Climate Change Migration

It’s easy to speak of the consequences of climate change, but being faced with potential numbers of one of its consequences is a wake-up call. The World Bank recently issued a Report “Groundswell: Preparing for Internal Climate Migration” saying that if current trends continue and we do nothing by 2050, 143 million people would be climate change refugees. The reasons are due to causes we’ve already heard about:  decreased crop productivity, water shortages and rising sea levels. Of course Continue reading “Climate Change Migration”

A Blot on Our Conscience

Some issues are taxing, they demand a lot from us, what to do with and about migrants and refugees is such an issue. Closing of borders, deportations are common and easy. But the reality may require more from us. In several parts of the world notably at the present in Europe and in the US/South American borders the problem is unavoidable and poignant. A recently published report by both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund foresees the problem as continuing and in larger proportions if demographic trends and national policies do not take it into account. It states that the growth of the problem is not inevitable, but given that policy makers Continue reading “A Blot on Our Conscience”

Toward The End of Water Privatization

In Lagos, Nigeria, a water privatization project did not turn out as expected, according to a recent article by Michelle Chen in The Nation. It was neither workable nor profitable. A key reason lay in the lack of infrastructure. To bring water to people a company needs pipes, a task that in a country like Nigeria, or in any other developing nation, is not particularly easy. The project was mismanaged, was not delivering water to most people. In some areas water was stolen, and those who paid were often those who could least afford it. Another reason the Lagos project failed was that the World Bank refused to fund it, Continue reading “Toward The End of Water Privatization”