Fall-Winter 2012, Vol. XXIV No. 3-4

Table of Contents Special Focus: 1 Special Focus: Toppling the Population Toppling the Population Pyramid Pyramid 4 Linking Overpopulation to Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest 5 Health And Environment: Environmental Causes of Respiratory Disease 8 Food for Thought: Evaluating Environmental Impacts of Energy Generation Technologies: Effects on Environmental Policy 11 Did You Know? 12 Toxic Truth 13 The Folly of Shortchanging Family Planning 14 China’s Cancer Village: Toxic Legacy of Economic Growth The Economic Implications of Aging Populations Source: CSIS 14 IPEN Intervention on Basel Convention When studying the global demographic map, one cannot overlook 15 Good News the presence of a global generation gap, as developing countries strug- 15 Talisman Energy withdraws from gle to address growing youth populations while developed countries are Peruvian Amazon – Achuar faced with a “graying” future. As the world watched global population people celebrate a major victory surpass 7 billion people in 2011, demographic concerns and their role as for indigenous rights. catalysts of global economic, social, and political issues garnered greater Voices attention in policy spheres. Despite an expected decline in the average 16 CREATING SUSTAINABILITY global annual population growth rate to 0.77 percent over the next half 21st International Conference century, world population will continue to climb to 8.9 billion people in on Health and Environment: 2050.1 However, a figure more disconcerting than the projected increase Global Partners for Global Solutions in population is the distribution across the globe, as “less developed re- 17 UN - Civil Society Dialogue gions will account for 99 per cent of the expected increment to world population,”2 growing at approximately 58% over the 50 year period. 17 Social Good Summit Thus, while Europe experiences a halving of its natural population, Af- 18 UNISDR Report Outlines rica’s populace will nearly double, which in turn will further stress the Children’s Action increasingly unstable and unsustainable global demographic landscape. A closer examination of this population explosion indicates that eco- 20 Point of View: nomic, social, and political instability are exacerbated by the presence of Poverty vs. Abortion “youth bulges”3 within the population structure, which was most recently visible in the Arab Spring movement. While many fast-growing countries are ill-prepared to address the economic and social frustrations of their growing, and increasingly vocal youths, many developed countries will be Education brings choices. overwhelmed by the opposite end of the population spectrum; “massive Choices bring power. age waves”4 will strain social and health programs, also resulting in social

World Ecology Report and political distress. Today’s policymakers must prevent these popula- is printed on recycled paper. tion pyramids from toppling over by reconciling increasing demographic than 60 percent of the population under age 30 …are at least four times as likely than countries with more mature population age structures to experience new outbreaks of civil conflict”8, population growth and “bottom-heavy” population pyramids provide part of the explanation for the “arc of instability” that extends across Africa, the Mid- dle East, and South Asia. For example, Afghanistan is a developing nation with three-fourths of its population under the age of 30, and as a combined result of popu- lation pressures, economic disparities, political rivalries, and ethnic and religious tensions, young Afghans have turned to terrorism and the Taliban for money and sta- bility.9 Masses of embittered, unemployed youths act as

2005 World age Structure Types Source: Population Action International pressures in the developing world with a declining ca- pacity to address these threats in the developed one. Overpopulation must be credited as an underlying cause of many of today’s interdisciplinary global issues, such as poverty, resource constraints, gender inequality, and social unrest. In developing countries, ranging from Afghanistan to India, excessive population growth has increased pressures on food and water security, physical space, and jobs for all; ultimately, population pressure has acted as kindling to the fire of political, religious, ethnic, and social tensions. An understated factor in this Egyptian protestors and military members pray together in Tahrir Square during the 2011 youth-driven uprising that toppled the autocratic regime of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt. Source: Los Angeles Times the catalyst, or “explosive force”, for unrest over political, economic, and social conditions in countries such as Pa- kistan, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen; this idea is illustrated in the fact that “80% of the world’s civil conflicts since the 1970’s have occurred in countries with young, fast-grow- ing populations.”10 A dynamic, increasing youth popu- lation acts as a double-edge sword for a nation because while the enlarged working-age population creates the The “youth bulges” of the Arab Spring Source: The Los Angeles Times potential for economic growth, this growth is unsustain- able due to the sheer number of jobs needed to satisfy the relationship however is age structure, as very young pop- demand for work. A country that is lauded for its demo- ulations, or “youth bulges”, embody sixty-two countries graphic and economic dynamism, India exemplifies this today with two-thirds of their populations under the age struggle, as the country has the potential for growth rates of thirty.5 These sixty-two countries are concentrated in of 7 to 9 percent, yet needs to create 40 million jobs by the “demographic time-bomb”6 regions of the Middle the end of this decade to absorb the massive increase in East and Africa, as youth bulges, poverty, and poor educa- the labor force. If India fails to create enough jobs for its tion and health hinder their development out of the early 600 million young people under the age of 25, the nation demographic stage. Concerns over unbalanced “youth may find itself embattled in an “Asian Spring”, in which bulges” extend back to Nazi Germany and Maoist China, millions of unemployed youths seek to overthrow an un- as large, disenfranchised youth populations have mixed responsive government.11 with a weak economy, environmental stresses, and poor However, developed countries have turned their at- governance to produce a dangerous concoction of politi- tentions to the opposite end of the population pyramid, cal violence and social conflict.7 As countries with “more focusing on aging and depopulation trends on the hori- World Information Transfer 2 World Ecology Report Fall-Winter 2012 demographers view this “hyperaging”, and the shift from high to low fertility and mortality, as the inevitable last stage of demographic transition, ill-prepared govern- ments failing to cope with this population problem can create unexpected and heightened risks; developed na- tions may unjustly fault globalization for depopulation, turn to economic protectionism, discourage immigra- tion, and shrink into oblivion.17 As the wealthy nations of Western Europe and Asia prepare for a “gray” future, their governments should seek to emulate the popula- tion perspective of North America, which has avoided Predicted Population Growth to 2050 negative growth and a demographic crisis mainly due to Source: guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/14/population-explo- liberal migration policies.18 sion-seven-billion A key determinant of the political, economic, and zon. For states that once saw large populations as a sign social landscape of the 21st century is extreme popula- of wealth and power, the demographic, economic, and tion structures, as the world seeks to reconcile an ag- political tides are changing with the “age waves”12 that ing future with a youthful present. International popu- are rippling through Western Europe and Japan. In the lation policy is at a virtual stalemate due to opposing developed world, “graying means paying”13 because in- perspectives, as wealthy nations cite overpopulation in creasing the proportion of elderly and retired individu- developing states as the root problem, while developing als will add pressure to the labor force and overall econ- countries fault the developed world for resource over- omy, as well as to social services such as pensions, health consumption. National, regional, and international in- care, and nursing homes. Aging populations are a more stitutions must recognize that unstable population pyra- prominent demographic concern today for their future mids have global repercussions, and thus, require global repercussions, as from 2100 to 2300, “the proportion of solutions. The United Nations has recognized the global nature of these issues, focusing efforts on satisfying the 19 Providing contraception could cut maternal needs of embittered global youth. However, these hol- mortality by 29 percent. Unsafe abortions account low calls to reduce population in developing countries evoke rhetoric of the past, such as that of U.S. national for 13 percent of maternal deaths annually. security advisor Henry Kissinger, who warned of LDC An investment in contraception can save (Least Developed Countries) youth becoming “volatile, 7 US dollars for every dollar invested. unstable, prone to extremes, alienation and violence”20 Additional contraception could reduce with rapid population growth. Developed nations with 104,000 maternal deaths annually. the wealth and clout to address population instability in Lancet Medical Journal, 2012. Source: Lancet, 2012 LDCs tend to “tiptoe” around the sensitive issue of pop- ulation reduction, instead centering the population de- world population 65 years and older will increase by one- bate on family planning. The demographic landscape of third (from 24 to 32 per cent)… the proportion 80 years and older will double (from 8.5 to 17 per cent).”14 Due to evolving social norms and technologies that encour- age lower fertility rates and longer life expectancies, re- tired populations will see a surge by 2300, with people retiring 31 years short of their life expectancy (at age 65). Opposing demographic forces are at work in the world, as fertility rates plummet in regions like East Asia to around 1.0 to 1.3, while life expectancy continues to increase across much of the globe.15 Far below the 2.1 replacement rate necessary to maintain a stable popula- tion, these low fertility rates are of particular concern be- cause of their role in “depopulation”. In addition to ag- ing trends, the coming decade will face additional strain Japan is one of the most prominent countries facing due to the retirement of the postwar baby boomer gen- a “gray” future, with an older population of more eration, increasing the median ages of Western Europe than 30 percent. and Japan from 33-34 years to 47-52 years.16 While some Source: The Daily Telegraph World Information Transfer World Ecology Report 3 Fall-Winter 2012 WORLD POPULATION GROWTH, 1950-2050 ed Nations Division of Economic and Social Affairs. Ibid; 3 Leahy, Eliza- beth, Robert Engelman, Carolyn Gibb Vogel, et al. (2007). “The Shape of Things to Come: The Effects of Age Structure on Development.” Popula- tion Action International. Retrieved from http://populationaction.org/wp- content/uploads/2012/01/SOTC.pdf; 4 Howe, Neil and Richard Jackson. (2009, January 4th). “The World Won’t Be Aging Gracefully. Just the Opposite.” Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost. com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/02/AR2009010202231.html; 5 Beehner, Lionel. (2007, April 27th). “The Effects of ‘Youth Bulge’ on Civil Conflicts.” The Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved from http://www. cfr.org/society-and-culture/effects-youth-bulge-civil-conflicts/p13093; 6 (2011, October 22nd). “A Tale of Three Islands.” The Economist. Re- trieved from http://www.economist.com/node/21533364; 7 Beehner, Li- onel. (2007, April 27th). “The Effects of ‘Youth Bulge’ on Civil Conflicts.” The Council on Foreign Relations; 8 Leahy, Elizabeth, Robert Engelman, Carolyn Gibb Vogel, et al. (2007). “The Shape of Things to Come: The Ef- fects of Age Structure on Development.” Population Action International; 9 Weiss, Kenneth. (2012, July 22nd). “Runaway Population Growth often Fuels Youth-Driven Uprisings.” Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http:// www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/population/la-fg-population- matters2-20120724-html,0,982753.htmlstory; 10 Weiss, K. Ibid; 11 Mustafi, Sambuddha Mitra. (2012, August 27th). “Is a Youth Revolution the world is rapidly changing, yet population is an issue Brewing in India?” New York Times. Retrieved from http://india.blogs. that affects the developed and developing worlds alike, nytimes.com/2012/08/27/is-a-youth-revolution-brewing-in-india; 12 and therefore is of the utmost concern. Demographic Howe, Neil and Richard Jackson (2009, January 4th). “The World Won’t Be Aging Gracefully. Just the Opposite.” Washington Post; 13 Howe, N. problems and policies cannot be viewed in isolation; in- and R. Jackson. Ibid; 14 United Nations Division of Economic and Social stead, policymakers must formulate integrated respons- Affairs. (2004). “World Population to 2300.”; 15 Jackson, Richard, Neil Howe, and Keisuke Nakashima. (2011, March 7th). “Global Aging and es to the interrelated problems of unstable populations, the Future of Emerging Markets.” Center for Strategic & International gender inequality, poverty, and migration. The “youth Studies. Retrieved from http://csis.org/files/publication/110307_Glob- al_Aging_Future_of_Emerging_Markets.pdf;16 Howe, Neil and Richard bulge” offers positive potential for economic gains with Jackson (2009, January 4th). “The World Won’t Be Aging Gracefully. Just the right investments and institutions, which is why the the Opposite.” Washington Post; 17 Jackson, Richard, Neil Howe, and Keisuke Nakashima. (2011, March 7th). “Global Aging and the Future developed and developing worlds must work in unison of Emerging Markets.” Center for Strategic & International Studies;18 to help balance the global population pyramid. United Nations Division of Economic and Social Affairs. (2004). “World Population to 2300.”; 19 United Nations Population Fund. (2010). “The Author: Gabrielle Favorito. Case for Investing in Young People.” Retrieved from http://www.unfpa. Sources: 1 United Nations Division of Economic and Social Affairs. org/public/home/publications/pid/6717; 20 Weiss, Kenneth. (2012, July (2004). “World Population to 2300.” Retrieved from http://www.un.org/ 22nd). “Runaway Population Growth often Fuels Youth-Driven Uprisings.” esa/population/publications/longrange2/WorldPop2300final.pdf; 2 Unit- Los Angeles Times. LINKING OVERPOPULATION TO DEFORESTATION IN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST As the world population grows (1 billion in 1900 to Brazil, much destruction of the Amazon Rainforest is 7+billion 2012), so does the demand and consump- due to soybean harvesting, cattle ranching, and log- tion of natural resources. Population growth is often ging which benefits Brazil’s economy but is devastat- seen as a root cause of the deforestation crisis. In ing the rainforest. The rainforest is home to not only plants and ani- mals, but also thousands of indigenous people who oc- cupy 22% of the Amazon territory and depend on it for survival. One of Brazil’s remaining Indian tribes was spotted along the Envira River in the western Amazon forest near the Peruvian border. Isolated from civiliza- tion, this tribe’s way of life is being destroyed due to deforestation. Although, Brazil’s public policy protects isolated groups and ensures independence; increased popula- tion growth pressure invade and destroy their protected lands. Preserving the land of these indigenous groups is not only a matter of human rights, but it also protects thousands of species living on the edge of extinction. The entire world population benefits when the rainfor- est is protected as it also mitigates from the devastat- ing consequences of global warming. Amazon rainforest clearance. Deforestation. Acre State Sources: bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-13449792; near Rio Branco city, Brazil. news.discovery.com/human/newly-identified-tribe-in-the- Source: Ricardo Funari / BrazilPhotos amazon.html; cbsnews.com/2100-202_162-4137506.html

World Information Transfer 4 World Ecology Report Fall-Winter 2012 HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT: Environmental Causes of Respiratory Disease

David V. Bates, MD, Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Department of Health Care and Epidemiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Presented at the First International Conference on Health and Environment: Global Partners for Global Solutions, April 26, 1992 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

The lung is the largest and most vulnerable organ chimneys and ventilation. These high levels of particu- continuously exposed to the environment. It is not sur- late pollution explain the high mortality rates for acute prising, then, that respiratory disease is dominated by respiratory disease (about 4 million deaths per year) in environmental factors. Recent research has document- children under the age of 5 in many countries. Lesser ed the importance of relatively low levels of particulate effects include permanent reductions in lung function. pollution in the Western world in the aggravation of Sulfur dioxide combined with particulate pollution asthma and acute respiratory disease, and even in con- has remained a major problem in Eastern Europe. In tributing to respiratory and cardiovascular mortality. In the industrialized West, photochemical pollution result- the developing world, exposure has been documented ing largely from automobile emissions is believed to be to very high levels of particulate pollution from wood responsible for adverse health effects, and this problem and biomass fuels and, in some countries, including has begun to emerge in such cities as Mexico City and China, from burning coal in houses without proper Bangkok. There is little doubt that the worldwide oc-

TABLE 1. MECHANISMS BY WHICH SOME KEY POLLUTANTS IN SMOKE FROM DOMESTIC SOURCES MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF RESPIRATORY AND OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS

Source: Bulletin of the World Health Organization (Vol.78 no.9 Genebra 2000), http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S0042- 96862000000900004&script=sci_arttext World Information Transfer World Ecology Report 5 Fall-Winter 2012 currence of respiratory disease consequent upon man- ticulate pollution probably also have lower levels of lung made environmental factors is enormous. function and possibly an increased incidence of asthma. The lung is continuously exposed to the environ- These effects may well be related to survival, and they ment. It is not surprising, then, that despite elaborate certainly impair physical performance. defenses, it is vulnerable to environmental factors. Con- siderable research conducted in the Western world over Sulfur Dioxide the past 10 years has increased our understanding of the Usually derived from uncontrolled coal-burning, sul- role of man-made environmental pollutants in the gen- fur dioxide has been the major air pollutant in Eastern esis and aggravation of lung disease; this has, in turn, European countries, where lignite coal is commonly shed light on the predictable effects of such pollution in used, and in parts of China. The effects of this pollut- the developing world. In the following discussion, indi- ant are difficult to dissociate from those of the particu- vidual pollutants are reviewed separately. In reality, they late pollution that often accompanies it. There is con- often occur together. siderable recent evidence from such countries as Israel, Canada, France, and Finland, however, that a variety of Particulate Pollution adverse effects are associated with even low levels of this After the control of the dense particulate pollution chemical. A recent report from Beijing chronicled the resulting from coal-burning in the Western world, there impaired pulmonary function among adults in regions was a tendency to dismiss particulate pollution from of that city with elevated particulate and S02 levels. This automobiles as unimportant. These particles are small same effect was documented in Britain in 1965. and easily respirable, affect visibility, and are composed of a variety of aerosols, carbon, and other materials. Re- Oxides of Nitrogen cent data have shown that even levels less that the cur- Exposure to oxides of nitrogen occurs both out- rent United States standard for particles <10 m (150 g/ doors, from sources such as large generating plants and 3 m ) are associated with daily mortality, acute respiratory automobiles, and indoors, from cigarette smoking and disease in children, and worsening of asthma. The very unvented gas stoves. This gas has been demonstrated high particulate levels measured in developing coun- to affect airway responsiveness, and increased levels in tries range up to 100 times the U.S. standard. The con- German cities have recently been shown to be associated sequences are increased rates of death from acute res- with the occurrence of croup in children. Apart from piratory disease, even in some countries with low infant this, we have little direct evidence of its general adverse mortality, and higher rates in countries with medium effects, but the fact that there is inhalation of high con- and high infant mortality. Acute respiratory disease is centrations of this gas generated by silage or by the un- believed to be the second major cause of death, after di- derground use of explosives has been known for some arrhea, in children under the age of 5 in the developing years. The indoor use of cheap kerosene heaters can world, accounting for up to 4 million deaths a year. Peo- lead to the formation of acid aerosols in high concentra- ple who live and grow up in areas with high levels of par- tions. These are intensely irritating to the lung and may lead to respiratory illness. TABLE 2. INDOOR AND OUTDOOR AIR POLLUTION HEALTH RISKS CHART Photochemical Oxidant Pollution The chemical reaction chain that leads to the forma- tion of ozone from oxides of nitrogen in the presence of hydrocarbons and sunlight has been known since 1952. Studies of the effects of ozone on human beings that began about 10 years later have generated a consider- able volume of data. Even at levels as low as 0.08 ppm of ozone, pulmonary function falls during moderate exer- cise in normal, healthy subjects. It is probable that in- flammation is induced in the airway. Long-term effects of very low concentrations of ozone have been shown to occur in animals. The increasing density of automobiles, often with- Source: http://greenplanetethics.com/wordpress/indoor- out controls on oxide of nitrogen or hydrocarbon emis- air-pollutiuon-facts-what-is-indoor-air-pollution-and-how-to- sions, has led to an increase in tropospheric ozone levels reduce-it in the northern hemisphere. With sufficient sunlight, World Information Transfer 6 World Ecology Report Fall-Winter 2012 they can reach as high as 0.40 ppm. We are not yet confi- 1986;39:138-144; 6. East Europe's dark dawn. National Geo- graphic June 1991;179:36-69; 7. Goren AI, Hellman S. Preva- dent that we know the long-term effects on people of re- lence of respiratory symptoms and diseases in schoolchildren peated ozone exposure, but aggravation of asthma and, living in a polluted and in a low polluted area in Israel. Environ possibly, acute respiratory disease have been occurring. Research 1988;45:28-37; 8. Bates DV, Baker-Anderson M, Sizto R. Asthma attack periodicity: a study of hospital emergency vis- In northeastern North America, ozone episodes in the its in Vancouver. Environ Research 1990;51:51-70; 9. Ponka A. summer are often associated with peaks of sulfuric acid Absenteeism and respiratory disease among children and adults aerosol and raised sulfate levels. The resulting acid sum- in Helsinki in relation to low-level air pollution and temperature. Bnviron Research 1990;52:34-46; 11. Xu X, Dockery DW, Wang mer haze has been shown to be associated with increased L. Effects of air pollution on adult pulmonary function. Arch En- hospital admissions for treatment of respiratory disease. viron Health 1991;46:198-206; 12. Holland WW, Reid DD. The Comparable health data from such cities as Mexico City urban factor in chronic bronchitis. Lancet 1965;1:445-448; 13. or Bangkok, where high ozone levels are known to oc- Schwartz J, Spix C, Wichmann HE, Malin E. Air pollution and acute respiratory illness in five German communities. Environ cur, is expected. Research 1991;56:1-14; 14. Spengler JD, Brauer M, Koutra- kis P. Acid air and health. Environ Sci Technol 1990;24:946- 956; 15. Horstman DH, Folinsbee LJ, Ives PJ, Abdul-Salaam S, Exposure to Biological Agents McDonnell WF. Ozone concentration and pulmonary response Spores from moldy hay cause "farmer's lung," an acute relationships for 6.6-hour exposures with five hours of moder- process in the lung that may lead to chronic effects. Vari- ate exercise to 0.08, 0.10, and 0.12 ppm. Am Rev Respir Dis 1990;142:1158-1163; 16. Koren HS, Devlin RB, Graham DE, et ous forms of lung inflammation caused by inhalation of al. Ozone-induced inflammation in the lower airways of human sensitizing spores or fungi occur widely and have recent- subjects. Am Rev Respir Dis 1989;139:407-415; 17. Eustis SL, ly been studied intensively in Japan. House dust mites Schwartz LW, Kosch PC, Dungworth DL. Chronic bronchiolitis in nonhuman primates after prolonged ozone exposure. Am J are known to be associated with childhood asthma. Oc- Pathol 1981;105:121-137; 18. Keeler GJ, Spengler JD, Kout- cupational asthma can result from exposure to many dif- rakis P, Allen GA, Raizenne M, Stern B. Transported acid aero- ferent compounds, some of which, like the western red sols measured in Southern Ontario. Atmospheric Environment 1990;24A:2935-2950; 19. Bates DV, Sizto R. Hospital admissions cedar, are naturally occurring and others, like toluene and air pollutants in Southern Ontario: the acid summer haze ef- di-isocyanate, are widely used industrial chemicals. fect. Environ Research 1987;43:317-331; 20. Kawai T, Tamura M, Murao. Summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Chest 1984;85:311-317. Conclusions As this brief summary indicates, the worldwide oc- TABLE 3. COMMON AIR POLLUTANTS currence of environmental lung disease is enormous. AND THEIR EFFECTS Some problems associated with gross particulate and sulfur dioxide pollution may be circumvented easily by the control of industrial sources or the redesign of traditional housing. Others, however, such as the major environmental hazard posed by the growing number of automobiles associated with urbanization, are difficult to control. Furthermore, as the population in develop- ing countries moves from village life to suburban slums, one form of pollution may be exchanged for another. Many effects on the lung are interactive. Thus, ciga- rette smoking worsens the effects of ambient pollution; exposure to oxidants reduces the ability of the lung to combat naturally occurring infections; and increased airway responsiveness, which may result in asthma, may follow a variety of environmental assaults, both natural and man-made. For this reason, the pattern of induced lung disease is complex, and attribution (in numerical terms) of the burden of lung disease to single causes is rarely possible. References 1. Schwartz J, Marcus A. Mortality and air pollution in London: a time series analysis. Am J Epidemiol 1990;131:185- 194; 4. Pandey MR, Smith KR, Boleij JSM, Wafula EM. Indoor air pollution in developing countries and acute respiratory infec- Source: Air Pollution’s Causes, Consequences and Solutions, tion in children. Lancet 1989;1:427-429; 5. Leowski J. Mortal- Matt Kallman, World Resources Institute, August 20, 2008, ity from acute respiratory infections in children under 5 years http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/library/chart-graph/com- of age; global estimates. World Health Statistics Quarterly mon-air-pollutants-and-their-effects World Information Transfer World Ecology Report 7 Fall-Winter 2012 FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Evaluating Environmental Impacts of Energy Generation Technologies: Effects on Environmental Policy

In order to fully comprehend the problem of evaluating the environmental impacts of energy gen- eration technologies, we need to review the types of negative externalities associated with the most common electricity generation technologies. From that perspective, the implications of having a multitude of different negative environmental consequences associated with each technology on On the evening environmental policy making can easily be explicated.

Negative duced. While this is consider- Environmental ably lower than emissions from Externalities: coal and natural gas fired power plants, it is far larger than the Commonly Used carbon footprint of most renew- Generation able technologies as we will dis- Technologies: cuss later. In Environmental Im- pacts of Energy Use, Rus- Coal: sell Lee provides a detailed According to Lee’s analysis overview of the impact of the most significant impacts of coal, natural gas, oil, nu- coal fired power plants are land clear, hydro, biomass, so- use change associated with min- lar, and wind technologies. ing to extract coal ore, water While Lee focuses on a pollution due to tailings from whole range of implications mining and waste from the including associated occu- power plants themselves, dam- pation hazards and public age to forestry, agriculture and health effects, only his ac- livestock due to airborne pol- counting of environmen- lutants released by coal fired tal implications is relevant Combined Wind farm and Solar power park. plants, anthropogenic climate here. Lee summarizes the Source: www.alstom.com/grid/powergallery change due to carbon dioxide environmental implications emissions occurring during of generation and on the entire fuel cycle (including plant operation as well as plant construction and coal components such as plant construction, mining and production and finally, increased haze due to emis- extraction, transportation of fuel sources, etc.). This sions While most consider coal to be one of the dirt- type of ‘cradle to the grave’ analysis is crucial in provid- ier technologies available, on first review one might ing an accurate assessment of the true environmental be inclined to attribute only carbon dioxide emissions implications of a given technology. For example, the from plant operation and perhaps some land use process of generating energy through fusion for nuclear change effects from coal mining to coal fired power power emits no carbon dioxide, however, almost every plants. Yet, further analysis shows a host of other neg- other phase of the nuclear fuel cycle (plant construc- ative externalities associated with multiple different tion, uranium exploration, mining, milling, processing, phases of the fuel cycle. enrichment, fuel fabrication, fuel assembly, spent fuel disassembly, reprocessing (if applicable), storage, plant Natural Gas: decommissioning, and transportation of fuel sources is Like coal fired power plants, natural gas fired plants carbon intensive. In fact, the emissions from a ‘cradle emit air pollution which also has negative effects on to the grave’ analysis of nuclear power plants shows that plants and animals Moreover, the carbon dioxide and on average, nuclear power is responsible for 66 kilotons other emissions likewise produce haze and perpetuate of carbon dioxide emissions per TWh of energy pro- global warming. World Information Transfer 8 World Ecology Report Fall-Winter 2012 percent of all the world’s land (excluding Antarctica). Oil: Wind: Oil fired power plants cause the same negative exter- Similar to solar, wind energy generation also releases nalities as natural gas systems but also extraction and carbon dioxide during plant construction and materials transportation of oil pollutes bodies of water both as a production and requires considerable land use. result of leakages and accidents. Furthermore, waste ma- While Lee’s list of negative environmental implica- terials from oil fired power plants have similar polluting tions is by no means exhaustive, it amply illustrates the effects when they come in contact with water supplies. complex array of draw backs associated with each gener- ation technology. As such, when crafting environmental Nuclear: policy, it is not possible to simply evaluate and prioritize In addition to the effects of irradiation as a result of generation technologies on one or even a small number nuclear accidents, normal plant operations also result in of similar externalities. increased water temperatures in the body of water used In addition to evaluating the negative externalities to cool the plant, climate change effects resulting from of generation technologies, in order to craft beneficial carbon dioxide released from fuel mining and produc- environmental policies, cost also plays a crucial role. tion as well as plant construction, and environmental Presumably, the purpose of environmental policy is to contamination from uranium mining tailings as stated mitigate climate change or some other negative envi- previously. ronmental effect. Given this reality, and that resources are finite, the cost of a given technology, which can be Hydroelectric: converted into cost per ton of carbon dioxide savings The construction of hydroelectric power plants nec- or per unit of another negative environmental impact essarily results in significant land use changes which al- averted, is crucial. For example, many still consider, fol- ter the local and/or regional climate. Damming creates lowing Chernobyl and Fukishima, that nuclear energy a reservoir which, impacts fish population. Additionally, as a panacea for low carbon growth in the energy sector. towns, forests, agricultural space and historic sites are But if the goal of environmental policy is to reduce emis- often lost in order to accommodate the dam and reser- sions by substituting cleaner generation technologies voir. This is also associated with the loss of biodiversity of for older coal fired power plants, nuclear does not make plant species, animals and their habitats. Upon comple- economic sense. In the U.S., the cost of a 1,000MW nu- tion, the installation of a hydroelectric power plant af- clear power plant can be as high as US$18 billion. While fects surrounding land causing it to become “partly dry much of this cost is a result of insurance and regulatory and partly wet, with significant changes in function of expenditures rather than technology itself, the installed the water level in the water reservoir.” (Lee p. 84). Sedi- cost of the plant is crucial for evaluating the financial mentation fills in reservoirs affecting water levels and efficiency of a proposed alternative. Thus the same results in toxic substance accumulation in sediments. money could purchase approximately 15,000MW of in- The construction of the power plant and the production stalled renewable energy generation capacity (solar PV of its construction materials are carbon intensive thus and wind). fomenting global warming. One positive aspect is that In this same vein, Susan Roaf and Rajat Gupta, in their dams can help with flood control. chapter Solar Power: Using Energy from the Sun in Build- ings, evaluate the cost per ton of carbon dioxide savings Biomass: accruing from different technologies employed in house- The production of biomass based fuel results in hold emissions’ reduction in Oxford, United Kingdom. odors from stored fuels and land use change due to the They note that for the scenarios they consider the cost use of agricultural land to produce fuel crops Moreo- per ton of emissions reductions falls within an extremely ver, monoculture on these fields can have detrimental wide range between 6BSP to 77BSP. Furthermore, the effects related to biodiversity. authors note that the way in which technologies are in- stalled has a profound effect on cost per ton of emissions Solar: avoided. For example, they calculate that relying on solar The construction of a solar plant (e.g. solar cells, hot water heating alone incurs a cost of 335BSP per ton of etc.) as well as backup or energy storage systems is car- carbon dioxide avoided while using solar PV alone results bon intensive and affects climate change. Disposition of in a cost of 644BSP per ton. However, when the two tech- solar cells releases toxic chemicals into the natural en- nologies are employed together and alongside energy ef- vironment and large-scale installation requires massive ficiency measures the cost per ton of emissions avoided amounts of land. Sheffield notes that to produce 4,000 drops approximately 15 fold (over solar PV alone) to just Mtoe/a of electricity from solar energy (less than two 44BSP per ton of avoided emissions. Thus, one need not thirds of the world’s total current energy consumption) only consider the cost of the technology or rather the cost would require installing solar plants on one tenth of a per ton of emissions avoided (or per unit of what every World Information Transfer World Ecology Report 9 Fall-Winter 2012 undesired environmental effect avoided) but also how Different evaluations for externalities will be required different combinations of technology increase efficiency, for different projects and different locations. For exam- thereby making environmental policy more cost effective ple, the land use change for a hydro-electric dam will be and thus more efficient. much more significant and thus much more costly in a bio-diverse tropical rainforest than it would be in a de- Implications: ciduous forest. In order to craft the most efficient environmental Even though monetization cannot provide a general, policy, one must consider the express goal of reduc- universally applicable model, this does not mean that it ing the undesired environmental effect (be it through is not useful. Rather, monetization can be used – based reducing carbon dioxide emissions, land use change on site and project specific calculations – as part of a effects, etc.). However, the technology that best ac- larger environmental impact assessment. Site and pro- complishes that goal (i.e. is least carbon intensive, has ject specific monetization can provide insight into what the most insignificant land use change effects, etc.) is appears to be the best option for a given environmen- currently not available. Therefore, in order to arrive tal policy. An environmental impact assessment ought at the best possible result using current available tech- to not just include monetization but should also take a nologies, policy makers will need to evaluate the effect parallel, qualitative approach in an attempt to describe of externalities associated with each of the technologies negative externalities, especially those that are not easily capable of delivering on the primary goal. Then they quantified (and therefore accurately monetized). will need to evaluate the cost of each technology and de- Finally, for macro-level (e.g. national or international termine which technology or grouping of technologies level) environmental policy the axiom, ‘think globally, (bearing in mind that a combination of technologies act locally’ ought to be applied. For example, if the na- might be more cost effective) delivers enough of the tional policy is to reduce emissions by a given amount, desired result, with an acceptable amount of negative locally projects should be carried out based on local as- environmental impacts and at an affordable cost. This sessments of unique variables. By coordinating policy is, of course, no easy task. between levels of governance, policy makers can ensure that the overall, national or international policy goal is Potential Solutions: achieved while simultaneously limiting negative exter- One potential solution is to monetize externalities. Be- nalities and providing unique benefits based on loca- cause one cannot easily compare between carbon dioxide tion specific criteria. While this approach is certainly emissions from one generation technology and land use not perfect and unfortunately is not a ‘cookie cutter’ change from another, converting all negative externali- solution which policy makers tend to look for, it is likely ties into a dollar amount allows for simple cross compari- the best approach for making effective environmental son. Monetization also fits well, with the aforementioned policy. discussion regarding concerns over cost per unit of emis- sions reductions as all figures are in a dollar amount and Conclusion: costs both per emissions avoidance and incurred due to In their anthology, Energy: Science, Policy, and the externalities can simply be summed. In theory, the tech- Pursuit of Sustainability, Robert Bent, Lloyd Orr and nology with the lowest total cost is the ideal solution. Randall Baker as well as other authors, suggest that dif- To provide a bit of perspective, there are numerous ferent electricity generation technologies have myriad ways to monetize externalities. Common practices in- environmental impacts. For example, while a coal fired clude ‘cost of control,’ that is how much it would cost power plant’s most significant (though certainly not the to control, prevent or remediate an externality; ‘dam- only) negative externality is the massive amount of car- age function,’ which determines what an actor or actors bon dioxide it emits, a large-scale hydroelectric power are willing to pay to avoid the harms associated with an plant’s largest negative environmental implication is externality; and ‘monetization by emission,’ which cal- likely related to land use change. As the world has begun culates the cost per unit of emissions based on environ- large-scale implementation of a plethora of different mental impacts. Unfortunately, monetization is not as generation technologies in an effort to mitigate climate precise as it sounds. Depending on how one weights the change and environmental degradation, it has become externalities and the type of monetization used, vastly extremely important to understand the environmental different results may be derived. Moreover, externalities effects of different technologies and be able to select the themselves are difficult to evaluate and monetize. This best technology for a given application based on its envi- is especially true for certain environmental externalities ronmental impact. This however is challenging as there where the full extent of a type of emission or similar neg- is not a clear cut way of valuating negative externalities ative environmental effect is unknown. Finally, while between technologies given that they each have vastly monetization, given its quantitative approach might different negative effects, thus complicating environ- appear to be a universally applicable solution, it is not. mental policy creation.

World Information Transfer 10 World Ecology Report Fall-Winter 2012 Lee’s analysis of the myriad types of negative environ- Author: Barnett S. Koven mental externalities associated with coal, natural gas, Sources: 1. Koven, B. S. (2011). Nuclear energy: a panacea for renew- oil, nuclear, hydro, biomass, solar, and wind generation able energy? World Ecology Report, XXIII, http://www.worldinfo. technologies coupled with the discussion of cost per unit org/wp-content/uploads/docs/wer/english/2011_Spring_Vol_ of avoided emissions or similar negative environmental XXIII_No_1.pdf consequences attempts to clearly explicate the difficul- 2. Sheffield, J. (2002). Future world energy needs and resourc- ties faced by environmental policy makers. However, in es. In R. Bent, L. Orr & R. Baker (Eds.), Energy: Science, policy reality their task is even more difficult than described and the pursuit of sustainability (pp. 37-76). Washington, DC: herein due to other, non-environmental externalities Island Press. Pgs. 47-53. (e.g. occupation hazards and public health effects) as well 3. Lee, R. (2002). Environmental impacts of energy use. In R. Bent, L. Orr & R. Baker (Eds.), Energy: Science, policy and the as political pressure from disparate interests. It would pursuit of sustainability (pp. 77-108). Washington, DC: Island be preferable if a simple, quantitative approach such as Press. Pg. 85. monetization could provide a globally applicable formula 4. Roaf, S., & Gupta, R. (2007). Solar power: Using energy from for evaluating environmental policy options, but unfor- the sun in buildings. In D. Elliott (Ed.), Sustainable energy: Op- tunately this is not the case. In order to craft efficacious portunities and limitations (pp. 84-107). New York, NY: Palgrave environmental policy a detailed, laborious and costly Macmillan. Pg. 99. process of environmental impact assessments is required. 5. Measures of sustainability: Externalities. (n.d.) http://www.ca- nadianarchitect.com/asf/perspectives_sustainibility/measures_ Moreover, a means of implementing larger-scale policies of_sustainablity/measures_of_sustainablity_externalities.htm in the most judicious way at the local level is needed. Un- 5. U.S. Energy Information Agency, (2011). Annual energy re- fortunately, the type of inter-bureaucracy communication view 2010 (DOE/EIA-0384(2010)). http://205.254.135.24/total- needed to achieve this is arguably lacking. energy/data/annual/pdf/aer.pdf

risks of this new drilling technique. in 2012 farmers are spraying about This is one of the rising struggles in 25 percent more herbicide on each the environmental field that can use acre of crop than they would if they continued support and more atten- were planting conventional varie- tion from the broader public. ties. Older chemicals that are now Source: AMPED used, particularly 2,4-D have been linked with birth defects, reproduc- Modified crops tive problems and certain cancers. Souce: EnvironmentalHealthNews.org; increase herbicide http://bit.ly/PO9Yzp. Maureen O’Hagan: use, research reveals 206-464-2562 Global Frackdown For years, proponents have argued On September 22, thousands of that genetically-modified crops help Carry-over of AAUs people around the world showed their reduce the use of herbicides. The from CP1 to CP2 – concern about a new trend in the oil claim, in fact, is on the chemical-giant and gas industry: fracking. Fracking is Monsanto’s website. But according to Future Implications a technique used to release petroleum, a new analysis, genetically-modified for the Climate natural or other substances for extrac- crops have led to a significant in- A new independent study by tion. The energy from the injection of crease in the use of herbicides. Thomson Reuters Point Carbon esti- a highly pressurized fluid creates new Charles Benbrook, a researcher mates the surplus of emission permits channels in the rock, which can in- at Washington State University found from the first Kyoto commitment pe- crease the extraction rates. However, that genetically-modified crops have riod (2008-2012) to be 13.1 billion the fracking fluid is also capable of led to a significant increase in the tonnes of CO2. Russia (5.8), Ukraine contaminating groundwater, poison- use of herbicides. Since 1990, when (2.6) and Poland (0.8) are the largest ing the air and the power with which companies like Monsanto intro- surplus holders, followed by Roma- it is injected has already created earth- duced seeds that were genetically nia (0.7), the UK (0.5) and Germany quakes. It has also created spills and engineered to deal with pests, 90% (0.5). The surplus is over three mag- the associated dangers are so high that of US corn, soybeans and cotton are nitudes higher than the estimated some countries have already banned genetically engineered which is of demand of 11.5 million tonnes (Mt). the technique. The oil and gas indus- considerable concern. Benbrook The study shows that even without try are lobbying hard and fracking is calculates that 527 million addi- the surplus from the first commitment expanding in the US. With this global tional pounds of herbicides were period, countries will likely accumulate event, citizens all over the world are used on the genetically-engineered a surplus of 3.6 billion tonnes of CO2 by showing that they can’t live with the crops between 1996 and 2011 and 2020. This is because developed coun- World Information Transfer World Ecology Report 11 Fall-Winter 2012 tries have made very weak emissions re- duction pledges for 2020. Together with TOXIC TRUTH lenient rules on the use of offsets, they Six years ago, in August of 2006, the people of Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire were will be able to emit 3.6 billion tonnes faced with horror and tragedy as large quantities of toxic waste were illegally dumped of CO2 more than they are projected in a number of places around their city. The company responsible for the offense was Trafigura, a multinational oil-trading firm that exported the waste from Europe. to emit under business-as-usual (BAU) Several hundred tons of toxic waste was made on board a ship named Probo Koala, emissions projections until 2020. through a process called caustic washing that was used to treat large amounts of This could bring the total surplus coker naptha, an unrefined fuel bought by Trafigura. The illegal dumping of toxic from 2008-2020 to 16.2 billion tonnes. waste caused a public health crisis in Abidjan as 100,000 people were effected from If Australia and New Zealand decide not exposure and 15 to 17 people dead. Initially, the waste was to be unloaded in the to join the second Kyoto commitment Netherlands but as the price to process the waste proved to be costly, Trafigura decided to dump the waste in Abidjan instead. period, the combined surplus could be Trafigura was convicted in a Dutch court of illegally exporting waste from the as high as 17.2 billion tonnes. This is Netherlands although the Dutch courts decided that a considerably amount of the more than what the EU is expected to allegations laid beyond their jurisdiction. The company was given legal immunity from emit in the next five years. prosecution in Côte d’Ivoire as part of a local settlement. In the UK, where the com- The study also shows that the preserva- pany directed operations on board the Probo Koala, UK authorities launched no in- tion of the AAU surplus might have con- vestigation or prosecution into the matter. A lack of justice pervaded the case and the people of Abidjan did not received just compensation for the crime. After a three-year siderable implications in the longer term. investigation by Amnesty International and Greenpeace a joint report was produced. The study “Carry-over of AAUs from The report, titled “The Toxic Truth,” closely examined the tragic incident, highlighting CP1 to CP2 –Future Implications for the how companies easily bypass laws regulating toxic waste movements and concluded Climate” was authored by Thomson Re- that too little regulation, misinformation, and lack of accountability and credibility on uters Point Carbon and commissioned the part of Trafigura led to human rights abuses and an absence of justice for the by CDM Watch. victims. The NGOs have called for Trafigura to be tried in the UK for criminal charges and for freedom from toxic waste dumping be deemed a human right, allowing vic- Source: Anja Kollmuss, Carbon Market tims to have easier access for legal redress. The report was presented to the United Expert, CDM Watch Swiss, cell phone: Nations, to which executive director of UN Environment Programme Achim Steiner +41 77 485 3667 (primary phone); expressed that toxic waste dumping stresses the urgency of strengthening UN trea- German cell phone: +49 1 573 401 3307 ties, specifically the Basel convention, which governs transnational movements of Skype: anja667; www.cdm-watch.org hazardous waste and disposal, in order to bring forth amendments that would ban the export of toxic waste from developed to developing countries. Amnesty International and Greenpeace’s investigation also underlined the issue The chemical industry of governments failing to uphold international human rights and environmental law denial of harm and the law of the sea, as well as failing to hold perpetrators accountable, justly com- pensate the victims and take necessary steps to prevent future corporate crimes. At the recent ICCM3 meeting, the Labeling the incident in Abidjan “an ongoing travesty of justice today,” the NGOs’ topic of the chemical industry’s de- report has put a spotlight on illegal toxic waste dumping, stimulating discussions on nial of harm came up in conversation how to bring change so that human rights are strengthened and justice enforced. among our NGO team. The series of Sources: guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/25/trafigura-lessons-toxic-waste- steps that the industry uses to protect dumping?intcmp=122 (24 September 2012); greenpeace.org/international/en/publications/ Campaign-reports/Toxics-reports/The-Toxic-Truth/ (24 September 2012); Waste removal itself from responsibility was first out- experts clear hazardous material from a site in Abidjan, Ivory Coast in November 2006. lined in a funny (but very serious) Photograph: AP; guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/16/trafigura-african-pollution-disaster. way by Professor David Ozonoff of Boston University. He used the series OK, our kind of chemical X can not run out, but if we are guilty, we to describe how the asbestos industry cause that kind of cancer, but not at will go out of business and everyone denies harm. You can read his origi- the doses to which this person was will be worse off. nal here: thepoptort.com/asbestos. exposed. OK, we will go out of business, but Adapted Ozonoff’s piece to OK, chemical X does cause cancer, only if you let us keep part of our chemicals or pesticides more broad- and at this dosage, but this person company intact, and only if you limit ly. Here is how it goes: got their disease from something our liability for the harms we have Chemical X does not hurt else. caused. your health. OK, the person was exposed to our Sources: 1. Joseph DiGangi, PhD, Senior OK, it does hurt your health, but it chemical X and it did cause their Science and Technical Advisor, IPEN, does not cause cancer. cancer, but we did not know about ipen.org; ipen-china.org; OK, chemical X can cause cancer, but the danger when we exposed them. 2. The larger issue is whether the federal not our formulation of chemical X. government should be a watchdog for OK, we knew about the danger when public health, or a lap dog for industry. OK, our kind of chemical X can we exposed the person, but the stat- Nicholas D. Kristof, Op=Ed Columnist; cause cancer, but not the kind of ute of limitations has run out. nytimes.com/2012/10/07/opinion/sun- cancer this person got. OK, the statute of limitations has day/kristof-the-cancer-lobby.html.

World Information Transfer 12 World Ecology Report Fall-Winter 2012 The Folly of Shortchanging Family Planning Lurking behind almost every global development WORLD POPULATION DISTRIBUTION and survivability issue is a question that has been in the BY REGION, 1800-2050 shadows for too long. Simply put, it is whether - despite the assurances of some leading demographers - the world is heading toward the moment when people will irrevocably outstrip the resources needed to sustain life and the environment. The optimists who look at declining fertility figures - that’s the average number of births per woman - fore- see population growth coming naturally under control in poor countries as well as industrial societies. Other experts, struggling to raise awareness of the need for a new global family planning push, say this may be missing the point. Population growth, and mostly in the poorest countries, will continue for generations before there can Source: United Nations Population Division, Briefing Packet, be hope of a global decline. By then, how many people 1998 Revision of World Population Prospects; and World Population Prospects, The 2006 Revision. will the planet be trying to support? Robert Engelman of the Worldwatch Institute ex- tinues to rise.” Engelman notes that at the end of 2007 plains the paradox and cautions against too-positive pre- there were “1.7 billion” women in the childbearing ages dictions of global population growth in an essay for Vital of 15 to 49. In 1970 there were 856 million. Many do not Signs Online, “Fertility Falls, Population Rises, Future have access to family planning. Uncertain.” (http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5645) The UN Population Fund knows what is happening at “This seeming contradiction between smaller-than- ground level. The agency has watched money for family ever families and near-record births is easily explained,” planning decline for years, yet women around the world he writes. “The number of women of childbearing age increasingly ask for more help in limiting births. They keeps growing and global life expectancy at birth con- know it is key to improving a family’s living standards and raising healthier, better-educat- PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN ed children for whom life can hold 20-24 YEARS OLD WHO MARRIED 20-24 YEARS OLD WHO MARRIED OR IN UNION BY AGE 18, OR IN UNION BY REGION, more promise. This is win-win: bet- BY REGION IN 2010 (MILLION) 2000-2010 ter lives and less pressure on the en- vironment. UNFPA estimates that at least 200 million women do not have ac- cess to family planning, or informa- tion about it and where to get help. Of the 190 million women who be- come pregnant annually, 50 million have abortions, UNFPA finds. This sad fact is directly related in many cases to the family planning dearth. Furthermore, what UNFPA calls the unmet need for contraception is ex- pected to grow at about 40 percent for the next 15 years. As millions Source: UNFPA database using DHS, MICS and other household surveys. more women enter the childbear-

World Information Transfer World Ecology Report 13 Fall-Winter 2012 ing population, even with lower fer- possible the optimists’ subsequent IPEN Intervention on tility levels, more mothers will mean predications - continues to deprive more babies. And not all fertility lev- UNFPA of tens of millions of dol- Basel Convention Dioxin Working Group actively con- els are lower. In Africa, some coun- lars annually, largely on the spurious tributes with technical matters that tries average six or seven or more claim that the agency aids or abets deal with strategies for reducing trans- children for each woman. And in abortion. boundary movements of hazardous Asia, in a country such as India, If a new administration in Wash- waste between nations, and especially even with fertility levels falling below ington next year hopes to make a to prevent disposals of waste from de- three children per woman, the huge significant contribution to the de- veloped to less developed countries. It is crucial to ensure that practices such population base of at least 1.2 billion velopment of the poorest countries, as these deemed as “Toxic Colonialism” family planning will have to be back people means a significant annual do not lead to an environmentally un- increase - adding more people every on the agenda, and the boycott of sound management of toxic wastes. year than the total population in all UNFPA, the world’s largest family One of the main agendas of Dioxin but a few European countries. planning agency, will have to end. Working Group was to push for estab- Meanwhile, the United States, lishing an effective persistent organic Author: Barbara Crossette, former New pollutants (POPs) content level in haz- which pioneered global family plan- York Times bureau chief at the United ardous waste. In addition to discussions ning in the 1960s - and helped make Nations, 2008 publication. related to technical guidelines of POP levels, other concerns included pro- posed amendments of the listing of di- CHINA’S CANCER VILLAGE: oxins and DDT in Annex VIII of the Basel TOXIC LEGACY OF ECONOMIC GROWTH Convention. Numerous denim factories have created jobs in the town of Xintiang, The consequence of not setting - but residents say they have also polluted some of the town’s rivers. In “Low POPs” limits is that weak POP limits have significant adverse effects Xinglong in the south,one of the “cancer villages”, resident Cao Jiangang on human heath and the environment is convinced that factories there are to blame for his 47-year-old mother’s because of inadequate regulation to liver cancer. But so far no stakeholder is going to take responsibility for his destroy or transform waste. Therefore, family’s tragedy. China has captured chunks of the global economy, creating The International POPs Elimination Net- jobs for millions. But doing things cheaply has come at a cost, with health work (IPEN) has intervened asking to and environmental issues on the rise along with economic growth. The mass set more protective limits by the Open demonstrations due to pollution and relevant economic activity are increas- Ended Working Group of the Basal Con- vention, and to establish a new appen- ing in many Chinese cities. The most recent one is taking place in Ningbo, dix to the Technical guidelines on trans- China. For a week there have been protests by thousands of citizens over boundary movements of electronic and pollution fears caused by a petrochemical factory. Under the pressure of electrical waste. social demonstration especially at a time point when the People’s Congress IPEN’s contribution to the elimina- is going to launch in countable days, local Chinese government relented on tion of POPs and destruction technolo- Sunday and agreed that the factory would not be expanded, only to see the gies that were being promoted by the Basel Convention emphasized optimism protesters refuse to halt their demonstration. The case of Ningbo, one of that the current situation lacking rep- the riches cities in Southern China showcases the universality of economic- resentation from NGOs on the POPs related pollution problems and reveals the imperativeness to find new po- disposal project steering group can be litical wisdom to tackle crisis like this. changed if appropriate resources are in China’s next leaders are inheriting a toxic legacy. They have plans for place. cleaner growth, but that will be slower and more expensive. Conventional Locate the Basel Convention’s web- ways of curbing and repressing people can no longer address the problems site for progress updates about this initiative where POPs and chemicals of when demand for information transparency and government accountabil- equal concern will no longer be pollut- ity rises in parallel with economic growth. ing our environments or contaminating Sources: 1. China’s toxic legacy of economic growth, BBC Oct.19.2012. our food and bodies. bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-20000812; 2. Chinese officials bow to protests Sources: ipen.org, basel.int against factory, Associate Press. Oct. 27, 2012. times-standard.com/ci_21873781. World Information Transfer 14 World Ecology Report Fall-Winter 2012 Toshiba Launches development of a new type of Ene- Household Fuel Farm, a household fuel cell, which operates even during blackouts by Cell That Operates employing a self-sustained operation Independently Even function. Shipping of the product to During Blackouts city gas companies and liquefied pe- Major Japanese electronics man- troleum gas distributing companies ufacturer Toshiba Corp. and Toshi- is now underway. ba Fuel Cell Power Systems Corp. Source: http://www.japanfs.org/en/ announced on June 25, 2012, the pages/032266.html

More Marine Talisman Energy Protected Areas withdraws from 8.3 million square km, 2.3% of the world’s ocean area, is now pro- Peruvian Amazon – tected, according to a UN report Achuar people to a UN meeting on biodiversity celebrate a major in Hyderabad. While this number victory for seems small, it is more than 10 times larger than the land protected a dec- indigenous ade ago. Headlining the report was rights Australia, which added a further 2.7 million km of protected land to the Great Barrier Reef marine park. Talisman Energy (TLM) announced Block 67 in Peru despite a legal case These numbers suggest that the Con- its decision to cease oil exploration ac- against them for drilling in isolated peo- vention on Biological Diversity of tivities in the Peruvian Amazon and to ples’ territory. ConocoPhilliips has faced exit the country upon completion of on- mass protests in Iquitos, Peru over plans 2004’s goal of 10% protected ocean going commercial transactions. to drill wells in a protected area in the area by 2020 can be met. This data is Peas Peas Ayui, President of the Nanay river basin east of Block 64. In Ec- even more reassuring when consid- National Achuar Federation of Peru uador, the government plans to auction ering how helpless the situation was. (FENAP) said that “now that Talisman is new oil blocks on the Peruvian border leaving we can focus on achieving our despite strong indigenous opposition. (Less than 1% of the world’s oceans own vision for development and leave a The Kichwa community of Sarayaku re- were protected in 2009) healthy territory for future generations.” cently won a case in the Inter-American Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/ Talisman is the fifth oil company Court of Human Rights against the Ec- science-environment-19922055 to withdraw from controversial Block uadorian government for signing an oil 64, located in the heart of indigenous contract without their consent or consul- Achuar territory in a remote and bio tation. diverse region of the Amazon rainfor- “We are the owners and the original est. Talisman has been exploring in people of this land,” said Peas Ayui. “No Peru since 2004 and has come under outside person or company may enter increased pressure by human rights our territory by force, without consul- groups and shareholders for operating tation and without asking us. We have without Achuar consent. been fighting against oil development on “Talisman’s exit sends a clear mes- our land for 17 years and we maintain sage to the oil industry that trampling the same vision to protect our territory indigenous rights in the rush to exploit and resources for future generations. Let marginal oil reserves in the Amazon this be a clear message to all oil, mining rainforest is not an option” according to and logging companies: we will never of- Gregor MacLennan, Peru Program Co- fer up our natural wealth so that they can ordinator at Amazon Watch. extract our resources and contaminate Block 64 is just one of several new our land.” efforts to extract oil from the headwa- Sources: Gregor MacLennan, ters of the Amazon in Northern Peru and +1 415.494.7378,gregor@amazon- Southern Ecuador, among the most bio watch.org; Caroline Bennett, diverse places on earth. Anglo-French +1 415.487.9600, caroline@amazon- company Perenco was recently award- watch.org. Calgary, Canada, ed a production license to operate in September 18, 2012 Source: http://ecosalon.com World Information Transfer World Ecology Report 15 Fall-Winter 2012 World Information Transfer, Inc. Presents 21st International Conference on Health and Environment:Global Partners for Global Solutions December 3, 2012 ECOSOC Chambre United Nations Headquarters, New York City Co-sponsored by the Government of Ukraine Supported by the UN Missions of Bangladesh, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia Register online: www.worldinfo.org CREATING SUSTAINABILITY

MONDAY 10AM — 1 PM: CREATING SUSTAINABILITY

Opening Remarks: Dr. Christine K. Durbak, Conference Chair and Founder, WIT H.E. Yuriy Sergeyev, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN

Sustainable Nuclear Energy Speakers: H.E. Mr. Frantisek Ruzicka, Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the UN H.E. Mr. Li Baodong, Permanent Representative of China to the UN H.E. Mr. Gérard Araud, Permanent Representative of France H.E. Mrs. Edita Hrdá, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the UN H.E. Mr. Ryszard Stanisław Sarkowicz, Permanent Representative of Poland to the UN

Sustainable Development Speakers: Sonaar Luthra, Founder and President, Water Canary, Inc. Nikki Henderson, President/Founder “Peoples Grocery, Inc.” Student Conservation Corps of West Chester, PA. Brandi Veil, CEO/Founder, “The Event Division, Inc.”

Communicating Sustainability Speakers: H.E. Mr. Abulkalam Abdul Momen, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN, Professor Olexander Motyl, Professor of Political Science, Rutgers University “Language Communicating Sustainability”

Food Security: Commemorating Holodomor Speakers: H.E. Mr. William Pope, US Mission to the UN H.E. Mr. Guillermo Rishchynski, Permanent Representative of Canada to the UN H.E. Mr. Margus Kolga, Permanent Representative of Estonia to the UN H.E. Mr. Alexander Lomaia, Permanent Representative of Georgia to the UN H.E. Mr. Normas Penke, Permanent Representative of Latvia to the UN H.E. Mr. Dalius Čekuolis, Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the UN Vocal Ensemble Commemoration

Closing Remarks: H.E. Yuriy Sergeyev, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN

Faculty Luncheon: By invitation only

World Information Transfer 16 World Ecology Report Fall-Winter 2012 UN - CIVIL SOCIETY Noble Peace Prize recipient Muhammad Yunus and Stacy Green, DIALOGUE ON POST Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Mashable. 2015 PROCESSES HELD The discussions touched upon uals access to a wealth of resources, WITH HIGH-LEVEL PANEL a range of topics from how digital creating virtual circles online and On 24 September, a dialogue technology is redefining diplomacy offline. Victoria Esser, Deputy As- was held between civil society, UN to how technology can help in en- sistant Secretary for the digital officials and members of the Secre- vironmental conservation efforts. division of the U.S. State Depart- tary-General’s High-level Panel of The overall message was clear. To- ment, believes that social media is Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 day’s society lives in a hyper-con- an important way to reduce time, Development Agenda. More than nected world, with greater access distance and diplomatic barriers, 200 civil society participants were to information. We’re constantly essentially redefining diplomacy it- in attendance. The event featured flooded with new media devices self in the 21st century. lively discussion between the UN and technologies that give us access The digital age has given society panelists, members of the High-level to data in the palm of our hands. As powerful tools in environmental Panel, and interventions from the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton conservation as well. Google Earth audience as well as those engaging said in a video message, “We are liv- presented how they use technology in the dialogue online. ing at a moment when anyone can to monitor deforestation and work be a diplomat. All you have to do is together with the Surui people hit send.” of the Amazon in using Android Social Good Summit phones to monitor carbon stocks The Social Good Summit took The moral test of government is how in their forests. Fabien Cousteau, place in New York City in September, that government treats those who founder of Plant-a-Fish, shared that beginning a global conversation on the digital age is giving the world a are in the dawn of life, the children; how technology and new media can connection to why the ocean is so help bring about innovative solu- those who are in the twilight important to people, giving us the tions to solve the world’s most trou- of life, the elderly; and those who opportunity to broadcast issues and bling issues. The conference did not are in the shadows of life -- the sick, make a real difference. As he put it, only take place in New York but also the needy and the handicapped. “social media connects us but the in more than 200 meetups across the Hubert Horatio Humphrey, air and oceans connects us all even world in countries such as China, So- US Vice President (1911-1978) more deeply.” malia, Bhutan, Bangladesh, etc, in On the second day of the confer- addition to worldwide conversation Technology can be a tool of em- ence, Nobel Peace Prize winner and on Twitter. The three-day confer- powerment when it is used for the Founder of Grameen Bank Muham- ence, presented by a number of or- benefit of the public. U.S. Chief mad Yunus, discussed social entre- ganizations including the United Na- Technology Officer Todd Park ex- preneurism. He believed that the con- tions Development Programme and plained that by using technology to ceptual framework for employment the Bill and Melinda Gates Founda- allow access to governmental data, should be redesigned and focused on tion, invited influential thinkers, pi- it shifts the role of the government changing the system because human oneering technologists and passion- into a platform for open innova- capacity should not be wasted. He ate activists to share their ideas and tion. As he put it, data is only use- believed that when we combine the some of the challenges they faced in ful when it is applied “to create an power of technology and the creative reaching a common goal, to make actual public benefit.” Social media power of young people, we can find the world a better place to live. tools, such as Twitter, allow individ- solutions to a number of challenges. World Information Transfer World Ecology Report 17 Fall-Winter 2012 Technology can also be used to fos- individuals about the importance of UNISDR Report ter peace, a topic of discussion which empowering women. Jimmy Wales, was held by actor Forest Whitaker, spe- founder of Wikipedia, discussed Outlines Children’s cial advisor to the UN Secretary Gen- how the Internet is changing the Action for Disaster eral Jeffrey Sachs, and Ericson CEO way people interact with each other Risk Reduction and President Hans Vestberg. Jeffrey around the world, allowing individu- 24 October 2012: The Secretariat for Sachs said that the U.S. spends $700 als a chance to get to know people the UN International Strategy for Dis- billion on the military and only $30 and build empathy. aster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) has billion is spent on development, but The digital age and the Internet released a report outlining the contri- peace can be achieved if society fo- have given our society a powerful tool butions from children to disaster risk cuses on cutting-edge technology. for engagement, allowing people ac- reduction (DRR) efforts in Asia titled Ericson announced at the summit cess to a world of information. Social “Children’s Action for DRR: Views that it will join forces with Forest media provides us with a vital platform From Children in Asia.” The report in- Whitaker’s PeaceEarth Foundation, for dialogue, transcending barriers dicates that Asian children and youth working together to provide Internet and borders and empowering citizens have been involved in hazard mapping, access via mobile broadband, com- to learn and be driven into action for raising awareness through radio and puters, and ICT training to youths positive social change. At the summit, games, as well as influencing other in conflict zones. The aim is to build Peter Gabriel expressed it best when children, their teachers, parents and peacekeepers in communities of con- he conveyed that the Internet can- communities on how to reduce the ef- flict and foster connectivity. not be controlled which is why it’s so fects of disasters. This finding was reit- The last day of the summit provid- powerful. Technology can give society erated in a statement to the Ministerial ed discussions that revolved around the ability to change the world, by en- meeting by the Children in Changing ideas such as using social gaming hancing the rights of women and girls, Climate (CCC), which underscored for good and the power of crowd- ending malaria and polio, promoting that children should not be seen only scouring on the Internet. New York peace instead of war, or giving a voice as victims in disasters, though they are Times columnist and author of Half to the voiceless. When it comes to so- vulnerable and face particular risks to The Sky, Nicholas Kristof, shared cial change, the opportunities given their health, protection, access to edu- a new initiative that uses games to by the Internet, technology and new cation and nutrition. educate women in the developing media are limitless. Source: UNISDR Press Release, world about their health and teaches Source: Nadia Mughal, attendee. 24 October 2012

Point of View, continuing from page 20 negate health, but as an individual with rights of its own. The cooperation of government officials, business lead- cance that its consequences contradict policies to eradi- ers, the medical establishment, educators, religious lead- cate poverty. Although we are all formed by our culture, ers, NGOs, and families in need, is required to maintain our globalized world demands that we are not enslaved a full support network to help secure for each child its by it. Rather, we must use our endowed creativity to reach right to food, housing, medical care and education. This beyond the cultural and traditional control of practices should be the primary goal of all governments. that doom humankind to repeat its past mistakes, learn The cost would be limited if governments recog- from those mistakes and move in new directions. nized that their primary interest lies in the future, that It is in the interest of all governments to provide basic is, in producing children who are physically and men- needs to its citizens as a means of protecting the health of all. tally healthy and capable of becoming productive citi- The question is how to accomplish meeting the basic needs zens. Providing family planning services to poor women of millions especially in nations with weak economies. One would assist them in limiting the size of their families approach is to recognize the primacy of children’s needs in and ultimately would aid their climb out poverty. We so far as healthy children are a nation’s future. should also remember that if our current global fertility We can start by implementing laws that would provide rate remains, the United Nations estimates that we’ll hit a responsible family for every child that is born. A family a worldwide population of 8 billion people in 12 years, that is aware of the needs of every child, not as a slave 9 billion by 2050 and 26 billion by 2100. This will have to its own existence binding that child to traditions that dire impact on our environment and our world. World Information Transfer 18 World Ecology Report Fall-Winter 2012 World Information Transfer World Information Transfer World Ecology Report is a Non-Profit, World Information Transfer, Inc. 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USA: Dmitry Beyder 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd. Portland, OR 97239 Tel: 646-924-8464 E-mail: [email protected] World Information Transfer World Ecology Report 19 Fall-Winter 2012 POINT OF VIEW: Poverty vs. Abortion The majority of the world cultures think of women as life of the mother. Analysis of the consequences of the primarily mothers. As elevated as the maternal role pre- Rule show, however, that it does not reduce abortions, sents itself, particularly in a religious context, women as was its stated intended goal. Lack of access to contra- continue to be regarded as second class citizens in many ception only increases the number of children a women parts of the world. Therefore, higher poverty rates for bears, decreases the health of both mother and child women demonstrate global economic disparities. and adds to the poverty rolls. One well recognized solution to female poverty – and The Global Gag Rule was first implemented between indeed to poverty altogether – is smaller family size. The 1985-93, under US Republican Presidents Reagan and international aid community as well as economists have Bush, rescinded by Democrat President Clinton, rein- known for a long time that access to family planning in- stated under Republican President George W. Bush and formation significantly contributes to a woman’s ability rescinded again by Democrat President Obama. The to control the timing and number of her children. Five United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) lost US fund- of the eight Millennium Development Goals, agreed on ing under the same Republican presidents. Though the by the UN General Assembly, address poverty, gender Fund supports programs in 150 countries to improve equality and female empowerment, reducing child mor- poor women’s reproductive health, reduce infant mor- tality and improving maternal health. Eradicating ex- tality, end the sexual trafficking of women and prevent treme poverty is the overriding goal of the eight MDGs. the spread of H.I.V./AIDS it had been accused of sup- The Global Gag Rule, also known as the Mexico City porting coerced abortions. Policy, undermines the purpose of the MDGs. Specifi- For millennia, women have ended unwanted preg- cally, the policy restricts NGO’s, who receive US funds, nancies. Since the second half of the 20th century, the from obtaining non-US monies for educating about or practice of abortion has taken on such cultural signifi- providing services to end unwanted pregnancies . Ex- ceptions are allowed for cases of rape, incest, and the Continuing on page 18

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