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(Deconstructing in-order to find new meanings)
A blogging space about my personal interests; was made during training in Stockholm #Young Leaders Visitors Program #Ylvp08 it developed into a social bookmarking blog.
I studied #Architecture; interested in #Design #Art #Education #Urban Design #Digital-media #social-media #Inhabited-Environments #Contemporary-Cultures #experimentation #networking #sustainability & more =)
Please Enjoy, feedback recommended.
p.s. sharing is usually out of interest not Blind praise.
This is neither sacred nor political.
Friday, June 12
Feminist theory, practices and actions can lead to innovative solutions on internet governance
Friday, June 5
Security and Climate Change
Just an hour ago we got a dispatch from our partners who have been working hard to get a resolution passed by the UN Security Council. It's a resolution that draws the link--strongly--between climate and international security issues. Here's the dispatch from Tekau Frere (small island advocate and French Polynesian) about the latest developments:
Sea level rise, increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme events, destruction of coral reefs, soil erosion, salinization of soils and fresh water reserves, changes in precipitation patterns, spread of vector-borne diseases, etc, are some of the current and projected impacts used by scientists, community members, governments, or organizations to demonstrate the reality of climate on small islands. Yet, despite the numerous graphic images, reports, or documentaries, the alarmist bell has been rung in vacuum. The fate of many island nations, especially atoll nations such as Tuvalu, Kiribati, or the Maldives, has been used as a matter of sensational news. The international climate change negotiations never truly discussed how climate change would impact the existence, thus security of these nations.
For small island nations, climate change is an existential threat. Representatives of these countries have been seeking the help of the international community for years. Despite their multiple and repetitive shout out for assistance, they never received a concrete echo. Tired of waiting and thriving to get their plight heard, a group of 12 island nations at the United Nations, the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS), decided to act and move the international community.
The PSIDS drafted a resolution which is now strong of more than 80 co-sponsors. Entitled “the possible implications of climate change on security”, this ground breaking resolution urges all relevant organs of the UN to intensify their efforts in dealing with climate change and its consequences. It also asks the Secretary General to submit a report to the general assembly on the security implications of climate change.
Although no blue helmet will be sent to small islands to stop the waters from rising, the text demonstrates the commitment of the international community to recognize that climate change is not just a development issue. It recognizes that this global and multi-sector challenge needs to be dealt with the entire spectrum of UN organs and, thus, opens the door to more climate related actions.
Small islands contribute the least to climate change, yet they suffer the most. Their small sizes and small economies may not make them focal international actors, but their passion, perseverance, and legitimacy in this matter have inscribed them as protagonists in the issue of climate change. Although the negotiation process was certainly challenging, they succeeded in sharing their plight and overcoming national interests. Thanks to the support and strong assistance from their initial co-sponsors, they achieve a significant and admirable victory. This resolution proves that with a little political will and willingness to communicate, there is hope in climate negotiations.
http://www.350.org/about/blogs/security-and-climate-change-together-laste n v i r o n m e n t
Monday, May 11
Water Management in Syria
Water Management in Syria
From a Gift of God to a Valuable Economic Factor
Syria is the most arid country in the watershed of the Euphrates and Tigris. To alleviate the situation, Germany is pumping € 130 million into the Syrian water sector. Kristin Helberg reports on the work of German engineers in Damascus and Aleppo
A dried out paradise
Just a five-minute walk from Korte's office in the center of Damascus flows the Barada, or all that remains of the once-mighty river – a narrow, odorous trickle of water. Fed from the Anti-Lebanon Mountains, the Barada made Damascus into a fertile oasis in the middle of a stone desert. At one time, its clear water flowed through the city's green gardens and fruit orchards – hence Damascus' moniker as "paradise on earth." By the middle of the 20th century, there wasn't sufficient water for the city's rapidly growing population, and illegal wells were dug everywhere within the city limits, resulting in a sinking of the ground water table. Even today, unfiltered sewage water is seeping into the ground and contaminating the water below.
Wasteful use of water
Not only Damascus, but the whole of Syria is lacking an effective management system for water resources, says Johannes Wolfer, who works in the area surrounding Damascus on behalf of the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR). According to the hydrologist, Syria has a relatively large amount of water for the region, but it is distributed very unevenly and therefore must be managed more carefully. Valuable drinking water should not be used to wash cars or irrigate fruit trees. "In the long term, Syria has to move away from agriculture," says the specialist. In comparison to agriculture, more income can be generated though industry, tourism, and the service sector – with less use of water.
Al Tayep is satisfied with her colleagues, even though she had to get used to their flexible working hours. State workers in Syria only earn about 120 euros a month, so they usually require additional jobs in order to feed their families. As a result, they only work three to four hours in the water treatment plant, often leaving the German expert alone on the site. "It is something you just have to accept," says Al Tayep. She claims that it wouldn't achieve anything for a German expert to demand that everyone stayed at their posts from 8 to 3. "Then no one at all would work with me." Instead, she expects that her colleagues at least let her know when they will be at work so that she can plan her activities.