HIGH COST OF CHEAP GAS

There are few more controversial topics within the fractious global debate on the impact of extractive industries than ‘fracking’ – or more correctly the production of natural gas through hydraulic fracturing. Invented in America, fracking has produced a cheap gas bonanza in the US – and a storm of criticism from community and environmental activists. And now companies want to exploit the rich shale beds of South Africa’s Karoo desert – but at what price?
With fracking still to commence in the Karoo, OSISA has funded the production of a 55-minute documentary film and photo exhibition on the fierce fight around fracking in South Africa.
The project – entitled The High Cost of Cheap Gas – will lift the lid on the planned developments in both South Africa, providing high-quality, evidence-based material to help raise awareness and spark debate among the public and decision-makers across the region about the real costs of natural gas development, particularly its longer-term impacts on the environment, water supplies, and the health and livelihoods of marginalised people, such as the San.
In particular, the film will provide the latest scientific information because the current debate around natural gas development in southern Africa has not been informed by the latest science ‘leaking’ from the gas fields of America, even though the hard lessons learned in the home of fracking must inform southern Africa’s response to this type of international investment.
The project will link the southern African context with the American experience to inform this critical debate and help countries in the region to take advantage of the small window of opportunity for them to make choices that secure the best - most healthy and wealthy future – for their people.
The project will look at the well-trumpeted (by companies and governments) benefits of natural gas development as well as the potentially high costs of ‘fracking’ in the Karoo through the lens of water rights, human rights and environmental costs, as well as more darker, hidden costs like the impact of endocrine disruptor chemicals and other pollutants on fertility, childhood development and the long term health of the region.
The film will gather evidence and analysis from both sides of the debate – from interviews with the multinational oil company, Shell, to discussions with San groups who have lived on this land for millennia, from talks with industry figures in America to conversations with South African farmers about their concerns over water, from meetings with activists behind burning barricades to visits to mining communities that have experienced this type of development before.
The film is already in the pre-production, research and development phase and a considerable amount has already been accomplished. The director, Jeff Barbee – who was responsible for the award-winning OSISA and OSF-SA supported multimedia project, Creating a Climate for Change in 2011 – has collected a series of stunning photos from the Karoo, both on the ground and from the air and has accumulated a large and growing file of rare material from the SKA and SALT telescopes and interviews with local communities.
Indeed, enough material has already been collected to produce a 9 minute film that was released in February 2013 and was screened on a special nationwide US TV broadcast by LinkTV.
But the feature-length documentary will provide a more detailed investigation into the possible long term impacts – both the benefits in terms of jobs and cheaper gas and the possible costs.
Long Term Effects - Southern Africa struggles today with a dirty extraction legacy, from acid mine drainage to the loss of Karoo towns like Prieska where blue asbestos mining has resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread illness. This project will look at this history to determine how well South Africa may deal with the large-scale extraction of natural gas, and dangers like groundwater contamination associated with all parts of the process, not only fracking. In addition, large scale extractive industries have not necessarily turned into the job creation, poverty elimination and development vehicles the governments often proclaim. Meanwhile, oversight and accountability mechanisms are being increasingly limited. South Africa’s Secrecy Bill is a case in point. Interestingly, similar legal developments in the United States in 2002 made access to information around the environmental effects of fracking almost impossible and sometimes even illegal to collate.
Water rights – The process of natural gas development requires large amounts of water, mixed with a secret combination of chemicals, injected into the wells. Since the proposed areas for development are predominately deserts, there is an obvious concern about where the billions of litres of water are supposed to come from. In addition, the real possibility of large scale pollution of the few precious clean water resources is a major cost of this development.
Threat to Long Term Developments based on science – Natural gas development could threaten the operations of the planned Square Kilometre Array – the largest radio telescope on the planet – as well as the largest optical telescope in the southern Hemisphere.
Health – Health experts like Dr Theo Colborn study chemicals used in and given off by natural gas production, both in the air and water, explain very clearly the long-term effects of these chemicals and the long-term groundwater and air pollution associated with it. Chemicals like BPA, ethylene glycols and other endocrine disrupters cause long-term genetic damage across generations. The associated air pollution, called ground-level ozone, also causes severe lung problems in children.
Lessons from abroad - The film will look at the result of the natural gas development that has already taken place in Colorado since 1998. Many of these same companies are applying to come to southern Africa – and their track records are not encouraging. The film will help people in southern Africa to learn from mistakes that people in the US made by allowing this development to take place without proper oversight.

PAINT COMPANIES ORDERED TO REMOVE LEAD IN PAINT-$1.1 billion USD lawsuit conclusion.

A Northern California judge Monday ordered three companies to pay $1.1 billion to remove lead-based paint from inside California homes, concluding a 13-year legal case.

Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge James P. Kleinberg ruled that ConAgra, NL Industries and Sherwin-Williams created a “public nuisance” by selling lead-based paint for decades before it was banned in 1978, finding them liable for exposing children to a known poison.

The opinion set aside $605 million, or 55% of the judgment, to pay for lead removal in Los Angeles County. The money will go into a fund administered by the state’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch and will pay for inspections and lead abatement on the inside walls of tens of thousands of homes.

“The court is convinced there are thousands of California children in the Jurisdictions whose lives can be improved, if not saved through a lead abatement plan,” the judge’s ruling said.

Local governments sued major paint manufacturers in 2000, alleging they promoted the use of lead-based paint even though its dangers had been known for many decades. Ten California cities and counties joined the case seeking to hold country’s largest paint companies accountable. The case went to trial in July.

The companies, however, argued that they never deliberately sold a hazardous product and relied on experts that did not determine the levels of lead in their paints were a public health problem until they were taken off the market in the 1970s.

Lead is a powerful poison that is particularly harmful to the development of young children, even at low levels. The government’s case stressed that lead paint is widely considered to be the main cause of lead poisoning for children who live in older housing.

Nearly 5 million homes in the cities and counties that sued were built before the 1978 ban and could require abatement. Many are in low-income neighborhoods.

“The people who are affected are largely poor and minority children who live in old homes that haven’t been repaired,” said Joseph Cotchett, an attorney who represented the cities and counties who backed the lawsuit.

The ruling did not hold responsible two of the companies that were sued: Atlantic Richfield and DuPont.

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-78579363/

The "whole world coming to South Africa" to mourn Mandela

Johannesburg – Around 70 heads of state and 10 former heads of state have confirmed their attendance for Tuesday’s official memorial service for the late former South African President, Nelson Mandela, according to a report on Eyewitness News on Monday.

“The whole world is literally coming to South Africa” said International Relations and Co-operation spokesperson Clayson Monyela.

“We wish to reiterate that our international guests are most welcome as they join us at this difficult time,” said Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane in a statement on Sunday.

American President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, have confirmed their attendance, along with Former American Presidents, George W Bush, Bill Clinton, and their wives.

“The Brazilian President, Ms. Dilma Rousseff will be accompanied by four former Heads of State,” said Chabane.

The United Nations Chief, Ban Ki Moon also confirmed his attendance at Tuesday’s service, and will fly directly from Paris, France where he is currently attending a peace summit.

But Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday he would not attend the memorial service himself, and will send another Israeli representative. According to the Jerusalem Post, the trip is too expensive and short-notice, and would cost the Prime Minister some NIS 7 million, about R20.6 million.

Mandela was a vocal supporter of the Palestinian people.

The Dalai Lama, who was controversially denied a visa to South Africa twice, also announced he “has no plans to go” to Tuesday’s service.

Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium will host the official service, and will open its gates from 06:00.  The service is free to everyone and will operate on a “first come first serve” basis. President Jacob Zuma will begin the service at 11:00, after which other heads of states will pay tribute.

Private cars will not be allowed within the vicinity of the FNB Stadium, and roads will be closed off as of midnight on Monday, said the Chief Superintendent of Johannesburg Metro Police, Wayne Minnaar.

Those that are unable to attend the service at the FNB Stadium will be directed to the Ellis Park, Orlando and Dobsonville stadiums where big screens will be installed for the public, said Chabane.

“People must accept that at some stage this capacity will be filled and police and other authorities will turn people away. We call on people to cooperate and demonstrate patience and dignity if they were to be turned away,” he added.

Mugabe Mourns Mandela

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe paid tribute to Nelson Mandela on Saturday, describing the South African liberation icon as "a champion of the oppressed".

"Mr Mandela's renowned political life will forever remain a beacon of excellence," Mugabe, Africa's oldest ruler at 89, said in his first official reaction, carried by the state-run newspaper The Herald.

Mandela, the founding father of modern South Africa and its first black leader, died late Thursday aged 95.

"Not only was he a great champion of the emancipation of the oppressed, but he was also a humble and compassionate leader who showed selfless dedication to the service of his people," Mugabe said.

"The late Nelson Mandela will forever remain in our minds as an unflinching fighter for justice," said Mugabe, who early this year criticised Mandela for being too soft on whites after the end of apartheid.

In a documentary in May, Mugabe said Mandela went "a bit too far in doing good to the non-black communities, really in some cases at the expense of (blacks)."

"That's being too saintly, too good, too much of a saint," he said.

Mandela's death evoked an outpouring of grief and tributes from world leaders and admirers across the globe.

In Zimbabwe, state and private radio stations played music in honour of the anti-apartheid hero while listeners phoned in with condolence messages.

Mandela will be buried on December 15 at his childhood rural home of Qunu in South Africa's Eastern Cape province.

Ghanaian children exposed to toxic lead in toys - UN report

A United Nations report has revealed that young children and pregnant women in developing countries including Ghana are exposed to high levels of toxic lead in paints used to decorate toys.

The United Nations Environment Programme reported of danger of exposure to paints in colours red and yellow, particularly in the course of a recent International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action.

UN says parents painting their child’s nursery a cheerful red, or handing their child a colourful toy may, through no fault of theirs, be exposing the child to lead - a pernicious toxin.

According to the World Health Organization, exposure to lead paint can be particularly grave among children, especially those living in low and middle-income countries which account for 99 percent of children affected by high exposure to lead.

An estimated 143,000 deaths per year results from lead poisoning, often linked to lead paint while some 600,000 new cases of intellectual disabilities are linked to childhood lead exposure.

WHO says Lead poisoning remains the number one environmental health concern especially for children globally.

The UN study found that the majority of the paints tested would not meet regulatory standards established in most highly industrialized countries, and that few countries have established regulatory frameworks for lead paint.

The research analyzed enamel decorative paints from Argentina, Azerbaijan, Chile, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Tunisia and Uruguay.

The report is aimed at raising awareness among Governments, manufacturers and consumers, not just that the problem exists, but that there are cheaper and safer alternatives to lead already i

16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM GAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE:SEXUAL OFFENCES COURTS REINSTATED IN SOUTH AFRICA

The reinstatement of sexual offences courts will boost South Africa's efforts to combat gender-based violence, says Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities Lulu Xingwana.

Xingwana was speaking to SAnews ahead of the launch of this year's 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign at Mmabatho stadium in Mafikeng, North West province on Sunday.

"With the re-opening of the sexual offences courts, the huge backlog of these cases [of violence against women and children], will be cut down," Xingwana said.

She said the country's fight against gender-based violence was far from being a losing battle.

"I cannot say I am happy, because the scourge is still unacceptable high. But what we are saying is that we've moved as government, as we've re-opened the sexual offences courts, and we've re-opened the family violence, child protection and sexual offences units within the South African Police Service."

Justice Minister Jeff Radebe announced in August that 22 sexual offences courts were to be reintroduced by the end of the 2013/14 financial year, and that up to 57 sexual offences courts would be operational countrywide within in the next three years.

The courts will feature specially trained officials, procedures and equipment to reduce the chance of secondary trauma for victims.

There will be a proper screening process to identify cases that fall within the sexual offences category; a special room where victims will testify; a private waiting room for adult witnesses; and a private waiting room for child witnesses and victim support services.

The courts will also include special equipment to enable victims to identify the accused from the testifying room when required to do so, as well as a designated court clerk and a court preparation programme for witnesses to prepare for court and to provide debriefing after they have testified.

The concept of sexual offences courts was introduced in South Africa in 1993 and by the end of 2005, there were 74 sexual offences courts countrywide. The special courts had been phased out over the years because of budget constraints.

Radebe said the specialised courts would be prompt, responsive and effective, reduce secondary victimisation, improve the skills of court personnel, speed up the finalisation of cases and contribute to their efficient prosecution and adjudication.

Xingwana on Sunday urged South Africans to blow the whistle on gender-based violence in order to create a society that is safe and secure for women and children.

The minister also urged the law enforcement agencies to arrest and impose harsh sentences on those who are found guilty of abusing women and children.

Co-leading the launch, North West Premier Thandi Modise said her office was running a One Million Signature campaign against rape.

"Awareness is being created across the province, as we are working with the police and traditional leaders. We are also looking at tightening places of safety for victims," Modise said. "We want to ensure that the vulnerable ... are given enough self-confidence to report all cases of gender-based violence."

Read more: http://www.southafrica.info/services/rights/16days-251113.htm#.Uq6dlNKSyT4#ixzz2ncIhJW7F

Lawsuit Aims to Cancel Brazil Non-Conventional-Gas Concessions

RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazil’s Attorney General’s Office has filed a lawsuit aimed at canceling the non-conventional-gas concessions that were awarded in an auction earlier this week, officials said.

The AG’s office said Friday that if the attempt to cancel the contracts does not prosper it will sue to bar the use of a controversial method for extracting those gas reserves that is known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

Banned in several countries due to the threat it poses to environment, that method involves pumping a pressurized fluid – usually composed of water, sand and chemicals – into low-permeability rocks to create a fracture in the rock layer and release pockets of the trapped fuel.

The AG’s office also asked Brazil’s ANP energy regulator not to hold any more auctions of shale and other non-conventional-gas concessions until more thorough studies are carried out into fracking’s impact on the environment and human health.

A total of 240 exploratory gas blocks located in five onshore basins were on offer in Thursday’s auction, although, due to low interest from major multinational energy companies, only 72 concessions were awarded.

Most of the interest came from Brazilian state-controlled energy giant Petrobras, which – either alone or as part of a consortium – acquired 49 of the blocks, the ANP said.

The regulator raised 165.9 million reais (some $75.4 million), far below the minimum of 2.2 billion reais (some $1 billion) in revenue that the ANP hoped to generate from the auction.

The areas auctioned Thursday received little interest, due, among other reasons, to the fact they are onshore blocks located in remote and little-explored regions.

The lack of complete rules in Brazil governing fracking also may have dampened interest in the blocks from multinational energy companies.