new Internationalist JULY/AUGUST ISSUe 424

Contents

Am I a hypocrite? In order to put this magazine together, I flew halfway across the world, contributing to the very problem – climate change – that is threatening the Arctic’s future. Some of my colleagues felt that I shouldn’t have gone: it caused a heated discussion in the New Internationalist Co-op while I was planning my trip. They felt that the flight wasn't justified and that we risked losing our readers’ respect.

But what is the alternative? Could I have written with accuracy about this extraordinarily remote, unimaginably different part of the world if I had never set foot in it? More importantly, how can we fulfil our mission to tell the stories that are ignored and bring out the voices that seldom get heard if we do not, from time to time, venture off the beaten track to find them?

It’s a painful dilemma for anyone who is paying attention to the scale of the climate crisis – especially those of us who work on international issues. Here at the NI we will continue to wrestle with it. Don't worry, we're still all speaking to each other – but we’d love to know where you stand.

While I was breaking every rule in the Good Climate Citizen’s handbook, thankfully our Australian co-editor was Doing The Right Thing. Chris Richards attempted to survive without using her car. You can find out how she fared in this month's Special Feature.

Finally, to help you through the busy summer months we've combined the July and August magazines. We're delighted to include a special supplement we've put together with Book Aid International. It contains inspiring tales of how books are changing lives across the Majority World, and a heartwarming short story from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Enjoy!

Jess Worth for the

New Internationalist Co-operative

The Arctic

4 A slow earthquake

The Arctic is changing dramatically. Jess Worth finds out what it means for the people who live there.

8 The Arctic climate

Facts and figures about the planet's thermostat.

10 Slick operators

Jess Worth meets two indigenous activists battling Big Oil's dirty tricks.

13 A vanishing world

Images of the unique landscapes and wildlife under threat.

14 The Arctic: a history

16 Who owns the Arctic?

Could countries come to blows over the North's resources? Professor Michael Byers explains.

18 When the ice melts

What does the future hold? Jess Worth learns from five leading figures.

4

8

13

18

maIn FeatuRe

16

C h a r l e s w o r t h

k a t e

sPeCIal FeatuRe 21 Life without the car

Chris Richards goes cold turkey in her umpteenth attempt to do without her car – and fumes about the structure of modern life that makes the task so hard.

r e u t e r s

/

n

i

n a t r u s k

a l e x a n d e r

:

1 6

p a g e

f r o m

a p a r t

,

p h o t o g r a p h y

a l e x a n d e r

C h e r r y

a n d

B r y a n

:

p h o t o s

a l l

RegulaR FeatuRes

2 Letters

Police breaking the law; patronizing faith schools; and Canadians’ biggest fault exposed. PLUS: Big Bad World Some people can’t see the wood for the trees, in Polyp’s cartoon. 3 Letter from Cairo

Maria Golia recalls a moment of cultural confusion. 25 Currents

Solidarity in Western Sahara offers hope; a call to boycott Uzbek cotton; Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem remembered. 27 Only Planet

Gort and Klaatu puzzle over human religions old and new. 28 NI Jumbo Prize Crossword 29 Making Waves

Hossam Bahgat is one of Egypt’s most prominent and effective human rights campaigners. He explains why things are getting worse in his country. 30 Mixed Media

A Hot Docs film festival special from Toronto; Comrade Fatso raps in the cause of righteousness; and one woman’s account of her struggle to expose the evil of honour killings. 32 Worldbeater

If you’ve heard of Ponzi Schemes, it could be thanks to Bernie Madoff. About time he got his comeuppance… 33 View from Montevideo

In an upside-down world, there are many questions to be asked, writes Eduardo Galeano. 34 Essay: Obama’s Cuba challenge

Previous US policy towards Cuba failed. Leonardo Padura Fuentes considers what needs to happen next. 36 Country profile: Qatar

Front cover: Francois Lenoir / Reuters Magazine design: Andrew Kokotka. All monetary values are expressed in US dollars unless otherwise noted.