By Julio Godoy* | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis
BERLIN (IDN) – A series of interviews with the German Economic Affairs and Energy Minister Sigmar Gabriel and with leading representatives of energy industries of the country, broadcast by the German public television network in run-up to COP21 in Paris, seemed to prove what critics of climate change conferences often claim: The governments of industrialised countries model their opinions and policies on the criteria laid down by private businesses.
By Ramesh Jaura | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis
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| Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama |
Lesotho Finance Minister Dr. ‘Mamphono Khaketla |
ACP Secretary General Dr Patrick I. Gomes |
BERLIN | BRUSSELS (IDN) – The 79-nation group of Afrian, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries is determined to become a global player within and outside the United Nations system and at the same time bring the Brussels-based Secretariat closer to the seven ACP regions by participating in regional summits, on-going discussions within the group reveal.
By OHCHR* | IDN-InDepthNews Feature
GENEVA (IDN) – A human rights based approach to mega sporting events would not just generate good on and off the playing field, but it would also help generate certainty for sponsors, said Brent Wilton, Global Director, Workplace Rights and Human Rights for Coca Cola.
“We want to make sure that when people are inside that stadium and that event kicks off and there is happiness inside, that the people who are outside that stadium are not worse off by not having had their rights respected,” he said.
Wilton was one of several speakers during a panel discussion on identifying solutions to key human rights challenges associated with huge sporting events.
By Roberto Savio* | IDN-InDepthNews Viewpoint
ROME (IDN) – The downing of a Russian jet on November 24 by Turkey near the Syrian border will complicate even more the mess surrounding Syria.
Putin has called Turkey an “accomplice of terrorists”, and has denounced that the oil extracted by the Islamic State (ISIS), which is vital for its finances, is sold through Turkey, This was an open secret, as it is an open secret that Saudi Arabia and Qatar are in fact financing Sunni terrorism.
Meanwhile, France is pushing for military support from European partners. British Prime Minister David Cameron has promised support, and has announced a 16.8 billion pound increase in Britain’s defence budget, while at the same time cutting public spending costs, including for education and health.
By J C Suresh | IDN-InDepthNews Report
TORONTO (IDN) – The Global Environment Facility (GEF) expects the twenty-first meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – from November 30 to December 11 in Paris – to be a “turning point”.
It expects COP21 to send “a loud and clear signal to citizens, markets and the private sector that the transformation of the global economy is inevitable, beneficial, and already underway”.
Governments from around the world are meeting in Paris to reach a new climate change agreement that aims to keep global average temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) – the level beyond which there will be irreversible impacts.
By Nadia Pontes | IDN-InDepthNews Feature
This story is the first in a series of news features related to the 21st UN Climate Conference (COP21) from November 30 to December 11. It was sourced through the Voices2Paris UNDP storytelling contest on climate change and developed thanks to Megan Rowling and @alertnetclimate.
Pesqueira / Pernambuco, Brazil (IDN) – For the rural community of Pacheco in northeastern Brazil, the local school has never been so important. It is now the only place in the drought-stricken area that has water on tap.
By J Nastranis | IDN-InDepthNews Report
A thousand students from Rizal High School, in Pasig City, Philippines form a human banner that reads: “Act for our Future,” to call for a strong and fair global climate agreement ahead of the international climate talks in Paris. Credit: 350.org
NEW YORK (IDN) – In run-up to the start of the COP21 climate summit in Paris on November 30, hundreds of thousands of people will be taking to the streets in over 2,000 events spread across 150 countries to demand that negotiating parties keep fossil fuels in the ground and finance a just transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050.
By Somar Wijayadasa* | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis
Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali (third from right) meets with the keynote speakers at an event on the occasion of the World AIDS Day, with the theme “One world. One hope” on December 2, 1996 at the UN Headquarters. From left to right: Martina Clark; Marina Mahathir; Cristina Saralegui; Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali; Elizabeth Taylor and Noerine Kaleeba. | Credit: United Nations, New York – Photo # 158026
NEW YORK (IDN) – The World AIDS Day, observed on December 1 every year, inspires me to recall how the United Nations acted – hesitantly but resolutely – when the AIDS pandemic killed millions of people around the world causing a substantial impact on the health and economy of many nations.
Since the first identification of HIV/AIDS among gay men in the United States of America, in 1981, approximately 76 million people have been infected with HIV, and 39.6 million people have died of AIDS – the highest global death toll of all time, and also the most politicized, feared and controversial disease in the history of modern medicine.
By Jutta Wolf | IDN-InDepthNews Report
BERLIN | BRUSSELS (IDN) – A new report finds that progress towards equality of women and men in the news media has virtually ground to a halt over the past five years. In fact, “progress towards news representation that acknowledges women’s participation in economic life remains elusive”. The report calls for “an end to media sexism by 2020”.
According to the findings of the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP), released on November 23, worldwide, women make up only 24% of the people heard, read about or seen in newspaper, television and radio news, exactly the same level found in 2010.
The Central American country of Costa Rica is a model state that embodies the concept of global citizenship by pursuing a culture of peace and aspiring to achieve complete carbon-neutrality.
By Fabíola Ortiz | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis
SAN JOSE (IDN) – With less than five million inhabitants, Costa Rica became famous for abolishing its army in the late 1940’s, when its Central American neighbours were involved in armed conflicts. After becoming a model of peace in the region, the country now wants to be known as a laboratory for a deep decarbonisation process of the world economy.
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