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WHAT'S NEW IN INES? |
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No.31/2000 |
Dateline: October 20, 2000 |
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This is the weekly electronic information service of the International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility
Editor: Tobias Damjanov, e-mail:
INES homepage: http://inesglobal.org
INES International Office
INES Chair: Prof. Armin Tenner
CONTENTS of WNII No. 31/2000
Remarks on David Krieger's New Suggestions
In response to David Krieger's article "Nuclear Weapons Abolition at the Beginning of the 21st Century" (see WNII 30/00), Egyptian INESAP member Bahig Nassar, Coordinator of the Arab Coordination Center of NGOs, has recently disseminated his comments on this topic.
You can obtain his remarks either from < > or from the WNII editor.
Abolition 2000 homepage: http://www.abolition2000.org Grassroots News: http://www.napf.org/abolition2000/news/
Abolition 2000 Grassroots Newsletter October 2000 (Vol. II Number 7)
The latest Grassroots Newsletter of the Abolition 2000 Network has the following contents:
Amendment of the Abolition 2000 Statement
Dear Friends and Activists, The Abolition 2000 Coordinating Committee would like to bring a proposal to your attention regarding the amendment of the Abolition 2000 Statement. After consulting with the Global Council, the ACC would like to propose the deletion of the phrase "by the year 2000" from the Abolition 2000 Statement with a footnote explaining that this was removed in the year 2000.
The Statement currently reads: 1. Initiate immediately and conclude by the year 2000 negotiations on a nuclear weapons abolition convention that requires the phased elimination of all nuclear weapons within a timebound framework, with provisions for effective verification and enforcement.*
Under the proposed changes the Statement would read: 1. Initiate immediately and conclude negotiations on a nuclear weapons abolition convention that requires the phased elimination of all nuclear weapons within a timebound framework, with provisions for effective verification and enforcement.* *
*The phrase "by the year 2000" was removed from this Statement at the end of the year 2000.
In November, Abolition 2000 will have a strategic planning meeting during the Nagasaki Global Citizens Assembly for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. During this time a final decision will be made on this proposal. The Abolition 2000 Coordinating Committee and Global Council welcome your feedback on this proposal. If you will not be able to attend the Nagasaki Assembly, please let the ACC and other members of Abolition 2000 know whether or not you agree with this proposal by posting a message to the Abolition Global Caucus at: < >.
Thank you for your continued support and work for a nuclear free future.
In peace and solidarity, The Abolition 2000 Coordinating Committee: Janet Bloomfield (UK), John Burroughs (US), Jackie Cabasso (US), David Krieger (US), Lars Pohlmeier (Germany), Alice Slater (US), Hiro Umebayashi (Japan), Alyn Ware (Aotearoa/New Zealand), Ross Wilcock (Canada), Carah Ong (US/Coordinator)
[INES is a Founding Member of the Abolition 2000 Network - A Global Network to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons]
Web-based initiative to end global warming
A coalition of 16 environmental organizations launched the an international Web-based initiative to give people around the world a voice in the effort to end global warming. Organizations involved with the new website include the World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth. The site intends to send 10 million messages from the public to world political leaders, appealing to them to take action at the November climate change summit in The Hague. Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change are meeting to implement the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. At the new website visitors can e-mail world leaders about their concerns on global warming or can download a petition to be signed and sent off-line. Global warming websites in French, Spanish and German will follow.
Visit the website at: http://www.climatevoice.org
Trade and Hunger - an overview of case studies
The Swedish NGOs Forum Syd, Diakonia, Church of Sweden Aid and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation have released a compilation of recent relevant case studies on the impact of trade liberalisation on food security. The case studies have been gathered and summarised in an overview by John Madeley.
The report (77 pages) includes: - an index, giving a very brief description on what each study is covering - an overview/summary of conclusions that can be drawn from the studies - summaries of the studies included
The report is available at: http://www.forumsyd.se/globala.htm
or can be sent to you in a .pdf file or papercopy on request to: Johanna Sandahl < >
We have also at Forum Syd gathered the studies so that you can receive from us copies of the full studies included in this overview.
CONFERENCES, MEETINGS, SEMINARS
Assessing the Verifiability of the CTBT
Public seminar to present the findings of the Independent Commission on the Verifiability of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. The Commissioners will have already met in London on 2728 October 2000 to formalise the final report.
The Commission is assessing the verifiability of the Treaty, both currently, in terms of the existing capabilities available to the international community, and in the future, once the complete array of capabilities envisaged in the Treaty is functioning. Commissioners will take into account the capabilities of the International Monitoring System (IMS), as well as non-IMS capabilities, such as national technical means. The report will also include an assessment of the likelihood of evasion of the CTBTs verification system.
For more details, mailto:
World Social Forum http://www.worldsocialforum.org [versions in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese]
Background and aims
The World Social Forum will be a new international arena for the creation and exchange of social and economic projects that promote human rights, social justice and sustainable development.
It will take place every year in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, during the same period as the World Economic Forum (*=http), which happens in Davos, Switzerland, at the end of January. Since 1971, The World Economic Forum has played a key role in formulating economic policies throughout the world. It's sponsored by a Swiss organization that serves as a consultant to the United Nations and it's financed by more than one thousand corporations. *) http://www.weforum.org
The World Social Forum will provide a space for building economic alternatives, for exchanging experiences and for strengthening South-North alliances between NGOs, unions and social movements. It will also be an opportunity for developing concrete projects, to educate the public, and to mobilize civil society internationally.
For more details, mailto:
No new or changed email or web addresses in this issue. All INES e-mail addresses and homepages are available upon request from:
< < < < < end of No. 31/2000 what's new in ines < < < < <