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G D R C    M o s a i c
www.gdrc.org

July 2005
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Welcome to another edition of GDRC's Mosaic!
This month, GDRC Mosaic is being set to more 
than 820 subscribers in 110 countries worldwide.
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THIS MONTH'S SPOTLIGHT: Renewable Energy
from GDRC's Programme on Urban Environmental
Management

"Current patterns of energy use raise serious concerns 
due to its detrimental effects on the global environment 
and the threat to long term sustainability"

These concerns include the finite natural reserves of energy; 
its detrimental effects on the global environment and the 
threat to long term sustainability. There is a legal and moral 
obligation to create an energy use pattern that ensures 
energy efficiency, protects environmental integrity, and 
maintains and enhances the strength of our local economy. 

One of the key causes for environmental damage in both 
developing and OECD countries is the way in which energy 
is extracted, distributed and used. The need is therefore 
particularly strong for a shift from current preference of 
energy derived from finite, fossil-based fuels, to one that 
is cleaner, low-carbon, renewable forms of energy.

Three key issues will define the shape and future of 
energy in cities, that will drive the shoft to renewable 
forms: sustainability, efficiency, and equity.

GDRC has been working on these issues, within the 
overall perspective of urban environmental management. 
Resources on renewable energy are availble at:
http://www.gdrc.org/uem/energy/energy.html

As with all sections of GDRC, contributions, comments 
and suggestions are always welcome from users and 
subscribers! Please contact GDRC's Coordinator at - 
mosaic@gdrc.org
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FOCUS ON GDRC: LEARNING LESSONS
 
Man-on-the-street

In all its research and action, GDRC constantly keeps an 
image of the man-on-the-street ('MOTS') in developing its 
programems and projects. This has been a useful way to 
make the work relevant and interesting! 

How will the activity or topic we are working on affect the 
MOTS?  How will he perceive it? Is it in fact relevant to him 
at all?? How can we scale down the message we are 
disseminating to his level, so that he understands its 
importance? What will we have to do make him take action? 

These questions drive the way in which information is 
presented within the pages of GDRC's programmes and 
its outputs.  As frequently mentioned in earlier issues of 
GDRC Mosaic, it will small decisions and actions, taken 
on a daily basis by individuals and communities, that will 
cummulatively help to solve global problems.

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MONTHLY STATISTICS FOR GDRC'S WEBSITE
,
Total hits encountered -  7495,954
Total files downloaded - 612,748
Total pages viewed - 237,735
Total web visitors - 98,313
Total KBytes - 6,763,613
Pages per day - Avg. 7,668; Max. - 10,026
Visits per day - Avg. 3,042; Max. - 3,814
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WHAT'S NEW AT GDRC'S WEBSITE?
Some highlists of new items added to GDRC's programme:

- Oceans, Coasts and Small Islands: GDRC becomes 
   a member of the World Ocean Network, and endorses 
   WON's 'Ocean Passport'
- Oceans, Coasts and Small Islands: Islands - 
   "Renewable Energy in Small Islands" by Thomas 
   Lynge Jensen
- Urban Environmental Management: Water resource 
   (Rainwater Harvesting) - The International Rainwater 
   Harvesting Alliance
- Urban Environmental Management: Slums and 
   Squatters - Short article on "Homelessness - an Issue"
- Urban Governance: Precautionary Principles - new 
   documents and resources added.
- Microfinance: Updates added to 'The International Year 
   of Microcredit 2005'
- Sustainable Business: Intro document - "Sustainability 
   is Good Business"
- Internet and ICTs: Info Overload - "How Much Information?"

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ABOUT GDRC MOSAIC

The "GDRC Mosaic" is a monthly email newsletter 
that provides information bites, and summarizes 
programme activities of GDRC, including new items 
added to the website. You are welcome to 
forward this newsletter to friends and interested
people!

To subscribe: http://www.gdrc.org/about/newsletter.html
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe-mosaic@gdrc.org
Comments/suggestions/contributions: mosaic@gdrc.org 

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CONTACT ADDRESS:

Global Development Research Center
1-5-1-1013, Mori Minami Machi, Higashi Nada-ku,
Kobe 658-001, Japan
Tel / Fax: +(81-78) 452-8414
Email: mosaic@gdrc.org
Web: http://www.gdrc.org/
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Copyright (C) 2005-2007, GDRC. All rights reserved.