CDM's no solution
Chaim Nisism (Write On, GLW #695) wrote about the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): "My evaluation is that at least half of the projects are environmentally and socially positive". However, Nisism does not explain how that conclusion was reached. A look at the website Nisism is involved in (noe21.org) does not reveal any further insight that would back up that opinion either.
From my reading of the subject, there does not appear to be as much evidence for optimism about CDMs. One of the most damning statistics about CDMs was published in the November 15 British Guardian which showed that almost 60% of all CDM projects involve destroying hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
What this means is that a factory in a Third World country simply burns (or destroys in some other way) these gases before they reach the atmosphere, can be accredited as a CDM and then sell the "carbon credits" (i.e. the amount of pollution supposedly destroyed) to a highly polluting factory in a First World country, thus enabling that country to claim to be meeting its Kyoto targets without reducing its own greenhouse-gas emissions. These CDMs actually give incentives to polluting businesses rather than working to create truly clean and sustainable industries.
Why is so much carbon finance flowing into these sorts of projects? Because HFCs are 12,000 times more powerful greenhouse gases than CO2, and therefore destroying them generates thousands more carbon credits and profit per tonne than destroying or avoiding the production of CO2.
Only 10% of all CDM projects involve renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Why? Because they are more expensive to set up and the carbon credits roll in over a longer period of time.
The World Bank has been key to setting up the financial infrastructure for the carbon-credits market and receives a commission from each CDM project it brokers. While posing as helping to solve global warming (for a nice profit), the World Bank is massively funding fossil-fuel extraction projects around the world. Between 1992 and 2004, it approved $11 billion in financing for 128 fossil-fuel extraction projects in 45 countries, which will lead to more than 43 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Nisism argues that "CDMs are there anyway so it's better to try to improve them than trying to stop them all´´. The truth is that these "market solutions" are a hindrance to solving global warming. They have spawned new banks and companies that specialise in making profits from CDMs, setting up a new layer of vested interests that benefit from the developed world's reliance on fossil fuels. Environmentalists should be focusing their energies on agitating for real solutions such as renewable energy and energy efficiency rather than wasting time trying to make dead-end gimmicks like the CDM moderately better.
Zoe Kenny
Glebe, NSW
Pat O'Shane
As an Aboriginal woman who is employed by the NSW attorney general's department as a mediator, I spend time in our courts observing justice being delivered. No other magistrate seems to be treated to the vilification meted out by police minister John Watkins in the case of Pat O'Shane. Is this because she is an Aboriginal magistrate with a deep commitment to social justice and truth? I don't want to live in a white police state and I sincerely hope that Pat O'Shane is able to continue in her role as magistrate without being crucified by vested interests who care more about police careers than justice for the community.
Jakalene X
Newtown, NSW
David Hicks
The rendition of David Hicks to Guantanamo Bay reminds me of rendering dripping from a roast in a hot oven — as if you can blame a lamb for cholesterol. It is getting late but Bush and Howard have to cut and run. If Bush's prize for "winning the war" in Iraq is oil flowing in the veins of Halliburton, more guns, bombing and murder and mayhem is not the best promotion for Western democracy. Neither is throwing away the basic tenet of British justice by rendering people to military torture on foreign soils.
Yvonne Francis
Queanbeyan, NSW
Negative attitudes
The negative attitudes towards the US expressed in the BBC global poll (Sydney Morning Herald, January 23) are no surprise. The world community is not as blinded by sycophancy to the US as its leaders are; unlike them, our crap detectors are fully functioning. We marched in our millions to thwart the rush to war with Iraq but we were overridden and parliamentary debate was stifled. The neocons like to boast "Manifest Destiny" which posits the hand of God guiding the US on the world stage to fulfill his will but do John Howard and Kevin Rudd really believe this self-serving nonsense?
The US is long on weapons but scarily short on brains, like a dinosaur. Howard has endorsed every stupid US military foray and will no doubt support an attack on Iran. What kind of "special" relationship do we have with the US when we dare not be critical of the Iraq debacle — the biggest blunder of the last 50 years?
Gareth Smith
Byron Bay, NSW
Citizenship
In changing the name of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIC), PM John Howard said that migrants should become citizens. This is an illiberal view. You certainly don't need to be a citizen to make a good contribution to society.
Some people may be internationalists who prefer not to identify with a particular country. Others, while appreciating Australia, may have an objection to some Australian laws or practices which prevents them from, in good conscience, swearing allegiance. And the government may create barriers to becoming a citizen that mean it is not worthwhile for some migrants to attempt to become citizens.
Indeed, the government is about to make it harder for migrants to become citizens by requiring applicants to pass both a general quiz and a tougher language test. Ironically, the result might be that fewer migrants, especially migrants from disadvantaged and non-English-speaking backgrounds, become Australian citizens.
Brent Howard
Rydalmere, NSW
Patrick Bramwell
I support a call of Stewart Levitt for an independent investigation of Patrick Bramwell's death regardless of the evidence present as it has been collected by the Queensland Police. Because Sergeant Chris Hurley is still an officer of the Queensland Police, in this case, certain conflict of interests is apparent, and the Queensland Police cannot be viewed as an independent investigative body.
Patrick Bramwell was an important witness in Mulrunji Doomadgee's case. His sudden death at the beginning of [Justice Lawrence] Street's investigation looks very suspicious. The possibility of murder should be thoroughly investigated not by the Queensland Police.
Andreas Berg
Palm Beach, Qld