The November 2011 edition of AEFJN's Forum for Action is now online. It contains articles on the ethical responsibility of the Church on the climate issue, on the clean up of the Ogoniland oil spills, which will take decades, on the spread of Libyan arms in the Sahel, on the production of medicines in Africa and on the EU's attempt to force African countries to sign EPAs.
The national election campaign officially started the 28th October in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), exactly one month ahead of historic presidential and legislative elections, scheduled for November 28 2011. 41 humanitarian and human rights organizations, among them AEFJN, have expressed concern about the high political tension and deteriorating security situation. They have called upon all Congolese and international actors involved to take urgent measures to prevent electoral violence, better protect civilians and ensure credible, free and fair elections.Many leaders, NGO and people are disappointed by the failure of so many years of negotiations in Copenhaguen, but some lobbies of industry are satisfied. There is no political engagement that threats their business. It is the case of food-chain business. But this victory of their lobby is only a respite because industrial agriculture is both responsible and victim of the climate change! The global food-chain system involves transport, nitrogenous fertilizers, deforestation or land use displacement, mechanization, storage and refrigeration, all factors that emit GHG. The global Food system is responsible of 44 to 57% of GHG emission.
Agreement reached in Copenhagen is insufficient to resolve the most critical elements that will stabilize the atmosphere, protect vulnerable communities from harm, and ensure the continued sustainable development of developing countries. The small-scale farmers and indigenous peoples – as well as those, more generally, who depend on land and water resources for their livelihoods and constitute half of the world’s hungry – will suffer most.