Lori Pottinger's blog

Bujagali Falls

Like most rich nations, the Netherlands has seen its “carbon footprint” rise in recent decades. In an effort to shrink that footprint, the Dutch government has been purchasing “carbon credits” through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The Netherlands now proposes to purchase “offsets” from the Bujagali Dam on the Nile River in Uganda. The CDM board will decide whether to register Bujagali for credits on Dec. 29.  

Carla filming in Temaca

About a year ago, filmmaker Carla Pataky and I were lugging her heavy camera gear around the rough cobbled streets of Temaca, Mexico, trying to convince busy activists to talk to us for a few minutes as they rushed between sessions at the Rivers for Life 3 meeting. The town was full of beautiful backdrops for the interviews, and dozens of  activists hailing from 54 countries spoke to us about the work they do, the dams they are fighting, and the visions they had for their rivers and communities. From day one, we could tell we were going to have a very hard time making a short film, given the remarkable people and the richness of the stories Carla was capturing on film.

 (A guest blog by our former Africa program director)

Cahora Bassa Dam bypasses villages under its power lines

The Conference of Energy Ministers in Africa – a two-year old institution recognized by the African Union and donors as the official voice of Africa's energy future – recently met for the second time and released a new declaration that can fairly be called double-speak. The first half of the declaration is so great, it could have been written by a Nelson Mandela of energy. It outlines the brutal reality of Africa's energy poverty and the goals for universal access to sustainable energy across Africa by 2030.

Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam

A new report by an Ethiopian with experience in energy planning reveals that the new Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (also known as the Grand Millennium Dam), now planned for the Nile, could be an overpriced, underperforming boondoggle (if it ever gets built).

A new three-part series by Al Jazeera explores the human history surrounding the Nile – the world's longest river – and the growing conflict around its use. That conflict is being fanned by a growing population, political unrest, climate change, and a dam-boom in the region (especially in Ethiopia ). It’s a very powerful and comprehensive look at this remarkable, important resource.

The 7,000km Nile is a lifeline for almost 400 million people in 10 countries. The producers talked to dozens of people, including our friend in Uganda, Frank Muramuzi, who describes the need for balancing development with the need to protect the river and all it supports. Frank and his group NAPE have been the primary advocates for protecting the White Nile from a slew of big dams. The series shows the river's importance through the voices of Hamdi, a Sudanese farmer, who says, “"The most beautiful thing distinguishing us from the rest of the world is the Nile. There is no other river like it. It's a great river – heavenly – and the life around it is unique." It describes the history of the political struggle to control the great river.   Another interview with our friend Arif Gamal describes the displacement of the Nubian people for the Aswan Dam; Arif was one of over 120,000 Nubians – in both Egypt and Sudan – who were forced to move. Today, the Nubian people are also threatened by Kajbar Dam , which they have vowed to fight. And an interview with yours truly goes into greater detail about the impact of dams on the river.

Thank you, Al Jazeera, for making the mysterious and beautiful Nile a television star!

Nu River, China

The list of World Heritage Sites is the ultimate “bucket list,” comprised of more than 900 of the world’s most amazing natural and man-made wonders on earth. From the Great Wall of China to Stonehenge, the Great Barrier Reef to the Grand Canyon, these are places of “outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humanity,” according to UNESCO, the keeper of the list. They are, in a word, irreplaceable.

Satellite Image of Congo Region (map from NASA World Wind)

The ongoing World Economic Forum – the annual gathering of global decision-makers and business leaders – is the place to discuss big ideas for economic development.

Please, ma’am, just put down the aluminum foil and no one gets hurt.

Scrooge

It’s a little known fact that this simple kitchen product has a Dickensian dark side. So as you serve your guests canned beverages, “tent” your turkey, cover the yams, or wrap leftovers at the end of the party, keep in mind that the aluminum products you’re using have their roots in a dirty industry – one that frankly deserves a lump of coal in its stocking for how it’s mistreating the planet.

The aluminum industry is the world’s largest industrial consumer of electricity, and about half of what it uses comes from hydropower dams. Aluminum companies troll the world looking for big dam projects that can power new smelters, often targeting rivers in ecologically sensitive areas in developing countries, and frequently in places where basic needs for the population’s energy are not yet being met.

Temaca Scene (Lori Pottinger)

It’s an unreal feeling to be walking around the venerable town of Temaca, knowing its colorful homes and peaceful town plaza, its centuries-old cathedral could end up hundreds of feet under water. Would the old iron church bells still ring?

Temaca Solidarity Wall

Our bus arrives after dark in Temaca.  We know we’ve arrived because of messages of struggle scrawled on the old adobe walls.  “Temaca Viva!