Critics of the aid industry point to Kenya where rampant government corruption has not stopped the aid flowing. If the Copenhagen talks are to succeed, we need more positive attitudes towards aid.
No more World Food Summits please
The World Summit on Food Security refused to commit to the eradication of hunger by 2025. How can the urgent agendas for human development and climate change advance without this essential foundation?
Climate and sanitation: partners in shame
It may seem far-fetched but success stories in changing sanitation behaviour in developing countries might offer insights for the difficult transition to low carbon lifestyles for the rich.
Deforestation: to be or not to be?
There are good grounds for pessimism on prospects for saving the rainforests. But the link with climate change creates new hope that two environmental calamities can be addressed together.
What if there had been no banking crisis?
Climate change and food security negotiations are stumbling over the reluctance of rich countries to stump up the costs. They have thrown all their resources at a bunch of bankrupt banks.
Population and consumption: two sides of the coin
New UK population projections published this week provoked concerns that food and energy supplies cannot keep up. But it’s not just our numbers that are straining the limits.
Lights out in Nottingham or Nigeria?
Climate Camp protesters at Ratcliffe have a clear message. No more coal. Does this attribute of simplicity compromise the bigger picture of developing countries which lack electricity?
Fair blows the wind from Texas
Defying its image of big oil, Texas is fast attracting businesses at the cutting edge of wind technology. If Texas goes low carbon, there is no excuse for any of us.
It’s carbon, stupid
We all know people who accept that climate change is a serious problem but are too bored by the subject to take action. Try talking to them about the carbon cycle instead.
Perhaps this happened in other rooms
Daniyal Mueenuddin’s In Other Rooms, Other Wonders is likely to get my vote for book of the year. The publishers have also taken trouble with old-fashioned virtues of design.