Haiti : The 'invisibility' of a territory to build projects that strengthen their autonomy

Haiti, conocida en la época colonial como 'la Perla de las Antillas', su economía se organizó entorno a la producción de azúcar que proveían a través de Francia al resto de Europa. De este modo 70de la producción de azúcar era consumido en Europa y más del 60del café. Con una lógica que perseguía obtener los máximos rindes, buscaron mano de obra esclava en el África Subsahariana, población que directamente reemplazó a la originaria. Así comienza a plantearse el desarrollo de un tipo de economía en Haiti, que traería graves consecuencias ambientales hasta la actualidad. Hoy es el país más pobre de América, con una esperanza de vida de alrededor de 60 años, y la tasa de analfabetismo del 52. Ubicado en un área tropical, es frecuente que sufra el impacto de las tormentas tropicales y ciclones que, como consecuencia de una tala desmedida de laforestación originaria, las inundaciones acentúan los problemas, a lo que se suman los problemas sanitarios inherentes a un nivel de vida con tantas carencias; y a la preponderancia de minifundios en el área rural, llevan a conformar un escenario de enorme vulnerabilidad. En el año 2010, una triste noticia pondría a Haïti en el centro de la escena mundial: el terremoto de marzo de ese año que afectara el área de Puerto Príncipe dejando alrededor de 300.000 muertos y más de un millón de damnificados. En la actualidad la presencia debarrios enteros viviendo en carpas en espacios públicos, son una expresión de la vigencia de dicho evento. Sin embargo, desde mediados de la década pasada tienen lugar proyectos que intentan territorializar una experiencia argentina de reconocido impacto en procura de atender las necesidades de la población con mayor vulnerabilidad que habita en los espacios rurales. Se trata del Programa Pro Huerta, que desde hace más de veinte años se desarrolla en Argentina y se propuso en el ámbito de este país desde la perspectiva de la cooperación internacional. De este modo, en distintos departamentos de Haiti con el trabajo en conjunto de diversos países ponen en marcha un proyecto social de seguridad alimentaria. La finalidad es el análisis de la territorialización de la experiencia Pro Huerta Haiti a partir del enfoque de cooperación internacional del cual Argentina participa junto con Canadá y Haiti. Entre los resultados y aportes de esta investigación, se pudo constatar que en Haïtí se fortalecen las redes sociales, la familia, el trabajo solidario, la salud y en conjunto contribuyen a fortalecer la soberanía alimentaria, en un país con grandes carencias y gran vulnerabilidad. Asimismo, es interesante resaltar que el modelo de Cooperación Sur-Sur que la Argentina desarrolla, desde una visión horizontal donde nuestro país camina junto a Haití y Canadá en el aprendizaje cotidiano del crecimiento conjunto, donde cada país tiene mucho por seguir aprendiendo

Project development for older adults : Orientation's contribution

This paper systematizes the work developed during the first year of the initiation scholarship for the research project entitled 'Orientation within the new Active Aging Model: educational, work-related, personal and social choices (1)'. This project articulates the Active Aging Model and the Theoretical Operative Model in Orientation, in order to learn how new projects are developed by older adults who used to be part of the formal system of labor and by those who were out of it, and to design programmatic proposals for educational, work-related, personal and social Orientation choices for such population. The sample is made up by seventy people between 64 and 74 years of age, residing in La Plata. The first conclusions evidence the importance that older adults place on project development at this stage of their life cycle, giving special importance to educational, personal and social projects; as well as on the identification of economic factors, health state, family needs for care and social support, among other things, as conditioning the fulfillment of such projects. The differences found in terms of the labor system they used to belong to can be especially observed in the type of project developed.

Project development for older adults : Orientation's contribution

This paper systematizes the work developed during the first year of the initiation scholarship for the research project entitled 'Orientation within the new Active Aging Model: educational, work-related, personal and social choices (1)'. This project articulates the Active Aging Model and the Theoretical Operative Model in Orientation, in order to learn how new projects are developed by older adults who used to be part of the formal system of labor and by those who were out of it, and to design programmatic proposals for educational, work-related, personal and social Orientation choices for such population. The sample is made up by seventy people between 64 and 74 years of age, residing in La Plata. The first conclusions evidence the importance that older adults place on project development at this stage of their life cycle, giving special importance to educational, personal and social projects; as well as on the identification of economic factors, health state, family needs for care and social support, among other things, as conditioning the fulfillment of such projects. The differences found in terms of the labor system they used to belong to can be especially observed in the type of project developed.

Haiti : The 'invisibility' of a territory to build projects that strengthen their autonomy

Haiti, conocida en la época colonial como 'la Perla de las Antillas', su economía se organizó entorno a la producción de azúcar que proveían a través de Francia al resto de Europa. De este modo 70de la producción de azúcar era consumido en Europa y más del 60del café. Con una lógica que perseguía obtener los máximos rindes, buscaron mano de obra esclava en el África Subsahariana, población que directamente reemplazó a la originaria. Así comienza a plantearse el desarrollo de un tipo de economía en Haiti, que traería graves consecuencias ambientales hasta la actualidad. Hoy es el país más pobre de América, con una esperanza de vida de alrededor de 60 años, y la tasa de analfabetismo del 52. Ubicado en un área tropical, es frecuente que sufra el impacto de las tormentas tropicales y ciclones que, como consecuencia de una tala desmedida de laforestación originaria, las inundaciones acentúan los problemas, a lo que se suman los problemas sanitarios inherentes a un nivel de vida con tantas carencias; y a la preponderancia de minifundios en el área rural, llevan a conformar un escenario de enorme vulnerabilidad. En el año 2010, una triste noticia pondría a Haïti en el centro de la escena mundial: el terremoto de marzo de ese año que afectara el área de Puerto Príncipe dejando alrededor de 300.000 muertos y más de un millón de damnificados. En la actualidad la presencia debarrios enteros viviendo en carpas en espacios públicos, son una expresión de la vigencia de dicho evento. Sin embargo, desde mediados de la década pasada tienen lugar proyectos que intentan territorializar una experiencia argentina de reconocido impacto en procura de atender las necesidades de la población con mayor vulnerabilidad que habita en los espacios rurales. Se trata del Programa Pro Huerta, que desde hace más de veinte años se desarrolla en Argentina y se propuso en el ámbito de este país desde la perspectiva de la cooperación internacional. De este modo, en distintos departamentos de Haiti con el trabajo en conjunto de diversos países ponen en marcha un proyecto social de seguridad alimentaria. La finalidad es el análisis de la territorialización de la experiencia Pro Huerta Haiti a partir del enfoque de cooperación internacional del cual Argentina participa junto con Canadá y Haiti. Entre los resultados y aportes de esta investigación, se pudo constatar que en Haïtí se fortalecen las redes sociales, la familia, el trabajo solidario, la salud y en conjunto contribuyen a fortalecer la soberanía alimentaria, en un país con grandes carencias y gran vulnerabilidad. Asimismo, es interesante resaltar que el modelo de Cooperación Sur-Sur que la Argentina desarrolla, desde una visión horizontal donde nuestro país camina junto a Haití y Canadá en el aprendizaje cotidiano del crecimiento conjunto, donde cada país tiene mucho por seguir aprendiendo

Project development for older adults : Orientation's contribution

This paper systematizes the work developed during the first year of the initiation scholarship for the research project entitled 'Orientation within the new Active Aging Model: educational, work-related, personal and social choices (1)'. This project articulates the Active Aging Model and the Theoretical Operative Model in Orientation, in order to learn how new projects are developed by older adults who used to be part of the formal system of labor and by those who were out of it, and to design programmatic proposals for educational, work-related, personal and social Orientation choices for such population. The sample is made up by seventy people between 64 and 74 years of age, residing in La Plata. The first conclusions evidence the importance that older adults place on project development at this stage of their life cycle, giving special importance to educational, personal and social projects; as well as on the identification of economic factors, health state, family needs for care and social support, among other things, as conditioning the fulfillment of such projects. The differences found in terms of the labor system they used to belong to can be especially observed in the type of project developed.

Haiti : The 'invisibility' of a territory to build projects that strengthen their autonomy

Haiti, conocida en la época colonial como 'la Perla de las Antillas', su economía se organizó entorno a la producción de azúcar que proveían a través de Francia al resto de Europa. De este modo 70de la producción de azúcar era consumido en Europa y más del 60del café. Con una lógica que perseguía obtener los máximos rindes, buscaron mano de obra esclava en el África Subsahariana, población que directamente reemplazó a la originaria. Así comienza a plantearse el desarrollo de un tipo de economía en Haiti, que traería graves consecuencias ambientales hasta la actualidad. Hoy es el país más pobre de América, con una esperanza de vida de alrededor de 60 años, y la tasa de analfabetismo del 52. Ubicado en un área tropical, es frecuente que sufra el impacto de las tormentas tropicales y ciclones que, como consecuencia de una tala desmedida de laforestación originaria, las inundaciones acentúan los problemas, a lo que se suman los problemas sanitarios inherentes a un nivel de vida con tantas carencias; y a la preponderancia de minifundios en el área rural, llevan a conformar un escenario de enorme vulnerabilidad. En el año 2010, una triste noticia pondría a Haïti en el centro de la escena mundial: el terremoto de marzo de ese año que afectara el área de Puerto Príncipe dejando alrededor de 300.000 muertos y más de un millón de damnificados. En la actualidad la presencia debarrios enteros viviendo en carpas en espacios públicos, son una expresión de la vigencia de dicho evento. Sin embargo, desde mediados de la década pasada tienen lugar proyectos que intentan territorializar una experiencia argentina de reconocido impacto en procura de atender las necesidades de la población con mayor vulnerabilidad que habita en los espacios rurales. Se trata del Programa Pro Huerta, que desde hace más de veinte años se desarrolla en Argentina y se propuso en el ámbito de este país desde la perspectiva de la cooperación internacional. De este modo, en distintos departamentos de Haiti con el trabajo en conjunto de diversos países ponen en marcha un proyecto social de seguridad alimentaria. La finalidad es el análisis de la territorialización de la experiencia Pro Huerta Haiti a partir del enfoque de cooperación internacional del cual Argentina participa junto con Canadá y Haiti. Entre los resultados y aportes de esta investigación, se pudo constatar que en Haïtí se fortalecen las redes sociales, la familia, el trabajo solidario, la salud y en conjunto contribuyen a fortalecer la soberanía alimentaria, en un país con grandes carencias y gran vulnerabilidad. Asimismo, es interesante resaltar que el modelo de Cooperación Sur-Sur que la Argentina desarrolla, desde una visión horizontal donde nuestro país camina junto a Haití y Canadá en el aprendizaje cotidiano del crecimiento conjunto, donde cada país tiene mucho por seguir aprendiendo

A probabilistic model estimating oil spill clean-up costs - a case study for the Gulf of Finland

Existing models estimating oil spill costs at sea are based on data from the past, and they usually lack a systematic approach. This make them passive, and limits their ability to forecast the effect of the changes in the oil combating fleet or location of a spill on the oil spill costs. In this paper we make an attempt towards the development of a probabilistic and systematic model estimating the costs of clean-up operations for the Gulf of Finland. For this purpose we utilize expert knowledge along with the available data and information from literature. Then, the obtained information is combined into a framework with the use of a Bayesian Belief Networks. Due to lack of data, we validate the model by comparing its results with existing models, with which we found good agreement. We anticipate that the presented model can contribute to the cost-effective oil-combating fleet optimization for the Gulf of Finland. It can also facilitate the accident consequences estimation in the framework of formal safety assessment (FSA).

(Table 1) Calcite, siderite, and stable isotopes d13C and d18O at DSDP Hole 93-603B

Diagenesis of the fine-grained, feldspathic sandstones in the Lower Cretaceous submarine fan complex cored in DSDP Hole 603B can be considered to have occurred in three stages: (1) replacement of matrix and framework grains by pyrite, siderite, phillipsite (?), and particularly by ferroan calcite; (2) dissolution of ferroan calcite and feldspars to produce secondary macroporosity; and (3) development of sparse feldspar and quartz overgrowths, and authigenic modification of remnant matrix. Only ferroan calcite is a volumetrically important diagenetic mineral phase (up to 50 vol.%). Matrix in thin sandstone turbidite deposits has been extensively replaced by ferroan calcite. Carbon stable isotope data suggest that organic diagenesis had only a minor influence on calcite precipitation. Oxygen stable isotope data indicate that the minimum average calcite precipitation temperature was 40° C. Preliminary calculations show that steadystate diffusion of Ca+ + from the dissolution of nannoplankton skeletal material in the interbedded pelagic marls to the associated sandstones is a feasible transport mechanism. A thick sandstone unit from 1234-1263 m sub-bottom is extensively replaced by calcite near the upper and lower contacts. Farther into the sand body away from the contacts, the sandstone has good secondary porosity resulting from the dissolution of ferroan calcite that partially replaced matrix and framework grains. The central portion of the thick sand appears to be a channel with high-energy clean sand. We believe that the channel provided a conduit for focused flow of diagenetic compactional fluids responsible for dissolution. Focused flow may be the result of the earlier lithification of the pelagic limestones and thin-bedded sandstones which, then formed vertical permeability barriers. Calcite dissolution has occurred and may still be occurring at temperatures less than 65°C.

Subsidies, Clean Energy, and Climate Change

Estimates show that fossil fuel subsidies average USD 400–600 billion annually worldwide while renewable energy (RE) subsidies amounted to USD 66 billion in 2010 and are predicted to rise to USD 250 billion annually by 2035. Domestic political rationales for energy subsidies include promoting innovation, job creation and economic growth, energy security, and independence. Energy subsidies may also serve social and environmental goals. Whether and to what extent subsidies are effective to achieve these goals or instead lead to market distortions is a matter of much debate and the trade effects of energy subsidies are complex. This paper offers an overview of the types of energy subsidies that are used in the conventional and renewable energy sectors, and their relationship with climate change, in particular greenhouse gas emissions. While the WTO’s Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM) is mostly concerned with harm to competitors, this paper considers the extent to which the Agreement could also discipline subsidies that cause harm to the environment as a global common. Beyond the existing legal framework, this paper surveys a number of alternatives for improving the ability of subsidies disciplines to internalize climate change costs of energy production and consumption. One option is a new multilateral agreement on subsidies or trade remedies (with an appropriate carve-out in the WTO regime to allow for it if such an agreement is concluded outside it). Alternatively, climate change-related subsidies could be included as part of another multilateral regime or as part of regional agreements. A third approach would be to incorporate rules on energy subsidies in sectorial agreements, including a Sustainable Energy Trade Agreement such as has been proposed in other ICTSD studies.

A Comparative Study of Development Mechanisms in Korea and Taiwan: Introductory Analysis

This article is the introduction to a special issue of The Developing Economies which presented the results of a research project by the Institute of Developing Economies that examined the development mechanisms in Korea and Taiwan. Our conclusion in this article is that their development mechanisms, despite their similar development patterns of export-led industrialization, have been essentially different: a government-led mechanism in Korea as opposed to a market-led mechanism in Taiwan. We verified this difference through comparative studies of the two economies covering trade balances, the growth of total factor productivity, the scale of enterprises and business groups, and the development processes of individual manufacturing sectors. In our explanatory discussion we propose that the difference in the mechanisms is based on: 1) the amount of accumulation in the economy at the time postwar industrialization started, 2) the relationship between government and society, and 3) the mechanism of social network formation.

Organizational Capability of Local Societies in Rural Development: A Comparative Study of Microfinance Organizations in Thailand and the Philippines

The importance of organizing local people for development work is widely recognized. Both governmental and non-governmental agencies have implemented various projects that have needed and encouraged collective action by people. Often, however, such projects malfunction after the outside agencies retreat from the project site, suggesting that making organizations is not the same as making a system of making organizations. The latter is essential to make rural organizations self-reliant and sustainable. This paper assumes that such a system exists in local societies and focuses on the capacity of local societies for creating and managing organizations for development. It reveals that (1) such capability differs according to the locality, (2) the difference depends on the structure of the organizations that coordinate people's social relations, and (3) the local administrative bodies define, at least partly, the organizational capability of local societies. We compare two rural societies, one in Thailand and the other in the Philippines, which show clear contrasts in both the form of microfinance organizations and the way of making these organizations.

Transport Development and the Evolution of Economic Geography

In this paper, based on the recent advances in the new economic geography (e.g., Fujita, Krugman and Venables [12]), we analyze impacts of transport costs on the spatial patterns of economic agglomeration. We first identify prototypes from the existing models, and explain the mechanism of how transport costs influence the balance between economic forces of agglomeration and dispersion. We then investigate the transformation of the agglomeration/dispersion patterns given gradually decreasing transport costs for different goods.

Infrastructure (Rural Road) Development and Poverty Alleviation in Lao PDR

Rural road in Lao PDR defined as connecting road from village to main road, where it will lead them to market and access to other economic and social service facilities. However, due to mostly rural people accustom with subsistence farming, connecting road seems less important for rural people as their main farming produce is for own consumption rather than markets. After the introduction and implementation of New Economic Mechanism (NEM) since 1986, many rural villages have gradually developed and integrated into market system where people have significantly changed their livelihood with a better system. This progress has significantly contributed in improving income earning of people, better living standard and reduce poverty. The paper aims to illustrate the significant of rural road as connecting road from village to markets or a market access approach of farm produces. It also demonstrates through which approach, rural farmers/people could improve their income earning, develop their farming system, living standard and reduce poverty.

Usability-Oriented Software Development Process

Usability is the capability of the software product to be understood, learned, used and attractive to the user, when used under specified conditions. Many studies demonstrate the benefits of usability, yet to this day software products continue to exhibit consistently low levels of this quality attribute. Furthermore, poor usability in software systems contributes largely to software failing in actual use. One of the main disciplines involved in usability is that of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Over the past two decades the HCI community has proposed specific features that should be present in applications to improve their usability, yet incorporating them into software continues to be far from trivial for software developers. These difficulties are due to multiple factors, including the high level of abstraction at which these HCI recommendations are made and how far removed they are from actual software implementation. In order to bridge this gap, the Software Engineering community has long proposed software design solutions to help developers include usability features into software, however, the problem remains an open research question. This doctoral thesis addresses the problem of helping software developers include specific usability features into their applications by providing them with a structured and tangible guidance in the form of a process, which we have termed the Usability-Oriented Software Development Process. This process is supported by a set of Software Usability Guidelines that help developers to incorporate a set of eleven usability features with high impact on software design. After developing the Usability-oriented Software Development Process and the Software Usability Guidelines, they have been validated across multiple academic projects and proven to help software developers to include such usability features into their software applications. In doing so, their use significantly reduced development time and improved the quality of the resulting designs of these projects. Furthermore, in this work we propose a software tool to automate the application of the proposed process. In sum, this work contributes to the integration of the Software Engineering and HCI disciplines providing a framework that helps software developers to create usable applications in an efficient way.

Comparison of CO2 From Coal Capture Processes and Valorisation Technologies

Coal is the most plentiful and evenly distributed fossil fuel worldwide. Based on current production, it is estimated that the reserves will last approximately 130 years. Its use worldwide has been increasing, mainly due to consumption by emerging countries. CO2 emissions generated by combustion and the repercussions of such on climate change support the view that it could no longer be used. CO2 capture may be the solution to continue using it, which would cater for the growing energy demand worldwide. The aim of this study is to compare different processes concerning CO2 capture that may be economically viable, ultimately showing that coal, a fossil energy source widely distributed around the world, can, as a result of using different CO2 capture processes, be used as a clean source of electricity. Hence, in places where geological hurdles may render the costs of CO2 storage considerably higher, since it might have to travel far, coal may be used for other purposes, thus valorising CO2 within the industrial sector. This research is focused on the technical and economic comparison of the most relevant CO2 capture projects designed in Spain using different existing technologies. The oxyfuel project in Ciuden (Leon, Spain), the IGCC Elcogas, precombustion CO2-capture project (Puertollano, Spain) and the postcombustion project in Carboneras (Almeria, Spain) will be analyzed in order to assess the options available to valorise captured CO2. Valorising captured CO2 may be an adequate solution in areas where, although CO2 capture is still possible, storage is not equally so, thus generating a further benefit. The possible uses of CO2 will be assessed in vegetable growing greenhouses, harnessing CO2 in vegetable life cycles. This will also be used in growing algae for subsequent biodiesel production. Both CO2 capture and valorising will eventually lead to the clean use of coal, which will thus enhance the level of self-supply, aiding the development of electric vehicles, which require large amounts of electricity, as well as improve the level of energy autonomy in countries around the world. Another type of fuel, biodiesel, will also be obtained, without this affecting international food prices.