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Volodimir Zelenszkij ukrán elnököt választotta az év emberévé a Financial Times – jelentette be a lap szerkesztősége.

A londoni üzleti napilap online kiadásában megjelent indoklás szerint Zelenszkij az ukrán nép által az orosz agresszió elleni harcban tanúsított bátorság és ellenállás megtestesítőjévé, az önkényuralom elleni szélesebb, globális küzdelemben – amely meghatározhatja az egész XXI. század irányvonalát – a liberális demokrácia zászlóvivőjévé vált.

A Financial Times szerint az ukrán hadsereg és a nép ellenállásra buzdításának szempontjából a háború egyik legfontosabb döntése volt, hogy Zelenszkij az orosz offenzíva kezdetén elutasította a kimenekítésére szóló amerikai ajánlatot, és Kijevben maradt.

Ez meglepte az ukránokat és a nyugati szövetségeseket is, akiknek nem voltak vérmes várakozásaik az ukrán politikai vezetőkkel szemben – írja a brit lap.

A Financial Times hangsúlyozza ugyanakkor azt is, hogy a 2018-ban földcsuszamlásszerű többséggel, 73 százalékos szavazataránnyal elnökké választott Zelenszkij első két és fél hivatali évének mérlege “a legjobb esetben is vegyes”. Jóllehet sikerült fontos reformtörvényeket elfogadtatnia, az oligarchák befolyása vagy a korrupció elleni fellépésben ugyanakkor csekély eredményeket ért el.

Zelenszkij megbízható, ám gyakran nem megfelelő felkészültségű munkatársak szűk körén keresztül gyakorolta az elnöki hatalmat; közülük sokan régi barátai közül kerültek ki, vagy még szórakoztatóipari karrierje során szegődtek mellé – áll a cikkben.

A lap szerint azonban az orosz támadás nyomán elenyésztek az ukrán elnök háborús vezetői képességeivel kapcsolatos kételyek. Julija Mendel, Zelenszkij volt sajtótitkára úgy fogalmazott a Financial Timesnak, hogy az államfő “a káosz embere, a háborúban pedig káosz van, így (Zelenszkij) most otthonosan érzi magát”.

A Financial Times szerint amikor majd elhallgatnak a fegyverek, Zelenszkij kemény kérdésekkel szembesül azzal kapcsolatban, hogy miért nem sikerült elégséges mértékben felkészíteni Ukrajnát a támadásra. A biztonsági szolgálatok nem létesítettek aknamezőket és nem robbantottak fel hidakat az orosz támadás északi és déli csapásirányaiban, így lehetővé vált, hogy az orosz erők gyorsan és könnyen nagy területeket foglalhassanak el.

Zelenszkij azonban a brit lapnak elmondta: Kijev soha nem kapott olyan hírszerzési értesüléseket, amelyek alapján felkészülhetett volna a küszöbönálló orosz támadásra.

“Senki nem mutatott nekünk olyan konkrét anyagokat, amelyekből kiderült volna, hogy (a támadás) ebből vagy abból az irányból várható” – mondta a Financial Timesnak az ukrán elnök.

Zelenszkij elmondta: a támadás előtt többször próbálta hívni Vlagyimir Putyin orosz elnököt, hogy kifejtse neki, mekkora hiba, mekkora tragédia lenne a háború, de Putyin nem fogadta a telefonhívásokat.

“Elmebetegek ellen harcolunk” – fogalmazott az ukrán elnök az orosz vezetésre utalva.

 

The post Zelenszkijt választotta az év emberévé a Financial Times appeared first on .

Die Niederlande haben in einem Dokument, das an die EU-Hauptstädte verteilt und von EURACTIV eingesehen wurde, eine neue Idee zur Vermeidung von Gaspreisspitzen in der EU vorgeschlagen.

Europa Kompakt ist der morgendliche Newsletter von EURACTIV.

The 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), an international meeting bringing together governments from around the world, will set out new goals and develop an action plan for nature over the next decade. The conference will be held in Montréal, Quebec, the seat of the UN CBD Secretariat, from December 7 – 19, 2022.
 
COP15 will focus on protecting nature and halting biodiversity loss around the world. The Government of Canada’s priority is to ensure the COP15 is a success for nature. There is an urgent need for international partners to halt and reverse the alarming loss of biodiversity worldwide. Credit: Government of Canada

By Amy Fraenkel and Marco Lambertini
BONN / GLAND, Dec 7 2022 (IPS)

While climate change dominates the environmental headlines, quieter, startling changes are taking place in nature across the planet – whether in forests, oceans, deserts, rural landscapes, cities and other places where nature is found.

We are losing nature – biodiversity – at the fastest rate in human history. Around a million species of plants and animals are heading towards extinction. As human activities destroy and degrade more natural places, nature is becoming more and more fragmented.

Nature provides freshwater, supports food systems and underpins major industries such as forestry, agriculture, and fisheries. Yet our efforts to protect our precious biodiversity have been flawed and woefully inadequate.

Conservation of nature over the past decades has largely involved the creation of numerous dots of protected areas, which have undoubtedly helped to slow the loss of biodiversity.

But there are also limits to this approach. Many protected areas are not effectively or equitably managed, some types of ecosystems are underrepresented, and – perhaps most importantly – protected areas are carved out like islands in the middle of otherwise modified, industrial, agricultural and urbanized landscapes.

In many countries, the majority of wild species of animals live outside of protected areas. Just 9% of the world’s migratory bird species are adequately covered by protected areas across all stages of their annual cycle. Nature simply cannot survive let alone thrive in this deeply compromised and compartmentalized way.

This December, thousands of representatives of government, scientists, and other stakeholders will descend on Montreal, Canada (December 7-19) for the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15), where they will try to agree on commitments to address this growing crisis.

By all accounts, the negotiations have yet to live up to what is desperately needed to correct our current path. If we are to successfully address the biodiversity crisis, we must adopt an approach that can meet conservation goals and also provide food, water, security and livelihoods for a global population of 10 billion people by 2050.

A key to achieving this lies in what is known as ecological connectivity – which simply put, is about ensuring that our landscapes, seascapes, and river basins allow the movement of species and the flow of natural processes.

Ecological connectivity is essential to ensure the health and productivity of ecosystems, the survival of wild animals and plant species, and genetic diversity.

It contributes to climate resilience and adaptation, productive lands and effective restoration. And it is indispensable for the thousands of migratory species of wild animals which need to seasonally move from one habitat to another.

One of the most talked about ideas in the Montreal negotiations that is gaining significant political traction is the so-called “30 by 30” target, which calls for a minimum of thirty percent of the earth’s lands, freshwater and oceans to be protected or conserved in some form by the year 2030.

But this numerical target will be far from ambitious unless connectivity is placed at the center of its implementation, and the role and rights of indigenous peoples and local communities are recognized.

Currently, connectivity is captured in the draft target in two small words: “well-connected”. These same words were part of previous global biodiversity targets which by all accounts have failed us.

To succeed, connectivity must be a litmus test for all area-based conservation measures at the national level. The choice of which areas to protect and conserve needs to be guided by whether they contribute to connectivity – along with appropriate environmental and social safeguards.

Likewise, urban growth, infrastructure development and other human activities must be planned in ways that achieve social and economic needs while preserving connectivity. And governments need to measure and report their progress in implementing this commitment on connectivity.

There is one other essential element for achieving ecological connectivity: governments need to cooperate across national borders to protect and conserve shared natural areas and species.

In 2021, the UN General Assembly adopted a remarkable resolution urging all member states to increase international cooperation to improve connectivity of transboundary habitats, avoid their fragmentation and protect species that rely on connected ecosystems.

Yet alarmingly, the draft to be negotiated in Montreal does not, as yet, include any such commitment for governments to work together to implement the transboundary aspects of the framework.

The good news is we have the knowledge and ability to turn the current trends around, and to achieve a sustainable relationship with nature. There is enormous momentum on achieving connectivity by governments, companies, the financial sector, civil society, indigenous peoples and local communities.

For instance, the government of Canada is launching a CAD $60 million program for ecological corridors, a company in Sabah Borneo is completing a 14 kilometer reforested wildlife corridor within its plantation.

Local community citizen scientists in Nepal have found that a corridor they restored is now abuzz with wildlife. It is time to work together to connect nature at a scale that will deliver what we all need – a healthy planet.

Amy Fraenkel is Executive Secretary of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS); and Marco Lambertini is Director General, WWF International.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Spanien scheitert im Achtelfinal der WM gegen Marokko 0:3 im Penaltyschiessen. In der Heimat hagelt es Kritik. Vor allem das Spielsystem von Trainer Luis Enrique wird in der Luft zerrissen.

MTI: Az euró 7 órakor 411,42 forintra gyengült a kedd esti 412,75 forintról. A svájci frank jegyzése 417,94 forintról 417,34 forintra, a dolláré pedig 393,72 forintról 393,70 forintra változott.

Le président chinois Xi Jinping arrive mercredi (7 décembre) en Arabie saoudite, le premier exportateur mondial de brut, pour des rencontres avec les dirigeants de la région dominées par les sujets énergétiques, en pleine crise liée à la guerre en Ukraine.

Tim Berni feiert in der Nacht auf Mittwoch sein Debüt für die Columbus Blue Jackets. Die New Jersey Devils mit ihrem Schweizer Trio sind derweil nicht zu stoppen.

Ronald Neefs (62) aus Welschenrohr SO hat bereits über 250 Bewerbungen verschickt und hat noch immer keine Stelle gefunden. Bald wird er bei der regionalen Arbeitsvermittlung (RAV) ausgesteuert und ist mit Existenzängsten konfrontiert.

Ronald Neefs (62) wird im Februar 2023 ausgesteuert. Der Arbeitslose hat kaum noch Hoffnung. Er wünscht sich vom Christkind zu Weihnachten darum nur etwas: einen neuen Job.

Aujourd’hui dans l’Expresso : coupures d'électricité, élargissement de Schengen, Marc Fesneau et le bio & les critiques polonaises à Emmanuel Macron.

Most French Green party supporters are supportive of nuclear power, notably to secure the country's energy independence, according to a recent survey, which goes against the party's long-held anti-nuclear beliefs.

Nach dem Tod von Hollywood-Star Anne Heche wurde vermutet, dass sie Drogen intus hatte. Nun sorgt ein Autopsiebericht für Aufsehen.

Präsident Rumen Radew kündigte an, dass Bulgarien mit den Vorbereitungen für die Prägung von Euro-Münzen beginnt. Dieser Schritt wird als symbolisch angesehen, das Land ist nicht Teil der Eurozone, zeigt aber die Bereitschaft.

Dawn in Lake Malawi. Photo by Ulla Räsänen (ullahannelerasanen@gmail.com). Global Landscapes Forum.
 
Meanwhile, the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), an international meeting bringing together governments from around the world, will set out new goals and develop an action plan for nature over the next decade. The conference will be held in Montréal, Quebec, the seat of the UN CBD Secretariat, from December 7 – 19, 2022.

By Aiita Joshua Apamaku
KAMPALA, Uganda, Dec 7 2022 (IPS)

Dating back to the 16th Century, the face of biodiversity conservation has taken several tolls and twists- evolving from an era of preservation to conservation- down to conservation and sustainable utilisation of natural resources.

However, the conservation and preservation of biological diversity is not a new concept, but a fast-evolving one. Suitable methodologies and conservation models ought to consider the needs of the present and future generations at any moment in time- not outlooking the needs- of prime models employed in conserving natural resources from the beginning and the socio-economic, socio-cultural facets and needs of communities- with mutually shared benefits for people and nature.

The onset of the 20th Century saw a spark- an exponential rise in the human population from around 2.6 billion- hitting the 8-billion mark as of November 2022. The World’s population is set to escalating at a rate higher than ever recorded in the history of mankind.

Human settlements and agriculture, to cater for the ever-increasing demands of many people around the World, have accelerated the destruction of natural habitats to counteract the economy-dependent high and ever-increasing levels of consumption.

There exist variations in the ranks of consumption owing to the stories of development- with much higher levels of natural resource exploitation in wealthier parts of the World and Vice Versa.

The World Economic Forum’s recent Nature Risk Rising Report highlights that more than half of the World’s GDP ($44 trillion) highly or moderately depends on biodiversity- nature. It is only evident that several economies and businesses, both macro and micro are at risk due to increasing natural loss- even further putting the already vulnerable micro-economies at community grassroots levels at risk.

To enhance resilience and evade the sequence of vulnerability imposed on Indigenous People and Local Communities, it is vital to strengthen instruments for incentivisation and financing of biodiversity conservation endeavours at the grassroot community level.

Local communities are mainly characterised by micro-economies, thriving on small-scale/ subsistence. For such communities, biodiversity financing mechanisms could go as far as; incentivising community-led landscape planning and restoration efforts, small-scale carbon credits, incentivising conservation and restoration endeavours for key species on privately-owned lands, financing eco-conscious small-scale business models at community levels that mainly; address the day-to-day needs of the local community members while ensuring a net gain for biodiversity of any form, provide sustainable utilisation of particular resources within any ecosystem.

It is only paramount that any advances to promote and enhance community-led conservation and biodiversity financing mechanisms are undertaken under their consent- with critical attention to their own perspectives on the most suitable models in their landscape contexts.

Watch Aiita Joshua Apamaku along with other experts in the session Biodiversity finance innovations: How can we maximize impacts for local communities and nature? at the Biodiversity Finance Digital Forum – Investing in People and Nature, hosted by the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) on 29 November 2022, under the banner of the Luxembourg–GLF Finance for Nature Platform.

Aiita Joshua Apamaku is Education Taskforce Lead, Youth4Nature; Project Lead, NatureWILD Hub; and Global Landscapes Forum speaker.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Madeleine Albright Demokrácia-díjjal tüntetik ki kedden Washingtonban Zuzana Čaputová szlovák államfőt a demokrácia előmozdítása és védelme érdekében tett fáradhatatlan erőfeszítései elismeréseként.

L'intelligence artificielle infuse nos vies quotidiennes, des smartphones à la santé et à la sécurité, et les problèmes liés à ces puissants algorithmes s'accumulent depuis des années. Mais différents pays démocratiques veulent désormais les encadrer.

Der Winter gilt als besonders romantische Jahreszeit. Wir haben die Community im letzten Jahr gefragt, welche schönen Orte in der Schweiz verliebte Paare unbedingt besuchen sollten. Hier findet ihr die Antworten der Blick-Leserinnen und -Leser.

Die Nati scheitert im WM-Achtelfinal gegen Portugal krachend. Nati-Direktor Pierluigi Tami stärkt Trainer Murat Yakin aber den Rücken.