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Endorsements >> Individual
Endorsements >> Individual Endorsements
for Geni Initiative
Individual Endorsements
My endorsement for The GENI Initiative:
"For most of my life, I was privileged to
observe and report on the news that affected all of
us. As a journalist, I was obliged to remain objective
-- telling the truth as we knew it, being fair to
all.
I feel free to suggest -- nay, urge -- that we
give serious attention to an ingenious project that
could help relieve much of the danger to our civilization
posed by the modern four horsemen of the apocalypse:
poverty, pollution, population growth and proliferation
of nuclear weapons.
Many years ago, I was honored to spend time with
a true visionary of our time, Dr. R. Buckminster Fuller.
He preferred that I call him Bucky. This renaissance
man gave us the geodesic dome, the Dymaxion map (a
very accurate and unique view of our planet), synergetic
mathematics and the World Game -- a global simulation
tool that posed the following question: How do we
make the world work for 100% of humanity in the shortest
possible time through spontaneous cooperation without
ecological damage or disadvantage to anyone?
The answers to this provocative inquiry have
given me hope. In particular, the premier solution
offers the most thoughtful strategy towards peace
and sustainable development that I have seen. Simply
stated, the proposal is to interconnect the electrical
energy networks between nations and continents, with
an emphasis on tapping the abundant renewable energy
resources of our planet. In today's terms, we might
call this a world wide web of electricity using green
energy resources. Bucky saw this possibility decades
before the rest of us.
Today, the developed world lives very well, but
creates tremendous pollution. In the developing world,
2 billion people have yet to even turn on a light
bulb. Now, there is The GENI Initiative that is working
to put this doable idea before the policy-makers and
public in every nation. Bucky developed a comprehensive
design approach to the world's problems, and I offer
my support for this critical endeavor. It holds great
potential for:
- a universal increase in living standards
- a reduction in atmospheric, land and water pollution
- a reduction in hunger and poverty
- a stabilization of population growth
- and an increase in trade, cooperation and peace between nations.
The problems of humanity threaten each of us
-- yet our ignorance makes us believe that somehow
we can remain immune. That just isn't so. The critical
issues we face have time frames much longer than any
political term of office. These problems are interconnected,
which suggests that the solutions will also be interconnected.
We need more comprehensive thinking and long-range
global planning. I invite you to investigate The GENI
Initiative as I have. It offers hope for all humanity."
Walter Cronkite, News Anchorman
I support with enthusiasm your initiative.
While directing the Foreign Affairs of Egypt, between
1977-1991, I have advocated the integration of the
electricity grids of all the African countries of
the Nile River using the Nile as the infrastructure
of this project. I believe, as you do, that electricity
must be at the service of peace and international
co-operation.
Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Former Secretary
General, United Nations
The Global Energy Network Initiative
plans to undertake various regional projects that
will benefit humanity and the planet. According to
GENI they plan to increase universal living standard,
reduce the cost of electricity, reduce pollution from
fossil fuel and nuclear generation, reduce poverty
and hunger around the world, stabilize population
growth and promote international trade, cooperation
and peace. I fully support these initiatives by GENI.
His Holiness, The Dalai Lama
The electric power business has grown
remarkably in this century across the globe. However,
the quantity of electricity traded internationally
is abysmally small. Interconnecting grids internationally
would permit the generation and transfer of electricity
at least possible cost, which would not only ensure
efficient utilization of natural resources, but also
provide access to tapping efficiently generated power
across international boundaries. The environmental
and economic benefits from this approach could have
revolutionary significance.
Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri Ph.D., Director General
- The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Chairman
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
 The
GENI proposal encouraging the interdependence of nations
through the sharing of energy resources is most exciting.
One of the obscenities of Southern Africa is to see
electric power lines strung across a rural landscape
overshadowing communities where women spend most of
their days walking kilometers to find firewood just
to survive. I would support an initiative that promotes
the distribution of energy to those that are condemned
to a cycle of servitude. The opportunities for co-operation
and increased international understanding through
the establishment of an international power grid would
be substantial
I wish you well with your efforts
The Most Revd. Desmond M. Tutu Archbishop
Emeritus of South Africa, Chairperson of Truth &
Reconciliation Commission, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
I have followed closely the work of
Global Energy Network International for some time,
and find the project to be one of the most important
opportunities to further the cause of environmental
protection and sustainable development. (click
here for entire letter)
Noel Brown, North American Director, United
Nations Environmental Program
I certainly support the goals of GENI
and recognize the many benefits of connecting regional
power systems into a continuous global electrical
energy grid. Our nation, and the North American countries,
have certainly benefitted from 'wheeling' power among
regional power systems, so it makes sense that extensions
of this concept would be beneficial, as well.
James M. Jeffords, U.S. Senator (Vermont)
Thank you for the opportunity to participate
in the GENI initiative. ...As you know, bioenergy
(the production of electricity and thermal energy
from the combustion of biomass in solid gaseous form)
can be a major contributor to the world-wide electrical
grid. ...We also support a renewable portfolio standard
and other provisions in proposed electric utility
restructuring legislation that will advance renewable
energy technologies....May I suggest our efforts have
much in common with your determination to establish
a world-wide electrical grid.
Bill Holmberg President of Global Biorefineries,
Inc.
Almost fifty years ago, the American genius Buckminster
Fuller proposed that the electrical power grid of
the United States be linked to its U.S.S.R. counterpart.
Unfortunately, post-World War II political considerations
on both sides put that possibility aside. The concept
is surprisingly simple. Hook up the American electrical
power network, through the Canadian power network,
over the north polar region to the Russian network
anywhere between Vladivostok and Murmansk.
Why? When it is daylight and the United States
is power-hungry, power could flow to North America.
When it is night here, power could flow into the Russian
network. A win-win situation. Water now wastefully
flowing over dams during the night in either country
would be harnessed to be beneficial elsewhere. It
would save fortunes that are spent on standby coal
and oil peak-period generating plants. As with many
problems, the solution involves not so much technology
as it does arranging the necessary sociological and
conceptual channels.
Frank Ogden, Author of
"The Last Book You'll Ever Read."
Canada's Leading Futurist
As a result of Peter's quest to open
the global mind to this cooperative venture, former
adversaries have laid down their arms while laying
electrical cables to replace them. This has resulted
in linking energy sources across borders and time
zones to provide inexpensive, off-peak energy production
to Areas that most need it. It's easy to see the effect
this can have on world peace. You don't bomb your
own energy plants, nor do you terrorize places where
you have branch offices.
Jim Cathcart, The Acorn Principle, Author,
Speaker,
Past President of the National Speaker's Association
 Many
more countries are now linking power systems, and
interconnections are accelerating around the world.
Since 1989, many former enemies have laid down their
weapons and initiated electrical energy sharing in
rapid succession. It took East and west Germany just
two months to interconnect after the fall of the Berlin
Wall, and the Washington Declaration between Jordan
and Israel added the linkage of power grids as a prime
provision in their peace accords. GENI's mission statement
includes the commitment to improve the quality of
life for all without damage to the planet. Millions
of people are now aware of this project through the
efforts of the GENI organization.
Bobbi DePorter, A Quantum Business, President,
The Learning Forum
 I
will not repeat it often enough. We need several great
world engineering projects which will help save us
incredible sums of money spent on national duplications,
increase productivity of the world economy and help
us save the environment... The world energy grid should
receive top attention and be supported.
Robert Muller, Chancellor, University for
Peace
The GENI Initiative fits right into
the more and more interdependent world. Globalization
is about a more and more borderless world and the
need to respond globally to the needs of mankind.
To preserve our common base, the Earth, we need to
join forces to generate electricity as enviormentally
friendly as possible. This is crucial and therefore
GENI deserves support.
Dr. Ruud Lubbers, former Prime Minister
of The Netherlands (1982-1994)
CTT
is a think tank with multi-disciplinary experts, including
infrastructure planning. Please contact us if we can
contribute to the plan.
Dan Cohen, President, Clear Thinking Technology
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