14/07/2011
To ensure sustainable development in the
11 municipalities around the future Belo
Monte dam (Pará), the Federal Government
will launch a task-force next week (July
18) in the region. The purpose is to reduce
the social and environmental impacts caused
by the construction of the power plant.
Called Operação
Cidadania Xingu, the initiative is a partnership
among federal, state and local governments
and will offer around 120 services to the
local population, including actions on health,
education, land and environmental regularization.
These actions will strengthen the development
of the Xingu region by ensuring the welfare
of the people and maintaining sustainable
production.
The first city to receive
the services of the Operation will be Altamira
(August 3-4). It is expected that all 11
municipalities will be served by the end
of October.
+ More
Sustainable development
vital to protect economies and environment
18/07/2011
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday
(July 15) reiterated that humanity must
give sustainable development greater attention,
saying that the current model of using resources
was putting a strain on ecosystems and exacerbating
global warming, even as climate change remained
a growing threat to people and economies
worldwide.
"Our old model
of growth is not only obsolete, it is also
dangerous", Ban said, speaking at a
forum on sustainable development in Finland,
where he also held a meeting with President
Tarja Halonen.
He called for a revolution
in favor of sustainable development in which
a green economy is driven by business, supported
by governments, and embraced by the people.
"Sustainable development
is the top priority of the United Nations
and the international community. We have
to work to address climate change, the food
crisis, energy shortages, water scarcity,
global health, gender empowerment - all
are interconnected", Ban told reporters
after his meeting with the President.
In response to a question
on the UN's response to the humanitarian
crisis caused by the severe drought in the
Horn of Africa, the Secretary-General said
he was deeply concerned about situation.
"We have to help
them, the people in Kenya, Somalia and other
countries. Ethiopia, they are suffering
a great deal because of this [drought].
I have convened a task force on global food
security issues, and we are now mobilizing
all necessary support. We have appealed
for US$ 1.6 billion", said Ban Ki-moon.
Source: UN News Centre
at http://www.un.org/news
