Ngày đăng: Tháng Mười Một 26, 2015

Why Southeast Asia struggles to tackle modern-day slavery

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ 5 bình luận

Officials from three countries are investigating allegations of slavery in Indonesia’s fishing industry. The UN’s Annette Lyth talks to DW about the growing problem of human trafficking in the region.

Indonesien Fischer Skaverei

DW – A week after the Associated Press (AP) published a story about slavery in the seafood industry, delegations from Thailand and Indonesia visited the eastern Indonesian island village of Benjina freeing some 300 migrant workers who had been lured or tricked into leaving their countries and forced into catching fish for consumers around the world.
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Trying not to choose: A region pulled between China and America

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Simon Long
Mon Nov 02 2015

http://cms-worldin.economist.com/sites/default/files/styles/1190x560l/public/Asia-Trying-not-to-choose-3570×1680.jpg?itok=7M4J9Efm
ASIA
East Asia is the scene for an unprecedented experiment in international relations. Never before have so many countries been so intertwined economically with one big power (China) while looking to another (America) as the ultimate guarantor of their security. So far the experiment has seemed a stunning success. For 40 years, America has not just kept the peace; it has enabled a continental economic boom. And the biggest beneficiary of that has been China. Yet that order is now fraying, as China chafes under what it sees as an American-led world order that is impeding its rise and its natural regional predominance. In 2016 the tensions that this fraying produces may become acute, posing awkward questions for other countries in Asia.

When Xi Jinping, China’s president, paid his first state visit to America in September 2015, the two countries were already at odds on a number of issues: the perennial bugbears such as China’s human-rights record and repression in Tibet and Xinjiang; and new concerns over cyber-security and the militarisation of space. The visit was marked, as always, by an effort to stress areas of co-operation, for example on climate change; but the two big powers are now rivals in a growing number of spheres. Asia is where the rivalry is most intense. It will become more so in 2016 for three main reasons.
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All signs point to a treaty of hope in Paris

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Despite the recent setbacks, there are signs that point to a successful outcome for the UN climate talks in Paris. At the very least, it will achieve more than the UN meeting six years ago in Copenhagen.

river seine eiffel tower
A view of the Seine river and Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. More than 130 world leaders will arrive in the city for the United Nations climate change summit, which starts on 30 November. Image: Shutterstock
By Jessica Cheam

Wednesday 25 November 2015

 ecobusiness – In less than a week’s time, more than 130 of the world’s leaders will arrive in Paris to kick off the United Nations climate change summit – billed by some as the most important global meeting in recent history.
There’s been a growing global momentum since its lead-up, but since the start of the year, the French capital has dominated headlines for other reasons. In January, Islamist terror attacks on the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket left 17 dead. Last week, the city again became a bloodbath after deadly attacks involving shootings and bombings by terror group Islamic State killed 130 people and injured hundreds more.While the city remains in high alert, the French government were quick to affirm that the UN talks would go ahead, pledging that it will not “give up in the face of violence” by cancelling the summit, expected to be attended by the likes of the presidents of US, China, Russia and India along with 40,000 other delegates, journalists and observers. Tiếp tục đọc “All signs point to a treaty of hope in Paris” →

On World Toilet Day, it’s time Pacific leaders start talking toilets

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này
Alyse Schrecongost's picture

Submitted by Alyse Schrecongost On Wed, 11/18/2015

co-authors: Katherine Wong

worldbank – Around the world, people are moving to cities in unprecedented numbers. The Pacific Islands are no different. In Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea (PNG), the urban growth rate is around 3% a year – or in real terms, around 64,000 people every year – who are making the move to the Pacific’s largest towns and cities each year in search of work and a better life.

As this ‘urbanisation’ increases, aging infrastructure and basic services are falling far short of needs. People arriving in cities are forced to settle in ad-hoc homes built on marginal lands without land titles.  Known as ‘informal settlements’, these communities are often packed with homes hovering on stilts above cleared mangroves, stacked precariously up steep rocky hillsides, or squeezed onto public land along roads and power lines.

In Honiara and Port Moresby, the number of people living in settlements may soon outnumber formal residents. Yet the majority have limited or nonexistent water, sanitation and hygiene services – even in settlements that have existed for decades.
When residents of these settlements need to use the toilet, they must venture outside their homes – no matter the weather or time of day. They may have to trek long distances, making those most vulnerable – especially women and children – risk harassment or worse. Some reluctantly use the bushes or go in the ocean. When facilities are available, they are often pits that are shared among multiple families, and are often full or flooded. Untreated waste sits stagnant in these toilets, attracting pests and flies. Children may be afraid of them. Many elderly residents simply can’t access them.
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Top 5 Developments Enabling Shift to 100 Percent Renewable Energy

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Renewableenergyworld – A growing number of companies, cities, states and countries are aiming for, and achieving, a goal of obtaining power from 50 percent, 75 percent or even 100 percent renewable energy, thanks, in part, to a set of major developments that are enabling the resource shift, according to a new report from Clean Edge.

Commissioned by SolarCity, the report Getting to 100 discusses what is driving the transition to increasing levels of renewable energy consumption and identifies the successes and challenges of both governments and companies in targeting, and/or achieving, 100 percent renewable energy goals.

According to the report, these five developments are supporting the trend toward higher penetrations of renewable energy:

  • A resilient grid
  • A rise in net zero buildings and smart connected devices
  • Energy storage availability and affordability
  • Proliferation of utility-scale renewables
  • Cost-effective status of distributed solar across geographies

Distributed Solar Becomes Cost-Effective Across Geographies

The proliferation of ever-cheaper distributed solar generation – residential, commercial and community – is a key driver toward the 100 percent renewable energy goal, according to the report.

“The cost curves are undeniable,” the report said. “The plummeting prices of solar panels have been well-documented, but the industry has recently been attacking balance-of-system costs and so-called soft costs (such as marketing, customer acquisition, permitting, and installation) as well.” Tiếp tục đọc “Top 5 Developments Enabling Shift to 100 Percent Renewable Energy” →