Prism Webcast News

Human Cloning, Tasers & Bali Kyoto Agreement Assessment

Sunday, December 16, 2007
Posted in Cloning Global Warming Human Rights PRISM NEWS PODCASTS | Tagged Cloning, Global Warming, Human Rights, PRISM NEWS PODCASTS

 

 Is Human Reproductive Cloning Inevitable? [17:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Margaret Taylor of Amnesty International NZ [4:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Marie Dyhberg the spokesperson for Campaign Against The Taser [14:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Bali Kyoto Agreement Assessment with Cindy Baxter of Greenpeace [9:26m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Human Cloning, Tasers & Bali Kyoto Agreement Assessment

1. Is Human Reproductive Cloning Inevitable?

The United Nations recently put out a discussion paper entitled “Is Human Reproductive Cloning Inevitable: Future Options for UN Governance“. In it the authors evaluate the responses of the United Nations to the questions of human cloning governance. The difference between reproductive human cloning and the use of human embryo cloning technology for research is explained and is followed by an ethical analysis of cloning.

The report also examines how, that despite a widespread consensus amongst nations that it is desirable to ban reproductive cloning, efforts to negotiate an international convention have ground to a halt due to fundamental divisions regarding human embryo cloning for medical research purposes.

I spoke to Daryl Macer who works for UNESCO and is one of the reports authors about the issues raised in the report.

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2. NZ Police Taser Trial

The New Zealand Campaign Against The Taser (CATT) recently released a report on the police Taser trial to assist informed debate on the decision due soon about whether or not the weapon should be issued to frontline police officers.

The CATT report warns that the Taser should not be introduced as a part of the New Zealand police arsenal solely on the basis of the police report on the trial, nor should the decision be made by the Police Commissioner alone.

I spoke to Margaret Taylor of Amnesty International NZ about their concerns about Tasers. As well as to Marie Dyhberg the spokesperson for CATT about the issues raised in their report.

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3. Bali Kyoto Agreement Assessment

After holding out for two weeks America, Canada and Australia finally caved in and agreed at the climate talks in Bali to support a 25-40% emissions reduction target by 2020. The final agreement also includes a mandate to negotiate a strengthened second phase of the Kyoto Protocol by 2009, start a process to finance and deliver clean technologies to developing countries, and a fund to help the victims of climate change.

I spoke to Cindy Baxter of Greenpeace who was present for the meeting in Bali about the outcome.

Simon Upton: Road Map to Where?

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Merry�Xmas�& Happy New Year

This is the last series of Prism news podcast interviews for the year. Early in the new year the Prism Webcast News website will be radically revamped as 2007 has been a year of trial runs with me getting to grips with the technology and developing the concepts on how to run things in the future. Hopefully, this will result in a much better delivery of articles and interviews that are relevant to people both locally in New Zealand and globally in the pursuit of a peaceful and environmentally sustainable future for our civilisation.

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