STWR - Share The World's Resources

Long before the recent UN proposal for a Global Economic Council, the Brandt Commission also called for a high-level body to monitor and coordinate the international economy and development. It is still a brilliant idea, says James B. Quilligan. Interview by Christiana Wyly.

Despite calls for reform of the global financial architecture by governments of poorer countries, the UN summit on the financial crisis failed to yield meaningful results - largely because many richer countries sidelined the event and blocked progressive proposals. By STWR.

Political separation of Israelis and Palestinians, where both have the right to settle within a unified territory, may be the solution to their ongoing conflict. Such shared stewardship could bring both sides security, international recognition and legitimacy, argues Russell Nieli.

As US troops withdraw from Iraq, they leave behind the remnants of failed reconstruction efforts and a highly corrupt political class. Clean and efficient Iraqi institutions built from the bottom up are needed to fill the legal and regulatory breach that the occupation has caused, says Zaid Al-Ali.

Was the UN summit on the world economic crisis a wasted opportunity or a historic step toward global economic governance? What’s clear is that the G20 seems to be engineering another ‘lost decade of development’ for poor nations, argues James B. Quilligan.

A military coup ousting Honduras' progressive president Zelaya has undermined progress towards democracy in Latin America. If the US supports the demand of regional governments for Zelaya's reinstatement, this could be a chance for improved relations between the Americas, writes Greg Grandin. 

Rather than economic growth, waste is the most serious threat to the environment. In switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy, the global economy could grow larger and sustainably feed an increasing population - without destroying the earth's ecosystems, argues Garry Lipow.

The inequitable way in which six billion people are using the world's limited resources is a tragedy of the global commons. Radical behavioural changes and unprecedented international cooperation is needed if we are to preserve the natural environment, says Barry Schwartz.

Claims of ‘green shoots' in the global economy are misleading and mask the severe impact of the downturn on poverty and food security in poor countries. Governments can counteract this unfolding humanitarian crisis by prioritising economic equality at this year's international summits. By STWR.

Influential orthodox economists like Paul Collier see the food price crisis as the result of insufficient production. But the real cause is the globalised system of industrial agriculture, which prioritises profit over the needs of the global majority and the environment, argues Walden Bello.