|
Occasional Paper 7 |
|
|
|
 New report from Focus on the Global South:Carbon Offsets & Climate Finance in India: The Corporate-driven Climate “Solutions” of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank & United Nations
by Konrad Fisher
India is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, yet it has played a central role in a counterproductive global climate agenda pushed by the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and large corporations. India now hosts more registered greenhouse gas emission reduction projects – via the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) – than any nation except China. In theory, these CDM “offset” projects – a form of “carbon trading” – supposedly reduce global emissions when developed nations avoid emission reductions at home by funding less expensive emissions reductions in developing nations. In reality, offset projects produce large quantities of greenhouse gases, pollute the local environment, and displace local livelihoods.
The World Bank and Asian Development Bank have become leading proponents of offset projects in India by committing their own resources, and by controlling international funding sources that would otherwise be managed within the more democratic, albeit flawed, United Nations climate framework. Moreover, these two institutions have repackaged their existing corporate-friendly agenda as a solution to the climate crisis, while creating new climate governance programs intended to replace those of the United Nations.
Although it must overcome corporate influence and eliminate existing carbon trading programs, the United Nations – not International Financial Institutions – remains the most viable multilateral body available to manage climate-related finance and international agreements.
To download the pdf copy, click here
Hard copies will soon be available from Focus offices in Thailand, Philippines and India
|
|
|
Extreme Weather Events: Focus on the Philippines 2009 YearBook |
|
|
We are pleased to share
with you the release of the FOCUS ON THE PHILIPPINES 2009 YEARBOOK: Extreme
Weather Events. The 320-page publication covers key issues and
events in the Philippines. The book was first shared with Focus friends and
partners during our 15th Year Anniversary Celebration last January
20, 2010.
To request for a copy, please contact: Lourdes Torres at lou_torres[at]focusweb.org, +63 2 4330899
|
|
|
Occasional Papers 6: CLIMATE CHANGE AND CHINA: Technology, Market and Beyond |
|
|
 A report for Focus on the Global South by Dale Jiajun Wen
China plays an important role of representing the interests of developing countries in the current climate change negotiations through the mechanism of 77+China. As the most important emitter in developing countries it is facing an enormous challenge to fulfill its international obligations to reduce its CO2 emissions, while at the same time address its domestic responsibilities to meet the human development needs of hundreds of millions of its people that are still living in poverty.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Ocassional Papers 5: BACKGROUND PAPER: Investment Liberalization In the EU-ASEAN FTA |
|
|
 by Ignacio Jose Minambres
With the increasing importance of Investment Flows and the impossibility to get agreements for its liberalization at the multilateral level, the developed economies are pushing for its inclusion in one way or another in the bilateral trade agreements that are being negotiated and signed, more ostensibly since the collapse of the Doha Round of the WTO.
Through the study of the agreements already signed by the EU we can foresee what will be the expectations the European bloc has for the negotiations it is holding with the ASEAN nations. In this paper we try to make a first analysis an understanding of what it is aiming to get and how it would affect a set of countries with such disparities as ASEAN.
Download the paper here .
|
|
|
New Power Politics in Asia: Briefing note on the Shanghai Cooperation Organzation |
|
|
 The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a regional mechanism, which
was created in 2001 and consists of the following:
People's Republic of China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and
Uzbekistan. It was inspired by the need to solve the border disputes lingering between the Soviet Union's successor states and China in the wake of the end of the Cold War. Originally a Chinese initiative, taken after resolving their border problems with Central Asia and Russia, it was also profitable for the Central Asian States, which were lacking in consistency, stability and resources in the midnineties and struggling to establish multilateral and bilateral relations beyond the region. It was also designed as a platform to balance the role of the United States in the Central Asian region.
Main findings of this paper :
-
The SCO has been able to meet with its initial objective to establish
geopolitical multipolarity in Central Asia and check the US advance into
the region.
-
It is a reflection of the emerging multi-polar world.
-
Its increasingly acquiring strength is suggestive of becoming a major political force of the Eurasian region.
-
The SCO will play a vital role in ensuring international security.
Download the paper here
|
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next > End >>
|
| Results 1 - 9 of 62 |
; "cha-am")
; "climatejusticelogo"){kind=small}
; "tarp_asean_phil_2009_big")
Publications ; "occ7front")
; "occ6small")
; "frontocc5"){kind=icon}
; "sco")
; "msp")
; "wallstreet")
; "wsfTV_banner")
; "balay")
; "robinhoodtax2"){kind=small}
; "paar"){kind=small}