing the head of the EFCC
once in a while is another smart move on corruption. It’ll convince
international partners and investors that the government is serious in reining in corruption. Yeah now that I thought of it, that must
be the reason!
Monday 18 July 2011
IS INCOMPETENCE A UNIVERSAL TRAIT OF POLITICIANS?
I thought compared to politicians of the developed West, African politicians were rather unintelligent, insensitive, corrupt, narrow-minded and undemocratic. I will still place them as far ahead in corruption and being undemocratic. But recent developments in the US and Europe, especially Greece and Ireland, have given me a rethink about intelligence. It seems politicians all over the world are actually different shades of the same colour. As someone put it, 'the abject incompetence of politicians' is universal.
Now I can understand why it is difficult for Republicans and Democrats in the US to find a common ground on the nation's debts, tax increases, spending cuts. It seems no crisis is too serious to set aside their political ambition. Over the years, Republicans and Democrats have pledged to control spending and never fulfilled it. In protecting business interests against what they termed 'big government' and in discouraging regulation of business from speculation, Republicans have created most of the current economic problems in the US. I believe that politicians can't comprehend that our resources on earth are limited, and we can't have infinite wealth.
In Greece, the older generation after enjoying years of luxury on borrowed money would now transfer the burden to the younger generation in form of austerity measures. Ofcourse there is no other solution; the younger generation must pay for the foolery and greed of the leaders among the older generation!
But can we learn from our predicament. I don't think so! It seems politics by its nature don't admit really intelligent and honest people. Sure because a good politician must be a crowd pleaser. So expect a repeat as we have the same attitude and similar crops of poor managers of earthly resources. You can be sure of human nature when it comes to seeking power and wealth.
Now I can understand why it is difficult for Republicans and Democrats in the US to find a common ground on the nation's debts, tax increases, spending cuts. It seems no crisis is too serious to set aside their political ambition. Over the years, Republicans and Democrats have pledged to control spending and never fulfilled it. In protecting business interests against what they termed 'big government' and in discouraging regulation of business from speculation, Republicans have created most of the current economic problems in the US. I believe that politicians can't comprehend that our resources on earth are limited, and we can't have infinite wealth.
In Greece, the older generation after enjoying years of luxury on borrowed money would now transfer the burden to the younger generation in form of austerity measures. Ofcourse there is no other solution; the younger generation must pay for the foolery and greed of the leaders among the older generation!
But can we learn from our predicament. I don't think so! It seems politics by its nature don't admit really intelligent and honest people. Sure because a good politician must be a crowd pleaser. So expect a repeat as we have the same attitude and similar crops of poor managers of earthly resources. You can be sure of human nature when it comes to seeking power and wealth.
Tuesday 12 July 2011
THE DROUGHT-INDUCED HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN EAST AFRICA
Drought is a recurring problem in East Africa. There has been crop failures every year. The harvest has become worse and more people are becoming hungry. Is the situation going to deteriorate further because of climate change?
The news is already out. East Africa is experiencing the most severe drought in 60 years, which is wiping out cattle and crops, and has left 10 million people in desperate need of food, water and medical care. The drought is affecting areas of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.
The worst hit is Somalia which has been described by many as a failed state. Since the outbreak of civil war in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of Somali's territory. Because of the drought, thousands of Somalians are fleeing the southern part of their country to refugee camps in the capital Mogadishu. More than a thousand Somalians are daily streaming across the Kenyan border. Somalian refugees are also arriving in neighbouring Ethiopia.
Children are suffering the worst in the long trek on foot through regions that are dry and without vegetation. UNICEF announced that 65 thousand children in Kenya are at risk of dying from hunger. Meanwhile WHO warned that the movement of the large number of people and the poor hygiene in overcrowded camps is increasing the risk of cholera, typhoid and measles.
The situation has prompted appeals for humanitarian aids from many organizations. Towards the end of last year when the drought was not as severe as now, the UN appealed for half a billion dollar to address food insecurity in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. The response was poor and some people believe that the present crisis could have been prevented by an early intervention. Now aids agencies are talking about a mounting humanitarian emergency, and have launched multi-million dollar appeals.
While supporting the appeals by humanitarian aids agencies, I still believe that aids are short-term solutions to this african malady. Yes it is not just a natural disaster! Africa needs to understand the dire situation of planet Earth, and should embrace a culture of scientific management of its natural resources, population control and drastic reduction of corruption. These are vital for any improvement in the socio-economic condition of Africa!
The news is already out. East Africa is experiencing the most severe drought in 60 years, which is wiping out cattle and crops, and has left 10 million people in desperate need of food, water and medical care. The drought is affecting areas of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.
The worst hit is Somalia which has been described by many as a failed state. Since the outbreak of civil war in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of Somali's territory. Because of the drought, thousands of Somalians are fleeing the southern part of their country to refugee camps in the capital Mogadishu. More than a thousand Somalians are daily streaming across the Kenyan border. Somalian refugees are also arriving in neighbouring Ethiopia.
Children are suffering the worst in the long trek on foot through regions that are dry and without vegetation. UNICEF announced that 65 thousand children in Kenya are at risk of dying from hunger. Meanwhile WHO warned that the movement of the large number of people and the poor hygiene in overcrowded camps is increasing the risk of cholera, typhoid and measles.
The situation has prompted appeals for humanitarian aids from many organizations. Towards the end of last year when the drought was not as severe as now, the UN appealed for half a billion dollar to address food insecurity in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. The response was poor and some people believe that the present crisis could have been prevented by an early intervention. Now aids agencies are talking about a mounting humanitarian emergency, and have launched multi-million dollar appeals.
While supporting the appeals by humanitarian aids agencies, I still believe that aids are short-term solutions to this african malady. Yes it is not just a natural disaster! Africa needs to understand the dire situation of planet Earth, and should embrace a culture of scientific management of its natural resources, population control and drastic reduction of corruption. These are vital for any improvement in the socio-economic condition of Africa!
Tuesday 5 July 2011
Greece Sets Me Thinking !
Greece sets me thinking! Can we have a perfect economic system? I don't think so; because our economic and political systems are closely linked to our human nature. If humans are perfect, most economic systems, as the social relations of institutions and people, would take on the attribute of flawlessness.
My thoughts on the economic crisis in Greece just buttressed the doubt I had in my early encounter with some theories of economics. I think economics is too obsessed with the creation of wealth. It is more about unlimited riches than scientific management of resources.
Economics always talk about finite productive resources but actually promotes an attitude of limitless production. In capitalist societies that practise market economy, the institutions and people behave in their relationship to productive resources as if wealth can be increased ad infinitum.
The attitude that the growth of wealth is unlimited is what makes me uncomfortable with economics as a social science. To me, the idea that production means or the market should be completely unregulated is a fodder for individualistic and selfish human nature. Our resources for now are limited to planet Earth, and we cannot borrow our way out of uncurtailed spending and misuse of resources!
My thoughts on the economic crisis in Greece just buttressed the doubt I had in my early encounter with some theories of economics. I think economics is too obsessed with the creation of wealth. It is more about unlimited riches than scientific management of resources.
Economics always talk about finite productive resources but actually promotes an attitude of limitless production. In capitalist societies that practise market economy, the institutions and people behave in their relationship to productive resources as if wealth can be increased ad infinitum.
The attitude that the growth of wealth is unlimited is what makes me uncomfortable with economics as a social science. To me, the idea that production means or the market should be completely unregulated is a fodder for individualistic and selfish human nature. Our resources for now are limited to planet Earth, and we cannot borrow our way out of uncurtailed spending and misuse of resources!
Saturday 25 June 2011
Welcome to My Blog
Hi welcome to my blog. So many things interest me. I love our home planet Earth and worry about its ecosystems! I love Homo sapiens and other life forms, and constantly think about our future as a species. Built on these broad affections are my active interests on international issues, science and technology. So stay with me as I share my views with you.
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