Li Andersson calls for sanctions on Israel, climate action in Helsinki Times interview

FINLAND 

 

21 JANUARY 2024

 

In an interview with the Helsinki Times, Presidential candidate Li Andersson, the former Minister of Education and current Left Alliance party chief, offered a fresh perspective on crucial issues shaping the upcoming presidential elections in Finland. Andersson's unwavering advocacy for human rights and climate action sets her apart in the realms of defense, global conflicts, international relations, and domestic affairs.

 Stand on Israel and climate change

 Standing out prominently in the recent presidential elections’ debates, Andersson distinguished herself with a vocal stance condemning Israel's ongoing aggression in Gaza and called for sanctions against Israel, while other candidates hesitated. Her commitment to principled foreign policy is reiterated in her conversation with the *Helsinki Times*, where she emphasized her clear standpoints on human rights and international law. A major focus of her presidential campaign is the crucial need to address climate change, as Andersson sees the climate crisis as an integral part of Finland's foreign policy.

 “I have been advocating very clearly for a value-based foreign policy, which means that I have clearer standpoints when it comes to respect for human rights and international law. I also think Finland hasn’t done enough in terms of the war in Gaza, or took a clear stand for the protection of civilians in Gaza.”

 

Finnish foreign policy and NATO

Expressing puzzlement at the cautious approach of Finnish politicians and the current foreign policy leadership, Li Andersson hoped that it is not due to Finland’s NATO membership.

 “We have a lot of examples of NATO member countries such as Norway, France, who have taken much clearer stances in the UN system. So, there is every possibility for Finland to do more than what we have done so far. Finland could support the South African case in the International Court of Justice and advocate for sanctions against Israel. There are a lot of options for Finland, if there is political willingness to do more to end this war and to protect the civilians who need humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip,” Andersson commented.

 Andersson highlighted perceived Western hypocrisy in handling the Gaza conflict, emphasizing that Finland is not immune to this criticism.

  “This also goes for Finland. There are a lot of risks of regional escalation and a larger war in the Middle East connected to the war in Gaza. I feel that we will see an even bigger divide between the so-called Western countries and the global South, who have very rightly shown that the West is not consistent when it comes to breaches of international law, and protecting civilians and human rights,” she added.

 

Nuclear weapons and U.S. defence agreement

Li Andersson offered her distinctive outlook on Finland's defense agreement with the U.S., specifically addressing concerns related to the speculated transport of nuclear weapons within the country. Andersson stressed the critical need for more information in the parliament on certain aspects of the agreement, particularly highlighting their unequivocal stance against the presence of nuclear weapons on Finnish soil. 

“We do not want nuclear weapons here. It is important for us to align with the standards set by other Nordic countries. We need to get a parliamentary consensus on this,” Andersson said.

She asserted that Finland should take inspiration from the Nordic policy approach within the NATO alliance, pointing to Norway as a notable example. Notably, Norway, a NATO member since 1949, has opted against hosting permanent NATO bases or nuclear weapons on its territory.

Furthermore, Andersson expressed additional apprehensions about the handling of potential crimes outlined in the agreement.

 “According to the agreement, Finland would waive its primary right to exercise criminal jurisdiction to the U.S. when it comes to crimes committed on Finnish soil, including those where U.S soldiers are involved. We advocate for the flexibility to reclaim this authority, especially in cases involving victims, such as sexual abuse, rape, or other forms of violence. We strive to ensure no Finnish victim is compelled to face trial in a U.S. military court,” she added.

 

Migrants’ Crisis at the Eastern Border 

On asked whether she views the migrant crisis at Finland's eastern border through the same lens of human rights, Andersson acknowledged the necessity of taking action in response to clear indications of Russian authorities directing migrants to the Finnish border. However, she also voiced reservations about the long-term viability of a completely closed border. 

 “I have been a bit critical of the government agenda. I understand the need to take action, because we have very clear indications and proof that the Russian authorities are creating this situation, but I don’t think it is a good long-term strategy to have the border completely closed,” Andersson pointed out. 

She elaborated on the need for at least one border crossing point for family reasons and adhering to the standards laid out in the UN Refugee Convention.

 

Ukraine conflict and relations with Russia

Amid Russia's persistent aggression in Ukraine, Li Andersson foresees no immediate improvement in Finland's relations with Russia. 

 “That depends on when and how there will be peace in Ukraine. As long as the war in Ukraine continues, no European country will be able to re-establish bilateral connections with Russia. So that needs to happen first. And after that, how good of a relation we can have with Russia, will also be dependent on Russia’s leadership and policies.”

She remarked on the importance of Finland's support to Ukraine and its alignment with other EU countries, given its geographical proximity to Russia. 

“This is a big issue for Finland, given we’re also a neighboring country to Russia. Prior to NATO membership, we maintained military non-alignment, and we have our historical experiences of wars with the Soviet Union. It’s crucial for smaller nations to stand in solidarity with Ukraine, asserting that powerful nations cannot simply use force to seize what they desire.”

However, Andersson is hopeful that, if a chance arises, Finland can play a strong role in peace talks for Ukraine, maintaining its legacy in mediation and peacebuilding.

 

Finland’s NATO membership

Andersson acknowledged that Finland's NATO membership represents a significant change in its security policy. However, she emphasized the autonomy of member countries in determining their foreign policies. 

“It’s important to stress that NATO does not decide on the foreign policy of its member countries. So, Finland still has all the possibilities to have the foreign policy we desire and a foreign policy based on important values which I think should be especially respect for human rights, international law, and peacebuilding. So of course, there is a risk that some politicians want to change the foreign policy agenda of Finland, and say that we need to do this because of NATO, but I think that is an incorrect argument.”

 

 Relations with China and Eastern Bloc

On improving relations with eastern countries, Andersson believes that Finland should not limit the discussions within inflexible blocs, and instead focus on building strong partnerships across the Global South, avoiding a narrow Western-centric approach. 

 “Steering away from rigid bloc-oriented discussions, Finland’s focus should be on establishing robust partnerships across the Global South, rather than confining ourselves just to a Western-centric approach. We need a larger coalition globally to work together on significant challenges such as the climate crisis and involve all countries like China, India, and the U.S.,” she suggested. 

She believes a nuanced strategy is essential when dealing with a country like China, involving multiple dimensions.

 

Enhancing defence amid hybrid warfare 

On defense, Andersson pointed out Finland’s longstanding tradition of adopting a comprehensive security approach, envisioning measures beyond the military to encompass various societal actors.

 “Take cyber-attacks, for instance—a domain where collaboration with companies, diverse authorities, and the military is important for readiness across different scenarios.”

 “Equally important is enhancing media literacy among Finnish citizens, ensuring they possess the skills to critically analyze information found online. This approach aims to uphold a high level of trust in news outlets and traditional media. So, it is vital to have a whole-of-society strategy that involves collaboration with a diverse range of societal actors,” she added.

 

 Economic challenges 

Andersson identifies two major concerns affecting the Finnish economy: the decrease in tax revenues and demographic challenges.

“One of the major issues concerning the Finnish economy is at the taxation level and the heavy decline in tax revenue during this government period. To have balanced finances, we need to talk about income and our taxation policies. While this decrease is partly attributed to the success of environmental taxes in promoting electrification and reducing pollution, it requires a re-evaluation of income and taxation policies to maintain fiscal balance,” Andersson highlighted.

 

“The other big issue is demographics - something that the current government is not that willing to discuss. We have a high number of aging populations who need more social and health care services, which also requires more financing and fewer young people working, which creates a lasting imbalance in the economy. We need better migration policies and we need to ensure that these people get proper employment and education.” 

However, she criticized the current government for maintaining a restrictive immigration policy, hindering discussions on essential topics like demographic challenges and structural discrimination. 

Andersson also laid out her core strategy of promoting substantial investment in research and development for companies, to enhance Finland's global appeal.

 

Climate policy & dtate welfare 

Li Andersson has expressed disagreement with the current government on two major fronts: climate policy and immigration policy. She asserts that the government's efforts in addressing these crucial challenges have been insufficient.

“Unfortunately, the current government is not doing enough. Especially if you look at the traffic sector, the emissions are likely to rise. Finland also lags in preserving our carbon sinks, which are diminishing faster than emissions are declining. To meet climate targets, decisive political decisions are essential, with a heightened focus on reducing emissions within the traffic sector, and safeguarding and expanding our carbon sinks at the same time. We need a more comprehensive approach, ensuring effective climate action.” 

Elaborating on her plans to tackle these issues while highlighting her role as opposition, Andersson said, “Our plan is to get back into government after the next parliamentary elections, which would be the best way to affect this. Meanwhile, in our opposition role, we’re challenging the current government on multiple fronts. They are implementing substantial cuts in social security, making significant alterations to labour laws that could detrimentally impact Finnish workers, and scaling back climate policy ambitions. We are exerting pressure to steer the government in a different direction.”

 

Rise of Right-Wing in EU & Finland’s Reputation 

In light of the surge in right-wing governments across the EU, including Finland, Andersson drew attention to a series of scandals that hit the new government in July 2023, involving earlier racist remarks made by certain party members. “It definitely affects the international reputation of Finland. It's a matter we as opposition, are committed to challenging, striving to prevent the implementation of certain aspects outlined in the government program, particularly concerning migration policy. These measures, if enacted, could prove detrimental to the immigrant community in Finland and discourage potential future residents,” Andersson pointed out.

Andersson also stated her disapproval of recent plans to reduce Finnish embassies abroad, citing budget cuts as the sole motivation. She sees it as a potential challenge for individuals abroad, particularly in family reunification processes or visa applications. Andersson emphasizes the importance of maintaining close cooperation with other Nordic countries and regions to ensure continued global service provision. “This is one of the decisions they are doing purely because of cuts in the budget, which is not a good argument in my opinion.”

 

President’s role 

While Andersson understands the limited powers that come with the President of Finland as compared to the Prime Minister, she underscored the President's crucial role in public discourse. “Every president needs to act according to the Constitution, which designates responsibility for foreign and security policy, but it has to do with collaboration with the government. This requires cooperation from the President, irrespective of the government’s composition, to seek common ground on critical matters related to foreign policy.”

“Moreover, the president, as a prominent and influential political figure in Finland, plays a crucial role in public discourse. While lacking formal powers in certain decision-making processes, the president wields an influence through commentary on diverse issues and by shaping public debates. That’s why I think the candidates should state their views on the future of Finnish society, on issues such as racism, immigration policy, and the future of the Finnish welfare state, because these are the domains where the president has an indirect but an important role.”

 

 Campaign cost and funding dources

Andersson disclosed the overall budget for her presidential campaign as €186,000, which includes €100,000 from the Left Alliance Party. It also comprises donations of €40,000 from private individuals, in addition to contributions from local organizations.

 

-Sonali Telang - HT

 

POLITICS

 

INDIA

Popularise Sustainable Development Goals in education: Experts

Faculty should be encouraged to think about increasing the content of SDG-related themes in their courses gradually from about 5 percent to 50 percent, the deliberations pointed out.


BY BL HYDERABAD BUREAU
Updated - January 21, 2024  | Hyderabad

Over 300 delegates participated at this conference focussing on 17 SDGs to reflect on models of implementing SDGs in India

There is a need for popularising Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among students and encouraging collaboration among different stakeholders, according to experts.

Many experts including Seeram Ramakrishna, Professor, FREng. Everest Chair, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore; Mr. Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator, New Delhi stressed the the need for popularising Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among students and encouraging faculty members to engage and collaborate

They were speaking at an international conference on Knowledge for Sustainable Development: Dialogues Across Disciplines to Implement Sustainable Development Goals; held at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) here.

Ambassadors of change

They called for action to change, especially to students, who can be the ambassadors of change. Both individually and in the community, the students can through their actions produce ripples or create value that transcends individual goals and aspirations.

Given the significance and criticality of SDGs, the faculty should be encouraged to think about increasing content of SDG related themes in their courses gradually from about 5 percent to 50 percent, the deliberations pointed out.

Participants at the conference include students from UoH, and colleges in from across the country. Besides students, speakers at the conference included faculty, researchers, innovative practitioners of sustainable development, from prominent institutions. Speakers from Portugal, Germany, the USA, and Singapore were among the participants in the conference.

Over 300 delegates participated at this conference focussing on 17 SDGs to reflect on models of implementing SDGs in India.The conference was spearheaded by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), UoH and funded by the Institution of Eminence (IoE) is a university-wide initiative; and kick starts the University’s Golden Jubilee Year 2024, according to a release.

UK
Water chiefs ‘have pocketed £26m in bonuses, benefits and incentives since 2019’


Sophie Wingate, PA Political Correspondent
Sun, 21 January 2024 

Water company executives who may have presided over illegal sewage spills have pocketed more than £26 million in bonuses, benefits and incentives over the last four years, Labour has said.

The party accused the Government of turning “a blind eye to corruption at the heart of the water industry” by allowing firms to openly pollute British rivers, lakes and seas while paying out millions to bosses.

Water chiefs have received more than £10 million in bonuses, nearly £15 million in incentives and £621,580 in benefits since the 2019 general election, Labour found in its analysis of pay at nine water companies.

That includes £1.4 million in bonuses last year, less than half the £3.1 million paid in the previous year.

At the same time, companies plan to hike consumers’ bills by about £156 per year to pay for investment to prevent 140,000 sewage overflow spills a year.

Labour, if it wins the next election, has said it will give water regulators the power to ban senior executives’ bonuses if their companies are illegally polluting waterways.

It said it will end self-monitoring, make sure chief executives face personal criminal liability for “extreme and persistent” lawbreaking, and introduce “severe and automatic” fines for illegal discharges.

The party said that under its plans, regulator Ofwat could have blocked six out of nine water bosses’ bonuses last year.

Shadow environment secretary Steve Reed said: “This Conservative Government has wilfully turned a blind eye to corruption at the heart of the water industry.

“The result is stinking, toxic sewage destroying our countryside, and consumers facing higher bills while failing water bosses pocket millions in bonuses.

Labour frontbencher Steve Reed accused the Government of turning a ‘blind eye to corruption’ in the water industry (Aaron Chown/PA)

“Labour will put failing water companies under special measures. We will strengthen regulation so lawbreaking water bosses face criminal charges, and give the regulator new powers to block the payment of any bonuses until water bosses have cleaned up their filth.

“With Labour, the polluter – not the public – will pay.”

Labour’s proposals come after a BBC Panorama investigation suggested United Utilities has been misreporting its pollution incidents as being less serious than they are in order to avoid having them counted in Ofwat’s figures, something the company denies.

Environment Agency insiders also claimed most reported pollution incidents go unchecked, with officers using only what water companies tell them for their reports.

Ofwat in December said the senior executives that did take a bonus did so from shareholders, not customers.

The Environment Agency has said it takes sewage pollution “very seriously” and it will always prosecute companies that are being misleading.

A Government spokesperson said: “Our Plan for Water is delivering more investment, stronger regulation, and tougher enforcement – and we have already been very clear that water companies must never profit from environmental damage.

“That is why we have given Ofwat increased powers to hold them to account, as well as boosting Environment Agency powers through unlimited financial penalties. That’s on top of the £150 million levied through criminal prosecutions since 2015.

“All storm overflows across England are also already fitted with monitors, with this Government having increased monitoring from 7% in 2010 to 100% now.”

A spokesperson for trade association Water UK said: “We agree that any financial reward should be tightly linked to performance – including protecting the environment. It is also right that regulators have all the powers they feel they need to hold water companies to account.

“It is clear, however, that the only way to the change we all want to see is through significant investment. Water companies have set out plans for the biggest investment in the sector’s history – including £11 billion to improve sewage overflows – tripling current levels of investment.”

UK should invest in green economy instead of tax giveaways, study shows


Fiona Harvey Environment editor

GUARDIAN UK
Sun, 21 January 2024 

Photograph: Gary Calton/The Observer

The UK should invest £26bn a year in a low-carbon economy to revive prosperity instead of planning tax giveaways that will only lead to further stagnation, leading economists have advised.

Investing in energy infrastructure, transport, innovation in new technologies such as AI, and the natural environment would boost the UK’s economy rapidly, the research found.

Public investment at that level would be likely to generate about twice as much accompanying investment from the private sector, and would quickly pay off in higher productivity, efficiency savings, economic growth and carbon reductions, according to a major paper by Lord Stern, a former chief economist of the World Bank, and colleagues from the London School of Economics.


Current government plans to stifle investment, by contrast, would lead to a “continuation of stagnant productivity and weak economic growth”.

The findings are strikingly similar to the commitments made repeatedly by Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, to invest £28bn a year in a “green prosperity plan”. Those commitments have come under sustained attack from the Tories, and are now to be reviewed by the opposition leadership this week, as some figures within the party are understood to favour dropping the pledge.

The authors of the LSE paper, entitled Boosting Growth and Productivity in the UK Through Investments in the Sustainable Economy, published on Monday, arrived at their conclusions independently, by examining the fitness of the UK’s crumbling infrastructure, the challenges and benefits of low-carbon investment, the broader economic environment and international competition.

Dimitri Zenghelis, lead author of the paper, said: “This does indeed mean that Labour’s £28bn-a-year green investment plans are of the right magnitude, consistent with investing in the structural change associated with a sustainable and resilient transition.”

But he noted that the investments required – equivalent to an increase in public investment of roughly 1% of GDP – were also similar to those espoused by the former prime minister Boris Johnson, when he held the presidency of the G7 group of advanced industrialised nations.

Related: ‘Cheaper to save the world than destroy it’: why capitalism is going green

Zenghelis said the research suggested that any “fiscal headroom” within the public finances, owing to better than expected economic performance, would be better allocated to investment than to tax cuts, which the Conservative government is planning.

“The evidence suggests that [such an uplift in public investment], after more than a decade of underinvestment, gives the UK the best chance of staying in, and possibly ahead of, the global innovation, efficiency and productivity game,” said Zenghelis.

“High taxes do constrain private activity, but the evidence shows that in the UK the far bigger constraint is deficient core infrastructure and underinvestment in produced, human, intangible and natural capital.”

Shaun Spiers, executive director of the Green Alliance thinktank, who was not involved in the LSE report, said: “The UK has been underinvesting for the last 45 years. The consequences are evident all around us, in failing infrastructure, costly energy and a depleted natural world.

“Lord Stern and his colleagues are absolutely right. Public investment must be stepped up if we are to achieve net zero, restore nature and compete with countries around the world who are investing in the green industries of the future. It is what the private sector is looking for to give it the confidence to invest.”

Related: UK needs ambitious green plan to keep up with allies, says Labour frontbencher

Ed Miliband, the shadow secretary of state for energy security and net zero, said: “While the Tories refuse to invest in the greatest economic opportunity of the 21st century, now Jeremy Hunt’s economic advisers are saying they are dead wrong. Britain needs investment to grow our economy, cut energy bills and deliver energy security for our country.

“Labour’s green prosperity plan will get Britain out of the doom loop of 14 years of low growth and stagnant living standards under the Tories, by rebuilding the strength of British industry with clean, homegrown power that we control in this country.”

A government spokesperson said: “This government is focused on long-term decisions to strengthen our economy, which is why at autumn statement we announced a business investment package which could raise investment by around £20bn a year in a decade’s time.

“We’re leading the world in our transformation of the energy industry towards more clean and renewable energy, with over 80,000 green jobs being supported or in the pipeline since 2020, and our plans to power up Britain are expected to attract a further £100bn investment in green industries of the future.”

More Australian wildlife added to threatened species list in 2023 than ever before, conservationists say

Lisa Cox

GUARDIAN AUSTRALIA
Sun, 21 January 2024 

Photograph: Auscape/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

More plants, animals and habitats were added to the national list of threatened wildlife in 2023 than in any year since the list was established, according to analysis by the Australian Conservation Foundation.

A total of 144 animals, plants and ecological communities were added to the list, five times more than the yearly average and double the previous record year (2009).

Among the species listed for the first time were the pink cockatoo, listed as endangered, the northern blue-tongued skink (critically endangered) and the Jardine River turtle (critically endangered).

The high number of new entries reflects efforts by the government to work through a backlog of species assessments. Many of the plants and animals added to the list were affected by the 2019-20 black summer bushfires.

“The fact species are being listed as threatened is not the problem,” said an ACF nature campaigner, Peta Bulling. “Scientists nominated many of these species for listing years ago, so 2023’s high number shows the Environment Minister (Tanya Plibersek) and her department are clearing the backlog and making the list better reflect reality.

“The problem is the factors driving species onto the endangered list are not being stopped. In the last 12 months, 10,426 hectares [25,800 acres] of habitat destruction was approved under Australia’s national nature laws – the equivalent to clearing the size of the MCG 5,000 times over.”

Related: Governments accused of not doing enough as 17 species added to Australia’s threatened wildlife list

Bulling added that the amount of clearing approved was likely a fraction of the total habitat actually cleared because land clearing in Australia often happens without being assessed under environmental laws. She said forthcoming reforms of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act would need to address habitat destruction that was pushing native wildlife towards extinction.

Kirsty Howey, executive director of the Environment Centre of the Northern Territory, said unregulated clearing in the territory threatened habitat for species such as the Gouldian finch and northern brush-tail possum.

“A litany of loopholes and a lack of enforcement has meant that no pastoral land clearing application in the NT has ever been referred, much less assessed, under federal environmental law,” she said.

“If reforms to the EPBC Act do not address the problem of rampant unregulated land clearing, then they will utterly fail Australia’s nature.”

Consultation commenced last year with key stakeholder groups and experts about planned reforms of Australia’s national environmental laws.

Draft legislation is expected to be introduced to parliament some time this year.

Since the Albanese government was elected, Plibersek has made listing decisions on 223 threatened species and eight ecological communities. Of these 130 were bushfire-affected species and eight were bushfire-affected ecosystems.

ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY

An Alabama prisoner will soon become the first in the US to be executed by nitrogen gas. Veterinarians won't even use the method on most animals.

Michelle Mark
Jan 21, 2024, 

Alabama's lethal injection chamberAP Photo


An Alabama prisoner is about to undergo an experimental execution using nitrogen gas on Tuesday.
The inmate's attorney told a federal appeals court on Friday it constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.
Even veterinarians refrain from using nitrogen gas in euthanasias for most animals.

An Alabama prisoner is scheduled to be executed by nitrogen gas on Tuesday — an experimental form of capital punishment that has prompted a global outcry from human rights organizations.

Kenneth Eugene Smith survived a lethal injection attempt in September 2022, when officials from Alabama's Department of Corrections tried and failed for four hours to find a vein to insert an IV line. A federal judge then ruled that an execution by nitrogen hypoxia can go forward.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has criticized the planned execution, saying it violates international human rights treaties, including the prohibition on "torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment."

Critics have also pointed to the American Veterinary Medical Association's 2020 euthanasia guidelines, which say nitrogen hypoxia creates an "anoxic environment that is distressing for some species." The AVMA now says the gas can be used under certain conditions for chickens, turkeys, and pigs, but is deemed "unacceptable" for other mammals.

On Friday, a federal appeals court heard arguments from Smith's attorney in a last-minute effort to block the execution, saying a second execution attempt would constitute cruel and unusual punishment. Alabama's solicitor general argued that the state has "adopted the most painless and humane method of execution known to man," according to the Associated Press.

The nitrogen hypoxia execution method, which remains untested, involves a mask being fitted to the prisoner's face, which pipes in nitrogen gas. But Smith's lawyer has argued there is a risk that the mask's seal could leak in oxygen, causing a prolonged and terrifying execution.

Federal appeals judges on Friday also asked what would happen if Smith vomited into the mask — to which Alabama's solicitor general responded that the state would not stop the nitrogen gas once it began flowing.

"If he vomits during the execution with the mask on, you're telling me that the state will not stop the execution, they will permit him to choke on his vomit?" one judge asked, according to the Associated Press. The solicitor general replied that the risk of vomiting was low and that Smith would be unconscious almost immediately.

Smith was convicted of the brutal murder-for-hire scheme against Elizabeth Sennett in 1988. Smith and another man each accepted $1,000 from Sennett's husband, a preacher who had taken out an insurance policy on his wife and died by suicide before he could be criminally charged, according to AL.com. Authorities said Sennett had been stabbed and beaten with a fireplace instrument in a scene that was staged to look like a home invasion.

Smith confessed to the crime, and the other man was executed by lethal injection in 2010, according to the Associated Press.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Smith told the news outlet he has been "sick to his stomach" about his upcoming second journey to the death chamber.

"I am not ready for that. Not in no kind of way. I'm just not ready, brother," he said.

NIGERIA
President Tinubu calls for review of global tax system, affirms commitment to multilateralism

Sunday, January 21, 2024


Nigeria’s Minister of Budget & Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, (who represented President Bola Tinubu) and other leaders at the opening of the two-day 19th Summit of Heads of State & Government of the Non-Aligned Movement in Kampala, Uganda.

President Bola Tinubu has advocated a review of global taxation, explaining that redressing the imbalance in the international tax regime has become imperative.

The Nigerian President also affirmed the country’s belief in and commitment towards multilateralism as a way of addressing global challenges.

President Tinubu stated Njgeria’s position on these issues in a speech at the Third South Summit of the Group of 77 and China which opened on Sunday in Kampala, Uganda.

He said the issue of global taxation is pressing because it impacts developing countries.

“The current international tax systems, largely shaped by the interests of more affluent nations, often leave developing countries at a disadvantage, especially in taxing digital economies. This systemic imbalance has led to significant revenue losses, hampering our efforts towards sustainable development and economic self-reliance,” he pointed out.

In response to this, Nigeria, alongside other Member States of the African Group championed a historic initiative at the United Nations calling for a Framework Convention on Tax.

This resolution, according to him, marks a pivotal step towards establishing a more equitable and inclusive global tax system.

President Tinubu was represented at the summit with the theme “Leaving No One Behind” by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.

The summit is being attended by many heads of state and government as well as heads of international organizations including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.


Expressing Nigeria’s appreciation to all the countries that supported the global tax review initiative, President Tinubu said their solidarity reflects “our shared commitment to rectifying the inequities of the current tax system and fostering a more just economic order.”

Also in reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to South-South economic collaboration, the President spoke of the critical role of the Action Committee on Raw Materials (ACRM) of the G-77, established in 1987 for enhancing cooperation in the development and processing of raw materials.

While acknowledging the importance of comprehensive data on raw material availability and location, President Tinubu advocated the revival of the ACRM.

“This is crucial for coordinated information dissemination, facilitating access for international entrepreneurs and joint venture partners and addressing challenges in raw material development that hinder industrialization and economic growth,” he said.

The resuscitation of the ACRM, with a focus on data-driven strategies and information systems, is imperative to improving trade terms, foster economic self-reliance and enhance resilience among developing countries, he pointed out.

President Tinubu also restated, at the summit, Nigeria’s earlier position on Israel’s attack of Palestine over Gaza, saying the recent developments in the State of Palestine demand our immediate attention and action.

“Nigeria aligns itself with the international community’s call for an immediate ceasefire and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

“Upholding our commitment to the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the promotion of peace and security, we firmly support a two-state solution as the path forward in this protracted conflict,” he said.

The President spoke against any form of indiscriminate violence, emphasizing the urgent need to address humanitarian concerns, ensuring the protection and dignity of all civilians affected by this crisis.

“As a member of this Group, Nigeria remains dedicated to advocating peaceful solutions in global conflict zones, reflecting our commitment to the stability and prosperity of the African continent and the global community.”

Drawing the attention of the summit to the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, the Nigerian leader spoke of Group of 77’s enduring commitment to fostering a world where no one is left behind – where every individual has an equal opportunity to thrive.

This year’s Summit and its theme resonate with the aspirations and principles of G77.

“It seeks our collective commitment to building an influential force that champions international peace and security; protects the rights and dignity of our citizens; and fosters cooperation in the spirit of South-South collaboration,” the President said.

He added: “Considering the interconnected nature of our world, we need a concerted action to tackle issues of climate change, eco-disparities, environmental concerns and technological programs in this post-pandemic era.

“Similarly, emerging global challenges, such as the digital divide, cybersecurity, illicit financial flows, terrorism and corruption, are interconnected threats that undermine our socio-economic stability and require a united approach by this assembly.

“With illicit financial flows alone estimated to siphon off billions of dollars annually from economies, especially in the Global South, the urgency for early action has never been greater,” he said.
President Tinubu pointed out that Nigeria recognizes the urgency to combat these challenges, particularly illicit financial flows.

“We advocate enhanced international cooperation, stronger regulatory frameworks and a robust collaborative approach.

“By uniting our efforts and sharing best practices, we can promote transparency, accountability and a more secure, prosperous future for all G77 and China member states.”

Reflecting on these global challenges, he said Nigeria acknowledges the multifaceted nature of the issues we face. “Our focus remains steadfast on rebuilding our economies, fortifying healthcare systems and securing sustainable livelihoods for our citizens.”

President Tinubu also spoke of the importance of technical cooperation and capacity building in addressing current global challenges.

“As a country, We have been actively engaged through the Directorate of Technical Aid Corps (DTAC) in fostering international cooperation in the spirit of South South Collaboration.

“DTAC, as a key instrument of Nigeria’s foreign policy, facilitates the exchange of expertise and knowledge with 38 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, dispatching over 30,000 skilled professionals since its inception in 1987.

“These efforts enhance our collective ability to fortify health and educational system and secure sustainable livelihood for our citizens.

“​In addition to DTAC’s contributions, Nigeria’s commitment to enhancing South-South cooperation is further demonstrated through our establishment of the Directorate for Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA), he added.

DTCA plays a crucial role in fostering collaboration and economic development across the African continent.

By leveraging the strengths of DTCA, the President said Nigeria aims to deepen ties with fellow African nations, sharing resources and expertise to promote mutual growth and development.

Similarly, in her commitment to South-South collaboration, Nigeria also emphasizes the significance of Triangular cooperation.

“This partnership model, involving developing countries, developed nations and international organizations, offers a comprehensive approach to address global challenges.

“Such cooperation enriches Nigeria’s strategies for sustainable development, ensuring inclusivity and maximizing the impact of our collective efforts,” President Tinubu submitted.

While reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment towards multilateralism and the objectives of the Bandung principles, the President concluded, saying as G77 looks towards the future, the organization should envision a movement that is responsive to the needs and aspirations of Member States.

SOUTH AFRICA

UNHAPPY FEET
Penguin safety worries as navy readies Simon’s Town underwater demolition training exercise

A naval 'underwater explosive exercise' is set to take place near Seaforth in Simon's Town from 22 January 2024 until 11 February 2024. Locals and environmental groups believe it poses a threat to endangered and sensitive marine life since the activity will take place close to the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach. (Photo: Gallo Images)

By Kristin Engel
21 Jan 2024 
A planned ‘underwater explosive exercise’ by the South African Navy has raised concern among local residents and environmental activists. Scheduled to take place near Seaforth Beach from Monday, 22 January 2024, the exercise has sparked alarm due to its potential impact on the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach.

A coastal warning was issued on the South African Navy website on 15 January 2024 indicating that the navy will be conducting the exercise between 22 January and 1 February near Seaforth in Simon’s Town, and all vessels were requested to keep clear.

This triggered an immediate outcry from residents as fears were raised over the potential effects on marine life, particularly the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach, which is close to the exercise area.

Residents have expressed dismay at the lack of transparency and communication regarding the nature and necessity of the exercise, as well as the potential harm to threatened marine wildlife.

The demolition range where the exercise will take place was gazetted for the navy’s use more than 60 years ago and it uses the range to train navy divers.


A major concern among residents is the potential impacts on the penguins — the African penguin is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature on its Red Data list of threatened species.

The species, endemic to South Africa and Namibia, is marching towards extinction, with a population that is critically low. A century ago, the African penguin boasted more than a million breeding pairs, but the number has dwindled to fewer than 10,000 today. This current trajectory suggests it could become functionally extinct by 2035.

This means the population will be so diminished that it won’t be able to breed sufficiently to replenish and increase its numbers.


We don’t know enough to just blindly continue doing a practice just because we’ve done it for 60 years.

Nick Stander, head of conservation at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob), told Daily Maverick: “Sanccob is engaging with stakeholders on the matter, and we share concerns regarding the noise implications on endangered African penguins at the Simon’s Town colony.”

Stander said they have been conducting ongoing bioacoustics research with their partners to better understand how noise affects seabirds under and above water.
Underwater demolitions training exercise for divers

Commander Theo Mabina, acting senior staff officer of naval public relations, told Daily Maverick that the navy will undertake an “underwater demolitions training exercise for divers” to prepare and train them for some of their responsibilities.

This includes clearing harbour entrances, underwater canals, beach landings, and any other underwater demolition jobs that may arise.

Mabina said that “at all times, the South African Navy should maintain a capable force ready to respond to any hostile circumstance, which could include economic sabotage situations in which sea mines are put in the country’s major ports, necessitating the use of navy divers. As a result, training and force preparation are critical components of members’ competency and certification. This is what the organisation has been doing since its inception, as required by the Constitution and Defence Act.”

The training exercise would take place in a designated and charted “Shallow Water Demolitions Range Military Practice Area”, which is mainly used for such training and exercises.

Read more in Daily Maverick: As African Penguins teeter on the brink of extinction, Boulders could be a vital education tool

“The range’s limit for underwater demolitions is 5kg, which has been in effect since its inception in the 1980s. This training will last only one day, between January 22 and February 1, 2024. As a norm, the SA Navy does and will always send navigational warnings on these and other related activities,” said Mabina.

Questions about whether an environmental impact assessment (EIA) had been done, and whether the potential harm of this activity on the nearby African penguin colony and other marine life had been considered, went unanswered in the navy’s response. As were questions about what safety measures were implemented to minimise the impact on marine life and the surrounding environment.
Outcry from locals and objections

Simon’s Town resident Jenny Cullinan questioned the environmental impact studies conducted by the navy, expressing concern that outdated practices fail to account for the changing environmental conditions and the increasing threats to marine life.

Cullinan lives just above the demarcated area and said “it’s a big sound that comes from it; huge explosive blows where even my windows rattle and my animals get pretty distressed by it. I would say it has a massive impact on the animals in the ocean; one knows that sound travels in a particular way underwater.

“The South African Navy has to comply with South African law, environmental laws too… from my point of view, we’re looking at a government entity that seems to override the law. They do their own thing,” she said.

Cullinan said the environment has changed drastically over the past 60 years with climate change, biodiversity loss, urbanisation, pollution and ocean changes.

“We can’t just carry on behaving as if the situation hasn’t changed. This behaviour needs to be adjusted… 60 years ago these demarcated areas were declared; what environmental studies were done then? And if they weren’t done, can we not ask for a review or for this to be done so that halting of this activity happens and an assessment is done?


It’s very close to… a group of African penguins that are likely to be extinct by 2035. So, any disturbance to an area near them could have catastrophic effects.

“The False Bay environment has lots of very special animals that live here… and we do need to protect what we have – not just protect, but fiercely protect. It’s a critical point in time on the planet, we can’t just carry on because it’s always been done for 60 years.”

In her objection to the activity, Dr Heidi-Jayne Hawkins, a Glencairn resident, a regular diver off Simon’s Town and researcher of plant physiology, functional ecology and ecosystem carbon, requested that the navy supply evidence of an EIA.

“I find this unacceptable because the area is near Boulders Beach with the endangered African penguin colony, and Seaforth Beach, a major recreational area on both land and sea for locals and tourists.”

Long-time resident Lisa Garson, who has persistently raised concerns about naval exercises, said her attempts to report the activities as environmental crimes were met with resistance, underscoring the perception that the navy operates with impunity.

Garson even tried to lay a charge with the South African Police Service in Simon’s Town and claims she was laughed out of the office because they said the crime has to actually be in progress or have taken place when reported.

“I’ve had a very frustrating time… recently, they’ve [the navy] put a notice on their website saying that they’re planning these explosions underground, and they’re detonations, not massive explosions where all the fish are going to be lying on the top of the sea. But the fact of the matter is that it’s very close to the Boulders penguin colony with a group of African penguins that are likely to be extinct by 2035. So, any disturbance to an area near them could have catastrophic effects,” she said.

In September 2021, 65 endangered African penguins died overnight at Boulders as a result of bee stings. Garson said this showed how sensitive and vulnerable this already endangered species was to changes in the environment: “We don’t know enough to just blindly continue doing a practice just because we’ve done it for 60 years.”

“The navy needs to see some protest action, because they operate with impunity… The bottom line is that until we know more, until we know how these birds are affected by any activity, shooting, blasting, or whatever it might be, it needs to be stopped,” said Garson.

Our oceans are under pressure on multiple fronts. Seismic blasting and oil drilling, ocean acidification from absorption of the increasing amounts of CO2 in our atmosphere, increasing temperatures and commercial fishing are just a small sample of the factors threatening aquatic life.
‘Ecocidal behaviour’

Isabelle Joubert from Extinction Rebellion (XR) Cape Town said that with coastal wildlife already vulnerable, they want transparency about these activities, including their use, necessity and environmental impact.

“Globally, militaries need to be held to far greater account for their ecocidal behaviour, whether as a result of their profligate use of fossil fuels, their indiscriminate decimation of conflict zones, or their devastation of ecosystems through weapons testing, most notably in the case of the nuclear weapons tests,” said Joubert.

XR Cape Town called for the blasting exercises to be stopped and participated in a sea and land-based protest on Saturday, 19 January at Long Beach in Simon’s Town, together with other paddlers, seafarers and residents.

Helen Lockhart, conservation and sustainability manager for the Two Oceans Aquarium, said that sound is the sensory cue that travels farthest in the ocean and is used by marine animals, ranging from tiny floating plankton to invertebrates and whales, to interpret and explore the marine environment and to interact within and among species.

“Penguins may be expected to be particularly affected by loud underwater sounds, due to their largely aquatic existence. A study in 2017 by Pichegru, Nyengera, McInnes and Pistorius on the behavioural response of breeding endangered African penguins to seismic surveys within 100km of their colony showed that penguins avoided the areas where they normally foraged for food and moved further away, which meant that they had to expend more energy to hunt and also remained from their nests and chicks for longer periods,” she said.

The birds reverted to normal behaviour when the operation ceased, although longer-term repercussions on hearing capacities cannot be precluded.

Lockhart said that “the rapid industrialisation of the oceans has increased levels of underwater anthropogenic noises globally – a growing concern for a wide range of taxa, now also including seabirds. African penguin numbers have decreased by 70% in the past 10 years, a strong motivation for precautionary management decisions and human activities.”

The Not On Our Watch Campaign, which was launched in 2023, aims to create a movement and raise awareness of the need for urgent action to reverse the decline of the African penguin population in the wild.

As the controversy unfolds, the battle for environmental protection in Simon’s Town intensifies. The fragile balance between military activities and the preservation of endangered species underscores the urgent need for open dialogue, updated environmental assessments, and a re-evaluation of practices that may threaten the delicate ecosystems of Simon’s Town. 

DM

Labour MP stirred by disappearing Antarctic ice and her father’s legacy

Rachel Hall

THE GUARDIAN
Sun, 21 January 2024 

Photograph: Anna McMorrin

When Anna McMorrin MP visited the Antarctic as part of a government inquiry, she stumbled upon a report in the Rothera Research Station library that her father, a polar researcher, had written in 1962.

It described the Larsen ice shelf, a beautiful stretch of thousands of miles of thick, white, crystalline snow – which has now almost completely melted away.

Her shock at witnessing the change first-hand has reinforced for her the urgency of slowing climate breakdown in Antarctica to prevent a dangerous tipping point that could disrupt ocean currents and weather systems, with catastrophic implications for humanity.


She said: “[The Larsen ice shelf] has just completely melted away and disappeared into the sea. Ice that was there for thousands of years, and it’s gone in the last few decades.

“This was an important trip, because never has there been a more important time to look at the changing Antarctic and its impact on the rest of the world, the melting of the glaciers and the impact that’s having on ocean temperatures, the currents, biodiversity, weather systems. What happens in Antarctica does not stay in Antarctica.”

McMorrin, the Labour MP for Cardiff North, flew to the Falklands just before Christmas, where she was able to hitch a ride on a British Antarctic Survey ship, a science and research vessel named after Sir David Attenborough.

On arrival she found an “incredible continent that’s been totally isolated from the rest of the world”, with unique biodiversity, 24 hours of daylight during its summer and freezing winds that blow in wild storms at a moment’s notice.

Her expedition will feed into the recently launched UK and the Antarctic environment inquiry by the environmental audit sub-committee on polar research, which will look at how British scientific research and climate policy can slow climate breakdown in the Antarctic. The inquiry will soon hold a series of evidence sessions in parliament before publishing a report later in the year.

McMorrin found the trip particularly emotional because her father, Ian McMorrin, worked for the British Antarctic Survey. During his career, he surveyed and mapped the landscape, and he even has a glacier named after him.

Yet McMorrin – herself a former environmental campaigner and climate change adviser in the Welsh government – was as moved by what she did not see as what she did: “The changes that have taken place in those 60 years – it is stark. You are seeing glaciers retreat by huge amounts, hundreds of metres.”

She believes it is important to understand the mechanisms causing this, and the impact it could have on the world’s climate, from floods in the UK to changing weather patterns that have resulted in the Earth’s hottest-ever annual temperature and lethal forest fires around the globe.

A study published last week found that Greenland’s ice cap is losing an average of 30m tonnes of ice an hour due to the climate crisis, 20% more than was previously thought.

McMorrin said: “It’s accelerating, and the worrying thing is we don’t know where that tipping point is – where we can’t reverse it. The only way forward is to ensure we have those stark cuts to carbon emissions, that we’re on this track to net zero, we don’t veer off that, we invest in renewables, we come together globally, meet our carbon commitments.”

The message she wants the general public to receive is that this doesn’t have to be about sacrifice. “It can be a good change, it can lead to more jobs, a better future for everybody, a much more pleasant place to live and more money in your pockets, because it’s an investment in our economy,” she said.

She also wants the public to understand that if they care about slowing climate breakdown, voting for Labour in the next general election is the best way to achieve this.

McMorrin said: “Labour has a plan for this. We are absolutely determined to turn our industries around and invest in decarbonising them.

“I’m not sure it’s understood by the Conservatives, they have a battle on their hands. Rishi Sunak turned back the clock on net zero last September, he slowed things down in terms of targets. That’s not someone who sees hope in the future of net zero, that’s someone who sees it as a problem.”

Australia not prepared for how Antarctic ice changes will pummel economy, scientist warns

Adam Morton

GUARDIAN AUSTRALIA
Sun, 21 January 2024 

Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

A leading Antarctic scientist has urged the Albanese government to pay closer attention to abrupt changes under way in the southern continent, warning they will affect Australians in ways that are little understood and research into them is drastically underfunded.

The head of the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, Prof Matt King, said he found it embarrassing how little was known about the local and global ramifications of changes including a historic drop in floating sea ice cover, the accelerating melting of giant ice sheets and the slowing of a deep ocean current known as the Southern Ocean overturning circulation.

King said they were likely to affect temperature and rainfall patterns across Australia in different ways – changes that could transform communities and affect the viability of some agricultural industries – and hasten sea level rise along the coast.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup


He said Australia dedicated only tens of millions of dollars a year to work on the continent and much of that went to building and maintaining ships and stations, not research. An Antarctic cargo ship can cost more than $40m.

King said the allocation of funding was small in the context of the $680bn federal budget and did not reflect the continent’s importance.

“We need a champion in cabinet who can drive forward a multi-decadal agenda in the Antarctic. Perhaps one of the weaknesses is that Antarctica is seen as an environmental problem, but it is an all-of-government problem,” King said.

He added: “The Australian economy, and the global economy, is set up on Antarctica being as it has been. We’re moving to a phase where Antarctica won’t be like that any more.”

The changes in the Antarctic region have raised serious concerns about its immediate health and coincided with evidence that longer-term transformations linked to the climate crisis have started sooner than had been assumed was likely.

Sea ice cover in the ocean surrounding the continent crashed for six months straight to a level far below anything on the satellite record. One example of its impact: a peer-reviewed paper found an earlier decline in 2022 was likely to have caused a “catastrophic breeding failure” that killed thousands of emperor penguin chicks.

Related: Red alert in Antarctica: the year rapid, dramatic change hit climate scientists like a ‘punch in the guts’

Separate papers found the Southern Ocean overturning circulation had slowed by about 30% since the 1990s and could drop off much further by mid-century due to meltwater from the continent’s ice sheets if greenhouse gas emissions were not significantly reduced. Scientists said this could generate a cascade of impacts to push up sea levels, alter weather patterns and starve marine life of a vital source of nutrients. Past changes in ocean circulations have happened over more than 1,000 years. The paper said in this case it could happen within decades, with relatively abrupt consequences for lives and livelihoods.

Other research last year suggested accelerated melting of ice shelves extended over the Amundsen Sea in west Antarctica was locked in and beyond human control for the rest of this century, even if emissions were significantly reduced.

King said scientists studying these changes and their consequences were relying on scientific models that were incomplete for parts of west Antarctica “and even more so for the rest of the continent”.

“There is so much we don’t know … We don’t know the shape of the bedrock under the ice that governs how the ice retreats and what impact the retreat has,” he said. “We have almost no data on the continental shelf.”

How little is known about the Southern Ocean seabed was illustrated last week when the Australian Antarctic Division announced expeditioners on a resupply voyage had mapped a 2km deep, 46km long canyon extending from the Adams glacier near Casey station when wild weather had forced a delay in unloading goods.

Ben Galton-Fenzi, a glaciologist with the Australian Antarctic Division, said the discovery was noteworthy but there were more important seabed areas scientists could have studied if there was support for a dedicated research trip.

King said while Australia now had access to the RSV Nuyina, an ice-breaking research and supply ship, the country would need multiple icebreakers or autonomous robotic ships if it were to undertake the long-term research needed.

He said a research trip to the marginal ice zone, the transitional area between open sea and floating ice, had been cancelled when the Nuyina was not ready on time and was yet to be rescheduled.

Related: Greenland losing 30m tonnes of ice an hour, study reveals

King said there was some evidence of the impact of sea ice loss on Australian weather patterns – one study suggested it could have a drying effect in New South Wales and be linked to increased rainfall in northern Western Australia. But scientists could not yet say what the changes would mean for rainfall patterns over the next decade.

He said the impact of melting glaciers and a potential decline in the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the Southern Ocean also posed substantial risks that were not receiving the attention they needed. Research led by King found Antarctic glaciers have been losing on average about 150bn tonnes of ice a year – about 17m tonnes an hour – over the past two decades.

There is a similar issue in the northern hemisphere. Research published last week found the Greenland ice cap was losing an average of 30m tonnes of ice a hour, 20% more than previously thought.

ICYMI
Ancient zombie viruses in melting permafrost could cause new pandemic, scientists warn

Andy Gregory
Sun, 21 January 2024 

Ancient “zombie viruses” frozen in melting Arctic permafrost could fuel a new pandemic if unleashed by climate change, scientists have warned.

Global heating is enabling increased human activity in the Earth’s northernmost reaches, as melting sea ice opens up shipping and industrial possibilities, including mining deep into the permafrost which covers a fifth of the northern hemisphere, mainly in Canada, Siberia and Alaska.

But scientists have reportedly started to plan an Arctic monitoring network to watch out for any early cases of a disease sparked by ancient viruses, also known as Methusela microbes.

A cemetery sits on melting permafrost tundra at the Yupik Eskimo village of Quinhagak in Alaska (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images)


Ancient viruses have already been found in Siberian permafrost, including one sample which was 48,500 years old. A team led by geneticist Jean-Michel Claverie has revived several such viruses, capable of infecting only single-cell organisms.

But the scientist fear viruses capable of infecting humans likely also lurk in the permafrost. “We see the traces of many, many, many other viruses,” Professor Claverie told CNN in March, adding: “If the amoeba viruses are still alive, there is no reason why the other viruses will not be still alive, and capable of infecting their own hosts.”

As a result, Prof Claverie is among scientists working with the University of the Arctic network on plans to establish quarantine facilities and provide medical expertise that could pinpoint and attempt to treat any early cases without them leaving the region, according to The Observer.

“At the moment, analyses of pandemic threats focus on diseases that might emerge in southern regions and then spread north,” Prof Claverie, of Aix-Marseille University in France, told the paper. “By contrast, little attention has been given to an outbreak that might emerge in the far north and then travel south – and that is an oversight, I believe.

“There are viruses up there that have the potential to infect humans and start a new disease outbreak.” Among the genomic traces of human pathogens identified already by the team in Siberian permafrost are pox viruses and herpes viruses, he said.

According to scientists, Alaska has been warming twice as fast as the global average (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images)

Virologist Marion Koopmans agreed, telling the paper: “We don’t know what viruses are lying out there in the permafrost but I think there is a real risk that there might be one capable of triggering a disease outbreak – say of an ancient form of polio. We have to assume that something like this could happen.”

With forecasts suggesting the Arctic Sea will be ice-free as early as 2040 due to climate breakdown, it is the prospect of increased human activity in the Arctic, as opposed to melting permafrost, which most concerns Prof Claverie.

“Huge mining operations are being planned, and are going to drive vast holes into the deep permafrost to extract oil and ores,” he said. “Those operations will release vast amounts of pathogens that still thrive there. Miners will walk in and breath the viruses. The effects could be calamitous.”

“Our immune systems may have never been in contact with some of those microbes, and that is another worry,” said Prof Claverie. “The scenario of an unknown virus once infecting a Neanderthal coming back at us, although unlikely, has become a real possibility.”

Prof Koopmans added: “If you look at the history of epidemic outbreaks, one of the key drivers has been change in land use. Nipah virus was spread by fruit bats who were driven from their habitats by humans. Similarly, monkeypox has been linked to the spread of urbanisation in Africa.

“And that is what we are about to witness in the Arctic: a complete change in land use, and that could be dangerous, as we have seen elsewhere.”

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for permafrost 

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for melting permafrost 

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for ZOMBIE VIRUSES