September is going to be a busy month for climate change. On the 28th, the United States Senate will be asked to sign-on to the House approved Waxman-Markey bill to cap and reduce global warming pollution and cut U.S. imports of foreign oil. But the climate change debate–and whether other countries will commit to the massive global agenda–is still unknown. After all, how can the world possibly agree to re-direct its economy towards green growth?

A press conference organized this week by the Global campaign for Climate Action and Tck Tck Tck (an alliance that brings NGO’s, faith groups, and trade unions together on climate), surveyed expert opinions on the upcoming month, where several significant international gatherings will take place in the United States and are designed specifically to increase pressure on world leaders to sign an ambitious and binding agreement at the international climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2009. A September 22nd summit organized by the UN’s Secretary-General will seek to lobby member-states to sign on to the organization’s multi-tiered global warming reduction agenda.

Yet, there here have been a series of failures leading up to the UN Summit and Copenhagen. Many developing countries favor a single, all inclusive agreement  (a new Copenhagen over the stale Kyoto protocol), and others recognize the costs associated with tackling climate change. More importantly, governments simply cannot agree on how developing countries will set emission reduction targets. Many developing countries want the targets set first by developed countries. And more specifically, bilateral negotiations with major polluters, namely the United States and China, are not likely to garner the political will necessary to resolve current emission practices.

“I have no intention of playing a game. We are not looking at ways to gloss over this issue. We need to move forward.” said a hopeful UN Ambassador of Denmark, Carsten Staur, the host of the international climate change negotiations in December.

The breakdown in talks at the G-8 held in Italy this summer, also left many countries wondering whether the climate agenda would ever be adopted. Skeptics added that a global treaty to help cut carbon emissions to levels that will prevent dangerous rises in global temperatures could not possible exist as long as the U.S. and Australia rejected Kyoto arguing that economic competitors like China and India get by without restrictions.  And although industrialized nations pledged to limit global climate change to 2 degrees, developing nations felt the G8 should not be leading the world climate agenda and the current strategy did not sufficiently focus on cooperation between rich and poor states–forcing developing economies into the sidelines in Copenhagen.

Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) said at a stalled climate meeting in Bonn this summer, “If we keep moving forward at this pace, we may not make it in time at Copenhagen.”

“There is a lag between reality and action. Copenhagen may be an illusion of action with no action” said Alden Meyer, Vice Chair of the Tck Tck Tck campaign.

The climate bill in the United States (American Clean Energy and Security Act), would force U.S. industries to comply with tougher regulations and monitoring to mitigate global warming. Many lawmakers are against the climate bill, which they say could bring up higher energy prices to consumers. Under the House-passed bill, U.S. carbon emissions would have to drop by 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050, from 2005 levels.

“There has been a delay in this process partly due to the ongoing health care debate, which has greatly slowed down this climate agenda,” said Michael Allegretti, Senior Advisor on US Policy for the Climate Group which will host Climate Week in New York beginning September 21.

If the House had not approved the Waxman-Markey bill, there is great consensus the United States would not have been able to contribute to international climate change negotiations in Denmark in December.

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer and other democrats are leading the process and are hopeful the meeting in September will advance the climate change agenda in the US, a few months ahead of the global COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen from December 7-18 2009.

By promoting alternative “green” energy like solar and wind power to replace coal and oil, the Waxman-Markey bill would dramatically shift energy production in the United States.

A leaked report released this week claims the UN Secretary-General does not have the capacity to deal with global conflicts in Sri Lanka and Burma, is frequently absent and cannot properly come up with solid solutions to aid developing countries during this financial crisis.

The report, published by Aftenposten, a Norwegian newspaper, was addressed to Norway’s Foreign Minister from Mona Juul, the United Nations Ambassador to Norway. Juul wrote:

“At a time when the U.N. and multilateral solutions to global crises are more needed than ever, Ban and the U.N. are notable by their absence.”

“As you know,” Juul wrote, “(Ban) was a conscious choice by an American Administration that did not want an active Secretary-General. The current US Administration has not signaled a changed attitude toward Ban either — although there are rumors that some in Washington are now calling Ban a ‘one-term secretary-general.”

The Secretary-General’s recent visits to Burma, and his failure to mitigate the thousands of deaths and injuries of civilians in the recent Sri Lanka crisis, are also cited in the report as main examples of his failures.

Juul underlined that Ban Ki-moon was a “passive observer” to Burma’s unjust and continued house detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

“In other crisis areas, such as Darfur, Somalia, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and not in the least the Congo, the Secretary-General seems irresolute.”

Juul added that the Secretary-General has frequent public bouts of anger and the current mood among Ban’s staff is “very tense.”

Ban Ki-moon is also the most traveled of all the previous UN Secretary-General’s. Many within the system have criticized these travels as wasted spending.  A native of South Korea, Ban was elected in 2007. He is now half-way through his term.

The UN’s Organization for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today launched World Humanitarian Day. The Day commemorates the humanitarian community’s ability to respond more rapidly and effectively to crises–natural or man made. OCHA added that humanitarian assistance has “improved beyond all recognition in the last 20 years.”

Participants also recognized the loss of so many aid workers in Iraq, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories and on other continents in Africa and Asia.

“Many thousands of aid workers who have devoted their lives to humanitarian work, matching idealism with action, and principles with practice. Their selfless and non-political endeavors are vital for the necessary acceptance by all concerned that assistance to the needy should be provided impartially and neutrally, without reference to religion, gender, or race,” the organization said.

On December 11th 2008, the United Nations General Assembly agreed to mark the 19th of August as World Humanitarian Day in order to recognize the importance of international cooperation, as well as to honor United Nations personnel who have been killed while on duty.

Among the dedicated professionals was Sergio Vieira de Mello, who died on August 19 in 2003 alongside 21 other colleagues in the Canal Hotel bombing in Baghdad.

“His memory should serve as an inspiration to all of us who carry out humanitarian work today, even as our assistance efforts in many places continue to be limited by increasingly violent frequent and targeted attacks on humanitarian staff.”

More shellings today killed at least 75 people and injured 400 people across Baghdad. State-owned Iraqiya television reported August 19 2009 as “the bloodiest day in Iraq this year.”

There was also a meeting held today by the Security Council with a message released by Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Ocsar Fernandez-Taranco, who said “attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians and their property continue, with a lack of enforcement of rule of law. The issue of continued Israeli settlement activity in East Jerusalem and the West Bank is a matter of grave concern.”

Dozens of aid workers employed by UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) have been injured or killed in recent attacks in Gaza and the West Bank.

OCHA added the day marks a need to address the facts that humanitarian needs are multiplying.  The world is facing many more new threats than before–threats of climate change, chronic poverty, the food and financial crises, water shortages, population growth and widespread pandemics.

Nearly ninety bloody murders of gay men have occurred in Iraq this year alone. Concerns of the rising HIV rates throughout the country have increased fears among the Iraqi police and security forces who have carried out these murders in some of the country’s most religious areas– including Sadr city. Seven deaths have occurred this month and over 700 murders have taken place since 2004 when militias started to go after these groups. These deaths mostly include murders of gays–including massive honor killings.

Homosexuality is stigmatized in Iraq as many religious groups believe it betrays the Moslem faith. Iraqi government officials have made clear they do not condone the murders.

Human Rights Watch issued a report this week entitled “They Want Us Exterminated”: Murder, Torture, Sexual Orientation and Gender in Iraq. The report claims hundreds of gay men have been tortured and killed in Iraq in recent months-many by the nation’s police.

“Iraq’s leaders are supposed to defend all Iraqis, not abandon them to armed agents of hate,” said Scott Long, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. “Turning a blind eye to torture and murder threatens the rights and life of every Iraqi.”

The report underscores that Iraqi police and security forces have done little to investigate or stop the killings and that authorities have made no arrests or prosecutions. A story highlighted in the report documents a typical murder carried out by the police:

“It was late one night in early April, and they came to take my partner at his parents’ home. Four armed men barged into the house, masked and wearing black. They asked for him by name; they insulted him and took him in front of  his parents. All that, I heard about later from his family.  He was found in the neighborhood the day after. They had thrown his corpse in the garbage. His genitals were cut off and a piece of his throat was ripped out.”

For a full copy of the report, go to: http://www.hrw.org/en/reports/2009/08/17/they-want-us-exterminated-0

On the eve of an unexpected visit this week from Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to Abkhazia, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter to the Security Council condemning the Georgian government for its actions in Abkhazia and South Ossetia a year ago. The letter called for “adequate ways to ensure stability in Transcaucasia” moving away from “idealized and bloc approaches” in dealing with the situation.

TRNS obtained a copy of the letter, signed by Igor N. Sheherbak, First Deputy Permanent Representative. The letter underscores the “inhuman”  attacks committed by Georgian President, Mikhail Saakashvili’s regime on the innocent civilians in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The letter described Georgia as “barbaric” in their aggression into the region last August and blamed the Georgian government for the break down of Security Council talks in June and for tensions between Russia and the European Union and OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe)—groups that want peace in the region.

The letter stated:

“Attempts to carry on as if nothing had happened and to ignore the fully sovereign existence of independent South Ossetia and Abkhazia eventually led to the closure in these countries and Georgia of the international presences that had generally provided useful assistance to the peoples of the region. That was not our choice. Nor does the responsibility lie on Russia for the withdrawal of the international missions, however hard some people may try to present this.”

The Georgian army was ousted from South Ossetia and Abkhazia, even though the country receives a good deal of political and economic support from the United States. Former President George W. Bush was reluctant to intervene in a conflict with the Russians but the administration officially backed the Georgian government.

A highly charged visit this week by Putin to Abkhazia (which Russia still regards as “independent” alongside South Ossetia) was met with harsh criticism from the Georgian Foreign Ministry, which labeled his trip a visit to an “occupied territory.” Putin promised to pump in nearly 500 million dollars to build up Abkhazia and to prevent further attacks.

The European Union on Thursday criticized Vladimir Putin’s visit to Abkhazia, saying that Putin did not have the  prior consent of the Georgian authorities.

Russia plans to use some of the 500 million to build more military bases in the separatist Georgian region.

“Russia is showing and will show economic, political and if necessary military support to Abkhazia,” Putin said in a news conference in Abkhazia on Wednesday, according to Russia news agencies. Putin also stated that Russia will work with Abkhazia in building a “modern border defense.”

Russia already has several thousand troops in Abkhazia and South Ossetia and military bases in both regions.  Putin has urged the UN and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to recognize the former republics’ independence.

Some international critics have compared Abhkazia to Taiwan. Currently, only Nicaragua and Hamas have formally recognized Russia’s right to intervene in the region.

The United States has called for Georgia’s sovereignty to be respected and is also concerned the massive build up in the area has shown the Russians are not willing to negotiate on this issue.

In June, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon sent deep regrets to the Security Council after talks broke down to keep a UN military presence in the region. The Russian Ambassador to the UN, Mr. Vitaly Churkin, voiced dissatisfaction with the mission’s name (United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia) or UNOMIG. When the Security Council failed to reach an agreement, the UN mission pulled out of Abkhazia thus endangering the stability that the Secretary-General had hoped to achieve there.

With no military presence in the area, the UN has attempted to establish some sort of  “hotline” to facilitate urgent contacts between parties and guarantee that security concerns are addressed. TRNS spoke with Brenden Varma from the UN Spokesperson’s office and he added:

“It is not up to the UN to recognize states. It is up to states themselves to recognize other states. We would hope for a peaceful resolution between parties and to keep them engaged in dialogue.”

The Russian Spokesperson for the UN Mission, Elena Badiyan reiterated Russia’s position to TRNS this afternoon.  She said the letter was sent this week to the Security Council because the Russian government wanted to “attract attention and to make clear what really happened a year ago.”

She also added that the breakdown in talks was a result in June of the main obstacle–the name of the UN military mission.  When prompted with the question about ongoing concerns that Putin’s visit and the increased military and economic buildup in the region will lead to another conflict, Badiyan replied “There are no changes. Now is the dead season. Our position remains the same. We can’t make everyone see the situation the way Russia does. Some people will misunderstand.”

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) issued a strong message this week against expanding Jewish settlements in the district of Sheikh Jarrah, in East Jerusalem. The international community has joined UNRWA in voicing deep concern about the evictions of several Palestinian families from their homes. UNRWA remains vigilant about other refugee families in the area and says the evictions are causing further “unacceptable” suffering.

In 1956, UNRWA made an agreement with the Jordanian government, which controlled East Jerusalem at the time. The agreement stipulated the provision of houses in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah for Palestinians families who have been living ever since.

These recent evictions followed a ruling by the Israeli Supreme Court that claimed Jewish families had owned the land before 1948.  Skeptics of this decision have said that under international law, the settlements in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel are illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention. The Convention  states:

“The occupying power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own population into the territories it occupies.”

The overwhelming view within the international community is that Article 49 is applicable to the occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Previous U.S. administrations have labeled these settlements illegal, but Secretary of State Hilary Clinton used more cautious language this week:

“Both sides have responsibilities to refrain from provocative actions that can block the path toward a comprehensive peace agreement. Unilateral actions taken by either party cannot be used to prejudge the outcome of negotiations, and they will not be recognized as changing the status quo,” Clinton added.

Jewish settlers were escorted into the homes of 53 Palestinian people–some whom were left outside watching.

“The families, evicted in the early hours of Sunday from their homes where they have lived for more than a half a century, continue to suffer stress and shock,” UNRWA stated.

“Not only were they surrounded by Israeli police and security personnel at dawn, their homes broken into and their families thrown onto the streets, thy have had to endure the indignity and humiliation of their personnel effects being loaded onto trucks and dumped in scrub land at the edge of Jerusalem’s Route One,” said UNRWA spokesperson Christopher Gunness.

TRNS spoke by telephone to Gunness and he added that these recent actions are affecting all the 4.6 million refugees– and the fear is that further evictions are imminent. UNRWA has met with Israeli authorities and called on them to give back the homes of the evicted Palestinians.

The United Nations Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, met with reporters to detail the UN Security Council’s unanimously adopted landmark resolution on Tuesday which lists over 60 parties accused of armed conflict including maiming, killing, raping and committing sexual violence against children.

“This is a major step forward in the fight against impunity for crimes against children and a recognition of the reality of conflict today, where girls and boys are increasingly targeted and victimized, killed and raped, as well as recruited into armed groups,” said Coomaraswamy.

The new resolution was sponsored by the UN Ambassador to Mexico , Mr. Claude Heller and allows for the compilation of a “list of shame” to include the killing and maiming of children, as well as horrendous crimes and sexual violence against children in wartime.

Farhan Haq, from the UN Spokesperson’s office briefed reporters on new bomb attacks in Baghdad and the UN’s response.

The UN has expressed grave concern on new civilian deaths in Afghanistan. Fifty nine percent of civilian deaths are attributed to anti-government factions. There are now over 1 million internally displaced persons in Pakistan. Water and hygiene are a great concern and UNICEF is working hard to combat malnutrition and other illness.

 

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By Mariko Lamb – Talk Radio News Service

Major General Scott Gration, a U.S. special envoy to Sudan, discussed a comprehensive strategy for that nation in preparation of UNAMID’s 2011 peace referendum and Sudan’s April 2010 elections.

“We want a country that is governed responsibly, justly, democratically, a country that’s at peace with itself and its neighbors, that’s economically viable, a country that works together with the United States in common interests,” Gration said in an address to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Thursday.

In order to meet these objectives, “we need some space on sanctions,” he said, calling on Congress to help lift sanctions that restrict access to certain Sudanese ports. Such sanctions, he said, block access of trains carrying essential equipment and personnel for health care and education. They “are hindering me from being able to bring development to the south,” he added.

Gration said he believes that by establishing an environment that helps leaders in the north and south of Sudan reach twelve areas of agreement of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the U.S. can help Sudan reach a major milestone on the road to peace. “We created the environment so that the two parties, NCP and SBLN, could make the agreements,” Gration explained.

“It’s getting significantly better, but that doesn’t mean that we need to stop our efforts,” he said.

In addition to lifting sanctions, “we need more people,” Gration said. He recently requested three additional full-time employees from the U.S. State Department of State to assist him in fostering peace in Sudan.

By Mariko Lamb – Talk Radio News Service

Ambassador Susan Rice, U.S. Representative to the United Nations, described challenges facing the UN’s 15 peacekeeping operations in conflict areas around the world as well as the U.S.’s role in facing these challenges in her address to the House Foreign Affairs Committee Wednesday.

Key challenges include the rapid demand of riskier U.N. peacekeeping missions, lack of support and capabilities from member states, and lack of stability and legitimacy of host governments after the departure of U.N. forces.

“It will take concerted action by many actors to meet the difficult challenges facing U.N. peacekeeping. It will also take U.S. leadership,” Rice said.

“Increasing the effectiveness and the efficiency of peacekeeping is one of the Obama administration’s highest priorities at the United Nations,” she said. The U.S. is considering direct contribution to U.N. peacekeeping efforts in the form of military observers, military staff officers, civilian police, and other civilian personnel.

The U.S. share of the U.N.’s peacekeeping costs will amount to an estimated $2.2 billion in 2009.

“It is pragmatism and a clear sense of America’s interests that drives us to support U.N. peacekeeping today,” said Rice, adding that “2.2 billion is a lot of money, but the costs of inaction would likely be far greater, both in blood and treasure.”