The Trinational Information Repository- The Trinational Information Repository was created with support of the State of New Mexico under a contract to The North American Institute (NAMI). The goal of the project is to develop an electronic technology data base for use by New Mexico and other entities to aid in the strengthening of social, cultural and economic ties with Canada, Mexico and the United States. To that end the site is intended to provide information on critical issues to the three countries as well as explore other issues, questions and solutions of interest to North America. It is anticipated that the data and information in the Repository will continue to grow and develop with continuing input from NAMI, NAMI supporters and public interested in North American affairs.
Latest Additions
NAMI is aggregating a collection of podcasts/vodcasts on the subject of Water Security, as part of a larger project gathering Climate Change and Water information for Canada, Mexico and the United States.You can find out more in those sections of the TIR that deal with those subjects:
Upcoming Water Symposium
Media [podcasts, videos]
Our array of podcasts will be complete June 2008.
TRINATIONAL NEWS
Monday, July 23, 2007
The Dark Side of Biofuels: Horror in the “Brazilian California”.
Americas Program, July 23, 2007 - “Brazil is staking its claim as a great emerging power thanks to the leadership it maintains in biofuel production. The price of this ambition is paid by the environment and by the cane cutters, who are the invisible characters in this story. [snip] Behind the “politically correct” jargon lurks a reality poised to destroy the Amazon, a reality that destroys millions of young bodies and promises lucrative business to investors.” Read more.
North American Energy Ministers Take Further Action on Energy Security and the Environment.
Natural Resources Canada, July 23, 2007 - “Energy ministers for Canada, Mexico and the United States took another step toward enhancing North American energy security and environmental protection, announcing concrete actions on energy science and technology, energy efficiency, deployment of clean energy technologies and other cooperative projects. The North American energy ministers met in Victoria, B.C., today where the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, hosted his counterparts Ms. Georgina Kessel, Secretary of Energy for Mexico, and U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman.” Read more.
Related Article: The Star, Canada Signs Energy Pact.
Nation’s Governors Pursue Clean Energy Future.
Environment News Service, July 23, 2007 - “Securing a Clean Energy Future will examine ways governors and states can increase production of cleaner domestic fuels, promote advanced electricity generation, improve energy efficiency and conservation, and accelerate research and development of clean energy technologies. In a panel on global climate change Sunday, Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr., of Utah, a Republican who chairs the NGA Natural Resources Committee said, ‘Global climate change is one of the most pressing issues our nation is currently facing.’” Read more.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Canadian water is on the table at trilateral talks
CanWest News Service, July 22, 2007 - Canadian water is on the table at trilateral talks between politicians, businessmen and academics from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. A series of closed-door conferences for the North American Future 2025 Project will include the discussion of “water transfers” and diversions, according to the outline for the project, a trilateral effort to draft a “blueprint” on economic integration for the governments of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.” Read more.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Videos from NAMI’s Conference, “Energy Independence for North America”, are available online now.
The North American Institute’s (NAMI) Spring 2007 conference on energy independence, held at the Bishop’s Lodge in Santa Fe, New Mexico, May 29 -30, presented many different perspectives on this subject. These ranged from alternative energy sources, such as wind, solar, hydrogen and conservation, to more aggressive exploitation of available coal, tar sands, oil and nuclear resources. In all of these, participants at the conference were informed of the urgency of the subject and the need for better tri-lateral cooperation, especially in common areas of systemic interaction: energy; climate; water; wildlife; first peoples; citizen participation; trade; migration.
Energy, in its various forms, does not exist in isolation but is enmeshed in the larger context of these systems that operate frequently independently of political relationships and boundaries among the North American nations. These subjects are not being given the needed attention by their respective governments. They call out for a new generation of leaders to look beyond politics and take responsibility for the future of our common continent.
Edited Highlights of the expert presentations at NAMI’s trilateral symposium on energy independence are now available on the Web to users of Windows Media™, Real Audio™, and Quicktime™ by hyperlinks as follows:
1. Welcome, Santa Fe Mayor David Coss. (6 minutes, 1 second)
Santa Fe is dedicated to becoming a leader in the field of alternative energy resources.
2. Welcome, Juan Manuel Solana, Consul General of Mexico. (5 minutes)
Discussing various alternative energy initiatives in Mexico and the importance of interaction with its trading partners in North America.
3. Welcome, Rick Stephenson, Consul of Canada (Tucson, Arizona). (10 minutes, 43 seconds)
North America is not presenting a unified face to the world, with Canada being the largest supplier of energy to the US.
4. Welcome, Hon. Tim Douglas, NAMI President and Mayor of Bellingham, WA. (12 minutes, 4 seconds)
How regional solutions are emerging rather than waiting for Federal agencies to act.
On the problem with today’s energy system and what a more favorable design would be; new technologies for commercialization from Sandia Labs.
6. Promising New Developments in Alternative Energy, Dr. Michal C. Moore, University of Calgary. (32 minutes)
How to make alternative energy make sense?
7. Promising New Developments in Alternative Energy, Dr. Delore Zimmerman, Praxis Strategy Group, Grand Forks, ND. (30 minutes)
Promising energy developments in the American heartland.
Environmental benefits for wind power.
9. Reflections on NAMI, Intro of Speaker by New Mexico State Representative Peter Wirth. (10 minutes)
10. Dinner Keynote, Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, President, University of Winnipeg (former Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs). (47 minutes)
A vision for the North American community and a call for a larger framework for cooperation: Minerva’s Owl or Radical Hope?
The Bush Administration’s current energy policy and initiatives.
BECC and its mission to promote environmental initiatives to be financed by the NADB to border communities.
Energy Efficiency – the 5th Fuel for North America.
13A. Energy Efficiency, Conservation and Climate Change, Q and A; Chair, Michael Pretes, NAMI. (18 minutes)
14. Producing, Selling, and Using Energy Tri-Nationally, Kevin Johnson, Partner, Holland and Hart, Denver, CO. (20 minutes)
The five elements of an energy framework: Feedstocks; manufacture; use; transport; by-products.
Creating a governance structure to deal with energy policy that meets objectives of climate change, economic impact, integration.
The effect that nuclear power has on other energy sources, e.g., building reactors in the oil sands area.
16A. Producing, Selling and Using Energy Tri-Nationally, Q and A; Chair, Michael Pretes, NAMI. (24 minutes)
17. Lunch Keynote, Paulina Fabara, CONAE National Council for Energy Savings, Mexico City. (26 minutes)
Energy efficiency and renewable energy programs in Mexico.
18. Trans-Border Energy Markets, Steven R. Rivkin, Chair, NAMI Board Member, Washington Attorney; Scott Storment, Senior Officer, Project Development-New Sectors, North American Development Bank, San Antonio, TX. (30 minutes)
NADB project financing success stories.
The role for Alberta oil sands in North American energy supplies.
Cross-border power and gas generation market transactions.
20A. Trans-Border Energy Markets, Q and A; Chair, Michael Pretes, NAMI. (8 minutes)
21. Resolving Energy Challenges Through Regional Leadership, Scott Fischler, President, Netozoic Inc., Santa Fe, NM. (18 minutes)
Hydrogen is the fuel of the future and always will be.
22. Resolving Energy Challenges Through Regional Leadership, Eugenio Cabrera Camargo, National Council on Science and Technology, CONACyT - Mexico City. (18 minutes)
The protection of living species protection is not related to economic value; they have an intrinsic right to survive.
Canada’s extraordinary energy reserves with the US as its main customer.
New Mexico alternative and renewable energy initiatives.
24A. Resolving Energy Challenges Through Regional Leadership, Q and A; Chair, Dr. Paul Maxwell, NAMI Board Member, and Director of the Bi-National Sustainability Laboratory. (8 minutes)
25. Closing Summation and Observations, Jerry Kurtyka, NAMI Board member. (22 minutes)
A systemic vision for North America includes common areas of interest on many dimensions, of which energy independence is only one.
Please visit our sister site The Trinational Information Repository (prepared for the State of New Mexico), for more Powerpoint presentations and other information about this Symposium.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Border Energy Forum, October 18-19, 2007.
Border Energy Forum XIV, sponsored the Texas General Land Office, is coming up on October 18 and 19, 2007, in San Diego California. You can find more information, including registration and agenda information, at this website.
US Thirsts for Canadian Water
The Canadian Encyclopedia, July 10, 2007 - “As the global population grows and developing economies expand, the demand for safe, secure water will accelerate just as it has in the fastest-growing pockets of the U.S. In response, much of the world is embracing the need for large-scale water trade and transport, just as Las Vegas has. [snip] Engineers agree that, if Nevada can pipe water 400 km south, eventually it could pipe it all the way from the Canadian border.” Read more.
CEOs Issue Global Call to Action on Water Crisis
Global Compact, July 10, 2007 - “In an extraordinary call to action, a group of chief executive officers representing some of the world’s largest corporations today urged their business peers everywhere to take immediate action to address the emerging global water crisis. The CEOs of six corporations – The Coca-Cola Company, Levi Strauss & Co., Läckeby Water Group, Nestlé S.A., SABMiller, and Suez – announced their call to action at the 2007 Global Compact Leaders Summit in Geneva, Switzerland, where they launched ‘The CEO Water Mandate’ – a project designed to help companies better manage water use in their direct operations and throughout their supply chains.” Read more.
