RADICAL SHIFT NEEDED TO END ALARMISM OVER CLIMATE-RELATED MIGRATS.African broadcaster near collapse/Google Flipper is about to jump out of the water

Media News - Monday, June 22, 2009
Google Flipper is about to jump out of the water
Google is about to launch a new Google Labs project it calls Flipper, Tech Crunch has learned. No, it’s not a dolphin. It looks like the project is a more visual way to read Google News, or to “flip through it,” as it were. What looks nice about it is that you can not only browse by sections, but also by sources, keywords, and most importantly by elements such as “most popular” and “recommended.” The visual representation probably won’t revolutionize Google News’ often sub-par performance, but the better filters could. The URL currently takes you to a Google log-in page, but when you sign-in you’re greeted with: Please visit this page from any computer on the corporate network to automatically enable access for your account. Which means this remains internal to Google right now. But look for it soon. (TechCrunch)
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Media News - Monday, June 22, 2009
S.African broadcaster near collapse
Massive debts and a spate of top-level resignations have pushed South Africa's public broadcaster to near-collapse, threatening a network once styled as the voice of the country's democracy. The resignation of eight of the SABC's 12 board members as well as its chairman in recent weeks are just the latest in a string of scandals plaguing the debt-ridden broadcaster. The board no longer has enough members to take binding decisions. Workers are on strike over a pay dispute, independent producers fume over lack of payment and a deadlock over how to proceed means no decisions are being taken at any level. The SABC is crippled by over ZAR 800m (EUR 70m) in debt and is seeking a two billion rand cash injection from the government. Newspaper reports have outlined ZAR 40m owed to producers, threatening to sink popular local soap operas, the network's bread-and-butter advertising vehicles. (AFP)
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Embargoed until Wednesday 24 June at 00.01 BST (UK TIME)

RADICAL SHIFT NEEDED TO END ALARMISM OVER CLIMATE-RELATED MIGRATION

LONDON, 24 June 2009—Policymakers must radically alter their views of migration and see it as a vital adaptation to climate change rather than an unwanted consequence or a failure to adapt, according to research by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) that will be presented here today.

Cecilia Tacoli, a senior researcher at IIED, will make the call in a speech at a meeting of population and climate change experts organised by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, and IIED.

“There is growing concern that climate change will force hundreds of millions of people to migrate, but many policymakers see this purely as a problem when in fact it can be a key part of the solution,” says Tacoli, whose paper will be published later this year in the journal Environment and Urbanization. “There is a real risk that alarmism about migration will result in policies that fail to protect the most vulnerable people.”

Tacoli will present research that challenges many misconceptions about the duration, destination and composition of migrant flows. One common concern, particularly in wealthy countries, is that large numbers of poor people will attempt to migrate there permanently to escape impacts of climate change.

Tacoli points out that short term and short distance movements are more likely to increase and that the poorest and most vulnerable people will often find it impossible to move as they lack the necessary funds and social support.

She warns that because most governments and international agencies tend to see migration as a problem that needs to be controlled, they are missing opportunities to develop policies that can increase people’s resilience to climate change.

These include policies that promote access to non-farm jobs in small rural towns and a more decentralised distribution of economic opportunities.

“Predicting the impact of climate change on migration is extremely difficult,” says Tacoli. “Rather than trying to influence the direction, type and volume of migration, policymakers should aim to accommodate changes in migration patterns that are linked to environmental and economic trends.”

To do so, they should first of all focus on increasing the capacity of local governments and institutions in small towns to support local economic development, provide basic services and regulate equitable access to natural resources.

The links between climate change and population will be the focus of the UNFPA’s State of World Population 2009 report, to be published on 18 November.

Jose Miguel Guzman, Chief of Population and Development Branch of UNFPA, says that population dynamics are crucial to understanding the process and impacts of climate change. “Closer consideration differentiated population dynamics will produce more effective mitigation and adaptation responses by broadening the policy options, generating better emissions scenarios and improving the identification and targeting of vulnerable populations.”

The United Nations Population Division and UN-HABITAT are collaborating with IIED and UNFPA on the 24-25 June meeting in London. The meeting will bring together experts on population and climate change for analysis of the policy implications for the United Nations’ response to climate change. Many other international entities, such as the secretariat for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, and the International Organization for Migration, will also be represented at the meeting.

Other speakers will cover topics such as urbanization and greenhouse-gas emissions, climate-related disasters and displacement, and the links between population, health and climate change. A panel of United Nations agencies will discuss how to deliver as one at the global and country level.

***

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect. UNFPA -- because everyone counts.

The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is an independent, non-profit research institute. Set up in 1971 and based in London, IIED provides expertise and leadership in researching and achieving sustainable development (see: http://www.iied.org).
To request a copy of Cecilia Tacoli’s paper: Mike Shanahan, IIED, tel. +44 (0) 207 388 2117, e-mail: mike.shanahan@iied.org
To interview Cecilia Tacoli: email cecilia.tacoli@iied.org or tel. +44 (0) 207 388 2117
MEDIA QUERIES:

UNFPA
Richard Kollodge: Ttel. +1-917 698-6249, e-mail: kollodge@unfpa.org
Cathy Bartley, Tel: +44 208 694 9138 / Mobile: +44 7958 561 671 / cathy.bartley@bartley-robbs.co.uk

IIED
Mike Shanahan, Tel. +44 (0) 207 388 2117, e-mail: mike.shanahan@iied.org

Information about the meeting: http://www.unfpa.org/public/News/events/ccpd

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Media News - Monday, June 22, 2009
Google Flipper is about to jump out of the water
Google is about to launch a new Google Labs project it calls Flipper, Tech Crunch has learned. No, it’s not a dolphin. It looks like the project is a more visual way to read Google News, or to “flip through it,” as it were. What looks nice about it is that you can not only browse by sections, but also by sources, keywords, and most importantly by elements such as “most popular” and “recommended.” The visual representation probably won’t revolutionize Google News’ often sub-par performance, but the better filters could. The URL currently takes you to a Google log-in page, but when you sign-in you’re greeted with: Please visit this page from any computer on the corporate network to automatically enable access for your account. Which means this remains internal to Google right now. But look for it soon. (TechCrunch)
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ANNOUNCEMENT: OUR MUKTIDOOTH'S NEXT TOPICS WOULD NE ON: 1)ECONOMIC FUTURE IN BANGLADESH, 2)CASE STUDY ON BDR MILLITANT & 3)DIPLOMATIC CONDITION DURING LAST EMERGENCY PERIOD....

NY:MUKTI MAJID, EDITOR-PRESIDENT