Taiwan Acts to Mitigate Climate Change

By Stephen Shu-hung Shen, Minister, Environmental Protection Administration

Mitigating climate change has a direct bearing on humankind’s survival and therefore poses a pressing challenge that the global community must face together. Consequently, despite Taiwan’s special status in international politics and its exclusion from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the government has still endeavored to join the global movement to reduce carbon emissions. Efforts revolve around implementing various policies and encouraging the people to take concrete actions.

In response to the Copenhagen Accord, for instance, Taiwan voluntarily pledged to the UNFCCC secretariat and the international community in 2010, that it would cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 30 percent below business-as-usual (BAU) levels by 2020. It also pledged to implement Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) and assume its share of responsibility. This is not only in line with the fundamental principles of the UNFCCC, but is also a clear declaration of Taiwan’s position and determination to reduce GHG emissions.

Two major approaches can be considered for mitigating climate change: carbon reduction and climate adaptation. The Committee for the Promotion of Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction, established by Taiwan’s Executive Yuan in the end of 2009, has drawn up a master plan to fulfill its mandate. The plan calls for concrete actions in such areas as energy, industry, transportation, architecture and lifestyle. In 2012, the Executive Yuan also approved national climate change adaptation guidelines covering eight major domains — disasters, essential infrastructure, water resources, land use, coastal areas, energy supply and the energy sector, agriculture and biodiversity, and health. The guidelines call for the impact and challenges brought by climate change to be studied, for adaptation strategies to be proposed by the relevant government agencies, and for an implementation and evaluation mechanism to be established.

In addition, Taiwan’s government is continuing to promote the passage of a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Bill. This bill, along with the Energy Tax Bill that is currently being studied, the Energy Management Act that has already been implemented, and the Renewable Energy Development Statute, constitutes the legal framework for GHG reduction in Taiwan. Meanwhile, to keep abreast of international development trends, the EPA has also laid the groundwork for a Measurable, Reportable, Verifiable (MRV) system for GHG mitigation actions and commitments. It was announced in May 2012 that, in accordance with the Air Pollution Prevention Act, six GHGs, including carbon dioxide, were being classified as air pollutants, and that institutionalizing the reporting of GHG emissions is a policy priority.

In his 2012 inaugural address, President Ma Ying-jeou explicitly stated that “developing an environment characterized by low carbon emissions and high reliance on green energy” is one of the five pillars of Taiwan’s national development. It is hoped that green industry will become a new economic bright spot that brings employment and growth, so that Taiwan can gradually become a “low-carbon, green-energy island.” Confronted with the daunting challenges that climate change presents, Taiwan’s public and private sectors are joining forces to promote a “low carbon and sustainable homeland.” This is having the added benefit of boosting both horizontal and vertical coordination in the central and local government. In addition, it will promote self-evaluation at the local level in terms of achieving various low-carbon and sustainability targets, and will encourage the public, communities, towns and cities to voluntarily participate in building a low-carbon and sustainable homeland.

Saving energy and reducing carbon are not just abstract concepts in Taiwan. Indeed, they have become very much a part of everyday life. Confronted as we all are with the severe challenges that climate change poses, I sincerely urge the international community to take Taiwan’s bid to meaningfully participate in the UNFCCC seriously, and to include Taiwan in its mutual assistance system. We are extremely willing to share the fruits of our hard work and experience in environmental protection with the international community, and particularly with those countries that need our help the most.

For Taiwan news, editorials, feature articles and more, please go to Taiwan Today.

Storm Brewing in the East China Sea

By Patricia Keegan

In the October 10 full page ad in the Washington Post, initiated by the Republic of China (Taiwan), and accompanied by copies of old documents supporting their claim, Taiwan appeared to be making an effort to clarify for readers some of the intricate history behind both China’s and Taiwan’s claim to sovereignty of the Diaoyutai Islands. The claims have caused a major dispute with Japan, with the Japanese government adamantly asserting that the islands belong to them. The situation has developed into a crisis as, according to an article in Japan Times on September 11, the Japanese government purchased three of the five islands from a private owner and placed them under state control. The challenge is how to avoid threats that could lead to military action between China and Japan. It may seem ludicrous that what looks like, and literally is, an uninhabited string of rocks could cause such a commotion, but it’s the waters around these islands that are rich in sea life and possibly oil.

The four photocopies, visible in the ad, show that these disputed islands lie within the borders that separate China and foreign lands. According to these official documents the islands are within the borders that separate China and “foreign lands,” and they were placed under Kavalan County, Taiwan. Included in the record is the following, “Qing China’s long and effective administration over the islands as part of Taiwan.” The documents, and all that follow, leave a trail of proof of ownership.

According to the points made in the advertisement, Japan’s claim begins in 1895 when it secretly annexed the Diaoyutai islands during the Sino-Japanese War. Today the Japanese government asserts that on January 14, 1895, their government began to rule over the islands “because they had monitored the islands and found no sign of inhabitants or no sign of control by the Qing Empire.” However, if they had looked at old Meiji documents, unearthed from their own Japanese archives, they would have read that in 1885 the Meiji government acknowledged China’s ownership of the islands. Following China’s defeat in the Sino-Japanese War, Qing China was forced to sign the Treaty of Shimonoseki on April 17, 1895, which ceded “Taiwan and its appertaining islands” to Japan. This Treaty held until after WWII.

During the war, in 1943, arrangements were made in the Cairo Declaration and later in the Potsdam Proclamation that called for restoration of the islands to their pre-1895 legal status. Japan agreed to “restore all territories taken during the war.”

But there was a big surprise in store. When Japan returned Taiwan to the ROC, both sides adopted the administrative arrangements of Taiwan with the Allied powers. But none of these entities, including ROC, had any inkling that Japan had changed the name of the islands from Diaoyutai to Senkaku. Apparently, with the name changed, the Japanese insured they would still own the islands — the idea was that because the islands weren’t mentioned by that name in the relevant legal documents, they still belonged to Japan. However, the Cairo Declaration stated that Japan “also be expelled from all other territories which she had taken by violence and greed.” Therefore, the ROC maintains the position that the islands did not need to be listed in an itemized fashion if Japan acquired them through imperialism between 1895 and the Second World War; they were to be returned. In 1972 the United States transferred administrative rights to the islands to Japan, but Washington sent an official notice to Taipei specifically stating that the transfer had no impact on the ROC’s claim to sovereignty. The US has since maintained a neutral stance on the issue of sovereignty.

In trying to resolve this claim, ROC President Ma Ying-jeou, on August 5, 2012, proposed a two stage East China Sea Initiative based on the concept that “while sovereignty is indivisible, resources should be shared.” He called on the parties concerned to replace confrontation with dialogue, shelve territorial disputes through negotiations, formulate a code of conduct and engage in joint development of resources.

President Ma’s plan gives a vision for the future — not only in the East China Sea region, but for what daily becomes more and more apparent — we are looking at a world with diminishing resources, in which we can choose either to settle disputes peacefully by working together in sharing those resources, or just resort to war, in which case everybody loses.

Hopefully, the Ma proposal of trilateral negotiations, and an East China Sea code of conduct , will show positive results and become a blueprint, not only for the peaceful settlement with Japan on the Diaoyutai Islands, but for all the predictable and similar disputes over resources about to converge. The current conflict portends what the world is facing. It portrays the urgency for governments to have plans in place to cope with similar challenges and to seek alliances willing to share, rather than hoard, resources.

APEC in 2012: Rising to the Challenge

By Dr. Mignonne Man-jung Chan 

Republic of China (Taiwan) delegates to Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) discussions throughout the year have taken part in numerous meetings on cooperation and trade among the organization’s members. Russia, as this year’s APEC host, has inherited some key issues from 2011, and added for discussion the priority areas of liberalizing trade and investment and expanding regional economic integration; strengthening food security; establishing reliable supply chains; and fostering innovative growth.

Regional Economic Integration
Republic of China (Taiwan) is moving forward with the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement with mainland China, and expects to complete negotiations concerning it within the next 18 months. Meanwhile, Taipei signed a bilateral investment pact with Japan, while bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with Singapore and New Zealand are proceeding at a steady pace. Taipei and Seoul have also started negotiations on an investment accord. Republic of China (Taiwan) is geared toward making pragmatic progress, and looks forward to joining regional economic integration schemes in due course.

The pace of such schemes among APEC members is also gathering momentum. Eleven APEC economies are now undertaking Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam. Although it is unlikely that they will complete the FTA negotiations by the year’s end, as declared in 2011, participants aim to achieve substantive progress on the issue. The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-centered Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), also known as ASEAN + +, is making solid progress as mainland China, Japan and South Korea (CJK) have moved forward by establishing the CJK Secretariat in Seoul. ASEAN + + replaces the previously used terms of ASEAN + 3 and ASEAN + 6, and is so named as the first “+” represents CJK and the second “+” is open-ended, rather than necessarily representing another three member economies. Although talks for a mainland China-South Korea FTA now appear to be proceeding at a fast pace within the CJK trilateral arrangement, the eventual completion of a CJK FTA will be key to a successful ASEAN + 3 (ASEAN + mainland China, Japan and South Korea), which in turn will serve as a catalyst for the RCEP.

Food Security
During the Ministerial Meeting on Food Security in May, delegates discussed the APEC Food Emergency Response Mechanism (AFERM), an initiative put forward by Republic of China (Taiwan) in view of the frequent natural disasters in the region. AFERM was intended as a second-line defense for providing humanitarian aid, and as a supplement to existing international aid agencies when necessary. There were some reservations about the scheme, however, due to a concern over upsetting market mechanisms, even during emergencies caused by natural disasters. Ministers expressed their hopes that a follow-up proposal could explore ways in which to complement existing food emergency mechanisms. Republic of China (Taiwan) anticipates contributing to that dialogue. In the meantime, Republic of China (Taiwan) is keen on collaborating with like-minded partners on ways to prevent post-harvest food loss as well as ensure food quality from farm to table. As a result of the May meeting, APEC ministers agreed to focus on the five key themes of increasing agricultural production and productivity; facilitating trade and developing food markets; enhancing food safety and quality; improving access to food for socially vulnerable population groups; and ensuring sustainable ecosystems-based management and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and associated trade.

Reliable Supply Chains
The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) has identified eight bottlenecks in the bloc’s supply chains, of which three have the potential to disrupt supply chain connectivity. These are inefficient transport infrastructure or a lack of cross-border links such as roads and bridges; underdeveloped multimodal transport capabilities combining air, sea and land links; and a lack of regional cross-border customs transit arrangements.
> Russia hopes to focus on three key dimensions of supply chains, namely the diversification of supply chains, particularly alternative transport routes during emergency situations; intelligent supply chains, or the integration of existing mechanisms; and coordination among regional crisis management centers.

Republic of China (Taiwan) has begun developing a Customs-Maritime-Trade Single Window, which utilizes radio frequency identification to ensure transparency and traceability of products in supply chains. As such, Republic of China (Taiwan) could share its expertise in the single-window system through APEC economic and technical cooperation schemes.

Innovative Growth
Russia has focused the discussion on the three aspects of educational development, innovation in technology and human resource development. Republic of China (Taiwan)’s ABAC members have sponsored a study on the government’s policies for nurturing innovation, and are expected to put forth a number of recommendations to APEC leaders. The Women’s Forum highlighted the importance of human resource development and women’s contribution to the process of innovation.

Although some member economies shied away from the issue of educational accreditation, most APEC members support the idea of exploring further educational cooperation. In terms of technology development, a pilot project has been proposed that would see a dialogue meeting set up and attended by one scientist from each member economy. A trial meeting is to be arranged in 2013 when Indonesia hosts APEC.

Geo-Politics and Geo-Economics
APEC members have been keenly aware of the geo-political and geo-economic dynamics in the Asia-Pacific region in recent years. Sino-US leadership contention seemed to intensify at the conclusion of the APEC Leaders’ Meeting in Hawaii in 2011. The TPP, led by the United States and proclaimed as a high-quality FTA, is facing enormous difficulties in negotiations. This seems in contrast to the RCEP, which may well move solidly forward as a building block toward a regional integration scheme. Unlike the one in 2010, the Leaders’ Declaration in 2011 made no mention of ASEAN + 3, ASEAN + 6 or the TPP as schemes toward a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific.

This year, the United States and mainland China are at odds over how to resolve issues with Iran and Syria, with Russia siding firmly with mainland China at the United Nations Security Council.

Next-generation issues are also important for this year’s discussions. In addition to the traditional trade and investment issues of tariff and non-tariff barriers at the border, such issues emphasize cross-the-border and behind-the-border matters. Among them are the free flow of information, environmental goods and services, and regulatory reform. Other key issues in this area are support for small and medium enterprises in global production chains and transparency in trade agreements.

Public-private partnerships remain another important area for discussion, especially those dedicated to promoting the ease of doing business. It seems that there is a danger of overstretching private-sector participation without actually integrating the various standpoints of diverse business perspectives. Also, the overlapping structure of private-sector participation in various APEC fora may not be conducive to establishing an efficient and streamlined organization in the long run. ABAC has set up the Policy Partnership on Food Security, while official working groups attempt to establish public-private dialogues as both one-off and ongoing events. There are diverse interests even within the business sector and companies with more resources can better afford participation and potentially have more influence in shaping the agenda.

Finally, it is interesting to note that the majority of members have expressed their aspiration to join Indonesia in examining issues concerning the “blue economy,” or the conservation and sustainable development of marine resources. Indonesia has put forward the concept to cover climate change-related biodiversity and efforts to combat illegal fishing, among other issues. The Philippines, as the host of APEC 2015, has highlighted resource competition and exclusive economic zones as part of the same concept.

Certainly, APEC will be a more valuable organization when regional issues of concern can be highlighted and addressed through regular dialogue among senior officials, ministers and leaders.

Dr. Mignonne Man-jung Chan is the executive director of the Chinese Taipei APEC Study Center, Taiwan Institute of Economic Research.

For Taiwan news, editorials, feature articles and more, please go to Taiwan Today.

UN Climate Conference in Rio

By Bill Miller

From June 20-22, 2012, the countries of the world, with over 100 heads of state and nearly 50,000 participants, met in Rio de Janeiro for a “Rio + 20 Conference on Sustainable Development.”

The crux of the discussions focused on the main themes of building a green economy to achieve sustainable development and to raise people out of poverty, providing assistance to economically- developing countries that will assist them in locating a green path for development and enhancing international coordination for sustainable development.

The 'Rio + 20 Conference' was held 20 years after the productive '1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development', known as the 'Earth Summit,' that brought together world leaders (including US President George H.W. Bush) to hammer out several major international agreements.

The Earth Summit produced the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development; Agenda 21 (a 900 page list of suggestions on how to promote sustainable development, conserve resources and reduce costs); Forest Principles; the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Framework Convention on Climate Change.

A few logistical challenges plagued the 2012 Rio Conference before it ever began. For example, the dates had to be changed because the original ones conflicted with Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee; Rio hotels reportedly had only 33,000 beds for an anticipated influx of 50,000 visitors that led to severe price gouging and skyrocketing room rates, ultimately causing several delegations to cancel their plans to attend, and the city was plagued with traffic jams.

Regardless, these were minor nuisances that confronted the governmental, private sector and civil society attendees who were often at loggerheads with one another on how to deal with what may be the greatest challenge to planet Earth and all living species: climate change. Figuratively speaking, mountains of scientific data and reports conclusively show that the weather patterns are changing, glaciers are melting, seas are rising, desertification is occurring and heat waves, forest fires, floods and storms are becoming more frequent and severe. Just in the US, nearly 4,000 daily high temperature records were set for the month of June in 2012.

The 'Rio + 20 Conference' has been categorized by such descriptive terms as “a political charade,” and a 'failure of epic proportions.' UN Secretary General (SG) Ban Ki-moon first described it as 'modest... a firm foundation,' and then later as a 'success.' It may be a partial combination of all of these observations since there were both achievements and setbacks.

After contentious wrangling, world leaders did approve the outcome document for Rio+20 entitled “The Future We Want,' which was agreed to by the Member States of the United Nations.

Perhaps the most important achievement at the conference was that more than $500 billion, with over 700 commitments, was made to take action on sustainable development initiatives. These commitments addressed a myriad of global issues that include access to clean energy, food security, water and sustainable transportation.

The document also calls for a vast range of actions, including countries to re-commit themselves to sustainable development, establishing a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and launching a high-level political forum on sustainable development.

Additionally the document emphasized how the green economy can be used as a tool to achieve sustainable development, strengthen the UN Environment Program and promote corporate sustainability reporting measures.

Regarding corporations, the business community is a prime economic generator and contributes to a large part of the climate change problem, thus should be part of the solution. One major meeting prior to the Rio Conference was a Forum, organized by the UN Global Compact and others, that brought together 2,700 business leaders, investors, academics, government officials, environmentalists and grassroots activists.

The Forum issued the 'Rio+20: Final Business Forum Text' that included a commitment by business leaders to help create and implement new Sustainable Development Goals. CEOs from 45 major corporations suggested how governments can better manage water supplies and how businesses can use and restore natural resources more efficiently. Nearly 300 institutions of higher education signed on to placing sustainable development as a major part of college and university curricula.

The United Nations Global Compact (www.unglobalcompact.org), the largest voluntary association of over 7,000 business in 135 countries, is committed to ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.

Another suggestion from the Rio Conference was that nations need to re-define the concept of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to assess the well-being of a country. Rather than solely use the economic benefit of GDP, emphasis should be upon a macro approach to view the health and viability of natural resources, such as forests, oceans and rivers, as well as the hidden social and environmental costs associated with consuming fossil fuels--especially major pollutants such as coal and petroleum. This ties into the concept of adopting a framework for tackling sustainable consumption and production and making the 'polluter' pay for the damage.

Another approach is to eliminate the $750 billion subsidies governments dole out each year to promote the use of fossil fuels. Although alternative clean energy sources are still rather expensive and not commercially competitive in some areas, subsidizing clean energy sources would make them more competitive. Some significant projects include Germany moving from nuclear power to renewable sources of energy. In Southern California, the cost per kilowatt hour of solar energy is reportedly equivalent to that of current electricity. When an alternative, such as solar, is economically viable -- and it may be in the not-too-distant future -- the term 'coal mine' will be about as obsolete as the 'iron lung' is to a discussion of polio today.

A major recommendation of the Rio Conference was to empower women economically, socially and politically. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who represented the Obama Administration in Rio, expressed approval of the final document's endorsement of women's sexual and reproductive health; however, she expressed her dismay and concern with the deletion of references to reproductive rights, which is construed by pro-life proponents as a euphemism for abortion. Observers contend that the 'pro-life' conservative groups, led by the Vatican which has Observer Status at the UN, deleted the reference.

A critical path to empower women is to provide educational opportunities, the ability to determine their family size and to have access to reproductive health choices.

What were some other major trends or lessons learned from the conference?

1) It may be unrealistic to expect that a Grand Bargain will be adopted by 193 governments. Some of the governments have vested interests in fossil fuel industries and receive benefits in the form of jobs, economic investments, financial assistance for charities and other institutions, as well as campaign contributions to politicians who then develop laws and regulations that favor those industries. Although governments play a key role, the Rio Conference demonstrated that other players, e.g. nongovernmental organizations, academia and businesses, were decentralizing the process and making more commitments, in many cases without governmental support.

2) On the other hand, many governments are taking bold action to confront climate change. For instance, Germany, hardly known for its sunny weather, apparently receives over 40 % of its electricity from solar units. Denmark gets 20% of its electricity from wind. Australia has put a price on carbon, and California is launching a comprehensive cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A US federal appeals court, for the first time ever, upheld regulations to reduce gases that are often linked with global warming. Given the climate change-denial mentality of the US Congress, legislation of this type would be impossible to pass through normal legislative processes.

The Yasuni-ITT Initiative is an Ecuadorian Government project to permanently protect the oil reserves in the pristine Yasuni National Park. Although Ecuador is a poor country and is an oil producer, it hopes to receive $3.6 billion over 13 years from the international community in exchange for not tapping 846 million barrels of oil, with the rationale to conserve biodiversity, protect indigenous peoples and reduce CO2 emissions.

The Virginia Legislature, denying both irrefutable scientific evidence and common-sense logic, is sending out conflicting, schizophrenic messages. The Legislature has appropriated state funds to study and to combat erosion of the Virginia coastal areas; while, at the same time, taking legislative action to ban using the terms 'climate change' and 'sea level rise,' which are key cause-and effect terms as to what is impacting the Atlantic Ocean. The journal 'Nature Climate Change' reported a study indicating a 600-mile 'hot spot' in the Atlantic Ocean causing sea levels to rise 3 to 4 times faster than the global average since 1990. Computer models estimate that sea levels globally could rise by 3.3 feet by 2100, or perhaps sooner.

3) Currently, the planet is straining under a population explosion. How much pressure will be on resources when, as the UN predicted, there will be 9-10 billion by 2050? Even at 7 billion people today, the strains indicate that the earth's finite resources are being consumed at a more rapid rate and an expanding population puts additional pressure on the ecosystem.

A recent example of environmental pressures and human improvement was driven home in an article in the New York Times on the proliferation of window air conditioners in the slums of Mumbai, India. As the residents' income increased so did their aspirations to improve their quality of life and to enjoy various amenities. The air conditioners are using an environmentally friendly coolant but are still belching out a warming effect of 2,100 times that of carbon dioxide. Most people, which is to be expected, want to improve their standard of living by acquiring better food, refrigerators, autos, and other necessities when their incomes rise.

4) The climate change discussion -- even with its shortcomings -- would not have reached this point had it not been for actions by the United Nations, such as establishing the international scientific Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 1988, bringing key players together at various UN conferences on climate change and utilizing UN agencies to combat this problem. The UN's main strength is to provide a forum or structure within which climate change can be discussed and acted upon. Perhaps the most important ingredient in this recipe was the Herculean effort of UN SG Ban Ki-moon who -over six years ago-identified climate change as one of the major challenges and encouraged governments and others to be involved in confronting the problem. The SG's 'Good Offices' elevated the topic and shone the spotlight on a problem that affects all living beings.

5) Climate change deniers may be diminishing. Over 96% of climate scientists believe that climate change is occurring, yet there is some minor professional disagreement as to how damaging the phenomenon may be. One group that has consistently been in the 'climate change -denier camp' are meteorologists, of which about 20% believe climate change is factual. That may be changing. Paul Douglas, a self-described free-market Republican, practicing Christian and professional meteorologist in a Bloomberg Businessweek article, indicated he no longer believed climate change is a hoax, given the overwhelming evidence that the last decade was the warmest on record and included nine of the 10 hottest years. Other areas of concern are the 71% drop in the Great Lakes peak ice since 1973, winters are shorter, animals and plants are moving northward and humans pump out 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year.

Another potential convert is Rex Tillerson, Exxon's Chief Executive, who did a 180 degree flip and professed that carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels are warming the planet. Mr. Tillerson, who erroneously suggested that climate change is 'manageable,' heads a company that has been a major contributor to faux-science think tanks and pseudo scientists that have fought climate change reports and have disseminated disinformation and misinformation to cultivate doubts about the science.

6) The climate change discussion directly ties into the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were adopted in 2000 and come to fruition in 2015. The MDGs aim to halve abject poverty, provide universal primary school education, reduce maternal and child mortality rates, empower women, combat AIDS, promote sustainable development and develop cooperative international partnerships. Achieving the MDGs will depend on how successful the climate change battle is waged, and vice-versa.

Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt said, 'Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.' These are prophetic words for political leaders who are still making foolish mistakes by funneling subsidies to fossil fuel industries, by denying or downplaying overwhelming scientific evidence that global warming is occurring and by fighting rear guard actions to keep alive industries, such as coal, that are destroying the planet. Earth is near the 'tipping point,' which some scientists say is 2015 -- if we are to keep warming below 2 degrees. Political leaders, public administrators, businesses, environmentalists, media, along with every human being, need to focus like a laser beam on this problem. Given the Rio Conference agreement failed to stress the need for urgency, more substantive action is needed now, not tomorrow, to confront the world's number one major threat.

_____________

Bill Miller, former Chair of the UN Association of the USA's Council of Chapter and Division Presidents, is the accredited Washington International journalist covering the UN and is the Producer/Moderator of “Global Connections Television.”

Towards Universal Coverage — Taiwan’s Experience

By Chiu Wen-ta, Minister, Department of Health

I. Preface

The World Health Organization (WHO) attaches great importance to the establishment of health care systems. Its 2010 World Health Report focused on universal health care, and the 2012 World Health Assembly has chosen for its theme “Towards Universal Coverage” — indicating global recognition of the need to establish sound and comprehensive health care systems.

Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) program, launched 18 years ago, has received affirmation at home and abroad. The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) have separately produced programming highlighting the NHI. This year, Cable News Network (CNN) aired a report on the medical and health care systems of Taiwan, the U.K. and Switzerland, lauding Taiwan’s success with its program. In 2011, delegations from over 50 countries visited Taiwan to study its universal health insurance program.

II. An introduction to the National Health Insurance program

In the days before the NHI was established, over 40 percent of the nation’s citizens had no health insurance. Following seven years in the planning stage, the NHI program was introduced as a single-payer plan on March 1, 1995 as a form of self-financed social insurance. Premiums are shared among the insured, the insured’s employer and the government. About 99.6 percent of Taiwan’s population is covered by the NHI.

The program allows for all insured persons to access comprehensive medical service. Among services covered are inpatient and outpatient care, Chinese herbal medicine, dental services, childbirth, rehabilitation therapy, home care and care for chronic psychotic patients. All insured persons have the right to immediate medical treatment at any of the over 25,000 clinics and institutions in Taiwan.

III. Recent reforms

More than a decade after the NHI program came into force, the government conducted a review of the system and proposed a “second-generation” system to institute a fairer payment scheme by levying a 2-percent supplementary premium on non-payroll income and individual capital gains. When the new system takes effect in 2013, basic premium rates will be reduced to ease the financial burden on the working class, ensuring greater fairness and strengthening social justice.

The greatest factor behind the NHI’s success is Taiwan’s dedicated medical professionals, who have earned our deepest appreciation and greatest respect for their commitment to the public.

For years, Taiwan has focused on providing affordable, accessible and effective medical service based on a fair payment scheme. It now faces another problem—that of medical staff shortages and work overload—and is making an effort to attract more people to the medical profession and improve working conditions.

IV. Conclusion

Taiwan’s health insurance scheme has successfully enrolled nearly the whole population, is of a high quality, allows for convenience in seeking medical care, and has kept a lid on costs. Collective medical costs for the entire citizenry under the NHI amount to just 6.9 percent of GDP. Administrative costs take up just 1.5 percent of all outlays thanks to a sound information technology network. Moreover, as of the end of 2011, 3.07 million people had benefited from insurance premium subsidy programs. As the most vulnerable in society are covered by the insurance scheme, the link between illness and poverty has thus been broken. The NHI is one of Taiwan’s most successful public projects in history, with a public satisfaction rate of 88.6 percent.

For its NHI system and many other public health achievements, Taiwan has earned affirmation from countries worldwide. Since 2009, it has been invited to be an observer at the annual World Health Assembly (WHA), opening up new opportunities for broader and deeper participation in international cooperation on health-related issues. Taiwan is also eager to help raise global health standards by sharing its experiences through the WHO platform. Unfortunately, however, though Taiwan has gained WHA observer status, no substantial progress regarding its further participation in the WHO has been seen. In May 2011, a confidential WHO memo came to light indicating that Taiwan had been downgraded in status and made subject to many restrictions. The people of Taiwan and many in other nations have voiced dissatisfaction and grave concern over the situation. Taiwan has also expressed time and time again to the WHO Secretariat its protest at such treatment. Here, I call on the international community to support us. I urge the WHO Secretariat again to respond to our request that Taiwan’s participation in WHO affairs be expanded from attendance at the WHA to inclusion in other WHO meetings, mechanisms and activities. This will ensure Taiwan’s meaningful, dignified participation in the World Health Organization.

For Taiwan news, editorials, feature articles and more, please go to Taiwan Today.

Haiti: A Glimmer of Hope?

When the 'CNN Effect' ended, Haiti was no longer in the spotlight

By Bill Miller

What a difference two years can make. On January 12, 2010, the world was horrified to witness the aftermath of the devastating 7.0 earthquake that decimated Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and killed over 200,000, maimed thousands, dispossessed over 1.3 million and caused losses of approximately $7 billion, which is 120% of Haiti's 2009 gross domestic product (GDP).

For a brief period, media from all over the world chronicled and documented the human and physical devastation. When the 'CNN Effect' ended, Haiti was no longer in the spotlight.

During this two year-plus interim, a multitude of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and United Nations (UN) agencies--in tandem with many governments and private sector groups--stayed involved and lent a hand to help Haiti re-build. Although considerable progress has been made, there are still monumental challenges that will extend well into the future.

During a press conference in late November, Nigel Fisher, Deputy Special Representative to the UN Secretary General (Ban Ki-moon), placed some of the challenges of rebuilding Haiti into perspective. He mentioned that the country's 'economic and social infrastructure had long been broken,' even prior to the quake. Some jaw-dropping statistics indicated that over 50% of children did not attend school, approximately 75 % of the population had no electricity and only 5% of the roads were in decent condition.

Other pre- earthquake statistics showed that only 50% of the Haitians had access to safe drinking water, 55% of the population lived on less than $1.00 per day, and 24% of children under five suffered from chronic malnutrition. The earthquake only heightened the misery and suffering of a society exhibiting major problems that adversely affected the quality of life.

In a recent fact-finding trip to the ravaged country, Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), highlighted that more than 60% of the 10 million cubic meters of rubble has been cleared, with UNDP as the main coordinator of the removal effort. A major impediment to rescue and rebuilding was because over 80,000 buildings had collapsed, leaving impassable mounds of debris.

The UN and US State Department assert that many other signs of progress are visible. For example, the number of refugees living in tent camps has declined from 1.5 million to just over 500,000; the health and sanitation sectors have reduced cholera infections to around 200 new cases per day; 75% of the displaced children are now in school; 1.5 million people now have shelter, clean water, emergency kits, and access to latrines; solar lights have been installed to help keep women and girls safe from violent attacks; and, even though the recent elections were flawed, this was the first time in 25 years all three of the Haitian branches (executive, legislative and judicial) are actually in place.

Other international public administrators in the UN agencies are working to clear irrigation canals, restore phone and postal services, immunize children against childhood diseases, and implement a cash-for-work program. UNICEF (UN Children's Fund) is developing maternal and child health care programs, as well as focusing on child abuse and illegal trafficking of children. UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is working to develop the educational system.

One program to resettle quake victims is the 16/6 Program that focuses on re-locating displaced people -- living in six refugee camps -- back to their original neighborhoods. The goal is laudable and considerable progress has been made; however, the program reflects two of the major impediments: 1) Donor funding is chaotic and unpredictable. Costs are estimated at $78 million, yet only $30 million has been received by the Haiti Reconstruction Fund, ostensibly due to bureaucratic snags. 2) Of the 515,000 people (in July of 2010 it was 1.5 million) living in 700 camps, this program will assist only an estimated 30,000.

Another UN operation is the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (with the French acronym of MINUSTAH). The mission, which got off to a bumpy start in 2004, has received high marks for providing stability and order to a country that had major gang problems and corrupt governmental and private sector leaders. Even with its success, the mission has suffered a public relations setback for three events. In 2011, 114 Sri Lankan troops were sent home in a 'sex-for-pay' scandal where food was exchanged for sex with hungry young Haitian girls. Later that year, four Uruguayan solders were charged with beating and sodomizing a young man; and three Pakistani troops were repatriated to be punished for sexual abuse of a Haitian male.

The UN's Zero Tolerance Policy requires that if the military code is violated the guilty soldiers will be returned to their host countries and be dealt with by their respective governments. Along with a Zero Tolerance Policy, the UN has assisted victims of sexual abuse and exploitation with psychological and medical support.

The UN Peacekeeping force is composed of about 11,000 military personnel and police. At present, 70% of the Haitians want the UN Peacekeepers to stay; however, as the police and military become more professionally trained, the UN will gradually withdraw its forces in order to avoid instability and chaos that would be created by an immediate pullout.

A third problem for the peacekeeping mission was accidentally causing a cholera epidemic. After a recent visit to Haiti, former US President Bill Clinton, UN Special Envoy to Haiti who has been involved in the rebuilding effort, attested that a Nepalese soldier in the UN Mission probably was unaware that he had cholera. Apparently, the soldier's dumping of waste in the waterways, coupled with Haiti's lack of health facilities, may have inadvertently caused the deaths of 7,000 Haitians and infected over 525,000 in a cholera epidemic.

Major challenges in the future :

1) Lack of political stability: In February, Prime Minister Garry Conille, who served less than five months, resigned after being requested by President Michel Martelly. Apparently, Mr. Conille disagreed with the president over an audit showing about $300 million had been let on no-bid contracts. A lack of competition, transparency, accountability and oversight are still major problems in Haiti.

2) Lack of competition: In 2010, the US government awarded more than 1,500 contracts worth $267 million. All, except 20, went to US firms. Only $4.3 million went to Haitian businesses. Some of the US corporations that received contracts had previous contracts cancelled for bad practices, had been investigated by Congress for unethical or illegal practices, or had been accused of waste fraud and abuse. The Haitian leadership and business community must be brought into the process; however, there must be more of a crackdown on corruption and cronyism.

3) Commitments: It is crucial that the donors stand by their commitments. Of the $5 billion in international aid, only $3.5 billion has been received, and a large part of that has been unspent.

4) Coordination: Although the UN is trying to coordinate the various relief efforts of NGOs to reduce inefficiency and waste, large number of donors providing medicine, food and other services are not coordinating and are working at cross purposes with little coordination among their activities.

5) Untapped Resources: One huge untapped resource is Haitian females who should be playing a larger role in the society. Ms. Clark, UNDP Administrator, met with a group of Haitian women leaders from both the private and public sectors to discuss their strengths and areas of involvement. Although women can, and should, play a key role in Haiti, they are not well-represented. For example, females head up 40% of the Haitian families, yet only hold four percent of seats in parliament. 60% of Haitian women are illiterate.

6) Overpopulation: Haiti is overpopulated which adversely affects both the environment and unemployment. Haiti and the Dominican Republic occupy the island of Hispaniola, which is strategically located between Cuba and Puerto Rico. Haiti, with a population of over 10 million and a per capita income of about $800 per year, is relatively small at 27,750 sq. km. (10,714 sq. mi.), which is about the size of Maryland. By contrast, the Dominican Republic covers 48,442 sq. km. (18,704 sq. mi.), which is about the size of Vermont and New Hampshire and has a per capita income of nearly $6,000.

One of the most environmentally tragic aerial views is the shot of the Haitian-Dominican border. The Dominican side is lush and green with vegetation; whereas, the Haitian side is desolate and denuded with little vegetation. Heavy rainfall causes the topsoil to wash into the streams and ultimately the ocean. Many demographers view Haiti as a microcosm of what many parts of the world will look like unless there is a reduction in population growth. Compounding the problem, Haiti has the highest fertility rate in the region (4.8 per woman between 15 and 49), as well as the highest maternal mortality rate in Latin America and the Caribbean: 670 deaths for every 100,000 born.

Although a large number of Haitians displayed a tremendous decorum and triumph of the human spirit after this disaster, they can only accomplish so much with their meager financial resources. Haitians have to become more responsibly involved in rebuilding, and the international community must keep its promises to provide technical and financial aid.

While en route to Mexico shortly after the quake, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden made a surprise visit to Haiti to meet with then-Haitian President Preval. They visited a children's safe space established by First Lady of Haiti Elisabeth Delatour Preval and danced with some of the children. Perhaps another visit by these prominent international celebrities would be an excellent way to shine the spotlight back on a country that still needs massive assistance. The 'CNN Effect' should be 24-7 and year-round.

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Bill Miller, former Chair of the UN Association of the USA's Council of Chapter and Division Presidents, is the accredited Washington International journalist covering the UN and is the Producer/Moderator of “Global Connections Television.”

It’s Time to Visit Dublin!

UNESCO City of Literature

By Patricia Keegan

Ireland, a tiny island of approximately four million inhabitants, stands nobly -- long fingered peninsulas reaching into the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a confident posture evoking a built-in desire to expand its horizon, knowing it has been created with room to grow and to spread a unique culture across the world. Its dreams, aspirations, even its agonies, have always loomed out of proportion to its smallness in size; even its contribution to world literature is acclaimed as disproportionally large. This little island survives and thrives. Survival is a keystone in its history, and it will weather through its current economic challenges.

To be born on the island of Ireland was to grow up with a love for books, one of the greatest and proudest legacies a human being can expect -- a stroke of good fortune! To those who ask why such good fortune, I would say it's the lively combination of the laughter, the inspiring conversations and the ever elusive beauty of the land, which even poetry can’t capture!

So I was not surprised when, in 2010, Dublin was chosen by UNESCO as a Literary Capital of the world. Few cities in the world can boast such an all pervading surge of literary and creative impetus. Some of the success stems from the encouragement of the government which doesn’t require artists and writers to pay taxes. But don’t think this is what crimped the advance of the Celtic Tiger!

Ireland’s literary heritage extends over many, many centuries with seeds planted in the ancient world. The era of the saga and the custom of storytelling once possessed a large part of that ancient world, without which we would know little of the habits of the Celts. Although the Celts and their runic ogham scrip,t (five-foot high stones with ancient scrolls), were spread across Europe, it was generations of storytelling that enabled Ireland’s great contribution to the global understanding of the Celts. I recall how I loved reading about Cu Chulainn and Finn Mac Cumhaill, and I didn’t think there was anything unusual about the Celtic heroic tradition of the equality of women -- the power of goddesses featured in roles of similar diversity as their male counterparts. It simply becomes an intricate part of one’s outlook .

Fortunately, for all of us, the art of story telling lives on and was revived in Ireland in 2003. (For a sample of a hilarious type of storytelling, check out storyteller Eamon Kelly, on YouTube -- start with the “Tae Man.”) Much of the popularity of Ireland’s music is in the form of storytelling put to music -- romantic, political, humorous and often self-deprecatory, all with a uniquely fresh point of view on life.

The Irish became fully literate with the arrival of St. Patrick and the introduction of Christianity in the 5th century. Once written in the language of Ogham, the real beginnings of Irish literature started with writing in the Latin alphabet by monks in monasteries which began to appear all over the land.

This early Christian period produced world famous illuminated manuscripts, including the Book of Kells and the Book of Darrow, permanently on display at Dublin’s Trinity College library. It has remained a mystery as to where the inspiration for these old masterpieces came from. The Book of Kells is believed to have been written between 700 and 800 AD. The magnificent Book of Kells is the Latin text of the four gospels copied by hand and illuminated by monks. It is predated by the Book of Darrow, the oldest complete, illuminated insular gospel book which was written in the period 650-700 AD.

To stand before these amazing books at Trinity College, with the slightest inkling into the immense amount of spiritual energy, inspiration, time and patience required by artists, is uplifting and comparable to visiting a holy place. To turn away, leaving behind the all-pervading presence of the monks, is like being introduced to still another of life’s mysteries; you want to know more.

The Book of Armagh; The Confessions of St. Patrick, is another astounding book written by St. Patrick shortly before he died. It is safe to say that without St. Patrick, Ireland’s history would lack its richness. Beyond the revelry, the myths and celebrations on March 17th, in memory of St. Patrick’s death in 461, there was a deeply spiritual man of great conviction, great energy, great charity, with a practical side, who combined the drive and audacity of a soldier with an immense love for Ireland. He manifested this great love by sowing the seeds of Christianity against all the odds.

During the ancient and early Christian periods the stage was set for monastic and literary tradition which set Ireland apart from many European countries in the coming Dark Ages/Middle Ages from the 5th to 15th centuries. Monasteries built in the 6th century played important roles in teaching and worship. They became renowned as the best in the world for teaching the gospel as well as poetry, literature, and the arts. Anyone who had an interest in learning went to the monastery. It was then that Ireland became known as the island of saints and scholars. The monasteries housed historical documents as well as gold chalices and items of great value.

When the Vikings invaded Ireland in the 9th and 10th centuries they set out to attack and destroy monasteries and to steal all the possessions. But the monks were ready for such invasions, having built defensive round towers. The round towers you see dotted across the land were hiding places where valuables were stored; so although much was destroyed, much was saved. Even more destruction was to come in the 12th century with the Norman invasion.

The first Irish Rebellion came in 1641, which turned into the Confederate Wars, pitting Irish Catholics against English Protestants and lasting 11 years. The United Irishmen, led by Wolfe Tone, appealed to Napoleon Bonaparte in seeking to overthrow British rule. When the next Irish rebellion broke out in 1798, French troops landed and battled British troops but were defeated.

Following the thread of Ireland’s literary development in the 17th and 18th centuries under British rule, the Gaelic language was forbidden. A few outstanding Gaelic authors continued to write. Among those were Michael O’Cleary, who fearing that the ancient records of Ireland would be lost, became the chief author of a history calledThe Annals of the Four Masters. Geoffrey Keating (1569-1644) wrote a masterpiece of Gaelic prose in a delightful history “ called Foundation of Knowledge in Ireland, and blind poet Turlogh Carolan (1670-1738) had some of his poems put to music . These are sung today by various bands including the 'Chieftens” and the “Dubliners.”

Ireland in the 1800’s was again filled with strife and was stretched to the limit with the Famine of 1845-1852, which wiped out entire communities and ended in the deaths of 450,000 people. The entire century was marked with Irish resistance against British rule.

Meanwhile, a number of internationally famous playwrights emerged leading to the Irish Literary Renaissance. Leaders of this enlightened movement, which included W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory, were sensitive to the revival of interest in Ireland’s Gaelic heritage and the growth of Irish nationalism. They joined forces with the demands of political agitators against the controlling powers in the British government and called for a national theater. The first theater, the National Theater, (i.e. Irish Literary Theatre), was established in 1871 and is now the Abbey Theater. The low price of tickets opened the doors to a cross section of the populace, giving everyone the opportunity to sit down together and laugh, cry, or glean a greater insight into the political mood of the country. It was the belief of the nationalist that every Irish person needed to feel a sense of common ground, a shared past and an interrelated future. The stage became the sounding board where playwrights of the period found the freedom to express ideas, some which were seen as irreverent by the government, but would culminate in a gradual emergence of a stronger Irish identity and a sense of belonging on their own land.

Still struggling for independence, the seeds of rebellion came around once again in full force in The Easter Rising of 1916, and the War of Independence. Ireland’s independence finally came in 1921 with the Anglo Irish Treaty, but with a partition between 32 counties in the south and six northeastern counties, including Belfast, which would be ruled by Britain.

Needless to say, the Irish have a lot to write about continuing in the great tradition of its ancestors. Through its novelists, poets and dramatists, Dublin has enjoyed an unparelled influence on the world. For students and lovers of great literature, always lively Dublin provides a unique cultural experience with literature at its heart. A “Literary Pub Crawl“ guided tour is a must and a great way to get to know James Joyce and all the other famous writers who resided in the city. Combining the jovial pub atmosphere with Irish literary history, wit and humor makes it is an unforgettable learning experience.

Slainte!

Rough Road from Durban to Rio

By Bill Miller

The 17th Conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that recently concluded in Durban, South Africa, has been categorized by such descriptive terms as “underwhelming,” “modest,” “positive” and “historic.” It may be a combination of all of them since there were both accomplishments and setbacks.

The 194 parties in attendance agreed to work toward a new global treaty and to extend the 1997 Kyoto Protocol for five years. The target date for the new international agreement is 2015, but it may not be ratified until 2020. Regardless of the date, the goal of holding the temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius to restrain irreparable climate change will not be met at this modest pace.

The conference developed a package called the “Durban Platform” that established a new climate fund to assist poor countries to confront climate change, prevent deforestation and convert to cleaner energy sources, but did not stipulate how the $100 billion for the Green Climate Fund would be generated.

On the positive side, China and India, which had been holdouts, did agree to abide by the same legally binding targets agreed to in the Kyoto Conference, although the Chinese accused the US of having a double-standard now that a large part of the industrial production and emissions that formerly were in the US are now in China.

Climate crisis alarms are ringing around the world. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)--which was set up in 1988 by the United Nations and the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) -- has been a major scientific player in climate change discussions and reports. The IPCC recently suggested that earthquakes may not be linked to climate change; however, it could be causal with severe droughts, flooding, hurricanes and other severe storms. Last year, all records were shattered when a dozen weather disasters in the US cost over $52 billion. Principal causes of the high expenses have been more severe disasters, larger populations and more valuable property in the path of the storms. As an example, the tsunami in Japan hit a staggering $261 billion which is the most expensive natural disaster recorded.

Other scientific reports offer even more distressing news: the decade between 2000-2009 was the warmest on record, with 2010 and 2005 the warmest years; desertification is expanding; hundreds of species are moving toward the poles; heat is reducing wheat yields; glaciers worldwide are rapidly contracting; ocean levels may rise from 35-63 inches by 2100; the Arctic Ocean summer ice cap shrunk by 50% and is expected to vanish between 2030 and 2040, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Center.

With the melting of the ice pack, methane, a gas 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, is bubbling from beneath the Arctic Ocean. The Global Carbon Project, a consortium of international scientists, reported that emissions from carbon dioxide had surged 5.9%, the highest one-year jump on record. Also, carbon emissions far exceeded previous estimates by spiking an incredible 49% since 1990. And the litany of bad news continues.

One recent poll shows that Americans who believe in climate change fell precipitously from 71% to 51%. A large part of this decline may be attributed to a well-funded disinformation and misinformation campaign by the fossil fuel industry, primarily petroleum and coal, that funds pseudo-scientists to discredit the 95% of the scientists who professionally document changing climatic conditions. The corporate interests also manipulate the media to provide equal time to unscientific, delusional climate change deniers who create “doubt” through their baseless charges, much the way the tobacco companies did to confuse the public.

One of the most ridiculous examples was Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) who reiterated his fallacious claim that manmade global warming is “the greatest hoax ever,” even blaming the Weather Channel to be in on the conspiracy in order to jack-up its ratings. Senator Inhofe’s own church, the Presbyterian Church of the USA, has recognized, “Global climate change is predominantly caused by our burning of fossil fuels.”

The evidence is overwhelming that climate change is occurring. The media should ignore faux climate change researchers and lobbyists like the Global Climate Coalition, which was set up by the U.S oil and coal interests to tout how their products do not contribute to global warming. Their bogus pseudo-science is duplicitous, especially since one of their own scientific documents concluded that climate change is indisputable.

Climate change deniers had a rude awakening when one the few scientists who scorned climate change did a 180-degree reversal. Professor Richard Muller, a physicist at the University of Berkeley and a climate change skeptic, with some funds from the fossil fuel industry, endeavored to prove the 95% of the scientists who believe in climate change were wrong. Muller’s studies indicated that the climate change studies were correct and that the data had not been biased or manipulated. Muller’s former denialist colleagues proceeded to attack him as part of the conspiracy and questioned his motives and his scientific reasoning. Muller concluded that, “…global warming is real.”

Other significant voices supporting climate change include: Pope Benedict XVI believes there is a “global responsibility” to find the “moral will” to combat the “threatening catastrophe” of climate change. American ecumenical organizations, including Church World Service and the National Council of Churches of Christ, urged President Obama to achieve “a fair, ambitious and binding agreement that sets forth a truly moral response to climate change.” Of the 500 largest companies, nearly 400 have placed climate change as a critical component of their business, thus implementing projects to reduce emissions, save energy and train staff to focus on sustainability.

As the world moves well into the 21st Century, there are some maxims that should be considered:

1) Nations should continue to work through the UN to combat climate change; however, countries can take individual action, e.g. Obama Administration pushing increased automobile efficiency and tighter Environmental Protection Agency regulations that will eliminate several coal-fired power plants.

2) The main stream media, which excludes supplicants of the fossil fuel industry such as Fox News, should provide more objective coverage of the climate change debate and not give equal time to faux scientists that shill for the fossil fuel industry. The media are abandoning their main responsibility to inform the public. For example, in 2007, the three major networks did 147 stories on climate change; in 2010 they ran 32 stories. When the media give the climate change deniers equal coverage to espouse their discredited attacks, it is almost equivalent to providing a forum for the Flat Earth Society to debate.

3) Although alternative energy and green technology can produce millions of jobs and billions of dollars in revenue, it may also be challenging and painful to shift to a more environmentally –friendly economy. As Naomi Klein highlighted in an article for The Nation (November 9, 2011), “Capitalism vs. The Climate,” major changes should be implemented, such as replacing a more reckless, Wild West form of “free trade” with a more responsible trade that does not wreak havoc on the environment, destroy workers’ rights and eliminate jobs and encourage the public to over consume. Other approaches may be necessary, such as taxing the super-wealthy to pay their fair share in combating climate change; move from an overconsumption mentality to a more modest lifestyle; reject environmentally devastating projects such as the Keystone XL pipeline; reduce massive profits to a company’s shareholders; re-regulate the unaccountable corporate sector that has run amuck with reckless investments and criminal activities; and encourage the private and public sectors to move into renewable energy and conservation. In short, the extravagant consumptive economic model will need to change.

4) In 1950, the world population was 2.5 billion; whereas, on October 31, 2011, the UN predicted that the 7 billionth person was born. Burgeoning populations put more pressure on finite resources and damage a fragile environment through agricultural overgrazing, desertification and water pollution to mention a few. Climate change and overpopulation, which are inextricably linked, may be the two greatest challenges in the 21st Century. The Earth’s resources are stretched. Everyone, especially governments, must get serious about promoting voluntary family planning initiatives to maintain or even reduce the size of the population. Given current projections, the population will soar to nearly 10 billion by 2050, which is totally unsustainable. To get an update on this issue, go to the UN Population Fund at www.unfpa.org.

5) In 1992, the countries of the world met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). UNCED produced several major initiatives, especially the concept of “sustainable development,” which highlighted the importance of utilizing the Earth’s resources, yet leaving them in a sustainable condition for future generations to use. Another UNCED legacy was Agenda 21, a 900-page compendium on how to conserve energy, promote sustainable development and emphasize efficiency and effectiveness in the energy areas.

From June 20-22, 2012, the countries of the world will meet in Rio de Janeiro for a “Rio + 20 Conference on Sustainable Development.” The crux of the discussions will focus on two main themes: building a green economy to achieve sustainable development and raise people out of poverty, including assistance to economically- developing countries that will assist them in locating a green path for development. A second goal will be to improve international coordination for sustainable development.

UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon was rather sober about the discussions in Durban saying “Binding climate change agreement may be beyond our reach--for now.” The Rio + 20 Conference offers another chance for the world to move forward and grasp the opportunity before the window slams shut. As painful as dealing with climate change may be today, it will be much more severe when the environmental deterioration worsens tomorrow.

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Bill Miller, former Chair of the UN Association of the USA's Council of Chapter and Division Presidents, is the accredited Washington International journalist covering the UN and is the Producer/Moderator of “Global Connections Television.”

Combating Global Warming: Make Taiwan Part of the Solution

By Stephen Shu-hung Shen, Minister, Environmental Protection Administration 

Global warming is a danger to sustainable development and the survival of Homo sapiens and other species on Planet Earth. Countries the world over—including Taiwan, the Republic of China—have come to regard it as a prime threat to national security. Consequently, they are striving to develop and implement strategies to ensure our common well-being.

Despite the exclusion of Taiwan from participation in the forums of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)—for complex historical reasons—the government of Taiwan has taken action to halt global warming and usher in a “Green New Deal” for the nation and for the world by cutting energy consumption and reducing carbon emissions. In line with the UNFCCC Copenhagen Accord of 2009, our government in 2010 declared to the UNFCCC Secretariat that by 2020, we will cut our “business-as-usual” (BAU) level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 30 percent—a sharper reduction than what has been pledged by other countries.

In pursuit of that goal, our government’s Master Plan of Energy Conservation and Carbon Mitigation calls for concrete “nationally appropriate mitigation actions” (NAMAs) in the energy, industrial, transportation, construction, residential and commercial sectors. In preparation for implementing programs for reduction of GHG emissions, our Environmental Protection Administration is putting in place mechanisms to ensure that our actions and their results are measurable, reportable and verifiable (MRV) in accordance with UNFCCC requirements.

In the spirit of reinforcing accountability, Our government is also drafting a “Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act” and an “Energy Tax Act,” which, in combination with existing legislation will serve as an effective regulatory foundation for boosting energy efficiency across the board, expanding our renewable energy generation capacity, empowering our citizens to take the initiative in adopting green lifestyles, creating new employment opportunities based on green products and services, and reinvigorating our industries.

As a major pillar of President Ma Ying-jeou’s vision of a “golden decade” of sustainable national development and environmental preservation, he has pledged to forcefully pursue multipronged strategies to achieve the above-stated goals. From the President on down, energy conservation and carbon mitigation have become much more than slogans for Taiwan’s people. For us, the creation of a low-carbon society and caring for our natural environment have become the basis of a “new life movement.”

Taiwan deeply cares about global warming and the dangers it poses to life on Earth. But collective problems demand collective solutions. To deal effectively with the most serious challenge of the century—climate change— Taiwan needs to participate in activities of the UNFCCC Conference of Parties. We hope that our global partners will affirm this reality and make Taiwan part of the solution. In return, we are committed to sharing our insights, experiences and resources with all in quest of planet-wide security and well-being.

For Taiwan news, editorials, feature articles and more, please go to Taiwan Today.

Macedonia: Bridging Past and Present

Interview with Ambassador HE Zoran Jolevski

By Alan Dessoff 

Observing its 20th year as an independent nation and with a history that reaches back more than 2,500 years, the Republic of Macedonia finds itself bridging the past and present, principally over one key issue that stands in the way of its continued advancement: Greece’s objection to its admission to the European Union because of its name. Resolving it in Macedonia’s favor is the top goal of Ambassador Zoran Jolevski, who was appointed to his post in March 2007.

Since Macedonia, with a current population of 2 million, gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991, Greece has objected to the new state’s use of what it considers a Hellenic name and symbols. The name derives from the Greek “Makedonia,” a kingdom and later a region, named after the ancient Macedonians. Greece’s objection of its modern acceptance delayed international recognition of Macedonia, and although Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo in 1995 and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, Greece’s refusal to accept Macedonia’s name remains an obstacle—the only obstacle—to Macedonia’s accession to the EU, says Macedonia’s Ambassador. In addition to his Washington assignment, he is the Macedonian government’s chief negotiator on the name differences with Greece under the auspices of the United Nations.

WI: Ambassador Jolevski, please outline briefly the origins of the name Macedonia.

Ambassador: Excellent question, but it really should be answered by a historian or anthropologist. What matters most today – and to us Macedonians – is that we define ourselves, our language, our land, our church and our culture as Macedonian. And we have been doing this for a very long time.

WI: What is the significance of the name that makes it a tug-of-war between Greece and Macedonia?

Ambassador: You know, it is often repeated but it is still very true: young people are the future of any nation. A young high school student named Ivan in our capital of Skopje said this in a documentary film about Macedonia: “What the name Macedonia means to us Macedonians words can’t describe. It is something that we are born with and we die with. That’s what our ancestors left to us and we are supposed to continue it with future generations. The name Macedonia determines our Macedonian language, our nationality and everything else related to the identity.”

In other words, the name “Macedonia” becomes a descriptor for our nationality, our language, our church, our culture, just as the name “Estonia” does the same thing for the Estonians, “Mongolia” does for the Mongolians, etc.

WI:. When you changed the flag to become a member of the EU was it a symbolic gesture?

Ambassador: First of all, we did not change our flag to become a member of the EU. Our neighbor Greece placed an economic embargo on our land-locked country in 1994/95. We took into consideration their concerns and in a gesture of goodwill, changed our flag and a small part of our constitution to address their concerns. We did that with the understanding that they would then not stand in the way of our membership aspirations into the EU and NATO. Unfortunately, that turned out not to be true and they are still blocking us because of our chosen name and identity.

WI: After the recently released annual progress report on EU accession what does your country need to work on?

Ambassador: There are a number of areas that we have been working on, are working on and still need to work on including reforms in the judiciary, public administration and the fight against corruption. We are not a perfect country, by any stretch of the imagination, but we are working to improve our country and we are making progress.

WI: What is Macedonia's status at this moment on membership in the EU, and is it something Macedonians really want without ambivalence?

Ambassador: I’m not entirely sure what you mean when you say “without ambivalence,” but yes, polls have consistently shown that upwards of 90% of the Macedonian population wants membership in the EU and NATO. At this moment, we are waiting on Brussels to give us the green light to begin EU accession negotiations. The European Commission has recommended – three times now – that Macedonia begins talks on accession but the first two times the beginning of accession talks have been vetoed by Greece. We hope that this December will we will get a green light.

WI: Your economy improved in the last part of 2010 but has it been affected by Greece's current economic situation?

Ambassador: Fortunately the events in Greece have not had a big impact on our economy. As you may know, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski was re-elected in June to a third term in snap elections and he has implemented, among other reforms, a 10% flat tax on individuals and businesses (this he did in 2008). The government continues to create conditions which allow wealth creation among businesses while at the same time pursing structural reforms in the administration, fighting corruption and ensuring that private property is respected. All of these reforms have paid off: The latest “Doing Business” report from the International Finance Corporation and World Bank ranked Macedonia 22 in the world in terms of ease of doing business. Macedonia ranked higher than such countries as Estonia, Taiwan, France and Slovenia just to name a few. And after gains of 5% or more in GDP in 2007 and 2008, Macedonia’s economy shrank by less than 1% in the 2009 global economic downturn but is now set to expand this year by 3.4% and next year by 4.3%.

WI:. What are your greatest resources and exports?

Ambassador: Our people to answer both questions. The Macedonian people are hard-working, generous, hospitable, creative and honest. They are the ones who deserve the credit for bringing Macedonia to this point today, 20 years after voting for independence. The people of Macedonia are our greatest resources and exports, but if you are looking for a traditional answer, I would say that resource-wise, Macedonia has abundant agriculture resources, including wine, tobacco, fresh and organic vegetables, minerals, and of course, a stunning landscape – including Lake Ohrid – that can offer inexpensive yet unique touristic opportunities for those people looking for something different. As for exports, again, it is agriculture but also culture. But I should also mention our human exports two of whom are our world-famous opera singer, baritone Boris Trajanov and the world-famous pianist Simon Trpceski.

WI: Are you planning many cultural events at the embassy to celebrate 20 years of Macedonian independence and what makes you most proud of your culture?

Ambassador: Again, it is our people who make our culture and make me most proud of our culture. The Macedonian people are the ones who make up our language, music, visual arts, culinary traditions and so many other aspects of our country and people. The Macedonian people are open, hospitable with a giving spirit and attitude. That is what makes me most proud of our Macedonian culture.

WI: What are the three major goals you would like to achieve while in Washington?

Ambassador: First, I would like to see Macedonia as a member of NATO and in substantive talks on EU membership. Second, I would like to see greater economic investment in Macedonia from US private sector companies. Third, I would like to see an expansion of the educational and cultural cooperation that already exists between Macedonian and their US counterparts. We have already made great strides towards all three of these goals and while we may not accomplish all of them during my tenure, we will make significant progress toward all of them.

Taiwan: A Player in APEC

By Dr. Mignonne Man-jung Chan

As Republic of China (Taiwan) celebrates two decades of participation in APEC, now is a good opportunity to identify the current state of play in the regional schemes of economic integration, look at the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with Beijing, and assess the role Taiwan plays in the construction of a future Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP).

Regional Integration Schemes

In the Asia Pacific region, there are basically two parallel approaches to economic integration. One track stems from ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-centered schemes that were reborn in the aftermath of the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997–1998 and include the AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Agreement), ASEAN + 3 (ASEAN plus mainland China, Japan and South Korea), ASEAN + 6 (ASEAN + 3 + Australia, New Zealand and India), and the East Asia Summit (also known as ASEAN + 6 + the United States and Russia or ASEAN + 8).

Another track is the trans-Pacific based, high-quality inclined TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership). So far, the Pacific 9 members include the original Pacific 4 (Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore) plus Australia, the United States, Peru, Vietnam and Malaysia. TPP members say the grouping will eventually expand to APEC members, and aim to deliver substantive outcome by the time of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Honolulu this year.

APEC leaders declared in 2010 that: “We will take concrete steps toward realization of a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP), which is a major instrument to further APEC’s regional economic integration agenda. An FTAAP should be pursued as a comprehensive free trade agreement by developing and building on ongoing regional undertakings, such as ASEAN + 3, ASEAN + 6 and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, among others.”

Institutionalizing Cross-Strait Economic Relations

On the domestic front, Taiwan has endeavored to institutionalize cross-strait economic relations in order to provide a needed boost to economic competitiveness in the aftermath of the global financial crisis triggered by the US subprime mortgage crisis. The economic meltdown particularly affected Taiwan companies, which are present at nearly every stage of the technology supply chain. As a result, Taiwan’s economy shrank by 8.56 percent at the beginning of 2009. Coupled with the fact that the ASEAN + mainland China FTA was to take effect in 2010, there was a strong sense of alarm in Taiwan regarding the potential negative impact on local industries. Lest more local firms relocate into ASEAN territories, the government signed ECFA on June 29, 2010, and the pact became effective on September 12 that year. Over a period of two years, mainland China will reduce and eventually eliminate import tariffs on items worth an estimated US$13.84 billion annually, while Taiwan will do so on goods estimated at some US$2.68 billion a year. Early harvest provisions, which came into effect at the beginning of January this year, will see Beijing remove tariffs on more than 500 products from Taiwan.

While businesspeople from Taiwan have long invested in mainland China, mainland Chinese investment was forbidden in Taiwan until the first-round of opening in 2009. Policies have been revised in the past three years to attract foreign investment. Highlights include the accession to the World Trade Organization’s Government Procurement Agreement as well as visits around the globe by ranking government officials to attract foreign investment. Direct cross-strait flights, the lifting of restrictions on mainland Chinese tourists, tax reform, mainland Chinese investment liberalization, and the signing of ECFA are all efforts to improve foreign direct investment in Taiwan.

ECFA will also speed up the pace of the two-way flow of goods, capital and tourists across the Taiwan Strait, and enhance Taiwan’s contributions to mainland Chinese exports, such as for those in the information technology industry. Furthermore, mainland China’s goodwill gestures in ECFA’s early harvest agreement, as a starter, imply Beijing’s willingness to forsake contentious issues and address Taiwan’s key concerns to the benefit of both sides.

Catalyst, Not a Cure-All

ECFA has also served as a catalyst to regional integration and a model for conflict resolution. In its post-ECFA evaluation, the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, a South Korean think tank, has advised Seoul to negotiate quickly with Beijing on an FTA. ECFA is likely to bring more opportunities for Taiwan to be linked with regional integration schemes, including an economic partnership agreement between Taiwan and Singapore and a possible revitalization of Washington-Taipei Trade and Investment Framework Agreement talks. Japan recently completed a bilateral investment pact with Taiwan.

In addition to 14 agreements previously signed with Beijing, ECFA helps normalize cross-strait trade and investment relations. Nevertheless, while the pact can also be seen as a means for Taiwan to integrate with economies in the region, it is not a cure-all. The dynamics of local economic development will hinge upon a number of key issues such as effective industrial restructuring, product differentiation for local businesses, the ability to forge corporate strategic alliances in the global marketplace and the skill of local people to adapt to innovative forms of employment. Also important will be Taiwan’s ability to sign FTAs with other key partners and whether or not Taiwan could continue to divert risks in terms of national security, for instance, investment oversight in vital industries.

With ECFA in place, however, exports from Taiwan to mainland China will likely compete well with those from ASEAN members, although this does not have to be a zero-sum game. ECFA’s early harvest list might well serve as a springboard for regional economies to join forces with Taiwan in competitive industries and venture into the mainland Chinese market. Further cross-fertilization of ECFA and ASEAN + mainland China FTAs might well weave into a broader building block for regional integration. For sure, it could be a win-win-win situation for all.

Optimizing Opportunities

As Asia remains the engine of growth on the global platform, Beijing’s 12th Five-Year Plan to 2015 highlights mainland China’s attempts to ease double-digit growth, open more domestic markets and enhance the service industry. Taiwan’s Golden Decade blueprint through 2020 has a number of overlapping interests and both sides seem ready to improve economic cooperation and seek common development and prosperity. Taiwan has identified six emerging industries in biotechnology, tourism, green energy, medicine and health care, high-end agriculture and the cultural and creative industry. Furthermore, four intelligent industries are being promoted, namely, cloud computing, smart electronic vehicles, patent commercialization and intelligent, green buildings.>/p>

Taiwan’s Role

Taiwan cherishes its APEC membership and the opportunity to learn from other member economies. In addition, Taiwan has initiated several projects, including APEC Digital Opportunity Centers, One Village One Product, Paperless Trade, Women Entrepreneurship, the SME Risk Management Center, the APEC Research Center for Typhoon and Society and the APEC Food Response Mechanism, an emergency food reserve.

In 2010, Taiwan’s bilateral trade with the other 20 APEC members exceeded US$400 billion, constituting 76 percent of its total trade. Taiwan ranks 20th for purchasing power parity with gross domestic product per capita of US$35,000. Taiwan is prepared to join in good faith any building block with like-minded partners toward a future Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific and regional economic integration.

Dr. Mignonne Man-jung Chan is the executive director of the Chinese Taipei APEC Study Center, Taiwan Institute of Economic Research.

For Taiwan news, editorials, feature articles and more, please go to Taiwan Today.

Israeli-Palestinian Train Wreck at UN?

By Bill Miller

Even after massive pressure was applied by the US and Israel, Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority ( PNA) and Chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), presented his request for Palestinian statehood to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who then referred it to the UN Security Council.

The UN Security Council's Committee for Admission of New Members is reviewing that request. Since all 15-SC members are on that committee, and they must have a consensus agreement, it is uncertain how long the review will take. The US is lobbying other members to abstain or vote no, because it does not want to be in the precarious situation of vetoing the Palestinian membership, which would reverberate negatively through the Arab World, especially with the Saudis.

If, and when, the committee confirms that Palestine is 'peace loving,' which is a very broad definition, and accepts the UN Charter provisions, the application then goes to the full 15-member Security Council where it must receive at least 9 votes and not be VETOED by one of the five Permanent Members, that is the US, UK, China, Russia or France.

If it passed out of the Security Council, then the resolution must receive two-thirds of the General Assembly's 193 members, which it will do overwhelmingly because over 130 have indicated they will vote 'Aye'.

If the SC delays the approval or defeats it, the Palestinians will fall back to Plan B, which is to request that the UN General Assembly (GA)--through the 'Uniting for Peace Resolution' that allows the GA to circumvent the Security Council-- approve the PNA to be elevated from observer status to observer state, a classification similar to the Vatican. This would allow the Palestinians to join UN agencies, where it could highlight perceived Israeli injustices. In particular, if it ratified the International Criminal Court (ICC) Rome Statute, presented it to UN SG Ban, and was recognized by the ICC, the ICC could conceivably prosecute Israel for illegal actions such as transferring settlers to Palestinian territory, which violates the Geneva Convention.

Other major pitfalls loom for Israel if the PA joined UN agencies such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) or the Law of the Sea Treaty. The ICAO, which works with governments and airlines for the safety of international air traffic, gives members full control over their airspace, which would conflict with the Israelis controlling the space over the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under the Law of the Sea Treaty, the Palestinians would gain control over their national waters off of Gaza--where Israel now has a naval blockade. Also, the Palestinians could re-claim the offshore natural gas fields that Israel currently controls.

In order to be considered a state, the 1933 Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States requires an entity to have: 1) a permanent population, 2) a defined territory, 3) a government, and 4) the capacity to enter into relations with other states. If the mutually agreed-upon pre-1967 border issue were resolved, the PA would meet the criteria.

Perennial UN critics, such as former UN Ambassador John Bolton, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and the Wall Street Journal editorial page, are railing about anti-Semitism at the UN, and saying the US should withdraw its payments to the UN. This is the 'shoot yourself in the foot' philosophy.

Now-deceased Senator Jesse Helms, and others who loathed the UN, discovered in the 1990s that the US and the UN desperately need one another. Imagine if the UN were not assisting the US in rebuilding Iraq and Afghanistan, pulled back from the battle against terrorism, eliminated peacekeeping missions, and the list goes on. The financial and personnel demands on the US to fill the void would be staggering.

Coupled with the tough talk to defund the UN, several members of Congress are threatening to punish the Palestinian Authority by withholding $550 million in aid. The fallout from that action could very well be the Abbas Government would fall, another Intifada of violence would break out and a Hamas-style government could take over. and aid to the Palestinians. Even Prime Minister Netanyahu agrees this approach is counterproductive to the US, Israel and the Palestinians.

Although the situation is tense and the future uncertain, there are several truisms to keep in mind:

-- The UN, although it is being criticized in some areas, is the perfect forum -- even though the two parties will ultimately have to reach an agreement -- to bring conflicting parties together to work out peacefully their disagreements and to jump start a moribund peace process.

-- The UN, even if the US curtails its funding, is not going to disappear. The UN Human Rights Council and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) survived several years before the US got re-involved. Besides, the world needs an organization that brings together the 193 countries to discuss major problems and work together to eliminate many of them.

-- The US is one of the major beneficiaries of UN programs, such as peacekeeping which keeps US troops out of harm's way and is much cheaper than if the US military ran the missions. US businesses and the general public benefit directly from UN agencies that draft the rules to move ships, mail, aircraft and weather information internationally. The New York area earns over $3 billion spent by diplomats, which is a far smaller amount than the US allocation to the UN.

-- Israel should recognize that there is a tsunami of frustration, even among some of its strongest supporters, due to its inflexibility to negotiate and inability to keep its word, as exemplified by the continued building of settlements on Palestinian territory. Inflaming the situation even more, Israel recently announced plans to build 1100 new homes for Jewish settlers in the Gilo illegal settlement, in occupied East Jerusalem. Approximately 300,000 Israelis live in the occupied West Bank.

Supporters of Israel, such as the Financial Times editorial page and Tom Friedman, NY Times writer, believe that the Palestinians have made monumental mistakes; however, many observers opine that the major impediment to peace is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mr. Netanyahu's hostile reaction to a Palestinian state, coupled with a fragile political coalition of ultra-conservative parties--as well as many of his own Likud Party members--does not bode well for negotiations, consensus, and agreement.

Yitzhak Rabin, a politician, statesman, general and the fifth Prime Minister of Israel and certainly not an appeaser or dove, realized the stark reality that demographics had entrapped Israel. 1.3 million Arabs are Israeli citizens and the Palestinian population is exploding. If the situation did not change, Israel would either be overwhelmed by larger numbers or have to operate an apartheid state, similar to that of South Africa. Neither option was viable to Rabin.

As if the situation were not muddled enough with several Arab countries undergoing social and political upheavals during the 'Arab Spring,' which may prove dangerous to Israel, the PLO Ambassador to the US, Mein Areikat , said that a future Palestine should be free of Jews and other religious groups, thus embracing ethnic cleansing.

Frustration and desperation are the bywords of the past 20 years. In 1991 the Madrid Peace Conference launched direct negotiations between the two parties. The 1993 Oslo Accords were signed on the White House lawn, but have produced no permanent benefits. Mr. Abbas referred to the next phase which he described as the 'Palestinian Spring.' Arguably, Abbas is frustrated, plans to retire soon and has little to lose.

Many Middle East observers wondered why, after a tortuous, unproductive 20-year process that accomplished little, it took the Palestinians so long to go to the UN. Israel, which is under severe threat at times from Palestinian militants, must be secure; however, the Palestinians have a right to no longer live under illegal Israeli occupation. The winds of change are blowing across that land. Now is the time to act before the winds become violent and turn into a gale force.

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Bill Miller, former Chair of the UN Association of the USA's Council of Chapter and Division Presidents, is the accredited Washington International journalist covering the UN and is the Producer/Moderator of “Global Connections Television.”

The United Nations — the World’s Last Best Hope!

By Patricia Keegan

Living in the era of ever-present, dramatically changing events — ranging from earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires and terrorist threats, to lack luster presidential debates — it is important to keep searching for all that truly inspires and offers hope for the future. There is a hunger in the world that is literal and figurative.

Looking to the east and the “Arab Spring,” we see an amazing series of revolts born from idealism, a surging youth filled with passion to exercise their birthright — freedom — regardless of where it may lead. As we have seen throughout history it takes a revolution to crack apart the powerful shackles of suppression, and render brutal governments dispensable. The desire for freedom, justice and peace is innate, its exercise comes with a price — to make choices based on a sound value system that does not infringe on, but respects the rights and property of others. We, the United States, starting with President George Bush, promoted democracy in the Middle East, relegating it to the very center of his foreign policy. However, judging from the current ad hoc approach, apparently there was no workable plan in place on how to deal with the outcome of such uprisings. It is hard to imagine how any of these countries, Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, and hopefully Syria, each in a very fragile state, can recover without outside assistance.

At this moment, ripe with confusion and underlying chaos, you only have to be awake to see how everything is changing; this is a time to be proactive. In this new world we need new guidelines and a global consensus on impending crises that negatively affect the entire planet. America is not the policeman of the world, but since the end of WWII, it was designated the leading “moral authority.”

As the so-called moral authority, having watched the relentless slaughter in the Arab world, we should call for a “time out” to establish a boundary line that protects peaceful demonstrators, and warns brutal regimes of rapid and dire consequences once that boundary line is crossed. We should also not keep tarnishing the image we had in the world as advocates of human rights by valuing one country’s rights and devaluing the other. The Israeli population has the right to live in peace and freedom, but their rights cannot take precedence over the rights of the Palestinians. As we promote democracy, and with it, freedom of speech, nothing should impede the Palestinian right to speak out and plead their case before the international community at the United Nations, without fear of reprisal, or “punishment” by our Congress. Living in what they consider a veritable prison, with their land slowly ebbing into the hands of Israeli settlers, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas came before the UN in a most civilized way. After 20 years of negotiating without results, he brought his plea for statehood to the one platform where the ongoing plight of the Palestinians could be heard and judged by the international community. First they want legitimacy, then to negotiate the 1967 borders. This may sound like a reasonable request to the majority of the world. However, there have been threats of financial consequences from the US government and even more grave warnings from the Israeli government. On September 27, just four days after coming before the General Assembly, and disregarding the fact that Abbas had told Israel, and the world at the UN, that it would not negotiate or participate in further talks until construction of housing for Jewish settlers was halted, Benjamin Netanyhu, Prime Minister of Israel, announced construction of 1,100 more housing units in East Jerusalem’s Palestinian territory.

Looking back on the history of the UN, perhaps there are lessons to be learned, or pitfalls to be avoided. The idea for the UN was first conceived one year after the end of the first World War, during which 6 to 8 million lives were lost on the battlefield alone. As the world reeled in horror, heads of state came together to brainstorm and came up with some visionary ideas to help in the prevention of large scale wars. Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat and two term President from 1913 to 1921, was the primary architect of the League of Nations that came into existence in 1919.

Wilson had support from a majority of Americans, who believed that the availability of a platform for open discussion would encourage countries to come together in a civilized way to resolve differences. The mandate for the League of Nations was that countries would settle their disputes in a legal manner and that every country deemed worthy of becoming a member would have equal rights and representation. Above all else, it would contribute to a better and more peaceful world. The irony was the United States did not become a member; Congress, during Wilson’s second term, was controlled by Republicans, who sought a return to isolationist policies set by the Monroe Doctrine.

After the war, in an effort to keep countries from rearming, The League of Nations implemented sanctions against Germany. The sanctions were ineffective because too many countries were either allied with Germany or remained neutral, ignoring the sanctions by continuing to trade. The League of Nations waned as the power of Germany, Italy and Japan lead toward WWII. In retrospect, it was believed that such an organization can only work if the United States takes an active leadership role. Some even believed this lack of US involvement lead to war. At war’s end in 1945 the League of Nations was replaced by the United Nations, a shared idea between Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt.

In 1945 the UN had 51 members, it now has 193 of which more than two thirds are developing countries. It is the principal outlet for their foreign relations initiatives, and for many developing countries, the UN is the source of their diplomatic influence and their moral equivalency. Every country on earth, facing conflict, needs to believe in an organization that can, through its wisdom and experience, bring hope to implacable situations. Supporters of the United Nations need to shore up strength against what could become an indifferent and soulless world leading to more war.

Freedom is now a contagion, nothing will work unless everyone has equal opportunity. In this new world we are witnessing the consequences of what happens when freedom is long denied. So before we formally relinquish our moral authority, we must reflect carefully on our choice — to be on the side of justice for those who want to live in a free world, or to become bogged down by political ramifications. Hopefully, through the auspices of the United Nations, the aspirations of those who come seeking justice will be heard and dealt with accordingly.

The 1992 Consensus: Foundation for Cross-Strait Peace & Stronger International Links

By Philip Y. M. Yang, Minister, Government Information Office

Changes in the cross-strait relationship directly affect peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and throughout the Asia-Pacific region. As a responsible stakeholder in the international community, Taiwan must deal with this key issue. In fact, through the ups and downs of this relationship after exchanges resumed in 1987, the Republic of China government steadfastly asserted its sovereignty and made no concessions in this regard. It was only during a cross-strait meeting in 1992 that a consensus was reached by the two sides that “there is one China, with each side having its own interpretation of what that means.” Since then, this “1992 consensus” has served as the framework and foundation for cross-strait interaction and has been favorably received by the majority of people in Taiwan. It has become a principle that Taiwan and the mainland should not avoid when facing cross-strait issues. But as differing views have been voiced recently about this consensus, it is worthwhile at this time to once again clarify matters.

Significance of 1992 Consensus: Abiding by the Constitutional Definition of the ROC
At the heart of the 1992 consensus is the concept of “one China, respective interpretations.” It is clear that as far as we are concerned, “one China” is the Republic of China stipulated in the ROC Constitution, and we have never wavered on this definition. As President Ma Ying-jeou said, while the ROC Constitution has been revised seven times through the amendment of additional articles, under four presidents in the past 20 years, the provisions on national territory, sovereignty and the cross-strait status have never been changed. This represents the collective decision of the populace regardless of political affiliation.

In other words, there has never been any “ambiguity” or “concession of sovereignty” regarding the concept of “one China” in the 1992 consensus. To support the 1992 consensus is to support the Republic of China, and to support the ROC Constitution.

Cornerstone for Peace in the Taiwan Strait and East Asia
Indeed, any national security policy should be based on identification with the ROC and its Constitution, which make up the largest common denominator acceptable to the people of Taiwan. Any actions deviating from or intentionally obfuscating this denominator would create unnecessary uncertainty and risk in domestic politics, cross-strait relations and regional peace in East Asia.

As Taiwan sits at the nexus of East Asia and plays a central role in regional peace, neighboring countries naturally would like to see sustained peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The United States, Japan and the European Union have also expressed hopes for stable progress in cross-strait relations. At home and abroad, the mainstream opinion on our cross-strait policies is that denying the 1992 consensus and advocating the idea that the ROC is a “government in exile” would not be in the interest of Taiwan and may once again jeopardize regional peace.

Looking back to the years before 2008, the ROC faced a litany of diplomatic troubles. The administration’s position on cross-strait affairs was unclear, and its foreign policies were cutting Taiwan off from the world. Those policies — including denying the 1992 consensus, espousing the “one country on each side [of the Taiwan Strait]” concept and promoting “scorched earth diplomacy” — escalated cross-strait tension, caused great anxiety among the people of Taiwan, and further isolated Taiwan from the international community.

From Cross-Strait Impasse to Win-Win Situation
Developments over the past three years show that pursuing cross-strait negotiations on the basis of the 1992 consensus and maintaining peace and stability under the principles of “no unification, no independence and no use of military force” have received widespread support domestically and internationally. Surveys conducted in Taiwan in the first half of this year indicate that over 70 percent of the public supports the promotion of institutionalized negotiations on this basis. This cross-strait policy, so oriented in the present environment, has brought considerable benefits to Taiwan’s overall development.

In cross-strait exchanges, ever since the two sides restarted institutionalized talks after a 10-year hiatus, several breakthroughs — including 15 agreements on trade and a variety of other issues — have been achieved through six rounds of talks between Taiwan’s Straits Exchange Foundation and the mainland’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits. The success of these negotiations has come in the form of concrete exchange and cooperation between the two sides, as well as stronger links between Taiwan and the global market. With the implementation of the early harvest list of the Cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, the value of Taiwan’s exports to the mainland grew 10.5 percent year-on-year in the first seven months of this year. Exports to six of the 10 ASEAN members (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) also increased 26.2 percent in the same time period.

In terms of foreign relations, our cross-strait policy based on the 1992 consensus has spurred greater international support for Taiwan’s pragmatic participation in global affairs. This is evidenced in the ROC’s solid relations with its 23 diplomatic allies, resumption of high-level mutual trust with the U.S. and other major countries, visa-free and visa-on-arrival privileges in 117 countries and territories, accession to the Government Procurement Agreement after six years of denial, and invitation to participate in the World Health Assembly three years in a row.

Forging Ahead While Grounded in Peace
Policies on national security and cross-strait relations should be based on principles that support the nation’s interests without compromise to sovereignty, security or dignity. The 1992 consensus on the concept of “one China, respective interpretations” was reached by Taiwan and the mainland after several rounds of negotiations. The purpose of building such a consensus was to address sensitive cross-strait issues and shelve disputes in a pragmatic way to maximize benefits to Taiwan. It was on this basis that the 1993 Koo-Wang Talks were held and a new era in cross-strait negotiations dawned. The many positive developments that followed also indicate that this consensus is indeed the cornerstone to peaceful developments between Taiwan and mainland China.

Compared with the situation in 1992, the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have made large strides toward a period of peaceful and stable interaction not seen in six decades. But as we have only taken the first steps toward cross-strait peace, we must continue to abide by the framework of the ROC Constitution and the 1992 consensus to create a peaceful environment for the next generation.

For Taiwan news, editorials, feature articles and more, please go to Taiwan Today.

Horsing Around the Masai Mara in Kenya

British travel writer Richard Powell joins a gonzo riding outfit to trek across Kenya's epic game reserve, camping beneath the stars and hanging onto his horses...

'It's like the Garden of Eden,' our guide says, 'just beautiful...' and we draw up our reins to marvel in silent reverence at the vast landscape, dotted with every wild animal we could have hoped to see.

Across this lush, buzzing vista, buffalo herd around impala, eagles soar above wildebeest and elephants charge fruit trees, while lions wait patiently in the tall savannah grass deciding which to eat for dinner.

Getting to Offbeat Safaris is not easy... it takes days of hard riding to earn a seat at this show. Our journey begins in the capital, Nairobi, where we transfer through gridlock traffic to a domestic airport and board a 12-seat Cessna, heading south-west over the Loita Plains, above the Kikuyu Highlands and past the volcano-studded Great Rift Valley.

An hour later we’re bumping down on a dirt-strip that doubles as a gateway to the reserve and a social hotspot for colourfully-dressed Masai warriors. With no phone signal and no electricity from here on in, it also represents the eye of a needle through which few First-World foibles may pass.

From here, a Land Rover bumps us along remote red dirt roads to a campsite set in a grove of acacia trees. This would be the first of three such sites, and traversing between them for up to six hours a day on horseback will require every inch of riding skill I have.

There's barely time for a cold Kenyan Tusker beer before we're heading out on our first ride when the sun hangs low enough to bring the wildlife out to feed. Here the guides quietly make their assessments about our riding abilities and how closely they need to stick to us, and whether we've been paired with the right horse.

They’re an international bunch; a half-Argentinian, half-Austrian lifer (he started working with Offbeat at 18, and he's still there aged 33), an Australian polo player from Dubai, a British safari guide from Botswana, and a student volunteer and hunter from England. The guests were from the UK, US, Germany, Italy and Australia.

The horses are Abyssinian, thoroughbred and cross-thoroughbreds, reared on the owner's farm, and brought into the reserve via a seven-hour horsebox slog. Mine was a pristinely-turned-out, polo-playing gelding named Blondie, looking decidedly bling with his dash of gold flecks and bright yellow mane. After half an hour of sizing each other up at the beginning, we knew we’d get on fine.

Being confident on your horse could be the most important part of this adventure. Over the next week, we would inch – day-by-day – ever closer to prides of snarling lions, square up to scrappy elephants and push back short-tempered Cape buffalo... any of which could outrun us, if they wanted to.

Being comfortable riding in English tack is important too, as I noticed the countryside Californians in our group had a hard time adjusting to the bolt-upright British saddles at odds with the Western-style 'armchairs' they use back home.

The most accomplished riders tail the lead guide as he opts to take the most daring routes, jumping over felled trees left by head-charging pachyderm and playing chicken with lions which may or may not have eaten that day.

Every two to three days, camp packs up and shifts by truck; with its canvas dining tent, shower, sleeping and toilet tents resembling a well-appointed commune when pitched at each of the three stunning oases.

On every ‘moving’ day, there is an epic ride to reach the next site, which can be up to 50 kilometres away. That's a lot of riding – at high altitude – across challenging terrain, galloping across plains pockmarked with aardvark holes and rocks, and cantering through stone-bed rivers with vertigo-inducing banks.

Along the way, animal burrows are a constant hazard. But if you're lucky enough for the person in front of you to spot one through the dust clouds, avoid it and shout 'HOLE!' in time, you might not fall down it.

Organisers encourage guests to take out medical insurance prior to arrival, but they also have their own public liability insurance and membership to the Flying Doctors organisation, in case of serious injury requiring evacuation.

Nevertheless, there's a lot that can go wrong in the middle of nowhere. The riding sections will undoubtedly push you to your limits of self-preservation, whether you opt to take the easy option and stay back, or throw caution to the wind and try to keep up with the lead guide.

Bullwhips protect guests from animal attacks, with guides normally carrying little else. The Land Rover variant of the trip, for non-riders, encourages guests to get out and walk on the reserve, and here, they are accompanied by a guard carrying a rifle.

The one occasion we went out armed was to a mountain we climbed first by car, then by foot to reach its spectacular peak. Its nooks host several families of cheetah and leopard, which we were warned to be on our guard against, although we didn't see any as we clambered about on its slopes.

We did not have to wait much longer before we did, though...
On our first night at the third campsite, while drinking beers around the fire on the banks of the Mara River, our lead Masai guard, Nati, came over saying he’d spotted a cheetah and asking if we wanted to see it. Several seconds later we were careening around the site in the Land Rover, shining a spotlight until suddenly we caught a flash of markings bolting into a bush.

Nati picked out an impala with the light, leading the cheetah out into the open to its quarry. The kill was artistic and eloquent in its execution and despite the graphic scene, we drove over, clutching our beers on the roof of the car, and sat transfixed to watch it feed.

Other night-time highlights included Masai warriors demonstrating their mating dance around the fire (a hit with the ladies), driving out to party on the plains after dark with James Brown booming from the stereo, and running semi-clothed out of my tent at 4am as an elephant pushed down a nearby tree.

The camp’s 15-strong domestic staff of men from various local tribes went above and beyond to give the safari an extravagant feel...
Returning to my tent after dinner each evening, I would without fail find my riding boots cleaned and polished to perfection and my laundry scrubbed, pressed and folded as if at a top-notch hotel.

The food and drink was impressive too, an array of cuisine cooked up from fresh, imported and locally-produced ingredients... ‘Would you like your steak rare or well-done... with a nice Malbec or a Bloody Mary?’ and ‘Breakfast eggs fried, scrambled or poached?’ Riding for hours from the crack of dawn to emerge over a hill and find the camp’s chef cooking breakfast for you, and baking fresh bread – in the middle of the plains – also ranks, for me, as a new definition of decadence.

Our midday siestas in shady glades after picnic lunches were something to savour too... like falling asleep on the classroom rug after having your fill of milk and biscuits at kindergarten. At the end of the week, it was with some sadness that I watched my fellow guests leave; while I moved on to see the company's guest lodge, another hour’s flight west.

The lodge at Sosian Ranch, the Samburu word for 'Wild Date Palm,' combines the tame with the wild. It's certainly a stark contrast to Masai camping, with its solid stone guest houses, swimming pool and main house that harks back to colonial days with a snooker table, grand piano and library. Whereas the riding trip guests were in their 20s and 30s, the game lodge guests were mainly parents in their 40s and 50s with young children.

I immediately missed the unashamedly gonzo set-up of the anarchic riding outfit, with its unpredictable, scruffy lead guide riding in flip-flops, nights spent dancing around the camp fire and rock-hunting by moonlight on the plains to shore up the Land Rover's wheels after we’d hit a hole… (Cue the Australian guide: “Let’s have a party, then fix the car!”)

For many visitors, Sosian will perhaps be the better-fitting choice, offering a quieter, safer and more luxurious bush experience on its 24,000-acre private working ranch, set on the Laikipia plateau. It’s a beautiful area that offers more than 250 species of birdlife and an abundance of game species with four of the big five species being found there, plus other rarities such as wild dogs, Jackson’s hartebeest and Grevy’s zebra.

Nonetheless, I’d be back on the mad travelling horseback safari circus any day... at least for another few years.

Cross the Masai Mara with Offbeat Safaris on horseback over 7 nights from $5,550/£3,550/€4,400 or 10 nights from $7,700/£4,900/€6,075 per person (Jan-Mar, Jun-Oct & Dec), excluding international flights. Non-riders can take a Land Rover safari from $6,500/£4,050/€5,020. Or stay at Sosian Lodge from $4,500/£2,800/€3,470 per week, per person.

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Photos copyright and courtesy of Richard Powell

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Richard Powell is a freelance journalist who also works for the Press Release Distribution, Media Monitoring and Public Relations firm, Presswire, but does not work with, or for, any of the parties mentioned in this article.

2012 and the Mayan Prediction

By Patricia Keegan

Whether we study it at length, or superficially, there is something intriguing about the Mayan prophecy for 2012. How has it stayed alive across thousands of years? The Maya calendar ends on December 21, 2012, which causes a stir among the curious, the doomsday prophets, Christian Fundamentalists and end of world predators. But did the Mayans actually predict the end of the world?

Since the aftermath of 9/11, there is an overriding sense of imbalance and turmoil throughout the world with what appears a never-ending series of crises. We know man has exceeded his limits in the realm of our environment, and each day we witness Mother Earth’s rebellion. On the threshold of 2012, we can dismiss all the hoopla as New Age rubbish, and never give it another thought, or we can look at it as a stimulus to learn more about the Maya -- who they were, and what they really said. End of the world or not, we might ask if there is something we should be doing.

The pre-Columbian civilization known as the Maya emerged in 300 AD in Mesoamerica between Guatemala and the Yucatan. They became renowned during their Classic period of 300-900 AD by developing one of the most advanced, evolved civilizations ever to inhabit the earth. The Maya calendar came into existence long before the Julian or Gregorian calendars. It is based on naturally occurring energy cycles and a close connection to Mother Earth. Because the Maya honored Mother Earth and the energy cycles that are present here, they were in tune with the cycles. In contrast to our own culture which focuses on matter, the Maya based their understanding by relying on frequency vibrations and harmonics. They believed that everything comes from and returns to one source -- divine inspiration.

By tracking the sun, moon and other heavenly bodies, the Maya created their calendar to not only reach into the distant past put also foretell the future. The scientific superiority and galactic sophistication of the Mayan calendric, (formulas) of each of the three calendars, was due to the fact that they were based on an entirely different standard of measurement and mathematics than any time keeping devices known today. By creating three calendars, the Mayans could view three different dating systems in Parallel, The Long Count, (the one which ends in 2012) the Tzolkin (divine calendar) and the Haab (civil calendar). To see an imposing, architectural example of a Haab (365 days) Mayan calendar, one can visit Chechen Itza, in the Yucatan, and climb the narrow, worn steps of the Kukulkan Pyramid. Each of the four sides has 91 steps which represent the 365 days of the year.

According to Mayan calendar researcher Jose Aragulles, The Mayan held a theory of time, using all three calendars, to which past, present and future all exist and flow equally, always meeting in the present moment. To them linear time was an illusion. To be able to access time in three dimensions, the calendar was set up on a frequency capable of a positional mathematics with flexibility and qualities superior to our own. The calendar encompassed natural time which is based on natural processes such as the motion of the stars, planets and galaxies, the biological rhythms of plants and animals, as well as the subtle inner dimensional movements of consciousness and mind. This is where the study of the Mayan calendar becomes more intriguing, but requiring a lot of concentrated time.

According to the Mayan (Long Count) calendar ending on the Winter solstice, December 21, 2012, a unique astronomical event will occur which only happens every 26,000 years -- a rare conjunction of the sun with the ecliptic of the Milky Way galaxy. The precession of the equinoxes will lead the sun to align with the Milky Way in a region known as dark rift, created by interstellar dust clouds. The result of this new alignment will orient the Milky Way in such a way that it will rim the horizon at all points, thereby opening the cosmic sky to a new energy ether, which will progressively increase. The ancient Maya considered this to be the dawn of the fifth world age. Right now we are between the between the fourth and fifth. The Mayans said nothing at all about this being the end of the world. They did say it would be a time of change, a spiritual transformation.

On November 6, 2009, NASA posted an article on its website: Earth will NOT cross the galactic line in 2012, and even if these alignments were to occur the effects on the earth would be negligible. Each December the earth and sun align with the Milky Way galaxy, an annual event with no consequence.

New alignments take place all the time, and unless we are studying the stars we would not even be aware of them. If it were not for Hollywood blockbusters and all the books that have been written, we would most likely sail past the moment the world is supposed to end without even a glitch on our computers.

If, however, we view all this information and disinformation from a spiritual aspect, as does Carlos Barrios, a Mayan elder and Ajq’ij, (a ceremonial priest and spiritual guide of the Eagle Clan). Concerned about all the distortions, Carlos initiated an investigation into the different Mayan calendars circulating and found a lot of conflicting interpretations of Mayan hieroglyphs, petroglyphs, sacred books of Chilam Balam and various ancient texts. Carlos and his brother, Gerardo, studied the history and interviewed nearly 600 elders to widen their scope of knowledge. Carlos says if the people of the Earth arrive at 2012 in good shape, without having destroyed too much of the earth, and if we put aside our differences and unite, we will rise to a new, higher level of consciousness.

“Mayan Day-keepers”, he says, “view December 21, 2012 as a date of rebirth, the start of the World of the Fifth Sun. It will be the start of a new era. The emerging era of the Fifth sun will call attention to a much overlooked element -- Ether. Along with the four traditional elements -- earth, air, fire, and water, there will be the fifth, the ether element which represents spiritual energy.”

Humanity will continue, but in a different way. Materialism will change, making us more human. The spiritual ideal of this time is action. He calls for human beings to came together and unite in support of light and life. “Right now each person and group is going his or her own way. The elder of the mountains say there is hope if the people of the light can come together and conquer the trends of darkness.”

NASA scientists predict that as the world consumes increasing amounts of fossil fuel for energy, green house gas concentration will continue to rise and earth’s average temperature will rise with it. The intergovernmental panel on climate Change (IPCC) estimates the earth’s average temperature will increase 2 to 6 degrees Centigrade by the end of the 21st century. Ecosystems will shift as plants and animals that adapt the quickest move to new areas to compete with currently established species. Scientists note, with increasing concern, that the 21st century could see one of the greatest periods of mass extinction of species in earth’s entire history. Ultimately, NASA tells us, that global warming will impact life on earth in many ways, but the extent of the change is up to us.

“The change is up to us.” We have the same message from the Maya: It is our responsibility to come together in wisdom and rational thinking.

2008: Quebec City's 400-Year Anniversary

Quebec City Summer Festival

By Patricia Keegan

Leaving Washington’s humidity and abrasive politics behind, I hopped on a flight to join the Quebec City Summer Festival and its 400th-Anniversary celebration. Several hours later I was in Canada’s charming French city discovering an entirely new, light-hearted perspective.

From early July, for the past 41 years, Quebec City has rocked to the rhythms of an outstanding music festival that reaches out to the world, spotlighting artists from Quebec, as well other countries and cultures. For 11 days the city sizzles with high energy. Over 400 music and street performances transform the oldest fortified city in North America into a gigantic outdoor stage.

This year brings even more excitement with the year-long celebration of Quebec‘s 400th Birthday and some of the world‘s mega stars.

Framed in the window of my room on the 21st floor of the Quebec Hilton, was the first of many lovely scenes. Along the horizon a string of low lying hills and fields in the distance follow the curve of the St. Lawrence River. Arching above this pleasant landscape was the fragment of a rainbow serving as the backdrop for the Quebec flag flying above the Parliament building. This building is just one of many architecturally magnificent edifices in this unique French city.

Built between 1877 and 1886, it was designed by architect Eugene-Eitenne Tache in the Second Empire style and has four wings that form a large square. To the left, in the far distance, theChateau Frontenac stood in ethereal grace like a fairytale castle.  From my box seat I had a clear view of several stages. Just below I heard the sounds of Yesterday’s Ring, a Quebec rock band, causing a stir among hundreds of people. A roaring line of motorcycles circled the stage. I pulled a chair up to the window and started reading the program when suddenly I was startled by a friendly “Hello” beside me. I saw a man with a big smile on his face, dangling from a rope and waving outside my window. As he was disappearing in mid-air I returned his wave.

With the fading sun reflected in the dome of the outdoor stage it was time to join the festive crowds. Looking up at the Hilton from across the street, I could see a group of 14 men, springing off of a side wall of the hotel, tumbling upside down and performing amazing ballet loops on ropes. Necks craned, the crowd on the street, including me, were mesmerized by the daring feats of these aerial acrobats. Surprises are a part of the festival celebration in the streets.

Along with many, many artists from Canada and France, some internationally known stars will also grace the Festival stages.Paul McCartneyoffered Quebec a free concert on July 20. On August 22, another major artist, Celine Dion, lit the Quebec stage with another free concert.

I was really lucky to be in Quebec for Celine Dion, and the French favorite Charles Aznavour, who attracted a crowd estimated at 100,000 to the historic Plains of Abraham. When the Aznavour concert overflowed, the gates to the open air theater, closed. The crowd swarmed to the hills, gradually turning into fireflies -- flashing pinpoints of red light from the Hydro-Quebec flashing badges. Singer song writer Linda Lamay held the stage for one hour prior to the Aznavour performance. Lamay is a young artist from Quebec whose French songs are mainly about women’s issues, mixing a little humor with depth.

The Plains of Abraham is a spectacular setting which, to be truly appreciated, has to be seen from afar, away from the crowds sprawled on its sweet smelling, grassy banks  When a small figure, the great Charles Azanvour, dressed in black with a head of white hair, appeared at the front of the stage, looking at one of the huge TV screens, I could even see the twinkle in his eyes. The crowd went wild in their greeting. At first it seemed his voice was not carrying, it was too soft. However, as he sang his familiar repertoire, he seemed to gain more and more energy. At one point the receptive audience joined him in his popular, well known songs of love and loss. He soon shed his jacket, did a little dance and joked, calling himself a “museum piece.“

The crowd enjoyed it. He was a star, he was like family, and he gave a lively performance. Aznavour, now 84, came to Quebec over 50 years ago when it was considered a small, backward town.

At an earlier press conference he was asked how he felt about coming back to Quebec.“ I like it.  I like the familiar language, I always feel at home in Quebec.  Nobody had to convince me to come.”

To a question asked about his life as a singer and what it meant to him, he answered, The best job in the world is the one you love.  All aspects of what I do are great, I always think of life’s good moments.  Wherever you are coming from, you do what you can do to enjoy your life.”

When  a reporter asked about future projects, he replied, “I had a lot of projects at 20, but now its more about will I be able to do tomorrow.”

Over his 60-year career Aznavour has appeared in more than 60 movies, composed some 1,000 songs and sold more than 100 million records. His songs have been sung by Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan and Ray Charles to name just a few. As a direct descendant of Armenian parents, Aznavour has been dubbed the International Ambassador of Armenia.

While in Quebec he received the Order of Canada award making him an honorary officer.  As the medal, representing Canada’s highest civilian honor, was hung around his neck by Quebec’s Governor General, Michaelle Jean,  Aznavour, with tears in his eyes, called the harmony of French and English cultures “impressive, because it shows this is big country, a great country, and a country that moves forward with a strong soul.”  He was introduced to Canada by Edith Piaf in the 1940‘s.

Celine Dion Concert Rocks the Plains of Abraham

Drums rolled, beams of light shot through the night sky, while the energy of a crowd estimated at 250,000 burst into cheers at the first glimpse of the dazzling Celine as she appeared on the stage. Dressed in a white sequined top and gray satin pants, her blond hair tousled just right, she wowed the crowd shouting; “Hello, Happy Birthday, Quebec! Are you ready?”

She stomped across the stage in silver stilettos, singing and pumping the air with her fist. Classy and sexy, Celine flirts with the world, dramatizing her songs while maintaining a sincerity that is both inspirational and unique. I was standing very close to the stage and could see the myriad of expressions crossing her face and could feel the intensity she puts into every word. From my prime location, in a 3-hour concert, I became a Celine fan. It would be a major challenge for any star to top the performance she gave as a gift to Quebec that evening. Her concert featured a galaxy of Quebec stars including Garou, rocker Eric Lapointe, Claude Dubois and Dan Bigras, each one a superstar, each one unique as they sang duets with Celine.

The youngest in a family of 14 children, all musicians, she surprised the audience when she brought family members to the stage to sing a medley of songs and telling the audience, “I want you to know what it was like to be in my family.” She dedicated the songs to her late father. Celine performed a total of 30 songs -- all in French.  They ranged from solos to duets to trios with her guests and spanned rock, pop and blues, several power ballads and lots of traditional Quebec songs.

It was close to midnight when Quebec songstress Ginette Reno appeared on the stage to sing a duet with Celine.  I had never heard or seen Ginette before, but as soon as she opened her mouth and began to sing, I was thrilled with the power and richness of her voice. It was obvious in this duet “Un Peau Plus Heut” that there was a lot of feeling between the two stars.  Celine was in tears at the end of the song as they hugged. I was very touched by the outstanding performance as were many in the audience.  I learned later that Reno was always one of Celine’s role models. When Celine was five years old she jumped up on a table to sing Ginette Reno songs. Evidently, there was a period when they were not close, but they have reunited, and this is the first time they have sung together in concert -- a dream come true for Celine.

Quebecois will tell you how proud they are of Celine, who was born in Charlemange, a small town near Montreal, Quebec. One fan described her as “a talented star who never veered from her values and has always managed to be authentic.”

Now is the Time to Visit Quebec!

For the entire span of 2008, Quebec City will be celebrating the 400th anniversary of establishment of Quebec by French explorer Samuel de Champlain on July 17, 1608. Today everybody in Quebec speaks French with pride in their unique city. This is not a problem as you will always find people who speak English.

Celebration 2008 opened on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2007 and is already half way through the year. Samuel de Champlain named the city Kebec, a word from the Amerindian Indians -- meaning where the river narrows. Champlain worked with the Amerindians who helped the French adapt to the new climate and way of life. Together they built the commerce of the region, harvesting beaver pelts for hats that were sold to France. Little did Champlain know that he was establishing the roots of French civilization in the Americas.  During the 17th- and 18th-centuries Quebec City was the center of New France and its enormous territory. At that time the “empire” covered all of Eastern Canada, and much of the Eastern United States. From its origin as a fur trading post to its present day status as capital of the province, Quebec City has been restored and celebrates its past.

Loews Le Concorde Hotel

Quebec city is home to many appealing hotels, but for a first time visitor Loews  Le Concorde is an excellent choice.  In a prime location next to the historic battlefields of the Plains of Abraham and its park with gardens in full bloom, it is also a comfortable walk to the walls of Old Quebec. The Grand Allee is right on the doorstep. For those interested in the fascinating history of this lovely city, this hotel has an unbeatable central location. Guest rooms are spacious with high quality beddings to insure a comfortable night’s sleep.

L’Astral, a revolving restaurant atop this 25-story building is a major attraction in Quebec both for the view and the cuisine.  From here there is a spectacular view of the silver domed churches, the parliament buildings, the narrow streets filled with colorful awnings, the Chateau Frontenac and the St. Lawrence River filled with sailboats. In the evening the lights create a romantic atmosphere with a similar feeling one gets looking from the window of a plane about to land.

Breakfast, my favorite meal of the day, is served in the spacious bar off the main lobby. It was abundant in wild berries and every item you could possibly desire to make that first meal a celebration of the gift of a new day. The hotel also provides newspapers in English as well as French. The hotel has a most attentive and efficient staff who treat guests with interest and care.

There are many, many restaurants to in Quebec, and while having had the opportunity to sample a few -- which have all been good -- my favorite is Restaurant Toast, a great choice for dinner.  It is open air but with high walls, trees, and a spiral staircase, you can imagine being in a corner of an old castle. With the first bite, you know the preparation is driven bya desire to pleasantly stimulate the palates of its patrons. In this they are successful. Dining with three friends, we were all equally pleased with the entrees, the delightful service, fine wines and heavenly soufflé.

Robert Lepage’s Image Mill of History

Another spectacular presentation in honor of the 400th Anniversary is the amazing creation -- the world’s largest architectural projection ever mounted.  The Image Mill, set up at the city’s old port, is a playful animated show in three dimensions about the past, present and future history of Quebec City.  It presents a mosaic of icons, sounds and ideas organized around four major eras of the city. It includes the age of rivers and exploration, the age of dirt roads and settlement, the age of railways and resource development and the age of air travel and communications.  This is so well constructed, and so intriguing, that I'm sure it will be of interest to other cities as a way to highlight their history in an intriguing and fun way.

A Walk Through the City

An ideal ways to get to know the old city is to take a stroll along the narrow streets lined with stone houses. Occasionally, these buildings, with their pointed, or mansard roofs, have carriage gates that open unto a courtyard.

A special treat for art lovers is a visit to the Musee National de Beaux Arts du Quebec with its current exhibition Le Louvre a Quebec, featuring paintings, sculpture, jewelry, and decorative art objects from the prestigious collections of Le Louvre in Paris. A never before seen event in North America, the exhibit sheds light on the quality and diversity of the collection's relics of Oriental, Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan and Roman origin, with over 5000 years of history and civilization. This magnificent exhibit is best appreciated by renting the earphones to learn about the history of each piece

Quebec can boast of its many splendid churches and the strong influence of the church in its early history. The Notre Dame Basilica is well worth a visit. Built on the same site in 1647, it was destroyed twice by fire throughout the centuries. It is the oldest parish in North America. The cathedral is filled with impressive works of art, stained glass windows and many gifts sent from France by Louis XIV.

The Holy Trinity Cathedral, modeled after St. Martin in the Fields in London, house many precious objects donated by King George III.

A short stop in the Musee Bon Pasteur (Good Shepherd Museum) gives a poignant piece of history of the Good Shepherd Sisters of Quebec, who dedicated their lives caring for and educating abandoned women and children in the 19th-century.

The Musee de la Civilization is not to be missed with its interactive exhibits that entertain and teach viewers about fascinating discoveries around the globe. In honor of the 400th-anniversary, the exhibitUrbanology features real and imaginary project models inviting viewers to visualize what the urban lifestyle means to us in the 21st-century.

The walls of Quebec City still stand. The commanding wall was declared an historical monument in 1957 forming a 4.6 kilometer defensive belt around the old city. A sentry path lined with interpretation signposts runs atop the ramparts and gates, allowing the visitor to better understand the evolution of the last fortified city remaining north of Mexico City.

There are many dramatic dimensions to this city on the St. Lawrence River with the amazing architecture of the Chateau Frontenac never far from view. For most the first sight of the Chateau is a breathtaking experience.   Even if you have visited all the Chateaux of the Loire Valley in France, Quebec’s Chateau Frontenac stands alone, like a child’s dream of a majestic, magical castle. The foundation of this world famous hotel was built in 1893 and the structure completed in 1924. During WWII two historic conferences were held here and attended by Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, guests of then Canadian Prime Minister MacKenzie King. Even if you don’t spend the night, there are tours through the hotel. Stopping by for lunch to overlook the St. Lawrence offers more time to enjoy delicious ice cream parfait while feeling the pull of centuries of history.

The Place-Royale around the Chateau has been completely restored with boutiques, restaurants, and residences. At the corner of rue Notre Dame is a large mural illustrating Quebec’s 400 years of history called the Mural of Quebecers. The mural is filled with symbols. I was delighted to see a small image of a shamrock on a baby carriage being wheeled along the street. This may have been in honor of the Irish immigrants who helped build the city.

To see the program for the  400th-Anniversary  visit  infofestival.com. Quebec, a city of Festivals, is one great spot to celebrate the exuberance of life.

For more information on Quebec visit quebecregion.com

Getting there: Simple -- Air Canada to Montreal followed by a short flight to Quebec. Air time is about 3 hours.

Taiwan -- Fresh Vitality for World Health

By Chiu Wen-ta, Minister, Department of Health

Taiwan, located at the nexus of northeast and southeast Asia, is the 18th largest economy in the world and is replete with vitality and a robust humanitarian spirit of caring. With greater opportunities for global cooperation in health issues since being invited to the World Health Assembly in 2009, Taiwan has wholeheartedly abided by the humanitarian principle that diseases know no borders, enthusiastically joining the effort to safeguard world health. It does so not only to discharge its obligation as a member of the international community, but also because it can add fresh vitality to the effort of keeping our global village healthy.

Taiwan has been steadfast in its support of international humanitarian aid and healthcare activities over the years. Our government and people have actively taken part in various worldwide medical aid and health exchanges. For instance, TaiwanIHA (Taiwan International Health Action) has toured the globe to offer emergency rescue and relief in recent years to countries suffering natural disasters, such as Haiti. We have also successfully shared our experience and knowledge via Taiwan Health Center branches located in the Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands.

As a member of the international community, Taiwan has accumulated a great deal of successful experience and has developed an advantage in the areas of national health insurance, medical technology and epidemic prevention and control. The World Health Organization of the United Nations chose “national health insurance” as the theme of its 2010 World Health Report, indicating the importance that the global public health community has come to attach recently to setting up a well-developed health insurance system.

Taiwan’s national health insurance system has used relatively low premiums to cover outpatient and inpatient services since its implementation in 1995. With an insured rate of more than 95 percent, it has attained the objective of covering the entire populace and making access to medical care barrier free. It has also safeguarded the right of minority groups and the seriously ill and injured to medical treatment.

As a key manufacturer of information and communications products for the world, Taiwan has a solid foundation for developing medical technology. We have developed world-class expertise in biochips, biomedical materials, biomedical informatics and both medical and pharmaceutical engineering. This has allowed us to implement electronic medical record management and the practice of distance healthcare, greatly boosting the safety and treatment standards for patients, while lowering national health insurance costs.

As the International Health Regulations of 2005 are being implemented worldwide, Taiwan is now able to receive timely information on epidemics and food safety so that it can help safeguard public health in the Asia-Pacific region. We are willing to share joint responsibility with the world community to report information promptly and to contribute resources and expertise to the establishment of a safety net for public health in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world.

In the future, we shall continue to invest resources, as well as promote and take part in various international world health activities. We shall also encourage our scholars, medical professionals and NGOs to forge closer links with academic associations and groups in their respective areas of expertise. In addition, we shall work to promote the Millennium Development Goals for medical cooperation set by the United Nations to deal with prevention and control issues pertaining to trans-national contagious diseases and non-contagious diseases. This will demonstrate Taiwan’s soft power and the fresh vitality that it brings to the effort on behalf of human health worldwide.

For Taiwan news, editorials, feature articles and more, please go to Taiwan Today.

Barging in Burgundy

The Quest for the Good Life

By Sheila Gaspers

Spring in Paris, as always, promises to rejuvenate and renew even the most worn and wintered spirit.  I have always found a sense of inner joy when strolling along the Seine, exploring Paris’ endless arrondissements, or getting my shopping fix at Printemps or the Galeries Lafayette. The city comes alive with colorful and fragrant blooms.  For the most observant eye, the shop windows seem to mimic nature, brilliantly dressed with spectacular spring fashions. Paris, the city of lights and love, cannot and should not be ignored or missed.  But every savvy traveler must also remember to find balance amidst the bright lights and big city.  France extends beyond the Paris city limits.  An enchanting, unforgettable escape is only a train ride away.  The journey will lead you to France’s most historic canal system (built in the17th Century) and the entry point of the Burgundy Wine Country. 

In the 1800’s, the Nivernais Canal was the most important commercial gateway connecting Burgundy to Paris via the Seine and Loire Rivers.  Today, the canal is still very critical to the French Economy.  Instead of goods from the farm and forest, tourists are the now the treasured cargo. The glorious French countryside beckons to the resident cosmopolitan and visitor alike.

It is the quest for the “Good Life” that draws all to the fertile valleys and river banks of Central and Southern France.  This “quest “ is where my story begins.

Barging the waterways, now a celebrated pastime, offers a unique and intimate introduction to French Country Living.   France has over 2000 kilometers (1242 miles) of navigable rivers and canals… so mastering the waterway system is not a feat that can be accomplished in one trip. And the journey, as I was soon to learn firsthand, was relaxing and far from boring.

My barging adventure commenced in the small medieval town of Auxerre, a 1.5 hour train ride from Paris.  I left Paris late in the day to arrive in town prior to the next day’s morning embarkation.  I stayed at the beautifully quaint Le Maxime Hotel located on the banks of the Yonne River just a 20 minute walk from the train station.  The hotel was truly charming.  With only 25 rooms, you can expect personalized service at an affordable cost.  Auxerre, the second largest city in Burgundy after Dijon, is known for its art and history. Following the city’s winding cobblestone streets leads to wonderful architectural finds.  Be sure not to miss the Gothic Cathedral and Abbey.

Late Sunday morning, the elegant La Belle Epoquewelcomed passengers.  The barge was docked just outside the hotel along the river bank to allow for easy boarding.  Smiles and champagne flowed as introductions and greetings were exchanged.  With an all British crew, language was not a barrier.

On the canals and rivers, living is “slow and easy.”   The barges, which come in all shapes and sizes – from small to smaller, are like floating country inns outfitted with every possible amenity. Most will comfortably accommodate 8-12 persons. Luxury and comfort are top of mind in terms of design and service. 

Barge travel is quite different from a large cruise ship experience. The barge glides along at a clip of 4-5 knots (less than 5 miles per hour)…not much faster that the ducks paddling alongside. There are usually no more than 2 decks (kitchen, dining and outdoor deck – above, living quarters and storage – below).

The 12-passenger, La Belle Epoque is one of the largest barges operating on the canal. Measuring 38 meters (124 feet) in length and 5 meters (16.4 ft) wide, she features a full indoor salon, outdoor deck, and a small Jacuzzi.

In terms of onboard entertainment, there are no shows, formal lectures, gambling, or dancing.  The barge does offer a DVD player (very limited selection, so bring your favorites) and a small central stereo system in the salon area. Barge trips are booked based on regions of interest (Provence, Burgundy, Upper Loire and Alsace-Lorraine), not specific ports or entertainment value.

It is important to note that each region specializes in certain appellations of wine.  There are over 100 appellations.  Appellation categorization results from a controlled indexing system of the wine based on the grape, vineyard or region of production. There are regional appellations, communal appellations, Premier Crus, and Grand Crus.  This barge trip focused on the Chardonnay grape - Chablis Appellation known as Chablis. (A good website that elaborates on wine appelations is www.terroir-france.com).

Each passenger, when not joining the daily excursion or visiting a local village, often discovers new and forgotten forms of delight and diversion. Many will simply enjoy reading a good book; others test their language skills in friendly conversation, but most simply learn the true meaning of a life of leisure.  Gary, an older insurance executive from Alabama, was our most active passenger.  He was up bright and early each day prepared to bike or hike the canal towpaths which date back to the pre-power days when horses and oxen pulled the boats. He loved to race the barge and was always the winner pacing 3-4 locks ahead of the boat.

The rest of us eased into the day opting to sip our coffee or mimosa on deck taking in the morning sun, landscaped mirrored waters, picturesque footbridges and grazing white Charolais cattle.

Successfully navigating a lock station, which are still manually operated by a resident lockkeeper, was the ultimate bonding ritual for passengers and crew.  Each lockkeeper’s house, family and farm animals were welcomed sights.  The houses are unique -- tiny stone edifices adorned with colorful flower boxes and signature plaques. And, it is not unusual to have a dog, goat, or flock of geese inch up to the barge in search of a breakfast croissant or treat. A fresh basket of muffins, cakes or breads were always offered as a “thank you.”

Excitement brewed as we made each approach. The Captain steered her in steady and safely despite the narrow widths. Ropes were secured and the water levels rose or dropped to keep us on course.

The highlight of any barge trip is, by far, the gourmet food and wine.   The cheese selection alone is mind-boggling.  Some say there is a French cheese for every day of the year. Amidst the hundreds, I managed to find my favorite, Brillat-Savarin, soft triple cream cheese produced from cow's milk.  Even after countless tastings, I was far from satisfied. Learning that Brillat-Savarin pairs perfectly with a glass of chilled Champagne did not help curtail my new food obsession.  Epoisses, said to be created by the Cistercian Monks, is the better known cheese.  This local Burgundy mainstay is also made from cow's milk. But is it is unique in that the cheese is washed in the distilled spirit of crushed grapes giving it a distinctive orange-red color and taste.

Every meal is a personalized gastronomical work of art by a trained chef. You will never go hungry. Breakfast features a buffet of fresh pastries, breads, fruit, cheeses, cold cuts and cereals. Cooked to order eggs or omelets are available upon request. Lunch and dinner showcases the food and wine of the region. All menu ingredients are “fresh & local” purchased in the village markets along the way.

French favorites like Beef Bourginon, Rabbit à la dijonnaise, Burgundy Snails, Duck Confit, and Foie Gras made each evening’s five- course culinary presentation a savory and memorable experience.

When not indulging in fine food and wine, we were whisked by mini bus to visit local vineyards, discover hidden cellars, tour chateaus, churches, sacred ruins, and wander ancient villages.

One of our first stops just outside of Auxerre, was the Caves de Bailly in Saint Bris, a deep underground cellar which was originally a quarry. This impressive cellar is best known for Crémant de Bourgogne, a unique sparkling wine that is made via the ancient champenoise method. Crisp, clean and fruity in taste, Crémant de Bourgogne is now recognized as one of the finest bubbly bruts in France outside of Champagne region. And, at a price of $15 per bottle, it was my best barge buy.

But alas, in Burgundy, no sparkling or white wine is complete without a touch of cassis (blackcurrant liqueur). It was Canon Kir, Mayor of nearby Dijon, who made 'blanc-cassis' the official aperitif of all the town hall receptions. His parties obviously put it on the map worldwide (hence the drink’s recognized name “Kir”).

The afternoon excursion allowed us to explore more of St Bris, an ancient town known for its extensive network of underground passages. Saint Bris was built in such a way that it could house all its inhabitants underground during the time of a siege. We were treated to a wine tasting in the historic Bersan Family Cellars, built under the town’s original 12th Century fortifications.  Hundreds of wine bottles covered in cobwebs and mold reminded us of the rich soil and heritage of the region.

Still vivid in my mind is our journey to the mystical town ofVézelay, a sacred pilgrimage destination, set on a hilltop overlooking the pastoral Burgundy countryside. Vézelay is best known for the Roman Basilica which is said to house a relic of the remains of Saint Mary Magdalene.

It has also has a strong historical association withRichard the Lion-Hearted, St. Francis of Assisi and the Second Crusade.  My visit was touched by faith and emotion, knowing that thousands of pilgrims had traveled over the same cobblestone streets centuries before me.

Clamecy was the final stop of the final barge tour before our transfer back to Paris. The city, an old logging port, is best known for its world-renowned annual floating log competition. A statue of Jean Rouvet, Father of the Flotteurs, stands proudly on the Bethelehem Bridge.

 The days passed too quickly.  How could anyone return to reality?  The cheese withdrawal alone would kill me.

I knew I would be back again very soon.  There was still the Côte de Beaune… the Côte de Nuits… and the Côtes de Provence!  So much wine and so little time! 

I do have tips to share:

-- Choose your barge based on your interests and favorite wine…or you will be disappointed.  If you love wonderful pinot reds…a cruise to Chablis will not be a match.

-- Time of Year and Season can critically impact your overall experience.  Spring is refreshing; Summer can be crowded; Fall can be wet and cold.

-- Explore Theme Barge Trips or Charters. It’s all about the company you keep.  Traveling with friends or those who have a shared interest can enhance the overall barge adventure.

-- Bring along several good books/magazines to read and share. I would also bring along a fun DVD (perhaps…Sideways?) for the night where you just want to relax and sip a good Pinot.

Rates for six-night/seven day cruises range from $4550 to $5490 per person.  Price includes accommodations, open bar/wine, gourmet meals, and local transfers.  Tips are additional (3% of Cruise Cost). Charters are also available.

For more info visit: GoBarging.com or call toll free 877-879-8808.