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World No Tobacco Day 09: CARICOM Agrees to Ban Smoking in Public Spaces
Saturday, May 30th, 2009From the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat:
CARICOM HEALTH MINISTERS AGREE TO CURB SMOKING IN PUBLIC SPACES
The Caucus of Ministers of Health have endorsed a recommendation for the banning of smoking on public spaces as a public good and regional goal, as the Region intensifies its efforts to tackle Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), under the Port of Spain [...]
Jagdeo: Let Us Be the Model
Wednesday, May 13th, 2009President Jagdeo Addresses
the CSD High-Level Segment -
photo courtesy Earth Negotiations Bulletin
The High-Level Segment of the 17th Session of United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-17) opened today with a series of speeches in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) hall. Despite its moniker, most of those speaking at the High-Level Segment only had ambassadorial status. Besides [...]
Guyana Launches Consultations on Consumer Protection Legislation
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009[Temas Observation: I have just one question: Why did it take nearly three years for the President to float this legislation again?]
From the Guyana’s Government Information Agency (GINA):
Consultation begins on Consumer Protection Legislation – to ensure consumers rights are protected
Steps are currently being undertaken by the Commerce Ministry’s Consumer Affairs Division to ensure that consumers’ [...]
Finally, a Chance for a Global Mercury Accord / Por fin, un chance para un acuerdo global sobre el mercurio
Saturday, February 21st, 2009When the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Governing Council (GC) considered and agreed on the draft decision on chemicals management, including mercury, this past Thursday, I was in the room. It’s difficult to say which emotion filled the conference room more — joy or excitement. There was plenty of both.
This decision had been many years in [...]
Economic Growth Model is Rapidly Transforming/Degrading the Amazon
Thursday, February 19th, 2009From the UN Environment Programme (UNEP):
A Strong Impact is Made on the Amazonia by its Economic Growth Model
However, responses by the governments of Amazonian countries indicate that efforts are under way on concrete action to deal with their environmental challenges.
The population is increasing, reaching a level of 33.5 million inhabitants in 2007.
Cities grew at an [...]
Gates Foundation to Fund Fight Against “Neglected” Diseases / Fundación Gates dona millones para combatir enfermedades “olvidadas”
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009From the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO):
Gates Foundation Grant Will Boost Fight against “Neglected” Diseases
New Funds Announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland
Efforts to prevent, control and eliminate “forgotten” tropical and other infectious diseases in the Americas received a new stimulus with the announcement of a $34 million grant by the Bill & [...]
Eradicating an Ancient Disease
Monday, January 26th, 2009Leprosy.
What images does that word invoke for you? The stories of ostracized lepers from the Bible, Torah or Koran? The scenes involving isolated “leper colonies” from Papillon or Motorcycle Diaries?
How much do you know about it? Is it very contagious? (No.) Is it curable? (Yes.) Hasn’t it disappeared except for isolated [...]
The Ecoclubs Movement in Latin America and the Caribbean
Friday, January 2nd, 2009A couple of years back, while I was working on a series of posts for the Green Team about Dominican cities attempting to come to grips with their litter problems, I ran into some local news posts about how the mayor of La Vega attributed some of his success in cleaning up that city to [...]
UNEP/CARICOM: Drastic Climate Change Consequences for Insular Caribbean / PNUMA/CARICOM: drásticas consecuencias por cambio climático en el Caribe Insular
Saturday, December 27th, 2008Although this report (English only) was finished in October, it was formally unveiled at the global climate change talks in Poland in November, but did not get much media play because of all the other actions, initiatives, reports and declarations made in Poznan at the same time. But it deserves much more attention and hopefully [...]
Progress Towards the Health MDGs in LAC / Progreso hacia los ODM relacionado con la salud en ALC
Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008Recently 14 United Nations (UN) agencies* released a report (English, Spanish) reviewing the status of efforts of Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) nations toward meeting the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The report addresses the following health-specific MDGs:
reducing the under-five mortality rate by 2/3 between 1990 and 2015;
reducing the maternal mortality ratio by 3/4 between 1990 [...]