Once more about Zimbabwe. So here's how the election process to chair the Committee on Sustainable Development actually works. The election was a secret ballot, and member states voted in blocks. According to the Guardian, the African states as well as other developing countries voted in favor of Zimbabwe 26 to 21 with three abstentions.

The Guardian writes, "Nhema, as a member of President Robert Mugabe's government, is the subject of an EU travel ban, meaning he cannot travel to Europe to meet ministers on commission business. Nhema responded by saying Western nations had the 'right to their opinions'. 'At the end of the day the majority rules as democracy does,' he said."

Oh, Zimbabwe - and Zimbabwean democracy.

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Speaking of democracy... (I don't know how to bridge this, but...) here is a killer YouTube clip from a few years back, where Emmy-winning comedian Jon Stewart goes on CNN to talk about democracy, politics and the media (this segment was aired in fall 2004). It is almost fifteen minutes long, but you might enjoy it. For those of who that don't know Jon Stewart, he's like the equivalent Peter Nyman. (For an explanation of "spin alley", click here.)

This news week offers a nauseating main course. I'm going to have to start selectively targeting more positive news going forward, because this isn't working. It's not the news, it's me.

Well, in this case though, that's not true. It is the news.

Zimbabwe may become the chair of the UN committee on sustainable development.

Oh, Zimbabwe. The country with a 976.4% official inflation rate (as of 2006), 80% unemployment rate, 80% poverty rate, -4.4% GDP growth rate. Oh, Zimbabwe: transit point for cannabis, South Asian heroin, mandrax and metamphetamines. (That's from the CIA.) Oh, Zimbabwe: source, transit and destination country for women and children trafficked for forced labor and sexual slavery. Zimbabwe: where pimping is safer than politics.

Who cares about a UN committee, really? It is probably not going to be hugely important as far as practical global changes are concerned. But sustainable development? Did I miss something? Either this is some kind of a joke, or else it is a backhanded scheme to reign in on Robert Mugabe by doing this? That would seem like the only reasonable explanation for this, because otherwise this borders on the surreal.

Sadly, however, this kind of association with a dictatorial regime tarnishes not just the reputation of the United Nations, but the reputation of the entire concept of sustainable development. It is not right to misappropriate a concept and associate it with a place that is an antithesis of it. I really, really hope Zimbabwe doesn't actually get elected.

Maybe this is supposed to serve as a warning. Or, as another blogger said, given the economic collapse, at least Zimbabwe's "carbon footprint is admirable."

POSITIVE blog entries next week. I promise.

Russia and Estonia

High time to reduce our oil dependency? After recent violent attacks in Tallinn and Moscow, Russia claims energy deliveries to Estonia may be cut due to "railroad repairs." HS reports.

This is pure politics and nothing much to do with Net Impact, apologies for going off on a tangent, but what on earth is going on in Zimbabwe? That country is like a never-ending nightmare. Yesterday's Wall Street Journal wrote an editorial about the brutal arrest of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai; in the accompanying photo, also published inthe New York Times, Tsvangirai was leaving a Hararean hospital with a swollen face and stitches on his half-shaved head.

Global leaders reach climate change agreement (The Guardian, 16 Feb 2007)

"Leading world politicians and industrialists have reached a new, non-binding agreement at a meeting in the United States on tackling climate change.

Delegates agreed that developing countries will have to face targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions as well as rich countries.

The non-binding meeting in Washington of the G8+5 Climate Change Dialogue also agreed that a limit should be decided for maximum acceptable carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, the NBC reported. A global market should be formed to cap and trade carbon dioxide emissions, they also said."