大象传媒

The original BRIC acronym originated with Jim O鈥橬eill, a Goldman Sachs economist. He analyzed the emergence of these countries as economic powerhouses. Over the intervening 10 years, this term has come to symbolize the growing power of the world鈥檚 largest emerging economies & their potential challenge to the developed G7 economies. At the same time, it remains unclear to what extent the BRICS countries represent a cohesive unit.
In the course of the last decade, the share of world GDP of the 3 main emerging economies 鈥� Brazil, China and India 鈥� has DOUBLED. Not only have the emerging economies surged, they have also become increasingly interconnected.
The surge of the emerging economies has been all the more marked since the recent global financial crisis. From Sao Paulo to Istanbul to Jakarta there is a buzz that reflects recent achievements and projects much more.
Brazil has overtaken G-7 members Italy & Canada to hold the seventh spot.
As impressive as has been the positive contribution of the emerging economies to global economic growth, quite unimpressive has been their generally negative contribution to global governance. The current state of global governance, of course, is not the fault of the emerging powers. The resistance comes from the established powers. American obstructionism is the biggest obstacle. The floundering economies of the euro zone are causing havoc with the IMF with its privatization and austerity measures. This is why I much prefer Mexico's Carstens to LaGarde.
The emerging economies formed the G-22 under the combined leadership of Brazil, China, India and South Africa, which effectively, to the great consternation of Washington and Brussels, literally destroyed Western trade hegemony. After this 鈥渧ictory,鈥� however, the G-22 morphed & while US-EU leadership has indeed been wanting. What BRIC now needs to learn is how to say to the big powers: "Oh, no you don't!" while saying, "We can do it on our own!" When this happens, watch out.
All being well, I look forward to your report on The World Tonight next Wednesday and Thursday, and I will listen to Stephanie Flanders's pieces as well, on Radio 4 and on 大象传媒 TV news.

It occurred to me that you may be talking specifically about the Amazon damning. Recently, "Amazon Watch" & its legal partners the "InterAmerican Association for Environmental Defense" petitioned the Organization of American States鈥� Human Rights Division to take Brazil to court over the Belo Monte Dam.
The 11,200 megawatt hydroelectric power station will be built over a portion of the Xingu River, a tributary of the Amazon River, located in Para State - one of Brazil鈥檚 largest Amazon jungle states. The area would cause displacement to some indigenous communities (to create the reservoir). The Brazilian Govt has been denounced, called on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to declare human rights violations & cancel the project.
On Brazil鈥檚 side, NO tribal lands will be flooded, anywhere, but 20,000 people will be forced to relocate because of the flooding required to build Belo鈥檚 reservoir. However, some river dwelling tribes have said that the dam would threaten Xingu tributaries like the Bacaj谩 River, among others, possibly causing them to dry up.
The major national indigenous group, called the National Indian Foundation, or FUNAI, agreed that Ibama & Belo Monte鈥檚 owners, the private consortium Norte Energia, were in compliance with the environmental & social requirements set forth before the installation permit was issued. Amazon Watch claims that was not the case. A Para state public attorney also filed an injunction against the dam. Injunctions against hydroelectric power in the Amazon are COMMON, with Belo being served 9 times. Each case was OVERRULED by a higher court. Norte Energia is responsible for paying for the property that will be flooded, & either building or finding a new & similar property for the displaced homeowners.
Indigenous rights are part of the Brazilian Constitution & international agreements such as the American Convention on Human Rights & UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that foreign entities should stay out of Brazil鈥檚 business in the Amazon, citing sovereignty over the region to which I would add The Brazilian's Govt careful & humane regard for its people. Around 85% of Brazil鈥檚 electricity is powered by hydroelectric dams, making Brazil鈥檚 energy cost the cheapest of all large countries...and personally I think this is the reason American organizations are so ready to contest Brazilian progress instead of learn from it.

What we do know is that "developed" countries have not really changed the conditions for the poor either. The "trickle down" theory never worked and never will. It is a shell game played by politicians who want to appear empathic. The money-lenders always want control and care little about anything but profit. Self-supporting indigenous peoples are not consumers and therefore do not contribute to the profits of others. Highest use is always determined by profit. Capitalism has changed to Consumerism. big business and consolidated wealth dictate the opportunities of others. Economic history is just that, history. The modern model is simply resting on that shadow for convenience. The poor are less patient with the proposals that their conditions will change in a generation or two. It is more difficult to protest from a grave.

Brazil - a wonderful country, a fascinating people, a total shambles.

I emigrated to the Brazilian Amazon four years ago. The so-called Brazilian Cost referred to by Stephanie (custo Brazil) is the result of the systemic corruption and meaningless bureaucracy which everyone from the President downwards has to deal with on a daily basis. It is this that hamstrings the country now and it is this that will bring it to its knees when the temporary boom is over, in around 4-5 years time or less.

There is no hope of improvement without a fundamental overhaul of the political, legal, social and fiscal systems, and unfortunately there is no evidence of the existence of the will, the means or the ability to make this happen: on the contrary, the country麓s growing wealth seems to be generating more - not less - ignorance and corruption, and hubris reigns.

The solution of course is education, but this will take much longer than the short time available if the country is to avoid falling into the pit of social unrest and violence it is so energetically digging for itself.

p.s. Glad to see the 大象传媒 is finally taking Brazil seriously.