Maasim, Sarangani Province, Philippines –This third class municipality in the province of Sarangani in Southern Mindanao is home to some 39,000 Christians, Muslims and B?laans. About 90% (46,600 hectares out of the total land area of 51,107 hectares) of Maasim?s land area is forestlands, but only about 2,000 hectares remain forested.
(more…)
DAVAO CITY — The environmental agenda of most of the council candidates from Davao City ?s first district showed their concern for the city?s water quality and supply and the protection of the watersheds, something that brings a spark of hope for environmental groups who have been working intensively for this particular issue.
Of the seven candidates, one of whom is a neophyte, five said they will come up if not strengthen and implement existing laws with legislation that will protect water resources and rehabilitate damaged ones.
(more…)
THE CLEAN energy agenda must move beyond the close of the Kyoto Protocol in 2012 to manage the threat of climate change, a seminar audience heard today in Kyoto.
?Given Asia’s phenomenal growth, its energy and development agenda has become a matter of global attention,? ADB Vice-President Ursula Schaefer-Preuss said at a seminar on ?Clean Energy and Environment: Building on Kyoto? at ADB’s 40th Annual Meeting.
Kyoto, Japan: Greenpeace today called on the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) to support an emergency response equal to the severity of climate
change impacts (1). Only by putting all its resources and expertise behind an
energy revolution based on renewable energy and energy efficiency can the Bank
remain relevant. ?The ADB must shift now to supporting real solutions ?
renewable energy and energy efficiency. Failure to do so spells disaster for
Asia?s most vulnerable. The next decade is decisive and coal or nuclear are
expensive and dangerous and have no role to play in the emergency response to
climate change needed. To say that coal can be part of a sustainable energy
future is like saying that cancer can be part of a healthy body?, argued Gerd
Leipold, Greenpeace International Executive Director.
MANILA — Some 100 people attended the People’s Forum workshop on water privatization and struggles in Asia organized by Jubilee South-APMDD, together with PSI, NGO Forum and AMNET ? Japan. In the workshop, labor unions and water campaigners from civil society presented their critique on the ADB water privatization agenda and their struggles for water justice.