From slave labour to armed conflict, our thirst for natural resources has created serious problems for Africa. Pádraig Carmody’s latest book attempts to unravel the moral morass, says Mark Newton
… The New Scramble for Africa Mark Newton | 9th May 2012 Reviews Books Reviews Africa Minerals Natural Resources Conflict … resources has created serious problems for Africa. Pádraig Carmody’s latest book attempts …
Two of Asia's three rhino species are 'critically endangered', writes David Tosh, yet the lion's share of rhino conservation resources is lavished on Africa. The reason is simple: Africa's rhinos generate more cash from tourism. But should this really be the point?
… Africa's rhinos grab the cash while their … Tosh | 2nd October 2015 Comment Mammals Asia Africa Conservation Finance Economics … rhino conservation resources is lavished on Africa. The reason is simple: Africa's rhinos …
Campaigners have forced the biggest shareholder in a titanium mining project on south Africa's 'Wild Coast' to withdraw, reports Rachel Lees. But they now fear the project itself will continue under the auspices of local 'front' companies, while the big profits enrich the British and Australian investors that are the real masters of Africa's neo-colonial minerals boom.
… Victory in the campaign against mining South Africa's Wild Coast - but it's not over yet! Rachel Lees | 21st July 2016 News Mining Africa South Africa Finance UK Australia Indigenous Peoples …
The pristine landscape of South Africa's Wild Coast is under threat from mining, writes Hal Rhoades, and the communities standing up to defend the land are facing deadly consequences: harassment, threats, physical assault and murder. Attacks on mine opponents have taken four lives so far and many others have been injured. But the opposition is growing and gaining international support.
… murder: the deadly struggle to protect South Africa's Wild Coast Hal Rhoades | 12th May 2016 News Mining South AfricaAfrica Indigenous Peoples Protest Finance …
The rainforest habitat of chimpanzees and other great apes is being destroyed by the expansion of palm oil projects in central Africa, according to new evidence from Greenpeace.
… Palm oil wiping out Africa's great ape rainforests The Ecologist | 24th February 2015 News Food Farming Africa EU Transport Politics Corporations … the expansion of palm oil projects in central Africa, according to new evidence from …
An exhaustive undercover investigation by the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has revealed how criminal gangs originating from an obscure town in southern China have come to dominate the smuggling of illegal ivory tusks poached from African elephants
… smuggling of illegal ivory tusks poached from African elephants Shuidong town is home to a … whose reach extends to East and West Africa, including the elephant poaching … of all poached ivory smuggled into China from Africa. A new report, The Shuidong Connection: …
China has now overtaken the European Union as the largest new market for solar power, writes Paul Brown - as solar PV becomes one of the world's fastest growing industries - and one that's sure to keep on getting cheaper!
… 2015 News Renewables Economics Solar Wind EU Africa China Asia solar_leo_house_bipv-cut.jpg … but Asia and the US are now catching up fast. Africa, which has the most potential to … its possibilities - especiallin South Africa. While investment in small domestic …
What was NATO's violent intervention in Libya really all about? Now we know, writes Ellen Brown, thanks to Hillary Clinton's recently published emails. It was to prevent the creation of an independent hard currency in Africa that would free the continent from economic bondage under the dollar, the IMF and the French African franc, shaking off the last heavy chains of colonial exploitation.
… Why Qaddafi had to go: African gold, oil and the challenge to … | 14th March 2016 News Finance Economics Africa Libya War Politics USA France … creation of an independent hard currency in Africa that would free the continent from …
Lured by promises of aid and investment, African governments are rewriting laws to create lucrative opportunities for corporate agribusiness, writes Chris Walker - while consigning their own farmers to servitude and landlessness. But now farmers are rising up, as in Ghana where a new 'Monsanto law' threatens to end their right to grow, save and share their ancestral seeds.
… Africa's farmers fight the corporate takeover … Walker | 4th June 2015 News Farming Seeds Africa Corporations Finance Law Development … Lured by promises of aid and investment, African governments are rewriting laws to …
Activists question allowing China to participate in ivory trade, with estimates that as much as 90 per cent of retail items in the country are illegal
… 2011 News Natural World Ivory Elephants China Africa Endangered Species ivory_360x480.jpg … major market for illegally poached ivory from Africa (Image courtesy of EIA) Activists … earth’s two species of elephants - Asian and African - on the IUCN red list, the former …
As China pursues a startling array of energy, mining, logging, agricultural, transport and other infrastructure projects on virtually every continent, it is having an unprecedented impact on the planet, writes William Laurance. It's not that China is any worse than historic colonial powers - the difference is in the sheer scale and pace of environmental destruction, and the total lack of oversight under which Chinese mega-corporations operate.
… William Laurance | 11th April 2017 News China Africa Development Mining Transport Biodiversity Forests china-road-africa-cut.jpg As China pursues a startling … I've worked as an ecologist in the Amazon, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region on an …
Chinese citizens are responsible for much of the wildlife crime taking place in Namibia, inflicting immense damage to the country's environment, and undermining community based conservation, writes the Namibian Chamber of Environment in this Open Letter to China's Ambassador Xin Shunkang. China must act to stop its citizens' criminal activities, and invest in making good the damage caused.
… for its citizens' wildlife crimes in Africa Namibian Chamber of Environment | 6th January 2017 Activism Namibia China Africa Wildlife Trade Bushmeat … many parts of the world, including in South Africa. And more recently, Chinese nationals …
Perhaps all the 'do gooders' busy forcing industrial models of agriculture onto poor but independent African farmers really do think they are helping them, writes Colin Todhunter. But if so they are deeply deluded. All they will achieve is the takeover of export-oriented agribusiness and GMOs, the destruction of agroecological farming systems, and a future of debt and landlessness.
… embedding agribusiness and GMOs into African agriculture Colin Todhunter | 8th April 2016 Comment Farming Africa GMOs Nutrition Health Finance … of agriculture onto poor but independent African farmers really do think they are …
Fishermen in Senegal know their livelihoods will end if African governments don’t take action. And time is running out. NOSMOT GBADAMOSI reports
… in Senegal know their livelihoods will end if African governments don’t take action. And … As well as being a vital source of food, West Africa’s fertile fishing zones provide seven million Africans with jobs. Plundered unchecked for …
Before rushing to finance projects in Africa and the Middle East, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) should address its environmental and social lending criteria, says Fidanka Bacheva-McGrath
… Before rushing to finance projects in Africa and the Middle East, the European Bank … plans to expand its operations to North Africa and the Middle East. But rather than … role of supporting democratisation in North Africa and the Middle East. Rising up Oz-like …
China led the reclamation of the largest abandoned rice farm in Mozambique, with the blessing of the authorities. But now the company involved is accused of land grabbing and displacing thousands. Cecilia Anesi and Andrea Fama report
… | 30th November 2013 News Land Grabbing China Africa Rice Food And Farming News … Chinese 'land grabbing' across swathes of Africa, the Xai-Xai case is growing … onward, Wanbao, through the subsidiary Wanbao Africa Agriculture Development, set about …
A 'slow genocide' is unfolding in Ethiopia - one driven by greed rather than hatred. With Chinese and World Bank finance, massive dams and plantations are robbing the Omo Valley's 500,000 indigenous people of their land and water. The UK 'sees no evil'.
… | 7th April 2014 News Land Grabs Ethiopia Africa Finance Indigenous Peoples … communities ", said Leslie Lefkow , deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "The … isolated and under-developed areas in East Africa. At least eight different groups call …
In a landmark decision, the Hong Kong Endangered Species Advisory Committee has voted to destroy almost the entire ivory stockpile, 28 of its estimated 33 tons.
… January 2014 News Elephants Wildlife Trade Africa China Ivory In a landmark decision, the … of thousand of elephants every year." 35,000 African elephants killed every year Over … 35,000 elephants are killed every year in Africa for their ivory. In many African …
An energy revolution that would take the world to 100% renewables in 15 years is possible, write Sam Cossar-Gilbert and Dipti Bhatnagar. We have the technology, and we even have the money - only it's currently being spent to subsidise fossil fuels. The time has come to tackle two hugely destructive and closely entwined crises - growing inequality and climate change.
… Change Renewables Finance COP21 Society solar-africa-cut.jpg An energy revolution that would … of major corporations - would be enough power Africa, Latin America and much of Asia with … richest 53 people could power the whole of Africa with 100% renewable energy by 2030. …
With COP21 out of the way there is absolutely no time to lose, Greenpeace director Kumi Naidoo told Pavlos Georgiadis: 'Because by tomorrow, there might be no tomorrow.' We need substantial, structural, systemic change - and this change can only be led by the youth, who are not infected by the political pollution of the past. And whose future is it anyway?
… is it anyway? Kumi Naidoo was born in South Africa, and became involved in the country's … of the civil society movement in South Africa, and now is one of the chief global … revolution. Dressed in traditional South African attire, Kumi welcomed me with a strong …
With 27,000 African savannah elephants a year illegally killed for their ivory, the species is in peril, write Ross Harvey & Alexander Rhodes. Now international action at CITES and the closure of domestic ivory markets are attacking the ivory trade at both ends. But we must also give our full support to 'elephant neighbor' communities.
… October 2016 Comment Elephants Wildlife Trade Africa US China Conservation Community elephant-cut.jpg With 27,000 African savannah elephants a year illegally … communities. The last decade has seen the African elephant systematically wiped out for …
Agriculture is big business and with the EU pumping money at the sector, the corporate profiteers are holding all the aces, writes Chris Lang. The documentary ‘Land Grabbing’ investigates what happens when well-financed agro-investors take over rural communities' land and water.
… Grabs Farming Finance EU Romania Cambodia Africa Sierra Leone oil-palm-indonesia-cut.jpg … 'top of the market' in the Middle East and Africa. The work is backbreaking and poorly … is the next stop. Addax Bioenergy earned Africa's first Rountable on Sustainable …
The plight of Kenya's Sengwer people shows that carbon offsets generated by 'sustainable' forest management are empowering a corporate recolonisation of the South backed by the World Bank against its own guidelines, writes Nafeez Ahmed. Indigenous forest peoples are at risk of genocide while corporations let rip.
… total of 500 million acres of land in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean was … A letter to the Bank in March by No REDD in Africa network (Nran) - a group of African civil society organisations - signed …
It's not just western corporations that are moving into large-scale agribusiness in Ethiopia, writes Mohammad Amir Anwar. Indian investors have acquired rights to some 6,000 sq.km of land much of it in the ecologically sensitive Gambela region, where unconsulted Nuer and Anuak peoples are suffering from forest clearance.
… of land in foreign countries, most of it in Africa . A great deal of attention has been … to tread carefully when acquiring land in Africa. This is best illustrated in the … in land deals that disadvantage the people of Africa given the role it sees for itself in …