NAMI News
The latest trinational news.Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Carstens Confident Mexico to Avoid Ratings Downgrade
Bloomberg, October 7, 2009 - “Mexican Finance Minister Agustin Carstens said he was “comfortable” his country could maintain its current credit rating as the government seeks to raise taxes amid the biggest recession since the 1930s. Carstens said it was premature to seek alternatives to a planned 2 percent tax increase on food and medicine that opposition lawmakers, who form the largest party in the lower house, say will punish the poor. He said he’ll have a better sense of whether the proposed changes will be approved after a congressional committee evaluates them next week. “There is no doubt that there are some modifications that can be made,” Carstens said in an interview in Istanbul, where he is attending International Monetary Fund meetings. “I feel comfortable that we will be able to keep our rating.” President Felipe Calderon’s proposals, which he submitted to legislators on Sept. 8 along with his 2010 budget, seek spending cuts, a wider deficit and tax increases as revenue is sapped by falling oil output and a drop in tax collection caused by the recession.” Read More.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Burying CO2: Fix or folly?
Calgary Herald, October 6, 2009 - “In 2008, Edmonton Journal columnist Graham Thomson was awarded a fellowship from the Canadian Journalism Foundation that gave him a year of academic and journalistic freedom to study any courses that caught his interest at the University of Toronto. Besides dabbling in modern english poetry, he spent the 2008-09 academic year focused on energy and environmental issues, including the emerging technology of carbon capture and storage.
That led to an invitation from the Program on Water Issues at the Munk Centre for International Studies, which each year commissions an author to write a public policy report on a water-related topic that is then the focus of a day-long symposium at the U of T.
This year’s topic was Burying Carbon Dioxide in Underground Saline Aquifers: Political Folly or Climate Change Fix? The result of Thomson’s research was a 63-page report (25,000 words and 176 footnotes) that was peer reviewed by a group of scientists over the summer and then presented by Thomson at the U of T on Sept. 23. Today, Sunday Reader presents a synopsis of Thomson’s report:It promises to clean our dirty coal, green the oilsands and save the global climate.
Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS)—a complicated title for what is essentially a simple concept.” Read More.
Monday, October 05, 2009
Comments from a Major U.S.-Mexico Drug War Conference
Mexidata, October 5, 2009- “El Paso was the scene last month as academics, students, journalists, community members, and a smattering of government officials from the United States, Mexico and other parts of the world gathered to analyze and debate the 40-year war on drugs. Located next door to blood-soaked Ciudad Juarez, the event took place at a time when a sense of urgency literally prevailed just outside the conference doors. Even as conference attendees rolled up their sleeves to discuss and debate the burning issues of the day, drug-fanned violence flared only miles from the meeting sites. Among the numerous stories carried in Ciudad Juarez press dispatches, a man was found beheaded near a ditch, four young people were gunned down in a motel, and a woman was slain in the Felipe Angeles neighborhood visible from the UTEP campus. In the hours after the meeting ended, an additional 17 people were slaughtered in Ciudad Juarez.” Read More.
NAFTA: A Delicate Balance
World Trade, October 5, 2009 - “At a time when markets around the world are struggling to find a competitive advantage, North America has one that has been in place for over 15 years. The trade agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico has opened markets and established a record of growth and success that could prove key to a strong recovery. But no agreement is perfect and there are issues with NAFTA that businesses argue must be addressed if it is to live up to its promise. The economic crisis in the U.S. has had a definite impact on its NAFTA trading partners—Canada is the U.S.’s largest trading partner, Mexico its third largest. Trade with both countries is down, and there are concerns that an inward focus on the part of U.S. trade policy makers could lead to measures that weaken NAFTA. The U.S. stimulus measures, particularly the “Buy American” provisions included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) resulted in loud cries from not only Canada and Mexico, but from within the U.S. itself. Businesses affected by the requirements fear that the open trade that developed over the years since NAFTA’s inception will be undermined by provisions that fail to understand the depth of the trading relationship.” Read More.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
The Climate Improves
The New York Times, September 26, 2009 - “ This week’s speeches at the United Nations by President Obama and President Hu Jintao of China raised hopes that — with vision, political will and a lot more work — the world may eventually reach a new agreement to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, back in Washington, the struggle continued on a retail level. The Senate’s Democratic leadership managed to beat back an extraordinarily mischievous amendment to a spending bill offered by Senator Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican. The amendment would have blocked the Environmental Protection Agency from using its authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from major sources like power plants and vehicles. The amendment was in clear conflict with a landmark 2007 Supreme Court decision giving the agency explicit authority to regulate such gases from vehicles and implicit authority to regulate them from other sources. With a global climate summit in Copenhagen less than three months away, the move would also have sent a terrible signal about Washington’s lack of commitment.” Read More.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Oil Sands: Destroyer or Savior?
The New York Times, September 8, 2009 - “Few energy resources stir passions like Canada’s oil sands. The vast, gooey mixture of clay, sand, water and, most notably, bitumen — a hydrocarbon paste that, with a fair amount of work, can be separated from the granular stuff and eventually refined into a variety of petroleum products — has the potential to produce upwards of a trillion barrels of oil, by some estimates. Accomplishing that, however, is a profoundly expensive, dirty and energy-intensive affair. Huge inputs of natural gas, for example, are needed to separate and process the bitumen, and according to one study by RAND, production from oil sands generates perhaps 30 percent more greenhouse gases than conventional oil extraction. As my colleague Ian Austen noted for The New York Times this year, the process amounts to the most capital-intensive method for extracting oil. “Each of the tires on the cartoonishly oversize dump trucks used in oil sands mining,” he noted, “costs about $60,000.” The question in the United States, then, is how to weigh the disadvantages against the very real benefit of securing access to a substantial — and friendly — source of foreign oil for decades to come.” Read More.
Friday, September 04, 2009
Mexico energy ministry unhappy with Pemex results
Reuters. September 4, 2009 - “Mexico’s energy minister said on Friday she is concerned about state-run oil company Pemex’s poor financial results and the company’s board is reviewing possible actions to halt the decline. The minister’s comments about Pemex, led by Chief Executive Officer Jesus Reyes Heroles, come as President Felipe Calderon is promising a shake-up in his administration. “Unfortunately, the financial situation has not improved as it should be improving and we are analyzing what are the things we can do to reverse the situation,” Energy Minster Georgina Kessel said in an interview with broadcaster Televisa. Pemex, which is state-owned but finances much of its spending on debt markets, posted a 93 percent drop in second-quarter net profit as revenues slid 30 percent due to lower crude prices and export volumes. In his state of the nation speech on Wednesday, Calderon said he wants to see further reform in the oil industry to boost Pemex’s profitability. Read More.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
China invests in Canada oil sands
BBC, September 1, 2009 - “PetroChina has agreed to buy a 60% stake in two planned Canadian oil sands projects for $1.7bn (£1bn). The firm, which is Asia’s largest oil company, is buying the holdings in the MacKay River and Dover fields from Canadian firm Athabasca Oil Sands. The two fields hold about five billion barrels of oil, and Canada’s government is expected to back the deal.Canada’s Alberta oil sands hold the world’s second-largest crude reserves, but the cost of extraction is high. This is because the process of separating the oil from the sand is both energy and labour intensive, and as such it has only been cost effective when global oil prices have been high. Analysts say world oil prices need to be above $80 a barrel for the Canadian oil sands to be viable. Oil is currently trading at about $70 a barrel after hitting highs of $147 last summer, and a low of near $30 at the start of this year. “The Canadian government is looking for investment and injections of capital,” said William Lacey, an analyst at First Energy Capital.” Read More.
How Ted Kennedy Helped Shaped Energy and Climate Change Policy ClimateBiz.com
Reuters, September 1, 2009 - “With the death of Senator Edward Kennedy, America lost a vigorous supporter of clean energy and the environment. Ted Kennedy played a key role in passing numerous critical bills on behalf of environmental and clean energy causes, including measures on fuel economy, brownfields cleanup and revitalization, and home energy efficiency assistance for families of modest means. As did scores of Americans, I turned out to pay my final respects to Senator Kennedy this past week. I was one of the thousands who lined the route from the U.S. Capitol to Arlington National Cemetery to honor the Senator as he was taken to his final resting place. The scene on my corner of Constitution Avenue across from the Capitol was pure Norman Rockwell, taking on the feel of a small town July Fourth parade. Citizens of all ages, races and ethnicities had gathered. Everyone waited patiently for some three hours, because rain in Boston had delayed the transport of Senator Kennedy’s casket to Washington. Luke Velie of the U.S. Capitol Police was on duty in front of my corner and kindly answered questions from the crowd. “The Senator’s plane hasn’t left Boston yet.” “They’ve just landed at Andrews.” “The hearse will be entering the Capitol from Independence Avenue—they’ll be turning by here on the way to Arlington.” Small children sat on their parents’ shoulders; many in the crowd waved flags. Read More.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Canada, ultradeep water assure US Gulf oil supply
Reuters, August 18, 2009 - “Growing volumes of crude oil from Canada and the Gulf of Mexico should assure U.S. Gulf Coast refiners adequate supplies for years to come despite fast-declining imports from Mexico and Venezuela. Imports from the two major Latin American suppliers have dwindled by 24 percent in the past four years, but the huge refining region they serve is unlikely to run short due to billions of dollars planned for new pipelines from Canada and exploration in the deepwater Gulf, analysts said. Canadian oil sands production alone could make up for both losses, said analyst Martin King of Calgary-based FirstEnergy Capital Corp. “You’re essentially switching to Canadian crude from Mexican and Venezuelan,” King said. In its June forecast, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers said it expects output from northern Alberta’s vast oil sands to nearly double to 2.2 million barrels a day by 2015. Weak oil prices and the credit crunch led numerous companies to delay development projects, forcing CAPP to cut expectations from its previous forecast. Still, pipeliners have zeroed in on the Gulf Coast—site of 40 percent of U.S. refining capacity—as the next big market for Canadian oil. There, Mexican and Venezuelan imports have fallen by 700,000 bpd since 2004, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. TransCanada Corp’s (TRP.TO) proposed $7 billion Keystone XL pipeline expansion would ship as much as 500,000 bpd to Gulf Coast refineries by 2012. Enbridge Inc (ENB.TO) and BP Plc (BP.L) are working to develop a 250,000 bpd system to the Gulf Coast by that same year at a cost of up to $2 billion. Several other proposals, including one to move Canadian crude to the region by rail, are on the drawing board.” Read More.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Obama Says Buy American Stimulus Rule Doesn’t Hurt Canada Trade
Bloomberg, August 11, 2009 - “ “Buy American” rules that Congress included in the U.S. economic stimulus package don’t endanger free trade with Canada, President Barack Obama said after meeting with the leaders of Canada and Mexico. “This has in no way endangered the billions of dollars of trade taking place between our two countries,” Obama said yesterday, noting that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper raises the issue “every time I see him.” The $787 billion stimulus measure approved in February stipulates that products purchased with the funds must be made in the U.S. That’s caused friction between the U.S. and Canada, its largest trading partner. “It’s important to keep it in perspective,” Obama said during a news conference at the close of a two-day meeting with Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon in Guadalajara, Mexico. “We have not seen some sweeping steps toward protectionism.” Along with trade issues, the leaders discussed flu-season preparations, Mexico’s battle against drug cartels, combating climate change and encouraging economic growth. Read More.
Obama Sets Immigration Changes for 2010
The New York Times, August 11, 2009 - “Flanked by his counterparts from Mexico and Canada, President Obama on Monday reiterated his commitment to pursuing comprehensive immigration reform, despite his packed political agenda and the staunch opposition such an initiative is likely to face. Mr. Obama predicted that he would be successful but acknowledged the challenges, saying, “I’ve got a lot on my plate.” He added that there would almost certainly be “demagogues out there who try to suggest that any form or pathway for legalization for those who are already in the United States is unacceptable.” But in the most detailed outline yet of his timetable, the president said that he expected Congress, after completing work on health care, energy and financial regulation, to draft immigration bills this year. He said he would begin work on getting the measures passed in 2010. “Now, am I going to be able to snap my fingers and get this done? No,” the president said. “But ultimately, I think the American people want fairness. And we can create a system in which you have strong border security and an orderly process for people to come in. But we’re also giving an opportunity for those who are already in the United States to be able to achieve a pathway to citizenship so they don’t have to live in the shadows.” Read More.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Pressure growing for summit results
The Star, August 10, 2009 - “When it comes to Canada, annual Three Amigos talks have yet to prove their worth” - “Prime Minister Stephen Harper sits down today with President Barack Obama and Mexico’s leader for a meeting that will test the value to Canada of the North American summit process. Today’s discussion is the centrepiece of the fifth summit since 2005, when then-U.S. president George W. Bush kicked off the annual trilateral talks aimed at promoting economic growth and security on a continent-wide basis. The closed-door chats give the leaders a chance to share their thinking, but whether this setting can produce results for Canada seems more unclear than ever.The most urgent regional issue for Canada is the recent rise of protectionism in the United States. Barring Canadian suppliers from bidding on federally funded urban renewal projects in the U.S. is resulting in lost contracts – and lost jobs – in Canadian factories. And the problem is getting worse as U.S. cities and states gear up to award more contracts on projects paid for out of Obama’s $787 billion (U.S.) stimulus package.Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon are expected to raise concerns about the troubling Buy American phenomenon during the talks here. But for Canada, nothing concrete is expected from Obama on this problem until Harper visits Washington on Sept. 16. At that time, the Prime Minister and Obama are expected to hold serious talks on how to curb the protectionist wave sweeping the U.S. At this meeting, Obama, who chose to hold a separate, one-on-one talk with Calderon yesterday, is focusing on issues of immense joint concern to Mexico and the United States: border security, drug trafficking and immigration. While Canada has a stake in all these issues, trying to solve them in a North American context might not always be in Canada’s interest.’ Read More.
“3 Amigos” Agree on Flu, Not Too Much Else
CBS, August 10, 2009 - “Obama to Tout Unified Approach to Swine Flu With Mexican, Canadian Counterparts; Differences Remain on Other Issues. “President Obama is to wrap up his two-day visit to Mexico and then return home to Washington on Monday after discovering that it’s much easier to agree on combating a killer flu virus than on tetchy trade and border issues with his neighbors to the north and south. Mr. Obama was to attend a trilateral meeting with President Felipe Calderon of Mexico and Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada in Guadalajara. Trade, swine flu prevention and efforts to combat the violent drug trade between the United States and Mexico were high on the agenda for Monday’s meeting.After the meeting, the three men were scheduled to hold a news conference. CBS News White House correspondent Chip Reid reports that, for the president, the Mexico summit has offered a brief respite from the healthcare debate that is heating up back home, where critics of the Democratic plan being debated by Congress continued to express their anger in Mr. Obama’s absence at town hall meetings around the country. Mr. Obama flew into Mexico’s second-largest city late Sunday for the two-day speed summit with Calderon and Harper — a meeting whose main accomplishment will likely be a joint plan of attack for swine flu. But there was little chance of any breakthrough in long-running squabbles over Mexican trucks, or U.S. “Buy American” rules or how best to curb the deadly flow of drugs across the frontier. The so called “Three Amigos” summit began over dinner at an ornate cultural center in Guadalajara and was to conclude a mere 17 hours later with the joint news conference. In April, when Mr. Obama visited Mexico City, the first swine flu cases were just surfacing. Now, it’s a global epidemic that’s sickened more than 43,000 people in the United States and is blamed for 300 deaths. The toll in Mexico is at least 15,000 cases and 141 deaths; in Canada it’s 10,000 cases and 50 deaths.” Read More
Friday, August 07, 2009
The North American Leaders Summit: Promoting Economic Freedom and Security
The Heritage Society, August 6, 2009 - “On August 9-10, President Barack Obama will meet with President Felipe Calderón of Mexico and Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada at the fifth annual North American Leaders Summit in Guadalajara, Mexico. These leaders should focus attention on the strong ties binding North America: a shared commitment to democratic values, free markets, and expanding trade opportunities, the need to meet growing energy needs, and improving security against domestic and international threats. The 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) enhanced trade and investment flows between the three neighbors. Fifteen years later, NAFTA partners generate an annual GDP of $17 trillion, roughly 2.5 times greater than the People’s Republic of China and $2 trillion greater than the European Union. The NAFTA zone represents the largest single free-trade area on the planet, bar none. Working to strengthen vital economic ties and advancing strategies to exploit competitive advantages within a framework of three distinct, sovereign nations will preserve North America as a powerful leader for prosperity on the international scene.” Read More.
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