Author Archive for Corina Murafa

Futurechallenges.org – Governing Climate Change. In Search for the Perfect Solution

Published on August 13, 2010 in Miscellaneous. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

Photo: Kris Krug

Following on some of the ideas I thought about during the recently concluded Aspen Environment Forum, and also reflecting upon a very insightful class I took at the Hertie School of Governance during my first year there – a class on multilateral governance taught by Professor Inge Kaul (world expert on public goods) and Thorsten Benner (director of the Global Public Policy Institute), I wrote a piece for FutureChallenges.org on new climate change governance architectures.

Here’s the full-length article (but please visit the entire platform, as other authors feature some really instructive pieces):

Finding the right type of climate change governance architecture and driving humanity on a more sustainable path might just be the tip of the iceberg of future challenges and megatrends featured on Futurechallenges.org. Why? It is intimately linked with all of them: new governance structures (see the magic scenarios below), demographic issues (climate refugees “complement” an unsustainable industrial production and consumption pattern, which will most likely make it impossible for us to feed a growing planet of 9 billion people by 2050), biodiversity and natural resources (because of human consumption of natural resources – the same that induced climate change – ecosystems have degraded at a 30% rate between 1970 and 2003, and our ecological footprint has exceeded the Earth’s capacity by about 25% as of 2003, says WWF’s Living Planet Report, 2006 edition, security (climate change-induced resources scarcity and migration will increasingly become a source of conflict, specialists indicate, and have done so already, as the infamous case of Darfur points out). Continue reading ‘Futurechallenges.org – Governing Climate Change. In Search for the Perfect Solution’

Those Remarkable Men and Their Flying Machines. Some Faces Behind the Aspen Environment Forum

Published on August 1, 2010 in Miscellaneous. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

Aspen Meadows Campus, hosting Aspen Environment Forum 2010

Without even pretending to do justice to the 100+ very impressive names on the speakers’ list at the Aspen Environment Forum, I thought of sharing the work of some of the people I’ve listened to and/ or engaged with during the forum. Their creativity and intellectual profundity are an incredible source of inspiration for many.

It was only during the third day of the conference that I met probably the most charismatic and inspirational speaker of the forum, the Iraqi-born American urban planner T.H. Culhane, who runs the German – Egyptian NGO Solar CITIES. Maybe that happened for a reason, as the day’s title was “New Horizons: Building a Sustainable World”. T.H. brings tech-knowledge into the world’s poorest neighbourhoods, from Cairo to Guatemala, educating people on industrial ecology solutions for their communities. The results: “integrated solar water and kitchen-waste-to-cooking-fuel-and-electric-generator-fuel biogas systems”, composting systems, rooftop gardening systems and a bunch of other hyper cool innovations. I’ve asked T.H. whether he thinks his solutions are scalable given the unprecedented rate of migration from rural to urban areas. His solution: ask each and every newcomer to produce his/her own energy! I’m a bit skeptical on the feasibility of that one, but his solutions are nonetheless amazing.

The third day made me run into America’s first eco-friendly cowboy, Doug Fine. He has authored the bestseller “Farewell, My Subaru” (which sold out during the forum, without me being able to get my hands on a copy). He’s intensely funny and shows by example how people can live petroleum free in one year, without giving up any digital age comforts (his solutions include a sustainable diet, vegetable-oil powered autos and solar power). Without preaching that everybody should move to New Mexico and herd goats, he makes a pretty convincing case on small steps we can all take to reduce oil dependency. And he’s damn funny.

A puzzling presence at the summit was Sudanese Ambassador and chief negotiator of the G77 on climate change, Mr. Lumumba Di-Aping. The developed world has pretty much blamed and shamed his stubbornness for the Copenhagen negotiations failure. I’ve talked to him a bit about the responsibilities of developing countries in the face of climate change; his position is that developing countries have to factor in their development needs and that their only fundamental responsibility is to develop (albeit, following a different path). Still, he was saying that China can and should be brought to contribute by a universal cap on carbon emissions. Easier said than done, but then again, it’s valuable to try to really understand how G77 leaders think about these issues…

Great insights on sustainable food and agriculture came from sustainable chef Barton Seaver (his website is amazing, totally recommend it), from program director for Animal Welfare Approved Andrew Gunther (independent food labeling granted to small farmers across the US for raising their animals with highest welfare standards – despite talking to Andrew, still a dilemma for me how to get the political will to factor in negative externalities, like environmental costs, in the price of the food we buy, so that finally sustainable food became affordable for all), and from Melina Shannon-DiPietro (who’s managed to implement some really effective and creative marketing communication tools to implement sustainable dining in the Yale University campus).

So many, many more amazing speakers to highlight… TBC (on energy and the oil spill in particular).

Till then, to your emotional enjoyment, I give you some recommendations from the Aspen Environment Forum co-organizer, the National Geographic. A remarkable part of the speakers and participants were NG Explorers (check out more about their Emerging Explorer and Explorer-in-Residence programs). Each day of the forum was accompanied by photographic storytelling with photographers Joel Sartore (America’s most prominent photographer of rare and endangered species… check out this absolutely amazing short movie of his) and George Steinmetz (an expert in aerial landscapes).

PS: I was a Scholar at the Aspen Environment Forum, and I hope many more fellows of the Aspen Young Leaders Programme of the Aspen Institute Romania will attend future editions of the forum.

Eco-liceenii One World Film Clubs

Published on February 26, 2010 in Miscellaneous. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

poster owfc eco

Un proiect la care muncesc de ceva vreme creste din ce in ce mai mare… Thank you, dear team, for making it happen. Thank you, dear high-school coordinators, for being creative and brave. Vineri, 26 februarie, 16 licee din 10 orase din Romania proiecteaza simultan filme green in cadrul Cluburilor de Film One World!

Mai jos, comunicatul de presa!

În ultimii ani, cineaştii români câştigă constant premii internaţionale prestigioase, de cele mai multe ori în ciuda susţinerii precare din partea statului sau a sistemului de educaţie. 


Continuând o tradiție regională inaugurată de People in Need din Republica Cehă, Asociaţia Oricum, organizatorul festivalului de scurtmetraje ShortsUP, a adus în România Cluburile de Film One World, care se concretizează în proiecții și dezbateri lunare în 16 licee din Bucureşti şi din ţară. Proiectul încearcă să suplinească lipsa educaţiei cinematografice în şcoli şi constă în organizarea unor cluburi de film documentar cu tema drepturilor omului și chestiunilor globale. Filmele de lungmetraj, dar şi cele de mediu şi scurtmetraj ating tematici globale precum migraţia, discriminarea, sărăcia, rasismul, schimbările climatice sau conflictele armate. Continue reading ‘Eco-liceenii One World Film Clubs’

Ending Poverty. What Approach Works Best.

Published on February 20, 2010 in Miscellaneous. 35 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

I had to deliver this last week a 10 minute informative presentation on this topic, for my “States and Markets” class. I’m sharing some thoughts with you here and would be really curious to see what non-economists/ non-policy students think about the proposed solutions. Since I am surrounded by such folks, though, views from the community are also welcome :)

The figures
- there’s great news: the proportion of people living in extreme economic poverty, i.e. on less than $1.25/ day (at 2005 prices, adjusted for purchasing power parity) had dropped worldwide from 52% in 1981 to 26% in 2005

- the bad news: there are great regional disparities – China and East Asia in general, which used to be the poorest in the 80s (80% of the population affected by extreme poverty) have reduced their percentage of poor drastically (18% in 2005); however, sub-Saharan African has kept its poverty rate unchanged in the last 40 years, at about 50% of its population. Moreover, because of population increase, in absolute numbers the number of the poor has doubled (from 200 million in 1981 to 380 million in 2005) Continue reading ‘Ending Poverty. What Approach Works Best.’

Where Are All the Baby Boomers Gone?

Published on February 9, 2010 in Miscellaneous. 18 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Last semester I took a core class at Hertie, called the “Public Policy Process – German Budgeting”. As our final project, we were supposed to get into the shoes of the German Ministry for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (you don’t want to imagine how the full name sounds in German) and propose a new budget for 2010 for our ministry.

Initially, I thought I would learn a bit of number crunching and plenty of insights into German politicking. I ended up learning more about family/ population policy and demography (especially within a OECD context) than I ever imagined. Also, I ended up being totally alarmed by how little attention decision-makers pay to these matters. In Germany, they are at least on the agenda, while in Romania… Oh, my!

Continue reading ‘Where Are All the Baby Boomers Gone?’

“Comeback” Experiment/ “Poate” m-am intors

Published on February 8, 2010 in Miscellaneous. 1 Comment Tags: , .

Do not jump to conclusions. I am not sure I will start being an active blogger again. It’s just that sometimes I read and/or listen to things I want to share, and, even better, I work on some exciting projects and papers. Before we can all declare a comeback, let’s just be patient and walk the walk.

Cum zic si in engleza mai sus, nu sunt convinsa ca voi deveni din nou un blogger activ. Din cand in cand insa, citesc, aud sau fac lucruri despre care vreau sa vorbesc si altora. Deci sa nu zicem inca hop pana nu trecem pragul. La recitire placuta! 

Fii urmatorul Delegat de Tineret la ONU!

Published on July 26, 2009 in Miscellaneous. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Imi imaginez ce fericiti si nostalgici sunt parintii cand copiii lor incep sa faca singuri pasi in viata, sa se descurce, sa scoata capul in lume independenti. Simplificand, asa ma simt si eu acum, cand proiectul meu de suflet, “Delegat de Tineret la Natiunile Unite” se afla la cea de-a treia editie oficiala, respirand si traind mai departe fara implicarea mea activa. Dupa cum probabil stiti, in 2006 mi-a trecut prima data prin minte sa institutionalizez participarea tinerilor romani in luarea deciziilor la cel mai inalt nivel politic, anume in Adunarea Generala a ONU. Cu ajutorul nepretuit al prietenilor de la ORICUM, al unor profesionisti impecabili din Ministerul Afacerilor Externe, printre care si Excelenta Sa Dna. Ambasador Simona Miculescu, al altor profesionisti din institutii precum Autoritatea Nationala pentru Tineret si Centrul de Informare al Natiunilor Unite, si desigur al societatii civile tinere, proiectul a mers inainte timp de trei ani, tineri romani alesi in mod democratic si transparent devenind “Delegati de tineret la Natiunile Unite”.

Consiliul Tineretului din Romania, platforma nationala a organizatiilor non-guvernamentale de tineret, a preluat acest proiect anul acesta si a si lansat sesiunea de aplicatii pentru a recruta noi delegati. Asadar,

Consiliul Tineretului din România cu sprijinul Ministerul Afacerilor Externe declară deschis procesul de aplicaţie.

Dacă ai între 18 – 25 de ani, completează în perioada 20 iulie – 2 august dosarul de candidatură care trebuie sa conțina:

  • CV în format european,
  • o scrisoare de recomandare de maximum 500 de cuvinte,
  • o scrisoare de motivație
  • un eseu de maximum 1500 de cuvinte prin care să ne arăţi perspectiva ta referitoare la temele propuse anul acesta: Youth Impact on Social Development: Education, Climate Change & Youth Participation.

Trimite-l la delegatdetineret@ctr.ro şi convinge-ne că tu meriţi să fii unul dintre cei selectaţi pentru etapele următoare. Pregăteşte-te apoi pentru un interviu telefonic şi pentru dezbaterea finală, în care vor fi aleși cei doi Delegaţi de Tineret ai României la Naţiunile Unite.

Fii gata să reprezinţi România!

Lansare biografie “Principele Radu”

Published on July 25, 2009 in Miscellaneous. 2 Comments Tags: , , .

747.jpgNu am mai scris de mult pe blog, dar imi promit sa fac acest lucru mai des. Deocamdata, un mic anunt si cateva detalii. Pe vremea cand organizam, la Asociatia ORICUM, Youth Summit, cea mai mare intalnire anuala dedicata tinerilor romani, am colaborat cu Altele Lor Regale, Principesa Margareta si Principele Radu, alaturi de intreaga Casa Regala, in incercarea noastra de a construi o noua viziune pentru Romania. La aproape doi ani de atunci, mai precis in urma cu aproximativ 7 luni, Principele Radu ne-a intrebat, prin intermediul unui fost coleg de liceu, Luca Vlad, devenit consilier al Majestatii Sale Regele Mihai, pe mine si pe un alt fost si drag coleg de liceu, Vladimir Cretulescu (student la Regie si masterand in Istoria Artei), daca nu am fi interesati sa scriem o bibliografie de popularizare despre ce a facut si ce face in continuare Casa Regala a Romaniei, si in principal Alteta Sa.

Ni s-a parut o onoare inedita – eu personal aveam sansa sa ma intorc la niste preocupari de mult uitate, acelea de jurnalist/ povestitor – asa ca am acceptat. Pe mine ma intriga ideea de personalitate publica din spatele celui devenit Principele Radu, pe Vladimir destinul actorului devenit Principe. Am avut interviuri succesive cu Principele si alte persoane – am calatorit pana in Bulgaria, spre exemplu, pentru a-l intervieva pe Regele Simeon, am consultat diferite materiale, am ajuns sa il cunoastem pe actorul Radu, pe omul Radu, pe Principele Radu, si, spre surprinderea noastra, caci nu stiam de la bun inceput de aceste intentii, pe candidatul la Presedintie Radu.

Am facut cunostinta cu o personalitate interesanta si puternica, care vrea sa puna in scena o viziune. O personalitate pe care o admir, la fel cum de altfel admir si as dori sa cunosc mai indeaproape si alti politicieni, oameni de afaceri, si diplomati romani. Cartea nu se vrea a fi un manifest electoral – obiectiv vorbind, nici nu este, iar noi nu facem parte din staff-ul de campanie al Principelui (departe de mine, inca, gandul de a intra in politica). Este insa o felie de viata, povestita si interpretata, care poate va inspira cititorii, de pe orice pozitie s-ar afla, sa schimbe in bine comunitatile din care fac parte.

Prima lansare a cartii va avea loc azi, ora 12, la Diverta Magheru. Detalii despre ea si pe Internet, pe site-ul Editurii Litera.

Recomandari de Bucuresti

Published on June 25, 2009 in Miscellaneous. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Se intampla lucruri frumoase in Bucuresti zilele astea. Am participat deja la o parte din evenimente, cu celelalte mai greu, insa vroiam sa va fac niste recomandari.

In primul rand sunt Erste Foundation Prizes for Social Change, insotite de conferinta “The Future of Social Change. 1989-2009: Visions and Perspectives after 20 Years of Transition”. Activisti ONG, oameni de afaceri, antreprenori, jurnalisti si alti “change-makers” regionali se intalnesc timp de cateva zile in Bucuresti (24-26 iunie) si pun la cale viitorul socio-economic al regiunii noastre. Am fost ieri la conferinta de deschidere, ratand din pacate primul speech – al domnului Traian Basescu – caci m-ar fi interesat aici reactiile diferite ale publicului – ale romanilor versus ale celorlalti invitati straini. Insa am reusit sa urmaresc un panel cu un titlu provocator: “20 Years of Freedom: Who Is ‘In’ and Who is ‘Out’”? Mi-a placut mult felul in care a moderat discutia Boris Marte, Membru al Board-ului Fundatiei Erste (o institutie de-a dreptul impresionanta, de care din pacate auzisem prea putin pana acum), si mi-a placut mult interventia profesorului Claus Offe de la Hertie School of Governance, care a evidentiat ceea ce eu cred de mult – nevoia de a intari statul si de avea un stat puternic drept piatra de temelie pentru asigurarea tuturor celorlalte privilegii si libertati. O alta idee interesanta a fost cum am putea sa inlocuim dependenta sterila de partide politice prin foruri deliberative alternative. Cel mai mult mi-a placut insa raspunsul lui Offe la intrebarea referitoare la felul in care efectuam tranzitia morala si schimbam valori – anume amintind oamenilor des ceea ce ar trebui sa fie “in their face”: universalismul, responsabilitatea individuala, interdependenta sociala. A dat drept exemplu o masura miraculoasa a primarului orasului Bogota, care a impanzit un cartier cu o rata de criminalitate ridicata cu postere gigantice cu mesajul “La vida es sacrada”. Si a functionat. 

Apoi zilele acestea vin, pe partea de entertainment, Maratonul Future Shorts si Noaptea Institutelor Culturale. Le ratez pe amandoua, caci plec din Bucuresti, dar vi le recomand cu multa caldura.

Iar azi, din motive obiective, ratez Green Biz Forum, de care am aflat (cam prea tarziu, din pacate) de pe blog-ul lui Dragos Dehelean - discutii despre CSR verde si green business-uri, cu cateva din cele mai noi si promitatoare nume din domeniu. Sper sa citesc pe bloguri sau pe site-ul evenimentului cam despre ce a fost vorba.

Asadar, food for the brain and soul. Enjoy!

Aspen Young Leaders in Delta

Published on June 17, 2009 in Miscellaneous. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Sunt din nou la Aspen Young Leaders. De data aceasta in delta, la Mila 35, la un nou retreat, mult mai putin centrat pe lumea din jurul nostru de aceasta data, cat pe noi insine. Ii avem ca traineri pe Marian Stas si Andy Szekely, care ne ghideaza pas cu pas prin diferite instrumente legate de leadership si mai ales prin instrumente care ne ajuta sa ne descoperim pe noi insine, cu puncte bune si mai ales cu vulnerabilitati grele si care pot fi depasite numai prin multa, multa munca. LSI (lifestyles inventory), GSI (group styles inventory), NLP (neurolinguistic programming), TA (transactional analysis), leadership transformational, si multe altele.Am facut un test fantastic care povesteste lucruri despre stilurile mele de comportante. Lifestyles Inventory de la Human Synergistics. Nu am aflat secrete prea mari, desi au fost cateva lucruri despre mine pe care nu le-as fi intuit (cum ar fi, bunaoara, tendinta spre evitare). Insa ceea ce am aflat (in esenta ca sunt prea putin constructiva, ci prea mult ofensiv-agresiva, adica perfectionista si competitiva) planuiesc sa corectez si sa imbunatatesc.Per total, Aspen este o descoperire  de sine care e imposibil sa te lase rece. Sunt lucruri care iti explica trecutul, care iti arata cum esti in prezent si, cel mai important, te fac sa iti pui intrebari grave si complexe despre viitorul tau. Si e important sa iti pese.