[Stoves] Fwd: Future of GACC (Anil, Crispin, R. Stanley)

[Traveller]

Moderator, List: I sent a partial post in error. Here is the complete
version.

Thanks,

Nikhil
---------


Let me first clear up some mild misconceptions:

a) I think Mr. Stanley is in error when he says, "remains a policy
mechanism of the US government." Support to GACC was indeed part of Mrs
Clinton's program, but I think very little money flowed from US government
to GACC Secretariat other than some songs and dance. Some entrepreneurship
development and support funds may have gone from State, USAID, or country
diplomatic missions and these may have also helped generate revenue from
other governments and private sector by an implicit "pay and play" promise,
but I don't think that formed the bulk of US government financial support.
Rather, a large part of such support  What Mrs Clinton was able to
accomplish is start EPA and HHS (Health and Human Services, directly or via
NIH/CDC) funding for research and promotion, and inspire get Kerry and
Obama to promise more funding and cajole more "Cooking Ambassadors" like
Chef Jose Andres (who is being sued by The Donald).

That is, Crispin is correct that GACC Secretariat, which to my knowledge
has so far got money from non-US governments and private sector. (UN
Foundation as a whole has its own funds; not sure how much it gets from
foreign governments. GACC does not publish financial reports and is an
opaque activity with no public accounting, just evaluation reports to the
donors).

b) Crispin is in error when he says, "The general goals of bringing
healthier and more convenient living to women around the world is a policy
of the US State Department. That is very unlikely to change, ever." It was
Mrs Clinton who claimed US foreign policy will be based on three D's -
Diplomacy,
Defense, and Development
<http://www.state.gov/s/d/rm/rls/perfrpt/2010/html/153715.htm>. While JFK
is going around the world preaching rich man's sermons to empower poor women
<http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2016/11/264446.htm> (last Friday in
Peru), it was to advertise "Healthy Women Healthy Economies", a STEM
initiative, no mention of cookstoves. Policies can be changed in a moment;
that is what elections are for. There might still be gala parties and silly
propaganda like 20 Men Who Care About Clean Cooking
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/radha-muthiah/20-men-who-care-about-cle_b_9408962.html>.
(I remember a UN Foundation dinner party for celebrities at the Willard
Intercontinental. There is a lot of money in doing good and doing it
badly.)


On the other hand, Mrs Clinton has lost the election but that only means
that if she chooses to, she can become a more active agent in GACC's goals
and activities. The Leadership Council of GACC lost Antonio Gueterres to
the UN, and had Mrs Clinton been in the White House, she would herself not
have been able to channel funds to GACC. Now the Republican Congress may
terminate the EPA and HHS programs - most of it useless galavanting,
poverty tourism for peer-patted journals - but that is not certain.
Currently the US government is running on "Continuing Resolution" basis,
but as early as two weeks, the Congress can choose to eliminate EPA, HHS
funds on what might have been seen as Mrs Clinton's agenda. I am sure the
remaining Democrats will fight to continue, but Sens. Barbara Boxer and
Mikulski are gone while Dick Durbin and Susan Collins, cosponsors of a
black carbon bill, are still around. See this
<http://www.bna.com/eyeing-democratic-majority-n73014446212/> for
pre-election irrational exuberance.

Let me quote from a speech of Republican Senator from Georgia, Saxby
Chambliss, in a 2011 speech
<http://www.intelligence.senate.gov/hearings/open-hearing-worldwide-threat#>
at an open hearing for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence,

"But in these difficult economic times, resources are certainly a
challenge. Resources are not infinite and must be prioritized. I caution
the IC to not spread itself too thin in trying to respond to every
potential national security issue without an honest assessment of your
capabilities to add value. In my opinion, assessments produced in the past
year--such as ``The Technology on Fresh Water Availability in 2040'' and
``The Devil in the Corner: Cookstoves and the Developing World''--have no
place in the IC."


Whoa!! I didn't know that US Intelligence on Worldwide Threats had produced
a threat from cookstoves!! Presumably "Secret", though might show up on
Wikileaks or Mr. Wiener's laptop.

But then I know how bureaucracies have fads and need to please Madam
Secretary.

Except that the Congress holds the purse. Who cares what The Donald thinks
or says? Butter up Mitt - likely the next SOS - and get him to request
extension of EPA, HHS grants from his Republican friends and followers on
the Hill.

Mrs Clinton may not have the clout of "pay and play" of the Clinton
Foundation in the years past, but she, if she wishes to, can now freely
raise funds for GACC Secretariat if it can demonstrate competence to do the
real policy and project work, not just fine-wine-dine-and-shine events at
Delhi Imperial Hotel and White House South Lawn, the CEO collecting hefty
bonuses for fund-raising.

Mrs. Clinton can earn such bonuses and take over UN Foundation, make a
tripartite alliance of Turner (UN), Gates, and Clinton Foundations to pool
some $2-3 billion a year for health and climate resilience of the poor. She
has friends in high places still.

There is a lot of work to be done and members of this List should help
reform GACC and draw in Mrs Clinton's support.

Nikhil

>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2016 06:17:36 +0000
> From: Crispin Pemberton-Pigott <crispinpigott at outlook.com>
> To: 'Discussion of biomass cooking stoves'
>         <stoves at lists.bioenergylists.org>
> Subject: Re: [Stoves] Future of GACC
> Message-ID:
>         <YTOPR01MB023555FA10376C7FC154901FB1B40 at YTOPR01MB0235.CANPRD
> 01.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> Dear Anil
>
> The GACC is a project of the United National Foundation. The UNF is an
> organisation that cooperates in achieving the foreign policy goals of the
> US State Department. The general goals of bringing healthier and more
> convenient living to women around the world is a policy of the US State
> Department. That is very unlikely to change, ever.
>
> Whether the effectiveness of expenditure on the ?vehicle? of stoves is
> higher or lower than alternatives is something for the policy makers to
> assess. As most of the money accessible by the UNF is from foreign
> agencies, it is likely that the general goals will remain as will the
> funding remain in the international pool. If the goal is not taken up by
> one organisation, it will be take up by another, in the sense that the
> firehose will remain open, but the nozzle may point in different directions.
>
> Good question
> Crispin
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2016 23:29:51 -0800
> From: "Rstanley at mind.net" <rstanley at mind.net>
> To: Stoves and Biofuels Network <Stoves at lists.bioenergylists.org>
> Subject: [Stoves] Future of the GACC
> Message-ID: <4ED41AEA-C91C-4187-B4E4-E55A821CE553 at mind.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset=us-ascii
>
> Crispin,
> As a bona fide citisen of the US part of the Americas, and as recovering
> from the recent election and the early indicators of appointees I have to
> suggest Crispin,  that I do not share your same confidence as our fortunate
> northern neighbor.
> We are experiencing a severe change in policy towards race, gender
> equality, environment and a host of other issues here, and funding sources
> aside,  the GACC,  no matter how well intended, remains a policy mechanism
> of the US government. That policy can change rather quickly on the whims of
> the administration in control.
> Richard Stanley
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>
>
> **************************************
>
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