#worldbank — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #worldbank, aggregated by home.social.
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Beyond Big Tech: World Bank Report Shows "Small AI" Solutions Driving Real Progress in Low-Income Countries
Affordable AI running on basic phones, not massive data centers, is already improving farming, healthcare, and learning across developing countries. The World Bank's new report maps how nations can build the foundations to scale this impact.
#smallAI #WorldBank #DevelopingCountries #LowIncomeCountries #DigitalDivide #AI #EconomicPerspective #Tech
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Beyond Big Tech: World Bank Report Shows "Small AI" Solutions Driving Real Progress in Low-Income Countries
Affordable AI running on basic phones, not massive data centers, is already improving farming, healthcare, and learning across developing countries. The World Bank's new report maps how nations can build the foundations to scale this impact.
#smallAI #WorldBank #DevelopingCountries #LowIncomeCountries #DigitalDivide #AI #EconomicPerspective #Tech
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Beyond Big Tech: World Bank Report Shows "Small AI" Solutions Driving Real Progress in Low-Income Countries
Affordable AI running on basic phones, not massive data centers, is already improving farming, healthcare, and learning across developing countries. The World Bank's new report maps how nations can build the foundations to scale this impact.
#smallAI #WorldBank #DevelopingCountries #LowIncomeCountries #DigitalDivide #AI #EconomicPerspective #Tech
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Beyond Big Tech: World Bank Report Shows "Small AI" Solutions Driving Real Progress in Low-Income Countries
Affordable AI running on basic phones, not massive data centers, is already improving farming, healthcare, and learning across developing countries. The World Bank's new report maps how nations can build the foundations to scale this impact.
#smallAI #WorldBank #DevelopingCountries #LowIncomeCountries #DigitalDivide #AI #EconomicPerspective #Tech
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Beyond Big Tech: World Bank Report Shows "Small AI" Solutions Driving Real Progress in Low-Income Countries
Affordable AI running on basic phones, not massive data centers, is already improving farming, healthcare, and learning across developing countries. The World Bank's new report maps how nations can build the foundations to scale this impact.
#smallAI #WorldBank #DevelopingCountries #LowIncomeCountries #DigitalDivide #AI #EconomicPerspective #Tech
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https://www.europesays.com/africa/411538/ Zimbabwe’s Economic Stability Opens a Path to Better Jobs #BusinessReforms #EconomicGrowth #ElectricityInfrastructure #FinancialInclusion #InformalEmployment #MacroeconomicStability #PovertyReduction #PrivateInvestment #StructuralReforms #TradeFacilitation #Vision2030 #WorldBank #zimbabwe #ZimbabweEconomy #ZimbabweJobs
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France Urges World Bank to Keep 45% Climate Finance Target as U.S. Pushes Fossil Fuel Shift
France is pressing the World Bank to preserve its target of …
#Economy #centralbank #CentralBanks #CentralBanksoftheEuropeanSystem #Climate #climatefinance #DeutscheBundesbank #ECB #EleonoreCaroit #ESCB #ESG #Europe #European #EuropeanCentralBank #EuropeanCentralBanks #fossilfuel #france #THEBANKOFENGLAND #TheBankofFrance #TheBankofItaly #TrumpAdministration #worldbank
https://www.europesays.com/3234057/ -
Austrian-Kazakh Platform Prepares Austria’s Economy for the New Silk Road with “Middle Corridor” – Vindobona.org
Amid geopolitical shifts an…
#Austria #AT #Europe #Europa #EU #AkanAitimov #AKCPAustrian-KazakhConnectivityPlatform #AlexanderMaisuradze #AndriiGrinenko #austria #BusinessDiplomacy #CentralAsia #economicdevelopment #EduardsStiprais #EIASEuropeanInstituteforAsianStudies #EuropeanForumAlpbach #KarlJurka #kazakhstan #Nachrichten #Österreich #worldbank
https://www.europesays.com/3231720/ -
Austrian-Kazakh Platform Prepares Austria’s Economy for the New Silk Road with “Middle Corridor” – Vindobona.org https://www.byteseu.com/2334400/ #AkanAitimov #AKCPAustrianKazakhConnectivityPlatform #AlexanderMaisuradze #AndriiGrinenko #Austria #BusinessDiplomacy #CentralAsia #EconomicDevelopment #EduardsStiprais #EIASEuropeanInstituteForAsianStudies #EuropeanForumAlpbach #KarlJurka #Kazakhstan #WorldBank
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Hague Court says India must uphold Indus water treaty with Pakistan, MEA rejects ruling
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has ruled that the Indus Waters Treaty between India and…
#Netherlands #Nederland #NL #Europe #Europa #EU #TheHague #India #IndusWatersTreaty #Kashmir #Pakistan #PCA #Ratlehydropower #WaterDispute #WORLDBANK
https://www.europesays.com/netherlands/42941/ -
@liaizon Well it's written in the source, because the #WorldBank needs an operating definition to pursue its stated goal of supporting (or at least not hurting) said peoples with its financing activities. (They did a lot of damage in the past.)
«Environmental and Social Standard 7 (ESS7), currently applied in approximately 33 percent of World Bank investment lending across 57 countries, enhances development outcomes and to avoid or mitigate adverse impacts.»
https://www.worldbank.org/ext/en/topic/social-development/indigenous-peoples#tab-strategy
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@liaizon Well it's written in the source, because the #WorldBank needs an operating definition to pursue its stated goal of supporting (or at least not hurting) said peoples with its financing activities. (They did a lot of damage in the past.)
«Environmental and Social Standard 7 (ESS7), currently applied in approximately 33 percent of World Bank investment lending across 57 countries, enhances development outcomes and to avoid or mitigate adverse impacts.»
https://www.worldbank.org/ext/en/topic/social-development/indigenous-peoples#tab-strategy
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@liaizon Well it's written in the source, because the #WorldBank needs an operating definition to pursue its stated goal of supporting (or at least not hurting) said peoples with its financing activities. (They did a lot of damage in the past.)
«Environmental and Social Standard 7 (ESS7), currently applied in approximately 33 percent of World Bank investment lending across 57 countries, enhances development outcomes and to avoid or mitigate adverse impacts.»
https://www.worldbank.org/ext/en/topic/social-development/indigenous-peoples#tab-strategy
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@liaizon Well it's written in the source, because the #WorldBank needs an operating definition to pursue its stated goal of supporting (or at least not hurting) said peoples with its financing activities. (They did a lot of damage in the past.)
«Environmental and Social Standard 7 (ESS7), currently applied in approximately 33 percent of World Bank investment lending across 57 countries, enhances development outcomes and to avoid or mitigate adverse impacts.»
https://www.worldbank.org/ext/en/topic/social-development/indigenous-peoples#tab-strategy
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@liaizon Well it's written in the source, because the #WorldBank needs an operating definition to pursue its stated goal of supporting (or at least not hurting) said peoples with its financing activities. (They did a lot of damage in the past.)
«Environmental and Social Standard 7 (ESS7), currently applied in approximately 33 percent of World Bank investment lending across 57 countries, enhances development outcomes and to avoid or mitigate adverse impacts.»
https://www.worldbank.org/ext/en/topic/social-development/indigenous-peoples#tab-strategy
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https://www.europesays.com/iran/276627/ Iraq, AIIB discuss financing development projects #AIIB #AsianInfrastructureInvestmentBank #DevelopmentProjects #DigitalInfrastructure #Europe #Iraq #Ports #RailNetworks #TheDevelopmentRoadProject #WorldBank
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https://www.europesays.com/africa/408074/ Somalia’s Disaster Management Agency Delivers Relief to Drought-Affected Communities in Bosaso #Puntland #Somalia #WorldBank
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Terms: All paper counts as currency. No national monopoly. One note equals one trillion real value. Only i convert. ID required.
Offer: One note to each leader. Conditions: Less wars. Good behaviour. End hunger. Clear debt. Build peace.
Accepted privately. Honoured publicly. Anon
#Putin #Zelenskyy #Macron #Trudeau #Sunak #Scholz #Meloni #Biden #XiJinping #Kishida #Albanese #Lula #Modi #Orban #Erdogan #KingCharlesIII #PopeLeoXIV #G7 #G20 #UnitedNations #WorldBank #IMF #GlobalLeaders -
RAPPLER | Philippine & World News | Investigative Journalism | Data | Civic Engagement | Public Interest [Unofficial] @[email protected] ·Flood control corruption cleanup spooks investors, drags PH growth – World Bank
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Ed Miliband indicates development and climate will be at heart of UK foreign policy
By Fiona Harvey Environment editorExclusive: Foreign secretary to take up World Bank seat and play active role in shaping changes to global lender
#WorldBank #Climatefinance #Climatecrisis #EdMiliband #Globaldevelopment #Foreignpolicy #Aid #Worldnews #Politics #Society #Environment #Globaleconomy #Debtrelief #TheGuardian #FionaHarveyEnvironmenteditor
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Ed Miliband indicates development and climate will be at heart of UK foreign policy https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/26/ed-miliband-development-climate-crisis-uk-foreign-policy-world-bank-seat #WorldBank #ClimateFinance #ClimateCrisis #EdMiliband #GlobalDevelopment #ForeignPolicy #Aid #WorldNews #Politics #Society #Environment #GlobalEconomy #DebtRelief
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China can help Ukraine recover from war and advance industry, ambassador says
China can provide “all-round” support for Ukraine’s post-war industrial recovery, Beijing’s envoy to Kyiv said while reaffirming his…
#Ukraine #UA #Europe #Europa #EU #News #Beijing #China #China-Ukrainestrategicpartnership #EuropeanCommission #Interfax-Ukrainenewsagency #Kyiv #KyivPost #MaShengkun #Moscow #Ukrainiangovernment #UN #Worldbank #XiJinping
https://www.europesays.com/ukraine/12077/ -
https://www.europesays.com/africa/161007/ Sustainable Transition: ChangeNOW launches “Africa for Change” to position the continent as a global driver #Africa #AfricaForChange #ChangeNOW #Climate #entrepreneurship #impact #innovation #investment #Paris #SustainableTransition #UnitedNations #WorldBank
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https://www.europesays.com/africa/118884/ Tunisia Scales Up Urban Flood Protection Efforts with World Bank Support #&Pakistan(MENAAP) #Afghanistan #ClimateChange #ClimateChangeAdaptation #DisasterRiskManagement #InclusiveGrowth #Infrastructure #InfrastructureAndGrowth #JobsAndDevelopment #MiddleEast #NorthAfrica #Tunisia #Tunisia(TN) #UrbanDevelopment #WorldBank #WorldBankGroup
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#SEZs in #India: Balancing Economic Growth and #Environmental Concerns
July 27, 2024
"Picture this: vast stretches of industrial land buzzing with activity, modern factories producing goods for global markets, and thousands of job opportunities emerging overnight. This is the promise of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India. But behind this gleaming facade lies a complex web of environmental challenges and social concerns that demand our attention. SEZs represent one of India’s most ambitious economic policies, designed to accelerate industrial growth and boost exports, yet they often come at a significant cost to the environment and local communities.
[...]
"[T]he rapid expansion of SEZs has raised significant environmental red flags. The most pressing concern is land acquisition, which often involves converting fertile agricultural land into industrial zones. This conversion not only reduces the country’s agricultural capacity but also disrupts local ecosystems and biodiversity.
"The establishment of SEZs typically requires large tracts of land – sometimes spanning thousands of acres. Much of this land is acquired from agricultural areas, leading to the displacement of farming communities who have depended on these lands for generations. For instance, the proposed #RaigadSEZ in #Maharashtra would have required over 14,000 hectares of #agricultural land, leading to massive #protests from local farmers.
"The conversion of agricultural land to #IndustrialUse has long-term implications for #FoodSecurity. As India’s population continues to grow, the loss of productive #farmland could exacerbate food shortage issues in the future. Moreover, agricultural land often has better soil quality and water retention capacity compared to industrial land, making this conversion environmentally costly.
"Industrial activities within SEZs generate various forms of #pollution. Air pollution from #manufacturing processes, water #contamination from industrial effluents, and #SoilDegradation from chemical usage are common problems. The concentration of industries in SEZs can create pollution hotspots that affect air and water quality in surrounding areas.
"#WaterScarcity is another critical issue. SEZs require substantial water resources for industrial processes, often competing with local communities for this precious resource. In water-stressed regions, this competition can lead to conflicts and further environmental degradation.
Human rights and social displacement"The human cost of SEZ development cannot be overlooked. Land acquisition for SEZs often involves displacing local communities, particularly small farmers and agricultural workers. These communities frequently receive inadequate compensation and struggle to find alternative livelihoods.
"The displacement process can be traumatic for local communities who have strong cultural and emotional ties to their land. Traditional occupations like #farming, #fishing, and #SmallScaleTrading are disrupted, forcing people to adapt to entirely new economic realities. The promised employment opportunities in SEZs often don’t materialize for displaced communities, as they may lack the required skills for industrial jobs.
"Women in these communities face particular challenges, as they often have limited access to alternative employment opportunities and may lose traditional income sources like kitchen gardening or small-scale agricultural activities. The social fabric of rural communities can be severely disrupted, leading to increased poverty and social inequality."
#HumanRights #HumanRightsFreeZone #CorporateColonialism
#IMFLoanSharks #Exploitation #WorldBank #RaceToTheBottom
#HumanRightsViolations
#Pollution #EnvironmentalDegradation
#EconomicSacrificZones
#ForcedRelocation #ForcedDisplacement #TraditionalLifestyles #EnvironmentalRacism #Exploitation
#CorporateColonialism -
#SEZs in #India: Balancing Economic Growth and #Environmental Concerns
July 27, 2024
"Picture this: vast stretches of industrial land buzzing with activity, modern factories producing goods for global markets, and thousands of job opportunities emerging overnight. This is the promise of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India. But behind this gleaming facade lies a complex web of environmental challenges and social concerns that demand our attention. SEZs represent one of India’s most ambitious economic policies, designed to accelerate industrial growth and boost exports, yet they often come at a significant cost to the environment and local communities.
[...]
"[T]he rapid expansion of SEZs has raised significant environmental red flags. The most pressing concern is land acquisition, which often involves converting fertile agricultural land into industrial zones. This conversion not only reduces the country’s agricultural capacity but also disrupts local ecosystems and biodiversity.
"The establishment of SEZs typically requires large tracts of land – sometimes spanning thousands of acres. Much of this land is acquired from agricultural areas, leading to the displacement of farming communities who have depended on these lands for generations. For instance, the proposed #RaigadSEZ in #Maharashtra would have required over 14,000 hectares of #agricultural land, leading to massive #protests from local farmers.
"The conversion of agricultural land to #IndustrialUse has long-term implications for #FoodSecurity. As India’s population continues to grow, the loss of productive #farmland could exacerbate food shortage issues in the future. Moreover, agricultural land often has better soil quality and water retention capacity compared to industrial land, making this conversion environmentally costly.
"Industrial activities within SEZs generate various forms of #pollution. Air pollution from #manufacturing processes, water #contamination from industrial effluents, and #SoilDegradation from chemical usage are common problems. The concentration of industries in SEZs can create pollution hotspots that affect air and water quality in surrounding areas.
"#WaterScarcity is another critical issue. SEZs require substantial water resources for industrial processes, often competing with local communities for this precious resource. In water-stressed regions, this competition can lead to conflicts and further environmental degradation.
Human rights and social displacement"The human cost of SEZ development cannot be overlooked. Land acquisition for SEZs often involves displacing local communities, particularly small farmers and agricultural workers. These communities frequently receive inadequate compensation and struggle to find alternative livelihoods.
"The displacement process can be traumatic for local communities who have strong cultural and emotional ties to their land. Traditional occupations like #farming, #fishing, and #SmallScaleTrading are disrupted, forcing people to adapt to entirely new economic realities. The promised employment opportunities in SEZs often don’t materialize for displaced communities, as they may lack the required skills for industrial jobs.
"Women in these communities face particular challenges, as they often have limited access to alternative employment opportunities and may lose traditional income sources like kitchen gardening or small-scale agricultural activities. The social fabric of rural communities can be severely disrupted, leading to increased poverty and social inequality."
#HumanRights #HumanRightsFreeZone #CorporateColonialism
#IMFLoanSharks #Exploitation #WorldBank #RaceToTheBottom
#HumanRightsViolations
#Pollution #EnvironmentalDegradation
#EconomicSacrificZones
#ForcedRelocation #ForcedDisplacement #TraditionalLifestyles #EnvironmentalRacism #Exploitation
#CorporateColonialism -
#SEZs in #India: Balancing Economic Growth and #Environmental Concerns
July 27, 2024
"Picture this: vast stretches of industrial land buzzing with activity, modern factories producing goods for global markets, and thousands of job opportunities emerging overnight. This is the promise of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India. But behind this gleaming facade lies a complex web of environmental challenges and social concerns that demand our attention. SEZs represent one of India’s most ambitious economic policies, designed to accelerate industrial growth and boost exports, yet they often come at a significant cost to the environment and local communities.
[...]
"[T]he rapid expansion of SEZs has raised significant environmental red flags. The most pressing concern is land acquisition, which often involves converting fertile agricultural land into industrial zones. This conversion not only reduces the country’s agricultural capacity but also disrupts local ecosystems and biodiversity.
"The establishment of SEZs typically requires large tracts of land – sometimes spanning thousands of acres. Much of this land is acquired from agricultural areas, leading to the displacement of farming communities who have depended on these lands for generations. For instance, the proposed #RaigadSEZ in #Maharashtra would have required over 14,000 hectares of #agricultural land, leading to massive #protests from local farmers.
"The conversion of agricultural land to #IndustrialUse has long-term implications for #FoodSecurity. As India’s population continues to grow, the loss of productive #farmland could exacerbate food shortage issues in the future. Moreover, agricultural land often has better soil quality and water retention capacity compared to industrial land, making this conversion environmentally costly.
"Industrial activities within SEZs generate various forms of #pollution. Air pollution from #manufacturing processes, water #contamination from industrial effluents, and #SoilDegradation from chemical usage are common problems. The concentration of industries in SEZs can create pollution hotspots that affect air and water quality in surrounding areas.
"#WaterScarcity is another critical issue. SEZs require substantial water resources for industrial processes, often competing with local communities for this precious resource. In water-stressed regions, this competition can lead to conflicts and further environmental degradation.
Human rights and social displacement"The human cost of SEZ development cannot be overlooked. Land acquisition for SEZs often involves displacing local communities, particularly small farmers and agricultural workers. These communities frequently receive inadequate compensation and struggle to find alternative livelihoods.
"The displacement process can be traumatic for local communities who have strong cultural and emotional ties to their land. Traditional occupations like #farming, #fishing, and #SmallScaleTrading are disrupted, forcing people to adapt to entirely new economic realities. The promised employment opportunities in SEZs often don’t materialize for displaced communities, as they may lack the required skills for industrial jobs.
"Women in these communities face particular challenges, as they often have limited access to alternative employment opportunities and may lose traditional income sources like kitchen gardening or small-scale agricultural activities. The social fabric of rural communities can be severely disrupted, leading to increased poverty and social inequality."
#HumanRights #HumanRightsFreeZone #CorporateColonialism
#IMFLoanSharks #Exploitation #WorldBank #RaceToTheBottom
#HumanRightsViolations
#Pollution #EnvironmentalDegradation
#EconomicSacrificZones
#ForcedRelocation #ForcedDisplacement #TraditionalLifestyles #EnvironmentalRacism #Exploitation
#CorporateColonialism -
#SEZs in #India: Balancing Economic Growth and #Environmental Concerns
July 27, 2024
"Picture this: vast stretches of industrial land buzzing with activity, modern factories producing goods for global markets, and thousands of job opportunities emerging overnight. This is the promise of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India. But behind this gleaming facade lies a complex web of environmental challenges and social concerns that demand our attention. SEZs represent one of India’s most ambitious economic policies, designed to accelerate industrial growth and boost exports, yet they often come at a significant cost to the environment and local communities.
[...]
"[T]he rapid expansion of SEZs has raised significant environmental red flags. The most pressing concern is land acquisition, which often involves converting fertile agricultural land into industrial zones. This conversion not only reduces the country’s agricultural capacity but also disrupts local ecosystems and biodiversity.
"The establishment of SEZs typically requires large tracts of land – sometimes spanning thousands of acres. Much of this land is acquired from agricultural areas, leading to the displacement of farming communities who have depended on these lands for generations. For instance, the proposed #RaigadSEZ in #Maharashtra would have required over 14,000 hectares of #agricultural land, leading to massive #protests from local farmers.
"The conversion of agricultural land to #IndustrialUse has long-term implications for #FoodSecurity. As India’s population continues to grow, the loss of productive #farmland could exacerbate food shortage issues in the future. Moreover, agricultural land often has better soil quality and water retention capacity compared to industrial land, making this conversion environmentally costly.
"Industrial activities within SEZs generate various forms of #pollution. Air pollution from #manufacturing processes, water #contamination from industrial effluents, and #SoilDegradation from chemical usage are common problems. The concentration of industries in SEZs can create pollution hotspots that affect air and water quality in surrounding areas.
"#WaterScarcity is another critical issue. SEZs require substantial water resources for industrial processes, often competing with local communities for this precious resource. In water-stressed regions, this competition can lead to conflicts and further environmental degradation.
Human rights and social displacement"The human cost of SEZ development cannot be overlooked. Land acquisition for SEZs often involves displacing local communities, particularly small farmers and agricultural workers. These communities frequently receive inadequate compensation and struggle to find alternative livelihoods.
"The displacement process can be traumatic for local communities who have strong cultural and emotional ties to their land. Traditional occupations like #farming, #fishing, and #SmallScaleTrading are disrupted, forcing people to adapt to entirely new economic realities. The promised employment opportunities in SEZs often don’t materialize for displaced communities, as they may lack the required skills for industrial jobs.
"Women in these communities face particular challenges, as they often have limited access to alternative employment opportunities and may lose traditional income sources like kitchen gardening or small-scale agricultural activities. The social fabric of rural communities can be severely disrupted, leading to increased poverty and social inequality."
#HumanRights #HumanRightsFreeZone #CorporateColonialism
#IMFLoanSharks #Exploitation #WorldBank #RaceToTheBottom
#HumanRightsViolations
#Pollution #EnvironmentalDegradation
#EconomicSacrificZones
#ForcedRelocation #ForcedDisplacement #TraditionalLifestyles #EnvironmentalRacism #Exploitation
#CorporateColonialism -
#SEZs in #India: Balancing Economic Growth and #Environmental Concerns
July 27, 2024
"Picture this: vast stretches of industrial land buzzing with activity, modern factories producing goods for global markets, and thousands of job opportunities emerging overnight. This is the promise of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India. But behind this gleaming facade lies a complex web of environmental challenges and social concerns that demand our attention. SEZs represent one of India’s most ambitious economic policies, designed to accelerate industrial growth and boost exports, yet they often come at a significant cost to the environment and local communities.
[...]
"[T]he rapid expansion of SEZs has raised significant environmental red flags. The most pressing concern is land acquisition, which often involves converting fertile agricultural land into industrial zones. This conversion not only reduces the country’s agricultural capacity but also disrupts local ecosystems and biodiversity.
"The establishment of SEZs typically requires large tracts of land – sometimes spanning thousands of acres. Much of this land is acquired from agricultural areas, leading to the displacement of farming communities who have depended on these lands for generations. For instance, the proposed #RaigadSEZ in #Maharashtra would have required over 14,000 hectares of #agricultural land, leading to massive #protests from local farmers.
"The conversion of agricultural land to #IndustrialUse has long-term implications for #FoodSecurity. As India’s population continues to grow, the loss of productive #farmland could exacerbate food shortage issues in the future. Moreover, agricultural land often has better soil quality and water retention capacity compared to industrial land, making this conversion environmentally costly.
"Industrial activities within SEZs generate various forms of #pollution. Air pollution from #manufacturing processes, water #contamination from industrial effluents, and #SoilDegradation from chemical usage are common problems. The concentration of industries in SEZs can create pollution hotspots that affect air and water quality in surrounding areas.
"#WaterScarcity is another critical issue. SEZs require substantial water resources for industrial processes, often competing with local communities for this precious resource. In water-stressed regions, this competition can lead to conflicts and further environmental degradation.
Human rights and social displacement"The human cost of SEZ development cannot be overlooked. Land acquisition for SEZs often involves displacing local communities, particularly small farmers and agricultural workers. These communities frequently receive inadequate compensation and struggle to find alternative livelihoods.
"The displacement process can be traumatic for local communities who have strong cultural and emotional ties to their land. Traditional occupations like #farming, #fishing, and #SmallScaleTrading are disrupted, forcing people to adapt to entirely new economic realities. The promised employment opportunities in SEZs often don’t materialize for displaced communities, as they may lack the required skills for industrial jobs.
"Women in these communities face particular challenges, as they often have limited access to alternative employment opportunities and may lose traditional income sources like kitchen gardening or small-scale agricultural activities. The social fabric of rural communities can be severely disrupted, leading to increased poverty and social inequality."
#HumanRights #HumanRightsFreeZone #CorporateColonialism
#IMFLoanSharks #Exploitation #WorldBank #RaceToTheBottom
#HumanRightsViolations
#Pollution #EnvironmentalDegradation
#EconomicSacrificZones
#ForcedRelocation #ForcedDisplacement #TraditionalLifestyles #EnvironmentalRacism #Exploitation
#CorporateColonialism -
The #environmental burdens of #SpecialEconomicZones on the coastal and marine #environment: A remote sensing assessment in #Myanmar
Thiri Shwesin Aung, Indra Overland, Roman Vakulchuk, Yanhua Xie
November 2022"Special economic zones (#SEZs) are unusual parts of the world economy in terms of law, institutions, and economic functions (Chaisse and Dimitropoulos 2021). SEZs are geographically delimited areas created to facilitate industrial activities through fiscal and regulatory incentives and infrastructure support (UNCTAD 2019). Such zones carve out jurisdiction as a subset of the overall state jurisdiction for the purposes of enacting different laws and regulations that are more trade and investment friendly (Zeng 2021). Since the year 2000, SEZs have mushroomed in developing countries to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), accelerate industrialization and create jobs (Aiyer 2017). There are 5400 SEZs in 147 economies around the world. Asia is home to three quarters of them (UNIDO 2015). They have been a core element of the economic development strategy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and currently all ASEAN member states have SEZs (Aggarwal 2022).
"As part of an export-oriented development strategy, the zones commonly include industrial mega-areas that accommodate large-scale infrastructure, deep-sea ports, logistical infrastructure for oil and gas, hotels and tourism, and industrial complexes (Aggarwal 2022). They are primarily defined by a specific regulatory regime and a dedicated governance mechanism designed to relieve customs and tariffs and reduce the burden on businesses from permits, licenses, employment laws, and land access. In return, host governments expect investors to create positive spillover effects, such as facilitating innovation, boosting employment, raising exports, and diversifying the economy. The global experience of SEZs have been mixed, with some countries achieving successful economic outcomes, while others struggle to overcome market failures, institutional constraints, and social and environmental costs (Aggarwal 2022; Zeng 2021).
"The lax regulatory regimes of SEZs often raise concerns about environmental, social, and #HumanRights standards, as well as possible conflicts over #LandRights (Brussevich 2020). Several SEZs have failed to yield the expected economic benefits while having severe adverse impacts on the environment and local communities (Adunbi 2019; Aritenang and Chandramidi 2020; Chaisse and Ji 2020). On the other hand, while SEZs can be hotspots for environmental #mismanagement, they can also provide opportunities for implementing environmental policies specifically designed to regulate industries within the zones. Also, certain environmental advantages may ensue from the introduction of foreign financial resources and environmental technologies that are otherwise not readily available (Richardson 2004).
"However, according to the 'race to the bottom' literature, most SEZs have a net negative impact on the environment and local communities (Richardson 2004; UNIDO 2015; ZENG and DOUGLAS, 2012).
"Despite this contradiction, existing studies focusing on the direct and indirect impacts of SEZs have been rare (#WorldBank, 2017). Particularly, the magnitude and intensity of SEZ impacts on the environment remain understudied.
SEZs tend to be located in remote regions. As such, SEZ-related information and data are generally scarce, making it difficult to assess the environmental consequences of such zones. Many SEZs are also located in countries where there is limited scope for independent environmental assessment due to #authoritarian rule, #corruption, and/or #secrecy surrounding deals with foreign investors. Recent improvements in access to satellite data and computing platforms for machine learning have greatly improved the ability to comprehensively assess SEZs in any location in the world in near real time (Ali et al., 2020; Jensen et al., 2019). This article demonstrates how these technologies can be applied to provide evidence related to the environmental impacts of SEZs. The method is tried out on the Kyaukpyu SEZ in Myanmar. Myanmar is an authoritarian country and the #KyaukpyuSEZ is a flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative (#BRI) located in an inaccessible part of #Myanmar. This is precisely the type of case where independent access can be limited and a remote sensing approach can be useful."From 2010 onwards, Myanmar was navigating its economic transformation and a partial loosening of military rule. SEZ development was prioritized as a critical element of the country's industrialization (Oxfam 2017). The three most notable ongoing SEZ projects are the Kyaukpyu SEZ in the rural but strategically important Rakhine State, which is also the largest SEZ in Myanmar, the Thilawa SEZ on the outskirts of Myanmar's former capital Yangon, and the Dawei SEZ in the Tanintharyi Region. Tanintharyi is a long narrow southern territory of Myanmar bordering the Andaman Sea to the west and Thailand to the east.
"Although they are expected to encourage economic growth and reduce poverty, all three SEZ projects continue to face local opposition, particularly the Kyaukpyu and Dawei SEZs. The International Commission of Jurists (2017) has reported that SEZs in Myanmar are linked to human rights violations and environmental abuses (Donateo 2017). Although Myanmar's SEZ law adopted in 2014 reaffirms the applicability of environmental regulations to SEZ development, it does not clearly delineate responsibilities between developers and the state (DICA 2014). The law also does not conform with international human rights standards (MCRB 2018)."
Read more:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352938522001173#RaceToTheBottom #HumanRightsViolations #Pollution #EnvironmentalDegradation #EconomicSacrificZones #ForcedRelocation #ForcedDisplacement #HumanRightsViolations #EnvironmentalDegradation #IndigenousPeoples #ForestPeoples #SaveTheForests #Exploitation #CorporateColonialism
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"Top economists are demanding urgent action on debt relief in Washington this week, as analysis from the campaign group Debt Justice shows struggling governments are cutting back on health and education.
As finance ministers and central bankers gather for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank annual meetings, influential experts including the Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, and leading economists Mariana Mazzucato and Jayati Ghosh, are urging them to “turn debt into hope”.
They are calling for the urgent replenishment of the IMF and World Bank’s debt relief funds, and changes to the way the institutions work, to ensure more countries can receive debt cancellation."
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/oct/12/urgent-call-debt-relief-imf-world-bank-debt-justice
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Saturday, July 12, 2025
Ukraine deploying interceptor drones to defend Kyiv amid surge in Russian attacks — Russia targets life: Russian attacks kill 9, injure 42 over past day, damaging maternity hospital in Kharkiv — Ukraine behind new pipeline explosion in Siberia that supplies Russian military-industrial complex — These were not negotiations; Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister on Istanbul talks with Russia in exclusive interview … and more
https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2025/07/saturday-july-12-2025/
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From the Bretton Woods Project: #Forests
"Finally, the [#WorldBank] ’s #forest policy and #WeakSafeguards on #ForestProtection have also been observed to infringe the rights of local communities and have failed to protect one of the planet’s most important ‘#CarbonSinks’ (see Observer Spring 2017). CSOs have called for the Bank to open up its Forest Notes – which are meant to guide the interface between its lending and forests – to consultation (see Observer Winter 2017-2018). CSOs have also been highly critical of one of the forest initiatives the Bank manages, the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), a climate investment fund that supports Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) projects. A March 2017 post in REDD Monitor called the FCPF, 'the most cost-inefficient tree-saving scheme ever,' owing to high administrative costs between fiscal years 2009-2015 absorbing 64 per cent of FCFP’s $55 million expenditure. More generally, the Bank’s overall approach to lending has undermined the protection of vital natural ecosystems in borrower countries. As noted by Bruce Rich in his influential 2013 book, Foreclosing the Future: The World Bank and the Politics of Environmental Destruction, 'When one examines the failures to conserve ecosystems, or to mitigate environmental impacts of development, one finds that failed governance at all levels is almost invariably at the root. …Many of [the Bank’s] problems are associated with a dysfunctional institutional culture in which the relentless pressure to move money out the door, even in violation of the Bank’s own policies and rules, often overrides all other considerations.'"
2017: World Bank policy lending undermines climate goals
"One of the main problems is the Bank’s refusal to adequately assess the social and environmental risks of their policy loans" - Harlem Mariño, Derechos, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales
6 April 2017
"A late January report by US-based NGO Bank Information Center (BIC), together with partners in Egypt, Indonesia, Mozambique and Peru, claimed that the Bank is undermining its climate commitments by supporting investment incentives for coal, gas and oil projects through its development policy financing (DPF) mechanism. DPF accounts for approximately a third of all Bank funding and provides resources for programmes of policy and institutional reforms that are agreed by the Bank and the borrowing government (see Update 82). The report argued that the Bank’s financing through DPF contradicts the internationally agreed and Bank-supported goal of limiting the global average temperature increase to 2°C, which according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change would require that at least two-thirds of existing fossil fuel reserves are left in the ground.
"BIC’s report looked at the Bank’s DPF measures in four countries: Egypt, Indonesia, Mozambique and Peru. It found that DPF introduced subsidies for coal in all countries, apart from Peru. For example, the report argued that Bank-supported subsidies for coal infrastructure have helped Indonesia become one of the world’s top coal exporters. It found some DPF support for renewable energy, but argued that the Bank could do more given that all countries examined have potential to develop renewable energy. For example, while Peru’s DPF provides subsidies to public-private partnerships to develop oil and gas infrastructure, it does not include plans for solar or wind power projects."
https://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/2017/04/world-bank-policy-lending-undermines-climate-goals/
#FCPF #REDD #Ecosystems #ProtectTheForests #EnvironmentalDestruction #ForestDegradation #Deforestation #EnvironmentalImpacts #Egypt #Indonesia #Mozambique #Peru #LeaveItInTheGround #Coal #BigOilAndGas #ExtractiveIndustries #Exploitation #EnvironmentalImpacts
#HumanRights #ParisAgreement
#ParisClimateAgreement #BigOilAndGas #CorporateColonialism #IMFLoanSharks #RenewablesNow -
US Share of World Economy Projected to Reach Historic Low - The U.S. share of the global economy has fallen below 15% during President Joe Bid... - https://news.bitcoin.com/us-share-of-world-economy-projected-to-reach-historic-low/ #purchasingpowerparity #economicdecline #globalinfluence #economicgrowth #economicpower #economicshare #globaleconomy #u.s.economy #projection #economics #worldbank #sputnik #biden #china #obama #trump #imf
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#Ghana hollows out #forests and green protections to advance #mining interests
Malavika Vyawahare
28 Aug 2024
via @mongabayKey points:
- The Ghanaian government has significantly ramped up the approval of mining permits under legislation passed in late 2022, intensifying concerns about runaway environmental damage.
- The country is already the top #gold producer in #Africa, but much of the mining is done in #forest reserves and other #biodiverse #ecosystems.
- The government has long cracked down on artisanal illegal #GoldMiners, but activists say the real damage is being wrought by #industrial operations, both legal and illegal.
- A debt default in 2022 has seen #Ghana lean even more heavily on its gold to mitigate the crisis, prompting warnings that such a policy is neither #economically nor #environmentally #sustainable.
#ApampramaReserve #HeritageImperial #WaterIsLife #SaveTheForests #NoMiningWithoutConsent #CorporateColonialism #C&GAleska #GoldMining #GSBA #LithiumMining #BodiForestReserve #IMFLoans #WorldBank #IMFLoanSharks
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"From Drought to Floods: The Impact on Labor in the Coastal Zones of Uruguay, from East to West" is the winner of the dataviz contest by #Data4SDGs + #WorldBank!
We want to celebrate this great news with our amazing team at #AmenazaRoboto and the @pulitzercenter.
#FestivalDeDatos
#ClimateChange #OpenData #DataJournalism #LaborAndClimate -
"From Drought to Floods: The Impact on Labor in the Coastal Zones of Uruguay, from East to West" is the winner of the dataviz contest by #Data4SDGs + #WorldBank!
We want to celebrate this great news with our amazing team at #AmenazaRoboto and the @pulitzercenter.
#FestivalDeDatos
#ClimateChange #OpenData #DataJournalism #LaborAndClimate -
"From Drought to Floods: The Impact on Labor in the Coastal Zones of Uruguay, from East to West" is the winner of the dataviz contest by #Data4SDGs + #WorldBank!
We want to celebrate this great news with our amazing team at #AmenazaRoboto and the @pulitzercenter.
#FestivalDeDatos
#ClimateChange #OpenData #DataJournalism #LaborAndClimate -
"From Drought to Floods: The Impact on Labor in the Coastal Zones of Uruguay, from East to West" is the winner of the dataviz contest by #Data4SDGs + #WorldBank!
We want to celebrate this great news with our amazing team at #AmenazaRoboto and the @pulitzercenter.
#FestivalDeDatos
#ClimateChange #OpenData #DataJournalism #LaborAndClimate -
"From Drought to Floods: The Impact on Labor in the Coastal Zones of Uruguay, from East to West" is the winner of the dataviz contest by #Data4SDGs + #WorldBank!
We want to celebrate this great news with our amazing team at #AmenazaRoboto and the @pulitzercenter.
#FestivalDeDatos
#ClimateChange #OpenData #DataJournalism #LaborAndClimate -
#Uganda #president #defiant after #WorldBank #suspends #funding over #antiLGBTQ #law
The #WorldBank said the new #law, which imposes the #deathpenalty for certain #samesex #acts, #contradicts its #values.
#Women #Transgender #LGBTQ #LGBTQIA #Africa #Uganda #Religion #Hate #Bigotry #Violence #Genocide #Discrimination #Homophobia #Transphobia #EmptyThePews #DefundUganda
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Report: Somalia to Fight Inflation and Counterfeiters With New Banknotes - According to the deputy governor of the Somalian central bank, Ali Yasin Wardheere... - https://news.bitcoin.com/report-somalia-to-fight-inflation-and-counterfeiters-with-new-banknotes/ #internationalmonetaryfund(imf) #centralbankofsomalia #highinflation #siadbaare #usdollars #worldbank #africa