The Week with IPS 10/17

	Panama’s Coral Reefs Ringed with Threats Emilio Godoy Fermín Gómez, a 53-year-old Panamanian fisherman, pushes off in his boat, the “Tres Hermanas,” every morning at 06:00 hours to fish in the waters off Taboga island. Five hours later he returns to shore. Skilfully he removes the heads and scales of his catch of sea bass, snapper, marlin and ... MORE > >
	Ethiopia Shows Developing World How to Make a Green Economy Prosper James Jeffrey Ethiopia has experienced its fair share of environmental damage and degradation but nowadays it is increasingly setting an example on how to combat climate change while also achieving economic growth. “It is very well known by the international community that Ethiopia is one of the ... MORE > >
	Curbing Biodiversity Loss Needs Giant Leap Forward Thalif Deen When political leaders from climate-threatened Small Island Developing States (SIDS) addressed the U.N. General Assembly last month, there was one recurring theme: the urgent need to protect the high seas and preserve the world's marine biodiversity. "I have come to the United Nations compelled ... MORE > >
	Family Farming – A Way of Life Gloria Schiavi It does not make the headlines, but 2014 is the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) and family farming will be centre-stage at this year’s World Food Day on Oct. 16 at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). "If we are serious about fighting hunger we need to ... MORE > >
	Biodiversity, Climate Change Solutions Inextricably Linked Desmond Brown The remarkable biodiversity of the countries of the Caribbean, already under stress from human impacts like land use, pollution, invasive species, and over-harvesting of commercially valuable species, now faces an additional threat from climate change. On the sidelines of the 12th Conference of ... MORE > >
	Istanbul’s Citizens Discover Green Solidarity Tessa Love A year after the Gezi Park uprising – a protest that began as an act to save trees – exploded into anti-government riots around the country, sparking cohesive community efforts to fight urban sprawl, the face of environmental activism and awareness in Turkey has changed. “It’s no coincidence ... MORE > >
	In Pakistan’s Tribal Areas, a Nobel Prize Is a ‘Ray of Hope’ Ashfaq Yusufzai For girls living in northern Pakistan’s sprawling tribal regions, the struggle for education began long before that fateful day when members of the Taliban shot a 15-year-old schoolgirl in the head, and will undoubtedly continue for many years to come. Still, the news that Malala Yousafzai - a ... MORE > >
	New Trains, New Hopes, Old Anguish Amantha Perera The kids of Kodikaman, a dusty village straddling the newly laid railway line in Sri Lanka’s northern Jaffna District, enjoy a special treat these days. For hours on end, they wait expectantly at the edge of the rails for a track construction engine to pass by; when it nears, they rush to place ... MORE > >
	Drought Plagues Brazil’s Richest Metropolis Mario Osava Agricultural losses are no longer the most visible effect of the drought plaguing Brazil’s most developed region. Now the energy crisis and the threat of water shortages in the city of São Paulo are painful reminders of just how dependent Brazilians are on regular rainfall. Nine million of the ... MORE > >
	ANALYSIS: Europe’s Migrant Graveyard Matt Carr Since the end of the Cold War, the Mediterranean has become the most lethal of Europe’s barriers against irregular migration, having claimed nearly 20,000 migrant lives in the last two decades. And the first nine months of 2014 indicate that the phenomenon is on the rise, with more migrant ... MORE > >