The World Commission on Dams

On November 16th, the World Commission on Dams published a report on the role of dams in meeting development needs. Although there are never perfect solutions, the Commission's report marked a change in the decision-making approach to building dams. For the first time, the Commission sought the ideas of 800 experts from 79 countries, representing the full range of viewpoints on the benefits and drawbacks of dams. From this research, the Commission has drawn up a list of guidelines that can be used to decide whether dams should be built in the future.

For more information on the Commission and its report, check out their website, www.dams.org

Improving lives through reading

Children and adults in many countries do not have access to interesting, up-to-date materials that help learning and a love of reading.

To support literacy, education and training, Book Aid International supplies over 750,000 books a year to more than 60 countries. They work in partnership with libraries and community groups that are finding practical ways to make books and information available to those who need them most.

Book Aid International is also the official charity for World Book Day, a worldwide celebration of books and reading that is taking place on 1st March 2001.

To find out more about how you and your school can support Book Aid International and participate in World Book Day, check out their website, www.bookaid.org or contact them at 39-41, Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell, London SE5 9NR. Tel: 020 7733 3577 or e mail: [email protected]

	Without an agreement on climate change, serious droughts and other extremes in the weather may become more commonplace.
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"No Change" on Climate Change

The international summit on Climate Change in The Hague, Holland collapsed without agreement in November 2000. Whilst European representatives were willing to make cuts in greenhouse gases like CO2 that cause global warming, another group of developed countries led by USA thought differently. Along with Japan, Australia and New Zealand, the US representatives offered to create 'carbon sinks' by planting forests that soak up CO2, but they refused to make changes to their economies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

The U.S.A. has only 4% of the world's population but is responsible for nearly a quarter of the C02 that people add to the atmosphere. As new records are set in extreme weather events, it is nearly always the poorest countries that are worst affected, even though they contribute the smallest amount of greenhouse gases. Sea level rises, droughts, and more extreme floods and hurricanes have already had devastating effects on many LEDC's and many scientists believe that this is just the beginning.

Competition Winners of the June Goldman Prize

The winners of the 'June Goldman' prize from Global Eye 13 (Autumn 2000) are Alexandra Bolton of Shrewsbury High School, Shrewsbury and Brenda Nugent of St. Catherine's College, Armagh, Northern Ireland. Congratulations! The winners will receive a copy of the 'Music on the Line' video and audio CD for their school and one for themselves. Thanks to all those who entered the competition, and we hope you will have better luck in this issue's competitions! Have a look on the Competitions pages... Alfred Goldman, a longstanding supporter of Worldaware, has kindly donated a fund for our competition prizes in memory of his late wife, June.