“Alarmed by the new administration’s repeated attacks on the media and blatant disregard for facts in the first three days of Donald Trump’s presidency,” Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called on Trump and his team “to stop undermining the First Amendment and start defending it.”

Donald Trump speaking to supporters at an immigration policy speech at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, USA. Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Generic license.

“It is clear that Trump views the media as his number one enemy and is taking every single opportunity to try to weaken their credibility, said Margaux Ewen, Advocacy and Communications Director for RSF North America.

Any reporting he deems unfavorable to him, any reporting that does not jibe with his administration’s message of self-aggrandizement, is called false and irresponsible, Ewen added.

“RSF reminds Trump’s administration that the press does not provide public relations for the President, but reports the truth in order to hold government officials accountable, despite statements to the contrary from White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. What’s equally alarming is the repeated lies that Spicer and Trump’s advisors are feeding to the press, despite irrefutable photographic evidence to the contrary.”

Alternative Facts

On Saturday Jan. 20, President Trump made use of his first full day in office vigorously attacking the media, referring to them as “among the most dishonest human beings on earth” during a speech he made at C.I.A. headquarters, RSF reports.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer towed the same line at his first press conference since the inauguration, RSF adds, harshly scolding journalists for “deliberately false reporting” regarding the presence of a bust of Martin Luther King Jr. in the oval office and the size of inauguration crowds.

“He claimed “photographs of the inaugural proceedings were intentionally framed in a way to minimize the enormous support that had gathered on the national mall.”

He then falsely claimed “this was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration period. Both in person and around the globe,” says RSF.

“He proceeded to make several other false statements during the press conference and proclaimed that the media’s “attempts to lessen the enthusiasm of the inauguration are shameful and wrong…We’re gonna hold the press accountable.” Spicer then refused to take any questions from reporters.”

On Jan. 25, during an interview with CNN’s Chuck Todd, Senior Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway claimed that Spicer had presented “alternative facts” and after being pressed to answer Todd’s question on why Spicer repeatedly stated falsehoods at Saturday’s press conference Conway said that the Trump administration might have to “rethink their relationship” with the press, RSF continued.

“In fact, the simultaneous attacks on the press for so called ‘inaccurate’ reporting and the use of what the administration calls ‘alternative facts’ to counter this reporting are reminiscent of an authoritarian government’s tactics, “ says Delphine Halgand, Director of RSF North America.

“The press freedom predators of the world are watching Trump and taking notes. It’s terrifying to think how much more brazen they will be in their attacks on journalists around the world now that the leader of the United States of America is setting a terrible example.”

Inaugural Incidents

On Inauguration day, the U.S. Department of the Interior was banned from Twitter after its account retweeted photographs comparing this year’s inauguration attendance with that of Obama’s 2009 inauguration, RSF informed.

In a statement from Jeffrey Ballou, it added, President of the National Press Club, it was alleged that several credentialed reporters were denied access to cover inaugural events. RSF is aware of one such incident which barred CNN from covering the Deploraball on the eve of Inauguration.

“As riots broke out in Washington, DC on Inauguration day, Washington Post video reporter Dalton Bennett was thrown to the ground by police while covering the arrests of dozens of anti-Trump protesters and rioters.”

“AJC photographer Hyosub Shin was pepper sprayed in the face while covering the same riots in DC. Three journalists were arrested along with rioters and protestors: Alexander Rubinstein from RT America, Evan Engel for Vocativ, and Aaron Cantu, a freelance journalist who has written for Al Jazeera, among other outlets.”

RSF informs that they have since been charged with participating in a riot and could face up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. The Guardian has reported that a documentary producer and 2 other journalists arrested while covering these events face the same charges.

The US currently ranks 41 out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2016 World Press Freedom Index.

The rain has not stopped the ever-growing weekly torch marches organised by the Outraged Opposition citizen movement in the capital of Honduras and 50 other cities around the country. The peaceful protests are demanding the creation of International Commission Against Impunity, to combat corruption and strengthen democracy. Credit: Thelma Mejía/IPS

By IPS News Desk
BERLIN, Jan 25 2017 (IPS)

2016 showed that around the world systemic corruption and social inequality reinforce each other, leading to popular disenchantment with political establishments and providing a fertile ground for the rise of populist politicians, warns a new report by an international anti-corruption watchdog.

In its report Corruption Perceptions Index 2016, released on Wednesday Jan. 25, Transparency International (TI) says that 69 per cent of the 176 countries scored below 50, on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean), exposing how massive and pervasive public sector corruption is around the world.

This year, more countries declined in the index than improved, showing the need for urgent action, reports this global movement with one vision — a world free of corruption — working in more than 100 countries.

According to the Berlin-based TI, corruption and inequality feed off each other, creating a vicious circle between corruption, unequal distribution of power in society, and unequal distribution of wealth. ‘With the launch of Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2016 just five days after Donald Trump’s inauguration as US President, it’s timely to look at the links between populism, socio-economic malaise and the anti-corruption agenda.’ - Finn Heinrich

As the Panama Papers showed, TI adds, it is still far too easy for the rich and powerful to exploit the opaqueness of the global financial system to enrich themselves at the expense of the public good.

“In too many countries, people are deprived of their most basic needs and go to bed hungry every night because of corruption, while the powerful and corrupt enjoy lavish lifestyles with impunity,” said José Ugaz, Chair of Transparency International.

“We do not have the luxury of time. Corruption needs to be fought with urgency, so that the lives of people across the world improve,” added Ugaz.

Grand corruption cases, from Petrobras and Odebrecht in Brazil to Ukrainian ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, show how collusion between businesses and politicians denies national economies of billions of dollars of revenues that were siphoned off to benefit the few at the expense of the many, TI stressed.

“This kind of systemic grand corruption violates human rights, prevents sustainable development and fuels social exclusion.”

“Brazil’s score on the index, for example, has significantly declined compared to five years ago as one corruption scandal after another involving top politicians and businesspeople was uncovered. Yet the country has shown this year that through the work of independent law enforcement bodies it is possible to hold to account those previously considered untouchable.”

Populism, Wrong Medicine

People are fed up by too many politicians’ empty assurances to tackle corruption and many are turning towards populist politicians who promise to change the system and break the cycle of corruption and privilege. “Yet this is likely to only exacerbate the issue.”

Land grabbing by the so-called “land mafia” is reportedly prolific in Pakistan, particularly in and around Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. In some cases, housing authorities have allegedly colluded with property developers, who employ private militias to secure the land. Photo: Transparency International.

“In countries with populist or autocratic leaders, we often see democracies in decline and a disturbing pattern of attempts to crack down on civil society, limit press freedom, and weaken the independence of the judiciary. Instead of tackling crony capitalism, those leaders usually install even worse forms of corrupt systems,” said Ugaz.

“Only where there is freedom of expression, transparency in all political processes and strong democratic institutions, can civil society and the media hold those in power to account and corruption be fought successfully.”

The index scores of Hungary and Turkey – countries that have seen the rise of autocratic leaders – have dropped in recent years. In contrast, the score of Argentina, which has ousted a populist government, is starting to improve.

What Needs to Be Done

Technical fixes to specific anti-corruption legislation are not enough, according to TI, a world movement that, from villages in rural India to the corridors of power in Brussels, aims to gives voice to the victims and witnesses of corruption.

“What is urgently needed are deep-rooted systemic reforms that even up the growing imbalance of power and wealth by empowering citizens to stop the widespread impunity for corruption, hold the powerful to account, and have a real say in the decisions that affect their daily lives.”

“You do not represent us” says one demonstrator’s sign in a street protest in Málaga in southern Spain. Credit: Inés Benítez/IPS

These reforms, adds TI, must include the disclosure through public registries of who owns companies as well as sanctions for professional enablers who are complicit in moving corrupt money flows across borders.

The Results

TI’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2016 covers perceptions of public sector corruption in 176 countries. Click here for the full index.

Denmark and New Zealand performed best with scores of 90, closely followed by Finland (89) and Sweden (88). Although no country is free of corruption, the countries at the top share characteristics of open government, press freedom, civil liberties and independent judicial systems, according to TI.

For the tenth year running, Somalia is the worst performer on the index, this year scoring only 10. South Sudan is second to the bottom with a score of 11, followed by North Korea (12) and Syria (13). Countries at the bottom of the index are characterised by widespread impunity for corruption, poor governance and weak institutions.

Countries in troubled regions, particularly in the Middle East, have seen the most substantial drops this year. Qatar is the biggest decliner compared to the 2015 index with a drop of 10 scores. “The FIFA scandals, the investigations into the decision to host the World Cup in 2022 in Qatar and reports of human rights abuses for migrant workers have clearly affected the perception of the country,” said Ugaz.

TI’s Finn Heinrich commented that with the launch of Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2016 just five days after Donald Trump’s inauguration as US President, it’s timely to look at the links between populism, socio-economic malaise and the anti-corruption agenda.

“Indeed, Trump and many other populist leaders regularly make a connection between a ‘corrupt elite’ interested only in enriching themselves and their (rich) supporters and the marginalisation of ‘working people’.”

Is there evidence to back this up? Heinrich asks, and answers “Yes. Corruption and social inequality are indeed closely related and provide a source for popular discontent. Yet, the track record of populist leaders in tackling this problem is dismal; they use the corruption-inequality message to drum up support but have no intention of tackling the problem seriously.”

Millions of family farmers in developing countries already suffer from lack of access to freshwater. Photo: FAO

By IPS News Desk
ROME/BERLIN, Jan 23 2017 (IPS)

The facts are clear. So are the consequences. And the facts are that it takes between one and three tonnes of water to grow one kilogramme of cereal; that a kilogramme of beef takes up to 15 tonnes of water to produce; and that it is estimated that between 2,000 and 5,000 litres of water are needed to produce a person’s daily food.

Meantime, the consequences are that growing water scarcity is now one of the leading challenges for sustainable development, and it is poised to intensify as the world’s population continues to swell and climate change intensifies.

José Graziano da Silva, Director General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), while presenting these findings, warned that competition for water will intensify as humanity’s numbers exceed 9 billion people around 2050.

In fact, already millions of family farmers in developing countries suffer from lack of access to freshwater, while conflicts over water resources already surpass those tied to land disputes in some regions, the FAO chief said at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture which took place on Jan. 19-21 in Berlin.

Additionally, climate change is already altering hydrological regimes everywhere, he added, citing estimates that around one billion people in dry regions may face increasing water scarcity in the near future. These are regions with a high concentration of extreme poverty and hunger.

“Agriculture is both a major cause and casualty of water scarcity. Farming accounts for around 70 per cent of fresh water withdrawals in the world today, and also contributes to water pollution due to pesticides and chemicals.”

To tackle these challenges, the international community created a standalone sustainable development goal (SDG) on water and wove better management of this key natural resource throughout the entire architecture of the SDGs, Graziano da Silva said.

He urged participants to rise to the food security challenges posed by water scarcity on two fronts: first, promoting ways to both use less water and use it more efficiently, and secondly, by taking steps to secure access to water — especially for poor family farmers.

“Doing so will not prevent a drought from occurring, but it can help in preventing droughts from resulting in famine and socioeconomic disruption.”

One-Third of Food Either Lost or Wasted

Graziano da Silva also said that cutting back on food waste has an important role to play in using water more wisely. Each year, one-third of world food production is either lost or wasted — that translates into a volume of agriculture water wasted equal to around three times the volume of Lake Geneva.

At the last UN Climate Change Conference FAO launched a global framework for coping with water scarcity in agriculture to support such efforts, he added.
This framework seeks to support the development and implementation of policies and programmes for the sustainable use of water in agriculture and encourage cooperation among different stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, financing institutions and development organisations.

The Berlin Global Forum for Food and Agriculture, organised by the German Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture (BMEL), takes place every year, bringing together high-level decision makers, technical experts, researchers and farmers to discuss pressing issues affecting agriculture worldwide.

The Forum’s theme this year is “Agriculture and Water – Key to Feeding the World.”

It is in fact so key to feeding the world that FAO projects that irrigated food production will increase by more than 50 per cent by 2050, but the amount of water withdrawn by agriculture can increase by only 10 per cent, provided that irrigation practices are improved and yields increase.

The world contains an estimated 1.400 million cubic kilometres of water. But only 0.003 per cent of this amount, about 45.000 cubic kilometres, are “fresh water resources” that can be used for drinking, hygiene, agriculture and industry. Not all of this water is accessible because part of it flows into remote rivers during seasonal floods.

In California, wastewater is sanitized and blended with groundwater, supporting large-scale crop production. Credit: FAO

Using Wastewater in Agriculture?

Now that food demand and water scarcity are on the uptick, it’s time to stop treating wastewater like garbage and instead manage it as a resource that can be used to grow crops and help address water scarcity in agriculture, according to FAO.

Properly managed, wastewater can be used safely to support crop production — directly through irrigation or indirectly by recharging aquifers — but doing so requires diligent management of health risks through adequate treatment or appropriate use.

How countries are approaching this challenge and the latest trends in the use of wastewater in agriculture production was the focus of discussions by a group of experts in Berlin’s annual Global Forum for Food and Agriculture.

“Although more detailed data on the practice is lacking, we can say that, globally, only a small proportion of treated wastewater is being used for agriculture, most of it municipal wastewater, “ said Marlos De Souza, a senior officer with FAO’s Land and Water Division.

But increasing numbers of countries –Egypt, Jordan, Mexico, Spain and the United States, for example– have been exploring the possibilities as they wrestle with mounting water scarcity.

“So far, the reuse of wastewater for irrigation has been most successful near cities, where it is widely available and usually free-of-charge or at low cost, and where there is a market for agricultural produce, including non-food crops. But the practice can be used in rural areas as well –indeed it has long been employed by many smallholder farmers.”

Water is of course fundamental for food production, and the intensifying scarcity of this important natural resource –likely to be more intense in a context of climate change– has very significant implications for humanity’s ability to feed itself.

Globally, population growth and economic expansion are placing increasing pressure on freshwater resources, with the overall rate of groundwater withdrawals steadily increasing by 1 per cent per year since the 1980s. And those pressures are now increasingly being exacerbated by climate change.

Already, agriculture accounts for 70 per cent of global freshwater withdrawals — with demand for food estimated to grow by at least 50 per cent by 2050, agriculture’s water needs are poised to expand. Yet demand from cities and by industries is on the rise as well.

Untreated wastewater, however, often contains microbes and pathogens, chemical pollution, antibiotic residues, and other threats to the health of farmers, food chain workers, and consumers –and it also poses environmental concerns.

A number of technologies and approaches exist that are being utilised around the globe to treat, manage, and use wastewater in agriculture, many of them specific to the local natural resource base, the farming systems in which they are being used, and the crops that are being produced, De Souza said.