The South African Civil Society Information Service
A nonprofit news agency promoting social justice. Seeking answers to the question:
How do we make democracy work for the poor?
A nonprofit news agency promoting social justice. Seeking answers to the question:
How do we make democracy work for the poor?
Sadie Robinson -
As the row over nuclear power grows, Sadie Robinson spoke to scientist and activist Dr Helen Caldicott about the dangers of nuclear power, the powerful interests that back it and how we can win a better world.
The environmentalist George Monbiot has recently spent his time attacking anti-nuclear campaigners. He claims they misrepresent scientific research and lie about the health risks of radiation.
In his Guardian articles, Monbiot has accused scientist Dr Helen...
Michelle Pressend -
In June this year, the United Nations Conference of Environment and Development (UNCED) popularly known, as the Rio Earth Summit will commemorate 20 years. It was originally held in Brazil in 1992. You may recall that in 2002, South Africa hosted the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), so this year also marks WSSD+10, though it doesn’t seem to have the same prominence as Rio+20.
The Rio Earth Summit was one of the most significant global environmental gatherings as world...
Saliem Fakir -
Environmentalists in South Africa are largely seen as lone and desperate voices. Often they are perceived to be white and middle-class, but that is changing slowly.
Environmentalists remain at the margins of the mainstream economy and outside of key decision-making channels. Where they cannot control the excesses and harm belched out of the belly of a gluttonous economy, they mop up the aftermath.
Their fire fighting battles range from dealing with issues such as acid mine drainage to...
There've been numerous media reports of National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa's (NUMSA) call for a "socially owned" renewable energy sector. Recently, The Real News Network, a US-based media outlet, talked to Cedric Gina, president of NUMSA about the significance of workers leading the transition to a green economy.
South Africa is a country heavily dependent on carbon emitting fossil fuels, mostly in the form of coal, with seriously negative implications for climate...
Saliem Fakir -
Fourteen days of climate change negotiations started off with much scepticism and ended with a sense of despair despite the COP 17 outcome being declared “landmark” and “historic”. COP 17 was painted, at once, as a victory for the world -- but such statements belie the real truth.
The Kyoto Protocol will continue with European Union (EU) states agreeing to a second commitment period. However, what they are committing to is nothing new, as the EU has already...
The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, has ended with an agreement to start negotiations for a new legally binding climate treaty to be decided by 2015 — and to come into force by 2020. Negotiators also agreed to a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol and the initial design of a Green Climate Fund. Many environmental groups say the agreement does not do enough to deal with the climate crisis.
"It is really not the important milestone in...
