Roman Catholic Pontiff to FAO summit: Empathy, moral business, lack of waste, access to fair markets: ways to reduce global hunger, "climate changes"

(World Tainted Green)

Article by Marc Aupiais

The Roman Catholic Pontiff, recently portrayed access to markets, empathy with and respect for those with less, and preventing waste as sure ways forward in the fight against hunger, "climate change".

The FOA (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations [UN]), along with other ground-level players, have increasingly emphasized local production over imported food aid, and a need to stimulate local markets, and educate farmers, and built infrastructure in food insecure areas. The majority of infrastructure, at least in the case of systems such as railways, on the African continent, is in one country: the Republic of South Africa, which itself does not spend enough on infrastructure in general.

The following will be a quotation (with paragraphing added), of the Vatican's Missionary News Service, Agenzia Fides, which notes a speech by the Roman Catholic Pontiff to a summit hosted by the the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. Quoting their article does not mean endorsement of the organization or their article, we provide this quotation in the interest of the public:

"

VATICANO

VATICAN - Holy Father tells FAO Summit: “Hunger is the most cruel and concrete sign of poverty. Opulence and waste are no longer acceptable when the tragedy of hunger is assuming ever greater proportions.”

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - “Hunger is the most cruel and concrete sign of poverty. Opulence and waste are no longer acceptable when the tragedy of hunger is assuming ever greater proportions.” This is what the Holy Father Benedict XVI said in his address on November 26 at the FAO headquarters in Rome, on the opening of the World Summit on Food Security.

In his address, the Pope recalled that although “statistics bear witness to the dramatic growth in the number of people suffering from hunger,” it has also been confirmed that “the world has enough food for all its inhabitants” and that “there is no cause-and-effect relationship between population growth and hunger.” Reiterating what he had affirmed in his Encyclical Caritas in veritate, Benedict XVI mentioned that “the problem of food insecurity needs to be addressed within a long-term perspective, eliminating the structural causes that give rise to it and promoting the agricultural development of poorer countries,” and “the need to oppose those forms of aid that do grave damage to the agricultural sector, those approaches to food production that are geared solely towards consumption and lack a wider perspective, and especially greed, which causes speculation to rear its head even in the marketing of cereals, as if food were to be treated just like any other commodity.”

The Pontiff then reflected on the “weakness of current mechanisms for food security and the need to re-examine them,” highlighting that the concept of cooperation should be coherent with the principle of subsidiarity. “With regard to countries that are in need of external support, the international community has the duty to assist with the instruments of cooperation, assuming collective responsibility for their development,” the Pope said. “In this way, cooperation must become an effective instrument, unbeholden to interests that can absorb a not insignificant part of the resources destined for development.” 

Benedict XVI also mentioned the risk of considering hunger “as structural, an integral part of the socio-political situation of the weakest countries, a matter of resigned regret, if not downright indifference.” “It is not so, and it must never be so!” the Pope exclaimed, saying that it was essential to “start redefining the concepts and principles that have hitherto governed international relations,” as “only in the name of common membership of the worldwide human family can every people and therefore every country be asked to practice solidarity, that is, to shoulder the burden of concrete responsibilities in meeting the needs of others, so as to favor the genuine sharing of goods, founded on love.”

To eliminate hunger, international action cannot limit itself to “international action is needed not only to promote balanced and sustainable economic growth and political stability, but also to seek out new parameters – primarily ethical but also juridical and economic ones – capable of inspiring the degree of cooperation required to build a relationship of parity between countries at different stages of development.”

In the second part of his address, the Holy Father indicated several necessary steps to take to combat hunger, promoting an integral human development: not view the rural world as something of secondary importance; favor access to the international market of products from the poorest areas; separate the rules of international trade from the logic of profit viewed as an end in itself. “Nor must the fundamental rights of the individual be forgotten, which include, of course, the right to sufficient, healthy and nutritious food, and likewise water; these rights take on an important role in the realization of others, beginning with the primary one, the right to life.” 

Methods of food production likewise demand attentive analysis of the relationship between development and protection of the environment, as “the desire to possess and to exploit the resources of the planet in an excessive and disordered manner is the primary cause of all environmental degradation.” In this sense, the interaction between environmental protection and climate changes are further examined and the human person, especially the most vulnerable populations, are placed at the heart of both phenomena. 

“Norms, legislation, development plans and investments are not enough, however: what is needed is a change in the lifestyles of individuals and communities, in habits of consumption and in perceptions of what is genuinely needed. Most of all, there is a moral duty to distinguish between good and evil in human action, so as to rediscover the bond of communion that unites the human person and creation,” the Pope warned.

In concluding his address, Benedict XVI mentioned the Church's commitment, without interfering in political decisions: “she respects the knowledge gained through scientific study, and decisions arrived at through reason responsibly enlightened by authentically human values, and she supports the effort to eliminate hunger. This is the most immediate and concrete sign of solidarity inspired by charity, and it brooks neither delay nor compromise.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 17/11/2009)"

(Agenzia Fides / Fides Service (Catholic; Hierarchical; Vatican Based) 17 / 11 | November / 2009)

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War against hunger, global warming can be won on farmlands – UN report

(World Tainted Green)

Note by Marc Aupiais

A new UN (United Nations) report suggests that one of the best ways to combat global hunger, and "global warming", is by focussing on local agricultural projects in food insecure regions.

What follows will be a quotation of a UN News Centre article, and a link to the discussion paper, released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN. Obviously, reading from the source carries the danger of bias, we do not guarantee the accuracy of their views, nor necessarily endorse them:

War against hunger, global warming can be won on farmlands – UN report: "The world's farmlands can be the frontline for the fight against the impact of climate change and the battle to feed the mounting global population, according to a new report released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today."

UN News Centre (Secular; UN run; UN)

5 November 2009

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=32848&Cr=fao&Cr1=farm

Paper of the FAO:

ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/012/ak596e/ak596e00.pdf








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(WWF) World Wildlife Fund: RSA CO2 emmissions equivalent to those of an industrialized developed Nation

(World Tainted Green; c.f. News 24 ( Secular; Independent; South African) article by SAPA: 01 / 07 | July / 2009; Mail and Guardian (South African; Secular; Independent; Liberal) 01 / 07 | July / 2009 ; (World Wildlife Fund Website 01 / 07 | July / 2009) )

Article by Marc Aupiais

Local news is reporting, that the WWF (World Wildlife Fund For Nature), has raised some concerns over the carbon (CO2) emmissions given off by South Africa.

Local "Climate Change" Programme manager for the WWF, Richard Worthington, has claimed that our emmissions are equivalent to those of an industrialized Nation: per capita. A reason for this, noted by local news, who quote the WWF for this: is South Africa's reliance on coal.

The WWF local website, also notes a quote of their local "climate change" manager:

"Richard Worthington, WWF South Africa's Climate Change Programme Manager concludes: "In light of this report we encourage President Zuma to take a strong stand on climate change by ad-vocating for the levels of domestic action, financial support and technology cooperation that are required to avoid the dire impacts in store for Africa if the international community does not keep global warming well below 2 degrees.""

(World Wildlife Fund Website 01 / 07 | July / 2009)

ANALYSIS:


South Africa's energy market is monopolized by partially privatized Eskom, which has consistently been accused of alleged corruption, incompetence, and mismanagement, as well as allegedly lying about coal shortages. It has also been alleged in a report by MNET's Investigative: Carte Blanche, that an alleged obsession, by Eskom: with government BEE codes: whereby government companies are encouraged to do deals with ethnically black persons, over ethnically white persons, or companies with more ethnically black ownership, over companies with less ethnically "black" owners: has allegedly caused shortages in coal supply.

Citizens in the Republic of South Africa, have consistently had their power turned off, and their electricity rates raised at skyrocketing rates, as Eskom provides cheap electricity to foreign high consumption industrial business, despite millions in losses by local business, and industry, and as South Africa continues to supply electricity to the likes of Zimbabwe, and other African nations.

Attempts to build more nuclear plants locally, have also been wrought with accusations of bad practice on the part of Eskom. Further acusations, involving lack of competition, and the need for independent electricity suppliers, have also previously entered the fray.

Based on this, and past practice, it is therefore unlikely that the South African Government will change energy policies. To conclude our analysis of how important the notation by the WWF: of our high CO2 emissions possibly is.

The WWF, has no comment on how the current government locally is doing as regards the grouping's standards. They are reported as saying that it is too soon to tell.

Whether changes obeserved from the eighties until recently (with an odd seeming plateau allegedly seemingly being reached), in world climate, are caused by green house gases, or other events, is still not an issue, to our knowledge: which scientists globally agree on.



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South Africa: Cape Town (Western Cape capital), may run out of water within a few years?

(World Tainted Green; c.f. IOL (Independent; Secular; South African) 01 / 07 | July / 2009 )

Article by Marc Aupiais

According to IOL (Independent Newspapers South Africa), the Mother City, Cape Town: may run out of acceptible levels of water supply by the finishing of the year 2012 A.D.

 While City of Cape Town, controlled by the DA (Democratic Alliance) Official Opposition, says that Cape Town's Water Supply, will last until 2020 thanks to the Berg River Dam project, the Department of Water and Environment Affairs, of the central ANC controlled government, has warned of water shortages after 2012, or possibly 2016 if days ahead welcome wet spells in Cape Town, the Capital City of the Western Cape. The Department claims that demand for water supply, would need to significantly decrease for the claims of the city to be true.

Persons specializing in so-called Climate Change, at the University of Cape Town (UCT), quoted by IOL, claim that Cape Town is heading for drier times. Due to the politics of the situation, it is unclear whose version of this to trust, due to the consistency of differences between the National and Provincial government, which have occured in the Western Cape.

In any case, IOL's article, which we find interesting is accessible here:

IOL (Independent; Secular; South African) 01 / 07 | July / 2009 :

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=14&art_id=vn20090701052538104C572072


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Article by Marc Aupiais

According to IOL (Independent Newspapers South Africa), the Mother City, Cape Town: may run out of acceptible levels of water supply by the year 2012 A.D.

 While City of Cape Town, controlled by the DA (Democratic Alliance) Official Opposition, says that Cape Town's Water Supply, will last until 2020 thanks to the Berg River Dam project, the Department of Water and Environment Affairs, of the central ANC controlled government, has warned of water shortages by 2012, or possibly 2016 with wet spells in Cape Town, the Capital City of the Western Cape. The Department claims that demand for water supply, would need to significantly decrease for the claims of the city to be true.

Persons specializing in so-called Climate Change, at the University of Cape Town (UCT), quoted by IOL, claim that Cape Town is heading for drier times. Due to the politics of the situation, it is unclear whose version of this to trust.

In any case, IOL's article, which we find interesting is accessible here:

IOL (Independent; Secular; South African) 01 / 07 | July / 2009 :

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=14&art_id=vn20090701052538104C572072


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World Tainted Green: Welsh want to attempt compulsory charges for plastic shopping bags

(World Tainted Green; c.f. BBC World News (Secular; Governmental; British) 29 / 06 | June / 2009 ; )

Article by Marc Aupiais

It is something that has been tried before. In fact, charging per plastic bag, and discouraging single use bags: was tried before: right here in the Republic of South Africa.


Personally: I am not sure if it worked here, granted, our plastic bags are thicker (and in our case generally recyclable), and we have to buy them, and do buy less. At the same time, the apocalypse predicted by industry at the time it was introduced here, did not occur.

The Welsh Parliament, is reportedly considering forcing shoppers to buy every plastic shopping bag they use. Welsh Minister for the Environment, Sustainability and Housing, since June 2007: Jane Davidson, has suggestedthat shops charge, up to 15 pence, per shopping bag that a customer buys. At least part of the extra, the BBC reports: being gained, via levy, by the Welsh government.

Like in South Africa, where a similar  initiative has already been put in place, the new plastic bags, will likely be multiple use bags, and probably thicker than current plastic bags. The applicable minister, seems to be affiliated with the Labour party. While a Liberal Democrats spokesperson Mick Bates AM (BBC World News (Secular; Governmental; British) 29 / 06 | June / 2009 ; ) raised concerns of what the money earned from a possible levy would be spent on, Angela Burns, representing the Conservatives: asked (BBC World News (Secular; Governmental; British) 29 / 06 | June / 2009 ; ) that the possible levy be implemented earlier, rather than later.

Wales currently uses four hundred and eighty million (480 000 000) plastic bags per year. Wales a a territory within Great Britain / The United Kingdom.




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International Whaling Convention chair: William Hogarth: Whaling Ban should be lifted

(World Tainted Green; c.f. BBC World News (Secular; Governmental; British) 26 / 06 | June / 2009)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Once under even greater threat of extinction than today, due to the mass harvesting of whales, by commercial companies throughout the world, Whales, once again are entering a risky period. The outgoing head of the International Whaling Convention, has reportedly thought that it may be time to get rid of the ban on commercial whaling, while the incoming head, certainly seems to desire to cause anti-whaling nations and whalers to make compromises with each other(, which could be good or bad for whales): calling the current situation: unacceptable.

While the Whaling Ban (Commercial Whaling Moratorium of 1982), of the International Whaling Convention (IWC), is thought to be a safeguard, by many: for commercially threatened whales. Not so, says, William Hogarth, who was quoted, while he still chairs the International Body. He claims that as Japan's whaling is largely unregulated, as it is under the guise of scientific research, that getting rid of the ban on commercial whaling, would be, in his opinion a good thing.

While countries, such as Norway, and Japan, continue to whale, Norway, which has publicly objected to the moratorium, and declared itself exempt from the 1982 moratorium, and Japan, claiming that their whaling projects, are scientific. In general, the ban has previously been seen as a positive.

The Chair of the International Whaling Commission, suggests "limited", regulated commercial whaling: something the BBC suggests will go down well with the Japanese, accused of abusing the loophole in the moratorium, which allows whaling for "scientific" purposes. Why the Japanese would want a change, may seem odd. Editorially, it seems as though the current loopholes in the moratorium, give Japan legitimacy for their activities, perhaps they desire more legitimacy.

Native Communities, which traditionally hunt whales for food, are not prevented to do so under the moratorium. Nations such as Norway, or Iceland seemingly openly reject it.  Japan: hunts whales, in the name of scientific research.

Using the same seas as Japan: Australia, has decided to do non-lethal research into whales.

Incoming International Whaling Convention head: Cristian Maquieira, claims that the difficulty of realizing a compromise is hard.

He has further: reportedly claimed:

""I feel if there's one common element involved here, it's that everybody believes the status quo is no longer acceptable,""

(BBC World News (Secular; Governmental; British) 26 / 06 | June / 2009)

Japan reportedly currently kills at least a 1 000 (One Thousand) whales a every (12) twelve months (every year).








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Introducing: World Tainted Green

(World Tainted Green)

Opening by Marc Aupiais

It is rare to come across a good Catholic Christian Environmentalist news service, we hope that our new "World Tainted Green", will fill the gap.

http://worldtaintedgreen.blogspot.com/