Associated websites cover different topics, including agriculture, globalization,  the environment, economy and foreign debt, trade and integration, democracy and issues related to the Amazonian region. 

Transborder Laboratory for Cooperation from Below
Proceedings of the seminar "Transborder Laboratory from Below" in Brno (Czech Republic), 2007. Edited by the Economy and Society Trust (Brno) and the Institute for Studies in Political Economy (IPE Vienna). This paper is publicated as part of the IPE / CLAES partnership. DOWNLOAD

Regional financial institutions in Latin America
Latinamerican banks, funds and development corporations are the new RFIs (Regional Financial Institutions). They present great opportunities for autonomous regional development, but their current operations require extensive reforms and updates so as not to repeat IFIs limitations. Report by CLAES. MORE

Energy and biofuels

The Debate on Biofuels: Between Food Security and the Price of Oil - The current discussion over food and biofuels is avoiding a central issue: the problem is not only what is produced, it also about how the winnings are allocated. It is not just about whether land is sufficiently abundant to accommodate all crops, the problem is also about how this is organized and who controls production and the distribution of the profits. Analysis by Gerardo Honty (PDF). MORE

Agrifuels web site - CLAES new website on agrifuels offers a selection of key documents and reports, an training workshop using internet, and a email group to exchange news and information (PDF). MORE

Integration and trade

Integration at cross roads - Strategic differences are taking us to a cross roads in which commercial blocks are brought to a standstill, and converted into political forums. Analysis by E. Gudynas. MORE

The current integration process accentuates regional dependence on globalization - Interview with Eduardo Gudynas about the crisis facing regional integration process, not only in the international context but also with regard to problems within Latin American countries themselves (PDF). MORE

Environment

Deforestation in the Amazon: Pressures and outlook - At the end of last year, the Brazilian government released the news that the deforestation rate in the Amazon was down for the second consecutive year, reaching the lowest levels in a decade. In this analysis of the state of the Amazon, Diego Martino considers whether this is a cause for optimism (PDF). MORE

Globalization

Davos: The Bono banalization of globalization - The World Economic Forum is reverting to magical formulas and mass media to end poverty in the Global South. The singer Bono is the best exampleof simplistic proposals, functional to current globalization and based on charity. Analysis by Eduardo Gudynas [PDF]. DOWNLOAD

The confession: Globalization intensify inequality - A recent article published in The Wall Street Journal recognizes that globalization increases the gap between rich and poor. Accumulated problems are becoming so serious that even conservative publications recognizing them. Comment by Eduardo Gudynas. MORE

Economy

Latin America: Social spending grows, but poverty does not decrease - During Latin American crises there were few emergency social protection plans, and no plans to respond to natural disasters. These are clear evidence of the irrational social use of government spending. By Carolina Villalba. MORE

Growth and Development - An analysis of the persistent confusion between growth and development in Latin America. Paper by E. Gudynas and Carolina Villalba. MORE

How progressive is Stiglitz? - Economist Joseph Stiglitz appears increasingly often as a reference and source of inspiration for many advocates of new development policies. There is something odd in all this: Stiglitz is still a conventional economist and his positions are nearly always rooted in the liberal tradition. Analysis by E. Gudynas. MORE

World Bank and good business - World Bank's new version of how to do "good business", covered 175 countries. Factors like the protection of foreign investments and labor market flexibility were highligthed. However, social and environmental aspects are not included as part of good business. Analysis by C. Villalba (PDF). MORE

Workshops

Globalization and civil society 2008 - CLAES organized a series of workshops dealing with several features of current globalization processes. These include:

A joint meeting of the Latin American and Eastern / Central European commissions on globalization and citizenship.

A workshop to analyze the global food crisis, with delegates from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru and Uruguay, in Montevideo.

A meeting on the current situation of civil society, in Lima. Participants from Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil and Uruguay.

Changing Windows into Doors: International workshop on civil society and the global arena - CLAES organized a 3-day workshop on civil society and access to the global arena. The learning workshop, entitled “Changing Windows into Doors”, together with the global society program of the Ford Foundation. The event included participants from more than 14 countries, representing both civil society and academia.  MORE

Latin American Network on Social Ecology new website

The Latin American and Caribbean network on social ecology, coordinated by CLAES, presented its new website. The network was launched in 1989, and has a membership of around 1000 people active in diverse fields, like environmental education or scholar research on human ecology. The network maintains an electronic bulletin and a digital library of documents MORE

The new geography of integration

The new poster presented by CLAES D3E shows new country groupings, as well as the high dependency of Latin American exports on natural resources. [PDF] DOWNLOAD

CLAES has joined the Alliance for Zero Extinction

The alliance is a global initiative of organizations looking to prevent extinctions by identifying key global sites holding species in critical danger of become extinct. MORE

D3E CLAES edits a series of e-bulletins covering topics related to globalization and civil society in Latin America, trade, environment, agriculture and social ecology. All e-bulletins are free, distributed monthly. Texts are in Spanish and Portuguese. MORE

CLAES D3E online weekly “Peripecias” is published every Wednesday at www.peripecias.com. It  covers Latin American issues from social justice to the environment, and offers its readers independent analysis. Sections cover citizenship, politics, development, environment, art, and humor, among other issues. MORE