DGI Brief - June 21, 2016
Good morning all. Today's top 5 news on global issues are about #China #Egypt #EU #PuertoRico and #world #activism
- The numbers of CHINA’s meat consumption are staggering, but nowhere near the amount US & Australia eat (2x more). Eating a lot of meat contributes to obesity & diabetes. Additionally, 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from animal agriculture – livestock emit methane, while land clearing & fertilizers emit lots of carbon. The trend is that with economic development, the consumption of meat increases, something to really keep in mind in sustainable development. And what about the West? This year’s dietary guidelines encouraged less meat, but stopped short of any significant health & environmental claims. Meat lobby is very, very powerful. Moreover, would Americans willingly give up burgers, steaks, chicken? An uphill battle that we do need.
- EGYPT’s highest administrative court declared the maritime border accord void, but their verdict isn’t final. Lawyers argue that according to the constitution, only a national referendum can decide changes to Egypt’s borders before they are finalized. Anyone surprised one of the lawyers has been detained?
- EU: It is rumored that Italians & Germans (Angela Merkel) suggested deal with LIBYA similar to the EU-Turkey migrant deal. Even the despot Erdogan would seem like a lamb compared to the instability & insecurity of Libya and the ineffectiveness of its Government of National Accord. Making Europe a fortress & bribing border countries is not the way to go! Root causes!
- This isn’t the first debt-related lawsuit against PUERTO RICO, but puts greater pressure on the debt-restructuring bill “Promesa” now before US Senate.
- WORLD: Global Witness, a nonprofit documenting environmental abuses, recorded a 59% increase of murders since 2014. Brazil had 50 of its activists murdered, Philippines 33 & Colombia 26. Most of the activists fought agribusiness, illegal logging & mining, with 40% of the victims being from indigenous groups protecting ancestral lands. Global Witness also looks at ties investors in the US, EU & China have to many of these projects (significant), and the arrests & conviction rates of perpetrators (minimal).
#climatechange #globalwarming #carbonemissions #greenhousegas #agriculture #animals #meat #consumption #development #sustainability #diet #SaudiArabia #Sisi #lawsuit #RedSea #referendum #Libya #operationSophia #migrants #migrantcrisis #refugees #refugeecrisis #refugeeswelcome #displacement #debt #bailout #PROMESA #activism #murder #activists #environmental #indigenous #bigbusiness #logging #mining
