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September 2009 Archives

September 4, 2009

Embracing a new apocaplypse

Following the trend on climate change from a previous post, some additional info about the trending topic and its effects. The BBC published in its web page an interesting article about the way Climate Change is displacing other environmental problems out of the agenda. Fortunately, water issues are still as relevant as Climate for the green hooligans, but is a shame that issues as desertification or fisheries receive less attention. Although, to be honest, it is possible that pop-altruism concentrated in their new apocalypse, gives time to less passionate discussions on the other problems that, sooner or later, would re-emerge.

But, why apocalypse? Climate change is so pressing that it justifies any available mean of persuasion. If not, just ask the editorialist of the NYT:

One can only hope that these arguments turn the tide in the Senate. Mr. Kerry, Mr. Warner and like- minded military leaders must keep pressing their case, with help from the Pentagon and the White House. National security is hardly the only reason to address global warming, but at this point anything that advances the cause is welcome.

Trying to be optimistic, climate change can bring along a longly deserved change in the profile of world armies. Just last week, under the stress of the flooding that affected Taiwan, President Ma publicly said that

“now our enemy is not necessarily the people across the Taiwan Strait but nature,” Then, an order for 60 American-made Blackhawk helicopters was cut by 15, and the savings used to buy disaster relief aircraft.(from the NYT)

45 instead of 60 may seem a minimum digression from the previous plan but, if we add this gesture to the document published in America two weeks ago, it could be speculated about the seeds of a trend.

Human security is about how to change the mentality of the guys with guns too.

See you,

September 21, 2009

Holy Punishment


From the NYT

Do you remember the weirdest reaction to the swine flu pandemic? A hint, it was not Afghanistan decision to isolate the only pig in the country that lived in the zoo. But you are hot: it was Egypt decision to kill all the pigs in the country to avoid the spread of the disease. A draconian measure of religious discriminatory nuance - pigs in the Muslim country belong to Christians - had some unintended consequences: tons of organic waste that pigs were fed of are now filling the streets.

I wonder if I am being impious...


About September 2009

This page contains all entries posted to Student Network for Human Security (SNHS) Blog in September 2009. They are listed from oldest to newest.

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