News
-
NEWS: Water justice movement set to challenge ‘the Davos of water’
The Inter Press Service reports, “Organisers of the Alternative World Water Forum (known by its French acronym FAME), which will take place simultaneously as the World Water Forum, see the Forum as an outmoded apparatus, lagging woefully behind a growing movement for ‘water justice’ around the world.” “‘If the right to water was adopted by…
-
How You Can Virtually Occupy the World Water Forum
The Council of Canadians, Food and Water Watch, and Focus on the Global South invite you to virtually Occupy the World Water Forum – a corporate trade show aimed at giving the world’s largest water multinationals privileged access to high-level policy making behind closed doors! The World Water Forum, held every three years, is run…
-
VIEW: CIDA, World Vision support of Barrick Gold mine in Peru misplaced, says Arnold
Former Common Frontiers coordinator Rick Arnold writes in Embassy, “Controversy erupted recently about new funding arrangements announced by the Canadian International Development Agency that would hook CIDA up with the mining industry and have both channelling funds to South America and Africa via a handful of international NGOs.” “One of those projects connects CIDA, Barrick…
-
UPDATE: 98.9 per cent support continued public ownership of Madrid water utility
It has just been reported that 165,860 people voting in a popular referendum support the continued 100 per cent public ownership of the Canal de Isabel II water utility, while just 1,227 support its proposed privatization. That’s a 98.9 per cent vote in favour of public ownership. In a campaign blog posted yesterday, we noted…
-
NEWS: The murder of Fr. Restrepo and the proposed Canadian-owned mine in Marmato, Colombia
The National Catholic Reporter recently reported on the killing of Fr. José Reinel Restrepo in Marmato, Colombia. “The basic details surrounding the assassination of Restrepo are by now well-known in Colombia. On the afternoon of Sept. 2, Restrepo shuttered the church, mounted his small motorcycle and puttered down the unpaved, tortuously steep mountain road past…
-
Systemic dysfunction places affordable water out of reach: anecdotes of exasperation
Having won recognition of the Right to Water, we must now move on to the complexities of implementation. It is too easy for those responsible for implementation—and even activists—to gloss over these complexities as long held positions are incredibly comfortable. Making water affordable is one of the main barriers to overcome in order […]
-
NEWS: Madrid votes on water privatization in popular referendum
The Associated Press reports, “Residents of the Spanish capital are taking part in a non-binding protest referendum to express disagreement with regional government plans to privatize publicly owned water supplies. The centre-right Popular Party is committed to selling off 49 per cent of the network to Madrid and some of its suburbs in a bid…
-
UPDATE: Right to water event at the European Parliament, March 6
Next week, on Tuesday March 6, there will be a hearing on “Alternatives For the European Year of Water” at the European Parliament featuring a number of MEPs and allies including Penny Clarke of the European Federation of Public Service Unions, Gabriella Zanzanaini of Food and Water Europe, and a speaker from Initiative 136, recently…
-
NEWS: Veracruz governor rejects Caballo Blanco mine in Mexico
La Jornada Veracruz reports (in Spanish), “The Veracruz state government formally expressed its opposition to the installation of the Caballo Blanco mine by Goldgroup company, considering that it is a viable project and that is incompatible with the environmental characteristics of the area where intends to operate, and was announced by Governor Javier Duarte de…