ACTIVITY : NEWS REPORT CRITIQUE

1. INTERCONTENENTAL ENERGY FORUM TO DISCUSS POST COVID CHALLENGES

MEXICO CITY, Sep 25 (IPS) - The economic recovery after the covid-19 pandemic, renewable energy, the
gas situation, regulations and investment; mobility and transport, as well as new technologies and the
progress of the Paris Agreement will be discussed at the Madrid Energy Conference from 28 September
to 2 October.

Jeremy Martin, vice-president of the non-governmental Institute of the Americas (IoA), told IPS from its
headquarters in the U.S. coastal town of La Jolla, California, that the second Madrid Energy
Conference had to adjust its format to a virtual one, as all the meetings have done since March.

"But the goals and objectives are the same: to address the way energy is generated, distributed and
consumed, as well as the investment needed in Latin America to drive the energy transition and its link
to Europe," explained the vice-president of the Institute organizing the conference.

The dialogue, the first edition of which was held in the Spanish capital in 2019, will bring together
ministers and deputy ministers from various Latin American and Caribbean countries, as well as 20
company presidents and more than 400 delegates from international bodies, such as the
intergovernmental International Energy Agency and the Latin American Energy Organization, and
experts from both continents.

The first day of discussions will focus on the relevance of the Paris Agreement, signed in 2015; the
climate crisis in the context of the pandemic; and the situation of renewable energy in Latin America.

The second day will focus on financing the post-Covid recovery and the energy transition towards lower
carbon models and mergers and acquisitions in the energy sector.

The third day will focus on energy storage in batteries and electricity transmission networks; mobility,
transport and energy transition and intelligent transmission networks.

In the fourth group of sessions, speakers will discuss gas, the perspective of oil corporations and the role
and impact of regulations on hydrocarbon companies.

The closing of the virtual conference will deal with energy digitization and artificial intelligence, carbon
capture and storage (CCS), the gas generated by human activities responsible for global warming, and
methane, whose polluting power is greater than that of CO, and the situation of hydrogen, seen as an
alternative to fossil fuels, in Latin America and Europe.

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic which appeared in China at the end of 2019 and has spread
rapidly throughout the world, nations have suffered economic recession, a fall in energy consumption
and tourism, as well as thousands of deaths and job losses.
2. CAUSES OF POVERTY

Poverty is the state for the majority of the world’s people and nations.
Why is this? Is it enough to blame poor people for their own
predicament? Have they been lazy, made poor decisions, and been solely
responsible for their plight? What about their governments? Have they
pursued policies that actually harm successful development? Such causes
of poverty and inequality are no doubt real. Behind the increasing
interconnectedness promised by globalization are global decisions,
policies, and practices. These are typically influenced, driven, or
formulated by the rich and powerful. These can be leaders of rich
countries or other global actors such as multinational corporations,
institutions, and influential people.

In the face of such enormous external influence, the governments of

poor nations and their people are often powerless. As a result, in the
global context, a few get wealthy while the majority struggle.

The poorest people will also have less access to health, education and
other services. Problems of hunger, malnutrition and disease afflict the
poorest in society. The poorest are also typically marginalized from
society and have little representation or voice in public and political
debates, making it even harder to escape poverty.

By contrast, the wealthier you are, the more likely you are to benefit from
economic or political policies. The amount the world spends on military,
financial bailouts and other areas that benefit the wealthy, compared to
the amount spent to address the daily crisis of poverty and related
problems are often staggering.
3. Judgment Free Online Platform Key to Helping Suicidal People, Says Survivor

Depression and mental health issues are linked to suicide. Globally, 79

percent of suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries; however,
high-income countries have the highest rates of suicide. It proves that
triggers can be varied, and having a successful life dreamt by many does
not guarantee peace of mind. Societal pressure, judgement, and constant
pressure could create triggers.

Also, men are three times more likely to commit suicide than women in
wealthier countries, but in emerging countries, the rate is equal. With the
need for a better, successful life, comes the need to prove and achieve.

Social stigma, cultural norms, and expectations are a few factors that
could push a person to the breaking point. Her support system and
coping mechanism included extensive therapy, and she found surprising
support online platforms. Social media was a crucial factor in helping her
to recuperate and open-up.