[alternet-l] AlterNet 50

[Adrian Harris]

THE ALTERNET NEWS - ISSUE # 50

This issue:

HOT SITES/
BIG BROTHER AWARDS/
BUY NOTHING DAY/
WAVE POWER/
CASH FOR RENEWABLES/
ILISU DAM MEETING/
USA SHORT CHANGE CLIMATE/
CLIMATE DEBATE/
JOBS/
QUOTE/UNQUOTE/
DIARY/

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Send items for inclusion, including a web link if possible, to 
actnow at gn.apc.org. Items may need to be edited. Plain text e-mail is
preferred. 
Back issues are on-line at: 
---> http://www.gn.apc.org/activities/alternet

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HOT SITES

Singaporeans for Democracy aim to promote democracy in Singapore, present
an alternative point of view to the propaganda churned out by the
government, and to provide Singaporeans everywhere an avenue to express
their opinion without fear of repercussion through a certain amount of Net
anonymity:

---> http://www.gn.apc.org/sfd/

Norfolk Education and Action for Development (NEAD) aims to: 
Show the links environmental, economic, cultural and historic that exist
between people throughout the world. 
Raise awareness about inequalities in our world and increase understanding
of their causes. 
Promote ways in which people can take action to create a more just and
sustainable world. 

---> http://www.nead.org.uk/

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BIG BROTHER AWARDS

On 4 December, Privacy International present the third annual UK "Big
Brother" awards to the government and private sector organisations that
have done the most to invade personal privacy in Britain.

"Winston" awards will also be given to individuals and organisations which
have made an outstanding contribution to the protection of privacy, as well
as to people who have been victims of privacy invasion.

Three "Big Brother" awards will be included presentations to the Worst
public servant, Most Heinous Government Organisation,  and Most invasive
company. A "Lifetime Menace" award will also be presented.

Previous award winners include Jack Straw, the Department of Trade and
Industry, Harlequin, Newham Council, and Racal. 

Channel 4's Mark Thomas will present the awards, which are sponsored by
silicom.com & GreenNet.

---> http://www.privacyinternational.org/bigbrother/uk2000/

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BUY NOTHING DAY

A mere 20% of the earth's population uses 80% of its natural resources:
Overconsumption is killing the planet, and Buy Nothing Day on November 24,
is an annual opportuniy to stimulate debate. Observed on the day after US
Thanksgiving - America's busiest shopping day of the year - the campaign
has sparked debate, radio talk shows, TV news items and newspaper headlines
around the world.

This year people in over thirty countries will take part.

In previous years, people have played with the icons of our consumer
landscape by setting off on mock shopping sprees, by hawking "hope" and
"happiness," or simply by opening up shop and selling nothing.

---> http://www.buynothingday.co.uk/

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WAVE POWER

The world's first commercial wave power station has been connected to the
UK national grid. WAVEGEN and Queen's University Belfast jointly developed
the wave system with financial support from the European Union. 

The site on the Island of Islay will generate enough renewable energy for
400 local homes without greenhouse gas emissions.

"This is a big day for us," says managing director Allan Thomson. "Wave
power has joined the important group of commercially viable, competitive
and clean forms of sustainable energy. This is the launch of a new global
market."  

---> http://ens-news.com/ens/nov2000/2000L-11-21-01.html

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CASH FOR RENEWABLES

EU Competition Commissioner Mario Monti will proposal 'generous' state aid
and tax incentives to promote renewable energy schemes.

'Renewable energy is a priority for the (European) Community,' Monti told
the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Commission. 

The proposals would permit EU governments to grant aid for investment in
renewable energy, and there are hints at temporary tax cuts or exemptions
to help schemes.

EU Energy Commissioner Loyola de Palacio belives that financial support to
renewable energies is of the 'utmost importance'.

--->

http://envirolink.netforchange.com/frame.html?page=search.html%3Fcatid%3D10
%26sourcetype%3Dnews

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ILISU DAM MEETING

With a government decision on Ilisu is only weeks away, the recent World
Commission on Dams report provided further evidence against the plan.
Though the report doesn't menchion the Ilisu project, the commission
chairman Kader Asmal, said:

"...it does not take much intelligence to see Ilisu does not meet the
guidelines for new dams."

Campaigners are meeting to discuss taking the campaign forward on 5
December at 18.30 in Room 9, Friends Meeting House, Euston Road (opposite
Euston mainline railway station).
If you plan to attend, it would help if you could contact the campaign
beforehand;

E-mail: knklondon at gn.apc.org

For an edited WCD report
---> http://www.irn.org/wcd. 

Ilisu Dam Campaign:
---> http://www.ilisu.org.uk

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USA SHORT CHANGE CLIMATE

US delegates spent the week trying to wriggle out of climate change
agreements made in Kyoto in 1997.

Dominque Voynet, the French environment minister, wearing a badge with the
slogan 'Face up to climate change', said: "The US is trying to avoid
domestic measures to curb emissions and create a series of loopholes, in
effect unravelling the treaty." 

The US claim that existing forests have soaked up so much carbon from the
atmosphere that they've cancelled out half the emissions created from
burning fossil fuels.

"That means, in effect, the US emissions would go up rather than down as
they promised only three years ago." 

Said Kjell Larsson, the Swedish environment minister.

The proposal is just one of the "flexible mechanisms" that the US is using
to avoid taking domestic action. Frank Loy, the head of the US delegation
said: "These are not loopholes or 11th-hour gimmicks. Without them we and
other nations will not be able to fulfil our Kyoto commitments." 


US emissions have soared since 1990 because of the booming economy.

John Prescott said: "Developed countries must lead the way. We created the
mess, the polluter must pay and individual developed countries must
introduce their own policies to cut emissions." 

Mr Prescott cited the UK floods, saying: 

"This was a wake-up call. People know something is wrong. The people are
looking for a successful Hague agreement...Climate change is already upon
us. But it can get much worse if we fail to act." 

The EU may try reach an agreement with other developed countries which
excluded the US if necessary. 

Ms Voynet said the EU was "not prepared to cease taking action because of
the unilateral requests of one country".

Current forecasts estimate that the Earth's temperature will rise by as
much as six degrees centigrade by 2100, lifting ocean levels by nearly
three feet.

E-mail the US Delegation at their hotel:
Send your email, marked "for the attention of Frank Loy, Head of US
Delegation to COP6", to:
info at belairhotel.nl
or fax it to: +31 (0)70 532 53 53
please cc. your message to the Whitehouse:
president at whitehouse.gov

---> http://climate.indymedia.org/
---> http://www.climatechange2000.org

Global flood warning: 
---> http://www.newscientist.com/nl/1125/washed.html

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CLIMATE DEBATE

The Jonathan Dimbleby programme on 26 Nov will discuss global warming in 
the aftermath of the Hague summit. If you would like to be part of the 
audience, who will be invited to contribute to the discussion, e-mail 
Wallace Haydon:
Haydon.Wallace at granadamedia.com

The audience is expected to arrive between 11am and 12 midday at the LWT
tower on Upper Ground near Waterloo (on the South Bank round the back
of the National Theatre).

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JOBS

WAR ON WANT
Finance Officer
Salary: £18,000 plus 6% pension contribution

Flexible working hours

War on Want is a development charity working with project partners 
overseas and campaigning in Britain for global change. We are seeking an 
experienced Finance Officer to join us.

We can offer you a varied role, working on your own initiative and 
involving all aspects of the finance function.

Closing date: 5pm Friday 1 December

For an application form contact:
David Rudkin,
e-mail: drudkin at waronwant.org

THE CENTRAL AMERICA WOMEN'S NETWORK

CAWN is a feminist organisation that promotes women's rights through
learning from and supporting the struggles of women's organisations in
Central America.

FINANCE WORKER
ONE DAY PER MONTH
Fee: £150 per day on a consultancy basis
Contract until Oct 2003

Applicants should have proven experience of preparing financial reports in
line with institutional donor requirements, preparing accounts for
auditing,and producing budgets. Proven IT skills and ability to work
unsupervised are also required. Ability to read Spanish and interest in
Central America is desirable.

Closing date: 8th December 2000
For more information contact: e-mail cawn at gn.apc.org
CND

Fundraising Officer
Full-time (35 hours a week)
£19,200 (pay award pending)

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is a membership organisation, which
currently gains almost all of its funding from members and supporters. We
now need a motivated and innovative fundraiser to join our small but busy
staff team.

We are looking for someone to develop and implement our fundraising
strategy, with at least 1 year's experience of fundraising for a campaigning
organisation or charity.

Your responsibilities will include devising and implementing Direct
Marketing appeals via mail and telephone to recruit new members, encourage
lapsed members to re-join, and increase support from existing members via
committed giving or additional donations.

You will also be responsible for promoting high level giving and legacies
and developing relationships with donors in these groups.

Additionally you will be responsible for other areas of fundraising carried
out by CND, including trust applications, sponsorship and events, as well as
for developing new ideas.

You should have strong communication and organisational skills. Budget
management and knowledge of the Raiser's Edge database (or similar) would be
an advantage.

For further details, please send an A4 SAE by Monday 11th December
(39p) to:

Tony Myers
Fundraiser Application Pack
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
162 Holloway Rd
London N7 8DQ


BRETTON WOODS PROJECT

Communications and Research Officer
Salary: £20,000. 18 month contract.
The Bretton Woods Project works with a network of NGOs to monitor the World
Bank and IMF. We are seeking someone to help facilitate communication
with NGOs and other contacts on World Bank and IMF policy issues. This 
will be through the Bretton Woods Update, our web site and other means.
The job will involve:
1) developing electronic and non-electronic communication channels
2) helping with research and production of the Bretton Woods Update and
briefings
3) administrative support
We are seeking someone who has produced content for newsletters and
web sites, with experience of international policy issues, and of using
the Internet to collaborate with diverse groups internationally.
Applications by 28 November 2000.

Full information about the job and how to apply is on:
---> http://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/jobs
Or e-mail: jobs at brettonwoodsproject.org

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QUOTE/UNQUOTE

"As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake
the world... as in being able to remake ourselves."

Mahatma Gandhi

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DIARY DATES:

Reclaim the Streets: 020 7281 4621; rts at gn.apc.org
LONDON MEETING EVERY TUESDAY 7pm - Cock Tavern pub, Phoenix Road, London

NOVEMBER

25: International No Shop Day

DECEMBER

2: Jubilee 2000 Light the Flame Rally. 3.30 pm outside Westminster Abbey.

2: Latin America's Silent Revolution. The privatization of state 
economies: who gains and who loses out?
Speaker: Duncan Green, Catholic Action for Overseas Development
At the French Institute, 17 Queensberry Place, London SW7 (South 

Kensington tube), in the ground floor café. 11:30 -13:00

5: Ilisu campaign meeting. 18.30 in Room 9, Friends Meeting House, Euston Road

9:Yorkshire CND AGM and Public Meeting at Leeds Civic Hall with Bruce 
Gagnon, a campaigner and excellent speaker from the US working against 
National Missile Defense and the militarisation of space. All welcome. 
1:00 -04:30

More Diary Dates on GreenNet:

---> http://webboard.gn.apc.org:8086/default

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The AlterNet News is edited by Adrian Harris for GreenNet:
---> http://www.gn.apc.org

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