The fallacy of taking German lessons

Another flaw in the argument: Germany's record second quarter growth – 2.2% over the previous quarter, or 9% at an annual rate – was driven mostly by exports, which grew 8.2% over the previous quarter, or 37% annualised. As the South Centre has noted, for 2002-2007, exports accounted for 143% of Germany's growth – meaning that the German economy would have actually contracted over these years if not for export growth.

Guardian (UK)

30 August 2010

Available at: www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/aug/27/useconomy-useconomicgrowth

‘Currency manipulation’

—Courtesy South Centre, Geneva

DAWN.COM

10 May 2010

Available at: www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/in-paper-magazine/economic-and-business/currency-manipulation-050

Q&A
"EPAs Will Undermine Democracy in Africa"
Patricia Handley interviews YASH TANDON, Ugandan political economist (Part 2)

So says Yash Tandon, Ugandan political economist and senior advisor to the South Centre intergovernmental think tank on developing countries in Geneva, Switzerland.

Inter Press Service

8 April 2010

Available at: www.ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp

Q&A
"Impose an Embargo on the EPA Talks"
Patricia Handley interviews YASH TANDON, Ugandan political economist (Part 1)

Tandon now works as senior advisor to the Geneva-based South Centre intergovernmental think tank for developing countries after serving as the centre’s executive director.

Inter Press Service

30 March 2010

Available at: www.ipsnews.net/news.asp
  

 Climate Change: Developing Countries Advised Caution

Caution is needed, says the South Centre, Geneva-based think-tank, because of the controversial manner in which the Accord was presented on December 19, 2009, to the plenary of the fifteenth conference of parties (COP) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It was not adopted by the COP but merely “taken note of”.

The Journal of Turkish Weekly

26 January 2010

Available at: www.turkishweekly.net/news/96509/climate-change-developing-countries-advised-caution.html

Capitalism´s climate fiasco in Copenhage: "Our planet, not your profits!"

UN expert, Martin Khor, in a Guardian article, explains some of the arguments behind China´s opposition to a global target to reduce emissions by 50% by 2050 – something that has previously been agreed by G20 – as well as the linked target that the developed countries would reduce their emissions by 80%. According to Khor, with 50% by 2050, the distribution of the burden would require the developing countries to reduce their emissions by 20%, or 60% per person, while the US still would be allowed to emit 2 to 5 times more per person! The Chinese elite also argue that 30% of Chinese emissions are caused by its net exports to the USA and other developed countries.

committee for a workers' international (UK)

25 January 2010

Available at: http://socialistworld.net/eng/2010/01/2501.html

South Africa: Copenhagen Accord Makes Sham of Global Environmental Justice

Moreover, writing in the South Centre Bulletin, Vincente Paolo Yu argues that through the Bill, the US is also establishing an Emissions Allowance Rebate Programme that gives a rebate to energy-intensive industries, such as iron or steel factories, which meet certain energy reduction thresholds. Yu explains, "In short, the US government would compensate, i.e. subsidise, the cost incurred by these industries for complying with stringent US green house gas (GHG) emission targets," in particular energy-intensive companies that are deemed to be "trade-vulnerable."

The US, renowned for its unilateral approaches, was at the forefront of spearheading the Accord and promoting an arrangement through which Parties that associate with it will have access to funds. According to Martin Khor, writing in the Malaysian Star, "The US wanted an arrangement through which Parties can associate with the Accord. It said there are funds in the Accord, and 'it is open to any Party that is interested'. This implies that Parties that do not register their endorsement of the Accord would not be eligible for funding."

AllAfrica (Mauritius)

14 January 2010

Available at: http://allafrica.com/stories/201001140623.html

Don't Blame China for Copenhagen Failure 

Denmark, not China, is to blame for the failure of Copenhagen Climate Summit, according to a recent article published in the UK's Guardian newspaper.

The story was written in response to a previous article in the paper by journalist Mark Lynas who made a scathing attack on China, blaming Beijing for "hijacking" the conference.

The new article was penned by Martin Khor, executive director of the South Centre, a research centre of 51 developing countries, based in Geneva. He argues that the hijack was actually organized by the host government Denmark, whose prime minister convened a meeting of 26 leaders in the last two days of the conference.

Khor says Denmark's move was an attempt to override the painstaking negotiations taking place among 193 countries throughout the two weeks and, indeed, the past several years.

The selected leaders were given a draft Danish document that mainly represented the developed countries' positions, thereby marginalizing the developing countries' views tabled during the ongoing negotiations.

The writer says the unwise attempt by the Danish presidency to impose a non-legitimate meeting to override the legitimate multilateral process was the reason Copenhagen will be considered a disaster.

CRIENGLISH.com (China)

1 January 2010

Available at: http://english.cri.cn/6909/2010/01/01/45s539508.htm