Ecology and Environment

Two weeks before the start of the Rio+20 Summit Mr. Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima and President of Mayors for Peace has added his signature to the [Rio+20 Appeal](http://www.inesglobal.com/Disarmament-for-Sustainable-Development.phtml) calling on governments to cut military spending in favor of sustainable development.

In run-up to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, the Government of Brazil is organizing, with support of the UN, Sustainable Development Dialogues – a forum for civil society – in Riocentro from June 16 to 19.
In the 4 days top representatives from civil society, private sector, NGOs, scientific community, etc.. will convene at the venue of the Rio+20 Conference

The indefinite hunger strike has been going on since May 1 against the Koodankulam nuclear power project (KKNPP). By May 5, 25 men had been on the fast since May 1 and 302 women and 10 more men joined the strike on May 4. More and more women are eager to join the indefinite hunger strike but the organisers are not able to accommodate them.

The Annual General Meeting of Abolition 2000 Global Network for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons unanimously adopted a statement: “Welcoming the Shut-Down of All of Japan’s Nuclear Reactors. The news that the last of country’s 54 nuclear reactors went offline for maintenance also sparked celebrations among Japan’s anti-nuclear protesters.

Letter delivered to the UN, Endorsed by experts in the nuclear field: Hiroaki Koide; Mitsuhei Murata; Akio Matsumura; Robert Alvarez; Masashi Goto (credentials below). Signing organizations: 72 Japanese organizations as of 30 April 2012. Signatories of the letter to the UN – Shut Tomari, Hokkaido and Green Action, Kyoto.

The “Mayors for a Nuclear Power Free Japan” network will be officially launched in Tokyo on April 28, 2012.
This network was initiated by mayors and local municipal leaders attending the Global Conference for a
Nuclear Power Free World held in Yokohama in January 2012.
66 mayors from 34 prefectures throughout Japan have declared their participation in this
network.

Quoting similarities between the anti-Posco (South Korea’s Pohang Iron & Steel Co. Ltd) industrialisation causing land loss scheme and the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) struggles, Mr Abaya Sahoo, chairman of Posco Pratirodh Sangrm Samiti Dhinkia (PPSSD), spoke out to a large local crowd expressing especial thanks to the women.

Farmers demand World Bank – Wall Street stop grabbing their lands… at opening of the Bank’s annual conference. “Land governance in a rapidly changing environment” was the theme of the 2012 World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty, held April 23-26 in Washington DC. Corporate investors, governments and International Financial Institutions met at the World Bank headquarters.

At the press conference of the International Forum at Hong Kong’s Polytechnic University, 10 March, 2012, Dr. Gordon Edwards, President, “Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility”, gave his address. This followed his keynote address aptly titled: “The Labyrinth of Challenges and Choices”.
http://pressenza.com/npermalink/no-nukes-forum-cracking-the-nuclear-labyrinth

Press release from People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) from Idinthakarai, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, India that announces an indefinite hunger strike from May 1, 2012 at Idinthakarai. See: India – Government Power vs People Power:
http://pressenza.com/npermalink/india-government-power-vs-people-power