Comments for Ethics & International Affairs http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org The Journal of Carnegie Council Mon, 06 May 2013 12:28:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on The Missing Ethics of Mining [Full Text] by Michael Main http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2013/the-missing-ethics-of-mining-full-text/#comment-2545 Michael Main Mon, 06 May 2013 12:28:10 +0000 http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/?p=4991#comment-2545 I just heard you on Australian radio and subsequently looked up your article. Very interesting and important contribution. As this article is an opinion piece I would like to know if you have published anything on this theme that has been fully referenced? I'm looking forward to more of your work. I just heard you on Australian radio and subsequently looked up your article. Very interesting and important contribution. As this article is an opinion piece I would like to know if you have published anything on this theme that has been fully referenced? I’m looking forward to more of your work.

]]> Comment on The Missing Ethics of Mining [Full Text] by Reading Orwell On Mining and the Metabolism of Civilization | lvgaldieri http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2013/the-missing-ethics-of-mining-full-text/#comment-2462 Reading Orwell On Mining and the Metabolism of Civilization | lvgaldieri Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:13:33 +0000 http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/?p=4991#comment-2462 [...] Orwell’s Road to Wigan Pier. I wanted to track down a passage Shefa Siegel refers to in his essay on “The Missing Ethics of Mining” — which I quoted at length in a previous post [...] [...] Orwell’s Road to Wigan Pier. I wanted to track down a passage Shefa Siegel refers to in his essay on “The Missing Ethics of Mining” — which I quoted at length in a previous post [...]

]]> Comment on The Missing Ethics of Mining [Full Text] by A House IS a House | Rainforest Fund http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2013/the-missing-ethics-of-mining-full-text/#comment-2456 A House IS a House | Rainforest Fund Fri, 19 Apr 2013 20:04:00 +0000 http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/?p=4991#comment-2456 [...] Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs featured an article by Shefa Siegel which questions the development of mining and its lack of ethics.  His story [...] [...] Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs featured an article by Shefa Siegel which questions the development of mining and its lack of ethics.  His story [...]

]]> Comment on The Missing Ethics of Mining [Full Text] by The Big Slide at Bingham Canyon | lvgaldieri http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2013/the-missing-ethics-of-mining-full-text/#comment-2451 The Big Slide at Bingham Canyon | lvgaldieri Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:27:37 +0000 http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/?p=4991#comment-2451 [...] Shefa Siegel writes; and yet “the ethics of mining are nowhere to be found.” His essay is a must-read, especially this week, in the wake of Bingham Canyon and the run up to the Rio Tinto [...] [...] Shefa Siegel writes; and yet “the ethics of mining are nowhere to be found.” His essay is a must-read, especially this week, in the wake of Bingham Canyon and the run up to the Rio Tinto [...]

]]> Comment on The Missing Ethics of Mining [Full Text] by Ethics and Money in Natural Resource Recovery http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2013/the-missing-ethics-of-mining-full-text/#comment-2214 Ethics and Money in Natural Resource Recovery Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:34:42 +0000 http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/?p=4991#comment-2214 [...] of Ethics and International Affairs, published by Carnegie Council carries an article titled ‘The Missing Ethics of Mining.” It tells the story of natives of Burkiana Faso, a country of Northwest Africa who are having [...] [...] of Ethics and International Affairs, published by Carnegie Council carries an article titled ‘The Missing Ethics of Mining.” It tells the story of natives of Burkiana Faso, a country of Northwest Africa who are having [...]

]]> Comment on The Missing Ethics of Mining [Full Text] by Alhaji O. Kamara http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2013/the-missing-ethics-of-mining-full-text/#comment-2172 Alhaji O. Kamara Sat, 16 Mar 2013 09:14:38 +0000 http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/?p=4991#comment-2172 From my own point of view, I noticed that the people of Essakane suffered terrible in the begining of the episode. For instance in the eighties they esperience severe drought which prevent them from farming food crops and unable to care for their animals. It seems like they waited for 3 years for the rain to come and when the rains came the land was so hard that they were unable to returned to their forming duties in order to sustained their lives. When that doesnt happened, they needed some thing else to save them from their poverty.This actually did happened when a God sending angel appeared and that God sending angel is the discovery of the gold deposit in their traditional land which came out at the time wanting.With the founding of the gold deposit, the people of Essakane are once again back to their fit. This is so because,almost the entire population got a job once again after famine had threatened their existence. For now they are back again as they can now exchange the gold for food,spices and animals to suplement their diet. From my own point of view, I noticed that the people of Essakane suffered terrible in the begining of the episode. For instance in the eighties they esperience severe drought which prevent them from farming food crops and unable to care for their animals. It seems like they waited for 3 years for the rain to come and when the rains came the land was so hard that they were unable to returned to their forming duties in order to sustained their lives. When that doesnt happened, they needed some thing else to save them from their poverty.This actually did happened when a God sending angel appeared and that God sending angel is the discovery of the gold deposit in their traditional land which came out at the time wanting.With the founding of the gold deposit, the people of Essakane are once again back to their fit. This is so because,almost the entire population got a job once again after famine had threatened their existence. For now they are back again as they can now exchange the gold for food,spices and animals to suplement their diet.

]]> Comment on The Missing Ethics of Mining [Full Text] by S. Thomas Bond http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2013/the-missing-ethics-of-mining-full-text/#comment-2078 S. Thomas Bond Thu, 14 Mar 2013 02:29:37 +0000 http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/?p=4991#comment-2078 I was disappointed that the article did not define mining to include oil and gas production. This is surely one of the most important resources moving toward exhaustion. The attempt to get gas from shale drilling and deep sea drilling simply reflect high tech desperation which will eventually have to play out. Deep sea drilling is very dangerous with no room for error. If you look at a map of the area planned for shale drilling in the United States, a horrendous surface area is involved. Living in Appalachia, where shale drilling is rapidly reaching an advanced stage, and witnessing the effect on the surface, the article strikes a chord. Not only is the surface being changed irrevocably, but the resource recovery is about 8% with no vision of getting the rest - ever. Plus the problem of global warming from the combustion of the gas and lost methane. Property is being devalued, underground water sources are being destroyed and the state governments listen only to the company representatives who claim no damage is being done. We feel at one with the dispossessed all over the world. I was disappointed that the article did not define mining to include oil and gas production. This is surely one of the most important resources moving toward exhaustion. The attempt to get gas from shale drilling and deep sea drilling simply reflect high tech desperation which will eventually have to play out. Deep sea drilling is very dangerous with no room for error.

If you look at a map of the area planned for shale drilling in the United States, a horrendous surface area is involved. Living in Appalachia, where shale drilling is rapidly reaching an advanced stage, and witnessing the effect on the surface, the article strikes a chord. Not only is the surface being changed irrevocably, but the resource recovery is about 8% with no vision of getting the rest – ever. Plus the problem of global warming from the combustion of the gas and lost methane.

Property is being devalued, underground water sources are being destroyed and the state governments listen only to the company representatives who claim no damage is being done. We feel at one with the dispossessed all over the world.

]]> Comment on The Missing Ethics of Mining [Full Text] by David Groenfeldt http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2013/the-missing-ethics-of-mining-full-text/#comment-2071 David Groenfeldt Wed, 13 Mar 2013 21:26:22 +0000 http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/?p=4991#comment-2071 Thanks to the writer and to the Carnegie Council for highlighting the (missing) ethics of mining! I think the lack of standards is somewhat exaggerated in that there are acknowledged best practices which are ignored; it is not a total ethical desert, but that is little comfort to the victims! While I agree that clear mining standards are important and should be pursued in a frontal attack, there is also a complementary strategy that offers some hope, which is to promote ethical treatment of the people/communities/cultures and resources (land, forests, water) that mining impacts. My own professional and ethical focus is water. By insisting on ethical standards for water management (e.g., poisoning streams with mine wastes is "unethical") pressure can be brought to bear on mine management. This is not necessarily effective, of course, as the case of mountaintop coal mining in the Appalachian region of the US demonstrates. Streams and their downstream rivers continue to be poisoned by the coal industry, but at least the Environmental Protection Agency has some recourse through the Clean Water Act. For more about the ethical dynamics of mining and water, see the February issue of the Water Ethics Newsletter (http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=31982f6e4937945bfaddf6712&id=501acab529&e=1fd5fc01b7) which has a lead story on "Mining and Water Ethics" and see also the webpage on mining and industrial water use from the Water-Culture Institute (http://www.waterculture.org/Industrial_Water_Use.html). The reason I think it is important to share the onus of responsibility with the water sector, and not only the mining sector, is that by framing the mining problem as one with many overlapping dimensions, we can also identify multiple points of leverage. The mining industry may be too powerful and too corrupt to influence directly, whereas that same industry can be challenged through environmental regulations and hence the courts. In any event, there are many diverse actors who can contribute to solving the problem of unethical mining, and we will need all their efforts, including my colleagues in the water sector. Thanks to the writer and to the Carnegie Council for highlighting the (missing) ethics of mining! I think the lack of standards is somewhat exaggerated in that there are acknowledged best practices which are ignored; it is not a total ethical desert, but that is little comfort to the victims! While I agree that clear mining standards are important and should be pursued in a frontal attack, there is also a complementary strategy that offers some hope, which is to promote ethical treatment of the people/communities/cultures and resources (land, forests, water) that mining impacts. My own professional and ethical focus is water. By insisting on ethical standards for water management (e.g., poisoning streams with mine wastes is “unethical”) pressure can be brought to bear on mine management. This is not necessarily effective, of course, as the case of mountaintop coal mining in the Appalachian region of the US demonstrates. Streams and their downstream rivers continue to be poisoned by the coal industry, but at least the Environmental Protection Agency has some recourse through the Clean Water Act. For more about the ethical dynamics of mining and water, see the February issue of the Water Ethics Newsletter (http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=31982f6e4937945bfaddf6712&id=501acab529&e=1fd5fc01b7) which has a lead story on “Mining and Water Ethics” and see also the webpage on mining and industrial water use from the Water-Culture Institute (http://www.waterculture.org/Industrial_Water_Use.html).

The reason I think it is important to share the onus of responsibility with the water sector, and not only the mining sector, is that by framing the mining problem as one with many overlapping dimensions, we can also identify multiple points of leverage. The mining industry may be too powerful and too corrupt to influence directly, whereas that same industry can be challenged through environmental regulations and hence the courts. In any event, there are many diverse actors who can contribute to solving the problem of unethical mining, and we will need all their efforts, including my colleagues in the water sector.

]]> Comment on The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution by Francis Fukuyama by peter nickol seng http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2012/the-origins-of-political-order-from-prehuman-times-to-the-french-revolution-by-francis-fukuyama/#comment-2031 peter nickol seng Tue, 12 Mar 2013 20:43:45 +0000 http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/?p=4359#comment-2031 1000 years ago the Pope gave equal property rights to women. Individualism since then replaced tribalism gradually in western countries, even now spreading further. Fukuyamas view is fascinating. However, liberated women have not time enough left for children. This wonderful world of strong women might die out. 1000 years ago the Pope gave equal property rights to women. Individualism since then replaced tribalism gradually in western countries, even now spreading further. Fukuyamas view is fascinating. However, liberated women have not time enough left for children. This wonderful world of strong women might die out.

]]> Comment on From Jus ad Bellum to Jus ad Vim: Recalibrating Our Understanding of the Moral Use of Force by Alhaji O. Kamara http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2013/from-jus-ad-bellum-to-jus-ad-vim-recalibrating-our-understanding-of-the-moral-use-of-force/#comment-1642 Alhaji O. Kamara Wed, 27 Feb 2013 08:26:32 +0000 http://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/?p=5163#comment-1642 The slogans just add bellum and just add vim are very critical in nature. For the fact that, the former means that, the use of precision weapon technology or drones may increase resistance from the insurgence when use by the surge. This is strictly not true for the use of drones helps to defeat the insurgence in a simple way without worrying about souldiers on the ground. Although some time civilians are traped during the course of applying the drones,actually it is a lesson that they should not have any thing to do the terrorist. The later which says just add vim is exactly what the use of drones represents. For instance when war started, the soldiers of all different divisions where sent to the front to engage the enemies but when the enemies are difficult to get rid of,as we have seen it in Afghanistan where the U.S.and its Nato allies who have fought for several years without a total success, they will then use the idea of just add the vim meaning using the drones for a clean up.This should be acceptable. That is why I support this regime to use this system. Never the less this clean up should only be done to the insurgence not to the civilians. The slogans just add bellum and just add vim are very critical in nature. For the fact that, the former means that, the use of precision weapon technology or drones may increase resistance from the insurgence when use by the surge. This is strictly not true for the use of drones helps to defeat the insurgence in a simple way without worrying about souldiers on the ground. Although some time civilians are traped during the course of applying the drones,actually it is a lesson that they should not have any thing to do the terrorist.
The later which says just add vim is exactly what the use of drones represents. For instance when war started, the soldiers of all different divisions where sent to the front to engage the enemies but when the enemies are difficult to get rid of,as we have seen it in Afghanistan where the U.S.and its Nato allies who have fought for several years without a total success, they will then use the idea of just add the vim meaning using the drones for a clean up.This should be acceptable. That is why I support this regime to use this system. Never the less this clean up should only be done to the insurgence not to the civilians.

]]>